All too often in life we complete one task and then almost immediately move on to the next task without even pausing to celebrate what we have done or reflect on how we were affected by what we have done. So rather than just moving on to what is next after completing this half year journey...
“Pogo” is a famous cartoon that made the often repeated statement, “We have met the enemy, and it is us.” The Conclusion of the Canons of Dort reminds us that a potential obstacle for people believing the truths taught in the Canons might be those who believe them: people...
Prayer Pillowcases One Sunday morning I asked my Faith Kids small group of 1st and 2nd graders if they prayed at home before dinner or at bedtime. Less than half said they did. I shared this with our Faith Kids team and we asked ourselves how could we partner with parents and...
The Canons of Dort don’t have much of an introduction, but it does have a pointed conclusion. The title of the conclusion is “Rejection of False Accusations,” and it deals with some false claims about some of the teachings in the Canons. It’s a reminder of why the Canons...
The teaching of the perseverance of the saints is somewhat controversial, as some claim that it leads to people professing their faith but then continuing to live however they want because they believe their salvation is guaranteed. This objection is one the writers of the Canons of Dort heard...
One implication of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is that we can live with confidence and assurance of our salvation. Just as there was nothing that we did to save ourselves,there is nothing that we can do to unsave ourselves. This idea of assurance is an issue explained in the...
During my freshman year in college I served as a youth director, teaching youth Bible studies and Sunday School and organizing monthly activities. When I met with the pastor at the church to discuss the position, we soon realized that we stood in different places related to Dort -- my views...
