Archives for August 2020

I am grateful to announce that my new RHB title arrived today, “Puritan Reformed Theology: Historical, Experiential, and Practical Studies for the Whole of Life” (750 pages). It consists of 41 articles that I wrote for our Puritan Reformed Journal, as well as a 20-page introduction in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Here are the contents:

BIBLICAL STUDIES
1. The Age of the Spirit and Revival
2. Trust in the Incarnate Word
3. Our Glorious Adoption: Trinitarian-Based and Transformed Relationships
4. Gethsemane’s King-Lamb: A Sermon on John 18:7–8, 12–13a
5. The Man of Sin: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12
6. Delighting in God: A Guide to Sabbath-Keeping

SYSTEMATIC AND HISTORICAL THEOLOGY
7. God-Centered Theology in the Ministry of the Word
8. Reading the Puritans
9. Godefridus Udemans: Life, Influence, and Writings
10. John Bunyan on Justification
11. Reformed Orthodoxy in North America
12. The Perspicuity of Scripture
13. Laurence Chaderton: His Life and Ecclesiology
14. Natural Theology: Some Historical Perspective

EXPERIENTIAL THEOLOGY
15. Calvin as an Experiential Preacher
16. The Puritans on Conscience and Casuistry
17. Assurance of Salvation: The Insights of Anthony Burgess
18. Wilhelmus à Brakel’s Biblical Ethics of Spirituality
19. Images of Union and Communion with Christ

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY
20. Puritans on the Family: Recent Publications
21. Consider Christ in Affliction: An Open Letter to True Believers
22. Learning from the Puritans on Being Salt and Light
23. Puritans on Marital Love

PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND MISSIONS
24. God-Centered Adult Education
25. Plain Preaching Demonstrating the Spirit and His Power
26. How to Evaluate Your Sermons
27. Practical Application in Preaching
28. Authentic Ministry: Servanthood, Tears, and Temptations
29. Children in the Church
30. The Minister’s Helpmeet
31. Unprofessional Puritans and Professional Pastors: What the Puritans Would Say to Modern Pastors
32. Catechism Preaching
33. A Life in the Word
34. Why You and Your Family Should Go to Church: Biblical Answers to “Churchless Christianity”

CONTEMPORARY AND CULTURAL ISSUES
35. Handling Error in the Church: Martin Downes Interviewing Joel R. Beeke
36. Practical Lessons for Today from the Life of Idelette Calvin
37. Rediscovering the Laity: The Reformation in the Pew and in the Classroom
38. In Commemoration of the Heidelberg Catechism’s 450th Anniversary: The Catechism as a Confession of Faith
39. How to Battle Hostility and Secularism
40. Busy but Fruitful: How to Manage Time
41. Nurturing Intimate Communication with Your Spouse

My good friend, Sinclair Ferguson, graciously writes of this book, “Here is a thesaurus of theological and spiritual riches. I feel sure that readers will find in it both theological treasure and spiritual pleasure.”

https://bit.ly/3gcBtCW

In this video I explain how my father would regularly read Scripture and godly, edifying books to us as children. It isn’t enough to just attend church services once a week for a few, short hours. Now, years later, I realize more and more just how valuable my father’s wisdom was.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

https://bit.ly/3hgfyvO

Having a great fish dinner with my special Queen on Mackinac Island for our 31st anniversary.

When biking 9 miles around Mackinac Island we suddenly met my nephew Jonathon Beeke, and his wife Alison, and their precious children, biking the other way around the island. A moment of serendipity!

The Queen and I are spending a few days on Mackinac Island for a little vacation and in commemoration of our 31st wedding anniversary next week.

Our son Calvin and his wife Laura received their third child and first son on this past Lord’s Day. Hendrick John, named in honor of his two paternal great-grandparents (my wife’s father and my father), weighed in at two ounces shy of ten pounds. Mother and son are both doing very well and are home already. I had the privilege of seeing our sixth grandchild after preaching on Lord’s Day evening—sadly, only one visitor was allowed—but my Queen got to spend time with him yesterday.

Pray with us that Hendrick will grow up as a truly converted covenant child who hates sin and loves Christ and becomes early on a stalwart son of Christ’s bride, His glorious church. The goodness of God is just overwhelming—again! Two of our three children have now had children this year with our third child expecting a child in November. I never would have dreamed that all of our children would have children in one year, D.V. God truly does “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20), confirming His own word, “Thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel” (Ps. 128:6).

Soli Deo gloria!

I am excited to announce that my co-authored book with PRTS-alumnus Nick Thompson, “Pastors and Their Critics: A Guide to Coping with Criticism in the Ministry” (published by P&R) has arrived. In my own mind, this is one of the most important books I have ever worked on as most ministers struggle with the issue of how to receive and give criticism a great deal. Moreover, for church members it is important as well—not only in order to understand their pastors better and how to relate to them more effectively, but especially because most of what is written in this book can help us all to learn how to relate to others better by receiving and giving criticism more constructively. So, read this book primarily for yourself and secondarily for your pastor.

Single copy: https://bit.ly/3iqjHO6
Five copies: https://bit.ly/3fFCao4

In this short video, I share how my wife and I spoke about the church around our children. We didn’t want our children to grow up with the idea that the church wasn’t important or was something to be resented. The same thing can apply to your marriage and how you speak to your spouse. Our children are always listening and paying attention to how we view and treat both the church and our marriage.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17).

My good friend, Geoff Thomas, has just completed his autobiography in his 80s and is still riding his bike! RHB is hoping to publish his fascinating, page-turning autobiography, with lots of valuable lessons tucked inside of it, several months from now, so stay tuned.