Church and Ministry
This article is part of a series. To read the whole series, click here. The Lord’s Supper, a central act of Christian worship, carries deep theological significance, connecting to Old Testament practices and shaping the church’s life today. Its roots in Passover, the call to guard the table, and its practical implications reveal its role…
This article is part of a series. To read the whole series, click here. The Lord’s Supper has been understood in diverse ways throughout church history, with different traditions offering distinct perspectives on Christ’s presence in the sacrament. Four primary views—Roman Catholic (transubstantiation), Lutheran (consubstantiation), Zwinglian (memorialism), and Reformed—shape the theological landscape, each addressing how…
This article is part 2 of a series on The Lord’s Supper. Click here for part 1. The Lord’s Supper is a sacred act of worship, deeply rooted in Scripture, that unites believers with Christ and one another. In 1 Corinthians 11:17–34, the Apostle Paul provides crucial guidance on the meaning and practice of this…
This article is part of a series. To read the whole series, click here. The doctrine of the Lord’s Supper invites believers to explore its significance within the framework of the sacraments. The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 27, Section 1, defines sacraments as “holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted…
Throughout church history, there have been perhaps few issues that have led to as many disputes as the sacraments. We’ve seen debates over how many sacraments there are, how these sacraments operate, how they are to be performed, who is to receive them, and so on. There has been much confusion and conflict. Although we…
On October 31, 2016, Pope Francis announced that after five hundred years, Protestants and Catholics now “have the opportunity to mend a critical moment of our history by moving beyond the controversies and disagreements that have often prevented us from understanding one another.” From that, it sounds as if the Reformation was an unfortunate and…
Some of my earliest childhood memories center on being with my family in worship on the Lord’s Day. In the Reformed and Presbyterian churches that we attended, expository preaching, hymn-singing, and prayer were fixed elements of worship, as were the historic creeds and confessions of the Christian church. We regularly confessed the Apostles’ Creed and…
Even just a cursory reading of the Old Testament demonstrates the importance of sacred space under the old covenant. The patriarchs, for example, frequently commemorated occasions on which they met with God by consecrating the location where they encountered Him (for example, Gen. 12:1–9; 28:10–22). As the Israelites prepared to conquer Canaan, the Lord told them…
What happens in worship? You might say: “We work our way through a familiar liturgy.” “We respond to the pastor’s invitation.” “We wait for a fresh experience with the Holy Spirit.” “We see how sinful we are.” “We struggle to follow another long sermon.” Each of these answers unveils something of the true nature of…
Anticipating a hunting trip with my brothers, I have been doing a lot of preparation lately. We are updating a spreadsheet, buying supplies, counting calories, weighing our packs, and exercising to get in shape. Most people frequently do a lot of preparation for a variety of things in life that are important to them. But…