Christian Living / Practical Theology

  • 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

  • Christian Parenting by Elyse Fitzpatrick

    FROM TABLETALK | March 2012

    Allie was having a rough night. She had already been disciplined once for slapping one of the pastor’s sons across the face, and she had just done it again, this time to his brother. Her mother was humiliated and …Read More

  • Evangelism and the Gospel by Donald Whitney

    FROM TABLETALK | May 2011

    It does little good to encourage people to discipline themselves to evangelize if they do not know the gospel. Try this experiment in your church, class, or small group to reveal one’s level of preparedness to share the gospel …Read More

  • Preaching Christ by R.C. Sproul

    FROM TABLETALK | April 2011

    The church of the twenty-first century faces many crises. One of the most serious is the crisis of preaching. Widely diverse philosophies of preaching vie for acceptance among contemporary clergy. Some see the sermon as a fireside chat; others, as …Read More

  • For Glory and Beauty by R.C. Sproul

    FROM TABLETALK | February 2012

    The week before Christmas, when I was in third grade, my grandmother took me to downtown Pittsburgh so that I could buy gifts for my family and, for the first time in my life, my girlfriend. I wanted to buy …Read More

  • Preach the Gospel, and Since It’s Necessary, Use Words by Ed Stetzer

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    There’s a popular saying often repeated by Christians. It has found new life on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you have even uttered these words, commonly at tributed to Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.” I …Read More

  • Death, Disease & the Gospel by Burk Parsons

    FROM TABLETALK | October 2011

    I was sixteen when my father died. It was a Sunday evening in late September of 1992 when I heard the news of his death. I had just returned from work when my mother came into my room in tears …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

  • The Sovereignty of God and Evangelism by Paul Helm

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    Many people struggle with God’s sovereignty in election because they believe it excludes the activity of evangelism. If people are eternally elected or not, they ask, what good will preaching do? What difference will it make? However, as Scripture …Read More

  • Happy Pastors by C.J. Mahaney

    FROM TABLETALK | September 2011

    As the star of the television series Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe suits up and labors in some of the most dirty and dangerous work environments possible. To date, he hasn’t tried pastoring. But pastoring qualifies as a dirty job …Read More

  • Faith of Our Founders: An Interview with Tom Ascol by Tom Ascol

    FROM TABLETALK | July 2012

    TT: How did you first hear the call to ministry, and how long have you been a pastor? TA: I was sixteen years old when I first sensed God calling me to pastoral ministry. It was through the preaching of …Read More

  • The Church and Idolatry by Jared Wilson

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    “Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God” (1 Chron. 22:19). All sin is idolatry because every sin is an exercise in trust of something or someone other than the one true God to satisfy …Read More

  • Evangelism: Naturally Speaking Good News by Will Metzger

    FROM TABLETALK | June 2012

    Foundational to speaking of Christ naturally is a strong assurance of your identity: “I am a new creation in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV here and throughout). Supernaturally, you are a new person credited with the righteousness of Christ …Read More

  • Sheep, Wolves, Snakes, and Doves by John Piper

    FROM TABLETALK | September 2011

    When Jesus sends us to bear witness to Him in the world, He does not send us out as dominant and strong but as weak and seemingly defenseless in ourselves. The only reason I say “seemingly” defenseless is that it …Read More