This is an excellent exposition of Judges, written by the pastor of an English-speaking church in Switzerland. Based on a sermon series, it is readable yet comprehensive; warm in tone, yet forthright in exhortation. Judges covers an early period in biblical history. It traces the 350 years between the conquest of Canaan under Joshua…
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This is a very short book, with just 35 pages of text, designed to explain the “Essentials” of Christianity to unbelievers. It’s based on verses from Luke’s gospel. It’s split into 5 parts, entitled Reveal, Reject, Rescue, Relationship, and Response; these cover the main bases of the gospel – who is God, what is…
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I needed to read this book. So might you, if you feel discouraged about your evangelistic efforts and need extra impetus to say those things you know to be important, yet never get round to saying. Mike Mellor is a man with an evangelist’s heart. This book is his heart and soul. It is…
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Taking a step back from the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of parenting, Harriet Connor explores the bigger picture of what the goal of raising our children is. This is not an instruction manual, but rather an exposition on the Bible’s theology of parenting. Some of the areas the author explores are the purpose of life…
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“‘Hell’ may be a very popular word, but hell is a hugely unpopular subject” (p.5). So writes Blanchard in his introduction to this helpful little book. We may not want to think or speak about hell, but we must discover what the Bible says on this serious topic. A clear grasp of the truth…
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This is a lightweight booklet dealing with a heavy subject: hell. The author divides his subject into headings. Hell is: factual, fearful, fair; final. We are then given (in the shortest chapter) the way of escape. This subject should concern all Christians. It naturally stirs concern for those most close to us: family, loved…
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Geoff Thomas, in his recommendation of this title, writes: ‘This is a unique book, coming from a qualified, experienced and deeply thoughtful man, dealing with a subject demanding much insight, compassion and also plain speaking’. Alan Thomas is a consultant psychiatrist and church elder. He knows that churches find within their congregations all sorts…
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These booklets are a resource for those leading young people’s Bible study groups. They comprise a leader’s manual and accompanying student handbooks. It is a course based on an earlier book by Chris Richards and Liz Jones, published in 2014 and carrying the same title. The purpose is to provide Christian young people with…
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These booklets are a resource for those leading young people’s Bible study groups. They comprise a leader’s manual and accompanying student handbooks. It is a course based on an earlier book by Chris Richards and Liz Jones, published in 2014 and carrying the same title. The purpose is to provide Christian young people with…
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This is a collection of 13 hymns, sung by Northern Irish Free Presbyterian choirs, to commemorate and reaffirm the truth of justification by faith alone. It has been part of the 500th year anniversary celebration of the start of the Protestant Reformation. The singing is excellent. Listening to it has been a spiritually refreshing…
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This is the third of six books under the title of ‘looking at the Bible’. I had not yet read any of this series, but would recommend reading them in order — I found it frustrating being unable to look up numerous references to other books in the series! Book 3 addresses the issue…
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It comes as a surprise to some that Charles Spurgeon had a lifelong battle with depression. His reputation as a famed and powerful preacher, his cheery wit, and his sheer manliness might lead us to imagine there could never be a chink in his Victorian Englishman’s armour. It shouldn’t be a surprise, of course:…
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We are drifting back to the era of the Test Acts. For those who don’t know, the Test Acts were a series of laws which set a religious test on holding public office. In effect, nonconformists and others were banned from a number of roles in society — simply because they were not Anglicans.…
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It is becoming increasingly popular for theologians to accept the idea that Jesus, because of his human nature, erred in what he taught and believed about the Old Testament. Recently, well-known apologist William Lane Craig made some interesting comments on this issue, in response to a non-Christian’s question about Jesus’ belief in the historicity…
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Celebrity status is temporary. Time races on, life is congested and we soon forget. Of course, some towering figures of the past adorn our history books, but most slip down the list of must-know people and events, and are forgotten. Consequently, although we are aware of some of the greats of eighteenth century Christian…
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We have an announcement to make — today, our families and marriages are under siege. Good communication and conflict resolution are important in a healthy and edifying marriage and home life, but are they missing in ours? Marital disagreements may occur for various reasons. There can be unrealistic expectations of our spouse, or the…
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As one animated sitcom in America wryly pointed out, Christian rock music doesn’t make Christianity better, it just makes rock and roll worse. It’s a fair summary of pretty much anything we try to do as Christians in the name of marrying Christianity to whatever passes as ‘wicked’ or ‘wizard’ among the youth these…
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Church leaders often ask how they should respond when a person who is being disciplined by the church resigns before the process of discipline is complete. Should they accept the resignation or continue moving toward excommunication? Suppose a man decides to leave his wife for another woman. Other members of the church ask the…
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The apostle Paul prayed that the Ephesian church would know: ‘What is the exceeding greatness of [God’s] power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might…
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Astonishing as it may seem, some people believe that robots should have rights. Yes, I really mean it. They think that the up-and-coming generation of ‘intelligent machines’ that will do the housework, weed the garden and politely attend to your every wish should be treated with proper respect. In May 2017, the European Parliament…
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Anthony Burgess (d. 1664) Recently, my favourite Puritan to read has been Anthony Burgess, vicar of Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, from 1635 to 1662. In my opinion, he is the most underrated Puritan of all time. I once asked Iain Murray why Burgess was not included in the nineteenth-century sets of the works of the…
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‘The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David’ (1 Samuel 18:1); ‘your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing that of a woman’ (2 Samuel 1:26). In China’s past, close female friends sometimes bound themselves to each other in friendship by means of a voluntary contract called Laotong — a contract in…
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Evangelical churches in the UK currently face the challenge of maintaining gospel proclamation, as well as defending scriptural principles and teaching against attacks from all sides. According to evangelical organisations and gospel partnerships, traditional, Bible-believing congregations across the UK are not just facing the ongoing challenge ‘to do the work of an evangelist’, but…
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With approximately one million pensioners isolated from human company, a new government minister might help provide support for later life services. Labour MP Frank Field has revealed as many as one million older people are starving in their homes because of loneliness and isolation. His recent report to Parliament cites a woman in her…
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Nicole James reports from Sweden In the Scandinavian country where they are growing up, many young Somalis encounter Jesus through their classmates and friends, according to long-term OM worker Bertil, who facilitates a global network of Somali believers. ‘We see some young people who are really coming up strong in the Lord’, he declared.…
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On 27 January, approximately 250 people from 38 different churches and organisations met at St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, Kent, to celebrate the induction of Kevin Bracken as pastor of Otford Evangelical Free Church (OEFC) and give thanks to God. Rodney Lissenden, church secretary and a deacon of OEFC, introduced proceedings by thanking all the…
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Fortrose Free Church has begun its long-awaited building project with the laying of its foundation. The new building, due for completion by this autumn, is expected to cost around £750,000, most of which has already been raised by the congregation themselves. To help reach their target, the congregation held an open day in December,…
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In January 2018, Grace Baptist minister Daniel Funke and his wife Monet were sent as church planters to Govan in Glasgow, Scotland, where a Reformed Baptist church was threatened with closure. Starting again, the building provides a base to reach the 10,000 homes, for whose occupants this is the nearest evangelical church. The church…
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Christian Witness to Israel (CWI), one of the oldest missions bringing the good news of Jesus to Jewish people, has marked its 175th anniversary. The special anniversary event, held at St Aldates in Oxford on 27 January, featured several of CWI’s international team of missionaries. These included Igal Vender, who works with Jewish homeless…
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Lelystad in the Netherlands witnessed the launch of Operation Mobilisation’s first riverboat, as it sailed to the Netherlands. The highly anticipated voyage was realised after more than two years of planning and groundwork, since mid-2015. Robert-Jan Sterk, project director of the Riverboat, has been working hard to realise the dream of a Riverboat ministry…
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How would you raise £100 in a month? Why would you bother? Members of Binscombe Church in Surrey have a good reason and some great ideas. They’re raising money for a new church building, fit for the purpose of reaching the local community with the gospel. Binscombe, just north of Godalming, is a housing…
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Earlier this year, the 23rd missionary conference of Hope to People was held in Rivne, Ukraine. The topic was the words of Paul, ‘So that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it’ (2 Timothy 4:17). Every day from 21-28 January, Christians who care about fulfilment of…
Read more Wycliffe has been exploring different ways to engage people from oral cultures with Scripture and stories from the Bible. The Bible translation organisation has been creating audio Bibles to help reach people groups through special media players, apps, the radio or online. Wycliffe has also been helping to foster Bible-listening groups, for people to…
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The Free Church of Scotland’s bookshop has closed its physical doors for the final time, as the denomination moves towards the provision of a new online book service. The decision to close the bookstore and move towards an online presence to increase the reach and impact of the Free Church book service was made…
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The 66th Free Church School in Theology programme has been finalised for 2018. Speakers and subjects have now been chosen. They include Rev. E. Trevor Kirkland, speaking on ‘The Synod of Dort: causes and consequences’; Rev. William Macleod on ‘The work of Christ’ in Colossians 1:12-20; and Rev. Craig Dennison, on ‘Individual, leading personal…
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Family Education Trust director Norman Wells has criticised an organisation that seeks to present the ‘fun’ of gender fluidity to toddlers, claiming this is desensitising children to their own identity. ‘Drag Queen Story Time’, supported by the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), aims to ‘capture the imagination and fun of the gender fluidity of…
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Medical professionals may be given freedom of conscience over ethical decisions, if a bill is passed into British law. Brought to ensure conscientious objection rights for all medical professionals, the Conscientious Objection (Medical Activities) Bill, sponsored by Baroness Nuala O’Loan, was debated in Parliament earlier this year. The bill aims to clarify the law…
Read more Men who register with their GP as women are being routinely invited to breast cancer screenings and smear tests by the National Health Service. This is still the case, even if men have not had the operation to become a woman and therefore do not have a cervix that would require a smear test.…
Read more Church attendance is continuing to fall, according to the latest UK church statistics from the Brierley Consultancy. UK Church Statistics No 3 2018 Edition presents a thorough survey of church membership, churches and congregations from all four UK countries, outlining the years between 2012 and 2017, and giving a forecast for 2022. According to…
Read more The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has set up a forum to help all victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The Victims and Survivors Forum is open to all and aims to make it easier for people affected by abuse to engage with the forum, which has been created by the inquiry,…
Read more Muslim women must be given more protection from sharia law, when it comes to family law and divorce, an independent review has found. The government’s independent review, Applying sharia law in England and Wales, has recommended changes to offer greater protection for Muslim women. One of the recommendations — which has been rejected by…
Read more The case is Molla Sali v. Greece, an inheritance dispute. Ms Molla Sali inherited the entire estate of her husband when he died, under the terms of a will he had drawn up in accordance with Greek law. Two sisters of her husband are claiming that, since her husband was a Muslim, the inheritance…
Read more Officials have demolished two church buildings in Shaanxi province and Christians are concerned about increasing pressure since Xi Jinping became president in 2013. On 27 December 2017, local authorities in Zhifang village in Lauyu district, demolished a church, after claiming that it was built on illegally occupied land. According to media reports, almost 100…
Read more Bristol Employment Tribunal has heard the case of Christian teacher Bristol Employment Tribunal has heard the case of Christian teacher Svetlana Powell, who was dismissed from the T2 Apprenticeship Academy after she answered questions from students. Mrs Powell, who has taught for 17 years, was branded a ‘radicalisation threat’ and dismissed in July 2016,…
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Ofsted’s chief inspector of schools, Amanda Spielman, has berated traditional branches of the church and the Christian Institute, intimating these were ‘extremists’ who ‘pervert’ education. As reported in The Times, Ms Spielman gave a speech to Anglican school leaders, in which she said, ‘Rather than adopting a passive liberalism that says “Anything goes”, for…
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The new semester at Singapore’s Emmanuel Reformed Bible College (ERBC) started on 5 January, with approximately 50 pastors, lay leaders, students and church members from Life Bible-Presbyterian Church who attended. In a newsletter, dean of students Jack Sin commented: ‘We thank God for six new full-time students who joined the college, and many part time students —…
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Rachael Denhollander, former gymnast and committed Christian, delivered a strong and clear testimony of God’s saving power while appearing in court. Ms Denhollander, who had been sexually abused by disgraced team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nasser, was given 40 minutes to address the court and Nasser during his sentencing. Instead of using the time…
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Thousands of Yemeni children have been killed or injured in the conflict with Saudi Arabia, children’s agency UNICEF has warned. According to aid organisations, war-torn, wracked by famine and disease, Yemen is enduring what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. In a recent UNICEF report, it said a further 400,000…
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More than 100 people have been killed and 150 wounded in a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital of Kabul in January. As reported in the London Evening Standard, the attacker is said to have used an ambulance to get through a security point, telling police he was taking a patient to a nearby…
Read more An independent delegation of politicians and religious leaders has visited conflict-ridden Syria to hear the views of local Syrian leaders. Last year, the delegation, which included Baroness Cox, Lord Hylton and Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, listened to what Syrians were thinking about their current conflict situation and what is needed to resolve…
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This commentary from Philip Eveson, in the Welwyn Commentary Series, begins with a ten-page introduction, briefly touching on psalm headings (part of the Hebrew text); the division of the Psalter into five books; different types of psalm (praise, prayer, thanksgiving, wisdom, law, history, etc.); Hebrew poetry; musical accompaniment; and the use of psalms in…
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I enjoyed this slim volume immensely. Its contributors point out that faithfulness means clarity about the gospel and about contemporary delusions about sin. The contributors are realistic about the pressures facing faithful servants of God in Anglican ministry especially. It was well embodied, for example, in one of evangelical Anglicanism’s luminaries, Bishop J. C.…
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