Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, and book reviewer.
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My recent trip to Africa took me to Lusaka, Zambia, where I had the chance to sit down for a few minutes with Voddie Baucham. We talked about his move to Africa, what he loves about Zambia, what he misses about America, and who would triumph if he and his pal James White ever got into a fight… Transcript Tim: I come all the way to Lusaka, Zambia. Who do I run into, but Voddie Baucham. What are you doing …
Part of the joy of blogging is in interacting with other people through the comments. When I write an article, and especially an article on a difficult topic, I am always aware that I have not said it all. There are always ways in which what I have said can be improved. This was the case yesterday with the article “I Am Unalarmed.” I’d like to draw your attention to a few of the (many) comments that I found very …
This week I received Heart Cries to Heaven, a new book from DayOne that is a compilation of prayers composed by David Campell, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle, PA. One of those prayers stood out to me as I considered the week to come in which Americans will head to the polls and elect their new representatives. Here is a “Prayer for Godly Leaders.” ***** Our great and gracious God, We pray that you will give us leaders …
A prayer to pray after you finish praying–it’s a bit odd, I admit, and yet it makes some sense. At least it makes sense when you read it and pray it on your own. Who hasn’t felt like this when they pray?: “O God of grace, I bewail my cold, listless, heartless prayers; their poverty adds sin to my sin.” Have you ever wanted to pray better? Have you ever realized just how poor you are at praying? Then read …
This week I came upon a prayer written by the Puritan Matthew Henry. This prayer comes from his book A Method for Prayer and is meant to be used “At the entrance upon the public worship on the Lord’s day, by the master of the assemblies.” What is most notable to me is how the prayer is almost entirely Scripture; it moves from one verse to the next, all the while seeking God’s blessing upon the worshipers. It’s a beautiful …
Here is a prayer for the sick or for the spiritually-distressed. It is drawn from the Canadian and American Reformed Church web site. This is a prayer that comes from the perspective of the one so-afflicted and I don’t think it is necessarily meant as a pastoral prayer. It is worth changing the first person plural (we) to the first person singular (I) since in that way it seems to be a little bit more pointed, a little more personal. …
Last Sunday I posted a great Evening Prayer. This week I want to post an accompanying Morning Prayer. As with last week’s, this one comes from the Canadian and American Reformed Churches web site. I suppose at some point I should write about the value in praying written prayers. But for now, consider making this your prayer this morning: Merciful Father, we thank You that in Your great faithfulness You kept watch over us during this past night. Strengthen and …
As you know, I enjoy looking for written prayers to pray as my own. I found this one at the web site for the Canadian and American Reformed Churches. It is a prayer meant to be prayed in the evening before retiring to bed. And it’s a good one, I think. It thanks God for the day, it seeks to add his blessing on all that has been done, it seeks his forgiveness for what has been sinful, and it …
Like you, I was horrified to hear of yesterday’s violence at Virginia Tech. And like you, I had immediate flashbacks to the Columbine shootings which, though they happened eight years ago, seem fresh in my mind. It was awful to see the pictures of bleeding students being carried from the campus and to see the death count rising and rising. It was awful to hear of people jumping from windows or cowering for hours in darkened classrooms, wondering if they …
At some point in my youth I got it into my head that conferences are a colossal waste of time. I somehow came to believe that they are not a good use of a Christian’s time. I have since had to rethink this position. Having now attended many wonderful conferences, I’ve come to see that, contrary to my former beliefs, they can be a tremendous blessing. Already they have blessed me immeasurably. While good conferences provide edifying teaching, they are …