It's undeniable: Our culture changing, and changing rapidly. The question for us is just as obvious: Will we change with it? Culture changes continually. But the Word of God does not change. In 1 Corinthians 15-16, Paul commands us to be "steadfast, immovable" (1 Cor. 15:58) and to "stand firm" (1 Cor. 16:13). If the culture moves away from God, we must make sure we do not move with it, but stay firmly planted on God's unchanging truth. We certainly should change -- but we should change by growing and maturing in wisdom and faithfulness. If our culture is not maturing in these ways, then when the culture changes, we cannot change with it. Standing against the culture as a counter-culture is certainly not easy, as it requires courage and resilience, but it is the calling of the church. We do not want to stand out just for the sake of standing out out; we do not seek to be different just for the sake of being different. We want to stand out as people known for love and truth because love and truth are the marks of Christ's disciples.

This post is based on the pastoral exhortation given before the worship service on May 15, 2022 at TPC.

These notes for young men were actually written for my son many years ago. I might say a few things differently today. But I think many young men could still find them helpful so I'm publishing them on the blog.

There are many beautiful things about baptizing a baby -- besides the baby herself!

Excellent article from Abigail Dodds . We are called to fight sin everywhere, in our hearts and in the culture. For Christians, the so-called culture war is not a contradiction of the cross, but a consequence of the cross. We can fight a culture war precisely because Christ has already defeated the principalities and powers.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. — Titus 2:3-5

Today, these parents have come to claim God's promises to and about their children.

Easter Sunday is the culmination of Holy Week, but in considering the meaning of baptism today, I want us to go back to Jesus' trial before Pilate.