I was young once

Came across this recently (22, 23?)

Lord's Day September 14 2025

We had a fellowship lunch together yesterday in Childs Hill. As last time numbers were fairly small and we were in the parlour. Typically, there was a new Iranian. This one has asylum and has moved into the area recently. The Iranian lady who first came a few weeks ago was back plus six or seven other Iranians, even though two couples are currently travelling. Lot away as ever. I preached on the gospel shoes in the morning (and also spoke to five children present) and on wicked king Ahaz in the evening. A series of errors meant we had no notiice sheets, which we usually have, as below.

John Macarthur Charlie Kirk Link

Some of you may be interested in this article I came across by Stephanie Martin that includes a short clip of the late John Macarthur talking to the recently assassinated Charlie Kirk in 2022.

See here.

Evangelical Library Autumn Zoom Lectures

Readers will be interested to learn that we have arranged a new set of zoom lectures for this Autumn in connection with the Evangelical Library. All lectures are on Mondays and will began at 1 pm and be over by 2 pm.

Logon details can be obtained from the Library near the time.

The lectures will be as follows

September 29 Gary Brady on Pastor, theologian and hymnwriter, John Fawcett 1739-1817

October 27 Fergus Pearson on Bible commentator, Thomas Scott 1747-1821

November 24 Dr Ian Densham on Swiss Reformer, Theodore Beza 1519-1605

All are very welcome to join us.

Midweek Meeting September 10 2025

Our small meeting on Wednesday (with two online too) was led by my assistant Eddie. He took us to the Song of Solomon and gave us a brief devotional. We then responded to the passage in prayer and then after discussing matters for prayer we again prayed, mainly intercession.

Day Off Week 37 2025

This week was a bit different as my wife, Eleri, has a new regime where she doesn't usually work on Tuesdays and so the first half of the day I was with her. We drove over to Highgate but were unable to park there at first and so we went to Kenwood House for a cuppa and them went to see the current art exhibition called double vision. Kenwood has a Vermeer, the Guitar Player. It turns out there is a copy of this in Philadelphia and they are currently showing the two together. Quite interesting. In Highgate later we had a little look at the shops and I left a pile of books at Oxfam, which I was also able to do last week in West Hampstead. The rest of the day was mopstly reading (a book on Landscapes, a short biography of James Brindley, a travelogue by Shackleton, a book on the Irish famine and a little book onanger byRichard Baxter) and TV and some episodes of the Likely Lads. Good day.

Lord's Day September 7 2025

Last Lord's Day was a bit different. We began with communion and then at 11 we had Sajida Iqbal from Noor Miisties speak. We then had a slightly truncated surface with only three hymns, I preached from Ephesians 6:14b on the breastplate of righteousness. We seemed to be packed out even with at least 16 away. There was a new lady but I didn't get to speak to her. In the evening we were very few. I preched from 2 Chronicles 27 on good king Jotham.

10 "Goods" true of Christ according to Thomas Brooks

https://wee-windaes.nls.uk/the-deil-in-scotland/

In his Remedies against Satan's devices the Puritan Thomas Brooks reminds us that Christ is

1. The greatest good

2. The choicest good

3. The chief good

4. The most suitable good

5. The most necessary good

6. A pure good

7. A real good

8. A total good

9. An eternal good

10. A soul-satisfying good

Westminster Conference Papers 2024 Now Published

The Westminster Conference papers for 2024, impressively handled by Ettrick Press, are now available. Some 180 odd pages Creeds, councils and contoversies contains six papers, including one by myself on The Salter's Hall Debates.

It's back!

Little known fact - my coffee machine has been bust for some time and I have been relying on the aeropresse. However, my third son had the vision to get a repair organised and rallied the troops to sort it. We found a place in Bridgend (Cortile) who dealt with it (at a price it must be said) and yesterday my wife brought it back from there. Good to have it back.

Midweek Meeting September 3 2025

Five of us there yesterday and one online (finding it too difficult to get through the traffic at the moment). We returned to Romans 9, to verses 22-29, and spent time in prayer. 

Day Off Week 36 2025

I haven't had a formal day off in a while as I've been holidaying and spending time with family and so it hasn't been necessary. OnTuesday, however, I put in my jeans and trainers and had a typical day off reading, buying cheese (Normandy Tomme) and drinking coffee. Should have done more walking. Had lunch in Pret a manger. There were one or two othe things too. I read most of John Mark Comer's disappointing book Practicing the way as that is the book chosen for the next Pastors Academy Reading Group. More on that some other time.

Lord's Day August 31 2025

There are things to be learned by sitting in the congregation and I had an opportunity this last Lord's Day. Eddie preached for me - challenging in the morning from Revelation 3 on Laodicea and then encouraging us in the evening from Daniel 2. Typical numbers morning (30-40) and evening (about 17). Good to have my oldest sonand his family wiht us.

Carey Conference 2026

The brochure for the Carey Conference 2026 is out. The main speaker is Peter Williams from Tyndale House. Elly Achok Olare from Kenya is also speaking and others.  January 6-8 in Northampton.

K Pop Demon Hunters

Last Saturday I sat down with some of my grand children to watch the film K Pop Demon Hunters. I was interested to watch as the film is quite popular at present. It was a coherent good v evil story with nice pop songs and one or two twists that it is easy to see winning young hearts and minds.