Church History
Episode 95: On the Value of Church History
By J. Leeman, M. Dever | 09.10.2019These days, most Christians and even most pastors don’t know a lot about church history. And with all the busyness of ministry, why should they? Why should pastors care about church history—from the history of the global church to the history of their own local church?
What Did the Cross Achieve?: The Logic of Penal Substitution
By J. I. Packer | 9Marks Journal: The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement | 08.20.2019The task which I have set myself in this lecture is to focus and explicate a belief which, by and large, is a distinguishing mark of the word-wide evangelical fraternity: namely, the belief that the cross had the character of penal substitution, and that it was in virtue of this fact that it brought salvation to mankind.
Ten Atonement Songs You Should Consider Singing
By Bob Kauflin | 9Marks Journal: The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement | 08.20.2019We will never have enough songs to extol the glory of the Lamb who was slain to purchase our salvation.
How Charles Finney (and other Overly Emotional Preachers) Made It Difficult to Preach the Gospel
By Johnny Lithell | 9Marks Journal: The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement | 08.20.2019How can a church in a secular setting work toward a culture where discussing God’s wrath and substitutionary atonement isn’t frowned upon but celebrated?
How Does Penal Substitution Relate to Other Atonement Theories?
By Stephen J. Wellum | 9Marks Journal: The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement | 08.20.2019Penal substitution best accounts for why the divine Son had to die, and why he alone saves.
Did the Church Fathers Affirm Penal Substitutionary Atonement?
By Brian Arnold | 9Marks Journal: The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement | 08.20.2019Did the church fathers also hold to the doctrine of penal substitution? The answer is yes and no.
Mailbag #84: I Live too Far from A Healthy Church. What Should I Do? . . . Among Baptists, What’s the History of a Plurality of Elders?
By S. Emadi, S. DeMars | 05.31.2019— I live in an extremely rural area where we have many churches but none that are healthy. What should I do? — Many Baptist churches now have multiple elders. I understand the biblical case for this, but what’s the history of a plurality of elders among Baptists?
Why Russian Churches Need Membership
By Evgeny Bakhmutsky | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019If we want to see the gospel advance in Russia, then our churches must return to meaningful and biblical church membership—embracing the heritage left to us by Scripture and faithful Russian churches in previous generations.
Why Swedish Churches Need Membership
By Johnny Lithell | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019I’ve often been asked, in a setting like Sweden, whether church membership is even wise. Won’t it simply turn people away?
Book Review: A Scottish Christian Heritage, by Iain Murray
Review by Caleb Greggsen | 03.14.2019This book is a wonderful devotional tool for the pastor tempted to feel discouraged at the small size of his flock or the seeming lack of fruit in his preaching.
4 Ways Martin Luther Encourages Pastors to Pray
By Mark Rogers | 02.25.2019As a fellow pastor, Martin Luther provides a treasure of wisdom and insight on prayer.
Reformation Doctrine Fuels Reformation Ecclesiology: A Brief History
By Owen Strachan | 9Marks Journal: Ecclesiology for Calvinists | 02.05.2019The Reformation fire has not gone out, nor has the evangelistic zeal of the modern American church died. The Word still speaks—and the gospel still is mighty to save.
Still Young, Restless, and Reformed? The New Calvinists at 10
By Collin Hansen | 9Marks Journal: Ecclesiology for Calvinists | 02.05.2019In another 10 years, it’s probable no one will talk again of the YRR.
Book Review: Some Pastors and Teachers, by Sinclair Ferguson
Review by Mike McGregor | 11.30.2018This excellent new book could rightly be called “The Collected Works of Sinclair Ferguson on Pastoral Ministry.”
Four Lessons on Church Revitalization from John Knox
By Geoff Chang | 11.15.2018Did you know that John Knox—the champion of the Scottish Reformation, the fearless preacher, the uncompromising prophet—was once defeated by a church business meeting?
