Prayer in time of Bushfire

(Re-post – with severe conditions in NSW and the ACT.) With bushfires raging in Tasmania, the Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, is calling Christians to pray.

Still Not Professionals — free eBook

Free eBook from Desiring God.

Contributions by John Piper, Douglas Wilson, R. C. Sproul, Jr., Daniel L. Akin, Thabiti Anyabwile, Jeff Vanderstelt, Sam Crabtree, Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., & Mike Bullmore.

Seeking the living among the dead

“While I was preaching at communion services in Kinloch, in Lewis, I visited the old cemetery in Laxay where my maternal grandparents are buried. To stand by the grave of loved ones, even at a distance of thirty years from their deaths, is a solemn thing. But the hope of resurrection is as exhilarating as the westerly winds that swirled around me that day. …”

– Iain D Campbell, who blogs at Creideamh (as well as Reformation21) reflects on his visit to the old cemetery on the Isle of Lewis in the far north of Scotland.

Greco-Roman Slavery

“Many modern readers assume that slavery in the New Testament is equivalent to the race-based slavery of the African slave trade. While not defending the Greco-Roman institution of slavery, Tim Keller and Don Carson explain why it’s important not to equate it with the race-based slavery that we may be more familiar with. …”

– Andy Naselli summarises some important facts.

Reading the Bible in 2013

As he has done in previous years, Justin Taylor has posted links to resources to help us, and our congregations, read the Bible consistently. (As well there are reading plans available from YouVersion.)

Of course, you don’t have to read the Bible on an electronic device – these plans can be used in conjunction with a printed Bible too!

Related:

How Not to Read Your Bible in 2013. (Gospel Coalition.)
Bible Reading Plans for 2013 (Ligonier Ministries.)

Amazing Grace — a hymn for the New Year (1773!)

John Newton wrote his most famous hymn, Amazing Grace, 240 years ago.

Over at The John Newton Project, you can read his original words, as well as extracts from his diary for 1st January 1773. He wrote the hymn to accompany his sermon on 1 Chronicles 17. See the video (2:18) here.

Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Christmas message 2012

With thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.

And here is the text of the message formatted to A5 (two-up on an A4 sheet) – perhaps you could use it as a church newsletter insert. (180kb PDF.)

Reminder: Carols from St. Andrew’s Cathedral rebroadcast

Last year’s Christmas Eve Celebration from St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is being replayed this year on Christmas morning.

ABC 1 at 7:00am Christmas Day

Let your friends and neighbours know – and you could watch it over breakfast before heading to church.

If you enjoy it , you could contact the ABC to thank them for broadcasting it again.

Making the most of Christmas

“Here are a few rough and ready suggestions I jotted up for our church about “making the most of every opportunity” (Col 4:5 NIV) for the gospel from the Christmas season…”

– Sandy Grant shares some good ideas at The Briefing.

Peter Adam on Powerful Preaching

Dr Peter Adam was interviewed at St. Helen’s in London for their video series ‘Preaching Matters’.

Most encouraging. (h/t Paul Levy.)

Don Carson at Geneva Push – talks online

Don Carson’s talks from this week’s Geneva Push conference (Multiply ’12) are now online.

A new old translation

A newly digitised text of The Revised Version of 1885 has been added to the Bible translations available at YouVersion. The RV was a key precursor to the RSV and the ESV.

It might not be for everyone, but Dr. Broughton Knox, who would often be seen carrying his battered copy of the RV, would be pleased.

Luke’s Acts as a Historical Source for Paul

“The Acts of the Apostles is critical to historians for establishing (a) the connection between Jesus and earliest Christianity, and (b) a chronology of the life of Paul and its relationship with his letters. In this brief paper we will direct our attention to (b). …”

– Bishop Paul Barnett explores New Testament historicity – at his blog.

Oak Hill magazine – Winter 2012-13

The latest Commentary magazine from Oak Hill in London is now on their website – it’s downloadable as a 12MB PDF file. Individual articles are also available – from this page.

Well worth a read.

Assisted suicide: No room for error!

Bishop of Tasmania John Harrower writes –

“Sobering, indeed frightening letter (I have bolded some text for clarity): Friday, December 7, 2012.” – See why here.

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