The first rule of combat is: know your enemy.  We don’t talk a lot about sin these days. But maybe we should. The Puritans sure did—because they understood sin’s deceptive power and wanted to root it out of their lives. Shouldn’t we want the same?  Though many books have been written on the “doctrine of sin,” few are as practical and applicable as this one. In Knowing Sin, Mark Jones puts his expertise in the Puritans to work by distilling the vast wisdom of our Christian forebears into a single volume that summarizes their thought on this vital subject. The result isn’t a theological tome to sit on your shelf and gather dust, but a surprisingly relevant book to keep by your bedside and refer to again and again. You’ll come to understand topics like:  Sin’s Origin Sin’s Grief Sin’s Thoughts Sin’s Temptations Sin’s Misery Sin’s Secrecy and of course . . . Sin’s Defeat! None of us is free from the struggle with sin. The question isn’t whether we’re sinful, it’s what we’re doing about it. Thanks be to God, there is a path to overcoming sin. And the first step on that path to victory is knowing what we’re up against. Start Knowing Sin today!

How Christians Can Rediscover the Beauty and Glory of the Church

Dear. Precious. Lovely. The Bible describes the church in extraordinary ways, even using beautiful poetry and metaphors. How does this compare to how Christians today describe the church? Unfortunately, many believers focus more on its mission, structure, or specific programs than on its inherent beauty. It’s time to spark a renewed affection for the church.

In The Loveliest Place, Dustin Benge urges Christians to see the holy assembly of God’s redeemed people in all its eternal beauty. He explains what makes the church lovely, including the Trinitarian relationship, worship, service, and gospel proclamation. For those who have never learned to view the church as God sees it, or have become disillusioned by its flaws, this book is a reminder that the corporate gathering of believers is a reflection of God’s indescribable beauty.

buy his book below:

https://www.amazon.com/Loveliest-Place-Beauty-Glory-Church/dp/1433574942

Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12; cf. Lk. 11:4).  It is fascinating that the only fact that the Savior asked us to mention about ourselves in prayer is that we practice forgiving.  However, exactly what forgiveness is, to whom it is due, and how it relates to correction and punishment are not widely understood.  Critics of the Faith have alleged that Jesus’ lofty ideal of forgiveness is either dangerously liberal, at odds with other details of His ethic, or laudable, but widely disregarded by Christians.  Given the central significance of forgiveness to the Gospel of how God saves sinners by faith in Jesus Christ; and given that a forgiving attitude is a fundamental mark of those who have been forgiven by God in Christ, believers can only benefit from sustained meditation on the topic.  Jesus, after all, set forth the following promise and warning as the grounds making forgiveness central to prayer: “if you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:14-15; cf. Mk. 11:25; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13).

check out full article below! 

https://gentlereformation.com/2022/07/09/all-things-forgiveness/

How does knowledge of the past shape Christians’ views of God, Christ’s redemption, and humanity as a whole? In his new book, Vern S. Poythress teaches Christians how to study and write about the past by emphasizing God’s own command to remember his works and share them with the next generation. Readers will explore concepts such as providentialism, Christian historiography, divine purpose, and the 4 basic phases of biblical history: creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. By learning how to appropriately study history, believers will begin to recognize God’s lordship over all events and how even minor incidents fit into his overarching plan.

join me and Chris on an awesome conversation!

Are we following Jesus the wrong way? Do you ever wonder if maybe following Jesus has been a little too complicated? Like there are too many badges to earn or bridges to cross to be a disciple? What happens in many churches is very rarely discipleship. More often it is a nice religious service or class. It should be very concerning to us that we are not making disciples. If we can't even define what a disciple is and yet we have thousands of disciple-making ministries, shouldn't that at least cause us to question if we've actually defined the problem that discipleship is intended to solve? It seems like there is a different definition of discipleship for every Christian you talk to. If we can't even agree on a definition, is it any surprise that churches are creating disengaged Christians who can't answer basic questions of Christianity, don't seem to care about Christian ethics, and don't really seem to experience the presence of God? This book is an attempt to create a common definition based on one of the most foundational Christian doctrines--the Trinity--to help churches and people obey the command to make disciples.

check out his book on amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/Trinitarian-Formation-J-Chase-Davis/dp/1725261588

Billions of dollars change hands in the name of Christ, but is the gospel at stake?  Many rightly condemn the wealth amassed by false teachers, but at a fundamental level, little differentiates their practices from those of legitimate ministries. Seminaries, Christian publishers, and other church and parachurch organizations all engage in the commerce of exchanging religious instruction for money. Now, more than ever, the church must turn to the word of God to find wisdom on these matters.The Dorean Principle offers a fresh look at the Bible’s guidance on ministry fundraising and exposes common practices that run afoul of its instruction.  Conley Owens presents a robust synthesis of Jesus and the apostle Paul’s theology, concluding that “ministry should be supported, not sold.” Drawing from his experience as both a pastor and an engineer, he provides practical solutions to the challenges that lie at the intersection of money and ministry.  This book is available for free at thedoreanprinciple.org.

Have you ever heard of the word Covenant? When you are reading the bible have you ever considered to yourself how the bible all fits together? curious to learn about God's Redemptive plan for his people? You interested in seeing how all of the scripture is all connected between the old testament and the new testament? join in and listen to Patrick Hines help us understand what exactly covenant theology is!  Patricks Recommended resources   

1. O. Palmer Robertson - Christ of the Covenants:  https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Covenants-Palmer-Robertson-ebook/dp/B074CKJDLP/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2N8ZANE4IBSF0&keywords=robertson+covenant+theology&qid=1643816629&sprefix=robertson+covenant+theolog%2Caps%2C429&sr=8-2 

2. A. A. Hodge - The Westminster Confession: A Commentary: https://www.amazon.com/Westminster-Confession-Commentary-Hodge/dp/0851518281/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1BKCS2NN0COUE&keywords=the+westminster+confession+a+commentary+hodge&qid=1643816695&sprefix=the+westminster+confession+a+commentary+hodg%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-3 

3. R. C. Sproul - Grace Unknown: https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Reformed-Theology-R-Sproul/dp/0801011213/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2X2NUWO37OJWR&keywords=sproul+grace+unknown&qid=1643816720&sprefix=sproul+grace+unknown%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-2 

4. R. C. Sproul - What is Reformed Theology: https://www.amazon.com/What-Reformed-Theology-Understanding-Basics-ebook/dp/B007KOROM6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sproul+what+is+reformed+theology&qid=1643816743&sprefix=sproul+what+is+re%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-3

Stephen Boyce's Story: I had the privilege of being born into a Christian home. Both of my parents love the Lord and desired raised all four of their children to walk in step with the gospel. At the age of 12, I was sitting in a church service listening to a sermon on salvation. In the middle of the message, I was convinced of my need for a personal relationship with Christ that only comes by grace alone. After the service, I went to a youth counselor and shared with him my desire to become a follower of Jesus. I realized that I had claimed the God of my parents but I had never had a personal relationship with Him. My journey in the faith continued into my teen years; where I began to sense the calling of God on my life to be a preacher of the gospel. It was at 17 that I answered this call after a Sunday evening service. The sermon was on Romans 10 “how shall they hear without a preacher.” Everything changed from that point on in my life. The next year, I enrolled in Bible College where God used those years to help equip me for ministry. After my undergrad work, I helped lead a youth group for a year while starting my seminary work to sharpen my understanding of Scripture. During that year, I received a phone call from a church looking for a Pastor and through the guidance of my Pastor, My family answered the call and we spent the next 4 years serving at a church in South Carolina. During that time, I finished my Master’s degree as well as my Doctorate degree. It was also during that time, God began to burden my heart about the need for proper Apologetics and proper Hermeneutics in the evangelical circles. God also began to press on my heart about the need for helping church planters. It was then, God began to call Jonathan and Bethany Beazley who have been long time friends since college to plant a church in Seattle. I immediately took interest in their ministry. Meanwhile, Jon and I were pastoring together and I took another church in South Carolina where we served along side each other for a year. God finalized their call to Seattle. Meanwhile, God spent the next year teaching me to be a better family man, minister and Bible student. Jon and I began to meet regularly and talk about the need for proper Apologetics and our desire to be involved. I told Jon at the beginning of 2018 that I would commit to the Apologetics ministry of Citylight. Our goal is to provide clear answers for the Christian faith that both equips believers and engages our culture for the glory of God.

Check out another episode where Dr. Oliphint helps us understand what theology proper is and issues related to this particular topic. hope you enjoy!