Read “Knowing God” with Tim Challies
“One week from today I am going to begin a very public reading of a very good book. I would love for you to join me. Why don’t you read on to see if it would be beneficial to you?
For the past few years I have been running an ongoing program called ‘Reading Classics Together.’ This is the way I force myself to read those classic Christian books that I somehow otherwise neglect. I do it by inviting others to join me so we can read those books together.
Next week I will begin reading J.I. Packer’s modern-day classic Knowing God…
All you need to do is obtain a copy of the book and read chapters 1 and 2 prior to August 20.”
– An excellent idea from Tim Challies in Toronto.
Katy Faust: daughter of lesbian parents cautions against gay marriage
“American Katy Faust was raised by her lesbian mother and her partner and she now runs a blog called asktheBigot, which is fiercely opposed to gay marriage.”
– She was interviewed on ABC TV’s Lateline.
Reading the Newspaper
“At Theological College it was suggested that we students read the newspaper, standing up, giving it a cursory reading. I have never followed that advice, I enjoy the daily paper in a comfortable chair, newsprint and all, no online version for me!
Last week, I was asked to speak to a group of men about ‘how Christians read the newspaper’.
The news is usually confronting: ISIS, travel entitlements, single gender marriage, human trafficking as well as the natural disasters of fire and drought.
The starting point for the believer is the sovereign rule of God over all things…”
– a very helpful comment from Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook.
(Image: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)
Don’t let it fall off the table!
“A couple of years ago, I attended some seminars run by an American church growth expert named Dr Paul Borden.
From all the wisdom that he passed on, one thing I remember was that, unless we are very deliberate and diligent, evangelism will almost always ‘fall of the table’ when push comes to shove in church (or Christian group) practice. He is not an expert for no reason!…”
– at GoThereFor.com, Stephen Liggins writes to encourage churches to keep focussed.
Australian Marriage Forum takes out full page ad
The Australian Marriage Forum today (10th August 2015) took out a full page advertisement in The Australian newspaper, on the eve of a move to change marriage legislation in Federal Parliament.
“The Ad was funded entirely by online donations at the AMF website. No corporations, no churches, just concerned Australians donating online.”
See the A3 advertisment (3.6MB PDF file), and the associated media release.
Vaughan Roberts interviewed at Moore
Vaughan Roberts was interviewed and answered questions during Moore College’s Mission and Ministry Hour last week.
Vaughan shares how he came to faith in Christ, about his influences, ministry at St. Ebbes’, challenges of working in the Church of England, and surviving in ministry.
Encouraging and well worth watching, especially for people in full time ministry, and those supporting them.
Also on the college website, see the progress of Moore’s building project via some time-lapse videos. (What’s being built? Details here.)
Creation and new creation
“In this second part of his consideration of Psalm 104, Dan Wu looks at the difference between the world’s sinfulness, the joy of the psalm and how we should respond.”
– from the Moore College website. (Part 1 here.)
Annual Moore College Lectures 2015
Professor Kevin J. Vanhoozer is delivering this year’s Annual Moore College Lectures, starting 7th August. Free and open to the public. Details here.
If you can’t get there in person, the first lecture will be streamed live.
Christians called to respond to Planned Parenthood
“We have come to a singularly important moment in the battle against abortion (which is to say, the battle for life). The stunning undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress have taken us right to the heart of the abortion industry. …
Yesterday’s video, the fifth, is the most horrendous yet… It is absolutely sickening, absolutely shocking, absolutely unflinching, absolutely real. It exposes the industry, shining a billion-watt light into its darkest recesses. What was meant to remain hidden has now been made plain.
Once you see this, you cannot unsee it. Once you know what happens in Planned Parenthood and a host of other clinics, you cannot unknow it. That’s true even for those of us who live on the other side of an international border. What happens in America doubtless happens in Canada, England, and everywhere else.”
– Tim Challies has 4 ways Christians (particularly in the US) can respond, including links to helpful material, as does Justin Taylor.
Planting Churches in Japan
The Ligonier Ministries website has an encouraging interview with Dr. Dan Iverson, country leader in Japan with Mission to the World. (The team includes CMS’ Karen Darda and several other Australians.) Good background for prayer.
Church Leaders’ views on Marriage
Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook, along with Roman Catholic spokesman Brian Lucas, were interviewed today by Neil Johnson on Vision Christian Radio’s 20Twenty programme.
The topic: the proposed changes to Australian marriage laws.
The 47 minute segment can be downloaded here as a 19MB mp3 file.
Vaughan Roberts at Moore College chapel
Vaughan Roberts spoke on Acts 16 (Paul and Silas at Philippi) at Moore College Chapel this morning.
Listen here. (43MB mp3 file.) Super encouraging.
(You can hear other recent chapel sermons here.)
Knowing God in dementia
Here’s an encouraging video from Mary Andrews College.
Mark Wormell, who lectures at the college on Ministry with Seniors, speaks about ‘Knowing God in dementia’.
Speaking of domestic abuse
“I want to talk about four traps that await us when we try to understand and respond to domestic abuse.
They are: a tendency towards totalizing; seeing abuse as a gender issue; misapplication of the Bible; and avoiding the Bible’s teaching about men and women…”
– on the newly revamped Equal But Different website, Dr. Claire Smith writes to help Christians respond rightly to domestic abuse.
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert — free audiobook August 2015
The Christian Audio free download for August 2015 is The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield.
It’s read by the author, and the zipped mp3 version is 207MB in size.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…