This post was first published in March, 2015. —ed. The sea is no place to go for peace and quiet. Modern meteorology has documented the destructive power rogue waves, tropical cyclones, microbursts, and other weather phenomena that pose unique threats to ships at sea. But the storm described in the first chapter of Jonah was… Continue reading Jonah: The Rogue Prophet
Category: John MacArthur
Why I Still Preach the Bible
This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed. Sadly and ironically, in its attempt to achieve cultural relevance, mainstream evangelicalism has become essentially irrelevant. As Os Guiness points out, [1] the seductive promise of “relevance” is, in reality, the road to irrelevance. When the church markets itself like the world, the distinctiveness of its message is… Continue reading Why I Still Preach the Bible
Preach the Word: Because It Is Timeless and Powerful
This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed. A primary reason I still preach the Bible is that it alone is God’s eternal and divinely empowered message. Thus it is both timeless and truly powerful. More than four decades of ministry (or any finite number for that matter) could never begin to exhaust its freshness and richness, its depth… Continue reading Preach the Word: Because It Is Timeless and Powerful
Preach the Word: Because It Is Clear and Certain Truth
This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed. Pastors don’t know everything. In fact, an important part of shepherding God’s people is having the humility to take the time to search for the right answer instead of quickly and carelessly deploying the wrong one. But it’s one thing to tell your congregation “I don’t… Continue reading Preach the Word: Because It Is Clear and Certain Truth
Preach the Word: Because It Is God’s Authoritative Self-Revelation
This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed. While the sound of my voice might reach a lot of ears, it’s the biblical content that merits the attention, not me. My own ideas and opinions don’t contain “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Neither do yours. Preaching the Bible establishes the authority of… Continue reading Preach the Word: Because It Is God’s Authoritative Self-Revelation
Preach the Word: Because It Sanctifies God’s People
This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed. You wouldn’t withhold food from a starving man. Nor would you deny air to a drowning child. Frankly, that kind of monstrous behavior is hard to imagine. But that’s effectively what many pastors and church leaders are guilty of today, as they withhold that which is… Continue reading Preach the Word: Because It Sanctifies God’s People
The Four Soils: The Fertile Ground
This post was first published in August, 2017. —ed. Our approach to evangelism shouldn’t be influenced by the way people respond to the gospel. When the gospel is preached faithfully and clearly, acceptance of the message is never the result of the skill of the messenger or the marketing of the message. As we have… Continue reading The Four Soils: The Fertile Ground
The Four Soils: Among the Thorns
This post was first published in August, 2017. —ed. Most of us have endured the tragedy of watching people we counted as spiritual brothers and sisters leave the church and turn their backs on Christ. It is heartbreaking to see friends and loved ones reject the Savior and instead pursue sin. When we think of… Continue reading The Four Soils: Among the Thorns
The Four Soils: The Rocky Ground
This post was first published in August, 2017. —ed. Just a short drive from the freeways and congestion of Los Angeles you’ll find barren hills and mountains. During the rainy season they suddenly spring to life with luxuriant-looking greenery. But they quickly revert to a parched brown. The green that looked so promising turns into… Continue reading The Four Soils: The Rocky Ground
The Four Soils: Beside the Road
This post was first published in August, 2017. —ed. Ineffective evangelism can cause a lot of soul searching for the one evangelizing. Some re-evaluate the message while others question their methodology. But those are only worthwhile endeavors insofar as the message remains faithful to the one true gospel (Galatians 1:8–9) and the methodology is obedient to Christ’s command: “That… Continue reading The Four Soils: Beside the Road