A beautiful day for the Care Net Walk for Life
This morning our family drove up to Nashua with a couple other members of our Life Group to do the annual Care Net Walk for Life. We walked from Greeley Park to downtown Nashua and back. It was a gorgeous day to walk. I’m thanking God for a bunch of... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on May 12 | 0 Comments
The 1:8 Project
We’ve just launched the 1:8 Project at PCF. What is it? It’s based on Acts 1.8: ‘… you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’ (Acts 1.8) And it calls us to the kind of risk-taking that Francis Chan talks... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on May 6 | 0 Comments
Encouraging news regarding membership at PCF
In June 2011, we decided as a church to adopt an improved form of church membership (you can read through the PCF Membership Commitment by clicking onto http://www.pcfchurch.org/about/membership/). The Elders were asked to meet over the course of a year with everyone who expressed a desire to become a member... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 30 | 0 Comments
My grandparents
Two of my favorite people in the world are also two of the most godly people I know…my grandparents (my dad’s mother and father). I’m pasting in below a Facebook post from my Aunt Gina from a couple days ago that beautifully describes the faith and godliness of Eugene and... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 27 | 1 Comments
Refreshment from Edwards on Hebrews 11.13-14
Weary, so coming for refreshment to the Word, and specifically to Jonathan Edwards’ exposition of Hebrews 11.13-14: ‘…And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.’ Edwards’ sermon ‘The Christian Pilgrim’ ministered to my soul... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 23 | 0 Comments
An awful weapon in the hand of God
I just re-discovered a quote from Robert Murray M’Cheyne that I found a few years ago. It’s a good reminder for us of how it is that God will bless and use our church: ‘It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 16 | 0 Comments
Anticipating Easter Sunday!
It is an awesome thing to know the risen Christ and be able to celebrate his resurrection with his people. Christians are resurrection people. For us, everything hangs on whether Jesus really was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15.14). One way to live in light of the resurrection throughout... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 7 | 0 Comments
An interview on Good Friday and Easter
My friend Mike Rattin and I were recently interviewed for an hour on Gate City Chronicles, about Good Friday and Easter. This is a local show out of Nashua.Posted by Stephen Witmer on Apr 3 | 0 Comments
Some verses to meditate upon this week
As we move into a week of meditating upon the cross and resurrection of Jesus, I don’t want us to miss the personal significance of these realities. The New Testament speaks often of the cross, and one of the things it says is that the cross is a demonstration of... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 31 | 0 Comments
The question is: 'What is belief?'
What is true, saving faith? Watch this short clip from Francis Chan for a powerful (and funny) illustration. Saving faith is more than holding a belief in your head, it’s entrusting your life to Jesus.Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 28 | 0 Comments
What is truth? Don't ask Mike Daisey
Wow, one of the most gripping hours of radio I have ever listened to is right here. In this one-hour episode of This American Life, host Ira Glass retracts a show they aired in January 2012, in which performer Mike Daisey tells about a trip he made to Apple factories in... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 18 | 0 Comments
The inaugural gathering of The Gospel Coalition New England
Last Saturday I had the great privilege of meeting with 70 other pastors from around New England to pray and plan for the launch of a New England chapter of The Gospel Coalition. It was very exciting to hear from other pastors who love the gospel and love... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 13 | 3 Comments
Thankful for what God is doing at PCF
God is always on the move, always active, always working. He’s busy while we sleep and he’s constantly doing amazing things we’re not even aware of. So it’s a special mercy to us when he does good things and then lets us know about them. I see all kinds of... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 4 | 1 Comments
Recommended books on basic Christianity
Someone asked me recently to recommend some easy-to-read, clearly-written books that lay out what Christians believe and what it means to be a Christian. I thought it might be helpful to post three recommendations here in case there are others who would like to read such books for themselves or... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Mar 1 | 1 Comments
Matt Chandler's two questions
I’m in the midst of a great conversation with a group of Christian brothers at PCF — we’re reflecting on two questions Matt Chandler asked at a conference in Maine a few months ago. First question: what stirs and heightens my affections for Christ? Second question: what diminishes my affections for... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Feb 18 | 1 Comments
A fantastic new resource: Open up the Bible
Regular, daily Bible reading must be one of the top things that Christians know they should do and know they’ll benefit from, but struggle to actually do. Reading the Bible every day is like eating every day: we do it not to fulfill a religious duty or tick a spiritual... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Feb 2 | 0 Comments
Back from Northern Ireland, with a grateful heart
We arrived home last night from two weeks away in Northern Ireland, visiting with Emma’s family. The time difference between Pepperell and Belfast is five hours, so right now my heart is full of thankfulness to God but my head is a bit hazy and unclear from jet lag! Here... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Jan 24 | 1 Comments
A ministry opportunity to students at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Dear PCF, God has opened a significant door of ministry for me and for PCF this year. From February – May 2012, I will be teaching a course on the Gospel of Mark at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (the course will be a few hours each week). The PCF Elders have given... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Jan 2 | 0 Comments
Year-end quote from Robert Murray M'Cheyne
It’s the last day of 2011: a great day to reflect on God’s grace over the past year and look ahead with anticipation to his grace in the year to come. His grace keeps coming and coming to us from the future, moment by moment, like a waterfall breaking over... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 31 | 0 Comments
Thank you, Lord, for your Word and the opportunity to memorize it in 2011
Father, thank you for your inspired Word. I’m more convinced of its preciousness and power at the end of 2011 than I was at the beginning of 2011. Over a year ago you gave me a burden to grow in memorizing and meditating upon it, and a burden to draw... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 26 | 2 Comments
Labor of Love
Check out Jill Phillips performing ‘Labor of Love,’ from Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God (set to scenes from The Nativity). Thanks to Justin Taylor; I saw this video on his blog.Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 21 | 0 Comments
I've got the happiest job in the world!
I love being a pastor, and in particular I love being a pastor at PCF. I’ve been called by God to this work and even in moments of discouragement and difficulty (and there are always plenty in pastoral ministry) I have that clear sense of calling and the importance of... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 12 | 0 Comments
The dilemma of worship
Check out this brief, funny, and insightful article from the Gospel Coalition blog.Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 11 | 1 Comments
I Will Rise
After Sunday’s sermon on the hope of resurrection life in Romans 8.9-11, Sandi Goguen sent me a link to this video of Chris Tomlin performing his song ‘I Will Rise.’ I was moved as I watched it. It beautifully captures our hope for resurrection into the presence of God in... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 28 | 0 Comments
Three great resources on death and dying
On Sunday, I preached on Romans 8.9-11, three powerful verses on the promise of an indestructible life for Christians. I praise God that there are answers in the Bible to the huge problem of death and dying. Here are three great resources if you want to read more on death... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 27 | 0 Comments
The meaning is in the waiting
We’re at the beginning of Advent 2011 and I’m anticipating these next days and weeks in the run-up to Christmas. Advent is a time of waiting. It can help us learn how to better cultivate an expectant, eager, patient waiting for Jesus. The title I’ve given this blog (‘The meaning... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 26 | 0 Comments
Thankful for the Gospel Alliance New England
I am very grateful to God for the great guys at the Gospel Alliance New England. They sponsored a wonderful conference called LEAD 2011 this past Friday-Saturday in Auburn, Maine. Matt Chandler, Ray Ortlund, Jared Wilson, and others spoke at the conference and we were all reminded again of the... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 16 | 0 Comments
God is kind
Over the last few years I have come to appreciate the kindness of God. He does things for us he wouldn’t need to. He caused our daughter Annie to be born on the birthday of her great-grandmother Anne, after whom she’s named (Annie was born at 12.01am, so one minute... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 8 | 1 Comments
Our amazing Creator God
God’s intricate, elegant design of the universe is in evidence everywhere we look. I remember once speaking to a brilliant mathematics Ph.d. student at the University of Cambridge and hearing how beautiful he found the advanced levels of mathematics. He could see a complexity and simplicity and beauty in the... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Nov 5 | 1 Comments
A great book from Christopher Ash
I finished this morning in my daily time with God a book by Christopher Ash called Bible Delight. I highly recommend it. It has fed my soul wonderfully for the past month. Ash guides you right through all of Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible. Going verse-by-verse, he... Keep Reading...Posted by Stephen Witmer on Oct 25 | 0 Comments