The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Carey Prayery Sharey

One delight of the Carey is always the prayer and share session. This year we had an interesting report from Andrew King (Florianopolis, Brazil). Andrew is involved in church planting and travels extensively all over Brazil seeking to encourage expository preaching. Sceptical of the many stories of revival in the world’s fifth largest nation, he was nevertheless positive about the inroads reformed theology is making. Fascinatingly, the AoG denomination has recently had Matthew Henry’s commentary and Hodge’s Systematic Theology published in Portuguese. With typical humour adn honesty Andrew said that a recent get together of Reformed Batpists had ended with them all at 6 and 7s, which was a pity as there were only about 6 or 7 of them!
Robert Strivens spoke briefly on the work of Evangelical Press in the French speaking world. John Rubens in the chair took opportunity to note the coming 20th anniversary of John Blanchard’s evangelistic booklet Ultimate Questions (available online here). Some 500,000 have been produced each year since then in English and the booklet is now available in some 45 languages all told. At the turn of the century six million (!) were distributed in the Netherlands by one enterprising man. Robert was also asked to say a few words about his taking up the Principalship of London Theological Seminary in 2008.
(Former rock musician) Jeff Pollard from Chapel Library, Pensacola, quietly introduced their free literature work. It was my privilege to visit the little church and the printing house that backs on to it in the summer. It really is a wonderful work.
Erroll Hulse spoke of coming conferences in South Africa, of the work of Pastor Training International and a new edition of his book on praying for revival Give him no rest.
Roger Fay of Evangelical Times spoke of the EP conference in Russia, where there is a small but growing Reformed movement. He also urged us to pray for those involved in Truth in Science which is knowing quite a backlash for having the temerity to suggest that Darwinism is not true. Others then chipped in with news of work in Turin, Italy (Dyfan Williams); Argentina; Brighton; the Arab world (Peter Law). Some are off to Cambodia and Burma (Simon Robinson of Chesterfield) and to South Africa and Sierra Leone (Alan Levy) in the near future.

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