Grace Abounding

Over the last few weeks I have been slowly re-reading John Bunyan's classic autobiographical work - Grace abounding to the chief of sinners. I say re-reading as this was one of the first Christian books I read. I got hold of a list of secondhand books from somewhere in Northern Ireland and bought and old hardback copy in blue cloth. (I had read Pilgrim's Progress and would go on soon to read Bunyan's work on prayer - I am currently re-reading the former too). Bunyan was an obsessive who had certain peculiarities. However, God's grace to him is not in doubt and his story does make for interesting and salient reading. The Banner edition is done beautifully (as is their PP; they should do The Holy War in similar style).

Failure to Communicate by Kreuz

I can't quite remember how I ran across this hardback book but I'm glad I did. I enjoyed its anecdote packed pages warning against various types of miscommunication. A good subject for a preacher to be up on.

Haykin on Revival

Despite being cobbled together to some extent, as it uses material from elsewhere to tell its story, this is an excellent introduction or refresher course on the subject of revival and on 18th century church history more generally. It ends with eight theses regarding revival. it is well written, cogent and includes some important material that can be found elsewhere but not in such a succonct and well crafted form. This is a great resource.

Lord's Day May 19 2024

We carried on in the Sermon on the Mount and Matthew 6 again. We had a second session on prayer focussed on the Lord's Prayer. In the evening our famous text was Philippians 4:8. We had a good congregation in the morning as so often and in the evening it was not too bad as we had one or two extras in London with the Christian Answer. We sang unaccompanied and did it quite well.

Frog

This chap appeared in the garden this morning.

Birthday Books

One of the joys of a birthday is that kind people buy you books. Above is my haul for this year. Mostly history as you see. I tipped off my wife about the first one and the second is from my first son who has cornered the market in Nazi themes (one of my favourite subjects). I first saw the book on Africa in Kenya and have bought with money kindly given by family.

10 Primitive Persecutions of Christians in the Roman Empire

1. The first persecution under Nero, AD 67
2. The second persecution under Domitian, AD 81
3. The third persecution under Trajan, AD 108
4. The fourth persecution under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, AD 162
5. The fifth persecution commencing with Severus, AD 192
6. The sixth persecution under Maximinus, AD 235
7. The seventh persecution under Decius, AD 249
8. The eighth persecution under Valerian, AD 257
9. The ninth persecution under Aurelian, AD 274
10. The tenth persecution under Diocletian, AD 303

Midweek Meeting May 22 2024

Nine of us plus one or two online this Wednesday as we looked at Romasn 3:25, 26 and spent time in prayer. The general election had just been announced so that fuelled a little of our praying. The bext moemnt was to hear someone praying Romans 3:25, 26 thankful for propitiation. We also had a short members meeting to hear testimony about two prospective new members who we will hopefully baptise soon.

10 More Auschwitz Books

1. The Thief of Auschwitz
2. The Child of Auschwitz
3. The Twins of Auschwitz
4. The Saboteur of Auschwitz
5. The Violinist of Auschwitz
6. The Musicians of Auschwitz
7. The Fake Prison Doctor of Auschwitz
8. The Last Boy in Auschwitz
9. The Guard of Auschwitz
10. The Auschwitz Photographer

(Also seen, A tailor in Auschwitz, A Gypsy in Auschwitz, Lovers in Auschwitz, Swimming in Auschwitz, A Little Girl in Auschwitz, The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz, The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz)

10 Auschwitz Books

I noticed recently that there is a plague of books called "------- of Auschwitz". I think the Tattooist of Auschwitz was the first. Here are ten.

1. The Tattooist of Auschwitz

2. The Stable boy of Auschwitz

3. The Midwife of Auschwitz

4. The Librarian of Auschwitz

5. The Dress makers of Auschwitz

6. The Redhead of Auschwitz

7. The Fighter of Auschwitz

8. The Brothers of Auschwitz

9. The Sisters of Auschwitz

10. The Daughter of Auschwitz

10 People who died at the age of 65

1. Cotton Mather
2. Justin Martyr
3. Clement of Alexandria
4. John Milton
5. J S Bach
6. Walt Disney
7. Miles Davis
8. Lewis Carroll
9. Oliver Hardy
10. Carl Perkins

Day Off Week 20 2024

Day off this week was mostly reading as ever. I made a good start on the book on revival by Michael Haykin. Full of good things. I rarely buy a newspaper these days but I sometimes look and see what obituaries appear and that can sway me. On Tuesday the combination of Frank Ifield and Ebrahim Raisi of Iran made me buy (we have an Iranian couple staying with us at the moment). We had Ifield's She taught me to yodel and one or two others at home when I was growing up so it was interesting to read about him. The Times artile was keen to tie him to The Beatles and was able to do that in various ways. I also headed out for lunch and in The Works I saw three books I fancied and bought them plus a collection of dog portraits in a book in a charity shop, which I bought. 

Rumours of a Better Country

I was back at the Pastors Academy in Finchley on Monday for the reading group. This current book didn't draw the crowds as the book last time did but there were 9 or 10 of us and we enjoyed talking through the book  Rumours of a better country by veteran traveller and Schaefferite March Moyle. we all agreed that the book is rather quirky and a little hard to get into but felt that a willingness to stick with it bore fruit in time. The book looks at the ten commandments ina fresh and interesting way, as an apologetic directed at the interested unbeliever. Mostyn Roberts (no stranger to things Schaefferian) chaired. Next time we are back to Rosaria Butterfield and her book Five lies of our anti-Christian age. We meet next September.

Lord's Day May 19 2024

Good day last Sunday with a good sized congregation in the morning though with many missing. Only one Iranian awaiting asylum now. I preached on the next part of the Sermon on the Mount, the first of two sermons on prayer. I also led the evening communion Only six there for that but we crept up to double figures by the time of the evening service when my assistant Eddie preached from Philippians 1, especially verse 21. He preached well.

Grace Assembly 2024

Ebenezer, Campbell, Relf, Whitton

Jonathan Gulliford, Mark Richards, Matt Benton, David Last

I have spent the time since Tuesday lunch here in Swanwick at The Grace Baptist Assembly. The assembly used to meet in Childs Hill once upon a time and I was on the committee that arranged the assembly. For the last 20 years, however, we have met for a residential conference. For various reasons I have been unable to attend for a few years but it was good to be there this time. The format is largely unchanged and it was good to meet old friends and new.

Paul and Bridget Relf acted as hosts and so Paul preached at the beginning of our time together, looking at some words of encouragement from 1 Thessalonians. On both evenings David Campbell preached to us from that wonderful verse, Romans 8:28. We had two news sessions - one on Reformed Baptist work in Italy (presented by a gentlman from Rome called Davide Ibrahim) and one on the British scene, including reports on Chorlton and irmston; teaching English to internationals in Leytonstone; College Park, Lewisham; Pidley, N C|ambridgeshire, etc.

The conference theme otherwise was The nurturing church and particualrly the perennial subject of eudcation. So on the Wednesday morning we had an excellent survey of the last 50 years of state education in this country by Alun Ebenezer, former headmaster of Fulham Boys School. He helpfully pinpointed 11 things that have changed over this time with good humour - the culture, the view of children, authority, mental health, technology, the view of the body, the matter of the environment, sex and relationships, equality, religion/beliefs and family. This was followed by a discussion panel featuring men who had (respectively) sent their children to a Christian School (Jonathan Gulliford, Yate) home schooled (Mark Richards, Chesham) and state school (Matt Benton, Aylesbury). This was followed up on the final morning with a discussion session, chaired by David Last.

There was  also a necessary business session on Tuesday afternoon. The biggest decision was to move to Northampton next year, due to rising costs at Swanwick (the same change has had to be made by the Carey Conference).

In the final session, Steve Whitton from Lewisham preached from Genesis 19 on The cost of compromise.

Westminster Fellowship May 2024

More or less every month it is my privilege to be down in Westminster Baptist for the Westminster Fellowhip. I was there last Monday for the fellowship when Dr Ian Shaw spole on the subject of slavery and the case for reparations. Sadly, numbers were down rather and we were only about twelve or so. The two talks were very belpful, hopwever - the forst looking at oast responses from Wilberforce, Newton, etcl and casting light on Dabney, Thornwell and others who were quite controversial in their views. You can get a taste of what was said here

One

Two

Three

Lord's Day May 12 2024

A good day in Childs Hill once again. We carried on with the S4mon on the Mount in the morning (Matthew 6:1-4) and then our famous text in the evening was Matthew 2:18-20, the Great Commission. Good number n the morning, ess so in the evening. We had a former assistnt minister ad his wife with us for the weekend and on Sunday morning the curate from our nearest evangelical Anglican church was visiting (it is reqired of him to attend a church of another demonination).

Speaking on Benjamin Beddome in Borehamwood

It was good to be speaking once eagain at Borehamwood, giving their annual historical lecture, on Benjamin Beddome. They provided a very nice brochure from which we sang some Beddome hymns and this year there was also a little booklet, attractively produced, covering his life story and adding a sermon and some hymns. My wife and I enjoyed the lovely tea afterwards. Great afternoon.

Midweek Meeting May 8 2024

It was back to Romans last Wednesday with a decent turn out plus one online. We looked at Romans 3:21-24 in interactive style and then prayed together.

Day Off Week 19 2024

Getting back into routines after the trip to Kenya, including my day off last Tuesday (May 7). Basically, a bit of reading and a walk round West Hampstead. Eleri was out for the evening so no TV. The Tom Holland book is relatively new but the book about george Hicks is an old one. Day One were selling old stock off cheaply recently. Enjoying them both. Some useful sidelights on the New Testament from Pax.

Lord's Day May 5 2024

Last week we began with a well attended communion and then I preached on the closing verses of Matthew 5 on loving our enemies. In the evening we took another well known text - John 10:10. We had typical congregations morning and evening (c 45 am and c 14 pm). Good to know that nearly all of our refugees now have asylum. Two more to go.

Midweek Meeting May 1 2024

Lake Victoria from Kisumu

Nearly missed recording this but on my first full day back from Kenya I reported to the midweek meeting adn we spent some tie in prayer. Six of us were there. Good to be back.

Evangelical Library Annual Lecture 2024

We remind readers that there will be an in person lecture at the Library on Monday, June 3 at 6.30 pm. This is our Annual Lecture. The lecturer will be David Campbell (Preston) and he will be speaking on Alexander Stewart of Moulin 1764-1821. The lecture title is From darkness to light. (We may have caused confusion by previously giving the dates of his father who had the same name and outlived his son, Alexander Stewart of Cromarty). Note - there is unlikely to be a live zoom service.

(This is from the EL website)

Elephant and Mountain

There was almost no time for sightseeing while in Kenya but the above picture in Amboseli National Park of an elephant with Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance is the sort of thing to be seen there.