The sun was shining as I parked my car in front of a new sandwich shop downtown when my college classmate in the passenger seat posed the frequently asked question, “What do you as a Presbyterian believe, anyway?” Almost instinctively, I began “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth…” and […]
Psalm 130: Redeemed from the Depths
The following article was originally published on the Place for Truth blog of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals at placefortruth.org. You would not know it from a vantage point on one of the many docks dotting the shoreline of Lake Murray, but this manmade reservoir is uniquely massive. The so-called “Jewel of South Carolina” has […]
The Divine Hammer of the Reformation
The following article was originally published in November 2019 on Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church’s blog, “Pastor’s Press.” Pastor Groff served as a pastoral intern at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church before coming to Antioch as part of the current reorganization effort. Martin Luther (1483-1546) gets a lot of press this time of year, and for good cause. […]
The Troubler of Israel
The following article was originally published on the reformation21 blog of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals at reformation21.org. I always looked up to my dad. From the day of my birth until his death seven years ago, I quite literally looked up to him. He was a big guy at 6’ 2”, and I never attained […]
Screaming in the Face of Death
The following article was originally published on the reformation21 blog of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals at reformation21.org. It is difficult to tell if the countenance is grinning, scowling, or yawning open with insatiable hunger, but it seems that Death’s face is closer than usual as it stares out from the inky shadows at the edges […]
Love for God the Root of True Religion
While preparing to preach through Matthew 6, I came across this insightful commentary on verses 1-18 from nineteenth century German theologian and biblical scholar Johann Peter Lange (1802-1884). Though the language is a bit ornate (as per its nineteenth century origins), the thoughts are profound and useful for self-examination in Christian living. 1. The one […]
