I’ve got a friend who’s been a Christian for a while. She knows her Bible reasonably well. She can look back on some enthusiastic years. But now things have changed. She doesn’t look forward to church any more. Why? She’s been hurt by someone in the congregation. And she’s disillusioned by some of the policies and practises that are going on. The pain and frustration seems to have sapped every ounce of energy she used to have.
Sound familiar? It probably does. There are plenty of Christians up and down the land who struggle. There are plenty of people who can look back over a period of years and see the gradual waning of their enthusiasm. Maybe that can even be said of you?... continue reading
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 1:9 – 2:2
When Jonah walked the streets of Nineveh proclaiming the God of the Bible, the people's hearts were moved. Sackcloth and ashes were worn, lives turned round in repentance and God poured out his mercy.
Since then? Sometimes the church has thrived. Sometimes it has struggled. Today it is being systematically wiped out.
Few people can have been unmoved by the news in recent times. Terrified children, weeping mothers, men slaughtered and tied to crosses ... families fleeing, starving, dying for no other reason than they are followers of Christ (or are members of another minority group considered worthy of extermination by IS - it is right to remember them too).
Feelings of shock, disbelief and frustration at our inability to help can flood our minds. It seems impossible to grasp the enormity of the situation unfolding so far from our homes. We might change our photo on Facebook to show solidarity (and why not, it helps to start conversations) but surely there has to be more we can do ...... continue reading
What does your summer look like? Holiday trips away from home, in this country or abroad, summer camp, staying with friends, or perhaps just bumping in to different people near where you live?
Whatever your lazy, hazy days of warm weather and sunshine have in store the one thing you can probably be sure of is meeting new people wherever you are.
I'm sure when you meet those people you'll talk about many things and hopefully your faith will be part of that discussion. But what will that person remember about you or what you've said?
It's a good idea to be armed - for the right occasion - making sure you have something to give the people with whom you have been speaking to help them progress their thinking. Why not have a copy of Rico Tice and Barry Cooper's book One Life: What's it all about? to hand to that person so they have something to take away from your conversation?
Read more HERE and get the book for just £2.50 (65% off) until midday on Monday. Use code ol0814 at the checkout.
Iraq Christians flee as Islamic State takes Qaraqosh
Iraqi Christians 'should be offered asylum in UK' - bishop
Bishops urge David Cameron to grant asylum to Iraqi Christians
U.S. doctor with Ebola on a mission to help
Christian group told they can’t pray at Georgia shopping mall
Sudan 'apostasy' woman Meriam Ibrahim arrives in US
Disclaimer: The Good Book Company is not responsible for the content of external sites and does not necessarily agree with the content of articles listed.
God doesn’t play fair.
Much to my parents’ concern, I hadn’t been to church for a long time. And yet here I was, in my first term at university, sliding into a pew at St Ebbe’s Church in Oxford.
This, I can promise you, was not the result of any pious yearning on my part. Rather, it was because the congregation counted among its number a particularly lovely second-year student of modern languages.
Where earnest parental pleading had failed, she had proved to be rather more convincing.... continue reading
There have been comings and goings in the US office this past week.
We've said "farewell" to Daniel (Brodi) Broaddus. Brodi has been the engine of The Good Book Company US looking after customer services, logistics, finance and much, much more - and he has done an outstanding job. Please do pray for him as he goes off to seminary. He will be much missed but we're excited about the gospel work he's heading towards in the future.
But we've said "hello" to not one but two new members of staff as well!
Angela Esatto is the US office's new part-time Executive Assistant where she will be responsible for human resources, book-keeping and making sure her colleagues are in the right place at the right time (no small challenge). A homeschooling mum of five boys (yes, five boys) Angela is an avid blog-reader, a keen cook and a big fan of the great outdoors.
Matthew Endres is a recent graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and he's been married a whole 3 weeks! Matt is going to be responsible for product administration and customer services, making sure you get the products you need at the time you need them.
We thank the Lord for all our staff. Please do pray for Angela and Matt - that they will settle into the Good Book family quickly; that they will enjoy serving God through Christian publishing and that they will enjoy helping you open up the Bible ...
We're conscious, here at The Good Book Company, of our need for prayer. We want to be working in God's strength - for God's glory - in God's Kingdom not just pottering about doing what we think is good and right. If you could remembers us in prayer, that would be so much appreciated. To that end, this Wednesday we're continuing to pop up some prayer requests - asking you to pray for us department by department. This week, design:
The design department oversees all things visual here at The Good Book Company. This include the development of covers and internal layouts for our books and resources, typesetting, illustration, advertising, and working with freelance illustrators and designers on larger projects.
It's a busy time at the moment, with several large projects underway.... continue reading
1. Grace Transforming - half price ebook!
Get the ebook version of Grace Transforming for just £4!
2. Own Your Desperation (New eBook from Piper)
A new, free ebook from John Piper.
3. (English) Relief Project: Titus For You
Support The Gospel Coalition’s new relief project of Titus For You.
4. Keswick Convention 2014 Talks
Listen to the talks from this year’s recent convention (Registration required).
5. And finally...
Our video of the week, ‘Following Jesus’ from Live Grow Know Session 1:
Found something that you think should make it on to the On to a Good Thing round-up? Send it to: ontoagoodthing@thegoodbook.co.uk
