Isaiah in five minutes

“Oak Hill’s third year students have been busy this term producing short video presentations as part of their work on the book of Isaiah.

One of the videos unpacks the message of Isaiah by using Lego characters, and another uses live sketching, and each of them was produced by a team of four students working in collaboration. …”

– Something different – from Oak Hill College in London.

Duty to Die? — ‘Australian Presbyterian’ on Euthanasia

In the light of today’s news of a proposed “Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill” to come before NSW Parliament (ABC News story here), the current issue (Winter 2017) of Australian Presbyterian magazine is particularly timely as it addresses the issue of euthanasia.

Article 1: Opening Pandora’s Box. Why Christians must stand firm against euthanasia. An interview with Dr. Scott Rae.

Article 2: A bad move. By Moore College graduate Dr Neil Chambers.

(In addition, Marylynn Rouse from the John Newton Project reflects on John Newton’s experience of God’s amazing grace.)

The issue is available as a PDF file at this link.

Related posts on our website.

Gospel Presentation and Eulogies: Part 1

“One reality of ministry is that funerals come along and impose themselves on our carefully planned out diaries. Sometimes you go for a while without many and then five or six come in quick succession. Other times they come in a steady stream.

No matter when they come along they are a wonderful opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel and the love of Christ to those who are grieving. It is easy to overlook how significant these opportunities are to pastor and reach out to those who rarely, if ever, come to church.…”

– At Church Society’s blog, Adam Young discusses the opportunities for ministering good news at a funeral.

Social change and gospel preaching

“How does a disciple-making agenda fit with the need for us to express our love for our neighbours through engagement in social action?

This interview between Kel Richards and Phillip Jensen is full of enormously helpful insights on this question, both for individuals and for churches. It is well worth the investment of 28 minutes.”

– GoThereFor.com points us to a conversation between Kel Richards and Phillip Jensen recorded a few years back. As they say, well worth the investment of your time.

Mother’s Day Resources

Stuck for ideas for Mother’s Day?

Need some encouragement?

A collection of Mother’s Day resources has been published at phillipjensen.com.

Preaching Matters: Gospel Certainty in Luke

More resources from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate:

“How does Luke provide certainty for his readers? Why is it important for the word of God to make sense of the works of Christ? If certainty comes from something other than first-hand experience of physical evidence, what are the implications for the way we do evangelism?

Preaching Matters is back with William Taylor tackling these questions, and more, from Luke’s Gospel.”

Six ways to be prepared

“One of the ways you ‘honour Christ the Lord as holy’ as a Christian is by ‘being prepared to make a defence [or a ‘reasoned statement’] to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you’ (1 Pet 3:15). Preparation is also a key way to feel more confident and positive about sharing Jesus with those around you.

So here are six ways to be prepared…”

– Ian Carmichael, CEO and Publishing Director at Matthias Media (and formerly Secretary of the ACL Council), shares these useful ideas.

Dick Lucas on Mark’s Gospel – volume 2

Back in January, we noted that a series of recordings by Dick Lucas, to help God’s people think through the meaning of Mark’s Gospel, had been published by St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

“The most recent fruits of his retirement are recordings of his latest reflections on Scripture, aimed primarily at the Bible expositor but suitable for everyone. Recorded in his kitchen, where most of his sermon preparation takes place, they are starting to be published just prior to Christmas 2016.”

At that point, his observations on Mark 1-8 were available. Now Volume two, covering chapters 9-16, is also online.

“This is a significant development because it is the first time ever that Dick has covered the whole of the second half of the gospel in consecutive Bible exposition.”

Our thanks to Dick Lucas, and to St. Helen’s, for making these available.

Moore Theological College Open Week, May 8 – 12, 2017

Moore College is holding its next Open Week from Monday 8th May.

Click the image for a larger version, or go here for details of what’s on.

The real reasons your people aren’t turning up to church every week

“Church just feels like a sanctified busy activity or round of activities. And activity and a perceived requirement to be active is wearing people out.

For the average family juggling mortgage repayments in the commuter belt, working two jobs, with three kids in two different schools ten kilometres from each other, and ageing parents two hours drive away, busy is the enemy, whether that’s secular busy or church busy. Church no longer looks like a safe place, regardless of whether it’s signed up to Safe Churches or not. Church feels like a busy place, and busy is no longer safe. …”

– Stephen McAlpine in Perth responds to a recent article on declining church attendance among evangelical Christians.

Marriage booklets out

“More than 65,000 booklets discussing God’s plan for marriage in light of the current push for its redefinition are being distributed to Sydney churches.

The 20-page booklet opens up the question (which is also its title), What has God joined together? Jesus’ good message about marriage for Australia. The publication outlines the biblical view on marriage and answers some common challenges to that view in the context of the same-sex marriage debate.…”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

See above for Archbishop Davies’ video introduction to the companion website.

Ideas that Changed the World

Re-post:

Here’s a very helpful resource from Matthias Media:

“Around 500 years ago a momentous change was spreading across Europe—a change that has become known as the Reformation.

At the heart of the Reformation were four ideas and four leaders. The ideas: faith alone, grace alone, Bible alone and Christ alone. The leaders: Luther, Calvin, Tyndale and Cranmer.

In the four sessions of this course, join Dominic Steele as he explores these four simple yet profoundly important ideas, the key role these four men played in rediscovering and spreading them, and the stunning European locations where these historic events took place.

But it’s not just a course to watch. You’ll also open up your Bibles and do some exploring of your own, reading the same parts of Scripture that Luther, Calvin, Tyndale and Cranmer read that radically changed their world.”

Doctrine and Theology of Two Ways to Live


Phillip Jensen unpacks the doctrine and theology of Two Ways to Live in six lectures – recorded last year, and just posted at phillipjensen.com. A wonderful resource.

Watch it all, but be sure to start with the first lecture.

1 Two Ways To Live: Creation February 2016
2 Two Ways To Live: Sin March 2016
3 Two Ways To Live: Judgement March 2016
4 Two Ways To Live: Atonement March 2016
5 Two Ways To Live: Resurrection March 2016
6 Two Ways To Live: Repentance And Faith March 2016

Why I didn’t sing when I visited your church

“It was a joy to finally visit your church a couple of Sundays ago, and to worship with the believers there. You know I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. Just as you promised, the pastor is an excellent communicator and a man who loves God’s Word. His sermon was deeply challenging and led to some great conversations with my children.

Now, you asked me why it looked like I wasn’t singing. I know that was probably a little awkward, so thought I’d send along a brief explanation. Primarily, it’s because…”

– Posted last month, here are some thoughts from Tim Challies on congregational singing (or the lack of it).

Truthing in love

“Have you heard the saying ‘speak the truth in love’?

It appears quite often as a heading in blog posts that have titles such as ‘Seven top principles for using social media’. The phrase is normally used to mean something like ‘say true things in a charitable way’. The idea is this: sometimes you have to say hard and challenging things; when you do, make sure you’re using a gracious tone.

But do you know where the saying comes from? …”

– Even if you know the answer, you will be encouraged by this article from Lionel Windsor, at GoThereFor.com.

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