On October 16, 2002, John Paul II celebrated the anniversary of his 24th year of service as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. News commentators compared this lengthy tenure with that of Peter himself! In this week’s Penpoints, Jason Jackson discusses the alleged connection between the apostle Peter and the man who now claims to be the apostle’s modern successor.

It is not uncommon to hear religious people refer to a minister as “the pastor” of the church. There is no such thing as “the pastor” of a church. The term “pastor” is greatly abused in the community of Christendom.

The church is a collection of all sorts of people from varying backgrounds and with different personalities. It is inevitable that such an aggregate of folks will experience conflicts. But the Scriptures can help us deal with these difficult situations. In this week’s Penpoints, Jason Jackson discusses this theme.

Does the church need more preaching on baptism? How does one determine balance in gospel preaching? Jason Jackson addresses this issue in this week’s Penpoints.

When “Sick at Heart” wrote to “Dear Abby” concerning her loveless marriage, Abby directed her to seek a “spiritual advisor.” One such advisor wrote in with his perspective. Was it spiritual? For advice to be spiritual and beneficial, it must be scriptural. Jason Jackson challenges “Reverend” Norman L. Conaway’s claim to be providing spiritual advice.

Have you ever heard of a “Christian Bar”? Jason Jackson considers the ethics of an “anything-goes” approach to evangelism.

A kindly friend comes calling with a tract on “How To Have a Home In Heaven.” Unquestionably they are sincere. But is sincerity a valid substitute for truth? Jason Jackson addresses this issue.

The Psalmist affirmed that “the heavens declare the glory of God.” In this week’s Penpoints, Jason Jackson explores some of the wonders of the starry hosts that decorate the night skies.

Only the truth gives hope — real hope — and, as the American poet Wallace Rice put it, “hope is the patent medicine for disease, disaster, and sin.” In this article, Jason Jackson surveys several biblical expressions in which the word “hope” appears. These phrases teach us about the Christian’s future.

The Bible frequently speaks of the “reading” of the Scriptures, and even the reading of them aloud. Is this mere circumstance, or is there a deeper truth implied in these descriptives?

When is a friend a real “friend”? Solomon offers several spiritual values of a good friend.

In this article, Jason Jackson considers the divine imperative, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it” (Eph. 5:25). A husband, living like God wants him to live, will learn to love his wife according to Christ’s example, giving himself selflessly for her spiritual needs. That is agape — a Christian husband’s eternally rewarding obligation.

Parental responsibility means helping your kids go to heaven. It takes time, attention, and divine insight. Be there for your children — be a Christian parent. Jason Jackson considers Paul’s admonition to children in Ephesians 6:1, which must be taught by parents.

Who decides what marriage is? Who is eligible to marry? Is it a matter of public opinion or political policy making? Absolutely not. God is the author of marriage, and his word regulates the divine arrangement. Jason Jackson considers the topic in light of recent developments.

Job serves world-over as an example of perseverance despite limited knowledge. But when that knowledge is “The Lord is compassionate and merciful,” it is enough.

What values are our children really learning from our parenting? Are we really concerned with instilling respect for God and his will in our children’s hearts, or are we more concerned with making sure they have the appearance of a successfull family environment?

The “Gay community” is “in your face” these days, foisting their agenda of perversion upon a largely unsuspecting society. Progressively downward we seem to spiral, toward an abyss of amoral corruption. In this week’s Penpoints, Jason Jackson responds to the oft-repeated charge of “homophobia.”

The preface to Luke’s Gospel account is packed with exciting information that lays the foundation for the credibility of his specifically designed narrative relating to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. In this week’s Penpoints, Jason Jackson directs our attention to some of these matters.

When we think about miracles in the New Testament, we often consider the miracles of Christ in the Gospel accounts. There are, however, many miracles recorded in the book of Acts. A survey of these miraculous works is worthy of our reflection.

The Psalms have much to say about Jesus the Messiah. Jason Jackson details the characteristics of these moving prophecies.