November Banner Mag

Another new Banner Mag is just out. It includes the second part of an article I have put together on Benjamin Beddome and friendship.

Midweek Meeting October 25 2023

Ten of us met last night for prayer and an interactive study of some of Paul's prayers in 1 and 2 Corinthians. Eddie led us. Most prayed. There did not seem to be anyone online. Lots to pray for.

Lord's Day October 22 2023

I was not preaching last Lords Day in the morning. It's a weird feeling waking up and not having to preach but not being on holiday either. Anyway Eddie preached well from Haggai. Perhaps it could have been simpler. We had about 11 Iranians present (three were away). Three we haven't seen in a while. One family is currently homeless and so it was good to see them at least. Our seven Filipinos made a sharp exit together. Integrating the different groups is not easy. I preached to a smaller congregation in the evening from Job again with my revised approach to Elihu. I need to be simpler.

 

Rugby World Cup 2023 Weeks 6 & 7

Unsurprisingly, Wales did go out before the semi-finals. They should have beaten Argentina but despite a great team ust coldn't do it. The game saving tackle above made a big difference but it would be unfair to say it was all on that. England managed to win a by a point and the lose by a point in the semi-finals and so have gone slightly further than Wales. No duroise that the final is South Africa and New Zealand.

Midweek Meeting October 18 2023

On October 18 we gathered as usual for prayer and Bible study. We seem to have settled down to about eight on a Wenesday night with a few abler to join us online. Everyone prayed and before that we finally got back to our studies in Galatians, looking at the potentially difficult passage in the second part of Chapter 4 where Paul speaks allegorically. 

Lloyd-Jones Lecture on Bavinck

 

This year's Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture at London Seminary was given by Dr James Eglinton on Bavinck on preachers and preaching. This very interesting talk revealed that only one sermon by Hermann Bavinck survives but he and his protege, his nephew J H Bavinck, wrote on the subeject and so it is possible to address the subject. The emphasis was on persuasion which begins with knowing the culture and then applying the biblical message. Sadly, the lecture was delivered in the dark as there had been a power cut. It was only once the lecture was over that the lights came on again. About 30 or 40 were there. Dr Eglinton did very well in difficult circumstances. He has been lecturing all week at the seminary on Dutch Neo-Calvinsim (Kuyper, Bavinck et al).

Day Off Week 42 2023

Mosty reading as usual. I read a bu=it more of this big book on early evangelicalism I have mentioned. I also read the recently published Moses and the burning bush by the late R C Sproul. It is a real gem. Beautifully produced, easy to read and full of important doctrine. I also got out for a coffee and bought some gorgonzola. In the evening we went to the London Seminary for the Lloyd-Jones lecture. I'll report on that elsewhere.

Lord's Day October 16 2023

Way behind with things. Last Lord's Day I preached only in the morning. We looked at that classic parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Good number out but as ever some missing. In the evening I led the communion and then Eddie preached on 2 Timothy 2:7. Good stuff and a decent number for an evening service.

Rugby World Cup 2023 Week 4 & 5

Looking forward to the Rugby World Cup quarter finals this weekend. Wales were not playing on Week 4 but they had their last game of the group stages last Saturday and beat Georgia 43-19 (Rees Zammit scored a hat trick). So all four games won if not with ease then at least competently. I enjoyed Samoa almost pipping England last week too. Portugal Tonga was an equally close game. Beat Argentina tomorrow and Wales are in the Semi-finals amazingly. However, it would be against Ireland or the All Blacks.

Week of Prayer October 11-13 2023

We had a week of prayer this week. In theory, these come round twice a year in Autumn and Spring. This time we had five prayer meetings - all in person. Two were first thing, one mid morning and two in the evening. We had between four and ten at each meeting (something like a nominal 31 but about 13 of us in fact at different times). We only sang once. I shared leading the meetings with my assistant Eddie. Three Iranians prayed. When it was in Farsi I simply asked for a summary of whathad been prayed. Good to focus on prayer afresh.

Day Off Week 41 2023

I seem to have missed making a report on my day off on October 3 and can't remember much of it now (althoough I think I bought Yarg and there was cheese blogging and the viewing of BBC documentaries on the Nazis). Anyway, on October 10 I was up early to take Eleri to work as she was not only out all day but had an evening meeting too. On the way back I grabbed a coffee and read my Bible, etc. There was a prayer meetng at 11 am - four of us gathered for a cuppa and a time of prayer. I was reading two art books during the day - one on Degas in the wonderful series I collect and another on Turner in Wales. I had forgotten he had painted Newport Castle. We had house guests so I spent a little time with them but they were out much of the day and soI went to Chipotle for lunch. I bought some ort Salut to reort on at my cheese blog. I also watched the BBC docudrama on Jimmy Savile, which proved to be surprisngy theological on the whole.

Evangelical Library Lunch Time Lecture Samuel Annesley

About twenty or so gathered on zoom last Monday to hear an excellent illustrated lecture from Nrman Hopkins on Samuel Annesley (c 1620-1696) the St Paul of the Nonconformists. Annesley was the Wesleys' grandfather and so his name is known but not much abpout hm It was good to be infprmed and challeneged on that score. Another zoom lecture next month (November 13) on Samuel Davies in Britain.

Lord's Day October 8 2023

It was good to be back preaching morning and evening last Lord's Day. n the morning I preached a harvest sermon from Hosea 10:12. I like to take a harvest text once a year at this time. One odd thing in the morning is that a woman came in part way through the sermon and having prayed a few moments and crossed herself she left. For some reason I decided to tell her that would do no good, religion is not the answer.  Of course, most of the congregation did not know who I was addressing and so it was not perhaps the best approach. In the evening we went back to Job, looking at Chapters 32 and 33 where Elihu begins to speak. I used Christopher Ash's commentary to modify what I had prepared earlier. We were about 12 in the evening. An unbaptised lady we are getting to know came morning and evening, which was encouraging. We also had an Iranian couple along in the morning who have spent a lot of time sidetracked by Christadelphianism. There were others missing due to illness and other reasons,which was more discouragiing.

Midweek Meeting October 4 2023

We are getting used to being back in the parlour midweek. We were eight this week and three or four online, which is working okay with the omnidirectional microphone. I had intended to go back to Galaiaans but decided on on more psalm - Psalm 112. We had a good prayer time too.Praying especially for the restarting of our children's work.

New Book for Christmas

I have written a book of 25 Advent readings available from Amazon in hardback, paperback and electronic forms. See here.

Fraternal Week Again

As I have mentioned before on this blog I attend two quite different fraternals and they often end up in the same week (Monday and Wednesday). That is what happened this week. Last Monday it was the fairly traditional Westminster Fellowship at Westminster Baptist Church. This time John Benton was speaking to us on this thorny subject of pastoral abuse in churches. As ever, John was very helpful. About 20 of us were there. Then last Wednesday five of us met to go for a walk on Hampstead Heath. We meet at Hampstead Heath Station, walk to Kenwood for a coffee (kindly paid for by Aaron this time) and then on to Gospel Oak Station where we part. So no formality, just chatting about what we wish with whom we wish. It works well, though it would be nice to see more along.

Reformation Today 310

The latest issue of RT is all about the Cappadocians of the fourth century but there is also a piece on Michael Toogood by me.

Lord's Day October 1 2023

Last Lord's Day was again different. This time I didn't preach in the morning or the evening. I did lead the morning meeting and then my second son Dylan preached and fine preaching it was too. Then in the evening mys assistant Eddie preached and again it was good stuff. There were a few missing in the congregation but we were around forty in the morning and twenty in the evening with some family and visitors still around. Good day.

Fortieth Anniversary

Photos courtesy of Keith Holmes (Thanks Keith)

Last Saturday we were celebrating my 40 year anniversary as minister here in Childs Hill. It was lovely to see the chapel full with old friends - family, former members, fellow ministers, etc. Robert Strivens preached an excellent semon from 1 Timothy 1:12 and my long serving deacon Paul Priest assembled four members and former members to say nice things about me. There was a wonderful cake (made by one of our Iranian members) and loads of food to follow. I also made a slide presentation of the history of the church which people enjoyed. Thanks yoou for all the cards, money, flowers, etc. Very kind iindeed. God is so good.

October Banner Mag

The new Banner Mag is out and looks good. It includes the first part of an article I have put together on Benjamin Beddome and friendship.

Midweek Meeting September 27 2023

A little bit different last Wednesday. My assistant Eddie led the meeting and led it very well. He has decided to look at the prayers of the Apostle Paul and began with three short ones in Romans 15. He gave ore time for discussion than usual and that was appreciated. Excellent prayer time too.

Day Off Week 39 2023

Quiet day last week mostly spent reading the very interesting book above. I also had a coffee, bought some cheese and watched some TV, as I do.