Resources by Charlie Wingard
“O GOOD LORD, the only searcher of men’s hearts, howsoever we are compassed about on all sides with infinite dangers, yet we beseech thee to show forth to us thy favour and thy good will, without which we should immediately perish. Suffer not, O Lord, that our hearts be bent on things earthly, but that we may follow thy commandments, and ever aspire to the heavenly bliss which Jesus Christ, thy Son, has acquired for us by his own blood. AMEN.” – Prayers on the Psalms from the Scottish Psalter of 1595 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2010), 51.
Read More“Far better no pulpit at all than a pulpit that did not, as its chief business, solemnly address men as lost sinners, summon them to repentance, faith, and humility, and entreat them, in Christ’s stead, to be reconciled to God.” – William G. Blaikie, For the Work of the Ministry. 1896 (Solid Ground, 2005), 5.
Read MoreChristian ministers seek the lost, proclaim God’s gospel of faith and repentance to all who will listen, and refuse pastoral care to no one who seeks it. Their commitment leads them to minister in dark places of human depravity. The prison complex of the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany was such a place. Housed there in 1945-46 were prominent architects of the Nazi war machine and its “Final Solution,” standing trial for crimes against peace and humanity. With them was Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor and United States Army Chaplain Henry Gerecke, who provided pastoral care to the Protestants among them. At age 50 Gerecke joined the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. His years of leadership at City Mission in St. Louis were distinguished by care for the poor, the sick, and…
Read MoreI enthusiastically sing the Psalms, both in private and public worship. Therefore, I am grateful to live in a time when new resources encouraging their use appear regularly. My friend John brought to my attention the iPhone/iPad app for the RPCNA’s The Book of Psalms for Worship. If you are unfamiliar with tunes in the Psalter, the app enables you to view printed metrical psalms while singing along to suitable tunes. The obstacle of not knowing the tune is overcome. Many books and articles extol the benefits of Psalm singing. Dr. Terry Johnson makes the case with clarity and brevity. Let me add another benefit of singing the Psalms: it promotes a pace of reading the text suitable for understanding, reflection, and prayer. During my four…
Read MoreHEAVENLY FATHER , who has adopted us to be thy children, grant that we, passing through this corrupt world in such integrity and cleanness that none have any just occasion to complain of us, may in the end be participant of that celestial heritage which is prepared for us in the heavens, through Jesus Christ, our only Saviour. AMEN. – Prayers on the Psalms from the Scottish Psalter of 1595 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2010), 50.
Read MoreI’m spending the week with these veteran pastors discussing nuts and bolts issues of Christian ministry. Our topics in the Doctor of Ministry class include the theology and practice of pastoral care, preaching, Presbyterian church government, and worship. Standing next to me (l-r): Clint Covington, Blackjack Baptist Church, Troup, TX; Eric Zellner, First PCA, Indianola, MS; Jim Gorski, Three Rivers PCA, Covington, LA; Steven Wright, Bethel PCA, Lake Charles PCA. Seated (l-r): Richard Cooper, Ponte Vedra PCA, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; Hunter Brewer, The Mid-South PCA Church Planting Network; Don Sampson, Crossroads PCA, Dumfries, VA
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