Can you help The Wandering Bookseller?

Many of our readers will be familiar with The Wandering Bookseller run by Karl Grice and his team at Katoomba.

Many of us have benefitted from their expertise and their wonderful range of books over the years, and here’s an opportunity for you to help them.

They write:

It’s been a hard couple of years…

We’ve had staff sickness, bushfires and floods—

And that was all before the pandemic!

We’re now at a point where we’ve had 18 months of uncertainty: event cancellations, border closures, import restrictions and lockdowns.

We know that Covid won’t last forever, and we want to continue partnering with you in ministry for years to come.

Can you help?

Please be encouraged to see their website and consider how you could help.

Annual Moore College Lectures 2021 now available online

The Annual Moore College Lectures for 2021 have just concluded.

The Rev Dr David Höhne, Academic Dean of the College, spoke on the topic, “In Him All Things Hold Together: The Triune God and The Choosing Self”.

If you missed seeing the livestream, all the lectures (plus the handouts) are now available from the College.

Should Christians accept the COVID-19 vaccine?

In an updated piece at SydneyAnglicans.net, Dr. Megan Best addresses the question “Should Christians accept the COVID-19 vaccine?”.

Read and share.

Image: Dr Best with Chase Kuhn and Dominic Steele on The Pastor’s Heart in August 2020.

Review: ‘Christians’ by Greg Sheridan

Journalist and author Greg Sheridan has just released a new book titled ‘Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World’. He opens with this explanation of why he wrote it:

This book is about the compelling, dramatic, gripping characters you meet in the New Testament. Above all, it is the search for Jesus. It seeks to meet him directly, in the New Testament, and in history, and to meet him indirectly through his friends, both his first friends, and some of his friends today…”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Akos Balogh reviews Greg Sheridan’s new book, Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World.

The book is available from The Wandering Bookseller.

Spiritual CBT

“We’re often encouraged in our culture to speak ‘your truth’. Apparently, it’s no longer enough to just speak the truth – the truth is now highly personal! And as well as being personal, your truth can even change or develop over time… in fact it can be as changeable as you like and no one is allowed to argue with it. Allegedly. This idea (rightly) sits uneasily with Christians because we know there are truths about God, and the world, and ourselves, and Jesus, and eternity, that are true in the traditional sense, no matter who is telling it.

As Christians, then, the truth orients our truth. So what’s your truth?

I’m asking because there’s something else that our culture is becoming more familiar with…”

– At The Australian Church Record, Bronwyn Windsor talks about feelings – and what the Bible tells us.

Expository Preaching Trust expands

David Cook writes:

“I am delighted to let you know that Janet Riley is to join the Trust as an encourager, especially of women’s groups, one day per week in 2022. …

Janet joined the Faculty at SMBC as Dean of Women and Lecturer in Greek in 2008 where she had involvement in the College’s preaching groups, encouraging students by critiquing sermons. Janet is one of the most insightful critiquers of sermons I know.

I am delighted that Janet is joining us to encourage preachers, she will be involved with some of the existing ‘Lather and Shave’ preaching groups and will establish a Preaching Club for women. …”

– Read David’s announcement here.

Lift Up Your Hearts Devotional from Jodie McNeil during August

During August 2021, GAFCON’s Lift up Your Hearts devotionals are by Jodie McNeil. He’s sharing from 1 Kings.

“Each day’s devotion is based on one chapter from 1 Kings, where we witness King David’s final days, King Solomon’s wisdom and his temple construction, the tragic fall from grace by so many of the disobedient kings of the divided kingdom, through to the extraordinary ministry of Elijah.

Jodie seeks to help us read 1 Kings as Christian scripture, understanding this remarkable book in its Biblical Theological context. As we experience the highs and lows of the rule of God’s kings, we will learn so much more about the true king of the Kingdom of God, Jesus the Messiah, and what that means to us as we follow him as our king.”

Illustrations: harlotry, professionalism, or audience engagement?

“Preachers are communicators.

We need to give attention to engaging the congregation; truth won’t do a person good if they are not awake to hear it. That is why introductions are so important. I try to engage people from my first words.

However, an interesting introduction will not sustain engagement for 20 minutes. …”

– David Cook, former Principal of SMBC, continues to encourage preachers in their calling.

At The Expository Preaching Trust.

What should we say about vaccines + vaccination passports for church?

At The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Phillip Jensen, Ray Galea and John McLean on what pastors should say about vaccination. An helpful discussion with plenty of food for thought.

Five Tips to help you through an extended Lockdown

“Greater Sydney is enduring an extended two-month lockdown (which could be extended even longer).

In this video, TGCA interviews Psychologist and Chaplain Sarah Balogh as she gives five tips to help you through an extended lockdown…”

– Very timely, from The Gospel Coalition Australia.

9Marks Journal July 2021 — The Ordinary Means of Grace — Or, Don’t Do Weird Stuff

“For several years now, erstwhile 9Marks editor and now full-time pastor Sam Emadi, with a wink, has summarized our ministry, “Yeah, I just tell people, 9Marks exists to tell pastors not to do weird stuff. Just do what’s in the Bible.”

Not a bad summary, that.

If you’ve not heard the term “ordinary means of grace” before, Sam has captured what many pastors today need to hear: don’t do weird stuff in your church. Don’t take your growth cues from a marketing team. Don’t lead church services that would make P. T. Barnum or J. J. Abrams proud.

Don’t, in short, think you can offer something extraordinary based on your creativity or ingenuity, or that you can manufacture the extraordinary through reverse-engineering the results you want.

The Spirit has already revealed everything we need for gathering and growing churches. And, yes, it’s pretty ordinary stuff. …”

– Jonathan Leeman at 9Marks introduces the latest 9Marks Journal. Very encouraging.

John Anderson with Carl Trueman on Hedonism and the Modern Psychological Self

In his latest “Direct” interview, John Anderson speaks with Carl Trueman:

“They discuss the modern self in an age of culture wars, including the societal shift of the perception of happiness and gratification, the technological revolution, and the sexual revolution and its ties to authoritarianism.”

– At johnanderson.net.au.

(The video file on YouTube is indexed to allow you to jump to the various topics covered.)

Related:

Review: ‘The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self’ by Carl Trueman.

Sunday Morning Encouragement

With thanks to CityAlight and Colin Buchanan.

How to create a leadership pipeline — with Craig Hamilton

“Good leaders multiply disciple making ministry. And yet most of us would admit that our churches struggle with leadership development.

Author of ‘Wisdom in Leadership Development’ Craig Hamilton has lots of wisdom about how the average church can develop a leadership pipeline.”

– The latest on The Pastor’s Heart.

Review: 7 Reasons to (Re)consider Christianity by Ben Shaw

“This is a really, really good book.

In a highly readable and biblical way, the author Ben Shaw does precisely what his title suggests – he gives seven good reasons for someone to (re)consider Christianity. As such, the book is also really useful, especially in our contemporary western context, where so many are moving away from the Christian faith, from Christian knowledge, or even from Christian awareness. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Stephen Liggins reviews 7 Reasons to (Re)consider Christianity by Ben Shaw. The book was launched a month ago, just before Ben was called home to be with Christ.

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