The Preaching Question

“There has, it seems, been quite a flurry of publishing activity on the question of preaching lately, especially by those seeking to make a case for the propriety of women preaching to mixed congregations…

It is important that we keep testing our conclusions both on theology and practice by the teaching of the Bible. …”

Mark Thompson, Principal-elect of Moore Theological College, looks at a hot topic, and commends a couple of excellent expositions, at Theological Theology.

How the Incarnation humbles me

Tim Challies on the Incarnation –

“This is not the Mary of Roman Catholicism who was without sin and, in that way, the most suitable mother in all of human history. No, she is a sinful girl who stands in desperate need of the very Savior she is carrying. …

Of all I love about God—and there is a lot I could list!—this is very near the top, that he chooses such unlikely people to benefit from his gifts and his grace.” – Read it all here.

Has the personal evangelism ship sailed?

“It is quite correct to say that there are only two kinds of people in the world—those who in the words of Two Ways to Live are living ‘Way A’ (rebelling against God, facing his judgement) and ‘Way B’ (submitting to and trusting in Jesus, forgiven by God).

But it is also true that within those two broad categories there is a wide spectrum of difference. …”

– Tony Payne begins discussion on a topic close to the heart of many – at The Briefing.

Modernity

“Twice in the Bible we read of God ‘dwelling with us’.

The first looks back in time when ‘the word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14) and the second looks ahead when ‘God will dwell with us’ (Revelation 1:3). We live in between the two, looking back to the first and forward to the second.

Modernity is an enticing idea. It suggests that all our hopes are located in the time that is ‘now’. But when you think about it modernity is whenever you live. When the wheel was invented it was modern times, or the dishwasher, or the iPad.

Modernity is always moving – on and on, faster and faster. Go to any electronics outlet and the products are different from just a few months back. Cameras do different things, likewise TVs, and computers. I have the sense of being left further and further behind, helpless to catch up. The machines seem to be getting more complicated. By the time I reach step 4, I have forgotten step 2. …”

– Bishop Paul Barnett suggests three responses to modernity – read it all at his blog.

Serving God’s words

Adrian Reynolds at The Proclamation Trust draws attention to the book ‘Serving God’s words’, published this time last year – a Festschrift to Peter Adam, with contributions by Don Carson, David Peterson, David Jackman, Peter Jensen, Gerald Bray, Michael Raiter, and others.

– Read the brief review here. Book available here.

The New City Catechism

“Last week Tim Keller asked ‘Why Catechesis Now?’ This morning TGC introduced the New City Catechism, adapted by Tim Keller and Sam Shammas from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York…”

– Andy Naselli has the links and some related resources.

Creeds and Confessions in the Contemporary Church

Carl Trueman was interviewed on the role of creeds and confessions in the church – at Christ the Center broadcast.

Where general church culture is increasingly forgetting the place of creeds, this is worth hearing. The interview starts 5:15 into the audio file.

Related: See also the video about Trueman’s new book The Creedal Imperative here. (Availability.)

‘Churchman’ digitised for the Web

“Church Society are pleased to report that Rob Bradshaw, Director of “Theology on the Web”, has recently digitised and uploaded to the internet, most back articles of Churchman (est 1879), dating from the 1920s. In total Rob has uploaded 3,531 individual Churchman articles to his Biblical Studies website, for which the Council of Church Society express their deep gratitude.

Click here to view the Churchman page on Rob’s Biblical Studies website. It is hoped in due course that these files will also be made available on the Churchman website. …”

– from Church Society’s EV News.

Why I am a Complementarian

“God is graciously moving his universe towards the goal of all things being summed up under Christ (Eph 1:9-10). But this ultimate state of life has already begun, as the Father brings people to the Son, and unites them together under Christ as their head (Eph 4:1-16). …”

– Read Jane Tooher’s essay at the Moore College website.

Free book — first draft of The Point of the Sword

Chris Green, Vice Principal of Oak Hill College in London, gave the Annual Moore College Lectures which concluded this morning. The theme of his lectures was – The Point of the Sword: Applying the Bible to applying the Bible.

He has kindly made available the text of his talks as a book-in-progress.

“I recently gave the Moore College lectures on applying the Bible. The aim is to finish writing them up and publish, but in the meantime here is the first draft, warts and all…”

You can download the 850kb Word file from Chris’ blog.

In addition, videos of his lectures as delivered are available here.

Themelios 37.2

The latest issue of Themelios (issue 37.2) is now available as a free download from The Gospel Coalition.

It includes articles by Don Carson and Mike Ovey, and many book reviews (a review of Paul Barnett’s The Corinthian Question: Why Did the Church Oppose Paul? is among them.)

 

Gender Matters

Last Sunday William Taylor, Rector of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, preached on Gender, Authority and Sexuality.

The 45 minute address is available in video and audio formats.

Should we pray to the Spirit?

“People often ask their pastor – “Is it right to pray to the Spirit?” I wonder – do you have an answer? Do you have a practice in your own prayer life? …”

– Adrian Reynolds at The Proclamation Trust shares some thoughts and a prayer from The Valley of Vision.

The Perfect Saviour: Key themes in Hebrews

Dr. David Peterson draws our attention to an important new book.

(Get a copy.)

Making sense of Scripture’s ‘inconsistency’

“I find it frustrating when I read or hear columnists, pundits, or journalists dismiss Christians as inconsistent because ‘they pick and choose which of the rules in the Bible to obey.’

Most often I hear, ‘Christians ignore lots of Old Testament texts – about not eating raw meat or pork or shellfish, not executing people for breaking the Sabbath, not wearing garments woven with two kinds of material and so on. Then they condemn homosexuality. Aren’t you just picking and choosing what you want to believe from the Bible?’…”

– Tim Keller looks at the relationship of the Old Testament to the New. (h/t Tim Challies.)

← Previous Page — Next Page →