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Privacy PolicyWorldliness in old age Politicians today speak of the importance of ‘the grey vote’. We in the church must take that same section of the congregation into account. Those with grey hair (or none) make up an increasing proportion of our membership, those who have, in the words of the great Puritan theologian, John Owen,…
Keep readingDavid Bogue: the forgotten man (1750-1825) David Bogue is ‘one of the greatest of the forgotten figures of Church History’ (Iain Murray) and especially of the history of missions. After the Moravians, William Carey, rightly, took centre stage. However, Bogue was very influential both before and after that. The London Missionary Society Bogue was converted…
Keep readingThe simple gospel? Many a young preacher has been advised, ‘Just preach a simple gospel sermon’. Many have also found that this is easier said than done. The sermon may be over-simplified or simply be inaccurate. Both these dangers can be seen in the use of ‘the ABC of the gospel’: Accept that you’re a…
Keep readingTurning points in church history: 13. Pre ’59 revival – Part 2: Scotland Henry Cooke (see pages 14-15 in the May/June issue) had strong links with the evangelical church in Scotland, which had to go through similar travails to Ireland’s and to these we now turn. Moderatism in Scotland The church in Scotland from 1760…
Keep readingChristianity is unacceptably intolerant Does this mean, then, that some intolerance is acceptable? Probably, for there are many who say that they will tolerate anything except (Christian) intolerance. Some things, such as child abuse, are not to be tolerated at any cost, but generally we must not judge or condemn anything. Deviant sexual practices are…
Keep readingTurning points in church history: 13. Pre ’59 revival – Part 1: Ireland What is the link, if any, between reformation and revival? An answer to this question depends on definition: it all depends on what you mean by… What is the relation of prayer to both? Is believing prayer for an outpouring of the…
Keep readingIt is not death to die In the year 1881, Jessie Murray, a missionary in China, wrote home describing the death of a Chinese schoolgirl: ‘It seemed as if she had been … to the very door of heaven.’ She had said she was, ‘Inexpressibly happy. I wish you could come – there is nothing…
Keep readingPraying for the preaching We must pray for preachers, but what should we ask for. Some reply, ‘For unction,’ but this lacks scriptural basis. Unction (or anointing) in Scripture indicated that a man was set apart and equipped for God’s service once-for-all (Luke 4:16-21; 2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:20,27). This is not a…
Keep readingWilliam Carey, the father of modern missions? On 2 October 1792 twelve Baptist pastors, meeting in Kettering, resolved to form ‘The Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Heathen’, the first of many similar ventures. William Carey, the inspiration behind this, has generally been known as ‘the father of modern missions’….
Keep readingTurning points in church history 11. The year 1739 How marvellous to have been a fly on the wall at the Town Hall in Cardiff on 7 March 1739. On that day the great, but still young, English preacher, George Whitefield, met the slightly older Welsh ‘exhorter’, Howel Harris. They felt an instant bond. ‘When…
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