John Berridge was born in 1716 to a wealthy farmer who hoped Berridge would follow in his footsteps. Instead, Berridge became a minister due to his natural giftedness in reading and scholarly endeavors. Yet, he was not converted until after he became vicar of Everton in Bedfordshire, England in 1755. J.C. Ryle notes that “As … Read more
There are truckloads of webpages about how to officiate a marriage ceremony. And for the most part, what the couple wants may dictate the majority of those details. But I believe there are three essential parts of a marriage ceremony where I encourage every Bride and Groom, and Officiant, to focus the majority of their … Read more
Do you know that feeling when you start to tell someone about the Lord and you realize they do not already know Him? Do you get a pit in your stomach sometimes—a warning not to go there? Our natural response to difficulty is sometimes “flight.” Telling your neighbor that God will not only judge him or her but that God is right to do so can be frightening! It is no wonder we fail so many times in our evangelism—it is truly counter to our flesh’s desires for comfort!
In part 1 of this series, I challenged anyone reading this to commit to memorizing Psalm 96. I hope if you have not started that endeavor you will start now. If you want my recommended smartphone app for Bible memory: here is a 20% discount code for it. Psalm 96 is an interesting song because … Read more
I had the privilege recently of reading William Buell Sprague’s 1832 book* Lectures on Revivals of Religion. This work is a series of 9 lectures that Dr. Sprague gives defending the biblical warrant for revival and instructing churches on how to promote true revival and guard against counterfeits. This post focuses on lectures 6 and 7. … Read more
Psalm 96 is a wonderful song written by David as part of a larger song of thanks which is introduced to us in 1 Chronicles 16. I was scheduled to preach a topical sermon at the 2020 Psalms & Worship conference in Canton, OH on the topic of “Worship in Evangelism,” and I thought Psalm … Read more
Last week, new neighbors moved into the house across the street from us. I wrote them a note and I thought other people may benefit from it. If you are not actively trying to reach your neighbors with the gospel, why not? What is holding you back? Here is the letter. Feel free to copy … Read more
In God’s kind providence, it was a biblical understanding of the great doctrine of regeneration that birthed (I’m not sure if I’m intending the pun or not) the evangelical movement of the 18th century. Sadly, it is also a misunderstanding and underemphasis of this doctrine that has contributed to the unraveling of evangelicalism in the … Read more
Holiness of life and true revival can not be separated. A so-called “revival” that does not produce holiness is not a work of the Holy Spirit. Here we may offer an important reminder that true revival cannot be manufactured by men. The sign that says “revival next week” doesn’t really communicate what true revival is for true revival is God-sent and according to His plans and purposes, not ours.
But the month of December is still a special month for most. The secular and religious alike buy trees and presents and send greeting cards to one another. This is your chance! Buy (or design) a Christmas card with a gospel message and give it to everyone you can. Even if you give people a card with only a Bible verse printed on it like Luke 2:11 or Matthew 1:21, that’s a good start.
The hymn God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is a Christmas favorite of mine. I love the majesty and the pace of it. It’s an easy tune to remember and full of biblical truth. The pace of the song prevents us from recognizing the need for a comma after “merry.” This can cause a little confusion … Read more
Throughout the weekend of the Cruciform Conference, I (Michael) enjoyed fresh cups of coffee from Better Life Coffee Co and mild chatting with Joe Heatwole, founder, and owner. As the conference was finishing, Joe was given a chance to tell “his story” before the final sermon. What I heard was a story I want everyone … Read more