Resources

Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey and Andrew Sach have together written an explanation and defence of the doctrine of penal substitution under the title Pierced for our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution (IVP, March 2007). Here they explain briefly the background to the controversy, and give a few examples of the kinds of arguments […]

A friend of mine asserts that no truth of Scripture moves him like that of election. When he thinks of the ignorant home in which he grew up, his friends and relatives still in darkness and his good-living neighbours still on the broad road to hell, tears of joy well up in his eyes at […]

We take up the story1 during Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle ministry … During this period of sustained growth and massive expenditure of effort, the health of Mrs Spurgeon failed quite drastically, leaving her substantially invalided. At the same time, Spurgeon’s health began to suffer. He was prone to depression, combined with and brought on to some […]

Having been reading these letters in an old well-worn volume printed many years ago I was delighted to see this recently published edition by the Banner.1 It is beautifully presented and contains all the hitherto published letters as well as a biographical introduction by Andrew Bonar and a glossary that is so useful when encountering […]

We hear a lot about unconditional love these days – “Jesus loves you, no strings attached,” etc. Does God love unconditionally? Can Christian parents love their children even if these children do not wish to walk in God’s ways? In a popular children’s video series, each show ends with one of the main characters telling […]

Question: Is it any surprise to you that there is currently controversy in Reformed and Evangelical circles over the doctrine of justification, or did you see it coming? Rev. Roberts: I was rather slow in realizing the danger, probably because I ministered in a somewhat remote situation. So I did not see it coming, alas. […]

In September of 1840, Scotland’s famous praying pastor, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, wrote a letter to William Chalmers Burns.1 He wrote, I am deepened in my conviction, that if we are to be instruments in a true revival we must be purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Oh, cry for personal holiness, constant […]

[I wrote this letter recently to a friend who is now living in Canada, who asked the reasons for the spiritual decline in Europe.] You ask, “why the decline?”, and have waited patiently for my response. I don’t know the book you mentioned and would not feel it had much to say to me … […]

Arianne Arianne* had heard something of the Gospel in a congregation some distance away from us, but in terms that were even further away. All she needed to do was to recognize that God existed, that he loved her and that Jesus is the Messiah, sent to Israel in fulfilment of divine promises. There was […]

What a mercy it is to be able to sing, “Rock of Ages cleft for me”. That is, that we recognise that the Lord Jesus is the Rock that was cleft, who was wounded, who shed His precious blood, for us as individuals. The hymn is based on a number of scriptural analogies. Firstly, it […]

In a corner of the Churchyard at Montgomery, Wales, is a space known as The Robber’s Grave. There lie the remains of a young man named JOHN NEWTON, (not the hymnwriter) who was hanged in 1821 at Montgomery for highway robbery. In token of his innocence he asserted, “The grass for one generation at least […]

The life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon was so full of grace, gifts and labour, and so much has been written by and about him, that we must leave out much that is of interest and usefulness in reviewing his life and ministry.1 He was born in Kelvedon, a village in the county of Essex in […]

A review by the Rt Revd Dr J. Barry Shucksmith of Authentic Christianity: Sermons on the Acts of the Apostles, Volume 6 (Acts 8:1-35) by Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.1 This is the final volume in a set of six excellent books on the Acts of the Apostles. The first volume was issued in 1999. Those […]

Franco was born on the 7th of July, 1937, in Turin, Italy. From an early age, Franco had a deep hunger for God. For a time he followed a hard life in a monastery near Rome. After that he trained as a priest. His motive was always the same. He wanted to find God for […]

Send in the clowns! Trinity Episcopalian church on Wall Street, New York, had a ‘clowning’ good time at a Sunday worship service. The congregation was encouraged to come as clowns, red noses and all, while the choir and clergy all wore clown outfits with oversized shoes and painted faces. The whole service was done in […]