Tim Chester on Delighting in the Trinity

The third and final part of Tim Chester's interview. This time he speaks about Delighting in the Trinity.

What figure or work has been the most influential in your thinking on the doctrine of the Trinity?

My desire to write a ‘simple’ book on the Trinity started with the observation that so many of us get a little embarrassed by the Trinity as a subject. Because the math doesn’t seem to work, and the arguments about it are so complex, a lot of believers just try not to think about it. It doesn’t seem to be good news at all. But, of course, the opposite is true. When you start to see how central an understanding of the Trinity is to everything in the Christian life, you start to discover how amazing and wonderful God is. It’s a failure by preachers to express these wonderful truths in a way people can really grab hold of that is really at the heart of the problem. ... continue reading

Tim Chester on From Creation to New Creation

The second part of a three-part interview with Tim Chester. Here, Tim speaks about his new book, From Creation to New Creation.

Why write a book unpacking the storyline of the Bible? Why is it important for the health of the church to understand and embrace the overarching story of the Bible and how it “fits” together into a coherent whole?

I’m convinced it’s absolutely vital for the church to have a strong sense of the Bible story as a whole and how we fit in that story. It’s vital if we want to read the Bible properly. But it’s also vital is we want to understand our identity as Christians. Too many Christians are influenced by the individualism of our culture. We think of the gospel as all about how I get saved by God. It is that, but it’s much more than that. The Bible is the story of God saving a family, a nation, a people. Our identity is communal and missional.... continue reading

An interview with Tim Chester

Read Part One of a three-part interview with Tim Chester, church planter and author, where he discusses his new books, Delighting in the Trinity and From Creation to New Creation.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your background, interests, and passions? What current projects are you working on?

I grew up in Reformed Baptist circles. I’m part of a missional church now, but theologically I’m still Reformed and still baptistic!... continue reading

Resources on suffering

Each day we’re seeing more suffering from Japan on our TV screens and in our newspapers. We blogged on a Christian response to friends' questions here: but we also wanted to point you to some great, helpful readable books which deal with the subject in a bit more depth.

For a readable, practical and heart-felt look at faith in the face of suffering: If I were God I'd end all the pain, by John Dickson. Currently £4.79 (20% off).

For a single chapter on the issue, which requires careful reading but is well worth it (as is the rest of the book): The Reason for God, by Tim Keller. Currently £7.65 (15% off).

For a more in-depth look at suffering and how Christians should deal with it in our own lives as well as in the news: How long, O Lord?, by Don Carson. Currently £13.

If there is another resource that you’ve found really helpful in thinking through this difficult issue, do let everyone know about it by commenting below. We can then point people to it on our website, or locate it cheaply elsewhere if we don’t have it.

Responses to Love Wins

Here's (probably) the last thing we'll be posting about the new Rob Bell book - a round up of some helpful responses from the US blogosphere, where this has been the hottest topic this year.

• A 20-page review of Love Wins by Kevin DeYoung
• A follow-up post from Kevin on the controversy.
• A useful summary of the 20 page review from Justin Taylor.
• Ligon Duncan has an article on how preachers should speak about Hell and eternal punishment.
• Albert Mohler has written on the reemergence of liberal theology how there's nothing new under the sun.

And finally, Martin Bashir interviewing Rob Bell on the controversy (in a very Paxman-esque style):

New Christianity Explored trailer

Find out more information about the new course, due for release on 10 May.

Are you game?

After all the theological stuff we’ve been posting recently, I thought you deserved a game (actually, this isn't purely a game, and it is theological—but I hope you'll play along anyway!). Here are some instructions.

First, pick a number. Any number. Well, any number between 6 and 23. Sorted?

Now look at your diary (or your TV guide) and see what you are going to be doing the next time the clock hits that number. (I’m sure you’ve worked it out but just in case you haven’t, you need to be thinking 24 hour clock… ). Done that?

Lastly, ask yourself this question: “What difference is my faith in Jesus going to make to how I approach that activity?”

Whether it’s watching the news, collecting the kids, enduring a commute, chairing a meeting, enjoying a meal out with friends or being home alone, your faith should make a difference… so why not take a short moment to think through what that difference should be and prepare yourself to act in a distinctively Christ-centred way today?

Enjoy!

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3 v 17

Fear or faith?

To mark the King James Version's 400th anniversary, Eastbourne-based evangelist Glenn Scrivener is blogging on various phrases that come from the KJV.

Glenn's posts are clear, insightful, and full of memorable phrases (a great combination!): for instance, take a look at this one on Abraham, about how ultimately the only answer to enduring a life of fear is enjoying a life of faith.