Daily Roundup for April 19, 2017 ⋆ The Parchment

Here are the items and resources for April 19, 2017:

Theology/Christianity:

Deceit in Church Courts — a useful article for any that serve as an officer in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is Worship? — This article sets forth some foundational issues regarding corporate worship.
Patrick Gillespie on the Covenant of Works (1) — Part one of a seven part series authored by my friend and Professor at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Ryan McGraw.
Preaching and the Danger of Compromise — This sermon was recommended by a friend. I have not listened to it, but plan to shortly. Preached by Kenneth MacRae.
Knowing God and Ourselves — I ordered this book and should be receiving it today. After I read it, I will write a brief review. Author: David Calhoun and published by the Banner of Truth.
The Church’s Responsibility to Its Pastor — Interesting article and there is much I agree with, especially as one who is a minister of the gospel. For instance, point #1 under the sub-heading “Honor and Respect.” He writes,

“Being on a first name basis. Today, everyone is on a first-name basis with the pastor. This is a definite show of disrespect for the ministry. Part of the problem is with pastors. We don’t expect it. I used to feel the same. I wanted to be everyone’s friend. I found out the hard way this causes many difficulties. When people really need help they need their pastor, not a friend. It also makes it difficult when you must assert pastoral authority. People can usually deal with things coming from their pastor, but it’s much harder coming from a friend. I don’t have any problem using “Pastor…” with their first name. That’s a step in the right direction.”

There are things where I think the author goes too far. For example,

“Disrespecting the altar area. The platform and altar is an area where sanctity must be preserved. It’s a place where worship is led and the Word of God expounded. It should be off limits to anyone who is not there to minister. Children should never be allowed to play on the platform. It’s not only disrespectful, but the equipment could be damaged or dangerous to the children.”

I am not willing to sanctify a platform. We should give that area of the building the same respect we would give to any other area. Overall it is a good article and worth considering carefully.