The Church, The Rule of Faith, and Interpreting Scripture
Are creeds and confessions still useful today? The idea of such things leaves many Baptists with hesitation and suspicion. Today, creeds, confessions, and liturgies are often viewed as restrictive forms of formal religion and tradition—perhaps too Catholic or Eastern Orthodox. But throughout Christian history, these practices have served as longstanding means of protecting orthodoxy and […]
What Wendell Berry Can Teach Pastors About Language
Mr. Wendell Berry of Port Royal, Kentucky, died on August 31, 2026. He was 92 years old, having lived most of his life in his hometown of Port Royal, farming on his property at Lane’s Landing since 1964. He is the author of many books, novels, essays, and poems. Mr. Berry was a complex figure. […]
Discipling: Prudence and Pastoral Ministry
The Scriptures, particularly in its wisdom literature, depict prudence as a central habit “that denotes applying knowledge to some useful purpose.”[1] Solomon says in Proverbs that prudence acts in preparation and deliberation toward right acts: “every [prudent] man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly” (Prov. 13:16), and, “the simple believes everything, but […]
Back to School
It’s that time of year again. Kids are a mix of excited and sad. Parents are a mix of excited and sad! In this episode of the pod, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss the back to school experience, why it always comes with a mix of emotions, and offer some counsel for students (and […]
Reading as Wisdom for the Christian Life
One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn’t start reading sooner. Charles Spurgeon is said to have read the Puritans at just 9 or 10 years old. Imagine what you were doing at 9 or 10! Proverbs 11:14 states, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of […]
True Power and True Prayer
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” – Mark 11:24 Brethren, do you believe in prayer? I know you pray because you are God’s people; but do you believe in the power of prayer? There are a great many Christians that do […]
What Does It Mean to Believe in God?
Knowing About God Sometimes the people who are supposed to know the most about God know Him the least. Perhaps this sounds counterintuitive, but this has consistently been the case throughout history. The past is littered with examples of men and women who have been raised to believe in God, who have been trained in […]
FTC Mailbag
In this installment of the regular Mailbag feature, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz discuss your submitted questions and topics, including: “blank slate” student ministry, questions for pastoral search teams, premarital counseling, unrepentant friends in church, the dynamic between elders and deacons, and what exactly Luke meant when he said Satan “took” Jesus. As always, you […]
When You Feel Too Weak to Lead
When Weakness Meets the Call There are moments in church life when a man feels both the weight of the task before him and the weight of his own inadequacy. I know those moments well because I experience them often. I know what it’s like to stand off to the side before a service begins, […]
Pastoral Fortitude: Courage in the Ministry of Word and Prayer
The Virtue of Fortitude[1] Fortitude simply refers to the ability to endure difficulties and sufferings well for the sake of the good. The church father Ambrose spoke of fortitude as “courage of the mind when a man conquers himself, restrains his anger, yields and gives way to no allurements, is not put out by misfortunes, […]