Jonathan M. Threlfall

Thoughts on Christian Theology and Pastoring

  • Faithful Wounds: Friendship and Honesty

    When preparing to preach on the theme of friendship from the book of Proverbs, I was interested in discovering the marks of a wise friend. During my research, I found that one of the most prominent marks of a wise friend is honesty. A wise friend tells the truth, even when that truth might be…

  • Baxter’s Plea for Unity Among Pastors and Churches

    Fewer books have had a greater shaping force on my convictions about pastoral ministry than Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor (“Reformed” is not used in a theological sense: it means something like “changed for the better”). At the close of an especially stirring section (“The manner of this oversight”) Baxter pleads that his fellow pastors…

  • Is God’s Plan to Keep You Safe and Comfortable?

    When preparing to preach on Romans 8:28 last Sunday, I was reminded of an imaginary dialogue I have seen floating around the web from time to time. Many people have found some sense of comfort in this dialogue, supposing that it illustrates God’s good sovereignty at work in the lives of his children. The dialogue…

  • Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s “Personal Reformation”

    “Start by reading something that will warm your spirit,” Martin Lloyd-Jones advises preachers who struggle in their prayer lives. “Get rid of a coldness that may have developed in your spirit. You have to learn how to kindle a flame in your spirit, to warm yourself up, to give yourself a start.” I’ve taken that…

  • How Christian Suffering Is Different

    My current preaching series in Romans 8 has led me to examine the theme of Christians and their suffering. Suffering for a believer is radically different than the suffering of those who are not “in Christ,” and we see this difference in three important ways: When believers suffer, they suffer “with Christ” (Romans 8:17). This…

  • Read Less. Reflect More.

    “Readers are leaders and leaders are readers.” Yes, but that dictum can be misleading. One does not become a leader simply by reading. And one does not become a better leader simply by reading more. But what about those successful people who post their reading lists on social media near the end of the year?…

  • The Secret to a Productive Morning

    The early morning hours are the most precious hours of my day. After a shower and some coffee, morning is when I most alert, most creative, and most energized. Out of every hour of the day, I will protect mornings most fiercely. But my mornings also have a couple big enemies. First, too much sleep. Second,…

  • A Pastor’s Ministry Focus

    Before I began pastoring my current church, a friend recommended The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry. And how thankful I am for his recommendation! Here’s an excerpt I especially appreciate: “As pastors, we must resolve to study, live, and teach the Scriptures. Our people need us to know, breathe,…

  • Making a Difficult Decision? Try this Tip.

    Ever had to make a difficult decision? I sure have. Of course, what counts as “difficult” depends on who you are, your level of experience, and the magnitude of responsibility. Harry Truman had to decide to drop an atomic bomb on Japan, to deploy U. S. forces to the Korean peninsula, and to relieve General…

  • George Whitefield’s Delight in Scripture and Prayer

    When I was a child, I heard a pastor read this section from George Whitefield’s diary. It still stirs me to greater discipline and delight in Scripture and prayer. My mind being now more open and enlarged, I began to read the Holy Scriptures on my knees, laying aside all other books and praying, if…