Unbroken — a true story of God’s grace
The film Unbroken is now in the theatres.
At Desiring God, read the story of God’s grace behind the story told by the movie. (Photo: Desiring God.)
See also this 28 minute video from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Related: Jolie on making Unbroken in Australia – ABC News.
‘Christian publishing long overdue for reformation’
“More than two years ago, I wrote an article titled “The Burpo-Malarkey Doctrine,” critiquing the insanely popular I-Saw-Heaven-and-Here’s-What-It’s-Like genre of Christian best sellers. We posted that article on the Grace to You blog in anticipation of a revised and expanded edition of John MacArthur’s The Glory of Heaven…”
– Phil Johnson writes about the fuss concerning The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven.
Related:
What did you see while you were in heaven? – Adam Ford. (h/t Tim Challies.)
‘The Boy Who came back from Heaven’ recants story – ACL.
Worthy of double honour — Expository advocating
“Paul was telling the truth when he said that preaching the gospel is folly, but he also says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (1 Cor 1:27).
A commitment to expository preaching takes a firm belief in the power of God’s Word and a humble recognition that the God-appointed means of preaching is better than whatever impressive or efficient model we might devise. God will build his church through expository preaching, and it takes a committed fool to believe it and do it…”
– encouragement from the Southern Blog.
Satellite images show Nigerian town ‘wiped off the map’
“The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and neighbouring Niger as tens of thousands of refugees flee deadly Boko Haram attacks.
It is still not known how many people died in last week’s suspected massacre in Baga, a town on the shores of Lake Chad in north-east Nigeria, however some reports suggested thousands of people may have been killed…”
– Report from ABC News.
Related: 9 Things You Should Know about Boko Haram (h/t Tim Challies.)
We do not listen to Jesus in prayer
A sermon bite from William Taylor at St. Helen’s.
‘The Boy Who came back from Heaven’ recants story
The ‘Boy who came back from Heaven’, Alex Malarkey, has aparently released a statement recanting his story and calls to repentance those who profit from it:
“Please forgive the brevity, but because of my limitations I have to keep this short.
I did not die. I did not go to Heaven.
I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough…”
Read it all at Pulpit and Pen. (Photo: Pulpit and Pen.)
What will Christian retailers who have been selling these kinds of books do?
On similar books:
Heavenly Tourism – Tim Challies (2012)
How real is the book ‘Heaven is for Real’? – John Piper
Life’s a Journey – Alex’s mother’s blog.
Justin Peters’ radio programme, 14 April 2014.
Update:
“Tyndale House, a major Christian publisher, has announced that it will stop selling “The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven,” by Alex Malarkey and his father, Kevin Malarkey.”
Bishop of Bathurst to walk to Dubbo
“As an act of pilgrimage, Anglican Bishop of Bathurst Ian Palmer and his wife Elizabeth will next month walk to their new home in Dubbo.
In recognition of the Diocese of Bathurst’s grave financial position, the Palmers are moving to Dubbo where the bishop will humbly and gratefully take up the role of parish priest…”
– Report from The Western Advocate.
‘An Excellent Documentary on Exodus’
Both Andy Naselli and Joe Carter draw attention to an upcoming documentary on Exodus. Each of them has a link to the trailer.
The murders at Charlie Hebdo: are we really Charlie?
“It feels like we are at war. Doesn’t the flood of reaction to the mass murders at Charlie Hebdo, especially over recent days, look like a drawing-together before a common enemy? The ‘I am Charlie Hebdo’ mantra implies unanimity, a very clear sense of ‘us’: this was a war-crime by ‘them’ against all of ‘us’. …
But who is the ‘us’ and who is the ‘them’?…”
– Mike Ovey in London writes this opinion-piece on the Oak Hill blog.
Authentic Christian ministry
In the latest Preaching Matters from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, William Taylor speaks about authentic Christian ministry in the context of preaching from Acts.
It’s a 10 minute video.
Using Charlie Hebdo to attack Christianity
“You could almost hear the collective groan throughout the Western World: “Oh no, here we go again,” as reports came in of yet another massacre done in the name of militant Islam.
Without even reading the newspapers you know that the responses will be the same – people demonstrating in solidarity, governments and columnists telling us not to demonize all Muslims and a general sense of outrage being exploited by various right wing groups.
All understandable. However I have been surprised by another aspect that shows a more complex and worrying side to our society…”
– David Robertson (Minister at St Peter’s Free Church in Dundee) is currently in Oz. He shares his observations of some responses to the Paris terrorist attack.
World Watch List 2015
Open Doors USA has released its 2015 World Watch List.
Food for prayer.
Theological extremism in a Secular age
“One of the fundamental problems among Western elites is that they cannot understand a theological worldview – particularly the theological worldview of Islam. Being basically rational and secular in their own worldview, Western elites find it almost impossible to understand the radical actions taken by Islamic terrorists…”
– Albert Mohler looks at the motivation for the attacks in Paris, and notes that there is no warrant “for Christians to enter into any kind of irresponsible and intentionally offensive form of satire”.
When big is not beautiful
“To evaluate any piece of evangelism there are some questions which need to be asked:
1. Were there outsiders present?
2. Was the gospel truly preached?
3. Was it preached in categories which could be readily understood by those who were listening?
4. Were people able to listen with ease, or did the ‘atmosphere’ inhibit listening?
Over the last couple of years, I have spoken at several meetings where the large number of people present, in my opinion, has inhibited people’s ability to listen to the gospel with ease…”
– Originally published in The Briefing back in 1990, this wisdom from John Chapman is as helpful as ever. Thank God for Chappo.
Egypt’s President first ever to attend Coptic Christmas mass
“In a historic event that set Cairo ablaze, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi made an unannounced appearance at the Coptic Cathedral where Christmas Eve Mass was being celebrated by the Egyptian Pope Tawadros II.
The Coptic Church celebrates Christmas on 7 January because of its use of the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian. It was the first time ever that an Egyptian President was honoring a Coptic Christmas celebration with his presence…”
– Interesting developments in Egypt.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…