By E. Ray Clendenen President Obama is famous for repeating some variation of the phrase, “Let me be clear.” There has been some discussion of what he means by this. Some suggest it marks a “sound bite” or a “take-away” for reporters. Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of “The Argument Culture,” sees the phrase as potentially working on three levels: “I’m pointing to the point I want you to listen to, I’m pointing to the …

The truth of Scripture is meant not only to be studied—it’s meant also to be sung. What the people of God believe shapes the way we worship, and how we worship shapes how we practice our faith. Church musicians and lyricists who have crafted hymns with deep biblical content and soul-stirring arrangements have been of inestimable importance in passing on the faith once delivered to the saints. It was Martin Luther who said, “Next to the Word of God, the …

by Barry York At the heart of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is learning from Him. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). As a new professor at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in Pittsburgh, I came eager to help the students learn the ways of Jesus at this institution that honors highly the Word of God.  Yet what …

The Bible is a book. It may be called a collection of books compiled into one majestic volume. As a book it is designed to be read. In this respect it is like all other books. But in important ways, the Bible is not like any other book. It is the Book of books. We customarily call this book the Holy Bible. Its holiness is found in its otherness. It is a sacred book because it transcends and stands apart …

Tabletalk magazine exists to help Christians grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. It meets Christians where they are, whether young or old in the faith, and it takes them deeper. Tabletalk helps to provide Christians with the tools they need to dig down into the depths of God’s Word and the theology of God’s Word in order to be faithful to God’s Word—and thus to worship God in all of life.  To be clear, Tabletalk magazine is not trying to …

by E. Ray Clendenen Although not as versatile as some words (such as run), the word faithful can mean different things in different contexts. It can refer to “loyalty,” the quality of always acting in the best interests of someone else. It can also refer to “consistency” or “predictability,” always acting according to certain principles or in a certain manner (like the Yellowstone geyser, Old Faithful). Or it can refer to “strength,” “stability,” and “reliability,” as exemplified by a foundation, …

By Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. You could see the panic rising in his eyes.  As the collection plate moved ever closer to him, indecision tightened its grip on his heart.  In his hand was a wad of cash, and, as he ruffled through the various bills, one could almost hear the question that echoed in his head.  “How much should I put in the plate”?  After years of being a deacon in a number of churches representing different denominations, I …

by Tony Payne. Perhaps it’s a kind of laid-back Aussie skepticism about the possibility of anything ever being very successful, but I have been genuinely surprised by the reaction to The Trellis and the Vine over the past five years. To me it always felt like a very ordinary and unremarkable statement of the patently obvious: that our main focus in ministry ought to be on growing people as disciples of Christ (‘the vine’), not on running church programs and …

By Tony Merida Social causes come and go like bad fashion trends, sometimes quite literally: what color bracelet are you wearing this month?  Surely our consumer-conditioned attention spans have something to do with this, but let’s be real: when you care about something enough to devote serious time and energy, it can be discouraging when the anticipated results never materialize.  Many people know they should care for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed, but few are motivated to do …

“We are all aware of the growing phenomenon of biblical illiteracy. Mitch Maher has set out to address this problem. His overview, Clarifying The Bible, indeed clarifies the whole Bible. A clear and likable communicator, Mitch knows his stuff. May the Lord use Mitch and this project to turn the tide of biblical illiteracy!” Dr. James “Jim” Hamilton Associate Professor of Biblical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary As you think about your Bible reading plans for 2015, or your …