On Leadership / Ordination

Bishop Alf Stanway speaking to prospective ordinands…

“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

unquenchableLast 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!!