ESV Bible Reading plans
If there’s one thing most of us need to work on in 2009, it’s reading the Bible more regularly and systematically.
The people at ESV.org have assembled a helpful range of Bible Reading plans and made them available in a range of formats.
Want to be reminded each day of the passages to read? Want to receive it by e-mail? Read it on your iPhone? Even the Book of Common Prayer’s lectionary (in ESV) is available.
See ESV.org for details. (Hat tip to Justin Taylor, who has links to even more plans.)
The Advent of Humility
Innumerable Christmas devotionals point out the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth—among shepherds, in a crude stable, with a feed trough for a bassinet. When Jesus himself tried to summarise why people should take up the yoke of following him, he said it was because he was meek and humble (Matt. 11:29).
Seldom, however, do we explore the full implications of how Jesus’ radical humility shapes the way we live our lives every day. …
– Tim Keller on humility – at Christianity Today (just before Christmas). (h/t Between TwoWorlds)
As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
“Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it’s Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.
It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my African childhood.…”
– The Times columnist Matthew Parris makes some interesting observations.
(Photo: Times Online.)
Communicate Jesus
Helpful new Sydney-based website from Steve Kryger. Ideas and resources “to help churches and Christian ministries as they seek to communicate Jesus”.
Worth seeing – at communicatejesus.com
Can a Christian deny the Virgin Birth?
Can a true Christian deny the virgin birth? This question would perplex the vast majority of Christians throughout the centuries, but modern denials of biblical truth make the question tragically significant. …
The great quest of liberal theology has been to invent a Jesus who is stripped of all supernatural power, deity, and authority.
– Al Mohler provides an overview of modern attacks on the virgin birth.
Goodbye Larry King, hello Jerry Springer!
The hoo-hah over President Elect Obama’s choice of Rick Warren continues unabated, with most of the critics focussing mainly on Warren’s attitude to homosexuality and gay marriage. …
As Don Carson commented recently, American Christians have yet to wake up to the fact that the gospel really is despised by the world. And I would add: in a culture where everyone seems to need to be liked, affirmed and, above all, agreed with, that realisation is going to be very hard and challenging for the evangelical establishment to take on board.
– Carl Trueman writes at Reformation21. (Seen at Between Two Worlds.)
Why the Church of England cannot lose its ‘Head’
“Even if the Church of England were disestablished, even if Prince Charles became King and took the title ‘Defender of Faith’, even if his son converted to Islam and duly became our first Muslim monarch, the situation would be unchanged …”
– John Richardson writes at the Ugley Vicar.
Memorising Scripture – An Interview
“The name Ryan Ferguson may be familiar to some of the readers of this site. Ryan has appeared at a couple of conferences where he has recited long passages of Scripture. I first saw him at WorshipGod ‘06 where he dramatically recited all of Hebrews 9 and 10 (though he had memorized the entire book).
I recently got ahold of Ryan and asked if he would answer a few questions about memorizing Scripture. I trust this brief interview will serve to encourage you either to begin memorizing passages from the Bible or to press on in your conviction that you ought to.…”
– Tim Challies interviews Ryan Ferguson. (See also these earlier posts.)
Ambassadors for Christ
“You know, this is a matter of common honesty. The great apostle says elsewhere, ‘I am an ambassador for Christ.’
What is the business of an ambassador? Is it to voice his own opinions? Is it to say what he thinks? …
– encouragement from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones – at Reformed Voices.
Latest Themelios now online
The December 2008 edition of Themelios is now available – courtesy of The Gospel Coalition – in PDF, html or iPaper formats.
How to play piano in church
“Most of us start off life as classically trained solo pianists. So when we turn up to church and are asked to play from chord charts, and improvise, and play in group, we often don’t know where to start.
So we are proud to present a free set of video piano lessons designed to cover everything you need to get yourself up to speed on chords, improvisation and playing in a band.”
– Garage Hymnal’s Andy Judd with a resource for aspiring church musicians that’s worth checking out.
Christianity and the Tolerance of Liberalism
Brand new from The Latimer Trust in the UK:
Christianity and the Tolerance of Liberalism: J.Gresham Machen and the Presbyterian Controversy of 1922–1937 by Lee Gatiss.
At the beginning of the last century a more liberal way of interpreting Christianity began to grow in popularity. Traditional believers in many denominations are currently reaping the fruit of a failure to heed the stark warnings about liberalism given at that time by American theologian J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937). Much of what happened in the Presbyterian Church of which he was a part will sound eerily familiar to Anglicans today.
This book examines key battlegrounds in the conflict between conservative, liberal, and so-called ‘moderate’ Christians in the early 20th Century – training for ministry, the denomination’s attitude towards money, and competing notions of mission.
Machen’s principles eventually led him to leave both his seminary and his denomination to create new institutions. But did Machen get it right about how to combat liberalism? Even while we acknowledge his theological insight, should we also be wary of repeating his mistakes?
Lee Gatiss is Associate Minister of St. Helen’s, Bishopsgate in the City of London and Editor of The Theologian: The Internet Journal for Integrated Theology at www.theologian.org.uk.
The book can be ordered from The Latimer Trust.
The Tragedy of the faux-Evangelicals
Matt recently pointed us to a post by Christina Rees, chair of the women’s ordination pressure group WATCH (Women and the Church). The piece by Rees is one of several in the last week for the Guardian newspaper’s “Comment is Free” section.
Last week the question was raised “What should evangelicals believe?” This is, of course, a key question. Much of the fracturing amongst those who are opposed to the innovations of TEC and others in the Anglican Communion comes about because this simple question cannot be answered clearly. …
– David Ould writes at Stand Firm.
The Pope a Protestant?
About once a week, the Bishop of Rome, Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), holds a “general audience” in St Peter’s Square in which he gives instruction (catechesis) to Roman Catholics. In three of the more recent of these catechetical audiences he has sounded themes that might be taken as Protestant. …
On 19 November, as part of a larger series on Paul’s theology, he gave the first of two brief addresses on justification. …
… doubtless many readers will be tempted to stop reading and to rejoice that the Reformation is over. … That would be a mistake.
– R. Scott Clark, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California, looks at the Pope’s teaching in its context – at The Heidelblog.
(Image: The Vatican website.)
Presiding Bishop taps Episcopal lawyers to fund TEC lawsuits
“According to the Executive Council minutes from February and October 2008, they have pulled $900,000 in trusts just to re-establish the three dioceses – San Joaquin, Pittsburgh and Ft. Worth – that have seceded from TEC.
There will not be enough money to litigate the AMiA, CANA, Southern Cone, Kenya parishes still in their buildings, said the source. …”
– Story from VirtueOnline. (Photo: Episcopal Life Online.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…