Getting to the Heart of Your Words
This article explains that words reveal our hearts, and through words we get to know who we serve. This article makes a call for godly communication.
Working Words Goodness! God Actually Expects Us to Impart Grace
Also Hear the Other Party
Eight Theses on Christians and Twitter
How do you use your Twitter account? Consider these eight theses on Twitter, its strengths and weaknesses, and how Christians should be using this social media outlet.
On Writing Well (Five Big Tips)
Do you find writing a challenge? Do you want to write well? Then you must learn to be diligent, ruthless, yourself, good, and practical. This article considers these five tips for writing well.
Choice Words: A Matter of Life and Death
Sanctified Sarcasm
Redeeming the Tongue
Speech: Bomb or Balm
Ten Reasons to Listen to Questions Before You Answer
The wisdom of Proverbs teach us to listen carefully to what people have to say.
Sticks and Stones
Coping with Criticism
You Were Called At…
The Tongue is Like a Pair of Hedge Clippers
The Terrifying Power of the Tongue
What is a Profanity?
May I Judge?
Can we Talk? Can we Listen to Each other?
This article is about communication in the church. The author looks at differences in the church, listening and our convictions, pride, and suspicions in the church.
A Christian Perspective on Freedom of Speech
This article is about freedom of speech and censorship.
Criticism: Giving It
Three Ways Social Media Is Helping Your Local Church
Social media has not only disadvantages for the church, but also advantages. Here are three advantages.
Three Ways Social Media Is Hurting Your Local Church
Social media has not only advantages for the church, but also has disadvantages. Here are three disadvantages.
The Fruit and Root of Slander
This article explains that slandering others results in the destruction of their reputation, and that slander is rooted in the heart.
Ten Questions to Ask before You Send That Email or Text
Have you committed the error of being quick to speak? How can you handle your frustration without sending a regrettable text message? Just ask yourself these ten questions before sending that text or an email message.
Help! I Can't Get Control over My Tongue
Do you struggle to tame your tongue? This article provides some helpful means to help you control your tongue, so that your speech is seasoned with the grace of God.
Seven Ways the Internet Can Make Preaching More Difficult
The internet can be a great tool for preaching, but it can also be a hindrance to preaching. This article provides seven ways that the internet makes preaching difficult.
Redeeming the Tongue
Watching Our Words on Social Media
This article considers the responsibility we have to watch our words on social media, as God also will hold us accountable for what we say there. He calls for us to be full of both truth and grace in what we say.
Two Tips for Using Technology (without Losing Your Soul)
This article discusses how to guide the church through this digital age. It reminds us that some things will change but God never changes, and it issues a call to guard family and community time.
Talk Is Cheap
Is talk cheap? Talk is never cheap because your tongue can kill or give life. There are four things that should make you take your communication serious.
Three Things John Calvin Teaches Us about Writing
This article offers three principles of theological writing that pastors and theologians can glean from John Calvin: write with brevity, clarity, and a single purpose.
Warn Them of the Danger of Words
This article considers what the Bible teaches on how we use our words. It provides nine propositions as a guide.
Light on "Like"
Facebook ... To God's Glory Theme: Technology, Media and Social Media
Spiritual Disciplines: Speech
Balancing Act The Narrow Path is Often a Tightrope
In Plain Words What Model do Insults and Sarcasm in the Bible Provide for Us?
A Gospel Imperative: Christian Leadership in a Digital Age
This article surveys the progression of the digital age, and ends by stressing the importance of believers making use of the digital revolution to communicate the gospel.
Charting the New Digital Engagement: The Gospel and Your iPhone
What is the best way to engage with our digital devices? This article offers five principles to help chart a healthy form of handling technology: define priorities, set rules, invite accountability, accept limitations, and promote the gospel.
How to Offer and Receive Criticism
You will be criticized but you also will criticize others. How should you receive and offer criticism? There are four ways the gospel shapes our attitude towards criticism, four ways of receiving criticism, and five things to consider when offering criticism.
Fight or Flight? Engaging Opposition in Social Media
How should Christians engage with opposition on social media? This article offers three guidelines: know where you stand, understand where others stand and why, and love people with the gospel.
Killing Social Glory-Seeking Hearts
Has social media become a platform for seeking self-glory and people's approval? How can you fight this temptation to self-glorification? 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 gives three things Christians can do to avoid this temptation.
Killing the Devil’s Radio with the Gospel!
Your Tongue Needs Open Heart Surgery
Christians understands the need to tame the tongue. This article shows that taming the tongue can only happen through a change of heart, and bases its remarks on James 3.
Let’s Revive the Lost Art of Christian Polemics
Polemics is a strong verbal or written rebuttal of someone else’s position. This article makes an appeal to elders and Christians to revive this art. It shows that Jesus led the way on how this must be done, and it calls church leaders to follow by exposing false teaching.
A Weapon of Mass Destruction
This article explains how the tongue can be used in only two possible ways: it can be a weapon of destruction or it can be used to build others up.
Language and Salvation
This article explains the relationship between language and salvation: God uses language for our salvation, and we use language to show our gratitude.
When Should Teens Start Tweeting?
Having discussions at your home about your children and social media? This article offers seven discussion points to have with them on the matter. Two words feature as essential in the discussion: necessity and maturity.
The Christian Leader in the Digital Age
Have you thought about how the printing press advanced the Reformation? Can digital media do the same for the church today? This article makes a call to Christian leaders to embrace digital media—internet and social media—for the cause of the gospel.
Facebook Guidelines for Pastors and Others
Social media has both positive and negative potential. Looking at Facebook, this article shows how pastors and believers can make use of its positive aspects and avoid its negatives.
Pastors and Social Media (1): Be Positive
How can pastors make the best of social media? This article explains that the first step is to be positive about it, and to consider the evangelistic, personal, and community benefits it offers.
12 Social Media Tips for Church Leaders
Social media can provide a wonderful opportunity for church leaders to build a platform for social influence. How can you maximize social media for such a purpose? This article offers twelve tips for church leaders.
Ten Things You Should Know about Your Smartphone
This article alerts users of smartphones to the positives and negatives of these devices.
Gracious Candor: A Tutorial in Speaking Truth in Love
In Ephesians 4:15 Christians are commanded to speak the truth in love. How can we do that? This article unpacks seven ways.
The Gossip Rag of the Reformed World
When can you talk about someone in such a way that you avoid gossip? This can happen when you are governed by five desires and guided by five criteria. Let the article unpack these.
So You Got Your First Smartphone…
Does it matter how you use your smartphone? It should, because there are three persons interested in your smartphone: God, Satan, and your heart. And they each have a purpose for your phone.
Seven Rules for Online Engagement
How should Christians engage in a debate? How can they also discuss online with their opponents? This article argues that there are at least seven rules that must govern Christians in their discussions.
Wt Msg R U Snding? The Pros and Cons of Texting
Dispensing Waters from the Fountain of Life
Talk the Talk
The Healing Word
Polemics: Fighting Words (5)
Polemics: Fighting Words (4)
Polemics: Fighting Words (3)
Polemics: Fighting Words (2)
Polemics: Fighting Words (1)
Just Words
In today's language full of profanity, it is good to remember that every word you speak is spoken in the presence of God. This is enough to make every Christian examine his speech. How should Christians communicate? Communication and speech is a reflection of the heart and of one's relationship with God, and therefore everything we say matters.
Strong Words
The Bible issues a strong warning concerning the power of the tongue. The tongue has the power to do both evil or good. This article maps out the source of our words – why do we speak as we do? The author discusses right and wrong uses of the tongue, and highlights the blessings of using your tongue in a godly manner.
Talking Sense
This article urges Christians to use their tongue in a way that is edifying to other believers. Christian communication can be a great tool to encourage one another in the service of God.
How to Deal With Those Who Differ From Us (Part 4)
While the Bible calls Christians to contend for the faith, this article shows that disputing in a godly way is not easy, for we must show love and apply the golden rule to those who differ from us. The focus of this article is that in disputation, the goal is winning the other person to Christ, not winning the argument.
How to Deal With Those Who Differ From Us (Part 3)
While the Bible calls us to contend for the faith, this article shows that disputing in a godly way is not easy, for we must show love and apply the golden rule to those who differ from us. Here focus is given to doing polemics in biblical way by being protective and constructive, taking into account reason, history and tradition.
How To Deal With Those Who Differ From Us (Part 2)
While the Bible calls Christians to contend for the faith, this article shows that disputing (polemics) in a godly way is not easy, for we must show love and apply the golden rule to those who differ from us. In learning to deal with those who differ from you, it is important to reflect on whether you are being true to the facts and fair, and to be aware of possible double meanings or dangers in the position you take.
How To Deal With Those Who Differ From Us (Part 1)
While the Bible calls us to contend for the faith, this article shows that disputing (polemics) in a godly way is not easy, for we must show love and apply the golden rule to those who differ from us. Therefore, the author shows that in talking with those who differ from us, we must seek to understand their perspective. In this way, we lay the ground to deal with disputes in a godly manner.
Oaths And Slang
Calling for Christians to rethink the use of "bathroom" and sexual slang, this article shows that while on occassion Scripture does have some slang language, its use is different from how it is used today. Considering the use of God's name as slang, this article calls for reverence to God in our speech.
Stick And Stones
Language and Corruption
When Words are Wind
Yes. God Cares about What You Say
Can Your Soul Survive Facebook and Twitter?
This article explains some of the cult-like aspects of social media, making clear that we do not need Facebook or Twitter. We were created for community, which we may ultimately enjoy in the church,
Living by the Word in an Age of Digital Media
When Silence Screams
The Naivety of Niceness
Point, Shoot, Forget
Have you reflected on how your smartphone shapes your memories and affects how you view reality? This article is a reflection on the impact of a smartphone, digital media and way it affects the Christian view of reality.
Speak No Evil, Unless It’s the Right Thing to Do
To speak evil about someone is to use any form of speech about them that is destructive, harmful, negative, unrighteous, or unforgiving. But is there a time when it is right to speak evil about someone? This article argues that there is.
Speaking Faithful and True Words
What makes words true? This article explains that there are five things in a truthful speech: accuracy, relevance, timeliness, discretion, and justice.
Eight Email Mistakes You Make
1 Timothy 4:12 – Set an Example in Your Speech
The use of words should be important to every Christian. This article show that every communication reveals something about the state of your heart. So set an example through your speech, as we read in 1 Timothy 4:12.
The Ethics of Persuasive Preaching
This paper concerns itself with the ethics of persuasion and rhetoric as they function in preaching. The author briefly considers the Judaeo-Christian, classical-rhetorical, and contemporary rhetoricians' attitude towards persuasion in communication.
“Let’s Have a Chat” The Dilemma of Internet Communication
How to Criticize Other Christians
How can one practice good criticism? Criticizing other Christians is not meant to destroy them, but to build them up. This article shows how one can exercise criticism that is based on loving the truth and defending it, while at the same time caring for the person being criticized.