A very happy Christmas to all our blog-readers around the world.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7
For your information, here are our opening hours over the Christmas period:
UK office:
December 24th: office closed
December 25th: office closed
December 26th: office closed
December 27th-28th: office open as usual
US office:
December 24th: office closed
December 25th: office closed
December 26th-28th: office open as usual
Please feel free to continue to order via email or via the websites while the offices are closed - we'll look forward to processing your order as soon as we're able on our return.
It's still only November, I know. But it's hard to find a date when we're all free. So yesterday, the wonderful people at Christianity Explored Ministries came down to join the Good Book Company team for our Christmas lunch. And we thought you might like a peak at our time together.
There were smiles
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English people want Christianity taught in schools; and Christianity isn’t being taught well in schools, according to recently-published research.
58% of those asked said it is important for children to know about the history of Christianity. 56% want them to be taught about major Christian festivals; 51% about how Christianity distinguishes right from wrong. And the academic leading the project, Dr Nigel Fancourt of Oxford University, said lessons often lacked “intellectual development” and were not always “challenging and vibrant”.
So far, so encouraging. But dig a little deeper, and it’s not quite what it seems.... continue reading
A very happy Thanksgiving Day to all our US friends.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100: 4-5
We’re hearing a lot of pretty strong claims made about the whole women-bishop-debate in the Church of England.
The secular media reports, and the comments from the bishops, are overwhelmingly annoyed that the measure to admit women to the episcopate failed—unsurprisingly, since both the media and the bishops were strongly in favour. Views of those who oppose women bishops tend to be buried right at the bottom of articles—this a pretty representative one. To read the articles and the weight given to the two side’s views, you could quite easily forget that over a third of the “normal” members of the CofE’s General Synod opposed the measure.... continue reading
A gentle man of God; faithful preacher; author of engaging books such as A Fresh Start; evangelist with a passion for the lost; treasured family member and friend. Just a few of the ways in which John Chapman will be remembered.
Chapman or Chappo, as he was affectionately known, died earlier today in Sydney at the age of 82 having been in hospital since the end of October. Archbishop Peter Jensen paid tribute to his longtime friend and colleague and was quoted on the Sydney Anglican's website as saying:
"Chappo represented the very essence of what our diocese has always stood for and continues to stand for. A strong affirmation of the authority of the bible, the importance of preaching and an approach to evangelism which made it central while at the same time respecting the intelligence and integrity of the listeners. He was a man of faith like Joshua of old, and he lived out his faith with clear godliness of life"
In the grace of God, his ministry has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many. His legacy - not least through his writing - will no doubt continue to bear fruit for the gospel for many years to come.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15)
The Gambia and Great Britain. 2 countries separated by over 2,000 miles. One a thriving player on the international economic scene, the other a nation where a third of its 2 million citizens live below the international poverty line. Both a place where God's word is bearing fruit as people preach and respond to the gospel.
Last week, The Good Book College Director, Doug Johnson, his wife, Ann and I took to the air (well, a Monarch plane) and travelled from London to Banjul. We'd been invited to speak at a series of lectures run at the Gamfes centre (the Gambian branch of the Independent Fellowship of Evangelical Students). And what a week it was!... continue reading
You may have heard that there’s an election going on in the US today…
From across the Atlantic, and whatever your political persuasion, what’s really noticeable is the change of mood between 2008 and 2012. Four years ago, Barack Obama swept to power on a wave of “Yes, we can”. Whoever wins today will do so on a trickle of “You probably can’t, but you’re less bad than the other guy”.
If Obama does win, as the polls suggest he will, it won’t be, can’t be, with the same flood of optimism as in 2008. Then, he was the man. He would make it better. He would make it different. He was the one who would deliver the change you wanted (whatever change that was).
Of course that hope has become tinged with disappointment. He was and is, after all, only a man. He’d been asked to do too much (and, in fairness, had encouraged voters to think he could do too much).... continue reading
Fantastic day at the Evangelists' Conference yesterday with John Woodhouse, Principal of Moore College Sydney. The day was trying to get to grips with how to preach Old Testament Narrative evangelistically. And it came at a great moment for me personally.
I've just started to prepare for a sermon in a couple of weeks' time, and I was given the story of Jephthah from Judges 10-11. This particular judge is raised up by God to beat back the Ammonites, but as he goes into battle he makes a vow to the Lord that If he gets victory, he will sacrifice the first thing that comes out to greet him from home. Victory comes. But his only daughter comes to greet him, and is duly sacrificed.... continue reading
