Practical Theology / Discipleship

  • Self-Centeredness in the Family by Richard Phillips

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2012

    How can we be so self-centered if we are a Christian family?” This lament has been uttered in virtually every Christian home, and with good reason. Every family, non- Christian and believing, is afflicted with the corruption of sin. Just …Read More

  • The Church Gathered by Scott Thomas

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2011

    In ancient Athens, Aristotle, a Greek philosopher of the fourth century BC, wrote about a custom in which, at age eighteen, young men submitted to an examination by fellow citizens and subsequently started physical and military training. Three fathers from …Read More

  • The Bonds of Brotherhood by R.C. Sproul

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2011

    Fraternity … what does this word mean? It can refer to several distinct types of associations or relationships, and the church can learn valuable lessons by exploring these in more depth. The term fraternity may prompt us to recall the motto …Read More

  • A Generation of Heroes by Burk Parsons

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2011

    Satan watches for those vessels that sail without a convoy,” wrote Puritan pastor George Swinnock (1627–1673). Every individual knows he was created for community. Isolation is the Devil’s playground, and our Enemy is on the lookout for the …Read More

  • Knowledge and Maturity by Kevin DeYoung

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2011

    All else being equal, I’d rather have a mature Christian with simple theological knowledge than an extremely knowledgeable, well -read Christian without a lot of maturity. But, of course, neither situation is desirable. Let me explain. A Tale of …Read More

  • The Mystery of Christ by John Petersen

    FROM TABLETALK | January 2011

    I love a good mystery story from time to time, particularly an Agatha Christie work like the wellknown Murder on the Orient Express. It took a brilliant detective several days to reveal the murderer aboard that infamous train. What is …Read More

  • Congregational Counseling by Eric Bancroft

    FROM TABLETALK | December 2010

    Premarital counseling can be an entertaining exercise for an older couple offering guidance to a younger couple. Across from them sit two individuals eager to wed. Apart from occasional disagreements about planning the ceremony, the soon-to-be-newlyweds are prone to think …Read More

  • Grace Transforms Everything by Sean Michael Lucas

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2010

    In our town, a church just went through a rebranding effort as part of their relocation to a new building in a different section of town. Their logo and signage are beautiful and well conceived. One sees their stickers on …Read More

  • The Discipline of God by Joel Beeke

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2010

    Church programs, campus ministries, and independent organizations today emphasize the need for radical discipleship. It is not always clear what they mean by this. The word radical can be a trendy term. What is clear is this: if one’s …Read More

  • Receiving the Baton by Bob Kauflin

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2010

    As I run the final laps of my race on this earth (however long the Lord allows that to be), one of my greatest joys and desires is to serve the next generation. When I was in my twenties, I …Read More

  • Across the Great Divide by Rod Mays

    FROM TABLETALK | September 2010

    I started working with younger men and women (campus ministry) when I was turning fifty. A decade later, I see how this work has transformed my perspective on the church and ministry. I’ve seen the importance of knowing one …Read More

  • Tell Us Your Stories by Collin Hansen

    FROM TABLETALK | August 2010

    Sometimes younger Christians give the impression that we have things figured out. We’re the future. We’ve found the old methods wanting, so we’ve developed new ones. We’re the generation that will strike the right balance where …Read More

  • Don’t Retire; We Need You by Alex Chediak

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2009

    You may have heard that retirement can kill you. Men and women die of boredom, for lack of intellectual challenge, or from the deafening silence that can accompany a spouse’s death. Depressed saving accounts may represent another motivation to …Read More

  • The Prevailing Church (pt. 2) by Simon Kistemaker

    FROM TABLETALK | January 2009

    As we saw in last month’s installment of “Pro Ecclesia,” privileges and duties go together. In making disciples, Jesus commanded they be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …Read More

  • Free Is Not Cheap by Chris Donato

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2008

    When Jesus predicted His death to the disciples (Matt. 16:21), it surprised them. The Messiah wasn’t supposed to die — especially at the hands of the pagan Roman empire. In another sense, however, it wasn’t all that surprising …Read More