Carl Trueman on Luther

Carl R. Trueman of Westminster Seminary gave a series of talks on ‘Luther and the Reformation’ – at the 2007 Reformation Heritage Conference run by Grace Presbyterian Church in Douglasville, Georgia.

Grace Presbyterian has kindly made the audio files available – here. (h/t Faith by Hearing.) Photo: Westminster Seminary.

Australia’s first parish clergyman

Peter Bolt’s second book in the Studies in Australian Colonial History series is now available for pre-order.

“William Cowper arrived in NSW in August 1809 to become the minister at St Phillip’s Sydney. Across 49 years of ministry he must have baptised, married or buried, most of the population! Cowper was instrumental in setting up many of the social institutions that helped to establish a more wholesome society as NSW moved from penal colony to nationhood. His children were also pioneers, each in their own way, in building our nation. It is a gauge of the significance of his influence in the colony that when he died, Sydney closed down and 25,000 people lined the streets for his funeral. His impact had been strongly felt in NSW.”

– William Cowper (1778-1858): The Indispensable Parson. The Life and Influence of Australia’s First Parish Clergyman.

Details on how to pre-order the book here (PDF file).

Why Johnny Can’t Preach

In a recent edition of The White Horse Inn broadcast, Michael Horton spoke with T. David Gordon, author of Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped The Messengers.

The programme may be heard at OnePlace – and the book is available at Reformers’ Bookshop.

Monday morning encouragement

At Desiring God, Bill Walsh writes briefly on ‘The Main Thing to Rejoice About in Ministry’ –

‘Praise God for the times of effective ministry that he allows us to experience. If you’re like me you get excited when you see the fruitfulness of any ministry that God calls you to do. It is a thrill to see him at work, putting to use the gifts and callings that he has granted to us for the cause of the Kingdom.

But in Luke 10 Christ challenges us to test our own hearts, by examining what we rejoice in most.’

– Food for thought at the Desiring God blog.

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory

“Jesus Christ calls his ministers from the ranks of the incompetent, so that He will show his singular competence through them. He uses earthen vessels to demonstrate his own life in us. He confounds the wisdom of the wise by using the unworthy to demonstrate his worth.”

– Albert Mohler at today’s commencement address at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Why should Christians be interested in Ethics in Medicine?

Dr Andrew Cole spoke at the recent CASE conference on ‘Medical Ethics: Christian Perspectives on Life and Death’. His topic was Why should Christians be interested in Ethics in Medicine?

The audio of his talk is now online (45 min /5.2MB mp3 direct link) – with details of the other audio coming soon. As always: simple, clear and Biblical. (Photo: ISPRM.)

No, Mr. President

Taken from an address by John Piper in January, this hard-hitting video on the President’s support on abortion is worth watching.

It runs for three and a half minutes – at YouTube. (h/t Justin Taylor.) Original message here.

A grubby little incident

“In a naked display of political power, the American Episcopal Church leadership stopped the Rev Philip Ashey, the clergy representative of the Province of Uganda, from taking his place at the 14th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in Jamaica, because he has been among the strongest critics of their pro-homosexual policies. …”

– Over at SydneyAnglicans.net, ACL Chairman Robert Tong writes on ACC-14.

Shine, Perishing Communion

Christian lawyer A S Haley, who blogs at Anglican Curmudgeon, tries to unravel the extraordinary events at the Anglican Consultative Council’s vote on the proposed Anglican Covenant on Friday.

“The philosophy of keeping opposites at the table for discussion as long as possible works only for so long as each side can see that the table is level. If it becomes apparent that it is being tilted to favor one of the two sides, the motive for continuing to stay at the table immediately ceases.”

A long but very interesting post. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)

See also this from The Anglican Communion Institute –

“Friday’s session of the Anglican Consultative Council is an embarrassment to Anglicans everywhere, and a sad display of procedural confusion. Members were given complex resolutions right before the vote without sufficient time to study them and understand their consequences. Resolutions that had been distributed earlier were replaced by resolutions drafted by a committee largely composed of members from provinces known to be opposed to the Ridley Cambridge Draft. …”

Photo of Abp Rowan Williams at ACC-14: ACNS.

Being a good pastor of Christ’s flock

Sovereign Grace Ministries in Maryland have posted online downloads from their Pastors Conference held last month.

Both audio files and PDF files of notes of the main sessions and the seminars are freely available at their website.

Strong words of encouragement to all who are entrusted with the ministry of caring for Christ’s flock.

Even better than forgiven

“The voice that spells forgiveness will say: ‘You may go: you have been let off the penalty which your sin deserves.’

But the verdict which means acceptance [justification] will say: ‘You may come; you who are welcome to all my love and my presence.’”

– Sir Marcus Loane, quoted in John Stott, The Message of Romans. (Thanks to Of First Importance.)

Archbishop Peter Jensen in Ireland

Peter Jensen in Ireland, April 2009 The Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy has posted online the video of two addresses by Archbishop Peter Jensen – given at St. Saviour’s, Dollingstown in Ireland on 20th April 2009. A large crowd of lay people and clergy was on hand to hear Peter speak.

The first message is from Jeremiah 9 (15 minutes), and is a call to repentance.

The second talk, ‘Refresh the Vision’ (49 minutes), is a commentary on the situation in the Anglican Communion and is a strong call to faithfulness, courage and sacrifice. Worth passing on.