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by Larry E. Wilson
“Jesus died for sinners. Can’t we live for them?” Charles Spurgeon asks this incisive question in the December 7 meditation of his well-known Morning and Evening . Spurgeon’s devotional writings, especially when rephrased into modern English, often give me the pastoral encouragement and challenge that I need to hear. This meditation’s striking call to rescue the perishing is no exception. Here is my paraphrase of it: *** “I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT) The Apostle Paul’s great aim wasn’t just to instruct. It wasn’t just to improve. It was to save . Anything short of this would have disappointed him. He wanted to see people renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified—in short, saved. Have we aimed our Christian ministries at anything less than this? Then let’s amend our ways. What good will it be at the great Last Day to have instructed and moralized people if they appear before their Judge unsaved? ... Read more
by Sharon L. Bratcher
Reformed Harmony began as something of a joke. Five years ago, about thirty people who were a part of a Reformed Facebook group decided to start their own—specifically for singles. “Welcome to Reformed Harmony,” their description reads, “the group that will love you until somebody else does.” Currently, the cover photo is a cartoon of two dumpster fires, partially submerged and smiling together in scuba gear. Unexpectedly, membership in the Facebook group grew to two hundred the first year, then six hundred, and currently clocks in at almost a thousand members from the United States, Canada, and around the world. Impressive, considering that you’re expected to leave if your status changes to “married.” It not only has members, it has members who interact frequently and consistently. According to Sarah Wolfe, a former administrator of the group, Reformed Harmony receives special access to Facebook’s reports and assistance because the group is so active. Alternative to Isolation ... Read more
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