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.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 23, 24 , 25

Woe be unto you scribes and pharises, for ye devour widows' houses, and that under a colour of praying long prayers, wherefore ye shall receive greater damnation .... Ye shall hear of wars, and of the noise of wars, but see that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters. All these are the beginning of sorrows .... For unto every man that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. And from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that he hath.

Midweek Meeting January 27 2016

There was  a good turn out last night with 15 present. We looked at the next two verses in 2 Timothy 1 and considered not being ashamed of the gospel, suffering and holiness - all vital subjects. There was a lot to pray for, including our ongoing problem with the gas leak. We hope it will be fixed by next Lord's Day. I took opportunity to summarise a lengthy definition of holiness J C Ryle once gave
1. Holiness is the habit of agreeing with the mind of God, in accordance as we find his mind described in Scripture.
2. A holy person will endeavour to turn away from every known sin, and to keep every known commandment.
3. A holy person will strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. A holy person will pursue certain things
  • meekness, endurance, gentleness, patience, kindness and control of their tongue
  • self-control and self-denial
  • love and brotherly kindness
  • a spirit of mercy and benevolence towards others
  • purity of heart, the fear of God
  • humility, faithfulness in all the duties and relationships in life
  • Last, but not least, spiritual mindedness

The Eccentrics Conference 2016

After an absence of more years than I had realised I got myself down to Swansea this week for the famous Eccentrics Conference, the brainchild of the unique Steve Levy and now based in Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. The conference's distinctives (apart form being Reformed and very Welsh) are its brevity (only a day and a half), no singing, a great deal of informality, plenty of humour and lots of time for informal chat. None of the messages are taped - probably freeing people up to speak in a more relaxed and open way. They also make a big effort to look after us (day one included an afternoon trip to Joe's for ice cream, followed by scones and cream, with a slap up meal a short while later).
The programme changed last minute as one speaker was unable to come. It worked out okay in the end. We had four speakers who gave six messages.
Paul Mallard is a well known and popular speaker (currently pastoring in Bath) and he gave us two expositions from the life of Elisha. Warm and thorough they were good messages to hear. Steve's good friend Paul Blackham (now based in Neath) took us to Isaiah 11 and gave us a very stimulating exposition of the return of Christ. Refuting Aquinas's super-spiritual beatific vision he argued for a much more biblical bodily resurrection and participation in the life of the new world.
Steve has also struck up a friendship with Peter Greasley of Christchurch, Newport and he was given opportunity to speak. He spoke very warmly from the heart from Philippians 2 and Romans 5 firstly pleading for honesty and humility and then to expect trouble and to help one another in it, which involves seeking out fellowship. It was interesting to hear later of Pete's journey.
It was agreed by all present that the highlight of the conference was Chris Rees from Narberth speaking on what he wished he's been told before he entered the ministry. There were three things - to trust no-one but love everyone; how important it would be to watch over yourself; how hard it was going to be (spiritually, mentally, physically). Full of wonderful stories it is not possible to convey what a blessing it was to ear so I won't try.
It was great to see Mike Leaves, Jonny Raine and Steve Tucker, Dave Gobbett, Jeremy Bailey, etc, etc and to meet people I'd not met before. It was good to catch up with my Swansea based son and his housemates too.

Lord's Day January 24 2016

A little late with this as I have been away. The gas leak saga continued but by last Lord's Day they had been able to restore a gas supply to the flat between the chapel and the hall and the hall so we met in the hall. The hall is a little tatty but it served us quite well. The Sunday School met back in the parlour with (a little inadequate) electric heat. We brought hot drinks through to the hall after the meeting. We had good congregations morning and evening. Some were missing as ever but there were visitors including two new people, a Romanian man and a Nigerian woman. I hope we see them again. We must pray. Sunday School must have reached double figures as a girl who lives locally brought her two friends who were with her on sleep over and we had the two Tanzanian children around for their last Sunday, as well as the more regular six or seven who come most weeks.
I preached from Revelation 9 in the morning - not an easy passage to preach but I sought to drive home the message of repentance as best I could. In the evening we carried on with Samson. Lots of insights into the structure from good old D Ralph Davies. We had a prayer meeting about our currently non-existent children's work before the evening meeting.
After church I drove to Cwmbran as I planned to be in Swansea the next day. I arrived at my sister's around 11 pm.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 20, 21, 22

But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief, let him be your servant. Even as the son of man came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister: and to give his life for the redemption of many. ... When the lord of the vineyard cometh: what will he do with those husbandmen? They said unto him: he will evil destroy those evil persons, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall deliver him his fruit at times convenient; ... As touching the resurrection of the dead: have ye not read what is said unto you of God, which sayeth: I am Abraham's God, and Isaac's God, and the God of Iacob? God is not the God of the dead: but of the living.

Midweek Meeting January 20 2016

There were a few missing but we were a good number on Wednesday but rather cold as the gas problem has still not been sorted out. We carried on with 2 Timothy looking at verses 5-7 on cross-generational faith, stirring up the gift and the nature of the Spirt in us. A good time of prayer followed. We were all rather cold by the end though.

Gary Brady - a name with snags

I was amused to see this web page suggesting Gary Brady as a good combination of names for a baby. What struck me was the advertising in the left sidebar. Here's a good name for your baby, it seems to say, but do realise he will go bald!
 
 

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 17, 18, 19

Nevertheless, lest we should offend them: go to the sea and cast in thine angle, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of twelve pence that take and pay for me and thee. ... Woe be unto the world because of evil occasions. It is necessary that evil occasions be given, nevertheless woe be to that man, by whom evil occasion cometh. ... And it followed when Iesus had finished those sayings, he gat him from Galilee, and came in to the coasts off jewry beyond Iordan, and much people followed him, and he healed them there.

10 Villains with a V in the name

1. Vlad the Impaler - Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (1431–1476/77), member of the House of DrăculeÈ™ti, a branch of the House of Basarab, also known, using his patronymic, as Vlad Drăculea or Vlad Dracula. Posthumously dubbed the Impaler, he is the original of Dracula.
2. Voldemort - Arch villain of the Harry Potter stories
3. Ivan the Terrible - Ivan IV Vasilyevich (1530 – 1584) Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and Tsar of All the Russias from 1547 until his death in 1584.
4. Cruella de Vil - Villain of the 101 Dalmatians story
5. Velma Valento - Anti-heroine of Farewell, My Lovely a 1940 novel by Raymond Chandler, the second novel he wrote featuring Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. Adapted for the screen three times and also for the stage and radio.
6. Alec D'Urberville - Villain of Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles
7. Vindice - The frequently disguised Revenger in The Revenger's Traged, a Jacobean revenge tragedy, formerly attributed to Cyril Tourneur but now generally recognised as the work of Thomas Middleton. (Both the 1607 and 1608 printings of the play render his name variously as Vendici, Vindici and Vindice, with the latter spelling most frequent).
8. Svengali - Fictional character in George du Maurier's 1895 novel Trilby. Svengali is a Jew of Eastern European origin who seduces, dominates and exploits Trilby, a young English girl, and makes her a famous singer. The word "svengali" has come to refer to a person who, with evil intent, dominates, manipulates and controls a creative person such as a singer or actor.
9. Darth Vader - In the Star Wars films Vader was once a heroic Jedi Knight, but was seduced by the dark side of the Force, and became a Sith Lord, leading the Empire’s eradication of the Jedi Order.
10. Tommy DeVito - Character in Martin Scorsese's film Goodfellas (portrayed by Joe Pesci) based on Thomas Anthony DeSimone (1950 – disappeared 1979), also known as Two-Gun Tommy or Tommy D, a Sicilian-American gangster and associate of the Lucchese crime family in New York.

Watch out Mr Fox

London is a dangerous place, especially for foxes.
This one got hit on Hampstead Heath the other day.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 14, 15, 16

In the fourth watch of the night Iesus came unto them, walking on the sea: and when his disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were amazed, saying: it is some spirit, and cried out for fear. And straightway Iesus spake unto them saying: be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. ... He answered and said: it is not good, to take the children's bread, and to cast it to whelps. She answered and said: it is truth, nevertheless the whelps eat of the crumbs, which fall from their masters' table. ... And Iesus answered and said to him: happy art thou Simon the son of Ionas, for flesh and blood have not opened unto thee that, but my father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter. And upon this rock I will build my congregation: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Last bit of Christmas

 
We had our last bit of Christmas last Saturday. It wasn't possible to see my sister and her kids last year so we pencilled in a later celebration for January 16. We had a lovely meal together and swapped presents and played a game or two. Good fun, even if so late. We were fifteen altogether with the new baby and two of my boys coming back with their girl friends. Only one of my sister's kids couldn't make it. I managed to get crackers online through Tesco, not that they were very good.

Farewell Friends Reunited

I hear that Friends Reunited is on its last legs overwhelmed by the social media sites that have come since it began. I must confess I have only been on it in my wife's name. My wife signed up and after she had had a little go on it I tried and found I could look up my old schools using her log in. I felt reluctant to put my onw name put there. I'm not the only one. A friend told me had been on there and had been disappointed to find lots of names he didn't recognise. He also said that he had gone on there using an alias. Not the only one I guess! Your school days may take up only a small portion of your life but how fascinating it is to think where all the kids you once knew may be now.

Banner Conference 2016

UK Ministers’ Conference
'Kingdom Life in a Hostile World’
Monday 11 April
5.15 pm Opening Sermon Ian Hamilton
8.15 pm Words of Life Spoken in Death (1) David Campbell

Tuesday 12 April
7.25 am Conference Prayer Time
9.15 am Ministering in Challenging Times (1) Phil Heaps
11.15 am Under the Lordship of the Risen King David Vaughn
5.00 pm John Owen: A Word Association Sinclair Ferguson
8.15 pm Words of Life Spoken in Death (2) David Campbell

Wednesday 13 April
7.25 am Conference Prayer Time
9.15 am J. C. Ryle: Minister of Grace George Curry
11.15 am The Kingdom’s Spread in a Fallen World David Vaughn
5.00 pm John Elias and Revival Iain Murray
8.15 pm Words of Life Spoken in Death (3) David Campbell

Thursday 14 April
7.25 am Conference Prayer Time
9.15 am Ministering in Challenging Times (2) Graham Heaps
11.00 am Closing Sermon Mark Johnston

This is the time-table for this year's Banner Conference, as announced in the February Magazine. The youth conference is the weekend before.
See here for my fun video on this subject.

10 Mythical Hybrids

1. Pegasus (Horse with wings)
2. Griffin (Eagle/Lion)
3. Hippocampus (Horse/Fish)
4. Minotaur (Man/Bull)
5. Manticore (Man/Lion/Dragon/Scorpion)
6. Centaur (Man/Horse)
7. Mermaid (Woman/Fish)
8. Harpy (Woman/Bird)
9. Lamia (Woman/Snake)
10. Sphinx (Human/Lion with wings)

Lord's Day January 18 2016

Yesterday was a little different as we have had our gas turned off following a leak somewhere in the system, as yet undetected. This necessitated retreating into the much smaller parlour beyond the chapel, which we managed to heat with electric heaters (that almost inevitably overloaded the system at some point). It is good that we had an alternative place to go, although being unfamiliar and a little cooler than normal we were a little distracted.
There were a few visitors of different sorts. We were very international once again with people present from Holland, Turkey, Iran (including a new visitor), the West Indies, the Philippines (including someone who has not been for a while), Nigeria and Tanzania. When I got home there was a Farsi Bible on the doorstep so I nipped back and passed it on to one of our Iranian friends.
I preached from Revelation 8 in the morning and Judges 13 in the evening. I didn't really feel I had hold of things quite enough, probably due to a lack of preparation, I guess. We had communion before the evening meeting.
Such days cast you on the Lord and that is for the best.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 11, 12, 13

Come unto me all ye that labor, and are laden, and I will ease you. Take my yoke on you, and learn of me, for I am meek, and lowly in heart: and ye shall find ease unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ... He answered them saying: the evil and advoutrous generation seeketh a sign, but there shall no sign be given to them, but the sign of the prophet Ionas. For as Ionas was three days, and three nights, in the whale's belly: so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ... Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant, seeking good pearls, which when he had found one precious pearl, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 10

Freely ye have received, freely give again.

Midweek Meeting January 13 2015

The gas was off at church last night (the sinful mind notices that it happens just when it gets a bit colder) but we managed to heat the parlour up enough to be comfortable for the most part (I lost one quiet prayer to the fan heater behind me). Around 11 of us gathered to pray and to consider the opening verses of 2 Timothy together. I'm not sure if we've looked at 2 Timothy before. Certainly not in the last 20 years anyway. Starting the epistles is always a little difficult I find as their beginnings are all slightly formulaic. We had a nice moment I thought when I asked the difference between mercy and grace (virtually the only interactive moment of the evening) and one of my sons was able to give the right answer very easily (mercy is not getting what you do deserve and grace is getting what you don't deserve).

Carey 2016 Recordings

The recordings of the recent Carey Conference are now mostly available. The place to go at the moment is this one. I was pleased to see that my paper clocked in at 45 minutes almost to the second.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 9

The whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. Go and learn, what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy, and not in offering. For I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.

Recent encouragements

At the end of last year I had some unexpected opportunities to promote the Candle in the wind book. Firstly, on the last day of Winter term in London Theological Seminary I was able to stand in for someone else due to give a lecture in the pastoralia course, which I was very glad to do. I summarised four chapters of the book and enjoyed the interchange with the students.
Then a little later someone from the show Janet Mefferd Today (who I have worked with in the past) was in touch about an interview by 'phone on the new book. I was more than happy to oblige. Originally it was to be a live interview but the plan was altered. It made me feel a little less nervous. The interview should air before the end of the month. Excuse my cold!
Also at the end of last year I received an email from a pastor in Indonesia saying how much he had appreciated the book on regeneration and in the new year I bumped into a fellow pastor here in the UK who has been preaching through Song of Solomon. Almost in despair at finding the sort of help he was looking for he came across my book Heavenly Love and has found it really helpful. I was so encouraged to hear that.
Others let me know that they are benefiting from the books, most often the commentary on Proverbs.
(As shared on my books blog here)

Lord's Day January 11 2016

I had a stinking cold yesterday so my efforts were hampered by that as well as having been away at the Carey the week before. I decided to get back to what we had been studying before the holidays and preached to good congregations, in the morning from Revelation 7 (the 144,000, the great tribulation, etc, all explained) and in the evening from the end of Judges 12, also taking in other minor judges from Chapter 3 and Chapter 10. We had tea together before the evening meeting. Our Tanzanian friends were there again and an Iranian who has come before plus a Dutch visitor and one remaining student. Some were missing  as ever. Both messages are up on our website (see here) and despite the persistent coughing five minutes from the end of the evening one are, I hope, good to listen to.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 8

And lo there arose a great storm in the sea, in somuch that the ship was hid with waves, and he was asleep. And his Disciples came unto him, and awoke him, saying: master, save us, we perish.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 7

Whosoever heareth of me these sayings, and doeth the same, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house on a rock: and abundance of rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that same house, and it was not overthrown because it was grounded on the rock. 

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 6

No man can serve two masters. For either he shall hate the one, and love the other: or else he shall lean to the one, and despise that other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Warfield's darkened room

Also at the Carey there was an allusion to this quotation from Warfield on the Trinity in the Old Testament. I found the reference here.
 
The Old Testament may be likened to a chamber richly furnished but dimly lighted; the introduction of light brings into it nothing which was not in it before; but it brings out into clearer view much of what is in it but was only dimly or even not at all perceived before. The mystery of the Trinity is not revealed in the Old Testament; but the mystery of the Trinity underlies the Old Testament revelation, and here and there almost comes into view. Thus the Old Testament revelation is not corrected by the fuller revelation which follows it, but only perfected, extended, and enlarged.
(B.B. Warfield, “The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity,” quoted by John Frame in The Doctrine of God, 631)

Run John Run

 

At the Carey Mike Bullmore alluded to the following ditty which I had not heard before
 
Run, John, run, the law commands
But gives us neither feet nor hands,
Far better news the gospel brings:
It bids us fly and gives us wings
 
The couplets are usually spoken of as John Bunyan's (it's certainly his style). According to Justin Taylor, Jason Meyer pins it on Ralph Erskine. (Spurgeon goes for John Berridge).

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 5

Ye are the salt of the earth: but and if the salt be once unsavory, what can be salted there with? It is thence forth good for nothing, but to be cast out at the doors, and that men tread it under feet. 

Carey Conference 2016 Day 3

Our final morning consisted of two sessions. Dan Strange of Oakhill College presented his apologetic approach on the gospel as the subversive fulfilment of culture, which can be accessed in is books and elsewhere. The conference sermon was given by Andrew King of Highbury who took us to Ephesians 2 and argued persuasively for churches with a diverse make-up.
I should have mentioned previously that on the other two days there was a woman's track with Julia Jones. About a hundred of us were there over the three days, a little down but that may well have been only due to the timing. Next year we will be earlier on January 3-5. Leonardo De Chirico will be the main speaker, God willing. There was a good spirit and hopefully many blessings will flow from it.

Carey Conference 2016 Day 2

Today has been our main day at Swanwick and it has been a good one. Mike Bullmore gave his second address in the morning and a third one in the evening. He spoke on the gospel and pastoral character and the gospel and pastoral labour looking at dealing with criticism, truthfulness and taking responsibility as well as dealing with five heart challenges - laziness v happy labour; self pity v joy; manipulation of Scripture v integrity and right handling of Scripture; pride v contempt of praise and unbelief v belief. This was all very helpful.
We also had a paper from Phil Heaps on Trinitarian communion with God and a question and answer session looking at praying to the Holy Spirit, accountability among elders, etc, etc.

Carey Conference 2016 Day 1

It's great to be in Swanwick for the Carey Conference once again. It was my privilege to kick things off with a paper on John Owen, this year being the four hundredth anniversary of his death. I will try to publish my findings somewhere soon. We then heard Mike Bullmore of Trinity in Deerfield, Illinois on the functional centrality of the gospel. You can get a taste of his helpful themes here. We than had a very helpful session on "mosquereaching" to round the evening off.

The first Lord's Day of 2016

We started the year with communion. We read Isaiah 53 and I spoke about penal substitutionary atonement, which is at the heart and centre of our faith. I then preached to a good sized congregation from James 1:19-21. I had worked up a good little mnemonic - quick, slow, slow; out with the old and in with the new - which should enable any good listener to recapture the whole sermon or at least the text. Some students were still around plus other visitors and one or two newbies who we hope we see again. Everyone was happy to come through for a cuppa after the meeting, which is not always the case, so that was good. We were a smaller congregation in the evening as ever but round the twenty mark. I took three Proverbs that I have looked at before but with some fresh supporting material. Proverbs 27:1, 19:21 and 16:3 are just made for a new year gathering.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 4

Then came until him the tempter, and said: if thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. He answered and said: it is written, man shall not live only by bread, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 3

In those days Ihon the Baptiser, came and preached in the wilderness of jury saying: repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is he of whom it is spoken by the prophet Isay, which saith: The voice of a crier in wilderness, prepare the Lord's way, and make his paths straight.

Tyndale New Testament - from Matthew 2

Then Herod perceiving that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, as many as were two year old and under, according to the time which he had diligently searched out of the wise men.

10 Popular Songs with great puns

1. Delaware (Perry Como)
It references to 15 states of the United States in the form of puns: Della wear, new jersey, Calla ‘phone ya, how ar’ ya, Mrs sip, mini-soda, Ore gone, I’ll ask ‘er, taxes, Wiscon sin, new brass key, Arkan saw, Tenne see, Flora die and misery.
2. When I see an elephant fly (from Dumbo)
It includes these word tricks I saw a peanut stand, heard a rubber band, And seen a needle wink its eye ...  I've seen a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring I've seen a polka dot railroad tie .... I saw a clothes horse rear up and buck And they tell me that a man made a vegetable truck ... I heard a fireside chat, I saw a baseball bat ....
These are the best but also note
3. Johnny B Goode (Chuck Berry)
... Maybe someday your name will be in lights  Saying 'Johnny B. Goode tonight' ...
4. Who are you? (Who)
... Who are you? Who, who, who, who? ...
5. Another one on the band name can be found in Merry Christmas (Slade)
... Do you ride on down the hillside On a buggy you have made When you land upon your head
You'll know that you've been 'Slade' (sleighed, slayed) ....
6. Diane Young (Vampire Weekend)
... Irish and proud, baby, naturally  But you got the luck of a Kennedy So grab the wheel, keep on holding it tight  'Til you're tottering off into that good night If Diane Young won't change your mind,
Baby, baby, baby, baby right on time ....
7. Ticket to ride (Beatles)
Pun on Ticket to Ryde (apparently). The name Beatles itself involves word play.
8. If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me? (Bellamy Brothers)
9. The One On The Right Is On The Left (Johnny Cash)
A song about keeping politics out of music
10. Looking out my window through the pain (Mel Street)
... So 'til she returns, I'll wait for her, looking out my window through the pain ...

The name Ezra

Koenig

We have a new grandson called Ezra
Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is currently growing in popularity with parents seeking a fresh biblical name--it is now at Number 119, its highest ever, up 34 places in one year. According to the Bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. There is also the poetry connection to Ezra Pound -- in addition to young Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein. Ezra Cornell was a founder of Western Union and co-founder of the university that bears his name and Ezra Jack Keats is a popular children's book author-illustrator. Both Paul Reiser and Taylor Hanson are dads to boys named Ezra, and there are Ezras to be found in Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone and Daniel Deronda by George Eliot. And let's not forget the band--Better Than Ezra--rising actor Ezra Miller, Vampire Weekend musician Ezra Koenig or the character Ezra Fitz from Pretty Little Liars.
Ezra is #1 on Nameberry
In the US it was 119th in 2014
In England 213th in 2014
In New Zealand 88th in 2014

Retro Album "of the week" 50 - Lamb

We've not managed to get our 52 in within the year so we will finish the series with this one. This is Lamb by Lamb and it came out in 1973. It was an album I bought a little later in my local Christian Bookshop in the days when I was trying to listen to more "Christian music". I made the purchase on the basis of how the album looked, having no other knowledge of the band. I did like it, although I was painfully aware of the inadequacies evident in several places. Lamb it turns out was a two man combo, Joel Chernoff (lead singer/songwriter) and Rick “Levi” Coghill (producer/guitarist).
Both would call themselves Messianic Jews and the flavour of the music is contemporary Jewish with plenty of Hebrew words sprinkled here and there. Lamb have apparently sold over 600,000 albums, having produced 14 recordings. I never got beyond this album and I currently have only the best of the tracks on my ipod. HaTeeshKach, BaruchHaShem and DraChaiCha have Hebrew titles. The other tracks are The Judge, The Sacrifice Lamb, Time is running out, The Least I could do and The night is far spent. So not only very Jewish but pre-millennial too. The singing can be a bit languid at points.

Tyndale NT - from Matthew 1

Ioseph as soon as he awoke out of sleep, did as the angel of the Lord bade him, and took his wife unto him, and knew her not, till she had brought forth her first son, and called his name Iesus.