CMS Summer School 2014
Registration is now open.
Mediocrity Is Not ‘OK’
Colin Adams at Unashamed Workman links to this encouraging article by Ajith Fernando. (Dr. Fernando has been a guest at several CMS Summer Schools in recent years.) –
“I was once at a meeting of preachers, and they were discussing the problem of having inadequate time to prepare their sermons.
One person said that given all the things he had to do, it was impossible for him to give much time for preparation, and therefore he usually went to preach without much preparation. I was shocked by what I heard, but I did not say a word. This happened more than a year ago, and I have suffered much since then. Thoughts have been rolling over and over again in my mind as to what I should have said that day. I have finally decided to put my thoughts on paper …”
– Read it here.
Free New Testament offer
As the screening in Australia of The Bible ‘epic mini-series’ comes to a conclusion tonight, those who want to learn more are being offered a free copy of The New Testament.
Story from the Bible Society.
The Antidote to Anaemic Worship
“In far too many churches, the Bible is nearly silent. The public reading of Scripture has been dropped from many services, and the sermon has been sidelined…”
– Even though Albert Mohler writes in an American context, this is a good reminder.
Annual Moore College Lectures — Daily lectures
At this year’s Moore College Annual Lectures (daily lectures August 20, 21, 23, 23), Vice-Principal Bill Salier is aiming “to survey the whole Bible’s teaching on the ‘world’ as the context for God’s people living lives filled with faith, hope and love”.
The Puritans
Over the the last few weeks, Tim Challies has published biographical sketches to introduce several of the key English Puritans. Each includes a list of their most important works.
They include Matthew Henry (author of the much-loved Bible commentary), and Richard Sibbes (from whom Mark Dever has been reading in public at Capitol Hill Baptist Church).
So far in this series:
John Owen (1616–1683)
Jeremiah Burroughs (1600–1646)
Richard Sibbes (1577–1635)
Thomas Brooks (1608–1680)
Matthew Henry (1662–1714)
William Perkins (1558–1602).
Mark Dever heading to Sydney
“Over the next two weeks Dr Mark Dever is going to be speaking in Sydney.
Mark is the senior pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC. He is also the President of 9Mark Ministries. … He is one of the most important voices in North American Christianity today.”
– Phillip Jensen with news of Mark Dever’s engagements at the Cathedral.
Moore College Overview Video
With Moore College Sunday coming up this weekend, this 5 minute 30 second video is a great resource to show to your congregation or in small groups.
(The shorter Moore College Sunday Video can be found here.)
Finally Free — book review
“Unless you have been deliberately avoiding any discussion of contemporary issues, you must know that pornography is one of the major challenges to the church today. Carl Trueman is not exaggerating when he says ‘Internet pornography is probably the number one pastoral problem in the world today’ …
Porn is so significant a concern today that if you are not struggling with it yourself, you must know someone who is. In either case, this book will equip you for the fight.”
– Tim Challies reviews Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace by Heath Lambert. Availability.
Themelios Volume 38 Issue 2
The latest issue of Themelios is now available for (free) download.
Ethics at the beginning of life
Dr Megan Best (author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made) is interviewed in the Spring 2013 edition of Australian Presbyterian.
The issue focusses on abortion and related questions. It’s a 5MB PDF download from their website.
Earlier posts. (Photo: Ramon Williams.)
The Proclamation Bible
Here’s a soon-to-be launched resource from the Hodder & Stoughton in the UK that’s worth checking out.
Includes introductory articles by Christopher Ash, Graham Beynon, Gerald Bray, Simon Gathercole, David Jackman, Karen Jobes, Dick Lucas, Douglas Moo, Peter O’Brien, Adrian Reynolds, Vaughan Roberts, William Taylor, and Chris Wright.
J.C. Ryle’s Evangelistic Strategy
“In April 1880, at the age of 64, John Charles Ryle was consecrated as the first Bishop of Liverpool, a new urban diocese carved out of the diocese of Chester. At a stage in life when many clergymen eagerly await retirement, he was launched into a fresh and demanding field of ministry.
He was already well-known on the national stage as a conference speaker and a prodigious writer of evangelistic tracts which sold in their millions. Since 1844 Ryle’s regular parish ministry had been in rural Suffolk, first in the village of Helmingham (with a population of only 287) and then at Stradbroke (one of the largest and wealthiest parishes in Norwich diocese, with a population of 1500). Liverpool was a completely new challenge…
Taking all the Christian denominations together, eighty per cent of the population still remained unchurched. …”
– Church Society has republished Andrew Atherstone’s terrific article “J.C. Ryle’s Evangelistic Strategy” (PDF file) from Churchman.
It’s full of encouragement and challenges for all Sydney Anglicans. Take the time to read it – and learn from John Charles Ryle. (And don’t forget the coming ‘Jesus Brings’ campaign.)
New album from Sovereign Grace Music
Sovereign Grace Music has just launched their latest album – “Grace Has Come – Songs from the Book of Romans”.
(The link is to the ‘special edition’ with three extra tracks.)
Free AudioBook for August — John Stott’s ‘Basic Christianity’
This month’s free audiobook from Christian Audio is John Stott’s Basic Christianity. The book has been a great blessing to countless thousands since it was first published in 1958.
This audiobook is a 2006 reading by American Grover Gardiner.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…