Spanking is a challenging topic in today’s parenting landscape, and within our church, it’s sometimes seen as unusually emphasized. At last year’s Parenting Conference, we discussed spanking openly, as many parents struggle to talk about it yet are curious about its role in raising children. Reflecting on my own journey, I now see the value of addressing this practice clearly and without shame. Grounded in biblical wisdom and supported by recent studies, this article explores why many Christian parents view spanking as beneficial, emphasizing the need for it to be done with love, self-control, and a commitment to guiding children in truth.

Last year, Pastor Nate outlined three key strategies for overcoming sin—gospel, community, and behavior—in his article, “What Should I Do if My Husband is Addicted to Pornography?” This summer, I saw these principles in action as I led a group of men through Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace. By applying these strategies, the men made significant progress and have remained porn-free for over three months.

Editor's note: To mark the end of Dr. Rob Rayburn’s “My Life in Great Books” series, we thought it fitting to compile a comprehensive list of his recommendations—all 152 of them. Dr. Rayburn is arguably the most well-read minister in our presbytery, and anyone who has had the privilege of hearing him preach or lecture can attest to his vast knowledge. If he recommends a book, you can be sure it’s worth your time. Why not print out this list and start working your way through it?

Through the years, I have thought about what books would sit on my bedside table as I came to die, added books to my list or subtracted them, and then, in the providence of God, had the opportunity to put my choices to use.

In reflecting on what it means to be a gospel-centered church, the question arises: does spiritual maturity involve moving beyond the gospel, or is the gospel integral to every stage of our faith journey? It could seem that maturity means shifting focus from the gospel to the law. But is that true? As Tim Keller famously said, “The gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life but the A to Z of Christianity.” This article builds on earlier discussions and seeks to explore the profound ways in which the gospel remains foundational—not just at the beginning, but throughout the entire journey of faith.

We live in a culture that doesn’t sing. Our culture listens (quite a lot) to other professionals who sing. But for most cultures in history, singing was an activity for common people. And certainly throughout the Bible, singing is crucial to a life lived to God’s glory. 

Since our founding our church has been, and continues to be, a gospel-centered church. We believe the gospel alone has the power to make us into a people of joy, freedom, and righteousness. But the gospel-centered movement has received some criticism of late—namely, that since its constant aim is to motivate the Christian life by God’s grace, it can at times fail to give practical instructions to believers about how to live as a Christian.

Paul commands us to “be at peace among yourselves” (v. 13). In a sermon I gave a few weeks ago on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, I discussed how this command relates to avoiding unnecessary burdens on your leadership by not quarreling with each other. I'd like to offer further explanation to clarify what I mean.

This article is the second in a three-part series on dispensationalism, a popular doctrine among American evangelicals. Dispensationalism presents a unique view of “last things,” including a “secret rapture” where Christ returns privately to take the Church out of the world before a tribulation led by an Antichrist. Central to this system is the belief that God has two covenant peoples, Israel and the Church, which shapes its approach to prophecy. This interpretation makes the future of the modern nation of Israel vital to dispensational views of “Bible prophecy.”

Dispensationalism arose within the last 150 years; it is a system of interpretation for reading and understanding the Bible. Central to its uniqueness is its separation of Israel and the church: that God has a different plan for salvation for ethnic Israel (the Jewish people) and the Christian church. 

How to maintain the best of Presbyterianism’s standard of thoughtful, learned preaching and teaching while reaching an increasingly diverse culture is one great challenge facing our church today.

The office in its New Testament form was recovered to the church at the Reformation but has had a spotty history since. The church has sometimes valued the office and profited greatly from its ministry. At other times, the office has once again virtually disappeared.