Spiritual Growth
I recently spoke with a younger friend who is battling cancer, which has included a great deal of pain. We had not spoken for a while, and I was struck by the change in his voice when he answered the phone [...]
In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus offers this invitation to any who would respond to his call: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest [ἀναπαύσω / reficiam]. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls [ἀνάπαυσιν/ […]
Dr. Varughese John is the Dean of Students and Head of the Department of Theology and History at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) in Bangalore, India. He has been a frequent contributor to and participant in Sola Media’s Theo Global initiatives since 2015. Dr. John, what insights about spiritual life and […]
Blake Adams with Kyle Hughes Kyle R. Hughes (BSFS, Georgetown University; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; PhD, Radboud University Nijmegen) is an assisting deacon and director of catechesis at Christ the King Anglican Church (ACNA) and the inaugural Lower School Principal of The Stonehaven School in Marietta, Georgia. An experienced educator and accomplished researcher, he is […]
I remember being introduced to the articulate and passionate gospel work of Modern Reformation and White Horse Inn while at college. It was a formative time for my faith, which I had only recently begun to take seriously. Michael Horton and crew helped me discover the beautiful truth of the reformational gospel—so much so that […]
In my previous article (January/February 2022), I made the case that in Hebrews 12:14, the “holiness” required to see God does not refer to our personal sanctification or holiness, but to the consecration obtained by faith in Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice. The point of that discussion, as well as this one, is to illustrate how one […]
by Herman Bavinck translated by Gregory Parker Jr. This essay was originally published in 1892 by Herman Bavinck in the yearbook of the Dutch Youth Association (Nederlandsch Jongelings-Verbond) as “Hoofd en Hart” (“Head and Heart”).(1) Formed in Amsterdam in 1853 as a result of the Réviel,(2) this association of young males between eighteen and thirty-five […]
Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests by Edward T. Welch Crossway, 2019 224 pages (paperback), $17.99 Years ago in Philadelphia, I watched a woman stand paralyzed and in tears on the platform of the subway station. She needed to get on the train, but she was gripped by fear. As several […]
Many years ago, an article appearing in the United Airlines inflight magazine addressed a common problem among Americans today. “Not so long ago,” the author wrote, “I was just another harried mom, rushing through the day with one thought always in my mind: Why isn’t there any time?” After describing her crazy-busy life of managing […]
Bone tired. New parents know the feeling. So do harried executives. And seniors during finals week. Sadly, many Christians go through much of their pilgrim lives feeling that they’re not doing well if they’re not bone tired. If you look at the schedules of some of your local churches (see page 51 for a sample), […]
If you've ever felt like the pastor of your church didn't really understand what it was like to be just a "regular Joe" with a family, a job, and responsibilities that were more pressing than his insistence that you live a radical life for Jesus, then you need to read this interview with Matt Redmond. […]
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, […]
Anyone who reads the New Testament’wishing to interpret it accurately in its historical context’must first acknowledge that these were no ordinary times. The time of transition from the old to the new covenant era was a time full of wonders and signs to signify that the promised Messiah had come and that he was establishing […]
One of the comments that started me thinking seriously about Reformation piety was penned by our editor-in-chief in his book Putting Amazing Back into Grace: "Suppose we were to make a list of aids to spiritual growth. What might top the list? Prayer, Bible study, fasting, devotions, evangelism’¦. But how many of us would put […]
Dallas Willard, the late professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, authored numerous books, including Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge (HarperCollins, 2009), The Great Omission: Rediscovering Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship (HarperCollins, 2006), and Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ (NavPress, 2002). […]
