Taking God Seriously

Here’s a challenging video clip from Dr J I Packer on Taking God Seriously.

It’s a subtle promotion for the book of the same name – the video was published almost a year after the book.

Runs for 1:52 at Vimeo. Well worth passing on the link.

About the book, Carl Trueman writes:

“Like many people, I first discovered what it meant ‘to take God seriously’ through reading J. I. Packer’s books. It is thus an honour and a delight to be asked to write a commendation for his latest work, a basic catechetical plea for sober, modest, thoughtful and orthodox theology.

In a church world dominated by Barnum and Bailey circus antics and the brash triviality borrowed from the world around in the name of ‘engagement,’ Dr. Packer remains a truly engaging and gentlemanly advocate for those old paths which are ever fresh.”

Related: Dr Packer’s most recent sermon preached at St. John’s Vancouver, 5th January 2014 – on John 4:1-45.

Australia Day Convention 2014

The 2014 Australia Day Convention at the Cathedral is coming up on Monday 27th January.

Phillip Jensen, Neil Foster and Mark Thompson are the speakers, and the early-bird rates end soon.

An All-Consuming Passion for Jesus

An All-Consuming Passion for Jesus is another free eBook from John Piper.

Oak Hill ‘Commentary’ Winter 2013-14

The latest issue of Oak Hill’s Commentary magazine is now online.

World Watch List 2014

Open Doors has published its World Watch List for 2014, highlighting the countries where Christians are most persecuted. Available here.

Mark Dever on church numbers and growth

Some encouragement from Mark Dever during a visit to Brisbane in 2011.

R.C. Sproul Commentary on John — free eBook

“During the month of January, Reformation Trust is giving away the eBook edition of R.C. Sproul’s commentary on the Gospel of John.

In John, the second volume in the St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary series, Dr. Sproul deals with major themes in his easily understandable style.”

– Sign up for this free eBook from Ligonier Ministries.

‘Cross’ student missions conference

The Cross student missions conference was held in the US in late December. Courtesy of Desiring God, video files of the talks (plus some selected quotes) are now available.

Be encouraged to check them out and pass on the links.

Feeling weary?

Vaughan Roberts’ closing exposition on Luke 10:17-24 from the Proclamation Trust’s Autumn Minister’s Conference is a great encouragement.

Well worth watching the video here.

(We first posted this in November.)

First two talks from Summer School 2014

CMS has made available the first two talks from the 2014 NSW Summer School at Katoomba.

Andrew Reid is preaching from the Book of Exodus.

Hear them at this link.

Grace has brought me safe thus far

“This first weekend of 2014 affords many of us an opportunity to hit “pause” on this busy opening week and to reflect, backward and forward, on our own lives.

Essential at the beginning of every new year is to set aside time to reflect on life, according to eighteenth-century slave-ship-captain-turned-pastor John Newton (1725–1807). This practice was embedded into his personal disciplines, and it emerged as a hallmark of his pastoral work. He penned new hymns and sermons and personal letters every year to urge his friends to take time at the unveiling of a new year to stop and reflect on life.”

– Tony Reinke, at Desiring God, looks at Amazing Grace.

Related: A hymn for the New Year.

ESV – free Audio Bible in January

For January 2014, the free download from Christian Audio is the ESV Bible.

It’s available in two formats, mp3 or m4b. Each totals around 2.1GB for the full Bible, so keep that in mind before you download them. Here’s the link.

The upward call of God in Christ Jesus

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

– Philippians 3:13-14

Santa vs Jesus

Glen Scrivener in the UK has released an updated version of his video contrasting Santa and Jesus. Perhaps you could use it this Christmas. Download it here (173MB mp4 / 1080p).