The Explicit Gospel — free audiobook
This month’s free audiobook from Christian Audio is Matt Chandler’s The Explicit Gospel, published by Crossway. (The audio version is read by David Cochran Heath.)
The download is about 200MB. (There’s also an interview by Mark Dever with Matt, recorded in Sydney in 2009 on the link page.)
Free eBook: Berkhof’s Systematic Theology
Louis Berkhof’s classic theology text is now freely, and legally, available in electronic format.
Justin Taylor has the details.
The Billy Graham of the 19th Century
“Dwight L. Moody was to the 19th century what Billy Graham was to the 20th century.
Both spent the better part of their life as itinerant evangelists, travelling the world preaching Christ and calling upon people to repent and put their trust in him.
There were differences between the two men and differences between the two centuries in which they preached, but it is unlikely that anybody preached Christ to more people in the last two centuries than these two men…”
– Phillip Jensen gives some key background to the Men’s Collegiate Choir of the Moody Bible Institute, who are in Sydney this weekend.
The Indulgence Box
In his “History of Christianity in 25 objects”, Tim Challies uses an Indulgence Box to introduce readers to Martin Luther and his great discovery.
“It is a plain and unadorned box, notable only for a coin slot in the lid. Its significance is found far more in what it represents than it what it actually is. The pennies that slid through the slot and into the coffer represented a gospel of salvation by works, a gospel foreign to the Bible, a false gospel. Luther had recovered the great doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone, and there would be no place for indulgences and no place for meritorious good works.”
No Truth without Love, No Love without Truth: The Church’s great challenge
“Our churches must teach the basics of biblical morality to Christians who will otherwise never know that the Bible prescribes a model for sexual relationships.”
– Albert Mohler writes to challenge the church to speak clearly on the presenting issue of today.
Going Beyond the Cliches: Christian Reflections on Suffering and Evil
Dr Don Carson spoke last month at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston.
“If we live long enough, we will suffer. Christians will therefore be wise if they prepare in advance for the suffering and evil they will face. This lecture does not so much attempt to ‘answer’ the problem of suffering and evil, as establish biblically faithful perspectives that enable us to think about such matters in a godly fashion, thereby forging frames of reference that strengthen us before evil days descend.”
Live to Give
“Where should we direct our giving? Surrounded by so many needs and opportunities it’s difficult to know where to start. Is there any priority or principle by which to choose whom to give to?…”
– Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen continues from last week on the theme of giving. Read it here.
(Photo: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)
St. Helen’s — Mark’s Gospel Tool Kit
“Andrew Sach introduces tools to help understand Mark’s Gospel in this month’s St Helen’s Training.”
– See this month’s two videos from Andrew Sach, as well as earlier overviews of Mark’s Gospel by Charlie Skrine, at the St. Helen’s website.
The (UK) same-sex couples bill – Anglican Mainstream statement
“The basic issue in the same-sex couples bill is “What is marriage?” The bill renders marriage a genderless institution since any combination of two adults will do. When a child is born there is always mother around. The question is, where is the father? The bill sends out the message that fathers are dispensable for children. It completely decouples marriage from procreation, consummation and adultery.
Once marriage is redefined and reduced to only an intimate relationship, on what logical basis could the law turn away three people who say they want to get married?”
– read the full statement from Anglican Mainstream.
Beg to Give
“It is important that we regularly discuss the whole issue of the Christian use of money rather than only mentioning money when we want to address the current needs of a financial crisis…”
– Phillip Jensen writes on a Christian attitude to money.
Kermit Gosnell’s America — What his trial really reveals
“Here is a clue: When you have to argue at every turn that the issue is not abortion, the issue is abortion. … What the pro-abortion movement fears most is that Americans will pause to consider what this trial really means.”
– Albert Mohler looks at the reality behind the conviction of abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell.
Tragic worship
“Christian worship should immerse people in the reality of the tragedy of the human fall and of all subsequent human life. It should provide us with a language that allows us to praise the God of resurrection while lamenting the suffering and agony that is our lot in a world alienated from its creator, and it should thereby sharpen our longing for the only answer to the one great challenge we must all face sooner or later. Only those who accept that they are going to die can begin to look with any hope to the resurrection. …”
– A ‘must-read’ article from Carl Trueman at First Things.
Three reasons I don’t enthusiastically recommend the ‘The Bible’ miniseries
“Adapting a book to film is tricky. Sometimes books-to-film turn out surprisingly well (e.g., The Gospel of John—my favorite “Bible” film). Often they don’t (e.g., the recent Narnia films).
The History Channel aired The Bible: The Epic Miniseries throughout March 2013. About 100 million people watched all or part of the series.”
– Andy Naselli shares his concerns with the popular miniseries.
Rob Bell, Andrew Wilson and presuppositions about Christianity and homosexuality
“In a recent episode of Unbelievable, Andrew Wilson and Rob Bell have an engaging dialogue about the legitimacy of homosexual relationships within Christianity. …”
– Trevin Wax has a response and also the video from Premier Christian Radio in the UK.
Themelios Volume 38, Issue 1
The latest issue of the theological journal Themelios (Volume 38, Issue 1) was released at the end of April. A 2.4MB download – from The Gospel Coalition.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…