Making the most of Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2012 
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“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

Posted on December 17, 2012 
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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

Posted on December 16, 2012 
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Don Carson’s talks from this week’s Geneva Push conference (Multiply ’12) are now online.

In Praise of Singing

Posted on December 15, 2012 
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“Music is emotional: be it happiness or sorrow it engages us emotionally (e.g. Psalm 137, James 5:13). Singing gives voice to our emotions. Congregational singing unites us in expressing our common belief by articulating how Christians feel.

A fortnight ago, at the thanksgiving for the life of John Chapman, the force and beauty of congregational singing was palpable. Maybe it was because I was standing in the middle of the congregation, between the organ and the brass, that I was overwhelmed by the sheer power of the music, but others have commented to me about the effects of the hymns. …”

– Phillip Jensen, Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, writes.

The Kirk without the People

Posted on December 14, 2012 
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“In PR terms it has been a disaster for the Church of Scotland and one entirely of their own making.”

– Peter Robertson at St. Peter’s Free Church in Dundee writes a detailed response, from his outside perspective, to the Church of Scotland’s public statement on the departure of the congregation of St. George’s Tron.

Related: A new home for our church family

“The Tron church family has moved. Sunday morning 9 December 2012 was our last meeting in the St George’s building in Buchanan Street and we are now preparing to formally hand over the building as soon as possible to the Presbytery of Glasgow as requested. We have begun a new stage in our life as a church family, meeting as normal but in our new location: 25 Bath Street. It’s just a block away from the old building and we’ll have all our services there from now.”

(To see something of the building, check this video.
And please pray for the members of The Tron.)

A new old translation

Posted on December 14, 2012 
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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

Posted on December 14, 2012 
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“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.

New Centre for Ministry Development

Posted on December 12, 2012 
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News from Moore College –

Moore College’s campus in Newtown is becoming a “ministry training and theological education precinct”. A growing number of organisations, devoted to serving the churches in these ways – are being located on the campus, enabling closer cooperation and partnership. Part of this development has been the creation by Moore College of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre and the Centre for Christian Living.

The College is pleased to announce plans to establish a new centre: the Centre for Ministry Development (CMD). CMD will partner closely with other best practice ministry training practitioners to help pastors and ministers strengthen their ministries through training and support that is personal, localised and practical.

“Faithful Christian ministers always long to serve Christ and his people with more insight, improved skills and greater effectiveness. We believe that full-time theological education builds a firm foundation, and that ministers then need ongoing development to be the most faithful and effective ministers they can be. CMD will support this development with the best possible coaching and training tools,” said Principal John Woodhouse.

“I am delighted to announce that the experienced pastor and church planter, Archie Poulos, will lead this new initiative,” said Dr Woodhouse. “Archie is currently the head of the Ministry Department at Moore College and is widely known for his pastoral care and wisdom as well as his wealth of perceptiveness and ability in ministry matters.”

The Centre for Ministry Development will be officially launched in the first half of 2013. More details on the centre and it’s activities will be made available in the New Year.

– Source.

Tears as Tron congregation leave church for last time

Posted on December 12, 2012 
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“The pews of St George’s Tron in Buchanan Street were busy as 500 worshippers came to hear its minister, the Rev Dr Willie Philip, deliver the final sermon. …

Before beginning his sermon yesterday, the minister told members that all further services were being held at a hall in nearby Bath Street.” – Story from The Scotsman.

Meetings now to be held at 25 Bath Street, Glasgow.

Related:

Oak Hill magazine – Winter 2012-13

Posted on December 11, 2012 
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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.

Reform Newsletter December 2012

Posted on December 11, 2012 
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Reform has posted excerpts from their current newsletter, with a focus on ‘the Women Bishops Measure’.

Death and Life and your Tongue

Posted on December 11, 2012 
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“Proverbs warns us of the power of the tongue, which is to say, the power of our words…”

– Tim Challies has some good advice for all of us.

AnglicanTV Interviews Bishop Mark Lawrence

Posted on December 11, 2012 
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45 minutes, here. And a good reminder to pray for the people of the Diocese of South Carolina.

St George’s Tron last Sunday in Church of Scotland

Posted on December 10, 2012 
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“The congregation of a Glasgow church has held its final service before leaving the Church of Scotland. …”

– BBC News report.

Assisted suicide: No room for error!

Posted on December 9, 2012 
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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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