For a number of people, this week sees the return of the ordinary daily routine. And to help you get back into the swing of things, we’re offering a fantastic deal on 2 of our ebooks.
Sympathetic to our struggles, clear and concise, rooted in the Bible, and relevant to our everyday experience, Gospel-Centred Life by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester shows how every Christian can follow the way of the cross as they embrace the liberating grace of God in Christ.
In Gospel-Centred Work by Tim Chester, you’ll discover how the good news about Jesus transforms the way we think about our work in surprising practical ways.
Until midday on Thursday you can get the ebook versions for just £1 each using the code gce0209 at the checkout.
Porn in unexpected places
I walked down the office carrying a pile of pornography. I'd wrapped it in two bags so my colleagues wouldn't see it, but I still worried. What if I tripped and broke my neck? After failing to resucitate me, the first thing people would discover was my pile of porn.
Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it sounds, but is a salutary tale nonetheless.
It started on my ride to work. The subway under the A3 always collects litter - usually crisp packets, coke cans and the odd condom. Not cards. Not a full pack of playing cards. And certainly not pornographic cards. I glanced down as I wheeled the bike through the tunnel, wondering who'd dropped their playing cards, to be faced with umpteen nude women. I was slightly shocked, but late for work so kept on going.... continue reading
How often do you hear someone (and I don't just mean politicians) say politics and faith don't mix? Or that the Church has no place in government?
Throughout history people have been divided: does our faith mix with social action and intervention? Where do evangelism and practical ministry come together?
People like Wilberforce and Carey to name but a couple of individuals over the years say the two do surely need to come together. And in more modern times try telling Mez McConnell in the poorest parts of Edinburgh or Dai Hankey in the valleys of South Wales that the Church should stay away from helping the needy.
Tim Chester argues passionately in his book Good News to the Poor, that evangelism and social action are inseparable as two arms of the church's mission. He presents a biblical case for truly evangelical social action that is shaped and inspired by the gospel. He urges conservatives not to marginalize those who uphold the cause of the oppressed, and those involved in social action not to neglect the preaching of the Word.
Get the ebook for half price (£4.99) until midday on Thursday by using the code poor0814 at the checkout.
God is a generous God. He gives us life, salvation, hope and a whole host of gifts so we can serve him and each other in the local church.
We don't deserve the gifts God gives us but we can make sure we use them well - humbly, lovingly, enthusiastically and for his glory. And we can make sure we hone them, so we learn more about what the Bible says on teaching, caring, administrating, encouraging, welcoming, evangelising as the years go on and become more aligned to God's desires.
That's where some structured studying can help.
In the busyness of preparing talks and craft activities, it can be easy to lose sight of what it means to teach the whole counsel of God to the children in our care. Beneath the piles of paperwork, we can forget just how missional administration truly is. Amid the texts and calls from hurting friends, we can let our eyes shift away from the pastorally liberating words of truth found within the pages of Scripture. Setting aside some time to study can help put all those things back on the map.
So this term, whether you're interested in Administration, Mission and Ministry, Pastoral Care, Women's Ministry or Youth and Children's Work, why not set aside some time to do one of The Good Book College's short courses?
Biblical, accessible and practical, these distance-learning courses will inspire you to read God's word and encourage you to serve God's people. All in the comfort of your own home without the pressure of fixed deadlines.
For more details and to enrol online, click HERE.
You don't need me to tell or remind you I'm sure of the challenges and attacks that the Christian faith finds itself faced with right now.
The secular world chooses to demean and diminish Christianity, to marginalise it and undermine it's place in our world.
The spread of atheism and vocal nature of New Atheists who look to disprove God and undermine the credibility of the Gospels has heightened the pressure under which we Christians find ourselves.
So how do we counter the desire and instincts of a large number of non-Christians to destroy the validity of the Gospels and therefore the credibility of Jesus and God himself. In Gospel Truth, Paul Barnet looks at the main issues and questions we are challenged with and offers in response historical and reasoned arguments to help us all deal with this onslaught and those around us who seek to question what we believe and the foundations on which our faith is built.
Read more and get the book for just £4.95 until midday on Monday. Use code gte0814 at the checkout.
With so many religions on offer, can one of them be considered true? Or are they different paths up the same spiritual mountain? And how can any one person sort their way through the maze of claims? If there really is something spiritual out there, wouldn't there be some pretty clear signposts to it?
Surely God wouldn't leave people with nothing but a bewildering variety of religious voices? This book by John Dickson considers the vast array of spiritual claims made by different religions and individuals and asks whether any clarity can be found.
Read more about the book and get it HERE for just £2.99 until midday on Monday. Use code clear0814 at the checkout.
Self-Esteem. Is it something we are all obsessed with? Certainly much of the world today is wrapped up in it's own glorification.
And it's not just feeling good about yourself but wanting to draw on others feelings of admiration for us too.
That self-esteem ego-thing has led the world today down a very dodgy path. However in his book The Big Ego Trip, Glynn Harrison argues that the Christian gospel calls us beyond the goal of self-esteem, encouraging us to stop judging ourselves, embrace our identity in God’s big story and look outwards to the pursuit of his glory. This is the only sure foundation for biblically based optimism, confidence and personal resilience.
Read more HERE and get the ebook for just £5 until midday on Thursday. Use code ego0814 at the checkout.
We are utterly and completely dependant on the grace of God for everything we have, even life itself. What is more, if we have any hope of life after death - eternal life - it is only because of God's free and undeserved grace for us in Jesus Christ. Only when we understand this is it possible for us to have the relationship with God we truly need. If we understand our absolute need for Jesus - then his grace changes everything.
Phil Ryken, in Grace Transforming, reassures us that grace is not only greater than all our sin, it is also a release from human pressures and the fuel for a fruitful joy. This book will remind you of the grace that first transformed your soul.
Get the ebook HERE for just £4 until midday Thursday. Simply use the code gte0814 at the checkout.
