Burk Parsons

Burk Parsons serves as associate pastor at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, and is the editor of Tabletalk, the monthly magazine of Ligonier Ministries. Parsons is the editor of "Assured By God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace" (P&R) and "John Calvin: A Heart For Devotion, Doctrine, & Doxology" (Reformation Trust), and author of the forthcoming booklet "Why Do We Have Creeds?" (P&R). He and his wife, Amber, live in central Florida with their children.
 

May

19

2011

Burk Parsons|6:00 AM CT

Teaching Children to Pray: Guiding Principles
Teaching Children to Pray: Guiding Principles avatar

[Editor's note: This is the second part of Burk Parson's article on "Teaching Children to Pray." Check out his first installment.]

In all that we teach our children, the greatest and most fundamental thing we can do is model a praying life before their beautiful little eyes and their perceptive little ears. Though we are doing this already, as we continue to depend daily more and more on God and enjoy our communion with him, we would do well to keep in...

 
 
 
 

May

18

2011

Burk Parsons|6:00 AM CT

Teaching Children to Pray
Teaching Children to Pray avatar

God created us as dependent creatures. We were made to fall on our knees and pray. Men either worship self through the world, the flesh, and the Devil, or by God’s grace, they worship him. God fashioned our hearts with an overwhelming sense and insatiable desire to commune with him. Therefore, we pray not primarily because we must; we pray because we cannot help but pray. In prayer, we go to our father because there is no one else to whom we can go, no one else to whom we can turn, no one else who can hear, and no one else who will answer. We pray out of utter helpless dependence, and we pray out of sheer inexpressible delight. We pray amidst the depths sorrow...

 
 
 
 

Jul

28

2010

Burk Parsons|7:18 PM CT

Strength Depending on Weakness
Strength Depending on Weakness avatar

We have heard people say, “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Both believers and unbelievers alike cling to this proverbial life principle that gives us a sense of comfort and hope in the midst of our daily anxieties, miseries, and afflictions. This is a universally understood truth that Scripture itself teaches (Rom. 5:3-5; Jam. 1:2-4, 12; 1 Pet. 4:12-19). Trials do indeed make us stronger and more steadfast in our faith. Trials mature us. They help us to grow up. However, this is only one part of the biblical equation.

When we as a human race fell into sin, our affections changed, and we who once had the ability not to sin became a people who could not help but sin and even found pleasure in sin, albeit fleeting pleasure. Sin ravaged our hearts and minds, and, like Tolkien’s Gollum, we began to wallow in the mire of sin-dependent idolatry...