This post is an extract of a guest post I wrote for my friend Kevin Brown, the pastor of The Perfecting Church. You can read the rest on their site. About a week ago I noticed it again. Over on my blog, out of nowhere once again a particular post sprung up again into my list of ten most popular posts. Actually, this week it shot into second place. This happens regularly about this time of year, and each time... Read more
The Guardian has a fascinating report on the incredible progress of the Chinese Church, and calvinism in particular: Although Calvinism is shrinking in western Europe and North America, it is experiencing an extraordinary success . . .as an elite religion in China . . .There may be some parallels with the growth of Calvinism in South Korea, where the biggest presbyterian churches in the world are to be found, but it’s absolutely unlike the pattern in Africa and Latin America.... Read more
My friend Ed Stetzer has a great post about the incredible way God is at work in many nations around the world and how we have more to learn from these churches than teach. As an example One example is Almolonga, Guatemala. Prior to the transformation in the 1990s, this highlands village had a very high alcohol consumption rate among the men. There were 36 cantinas where alcohol could be consumed. There were four jails, usually overflowing, with the additional... Read more
Joe Carter shared a fascinating study which has demonstrated that The British Have Invaded 90% Of The World. In other words, there are only 22 current nations who my forefathers have not invaded at some point in history. What is really interesting in my nation is that we don’t seem to know how to think or feel about our military interventions in years gone by. By all accounts Germans remain fundamentally regretful and embarrassed of their past. The French on the... Read more
The subject of child sexual abuse is never far from our newspapers these days. As Christians, and especially as church leaders, I do believe that our duties are very clear morally. Although I am not a lawyer, I understand that in most jurisdictions they are also pretty clear legally. If you are a pastor reading this you would do well to dig out your church’s child protection policy and make sure it is up to date, workable, and compliant with... Read more
This is a sermon that changed a movement. Anybody who has been in the same family of churches as me for any length of time will probably have heard mention of this sermon by Simon Pettit. Until now it has not been available to watch online. This really was a transforming message, and as a direct result of this sermon countless ministries to help the poor were started by Newfrontiers churches. The impact of this talk is still being felt today... Read more
Are you a reluctant leader? Or do you lack convictions, yet pursue leadership anyway? Al Mohler will help you become one of the rounded leaders the church so desperately needs. The Conviction to Lead is now available to purchase. This book grabbed my attention early on with its bold claim, “Let me warn you right up front–my goal is to change the way you think about leadership. I do not aim merely to add one more voice to the conversation;... Read more
I love Frank Viola and really rate his writings, but it surprises me how often it seems to me like people I totally respect seem to apply different rules of interpretation to usual when it comes to issues connected with the Holy Spirit. So far in his first post on baptism with the Holy Spirit he begins by mentioning people being coached to “speak in tongues” which is surely something everybody can agree is totally wrong! Secondly he seems to... Read more
Today on the Desiring God Blog, the man I am honored to call my pastor is profiled. In a very engaging article you can read of his upbringing in Africa, move to the the UK and the remarkable things that God has accomplished through him. In February Tope will be preaching at the Desiring God conference. I plan on accompanying him, and I would urge my American readers to come along to what looks like it will be a fantastic... Read more
A friend of mine has recently published a free short e-book “The Promise of the Spirit: A Reformed View” by Peter Garner. This is available to download now. It is a very helpful read, and contains such gems as these: “To be born of the Spirit is one thing; to be baptized in the spirit is quite another. Moreover we should notice that the new birth is described in terms which mark out the Spirit as the Author leading to... Read more
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