The Osteen Predicament

“America deserves the Osteens.

The consumer culture, the cult of the therapeutic, the marketing impulse, and the sheer superficiality of American cultural Christianity probably made the Osteens inevitable.

The Osteens are phenomenally successful because they are the exaggerated fulfillment of the self-help movement and the cult of celebrity rolled into one massive mega-church media empire. And, to cap it all off, they give Americans what Americans crave — reassurance delivered with a smile…”

– Albert Mohler comments theologically on that video of Victoria Osteen.

The work of the Lord

“But what does Paul mean by ‘abound in the work of the Lord’? In this article I want us to simply do two things – work out what this phrase actually means, and then think through its implications.”

– Looking at 1 Corinthians 15, Peter Orr at Moore College explains that all Christians do gospel ministry – and then turns to an encouraging example. Here.

End of The Briefing?

“With some considerable wistfulness, we’ve come to the decision that the next issue of The Briefing (number 414) will have to be its last.

We’re sad about this, obviously, but not too sad – because although the medium of communication now has to change, the theology and vision of Christian life and ministry that The Briefing has always championed has not changed, and must not change. We have some exciting plans in motion to keep spreading and promoting and encouraging that Bible-based vision of Christian life and ministry – plans that take advantage of the very wave of digital publishing that has helped make the current form of The Briefing no longer viable.…”

– Sam Freney and Tony Payne write to explain what’s happening with Matthias Media’s flagship publication.

How Should We Then Live?

Francis Schaeffer’s classic work, “How Should We Then Live?” is September 2014’s free audiobook from Christian Audio.

It’s a 230MB download, and is read by Kate Reading.

John Woodhouse on Preaching — at Preaching Matters

In the latest “Preaching Matters” video from Great St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London, former Moore College Principal John Woodhouse is asked about preaching.

Watch it here.

The GWC Whitefield Symposium

The audio of the talks given at the Whitefield Symposium at George Whitefield College in Cape Town is now on their website.

Speakers include David Seccombe and Melvin Tinkler. Available here.

Face to Face with the Message of Matthew

“Face to Face with the Message of Matthew” is the theme of this year’s Moore College School of Theology – being run at the College on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th September 2014.

Details and booking here.

Positively evangelical

“In 1997, Mark Thompson wrote in Churchman:

‘If I am not mistaken there is a concerted attempt being made at present to redefine what it means to be an evangelical Christian. A number of prominent people around the world are trying to broaden the term, to encompass a variety of perspectives which were once quite alien to evangelical thought and practice.’

Well, he wasn’t mistaken. I was recently at an Anglican gathering encompassing representatives from all streams of the Church of England, except, perhaps, the most Catholic. As we went around the circle introducing ourselves, everyone there described him or herself as evangelical. It was usually qualified – ‘largely’ evangelical, or even ‘a little bit’ evangelical – but it was clearly a very common label…”

– Kirsty Birkett writes at Church Society’s blog and reminds us of (and links to) a paper by Mark Thompson entitled, “Being Clearly and Positively Evangelical”.

Dying with Dignity?

“Here’s the submission I made to the relevant committee of the Senate of the Australian Parliament regarding Senator Richard Di Natale’s private member’s Exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014…”

– Sandy Grant at St Michael’s Cathedral, Wollongong, shares what he’s written – at The Briefing.

Themelios 39.2

The Gospel Coalition has released the latest issue of Themelios with 192 pages of articles and book reviews.

Included: What Are Gospel Issues? – D. A. Carson.
Projection Atheism: Why Reductionist Accounts of Humanity Can Lead to Reductionist Accounts of God – Michael Ovey.

Download your free copy here.

Encouragement to keep on in ministry

Hugh Palmer, from All Souls’ Langham Place, spoke on “Growing the next generation” at last year’s Equipped Ministry Assembly run by the East Anglia Gospel Partnership.

Well worth taking the time to be encouraged and directed back to the work of the gospel.

Lord & Life-Giver: The Holy Spirit Changes Everything

The Annual Moore College Lectures continue this week with special guest Professor Mike Horton from Westminster Seminary California.

This year’s topic is “Lord & Life-Giver: The Holy Spirit Changes Everything”.

If you can’t be at Moore College for the lectures, you can live-stream them – or watch later. Recommended!

Dear prime minister: what is the UK government’s strategy in Iraq and Syria?

Dear Prime Minister …

The focus by both politicians and media on the plight of the Yazidis has been notable and admirable. However, there has been increasing silence about the plight of tens of thousands of Christians who have been displaced, driven from cities and homelands, and who face a bleak future. Despite appalling persecution, they seem to have fallen from consciousness, and I wonder why…”

– Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, writes to Prime Minister Cameron.