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A couple of us are headed to our presbytery's quarterly meeting today and tomorrow. Meetings such as this are always a reminder to me of the fact that we belong to a larger body of the church. We are Presbyterians and that means that our church government is connected to more than just our local congregation. This provides both accountability and conformity to a Biblical standard and, we believe, is true to the way Scripture calls for the church to be governed.

But more than just the fact that we are connected to other PCA churches by our government, I am thankful that we are part of the universal church, throughout the world. It is my hope and desire that we will see greater unity around the truth between different branches of the church as the gospel spreads. Whether God is pleased to grant that in the near future, let us pray for the universal church and God's work throughout the world.

Today is both Halloween and Reformation Day. Though the overlap of these days may seem like a coincidence, that is likely not the case. October 31, 1517, marks the unofficial beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It is the day on which Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg. It was the circulation of these theses that started the maelstrom of controversy that ultimately resulted in the Reformation. 

However, rather than just being a regular day, Luther likely chose this day to post his theses because of its significance. October 31 is All Hallows' Eve (commonly shortened to Halloween). It is a day of preparation for November 1, which is All Saints' Day (or All Hallows' Day). All Saints' Day is a day of feasting and worship in which the church is called to remember the lives of the saints who have gone before. This is followed by All Souls ’ Day on November 2, which is a day to pray for those in Purgatory.

In the last few weeks, a controversy has been stirred up in the PCA regarding ministry positions for women. To set the stage for this controversy however, let me give some background. 

We believe that Scripture is clear that God gave government in the church to qualified men and that this flows from the way that God made men and women in general (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 3:1-13; Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:1-6). This authority is not for men to lord it over women, but is meant for the benefit of all when exercised in a right and godly manner. This understanding is not unique to us but has been the historical understanding of the church throughout the ages and the world.

The morning sermon this week will deal with Christian leadership, so I want to spend a moment talking about it. There were two significant moments in broader Christian leadership this week. First, Pope Leo XIV gave a blessing to a block of ice at a summit on climate change. Second, the King of England appointed the first woman to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury, which is the highest position in the Anglican Church.

This Lord's Day, we'll be considering what Christ identifies as the two great commandments. Here are some thoughts from JC Ryle to help us meditate on these commands:

Let us mark what an admirable summary these verses contain of our duty towards God and our neighbor. Jesus says, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” He says again, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” And He adds, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
How simple are these two rules, and yet how comprehensive! How soon the words are repeated, and yet how much they contain! How humbling and condemning they are! How much they prove our daily need of mercy and the precious blood of atonement! Happy would it be for the world, if these rules were more known and more practised!

Fifth Street Saints,

As Christians, we are not called only to sit in the pew on Sunday morning, and then live the rest of the week as though we are one with the world. We are to take what we learn and live it out, to apply it and to be examples to the pagan world around us. The world should look on us with jealousy, and wonder how they can have what we have. While reformed circles do a great job of providing a place where those seeking solid doctrine and true biblical worship can come and find respite, we don’t always do a great job of taking that doctrine beyond the walls of our sanctuary.

The tragic murder of Charlie Kirk on Wednesday has left us wrestling with feelings of horror, grief, fear, and anger. Mr. Kirk was an outspoken Christian man and was driven by his faith to be active in politics. Mr. Kirk's Christian character was on display in his activist work, as he boldly spoke out against sin but also treated those who disagreed with him with dignity. That a man like him could be murdered for his beliefs, strikes home for us in a powerful way. As we mourn the loss of a man who was a faithful husband and father and a powerful voice for Christ, I have a few things I would encourage us to reflect on and take away from this:
 

Fifth Street Saints,

As Christians, we are not called only to sit in the pew on Sunday morning, and then live the rest of the week as though we are one with the world. We are to take what we learn and live it out, to apply it and to be examples to the pagan world around us. The world should look on us with jealousy, and wonder how they can have what we have. While reformed circles do a great job of providing a place where those seeking solid doctrine and true biblical worship can come and find respite, we don’t always do a great job of taking that doctrine beyond the walls of our sanctuary.