Blog https://www.thetrails.org Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:25:50 -0400 https://www.churchplantmedia.com/ Meaningful Membership: A Beautiful Display of Gospel Power https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/meaningful-membership:-a-beautiful-display-of-gospel-power https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/meaningful-membership:-a-beautiful-display-of-gospel-power#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:39:52 -0400 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/meaningful-membership:-a-beautiful-display-of-gospel-power In ancient warfare, one of the most dominant tactics adopted by militaries through the ages has been to place soldiers side by side in one, unified formation known as a phalanx.[1] Instead of relying on the combat skill of individual soldiers, whole armies could combine their strength in one collective force as they “locked arms” together. While the phalanx was outsmarted as a military strategy, the basic premise rings true: an army is stronger than a mercenary. And the same is true in the Christian life.

In the Bible, there are no lone ranger Christians. When we are called to Christ, we are called to His body, “locking arms” with other believers in the local church (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:12–13). The way we formalize our commitments to one another is through church membership. At The Trails Church, we cherish church membership and have sought to cultivate membership that is deep, rich, and meaningful. But what is meaningful membership, why do we care so much about it, and how can we grow in it? To answer these questions, we can survey the contours of Ephesians 4:1–16.

WHAT? | WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE ANOTHER.

First, we must answer what meaningful membership really is. While there are more exhaustive definitions, here’s a simple answer: we take responsibility for one another. The Apostle Paul demonstrates this through his charge to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 4:1–3. He writes, beginning in verse 1: “I…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” The “calling” here is the calling to salvation; this is every Christian’s calling!

In what way should every Christian walk? Verse 2: “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Gospel unity is hard work. But what’s remarkable is who is given the responsibility to tend to this unity. The whole church is to be “eager” to cultivate a gospel culture. It’s as if Paul is telling the Ephesian church, “Building a gospel community is part of your job description!” Paul later explains that the leaders Christ gives the church are, verse 12: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” The leaders equip the saints…for the work of ministry! So then, ministry to one another in the local church is every member’s responsibility.

As church members, we have a role to play in one another’s spiritual growth. When you join a church, you are raising your hand and saying, “I’ll watch out for you if you’ll watch out for me! Let’s lock arms and walk toward Jesus together.” That’s what church members do; we take responsibility for one another.

WHY? | WE ARE UNITED TO CHRIST AND HIS BODY.

At this point, another burning question is, “Why should we take responsibility for one another?” Paul’s answer: We are united to Christ and His body. Or even more simply, the gospel creates a people, a community. This is exactly what Paul demonstrates in verses 4–6: “There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call–one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Seven times in two verses, Paul repeats “one,” underscoring that there is one gospel that unites us to one Lord, and all those united to that one Lord are one in Him.

Our union with Christ in the gospel, however, is invisible; it’s a work in our very souls. So where does the gospel’s community-creating power take on flesh and blood? In local church membership! When Christians declare their faith in Christ through baptism, publicly identifying with Him and His body, and covenant together in membership, the internal workings of God’s grace go public. Church membership is a living, breathing, glorious display of gospel power. We are accountable to and for one another in the local church because the gospel unites us to Christ and His body.

HOW? | WE INTENTIONALLY DO ONE ANOTHER SPIRITUAL GOOD.

How do we actually do this? Meaningful membership is a high calling, but it’s not complicated. So how can we be meaningful members? Stated simply: we intentionally do one another spiritual good.[2] And we do that by speaking and living the gospel together. This is exactly what Paul says in verse 15: “…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, Christ.” By speaking and living the gospel together, we do one another spiritual good so that we might grow in Christ. What does that look like in the everyday life of a member of The Trails Church? Here are a few examples:

  • It looks like showing up on Sunday mornings and singing loud to encourage one another with the gospel in our songs.
  • It looks like pulling up the membership directory on the Church Center app and praying for a few members every day, maybe even texting them to encourage them with gospel truth.
  • It looks like sticking around after the Sunday morning worship gathering to connect with a brother you haven’t seen for a while, or to check up on a sister who you know is walking through hardship, and having a spiritually edifying conversation.
  • It looks like having another family over for dinner, praying with one another, enjoying good fellowship, and sharing what you’ve been reading in God’s Word.
  • It looks like being willing to pull a brother or sister aside to say, “I love you, and I’m concerned about this area of your life. Can I help you?”
  • It looks like being willing to ask a follow-up question after someone shares a temptation, asking, “Can we explore what the Bible says about this and try to walk it out together?”
  • It looks like meeting with another member, reading a passage of Scripture together, and discussing how to apply it to life.
  • It looks like crying with one another, bearing one another’s burdens, and serving one another in times of loss.

In a nutshell, meaningful membership looks like joyfully committing to fulfill our Church Covenant, a summary of the New Testament's corporate commands. Brothers and sisters, it is a privilege and a profound blessing to belong to the body of Christ, to lock arms with fellow believers who take responsibility for one another’s spiritual good. So then, let us commit once again to speak and live the gospel together, that the Lord Jesus might be glorified in us as we journey toward Him together.

______________

[1] Britannica Editors. "phalanx." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 8, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/phalanx-military-formation.

[2] Adapted from Mark Dever, Discipling (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 13.

]]> In ancient warfare, one of the most dominant tactics adopted by militaries through the ages has been to place soldiers side by side in one, unified formation known as a phalanx.[1] Instead of relying on the combat skill of individual soldiers, whole armies could combine their strength in one collective force as they “locked arms” together. While the phalanx was outsmarted as a military strategy, the basic premise rings true: an army is stronger than a mercenary. And the same is true in the Christian life.

In the Bible, there are no lone ranger Christians. When we are called to Christ, we are called to His body, “locking arms” with other believers in the local church (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:12–13). The way we formalize our commitments to one another is through church membership. At The Trails Church, we cherish church membership and have sought to cultivate membership that is deep, rich, and meaningful. But what is meaningful membership, why do we care so much about it, and how can we grow in it? To answer these questions, we can survey the contours of Ephesians 4:1–16.

WHAT? | WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE ANOTHER.

First, we must answer what meaningful membership really is. While there are more exhaustive definitions, here’s a simple answer: we take responsibility for one another. The Apostle Paul demonstrates this through his charge to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 4:1–3. He writes, beginning in verse 1: “I…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” The “calling” here is the calling to salvation; this is every Christian’s calling!

In what way should every Christian walk? Verse 2: “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Gospel unity is hard work. But what’s remarkable is who is given the responsibility to tend to this unity. The whole church is to be “eager” to cultivate a gospel culture. It’s as if Paul is telling the Ephesian church, “Building a gospel community is part of your job description!” Paul later explains that the leaders Christ gives the church are, verse 12: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” The leaders equip the saints…for the work of ministry! So then, ministry to one another in the local church is every member’s responsibility.

As church members, we have a role to play in one another’s spiritual growth. When you join a church, you are raising your hand and saying, “I’ll watch out for you if you’ll watch out for me! Let’s lock arms and walk toward Jesus together.” That’s what church members do; we take responsibility for one another.

WHY? | WE ARE UNITED TO CHRIST AND HIS BODY.

At this point, another burning question is, “Why should we take responsibility for one another?” Paul’s answer: We are united to Christ and His body. Or even more simply, the gospel creates a people, a community. This is exactly what Paul demonstrates in verses 4–6: “There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call–one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Seven times in two verses, Paul repeats “one,” underscoring that there is one gospel that unites us to one Lord, and all those united to that one Lord are one in Him.

Our union with Christ in the gospel, however, is invisible; it’s a work in our very souls. So where does the gospel’s community-creating power take on flesh and blood? In local church membership! When Christians declare their faith in Christ through baptism, publicly identifying with Him and His body, and covenant together in membership, the internal workings of God’s grace go public. Church membership is a living, breathing, glorious display of gospel power. We are accountable to and for one another in the local church because the gospel unites us to Christ and His body.

HOW? | WE INTENTIONALLY DO ONE ANOTHER SPIRITUAL GOOD.

How do we actually do this? Meaningful membership is a high calling, but it’s not complicated. So how can we be meaningful members? Stated simply: we intentionally do one another spiritual good.[2] And we do that by speaking and living the gospel together. This is exactly what Paul says in verse 15: “…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, Christ.” By speaking and living the gospel together, we do one another spiritual good so that we might grow in Christ. What does that look like in the everyday life of a member of The Trails Church? Here are a few examples:

  • It looks like showing up on Sunday mornings and singing loud to encourage one another with the gospel in our songs.
  • It looks like pulling up the membership directory on the Church Center app and praying for a few members every day, maybe even texting them to encourage them with gospel truth.
  • It looks like sticking around after the Sunday morning worship gathering to connect with a brother you haven’t seen for a while, or to check up on a sister who you know is walking through hardship, and having a spiritually edifying conversation.
  • It looks like having another family over for dinner, praying with one another, enjoying good fellowship, and sharing what you’ve been reading in God’s Word.
  • It looks like being willing to pull a brother or sister aside to say, “I love you, and I’m concerned about this area of your life. Can I help you?”
  • It looks like being willing to ask a follow-up question after someone shares a temptation, asking, “Can we explore what the Bible says about this and try to walk it out together?”
  • It looks like meeting with another member, reading a passage of Scripture together, and discussing how to apply it to life.
  • It looks like crying with one another, bearing one another’s burdens, and serving one another in times of loss.

In a nutshell, meaningful membership looks like joyfully committing to fulfill our Church Covenant, a summary of the New Testament's corporate commands. Brothers and sisters, it is a privilege and a profound blessing to belong to the body of Christ, to lock arms with fellow believers who take responsibility for one another’s spiritual good. So then, let us commit once again to speak and live the gospel together, that the Lord Jesus might be glorified in us as we journey toward Him together.

______________

[1] Britannica Editors. "phalanx." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 8, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/phalanx-military-formation.

[2] Adapted from Mark Dever, Discipling (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 13.

]]> God Gave Them Up https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/god-gave-them-up https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/god-gave-them-up#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:50:00 -0400 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/god-gave-them-up As we saw in our study of Romans this past Sunday, the first chapter of the letter closes with a grim description of man’s depravity. In verses 24–32, the Apostle Paul expounds upon the wrath of God as revealed in the corruption of the hearts, minds, and lives of those who rebel against Him. Three times Paul notes that God “gave them up” (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28) - the phrase has a harrowing echo throughout the passage, underscoring God’s just judgment against sin. The chapter leaves us longing for redemption.

It is against that gloomy backdrop that the hope of the gospel shines so brightly. God’s grace brings life and light out of the deep darkness of our former condition as the Lord Jesus creates a people for His name, giving us new hearts and minds that long for Him. In his commentary on the book of Romans, Kent Hughes creatively reflects on Romans 1:24–32 and reverses Paul’s thoughts as he meditates on the transforming power of the gospel in order to paint a picture of how the grace of Jesus practically transforms the lives of His people. As we close the first chapter of Romans, let us pray that God would do the deep work of reversing sin’s effects in hearts, minds, and lives so that we might be characterized by these words:

"Therefore, God gave them up in their hearts to self-control and purity, that their bodies might be honored among them. For they kept and cherished the truth of God and worshiped and served the Creator, who is blessed forever, rather than the creature. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to pure and wholesome lives, lived with carefree ease even in the most intimate relations so that all received in their own persons the due reward of their fidelity. And just as they saw fit to acknowledge God in all things, God gave them up to a sound mind, to do those things which are proper, being filled with all righteousness, goodness, generosity, kindness; full of selflessness, life, healing, openness, kindliness; they are gentle in speech, always building others up, lovers of God, respectful, humble, self effacing, inventors of good, obedient to parents, understanding, trustworthy, loving, merciful; and as they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are possessors of life, they do the same, and give hearty approval to those who do likewise." [1]

 

[1] Hughes, R. Kent. Romans: Righteousness from Heaven. Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 39.

]]> As we saw in our study of Romans this past Sunday, the first chapter of the letter closes with a grim description of man’s depravity. In verses 24–32, the Apostle Paul expounds upon the wrath of God as revealed in the corruption of the hearts, minds, and lives of those who rebel against Him. Three times Paul notes that God “gave them up” (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28) - the phrase has a harrowing echo throughout the passage, underscoring God’s just judgment against sin. The chapter leaves us longing for redemption.

It is against that gloomy backdrop that the hope of the gospel shines so brightly. God’s grace brings life and light out of the deep darkness of our former condition as the Lord Jesus creates a people for His name, giving us new hearts and minds that long for Him. In his commentary on the book of Romans, Kent Hughes creatively reflects on Romans 1:24–32 and reverses Paul’s thoughts as he meditates on the transforming power of the gospel in order to paint a picture of how the grace of Jesus practically transforms the lives of His people. As we close the first chapter of Romans, let us pray that God would do the deep work of reversing sin’s effects in hearts, minds, and lives so that we might be characterized by these words:

"Therefore, God gave them up in their hearts to self-control and purity, that their bodies might be honored among them. For they kept and cherished the truth of God and worshiped and served the Creator, who is blessed forever, rather than the creature. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to pure and wholesome lives, lived with carefree ease even in the most intimate relations so that all received in their own persons the due reward of their fidelity. And just as they saw fit to acknowledge God in all things, God gave them up to a sound mind, to do those things which are proper, being filled with all righteousness, goodness, generosity, kindness; full of selflessness, life, healing, openness, kindliness; they are gentle in speech, always building others up, lovers of God, respectful, humble, self effacing, inventors of good, obedient to parents, understanding, trustworthy, loving, merciful; and as they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are possessors of life, they do the same, and give hearty approval to those who do likewise." [1]

 

[1] Hughes, R. Kent. Romans: Righteousness from Heaven. Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 39.

]]> Summer Book Studies with the Elders https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/summer-book-studies-with-the-elders https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/summer-book-studies-with-the-elders#comments Fri, 08 May 2026 11:55:20 -0400 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/summer-book-studies-with-the-elders Each summer at The Trails we take a break from some of our normal ministry rhythms to slow down and spend time with our families. And while this season of rest is vital for every member of our church, we never want to take a break from discipleship. Afterall, Christ’s commission to make disciples is the heartbeat of the church’s mission and a never ending task. This work of discipleship typically occurs in two kinds of spaces at The Trails: learning environments (think Bible studies and the Sunday morning sermon) and community environments (think community groups and men/women’s events). While groups and Bible studies take a break during the summer months, we’ve tried to create additional opportunities to cultivate learning and community through books studies. And this summer we’re excited that each study will be led by one of the elders at The Trails. Each pastor has selected a book that we think is important and worth reading with the church. Here’s how it will work:

  1. Register for the book study you want to attend at this link. Registration is free and you can attend more than one study
  2. Buy the book using the links provided in this article or the registration form
  3. Read the book on your own ahead of time
  4. Show up to the study and discuss the book with a pastor and other members of The Trails

Here is a list of the books we’ll be reading along with a brief summary of each.

The Power of Christian Contentment: Finding Deeper, Richer Christ-Centered Joy | Andrew M. Davis

Based on Jeremiah Burroughs’ classic The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, this book challenges Christians to confront the sources of discontentment in their lives and embrace Paul's teaching on contentment in all circumstances. Andy Davis modernizes the puritan’s timeless wisdom from “The Rare Jewel” and invites readers into a life of deeper, richer joy that can only be found in Christ.

The Pilgrim’s Progress | John Bunyan

In this classic allegory, Bunyan tells the story of Christian on his pilgrimage to the Celestial City amidst all of life’s trials and tribulations. It’s still one of the best-selling books of all time and for good reason. Spurgeon himself estimated that he read it over 100 times! More than just a work of fiction, it is a commentary on the Christian life and a great encouragement to all who read it.

Union with Christ: The Blessings of Being in Him | Sinclair Ferguson

In this book, the great Sinclair Ferguson explores one of the most misunderstood and underexplored doctrines of Christiainty (and what he calls the defining reality of the Christian faith), our union with Christ. He argues that recovering this New Testament phrase is the key to understanding our identity and enjoying all the blessings of salvation. Once we better understand this doctrine, we can live out of the fullness of joy, purpose, and assurance that the gospel brings.

The Problem of Pain | C.S. Lewis

Why would a good and loving God allow so much pain and suffering in the world? In this work, Lewis takes on this difficult but important question that all Christians must face. Along the way, he shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungering for a true understanding of human nature. And he points us to the ultimate hope we have in Christ and a future with him in heaven.

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work | Timothy Keller

In this book, the late Tim Keller shows readers that biblical wisdom is immensely relevant to our questions about work today. By presenting a Christian view of work, Keller argues that our work must ultimately serve others and not ourselves. Furthermore, as Christians our work should be marked by excellence, integrity, discipline, creativity, and passion, since even our time in the workplace is an opportunity to worship God.

On the Christian Life: A New Translation | John Calvin

Often referred to as Calvin’s “Golden Booklet,” this short work suggests that a deep understanding of theology is worthless if the gospel has yet to “penetrate into the most intimate affection of the heart.” Calvin covers topics like self-denial, submission to God, bearing one’s cross, enduring suffering for the sake of righteousness, and meditating on the life to come, all in under 100 pages!

Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family | Paul David Tripp

In this bestselling book, Tripp unfolds a more biblical perspective on parenting than merely adhering to a list of rules. He lays out 14 gospel-centered principles that will radically change the way parents think about what it means to raise up a child, informing everything they do as a parent. Biblical, practical, and gospel-centered, this book is a resource for parents with kids of all ages.

]]> Each summer at The Trails we take a break from some of our normal ministry rhythms to slow down and spend time with our families. And while this season of rest is vital for every member of our church, we never want to take a break from discipleship. Afterall, Christ’s commission to make disciples is the heartbeat of the church’s mission and a never ending task. This work of discipleship typically occurs in two kinds of spaces at The Trails: learning environments (think Bible studies and the Sunday morning sermon) and community environments (think community groups and men/women’s events). While groups and Bible studies take a break during the summer months, we’ve tried to create additional opportunities to cultivate learning and community through books studies. And this summer we’re excited that each study will be led by one of the elders at The Trails. Each pastor has selected a book that we think is important and worth reading with the church. Here’s how it will work:

  1. Register for the book study you want to attend at this link. Registration is free and you can attend more than one study
  2. Buy the book using the links provided in this article or the registration form
  3. Read the book on your own ahead of time
  4. Show up to the study and discuss the book with a pastor and other members of The Trails

Here is a list of the books we’ll be reading along with a brief summary of each.

The Power of Christian Contentment: Finding Deeper, Richer Christ-Centered Joy | Andrew M. Davis

Based on Jeremiah Burroughs’ classic The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, this book challenges Christians to confront the sources of discontentment in their lives and embrace Paul's teaching on contentment in all circumstances. Andy Davis modernizes the puritan’s timeless wisdom from “The Rare Jewel” and invites readers into a life of deeper, richer joy that can only be found in Christ.

The Pilgrim’s Progress | John Bunyan

In this classic allegory, Bunyan tells the story of Christian on his pilgrimage to the Celestial City amidst all of life’s trials and tribulations. It’s still one of the best-selling books of all time and for good reason. Spurgeon himself estimated that he read it over 100 times! More than just a work of fiction, it is a commentary on the Christian life and a great encouragement to all who read it.

Union with Christ: The Blessings of Being in Him | Sinclair Ferguson

In this book, the great Sinclair Ferguson explores one of the most misunderstood and underexplored doctrines of Christiainty (and what he calls the defining reality of the Christian faith), our union with Christ. He argues that recovering this New Testament phrase is the key to understanding our identity and enjoying all the blessings of salvation. Once we better understand this doctrine, we can live out of the fullness of joy, purpose, and assurance that the gospel brings.

The Problem of Pain | C.S. Lewis

Why would a good and loving God allow so much pain and suffering in the world? In this work, Lewis takes on this difficult but important question that all Christians must face. Along the way, he shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungering for a true understanding of human nature. And he points us to the ultimate hope we have in Christ and a future with him in heaven.

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work | Timothy Keller

In this book, the late Tim Keller shows readers that biblical wisdom is immensely relevant to our questions about work today. By presenting a Christian view of work, Keller argues that our work must ultimately serve others and not ourselves. Furthermore, as Christians our work should be marked by excellence, integrity, discipline, creativity, and passion, since even our time in the workplace is an opportunity to worship God.

On the Christian Life: A New Translation | John Calvin

Often referred to as Calvin’s “Golden Booklet,” this short work suggests that a deep understanding of theology is worthless if the gospel has yet to “penetrate into the most intimate affection of the heart.” Calvin covers topics like self-denial, submission to God, bearing one’s cross, enduring suffering for the sake of righteousness, and meditating on the life to come, all in under 100 pages!

Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family | Paul David Tripp

In this bestselling book, Tripp unfolds a more biblical perspective on parenting than merely adhering to a list of rules. He lays out 14 gospel-centered principles that will radically change the way parents think about what it means to raise up a child, informing everything they do as a parent. Biblical, practical, and gospel-centered, this book is a resource for parents with kids of all ages.

]]> At Home Family Worship Guide https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/at-home-family-worship-guide https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/at-home-family-worship-guide#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:00:00 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/at-home-family-worship-guide
  • Gather in the Name of the Lord - Discuss as a family that this time is set aside to worship God on His holy day. Read Psalm 95: 1-7. (Print this resource for kids.)
  • Sing - Sing He Will Hold Me Fast and How Deep the Father’s Love for Us as an act of worship.
  • Pray - Ask the Lord to bless your time of worship, help each person present hear the Word, and guide your steps throughout the week.
  • Read - Open your Bible to the book of Romans and refer to the devotional from Pastor Matt below to guide your reading.

     

    The Romans Road

    One of my favorite meetings is sitting down with a person who is interested in baptism. Somewhere along the way in that conversation, I often ask them to imagine that I am a friend, a co-worker, or a classmate who is curious about becoming a Christian. Then I pose a simple question: “If I asked you how I could become a Christian, what would you say?”

    On one hand, that question helps uncover whether the person truly understands the gospel and whether they themselves have personally experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I want to know if they grasp the basic grammar of the gospel and have learned to speak of God’s salvation the way he does in his Word. On the other hand, I am also hoping to equip them to share that same saving message with others. One time-tested way of doing this is by walking with someone through a series of passages from Scripture known as “The Romans Road.”

    When I was a boy, our church handed out a gospel tract with those very words printed on the cover. Inside was a collection of verses from the book of Romans that traced the way a sinner is made right with God. I memorized those passages, and through the years I have recalled them in countless gospel conversations with unbelieving friends.

    This week I was thrilled to receive a text message from Diana Schneider, who shared how their family was memorizing the Romans Road together in their home. Since we are snowed in for a few days, let me extend that invitation and challenge each of you to commit these passages to memory. That way, when the Lord opens a door for you to speak about Christ, you will be ready to show them straight from Scripture, both the sinful condition of humanity and the gracious provision of God in Christ.

    “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

    Here we are given a diagnosis that no one can escape. Each of us, from the greatest to the least, has fallen short of God’s glory and broken his laws and commands. Like an arrow that fails to reach its target, our lives have missed the mark of perfect obedience to the will of God.

    “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

    The gospel is bad news before it is good news. A wage is something earned. Just as a worker receives what is due for their labor, so sin pays its workers; only its payment is death. In fact, original sin explains why death exists in the world at all. Yet in this verse we see two contrasted realities set before us: the death we have earned, and the life that God freely gives through Jesus Christ.

    “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

    Here light breaks through the darkness. God’s love is not presented as something we earn, but is something he chooses to show sinners. Paul directs our gaze to the cross so that we might see why Jesus died: to pay the price for our sins, to stand in our place, and to bring us to God.

    “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

    This passage removes all grounds for boasting. Salvation is not achieved by works, effort, or merit. The forgiveness and life that come through Christ are received by faith alone. We confess Christ as Lord, we believe in his resurrection (and in him as the resurrection and the life), and God saves us by his grace.

    “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

    This verse speaks to those who feel unworthy of God’s love, unfit to receive His grace, or burdened by a sense of spiritual inadequacy. It assures us that God welcomes the weakest and the vilest sinner to come and find peace with him.

    For extra measure, I would also encourage you to memorize the theme verse of Romans:

    “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).

    As we continue walking the Romans Road, let us keep believing the gospel for ourselves. Let us grow in the grammar of the gospel, learning to speak of God’s salvation the way he does. And let us share the good news of Jesus Christ far and wide, with all who are in need of this good news!

  • Blessing - Close your time of worship by singing the doxology and then reading 2 Corinthians 13:14.

    • ]]>
  • Gather in the Name of the Lord - Discuss as a family that this time is set aside to worship God on His holy day. Read Psalm 95: 1-7. (Print this resource for kids.)
  • Sing - Sing He Will Hold Me Fast and How Deep the Father’s Love for Us as an act of worship.
  • Pray - Ask the Lord to bless your time of worship, help each person present hear the Word, and guide your steps throughout the week.
  • Read - Open your Bible to the book of Romans and refer to the devotional from Pastor Matt below to guide your reading.

     

    The Romans Road

    One of my favorite meetings is sitting down with a person who is interested in baptism. Somewhere along the way in that conversation, I often ask them to imagine that I am a friend, a co-worker, or a classmate who is curious about becoming a Christian. Then I pose a simple question: “If I asked you how I could become a Christian, what would you say?”

    On one hand, that question helps uncover whether the person truly understands the gospel and whether they themselves have personally experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I want to know if they grasp the basic grammar of the gospel and have learned to speak of God’s salvation the way he does in his Word. On the other hand, I am also hoping to equip them to share that same saving message with others. One time-tested way of doing this is by walking with someone through a series of passages from Scripture known as “The Romans Road.”

    When I was a boy, our church handed out a gospel tract with those very words printed on the cover. Inside was a collection of verses from the book of Romans that traced the way a sinner is made right with God. I memorized those passages, and through the years I have recalled them in countless gospel conversations with unbelieving friends.

    This week I was thrilled to receive a text message from Diana Schneider, who shared how their family was memorizing the Romans Road together in their home. Since we are snowed in for a few days, let me extend that invitation and challenge each of you to commit these passages to memory. That way, when the Lord opens a door for you to speak about Christ, you will be ready to show them straight from Scripture, both the sinful condition of humanity and the gracious provision of God in Christ.

    “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

    Here we are given a diagnosis that no one can escape. Each of us, from the greatest to the least, has fallen short of God’s glory and broken his laws and commands. Like an arrow that fails to reach its target, our lives have missed the mark of perfect obedience to the will of God.

    “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

    The gospel is bad news before it is good news. A wage is something earned. Just as a worker receives what is due for their labor, so sin pays its workers; only its payment is death. In fact, original sin explains why death exists in the world at all. Yet in this verse we see two contrasted realities set before us: the death we have earned, and the life that God freely gives through Jesus Christ.

    “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

    Here light breaks through the darkness. God’s love is not presented as something we earn, but is something he chooses to show sinners. Paul directs our gaze to the cross so that we might see why Jesus died: to pay the price for our sins, to stand in our place, and to bring us to God.

    “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

    This passage removes all grounds for boasting. Salvation is not achieved by works, effort, or merit. The forgiveness and life that come through Christ are received by faith alone. We confess Christ as Lord, we believe in his resurrection (and in him as the resurrection and the life), and God saves us by his grace.

    “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

    This verse speaks to those who feel unworthy of God’s love, unfit to receive His grace, or burdened by a sense of spiritual inadequacy. It assures us that God welcomes the weakest and the vilest sinner to come and find peace with him.

    For extra measure, I would also encourage you to memorize the theme verse of Romans:

    “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).

    As we continue walking the Romans Road, let us keep believing the gospel for ourselves. Let us grow in the grammar of the gospel, learning to speak of God’s salvation the way he does. And let us share the good news of Jesus Christ far and wide, with all who are in need of this good news!

  • Blessing - Close your time of worship by singing the doxology and then reading 2 Corinthians 13:14.

    • ]]>         Growing in The Word: How to Pray The Bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-pray-the-bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-pray-the-bible#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:45:00 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-pray-the-bible We’ve been considering how to grow in God’s Word in the year 2026. In the previous post, I offered some principles and tips on how to read our Bibles. This week, we’ll look at how to respond to God’s Word in prayer. In one sense, worship is like a conversation. God initiates by speaking to us in the Bible, and we respond to him in prayer. Fortunately, he has done more than just reveal himself to us in the Scriptures, but he’s actually taught us how to pray there as well.

    The Bible as a Guidebook for Prayer

    It’s as if the Lord knew that we would struggle with what to pray and how to pray. Therefore, in his kindness, he not only speaks to us in his Word, but he also provides us with a guidebook on how to respond to him in prayer. Here are three ways that the Bible instructs and aids us in our praying.

    The Lord’s Prayer

    In the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus answers his disciples’ request by literally teaching them how to pray. And here is how he answers: “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (Matthew 6:9-13, ESV). Jesus is not only giving them (and us) the words to say when we pray, but he’s also teaching us a lesson on how to pray. Namely, we appeal to God as our father, consecrating his name and advocating for the realities of his kingdom and will to be done here on earth. We bring him our supplications and we confess our sins as we rely on his grace for deliverance from sin and temptation. In these verses we have a masterclass on prayer – the very words of Jesus teaching us how to talk to God.

    The Prayers of the Faithful

    While Jesus’s words stand at the pinnacle of Biblical prayers, we have a number of other examples of faithful prayers from God’s people in the Old and New Testaments as well. Consider Moses’s prayer of praise and celebration in Exodus 15 after God’s people cross over the Red Sea and escape the Egyptians. How about Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2. Or look at Nehemiah’s prayer of confession in Nehemiah 1. Similarly, Paul’s letters are filled with wonderful prayers, and the book of Acts gives us insight into how some of the earliest Christians prayed. If the Lord’s Prayer serves as instruction on how to pray, then these references serve as examples that should inform and shape our prayer life. We may not use the very words that Moses or Hannah prayed, but we can follow their form and let them guide our own prayers.

    The Prayerbook

    As if these examples of faithful prayers are not enough for us, God has graciously given us a prayerbook in the Psalter – 150 individual prayers located right in the middle of our Bibles. The Psalms give us the very language of prayer for all of life. As Tim Kellers says, “Every situation in life is represented in the book of Psalms. Psalms anticipate and train you for every possible spiritual, social, and emotional condition…therefore, they were written to be prayed, not merely to be read.” [1] Because the Psalter contains prayers for every season and stage of life, many Christians have made a habit of praying from the Psalms daily. I highly recommend to you Don Whitney’s short little book called Praying the Bible, where he not only covers a method for praying through the Psalms but also provides a plan to help you know which Psalm to pray each day of the month

    Methods for Praying the Bible

    We’ve covered a number of ways in which the Bible instructs and models for us how to pray. But you might still be wondering how to implement these prayers into your daily lives. More specifically, how can praying the Bible fit in with our normal rhythm of reading it? In addition to praying the Psalm daily like we mentioned above, I can think of at least three ways you can incorporate prayer into your daily scripture reading plan:

    Pray Before You Read

    One of the best and easiest ways to work prayer into your Bible reading is to pray before you even open your Bibles. In his excellent book Reading the Bible Supernaturally, John Piper provides four short prayers from the Psalms that he recommends praying each time you sit down to read your Bible. He uses the acronym I.O.U.S. to help remember it [2]:

    I— Incline. “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain” (Ps. 119:36).

    O— Open. “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Ps. 119:18).

    U— Unite. “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Ps. 86:11).

    S— Satisfy. “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14). 

    This prayer takes hardly a minute to say, but it’s a great way to speak God’s words back to him as you ask him to meet with you in your quiet time.

    Pray While You Read

    There will be times when you are so taken by the beauty and wonder of something you’ve read in God’s Word that you cannot help but respond in the moment. That is a good thing! Even the Apostle Paul was known to do this from time to time (see for example 2 Corinthians 9:15). Or perhaps the passage at hand has moved you to confess a particular sin, or intercede on someone’s behalf. We discussed in the last post that Bible reading requires active participation. That also means that we should be reading expectantly–anticipating that the Holy Spirit will speak to us specifically through the words on the page, eliciting in us a response. Again, worship is a conversation and it wasn’t meant to be one-sided. God’s Word should move us to prayer.

    Pray After You Read

    Maybe nothing from your daily reading has elicited spontaneous responses of prayer – that’s okay. A good practice to implement is, after you’re done reading, take a moment to reflect on that day’s passages. Try to find something in the text to turn back into prayer.  Consider the questions we addressed in the initial blog post–how has your reading shaped and informed your prayer of response? If all else fails and you can’t think of anything to pray from your daily reading (maybe you’re in Leviticus!), try praying through a Psalm like we discussed earlier. Don’t miss an opportunity to let God’s words shape your words back to him.

    Unlike the goal of Bible reading discussed last week, which is to comprehend what was read, the goal of praying the Bible is communion with God. In some sense, reading the Bible is the necessary means to the end that is the sweetness of communion with the Lord. He has assured us that he hears our prayers, whether we use Scripture or not, however your time in prayer is sure to be enriched and strengthened when you learn to pray the Bible.

     

    [1] Timothy Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms (New York: Viking, 2015)

    [2] John Piper, Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2017)

    ]]>     We’ve been considering how to grow in God’s Word in the year 2026. In the previous post, I offered some principles and tips on how to read our Bibles. This week, we’ll look at how to respond to God’s Word in prayer. In one sense, worship is like a conversation. God initiates by speaking to us in the Bible, and we respond to him in prayer. Fortunately, he has done more than just reveal himself to us in the Scriptures, but he’s actually taught us how to pray there as well.

    The Bible as a Guidebook for Prayer

    It’s as if the Lord knew that we would struggle with what to pray and how to pray. Therefore, in his kindness, he not only speaks to us in his Word, but he also provides us with a guidebook on how to respond to him in prayer. Here are three ways that the Bible instructs and aids us in our praying.

    The Lord’s Prayer

    In the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus answers his disciples’ request by literally teaching them how to pray. And here is how he answers: “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (Matthew 6:9-13, ESV). Jesus is not only giving them (and us) the words to say when we pray, but he’s also teaching us a lesson on how to pray. Namely, we appeal to God as our father, consecrating his name and advocating for the realities of his kingdom and will to be done here on earth. We bring him our supplications and we confess our sins as we rely on his grace for deliverance from sin and temptation. In these verses we have a masterclass on prayer – the very words of Jesus teaching us how to talk to God.

    The Prayers of the Faithful

    While Jesus’s words stand at the pinnacle of Biblical prayers, we have a number of other examples of faithful prayers from God’s people in the Old and New Testaments as well. Consider Moses’s prayer of praise and celebration in Exodus 15 after God’s people cross over the Red Sea and escape the Egyptians. How about Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2. Or look at Nehemiah’s prayer of confession in Nehemiah 1. Similarly, Paul’s letters are filled with wonderful prayers, and the book of Acts gives us insight into how some of the earliest Christians prayed. If the Lord’s Prayer serves as instruction on how to pray, then these references serve as examples that should inform and shape our prayer life. We may not use the very words that Moses or Hannah prayed, but we can follow their form and let them guide our own prayers.

    The Prayerbook

    As if these examples of faithful prayers are not enough for us, God has graciously given us a prayerbook in the Psalter – 150 individual prayers located right in the middle of our Bibles. The Psalms give us the very language of prayer for all of life. As Tim Kellers says, “Every situation in life is represented in the book of Psalms. Psalms anticipate and train you for every possible spiritual, social, and emotional condition…therefore, they were written to be prayed, not merely to be read.” [1] Because the Psalter contains prayers for every season and stage of life, many Christians have made a habit of praying from the Psalms daily. I highly recommend to you Don Whitney’s short little book called Praying the Bible, where he not only covers a method for praying through the Psalms but also provides a plan to help you know which Psalm to pray each day of the month

    Methods for Praying the Bible

    We’ve covered a number of ways in which the Bible instructs and models for us how to pray. But you might still be wondering how to implement these prayers into your daily lives. More specifically, how can praying the Bible fit in with our normal rhythm of reading it? In addition to praying the Psalm daily like we mentioned above, I can think of at least three ways you can incorporate prayer into your daily scripture reading plan:

    Pray Before You Read

    One of the best and easiest ways to work prayer into your Bible reading is to pray before you even open your Bibles. In his excellent book Reading the Bible Supernaturally, John Piper provides four short prayers from the Psalms that he recommends praying each time you sit down to read your Bible. He uses the acronym I.O.U.S. to help remember it [2]:

    I— Incline. “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain” (Ps. 119:36).

    O— Open. “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Ps. 119:18).

    U— Unite. “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Ps. 86:11).

    S— Satisfy. “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14). 

    This prayer takes hardly a minute to say, but it’s a great way to speak God’s words back to him as you ask him to meet with you in your quiet time.

    Pray While You Read

    There will be times when you are so taken by the beauty and wonder of something you’ve read in God’s Word that you cannot help but respond in the moment. That is a good thing! Even the Apostle Paul was known to do this from time to time (see for example 2 Corinthians 9:15). Or perhaps the passage at hand has moved you to confess a particular sin, or intercede on someone’s behalf. We discussed in the last post that Bible reading requires active participation. That also means that we should be reading expectantly–anticipating that the Holy Spirit will speak to us specifically through the words on the page, eliciting in us a response. Again, worship is a conversation and it wasn’t meant to be one-sided. God’s Word should move us to prayer.

    Pray After You Read

    Maybe nothing from your daily reading has elicited spontaneous responses of prayer – that’s okay. A good practice to implement is, after you’re done reading, take a moment to reflect on that day’s passages. Try to find something in the text to turn back into prayer.  Consider the questions we addressed in the initial blog post–how has your reading shaped and informed your prayer of response? If all else fails and you can’t think of anything to pray from your daily reading (maybe you’re in Leviticus!), try praying through a Psalm like we discussed earlier. Don’t miss an opportunity to let God’s words shape your words back to him.

    Unlike the goal of Bible reading discussed last week, which is to comprehend what was read, the goal of praying the Bible is communion with God. In some sense, reading the Bible is the necessary means to the end that is the sweetness of communion with the Lord. He has assured us that he hears our prayers, whether we use Scripture or not, however your time in prayer is sure to be enriched and strengthened when you learn to pray the Bible.

     

    [1] Timothy Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms (New York: Viking, 2015)

    [2] John Piper, Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2017)

    ]]>         Traveling Supplies for Romans https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/traveling-supplies-for-romans https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/traveling-supplies-for-romans#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:20:00 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/traveling-supplies-for-romans The book of Romans has been called a “Christian manifesto”[1] and even “the greatest letter ever written.”[2] My anticipation of studying this letter together has been growing for months and I thank God that the day has finally arrived!

    History records many significant church leaders whose lives were transformed and reoriented by the truths found in this letter written by the hand of the Apostle Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. One of those leaders was Martin Luther. He stated (perhaps with some excess):

    This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.[3]

    For us to study the book of Romans word for word—and also by heart—I thought it might be helpful to curate a list of resources that I have found helpful in my life and study of this great letter. Think of these like traveling supplies that will help us along the journey. There is something here for everyone from the serious reader to the reflective listener. I hope you will find something that might be a help to you along the way.

    Study Bible and Scripture Journal

    The ESV study bible is chock full of helpful notes and analysis on the book of Romans. I would highly encourage you to purchase one if you don’t already have one. It is a valuable and concise resource on the whole bible. Another resource people have found helpful is the ESV Scripture Journals published by Crossway.

    1. ESV Study Bible (Crossway, 2014).
    2. ESV Scripture Journal: Romans (Crossway Books, 2018).

    Homiletical Commentaries

    A homiletical commentary (homiletics: the art of preaching or writing sermons) reads much like a sermon and, in many cases is precisely that: a collection of sermons. It may engage the original languages to uncover layers of meaning, yet English exposition is given priority for understanding and also includes application. Some volumes move more quickly, others more lingering than the pace we will adopt, but all are recommended.

    1. R. Kent Hughes, Romans: Righteousness from Heaven, Preaching the Word (Crossway, 2013). This is a collection of sermons preached at College Church in Wheaton, IL and would feel like a familiar style to The Trails in approach.
    2. Timothy Keller, Romans for You (The Good Book Company, 2017). My oldest son, Caden, and I read through this together when he was in junior high and it was a help to us both.
    3. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans, 14 Volume Set (Banner of Truth, 1972). We will not be in any hurry through Romans, yet also not as lingering as Lloyd-Jones’ fourteen volume set of sermons on Romans.

    Exegetical Commentaries

    An exegetical commentary (exegetical: a critical explanation or interpretation of a text) takes a more technical approach, digging deep to clarify the author’s arguments, engage the original languages, and survey the theological principles found in the text. These volumes are often longer and denser, but they are designed to offer a deeper understanding of Scripture.

    1. John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World (IVP Books, 1994). I have put Stott at the top of the list for his ability to summarize without losing depth.
    2. Douglas Moo, The Epistle to Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament, (Eerdmans, 2018). Moo’s commentary is probably the most respected in all conservative evangelical scholarship.
    3. Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Second edition, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2018). Schreiner is so clear and helpful on all things Paul, and Romans is perhaps where he shines the brightest.

    Theological Commentaries

    The work of a theological overview of a book of the bible can be a helpful way of tying together threads we might otherwise miss along the way. Each of these shorter works are full of help.

    1. Brian S. Rosner, Strengthened by the Gospel: A Theology of Romans, (Crossway, 2025).
    2. Andrew Naselli, Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written, (Crossway, 2022). Naselli helps provide a theological overview of each section of Romans providing different ways you can read along: with your bible open or with a group of friends.

    Traveling Together

    Whether you choose to read a supplemental commentary as we journey through Romans or not, my prayer is that you will be strengthened and refreshed by the power of the gospel it proclaims. I also hope your community group will come alongside you, helping you process not only the message of Romans, but also how you might faithfully apply it to your own life, as we seek to do together as a church family. As we study this book word for word, let us do so with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

     

    [1] John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World (IVP Books, 1994), 19.

    [2] Andrew David Naselli, Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written, 1st ed (Crossway, 2022).

    [3] Martin Luther, Word and Sacrament I, vol. 35, ed. Theodore Bachmann, Luther’s Works (Fortress, 1960), 365.

    ]]>     The book of Romans has been called a “Christian manifesto”[1] and even “the greatest letter ever written.”[2] My anticipation of studying this letter together has been growing for months and I thank God that the day has finally arrived!

    History records many significant church leaders whose lives were transformed and reoriented by the truths found in this letter written by the hand of the Apostle Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. One of those leaders was Martin Luther. He stated (perhaps with some excess):

    This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.[3]

    For us to study the book of Romans word for word—and also by heart—I thought it might be helpful to curate a list of resources that I have found helpful in my life and study of this great letter. Think of these like traveling supplies that will help us along the journey. There is something here for everyone from the serious reader to the reflective listener. I hope you will find something that might be a help to you along the way.

    Study Bible and Scripture Journal

    The ESV study bible is chock full of helpful notes and analysis on the book of Romans. I would highly encourage you to purchase one if you don’t already have one. It is a valuable and concise resource on the whole bible. Another resource people have found helpful is the ESV Scripture Journals published by Crossway.

    1. ESV Study Bible (Crossway, 2014).
    2. ESV Scripture Journal: Romans (Crossway Books, 2018).

    Homiletical Commentaries

    A homiletical commentary (homiletics: the art of preaching or writing sermons) reads much like a sermon and, in many cases is precisely that: a collection of sermons. It may engage the original languages to uncover layers of meaning, yet English exposition is given priority for understanding and also includes application. Some volumes move more quickly, others more lingering than the pace we will adopt, but all are recommended.

    1. R. Kent Hughes, Romans: Righteousness from Heaven, Preaching the Word (Crossway, 2013). This is a collection of sermons preached at College Church in Wheaton, IL and would feel like a familiar style to The Trails in approach.
    2. Timothy Keller, Romans for You (The Good Book Company, 2017). My oldest son, Caden, and I read through this together when he was in junior high and it was a help to us both.
    3. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans, 14 Volume Set (Banner of Truth, 1972). We will not be in any hurry through Romans, yet also not as lingering as Lloyd-Jones’ fourteen volume set of sermons on Romans.

    Exegetical Commentaries

    An exegetical commentary (exegetical: a critical explanation or interpretation of a text) takes a more technical approach, digging deep to clarify the author’s arguments, engage the original languages, and survey the theological principles found in the text. These volumes are often longer and denser, but they are designed to offer a deeper understanding of Scripture.

    1. John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World (IVP Books, 1994). I have put Stott at the top of the list for his ability to summarize without losing depth.
    2. Douglas Moo, The Epistle to Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament, (Eerdmans, 2018). Moo’s commentary is probably the most respected in all conservative evangelical scholarship.
    3. Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Second edition, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2018). Schreiner is so clear and helpful on all things Paul, and Romans is perhaps where he shines the brightest.

    Theological Commentaries

    The work of a theological overview of a book of the bible can be a helpful way of tying together threads we might otherwise miss along the way. Each of these shorter works are full of help.

    1. Brian S. Rosner, Strengthened by the Gospel: A Theology of Romans, (Crossway, 2025).
    2. Andrew Naselli, Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written, (Crossway, 2022). Naselli helps provide a theological overview of each section of Romans providing different ways you can read along: with your bible open or with a group of friends.

    Traveling Together

    Whether you choose to read a supplemental commentary as we journey through Romans or not, my prayer is that you will be strengthened and refreshed by the power of the gospel it proclaims. I also hope your community group will come alongside you, helping you process not only the message of Romans, but also how you might faithfully apply it to your own life, as we seek to do together as a church family. As we study this book word for word, let us do so with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

     

    [1] John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World (IVP Books, 1994), 19.

    [2] Andrew David Naselli, Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written, 1st ed (Crossway, 2022).

    [3] Martin Luther, Word and Sacrament I, vol. 35, ed. Theodore Bachmann, Luther’s Works (Fortress, 1960), 365.

    ]]>         Growing in The Word: How to Read The Bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-read-the-bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-read-the-bible#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:30:00 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-how-to-read-the-bible In this series of posts we are considering how we can grow in God’s Word in the New Year. In the previous article, we looked at why we should spend time in the Scriptures in the first place. Now we turn to the first step in our journey: reading our Bibles. Every good Christian knows the importance of regularly reading God’s Word, however, we often fall short in our goals of making it through the entire Bible. In this post, I hope to give you some encouragement that reading through your whole Bible might not be as difficult as you think, as well as to provide you with some tips to help you do so in 2026.

    Read the Bible as a Book

    The Bible is more than just a book, but it is certainly not less than one. Therefore, we must first come to the Bible on bookish terms. I am convinced that one of the reasons we struggle with reading God’s Word is because we struggle with reading in general. Because of the many distractions competing for our time and attention these days, we have forgotten how to do the hard (but necessary) work of reading. Reading takes focus and effort; it requires our active participation. As Christians we generally have a high view of our Bibles, and yet we often have a far lower view of the work required to read them. As such, we open our Bibles with an expectation that God will do something remarkable for us, while we practice fairly unremarkable habits in our reading. The Bible is not a Magic 8 Ball and it isn’t a fortune cookie. To be sure, there are riches to be found within its pages, but we must go digging first to receive them.

    Read the Bible as a Story

    Not only is the Bible a book, but it is also a story. More specifically, it is a collection of stories that, taken together, form to create one, unified story that points to and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Perhaps one of the reasons why we struggle in reading the whole Bible is because we’ve come to see it as a series of random and disjointed stories – we’ve “lost the plot” so to speak. Bible reading becomes considerably more profitable and enjoyable when we learn to read it as one sweeping narrative of God’s plan of redemption. The book of Leviticus may be tough slogging, but it makes a lot more sense when you see how all of the laws and sacrifices fit into where Israel is in God’s storyline, and how they are ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. Reading the Bible like this takes time and practice, but one of the easiest ways to grow in this habit is to read the story repeatedly and in large portions at a time (more on this later).

    Read the Bible for Comprehension

    Remember from your school days when you had to take standardized tests? One part of these tests always consisted of reading a short passage and then answering questions about what we just read. This portion of the exam was meant to test our reading comprehension, or our ability to recall key details and pieces of information from the text. Once again, I fear this is something we’ve forgotten how to do as our reading skills have waned. Case in point, have you ever read a portion of Scripture only to forget what you’ve read just minutes after shutting your Bible? Me too, and one way we can combat this forgetfulness is to read our Bibles for the sake of comprehension. That is, read your Bible as if someone were about to give you a short quiz about what you’d read after you’re finished. It is important to note that this isn’t the ultimate goal of Bible reading. As we discussed in the first post, the final goal of Bible reading is that we would glorify God by becoming more like him. The ultimate goal of Bible reading is nothing short of transformation. But before we can be transformed we must first be informed. Therefore, an instrumental end of our Bible reading is general comprehension. This is different from Bible study, which we will address in a later post. Instead, the goal of comprehension is just basic recall. For example, if you’re reading a narrative part of Scripture you might ask yourself what setting did this story take place in, who were the characters, and what were the main plot points? Or in a letter, what were the author’s main themes, to whom was he writing, and why? These types of questions are basic, but fundamental in our reading of the Bible. Remember, comprehension is the first step of our ultimate goal of being transformed by God’s Word.

    Tips for Better Bible Reading

    With the above principles in mind, here are some tips that might help you be a better Bible reader in the future.

    Read Large Chunks of Scripture at a Time

    My favorite professor in seminary, Dr. Jim Hamilton, knows his Bible better than almost anyone I know. One day I asked him for some recommendations on how to read The Bible like he does. Here is what he said: (1) memorize large chunks of Scripture, like chapters and books (which we’ll address in another post) and (2) read big chunks of Scripture, like all of Genesis, at one sitting. Most of us have grown accustomed to reading the Bible in small tidbits, but Hamilton (and I) suggest that to grow as a Bible reader you should grow the amount of Scripture you’re covering each time you read. You may not have enough time to read all of Genesis, but next time you open your Bible, try tackling more than you normally would in a single reading.

    Don’t Skip Around

    Many Scripture reading plans take you to multiple different places in the Bible in a single day. While this method might be helpful to someone who already has a high degree of Bible literacy, I’d suggest that skipping around to various books of the Bible actually hinders our ability to read it well. Imagine with me that you have a goal of reading through the entire Lord of the Rings series in the New Year, and let’s say that you come up with a reading plan to help you get through it. Now imagine that your plan has you reading one chapter from the first volume, then another chapter from the second volume, and still another chapter from the third volume – how utterly confused you would be! While the Bible may not follow a traditional structure and chronology like the Lord of the Rings, it still has a flow–a storyline, as we’ve already discussed. And the closer we’re able to follow this flow of Scripture in our Bible reading, the better we will come to learn it.

    Have a Plan

    Finally, it’s important to have a plan. Reading all the way through your Bible doesn’t happen by accident. A plan provides you with a roadmap and some accountability on the way. Over the years, I’ve come up with my own reading plan that implements the above principles and tips and takes you through the whole Bible in 120 days. That number is somewhat arbitrary – you could do it in 90 days, or six months, or even a year. But I’ve found that 120 days is a great pace without requiring too much effort per day–it takes less time than you might think! According to Crossway, if you listened to the ESV Bible audio version all the way through it takes a little over 74 hours, which comes out to 37 minutes a day. Most people read faster than this, but even if you’re a below- average reader you can read (or listen!) to the entire Bible in four months with just about half an hour each day. If you start at the first of the year, you’d be done with the whole Bible by May! Then what should you read after that? Might I suggest starting all over again. I think you will find that the story only gets better and better each time. So, tolle lege – take up and read!

    ]]>     In this series of posts we are considering how we can grow in God’s Word in the New Year. In the previous article, we looked at why we should spend time in the Scriptures in the first place. Now we turn to the first step in our journey: reading our Bibles. Every good Christian knows the importance of regularly reading God’s Word, however, we often fall short in our goals of making it through the entire Bible. In this post, I hope to give you some encouragement that reading through your whole Bible might not be as difficult as you think, as well as to provide you with some tips to help you do so in 2026.

    Read the Bible as a Book

    The Bible is more than just a book, but it is certainly not less than one. Therefore, we must first come to the Bible on bookish terms. I am convinced that one of the reasons we struggle with reading God’s Word is because we struggle with reading in general. Because of the many distractions competing for our time and attention these days, we have forgotten how to do the hard (but necessary) work of reading. Reading takes focus and effort; it requires our active participation. As Christians we generally have a high view of our Bibles, and yet we often have a far lower view of the work required to read them. As such, we open our Bibles with an expectation that God will do something remarkable for us, while we practice fairly unremarkable habits in our reading. The Bible is not a Magic 8 Ball and it isn’t a fortune cookie. To be sure, there are riches to be found within its pages, but we must go digging first to receive them.

    Read the Bible as a Story

    Not only is the Bible a book, but it is also a story. More specifically, it is a collection of stories that, taken together, form to create one, unified story that points to and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Perhaps one of the reasons why we struggle in reading the whole Bible is because we’ve come to see it as a series of random and disjointed stories – we’ve “lost the plot” so to speak. Bible reading becomes considerably more profitable and enjoyable when we learn to read it as one sweeping narrative of God’s plan of redemption. The book of Leviticus may be tough slogging, but it makes a lot more sense when you see how all of the laws and sacrifices fit into where Israel is in God’s storyline, and how they are ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. Reading the Bible like this takes time and practice, but one of the easiest ways to grow in this habit is to read the story repeatedly and in large portions at a time (more on this later).

    Read the Bible for Comprehension

    Remember from your school days when you had to take standardized tests? One part of these tests always consisted of reading a short passage and then answering questions about what we just read. This portion of the exam was meant to test our reading comprehension, or our ability to recall key details and pieces of information from the text. Once again, I fear this is something we’ve forgotten how to do as our reading skills have waned. Case in point, have you ever read a portion of Scripture only to forget what you’ve read just minutes after shutting your Bible? Me too, and one way we can combat this forgetfulness is to read our Bibles for the sake of comprehension. That is, read your Bible as if someone were about to give you a short quiz about what you’d read after you’re finished. It is important to note that this isn’t the ultimate goal of Bible reading. As we discussed in the first post, the final goal of Bible reading is that we would glorify God by becoming more like him. The ultimate goal of Bible reading is nothing short of transformation. But before we can be transformed we must first be informed. Therefore, an instrumental end of our Bible reading is general comprehension. This is different from Bible study, which we will address in a later post. Instead, the goal of comprehension is just basic recall. For example, if you’re reading a narrative part of Scripture you might ask yourself what setting did this story take place in, who were the characters, and what were the main plot points? Or in a letter, what were the author’s main themes, to whom was he writing, and why? These types of questions are basic, but fundamental in our reading of the Bible. Remember, comprehension is the first step of our ultimate goal of being transformed by God’s Word.

    Tips for Better Bible Reading

    With the above principles in mind, here are some tips that might help you be a better Bible reader in the future.

    Read Large Chunks of Scripture at a Time

    My favorite professor in seminary, Dr. Jim Hamilton, knows his Bible better than almost anyone I know. One day I asked him for some recommendations on how to read The Bible like he does. Here is what he said: (1) memorize large chunks of Scripture, like chapters and books (which we’ll address in another post) and (2) read big chunks of Scripture, like all of Genesis, at one sitting. Most of us have grown accustomed to reading the Bible in small tidbits, but Hamilton (and I) suggest that to grow as a Bible reader you should grow the amount of Scripture you’re covering each time you read. You may not have enough time to read all of Genesis, but next time you open your Bible, try tackling more than you normally would in a single reading.

    Don’t Skip Around

    Many Scripture reading plans take you to multiple different places in the Bible in a single day. While this method might be helpful to someone who already has a high degree of Bible literacy, I’d suggest that skipping around to various books of the Bible actually hinders our ability to read it well. Imagine with me that you have a goal of reading through the entire Lord of the Rings series in the New Year, and let’s say that you come up with a reading plan to help you get through it. Now imagine that your plan has you reading one chapter from the first volume, then another chapter from the second volume, and still another chapter from the third volume – how utterly confused you would be! While the Bible may not follow a traditional structure and chronology like the Lord of the Rings, it still has a flow–a storyline, as we’ve already discussed. And the closer we’re able to follow this flow of Scripture in our Bible reading, the better we will come to learn it.

    Have a Plan

    Finally, it’s important to have a plan. Reading all the way through your Bible doesn’t happen by accident. A plan provides you with a roadmap and some accountability on the way. Over the years, I’ve come up with my own reading plan that implements the above principles and tips and takes you through the whole Bible in 120 days. That number is somewhat arbitrary – you could do it in 90 days, or six months, or even a year. But I’ve found that 120 days is a great pace without requiring too much effort per day–it takes less time than you might think! According to Crossway, if you listened to the ESV Bible audio version all the way through it takes a little over 74 hours, which comes out to 37 minutes a day. Most people read faster than this, but even if you’re a below- average reader you can read (or listen!) to the entire Bible in four months with just about half an hour each day. If you start at the first of the year, you’d be done with the whole Bible by May! Then what should you read after that? Might I suggest starting all over again. I think you will find that the story only gets better and better each time. So, tolle lege – take up and read!

    ]]>         Growing in The Word: Why We Should Read The Bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-why-we-should-read-the-bible https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-why-we-should-read-the-bible#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:20:27 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/growing-in-the-word:-why-we-should-read-the-bible It’s that time of year again. As we close out 2025 we look forward to the New Year and our list of resolutions to go with it. Near the top of that list, for most Christians, is a fresh resolve to read our Bibles. In this series of posts, I hope to both encourage you in this endeavor, and provide you with some practical ways to engage with your Bibles in the new year. Over the next few weeks, each post will seek to answer the question “how can I grow in God's Word?” by considering the Christian’s call to read Scripture, pray Scripture, study Scripture, memorize Scripture, and meditate on Scripture.

    But before looking at the what behind our Bibles, we have to start with the why. In Paul’s final letter, he testifies to the Bible’s usefulness and worth in this exhortation to Timothy: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV). These verses provide a foundation for why we should read our Bibles and for what we can expect from time spent in God’s Word.

    The Bible is From God and For Us

    First, Paul makes the simple yet astounding claim that the whole Bible is breathed out, or inspired by God. The Bible is called God’s Word because it contains God’s very words. So why should God’s people read the Bible? Because he wrote it, and when God speaks we should listen. This should be enough of a reason to take up our Bibles and read, but Paul goes on to persuade Timothy (and us) further. He calls the Bible profitable, and specifically towards four ends:

    Teaching

    First, Paul says that the Bible is profitable for teaching. That is, the Bible is useful in teaching Christians what they are supposed to believe about God. God didn’t leave us to ourselves to try and understand things about him merely from nature or from our experiences. He has revealed himself to us in writing so that we may learn rightly and respond in right worship.

    Reproof

    On the flipside, Paul says that the Bible is also profitable for reproof. That is, the Bible disapproves of those things that Christians should not believe about God. There are times when our thinking about God is wrong. And while nobody likes to be rebuked in the moment, any good parent knows that such reproof is necessary in bringing up a child. So too does our heavenly father reprove us when our thoughts about him are wrong or misleading. The next time you read the Bible or hear a sermon, you should ask yourself the following diagnostic questions: what has this passage taught me about God so that I might rightly respond in worship to him? Or, is there something in this passage that is meant to reprove my wrong thinking about who God is?

    Correction

    Similar to reproof, Paul points out a third profitable feature of God’s word, namely that it corrects believers. If reproof is about fixing wrong thoughts about the doctrine of God, then correction probably refers to setting right the believer’s conduct and behavior. (1) The Holy Spirit uses the natural words on the pages of Scripture to supernaturally convict us of our sin and correct us in our behavior. Another helpful question to consider the next time you’re in God’s word is: how is this text calling me to live a different life? Or, is there any particular sin I need to repent of as a result of this passage?

    Training in Righteousness

    Finally, Paul encourages the profitability of Scripture in that it trains us in righteousness. Again, this differs from Paul’s first point; whereas teaching refers to sound doctrine, training here refers to sound living. Scripture tells us what we must do to live Godly lives. (2) I can think of no other endeavor in life for which I would rather train than in righteousness. What a comfort to know that God’s word helps us live lives that are more pleasing to him. Next time you’re in The Word, ask yourself: how is this passage equipping or training me in righteousness?

    The Bible Makes Us Whole People

    In verse 17 Paul ends his exhortation with an important promise: “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” So, what is the result of the teaching, reproof, correction, and training that comes from Bible reading? The result of time in The Word is that we become complete or whole people, who are capable of meeting all of the demands that God places on us so that we are equipped for every good work. (3) Whatever resolutions you and I might have for the new year, no goal can be more important than the wholeness that Paul promises to those who spend time with God in his Word. While the next post will get into the details about how to read your Bible, I hope you will enter into this New Year with the assurance that time spent in Scripture is never wasted. Instead it’s meant to teach us, to convict and correct us – it’s meant to change us more and more into the kind of people God wants us to be.

    ______________________________

             (1) Denny Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, in ESV Expository Commentary, Volume 11, Ephesians-Philemon, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton, and Jay Sklar, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2018), 487.

            (2) Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, 487.

            (3)  Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, 488. 

    ]]>     It’s that time of year again. As we close out 2025 we look forward to the New Year and our list of resolutions to go with it. Near the top of that list, for most Christians, is a fresh resolve to read our Bibles. In this series of posts, I hope to both encourage you in this endeavor, and provide you with some practical ways to engage with your Bibles in the new year. Over the next few weeks, each post will seek to answer the question “how can I grow in God's Word?” by considering the Christian’s call to read Scripture, pray Scripture, study Scripture, memorize Scripture, and meditate on Scripture.

    But before looking at the what behind our Bibles, we have to start with the why. In Paul’s final letter, he testifies to the Bible’s usefulness and worth in this exhortation to Timothy: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV). These verses provide a foundation for why we should read our Bibles and for what we can expect from time spent in God’s Word.

    The Bible is From God and For Us

    First, Paul makes the simple yet astounding claim that the whole Bible is breathed out, or inspired by God. The Bible is called God’s Word because it contains God’s very words. So why should God’s people read the Bible? Because he wrote it, and when God speaks we should listen. This should be enough of a reason to take up our Bibles and read, but Paul goes on to persuade Timothy (and us) further. He calls the Bible profitable, and specifically towards four ends:

    Teaching

    First, Paul says that the Bible is profitable for teaching. That is, the Bible is useful in teaching Christians what they are supposed to believe about God. God didn’t leave us to ourselves to try and understand things about him merely from nature or from our experiences. He has revealed himself to us in writing so that we may learn rightly and respond in right worship.

    Reproof

    On the flipside, Paul says that the Bible is also profitable for reproof. That is, the Bible disapproves of those things that Christians should not believe about God. There are times when our thinking about God is wrong. And while nobody likes to be rebuked in the moment, any good parent knows that such reproof is necessary in bringing up a child. So too does our heavenly father reprove us when our thoughts about him are wrong or misleading. The next time you read the Bible or hear a sermon, you should ask yourself the following diagnostic questions: what has this passage taught me about God so that I might rightly respond in worship to him? Or, is there something in this passage that is meant to reprove my wrong thinking about who God is?

    Correction

    Similar to reproof, Paul points out a third profitable feature of God’s word, namely that it corrects believers. If reproof is about fixing wrong thoughts about the doctrine of God, then correction probably refers to setting right the believer’s conduct and behavior. (1) The Holy Spirit uses the natural words on the pages of Scripture to supernaturally convict us of our sin and correct us in our behavior. Another helpful question to consider the next time you’re in God’s word is: how is this text calling me to live a different life? Or, is there any particular sin I need to repent of as a result of this passage?

    Training in Righteousness

    Finally, Paul encourages the profitability of Scripture in that it trains us in righteousness. Again, this differs from Paul’s first point; whereas teaching refers to sound doctrine, training here refers to sound living. Scripture tells us what we must do to live Godly lives. (2) I can think of no other endeavor in life for which I would rather train than in righteousness. What a comfort to know that God’s word helps us live lives that are more pleasing to him. Next time you’re in The Word, ask yourself: how is this passage equipping or training me in righteousness?

    The Bible Makes Us Whole People

    In verse 17 Paul ends his exhortation with an important promise: “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” So, what is the result of the teaching, reproof, correction, and training that comes from Bible reading? The result of time in The Word is that we become complete or whole people, who are capable of meeting all of the demands that God places on us so that we are equipped for every good work. (3) Whatever resolutions you and I might have for the new year, no goal can be more important than the wholeness that Paul promises to those who spend time with God in his Word. While the next post will get into the details about how to read your Bible, I hope you will enter into this New Year with the assurance that time spent in Scripture is never wasted. Instead it’s meant to teach us, to convict and correct us – it’s meant to change us more and more into the kind of people God wants us to be.

    ______________________________

             (1) Denny Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, in ESV Expository Commentary, Volume 11, Ephesians-Philemon, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton, and Jay Sklar, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2018), 487.

            (2) Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, 487.

            (3)  Burk, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, 488. 

    ]]>         Advent Resources https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/advent-resources https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/advent-resources#comments Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:25:00 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/advent-resources The Advent season is a wonderful time to reflect deeply on the person and work of Jesus Christ. While every Sunday service at The Trails Church is intentionally Christ-centered, these four weeks elevate our focus in a special way: the Scriptures we read point to Jesus, the songs we sing echo the story of His birth, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper proclaiming His finished work, and we pause from our usual sermon series to delve into passages that help us behold and believe in the biblical Jesus.

    Last week, I encouraged our congregation to deepen their understanding of Christology (the doctrine of Christ) during this Advent season. While I couldn’t go into specific recommendations in the sermon, I’d like to share a few resources now, categorized loosely into three helpful groups.

    Level 1

    Gibson, Jonathan. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany. Crossway, 2023.

    Jonny Gibson's O Come, O Come, Emmanuel offers a 40-day liturgy crafted for daily worship from Advent to Epiphany. Through scripture readings, hymns, prayers, and moments for reflection, it guides individuals and families in meaningful times of worship.

    Level 2

    Athanasius. On the Incarnation. Translated by A Religious of C.S.M.V., edited by C. S. Lewis. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1996.

    Athanasius lifts our hearts to marvel at the Incarnation, unveiling the immense lengths God went to in bringing life to those dead in sin. This timeless work reveals the person and work of Christ, drawing readers into a richer understanding of His redemptive mission and the wonder of His love.

    Level 3

    Wellum, Stephen J. God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ. Crossway, 2016.

    In God the Son Incarnate, Stephen J. Wellum invites us to think biblically, historically, and carefully about Christology. While it is an academic publication, this would serve any serious student of Scripture to grow in their understanding and worship of Jesus.

    Scripture Focus

    Each of these books can be a wonderful aid to your Advent season, but the greatest resource is always Scripture itself. Consider exploring one of the Old Testament prophets, reflecting on how their words foreshadow Christ, or meditating on a New Testament Christ hymn, such as Colossians 1:15–20 or Philippians 2:6–11, accompanied by a thoughtful commentary or sermon series.

    Whatever you choose to read, I pray this Advent season fills your heart with the truth and beauty of Christ as you reflect on his first arrival and anticipate his promised return.

    ]]>     The Advent season is a wonderful time to reflect deeply on the person and work of Jesus Christ. While every Sunday service at The Trails Church is intentionally Christ-centered, these four weeks elevate our focus in a special way: the Scriptures we read point to Jesus, the songs we sing echo the story of His birth, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper proclaiming His finished work, and we pause from our usual sermon series to delve into passages that help us behold and believe in the biblical Jesus.

    Last week, I encouraged our congregation to deepen their understanding of Christology (the doctrine of Christ) during this Advent season. While I couldn’t go into specific recommendations in the sermon, I’d like to share a few resources now, categorized loosely into three helpful groups.

    Level 1

    Gibson, Jonathan. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany. Crossway, 2023.

    Jonny Gibson's O Come, O Come, Emmanuel offers a 40-day liturgy crafted for daily worship from Advent to Epiphany. Through scripture readings, hymns, prayers, and moments for reflection, it guides individuals and families in meaningful times of worship.

    Level 2

    Athanasius. On the Incarnation. Translated by A Religious of C.S.M.V., edited by C. S. Lewis. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1996.

    Athanasius lifts our hearts to marvel at the Incarnation, unveiling the immense lengths God went to in bringing life to those dead in sin. This timeless work reveals the person and work of Christ, drawing readers into a richer understanding of His redemptive mission and the wonder of His love.

    Level 3

    Wellum, Stephen J. God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ. Crossway, 2016.

    In God the Son Incarnate, Stephen J. Wellum invites us to think biblically, historically, and carefully about Christology. While it is an academic publication, this would serve any serious student of Scripture to grow in their understanding and worship of Jesus.

    Scripture Focus

    Each of these books can be a wonderful aid to your Advent season, but the greatest resource is always Scripture itself. Consider exploring one of the Old Testament prophets, reflecting on how their words foreshadow Christ, or meditating on a New Testament Christ hymn, such as Colossians 1:15–20 or Philippians 2:6–11, accompanied by a thoughtful commentary or sermon series.

    Whatever you choose to read, I pray this Advent season fills your heart with the truth and beauty of Christ as you reflect on his first arrival and anticipate his promised return.

    ]]>         Prayer by George Herbert https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/prayer-by-george-herbert https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/prayer-by-george-herbert#comments Tue, 21 Nov 2023 19:16:04 -0500 https://www.thetrails.org/blog/post/prayer-by-george-herbert In 2018, Leland Ryken released a book entitled The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems. This book sits in my home study never out of reach. In this collection is a poem by George Herbert entitled “Prayer” first published in 1633. This is one of my favorite poems and one I come back to often to help me think about the delight and duty of prayer.

    As we think about what it means to be a church devoted to prayer, we must understand the great privilege it is to pray. As you read through the poem and Dr. Ryken’s explication of it, I hope that you will want to move from reading about prayer to the joy of prayer itself.

    Prayer

    Prayer, the church's banquet, angel's age,
    God's breath in man returning to his birth,
    The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
    The Christian plummet sounding heaven and earth;
    Engine against the Almighty, sinner's tower,
    Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
    The six-days' world transposing in an hour,
    A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
    Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
    Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
    Heaven in ordinary, man well dressed,
    The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
    Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood,
    The land of spices; something understood.

    George Herbert, The Temple, Cambridge: Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel, 1633.

    Leyland Ryken’s explication of the poem:

    Notes on selected words. Angels’ age: just as we speak of “the age of Shakespeare” or “the age of Milton,” meaning the entire way of life that prevailed back then, the phrase “angels’ age” means that prayer enables us to live—in God’s presence, in heaven, in eternity, in praise, and so forth. In paraphrase: put into our own words. Plummet: a line with a weight on one end dropped over an edge to determine depth. Engine: weapon. The six-days’ world: the ordinary week apart from Sunday, and/or the world that God created in six days—the entire world; everything. Transposing: musical term meaning to put into a different key. In ordinary: in everyday clothing. Bird of Paradise: in this context, a mythical bird that is always in flight and never lands on earth; by extension, therefore, an image of the heavenly. Land of spices: paradise; in this context, the celestial paradise.

    Commentary. This sonnet is a prolonged meditation on the nature and effects of prayer. More specifically, the poem is an “encomium” — a poem written in praise of a general quality or category. The poem is unique in being without a single main verb (with hear and fear in line 9 being part of a subordinate clause). Instead of sentences with a subject and verb, Herbert strings together a list of titles or epithets that describe prayer. Most of these epithets are metaphors in which prayer is compared to something else. We can also think of these titles and metaphors as individual definitions of prayer.
         The main organizational principal is the list or catalog. To assimilate the meanings of the poem, we need to unpack each epithet and metaphor by itself. At the same time, however, we can discern clusters of imagery and epithets that lend broader units than the individual epithets. The following arrangement emerges: imagery of return, connection, and joining (lines 1-4); military imagery (lines 5-6); musical imagery (lines 7-8); conceptual imagery (words naming abstract qualities; lines 9-10); imagery of transcendence or the heavenly (lines 11-14).
         If we read this poem slowly and meditatively, allowing the individual epithets and metaphors to sink in, the effect is like turning a prism in the light. Various dimensions of prayer reveal themselves as the catalog unfolds. The final effect is that of a preparative tot prayer, as the poem instills in us a desire to pray.

    ]]>     In 2018, Leland Ryken released a book entitled The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems. This book sits in my home study never out of reach. In this collection is a poem by George Herbert entitled “Prayer” first published in 1633. This is one of my favorite poems and one I come back to often to help me think about the delight and duty of prayer.

    As we think about what it means to be a church devoted to prayer, we must understand the great privilege it is to pray. As you read through the poem and Dr. Ryken’s explication of it, I hope that you will want to move from reading about prayer to the joy of prayer itself.

    Prayer

    Prayer, the church's banquet, angel's age,
    God's breath in man returning to his birth,
    The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
    The Christian plummet sounding heaven and earth;
    Engine against the Almighty, sinner's tower,
    Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
    The six-days' world transposing in an hour,
    A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
    Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
    Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
    Heaven in ordinary, man well dressed,
    The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
    Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood,
    The land of spices; something understood.

    George Herbert, The Temple, Cambridge: Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel, 1633.

    Leyland Ryken’s explication of the poem:

    Notes on selected words. Angels’ age: just as we speak of “the age of Shakespeare” or “the age of Milton,” meaning the entire way of life that prevailed back then, the phrase “angels’ age” means that prayer enables us to live—in God’s presence, in heaven, in eternity, in praise, and so forth. In paraphrase: put into our own words. Plummet: a line with a weight on one end dropped over an edge to determine depth. Engine: weapon. The six-days’ world: the ordinary week apart from Sunday, and/or the world that God created in six days—the entire world; everything. Transposing: musical term meaning to put into a different key. In ordinary: in everyday clothing. Bird of Paradise: in this context, a mythical bird that is always in flight and never lands on earth; by extension, therefore, an image of the heavenly. Land of spices: paradise; in this context, the celestial paradise.

    Commentary. This sonnet is a prolonged meditation on the nature and effects of prayer. More specifically, the poem is an “encomium” — a poem written in praise of a general quality or category. The poem is unique in being without a single main verb (with hear and fear in line 9 being part of a subordinate clause). Instead of sentences with a subject and verb, Herbert strings together a list of titles or epithets that describe prayer. Most of these epithets are metaphors in which prayer is compared to something else. We can also think of these titles and metaphors as individual definitions of prayer.
         The main organizational principal is the list or catalog. To assimilate the meanings of the poem, we need to unpack each epithet and metaphor by itself. At the same time, however, we can discern clusters of imagery and epithets that lend broader units than the individual epithets. The following arrangement emerges: imagery of return, connection, and joining (lines 1-4); military imagery (lines 5-6); musical imagery (lines 7-8); conceptual imagery (words naming abstract qualities; lines 9-10); imagery of transcendence or the heavenly (lines 11-14).
         If we read this poem slowly and meditatively, allowing the individual epithets and metaphors to sink in, the effect is like turning a prism in the light. Various dimensions of prayer reveal themselves as the catalog unfolds. The final effect is that of a preparative tot prayer, as the poem instills in us a desire to pray.

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