Chief Repenter
“If the pastor is not the chief repenter, the Gospel is a theoretical solution to the theoretical problem of sin for theoretical sinners, if there are any present.”
- Jack Miller
Echos of Luther’s first thesis, All of Life is Repentance…
Read MoreJ. Gresham Machen Quotes
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“The Christian cannot be satisfied so long as any human activity is either opposed to Christianity or out of connection with Christianity. Christianity must pervade not merely all nations but also all of human thought.”
“I’m so thankful for the active obedience of Christ.
No hope without it.”
On Leadership / Ordination
Bishop Alf Stanway speaking to prospective ordinands…
Read More“If other people knew you the way God knows you – your failings; your thoughts; your sins – what secretly goes on in your mind that no-one else knows about; would they trust you with the kind of work that God trusts you with? God has supreme confidence in His Grace. He’ll take the likes of you and me and Paul and give you the privilege of being His saints and fellow workers.”
The Unquenchable Flame
Last term we had a reading week at Cornhill… we were given the choice to read The Unquenchable Flame by Mike Reeves, or You Can Change by Tim Chester… I had wanted to read both, but chose the former.
As it happens, I didn’t read it then anyone… I filled my week up with other things… but I did finish it soon after! It’s a whilstle stop tour of the Reformation in Europe from the pre-reformation indulgences to the post-reformation Puritans and everything else in between.
Reeves keeps his good humour and slightly zany approach to historical theology. The main players and events are introduced in a novelistic kind of way, you feel a certain attachment and fondness for Luther as he drinks beer and Calvin as he’s hounded across Europe.
For me the best bit is the chapter on the English Reformation and the focus on William Tyndale. It’s the best because I live in England, it feels that much closer to home… this man died for the sake of the gospel and that I might be able to read the Bible in English!
“If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou doest.”
“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”
You can buy the book on Amazon, currently for just £5.64 – Bargain!!
Read MoreQuestions for Muslims #3
So, at Cornhill today we were thinking about Cross-Cultural Mission… and I should say I haven’t had a chance to reference in a Qu’ran
One of the things that came up in passing was about Final Judgement…
Isa (Jesus) according to Islam is the one who will execute final judgement. For the Muslim, as I understand (I may well be wrong), they hope (uncertain hope) that Muhammed will intercede, will give a good word to Isa.
So the question is quite simple…
Why follow the mediator (Muhammed), when you can be friends with the judge himself (Jesus)?
…it seems like a more certain way to approach final judgement?
Read MoreEngaged
The Happy Couple
Happy New Year!
Good news… HughBo is Engaged to Miss Ali Payne!
Ali is a primary school teacher and a bit of a loud mouth. Her friends call her ‘Tosh’ a nickname derived from an alleged likeness to DI Tosh from The Bill.
Ali's Fat Engagement Ring... donations welcome
HughBo was pretty smooth if I do say so myself… a trip to see the Lion King (borrowed some old theatre vouchers), a 3-course dinner at a classy Pizza Express (£10 off courtesy of Tesco), New Year Fireworks (free), a bit of snow (free) and an engagement ring (£10 off from a Christmas present Post Office voucher).
Just shows that I’m still a romantic at heart…. “Will you make my decade?…”
She said YES… bonus.
Save the date: Saturday 31st July 2010
Ps. I still maintain all weddings are the same
Read MoreThe Power of Words
We’re preaching through Proverbs at church… we did 1-9 expositionally and now we’re doing the rest thematically. I got to kick this off with the theme of Words. Most of the thinking is gleaned from Tim Keller… he’s pretty helpful.
Download Talk (mp3)
Talk Notes (doc)
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