Articles

IS WORSHIP BORING? I believe God’s people will find worship nourishing, and rarely boring In December 2000 I was asked by a writer of “Word and Way” (the newspaper of the Missouri Baptist Convention) to contribute to a multi-page, special section on the subject of “Is Church Boring?” My input was requested because in my […]

It is evident that in the shallowness of modern English evangelicalism sin is not dealt with seriously in evangelism or in the battles of the Christian life and many feel that Owen is the man who can teach this generation much that is absent, to our lamentable weakness. At the Westminster Conference 2001, held at […]

RICHARD SIBBES AND THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER ‘Of this blest man, let this just praise be given: heaven was in him, before he was in heaven.’ The third paper at the Westminster Conference 2001 was given by Paul Oliver co-pastor with his father at Bradford on Avon. It was on the theme “The Returning Backslider” a […]

PHILIP DODDRIDGE AND THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION His manual of theology was considered a beacon of orthodoxy The fourth paper given at the Westminster Conference 2001 was on “Philip Doddridge and Theological Education.” It was delivered by Robert Strivens of Banbury. What a fascinating subject. There are really two themes present here, the first being Doddridge himself […]

What Jesus wants most for Christmas is that his elect be gathered in and then get what they want most to see his glory and then savor it with the very savoring of the Father for the Son. What does Jesus want this Christmas? We can see the answer in his prayers. What does he […]

PREACHING THE MORAL LAW – REFORMERS AND PURITANS There is the importance of understanding the biblical antithesis of law and gospel The annual Westminster Conference was held at Westminster Chapel London on December 11 and 12. The usual number of men and women were present, over two hundred, and mainly men. As we walked to […]

THE DAYS OF GENESIS: 24 HOURS? DAY-AGE? FRAMEWORK? The publishing of the book will not end the debates in the church. Perhaps it will lead to greater clarity in thinking and help provide an atmosphere where calm discussion can take place. A new book has appeared entitled “The Genesis Debate – Four Views” edited by […]

EVANGELICALS AND CATHOLICS TOGETHER? Perhaps one of the most encouraging signs about this document is the reaction of some evangelicals who feel left out. Since the 1994 publication of Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT), the Evangelical body has been convulsed periodically over the doctrine of justification. The patient, to strain a metaphor, sustained a second […]

PUBLIC PRAYER IN PULPIT AND PRAYER MEETING In secret prayer there is no necessity of a voice, for God hears a whisper as well as a sigh and a groan. The beauty of our expressions and the tunefulness of our voice can never render our worship more acceptable to God, the infinite Spirit; yet our […]

THE OPENNESS OF GOD VIEW REJECTED BY THE ETS “The cost to doctrine and faith by open theism’s denial of exhaustive divine foreknowledge is too great to be accepted within evangelicalism” COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BP) – After three days of heated debate, the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) voted November 16 overwhelmingly to affirm what almost […]

THE CONFESSING CHURCH MOVEMENT IN THE PCUSA The number of sessions and the membership they represent joining the Confessing Church Movement within the Presbyterian Church (USA) has grown 400 percent since the eve of the 213th General Assembly in Louisville. The Presbyterian Church in the USA is the large denomination which excommunicated Dr. J. Gresham […]

GEORGE CALHOUN: A TRIBUTE SOME YEARS AFTER GOD SAVE HIM, GEORGE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND AND LOVE THE REFORMED FAITH Were he alive, George Calhoun may have discouraged my writing these remarks for public consumption. George was the founder of Mt. Olive Tape Library (P0. Box 422, Mt. Olive, Mississippi 39119). He did not care to […]

THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS HE DWELT AMONG US; “FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH” INDEED, BUT IN OUR MIDST The Christian Faith is deeply and necessarily ‘incarnational.’ “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” John tells us. “He was manifested in the flesh,” wrote Paul. Even more daringly, he tells us that God sent […]

SIX DAY CREATION CONFERENCE EVOLUTION HAS EXPLANATORY STORIES BUT DESTROYS THE CAPACITY TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING ‘In the beginning the Word of God was formidable and void of error. Then Sci-Man said, “Let the book of Genesis be an inspiring story of the creative power of the universe over billions of years. “And there was grieving, […]

A SOUTHERN BAPTIST VISITS PORTUGAL OVERALL THE PREACHING MET WITH GOOD RECEPTION I recently spent a week in Portugal at the first Fiel Conference there put together by Richard Denham of Brazil. It was time well-spent and I count it a privilege to have been a part of the effort. In short, I was impressed […]

RYLE RE-EXAMINED RYLE WAS A MAN OF HIS TIMES That two good books on J.C.Ryle (1816-1900) should appear within a year of each other is a reminder of how the influence of faithful Christians can abide long after their death. Both books are by clergy of the Church of England. Russell’s work is largely biography, […]

THE TEACHING OF CLARK PINNOCK PINNOCK PLACED A GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE HUMANNESS OF SCRIPTURE AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT These are crucial and strategic days for the evangelical movement, which represents the fastest-growing segment of the church world-wide. Its great watershed issue in our post-modern and relativistic era is the nature and […]

THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD JOHN 19:1 “THEN PILATE TOOK JESUS AND HAD HIM FLOGGED”. The Word from God affirms that ‘without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins’, and that points to something absolutely basic and fundamental in the very nature of who God is, the being of God. It is eloquent […]

WINDOWS ON SIBERIA ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE HAVE REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS During September I visited Siberia again and attended the official opening of the big church in Tobolsk. I give below the latest news from the churches we are seeking to support. TOBOLSK a) During the past three months nine people were baptised and fifteen […]

A Commitment to Integrity Our calling is to know and do what is right in all situations and relationships in our lives Recently I heard a report about a young man’s situation which moved me deeply. I believe that his story is perhaps the most powerful testimony to Christian integrity I can recall in my […]

ARE YOU SURE YOU LIKE SPURGEON? “The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works…” , C.H. Spurgeon Praised by many evangelicals as a great preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon is considered a successful and “safe” example of a “non-theological” ministry. His works are recommended as […]

James E. Adams Mesa, Arizona Introduction What is Regeneration? “Except a man be born again (1), he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 33). Our Lord Jesus Christ taught that the new birth is so important that no one can see heaven without it. Mistakes concerning this doctrine have been very destructive to the […]

Continued from Part I of this article. The phrase, “O Lamb of God, I come, I come,” has been widely used to encourage people to “come” down the aisle. But it is significant that Miss Elliott wrote the hymn for the infirm and that it first appeared in a hymnal prepared especially for invalids, (9). […]

WOODROW NEWSLETTER Dear Friends: This letter comes one year after the last update many of you have had from Nampula. Much has happened for which we rejoice – the arrival of two missionary interns from Malawi who have helped and encouraged us since last October, the coming of the Chiorino’s in February to assist in […]

THE UNRESOLVED CONTROVERSY:UNITY WITH NON-EVANGELICALS THE REALITY IS WE COULD HAVE DONE WORSE THAN THOSE WITH WHOM WE DIFFER [In the discussion and controversy which followed the publication of “Evangelicalism Divided: A Record of Crucial Change in the Years 195O-2OO1”, its author, Iain Murray, was invited by Dr John F MacArthur to give an address […]