Australia’s first parish clergyman
Peter Bolt’s second book in the Studies in Australian Colonial History series is now available for pre-order.
“William Cowper arrived in NSW in August 1809 to become the minister at St Phillip’s Sydney. Across 49 years of ministry he must have baptised, married or buried, most of the population! Cowper was instrumental in setting up many of the social institutions that helped to establish a more wholesome society as NSW moved from penal colony to nationhood. His children were also pioneers, each in their own way, in building our nation. It is a gauge of the significance of his influence in the colony that when he died, Sydney closed down and 25,000 people lined the streets for his funeral. His impact had been strongly felt in NSW.”
– William Cowper (1778-1858): The Indispensable Parson. The Life and Influence of Australia’s First Parish Clergyman.
Details on how to pre-order the book here (PDF file).
Why Johnny Can’t Preach
In a recent edition of The White Horse Inn broadcast, Michael Horton spoke with T. David Gordon, author of Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped The Messengers.
The programme may be heard at OnePlace – and the book is available at Reformers’ Bookshop.
Monday morning encouragement
At Desiring God, Bill Walsh writes briefly on ‘The Main Thing to Rejoice About in Ministry’ –
‘Praise God for the times of effective ministry that he allows us to experience. If you’re like me you get excited when you see the fruitfulness of any ministry that God calls you to do. It is a thrill to see him at work, putting to use the gifts and callings that he has granted to us for the cause of the Kingdom.
But in Luke 10 Christ challenges us to test our own hearts, by examining what we rejoice in most.’
– Food for thought at the Desiring God blog.
Why should Christians be interested in Ethics in Medicine?
Dr Andrew Cole spoke at the recent CASE conference on ‘Medical Ethics: Christian Perspectives on Life and Death’. His topic was Why should Christians be interested in Ethics in Medicine?
The audio of his talk is now online (45 min /5.2MB mp3 direct link) – with details of the other audio coming soon. As always: simple, clear and Biblical. (Photo: ISPRM.)
No, Mr. President
Taken from an address by John Piper in January, this hard-hitting video on the President’s support on abortion is worth watching.
It runs for three and a half minutes – at YouTube. (h/t Justin Taylor.) Original message here.
Being a good pastor of Christ’s flock
Sovereign Grace Ministries in Maryland have posted online downloads from their Pastors Conference held last month.
Both audio files and PDF files of notes of the main sessions and the seminars are freely available at their website.
Strong words of encouragement to all who are entrusted with the ministry of caring for Christ’s flock.
Even better than forgiven
“The voice that spells forgiveness will say: ‘You may go: you have been let off the penalty which your sin deserves.’
But the verdict which means acceptance [justification] will say: ‘You may come; you who are welcome to all my love and my presence.’”
– Sir Marcus Loane, quoted in John Stott, The Message of Romans. (Thanks to Of First Importance.)
Archbishop Peter Jensen in Ireland
The Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy has posted online the video of two addresses by Archbishop Peter Jensen – given at St. Saviour’s, Dollingstown in Ireland on 20th April 2009. A large crowd of lay people and clergy was on hand to hear Peter speak.
The first message is from Jeremiah 9 (15 minutes), and is a call to repentance.
The second talk, ‘Refresh the Vision’ (49 minutes), is a commentary on the situation in the Anglican Communion and is a strong call to faithfulness, courage and sacrifice. Worth passing on.
The Gospel in three minutes
This three minute video was produced for the UCCF New Word Alive 08 conference.
h/t Unashamed Workman.
Foxes Book of Martyrs
Foxes Book of Martyrs is the free audio book from ChristianAudio during May.
Richard Dawkins and John Lennox on The God Delusion
This debate – on Richard Dawkins’ celebrated book The God Delusion – took place in Birmingham, Alabama, in October 2007.
The video is well worth watching – right to the end.
April 2009 Themelios online
The latest version of Themelios – now published by The Gospel Coalition – is available from their website.
Worth downloading and reading!
Escaping Anonymity
“Left to our own devices, we will soon devise or succumb to all kinds of evil. As Christians we know that we need other believers to hold us accountable to the standards of Scripture. …”
– Tim Challies writes at Ligonier Ministries’ Tabletalk.
Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference audio and video online
Audio and video files of the main talks at last week’s The Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference in Chicago are now online.
Better Bishops
“Reform is sometimes heard as being, at heart, opposed to episcopacy itself. Occasionally we are accused of being ‘congregational’. This is where Mark Burkill’s booklet is so helpful. He carefully reviews the history of how episcopacy has developed and shows that while it cannot be regarded as ‘essential’ to the life of the church, it is nevertheless a wise way to order our affairs. … Mark’s booklet highlights the benefits of a biblical approach to episcopacy and helps us to see how we can support godly bishops. …
He finishes with a plea that something which is a secondary feature of church life should not be regarded as primary.”
– Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform, writes about Mark Burkill’s booklet Better Bishops – published by Reform in December 2008, and now made available on their website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…