Doing a little study this afternoon, I came across this illuminating section from B. B. Warfield on the parable of the prodigal son, and the danger of make it a definitive statement of the gospel. Given the parable's present popularity as a sort of quintessential gospel declaration and its...

A recent book enjoys the witty title, Saving Eutychus . The book itself is intended to encourage and assist preachers to preach engaging sermons in the hopes of preventing their congregations tumbling out of windows to their death, or something along those lines. Please understand that I am all for...

The advertisement below (I apologise for the quality of the shot, but it was the best that could be managed under the circumstances), seen on the back of a bus in my region of the UK, was pointed out to me yesterday: Undoubtedly, next month there will an advertisement encouraging evangelical...

You may not usually listen to Mortification of Spin .That's fine. But just give the first minute of this latest one a listen to hear Carl give every letter of the word marijuana it's full weight and value. I think it's fair to say that they have carried him outside his comfort zone for this one. (...

Because he still has those who offer to him . May God have mercy upon us.

I don't want to steal Rick Phillips' thunder , and I don't believe I will be trampling over his toes. However, I should also like to pick up on John Piper's lecture at Westminster, but from a different angle. Here are the twelve characteristics of the new Calvinism that Piper identified, as...

I have recently been looking into and using Logos a little more (review on its way, I hope) and I thought I might draw attention to a few bits and pieces. For those who don't know, the Logos reader is free and you then just tack on the substance you want. In addition, when looking for new material...

Just in case someone thinks that the observance of Lent is not the start of a slippery slope, consider the following sad case of a man who thought it did not matter much . . .

I have just returned from a very pleasant week of fellowship and ministry among the Reformed Presbyterians in Northern Ireland. It was my privilege to preach at the Knockbracken Bible Week, as well as at a men's meeting beforehand, and to the students at the Reformed Theological College during one...

Anyone else hoping that Todd's reference to "Great Brittan" is somehow ironic? Scholarship . . . alive and well at Reformation21.

I have just seen two profoundly moving videos at Justin Taylor's blog . The second I have seen before: the Kimyal tribe of West Papua, Indonesia, receiving New Testaments in their own language for the first time. The first, equally telling, is much briefer, showing believers in China rushing to...

I may have fallen victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is, "Never get involved in a land war in Asia," but only slightly less well known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!" Then further down the pecking order comes this one: "Never quote Owen in...

I wonder if I might draw your attention to a series of volumes that ought to be known to church historians and historical theologians, and those who are interested in the same? The series is published by Reformation Heritage Books, and each volume so far has been compiled and introduced by James T...

I hope that I will be able at some point to provide a review of Tom Nettles' excellent volume, Living for Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (pastors and preachers, you need this book, and can get it at Amazon.com , Amazon.co.uk , Westminster ). In the...

8 7. 8 7. D (Hyfrydol) Psalm 107 Oh give thanks to God our Saviour For his mercy rich and free; Sing his praise who find his favour, Rescued from the enemy. Every land gives up his chosen, Gathered up from east and west; North and south send forth his people, Each redeemed and fully blessed...

I am always - well, sometimes - grieved to grieve Mr Levy. Clearly I have burdened an already burdened man, and in ways that I have not (on this occasion) intended. And so a little comeback on his pushback : I agree that evangelising can become just another stick to beat people with. In some...

I do not often sympathise with Anglican vicars, but I did feel a mite of solidarity with the Reverend Simon Tatton-Brown of St Andrew's Church, Chippenham, Wilts., when I heard his unfortunate story . Caught short by the demands of a nativity address, he decided to regale his infant congregation...

A couple of bits and pieces to recommend, either of which you might already have sampled, I hope to your edification. First, Antinomianism by Mark Jones ( Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Westminster ). We are not lacking expressions of the blunter forms of antinomianism in our day, but the phenomenon...

Thank you for following through this series on effective personal evangelism. For ease of reference, here are the links and topics: Introduction Love Tenacity Boldness Consistency Understanding Prayer Faith Experience Encouragement Summary This is not an exhaustive list, by any means, but I am...

The Westminster Conference is taking place on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th December at Regent Hall on Oxford Street. This year, the topics are, I hope, particularly timely, speaking to current issues and pressing needs in the church of Christ, and bringing the wisdom and experience of the past to...

As we move toward the end of this series, the marks of effective personal evangelism we have surveyed so far are love , tenacity , boldness , consistency , understanding , prayer and faith . The eighth mark of the effective personal evangelist is experience . If we engage in this kind of gospel...

The marks of effective personal evangelism we have surveyed so far are love , tenacity , boldness , consistency , understanding and prayer . The seventh mark of the effective personal evangelist is faith . With prayer is allied faith. Think of how the apostle speaks at the beginning of the letter...

While immensely thankful for the benefits of modern travel, there are elements of it that are not in the first rank of Walker enjoyments. I tend toward dislike of the experience of being herded and managed, with even the temperature of the environment sometimes being adjusted in order to prompt...

To date, we have looked briefly at love , tenacity , boldness and consistency as particular features of the effective personal evangelist. The fifth mark of the effective personal evangelist is understanding . We have said that we do not need special training - a degree course, or formal, academic...