Desiring God 2010 National Conference audio online

The heading says it all. Here.

9Marks at Southeastern Seminary: Biblical Theology

Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds has posted links to videos of five 9Marks sessions recently given at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina. Details here.

(Bear in mind the videos are large files.)

Shadow Gospel

Just released:

Shadow Gospel: Rowan Williams and the Anglican Communion Crisis – by Charles Raven – a new publication from The Latimer Trust in the UK.

Here’s an extract from the preface:

“Although signs of hope are undoubtedly emerging, a secure future for the Anglican Communion rests on an accurate diagnosis of its present ills. In this account of Rowan Williams’ leadership as Archbishop of Canterbury a kind of tragedy unfolds, in which the weight of an historic institution and the resourcefulness of a deeply learned mind are brought to bear in an attempt to sustain the unsustainable – an illusory middle ground between two fundamentally opposed visions of Anglican identity. Read more

Tim Keller’s ‘The Reason for God’ DVD

Barry Cooper, from the Christianity Explored team has posted online a trailer for Tim Keller’s forthcoming The Reason for God DVD. Looks to be very useful.

(h/t Justin Taylor, who has an outline of the sessions.)

Growing capacity for Mission and Ministry

“The unrevoked commission of our risen Lord is to multiply disciples wherever we are (Matthew 28:16-20). Literally Jesus said: ‘as you go, make disciples’. This is for all of us in the places where God has put us.

God wants more and disciples whose baptism demonstrates a real turning from self to Christ and whose lives are changed by obeying his word. God wants faithful followers of Christ to transform his world. The risen Christ not only commissions us to continue his mission in the world but also gives gifted people to build the church…”

– Bishop Trevor Edwards gave a presentation on “Growing Capacity for Mission and Ministry” at the Synod of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn last weekend. His notes are now online.

Carl Trueman teaching on preaching

Colin Adams at Unashamed Workman writes:

“Carl Trueman lectures on the theme ‘The Preacher as a Prophet’. I would add a hearty ‘Amen’ to Trueman’s main thesis: Preaching is ”confronting people with God”, not merely conveying information. This lecture deserves a much wider audience than the 40 or so people who originally heard it.”

Important sermons and articles worth reading

“A few days ago I was thinking back to a few classic sermons and essays that have made a significant impact on my own thinking and ministry. They are the sorts of pieces that can get lost in the shuffle in the midst of book recommendations, classic and contemporary. …

So I thought it might be helpful to ask some pastors and theologians what they would recommend as sermons or essays that have had a special impact on them, or that they would seriously urge students and pastors to consider reading.”

– Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds has a very useful list here, with links.

The Commission of The Risen Jesus

“We gather in this Cathedral today to ordain five persons as priests in the church of God. In due course they will be reminded in the liturgy of their weighty responsibilities and duties in the household of faith and we will hear their solemn vows and undertakings to fulfil the same. We will join in prayer that God will make them equal to their task. But first we must all listen again to the words of the risen Christ…”

– Two weeks ago, Bishop Trevor Edwards preached on John 20:21 at an ordination in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn. Read his sermon here.

Graeme Goldsworthy on The White Horse Inn

Graeme Goldsworthy was interviewed on last week’s White Horse Inn broadcast (29th August 2010).

Well worth a listen.

(In the next few days it will be archived on this page.)

Vacation Reading 2010

“Every summer on vacation, I try to read a variety of things. Here is a thumbnail on each of the books from this past week in South Carolina…

Peter O’Brien’s Consumed by Passion (1993) where he carefully and convincingly argues from 1 Cor 10:33-11:1 and elsewhere against David Bosch and others who maintain that Paul did NOT expect other Christians to evangelize. Paul did, O’Brien argues. Good book on the gospel and evangelism. Careful treatment of key passages. Anything by O’Brien is worth reading.”

– Mark Dever shares thoughts on just some of the books he’s been reading during the northern Summer vacation.

The Archer and the Arrow

“If you are a pastor and haven’t yet read The Trellis and the Vine, you will want to do so. And then you will want to read the follow-up as well. The books are a powerful one-two punch looking first to the big picture of ministry and then focussing in on that one area of utmost importance…”

– Tim Challies reviews The Archer and the Arrow by Phillip Jensen and Paul Grimmond.

Soldiers are not like Macadamia Nuts!

“I have often thought that the typical Aussie bloke is a bit like a Macadamia. You know there is a soft kernel somewhere inside, but the shell is so hard that is seems impossible to crack. So too with soldiers. No doubt there is a spiritual side to them, but the shell is like reinforced concrete. Or so I thought…”

– Ridley College graduate Chaplain Andrew Grills writes about the spiritual openness he has discovered among those to whom he ministers. On the Defence Anglicans website.

And what advice are military chaplains giving Defence Force members looking for churches? It’s a challenge to see if our churches measure up.

(Defence Force Chaplains are always on the lookout for faithful and innovative clergy.)

The Gospel Song — an Animation

At Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin shares an animated video by Chris Powers – based on Sovereign Grace’s ‘The Gospel Song’, and some words from John Piper.

(The song is also available on that page as a free download.)

The Gospel for those broken by the Church

This talk by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt (known to many through The White Horse Inn broadcast) on the topic ‘The Gospel for those broken by the Church’ is well worth your time.

It runs for 50 minutes and is available from New Reformation Press (direct link to 36MB mp3 file).

“For all of you who have been given morality lessons instead of the Gospel, hear how Dr. Rod Rosenbladt succinctly presents Christianity as first and foremost a genuine truth claim about Christ as our righteous substitute, instead of a never ending list of popular religious recipes for personal success.”

(Photo: Bryan Johnson.)