Christians are Bible people.
It's a book we listen to. It's a book we love. It's where we find out about Jesus and the good news of his saving work. It's where we discover the history of the world, and our place in it.
But that doesn't stop us having questions about it. Just how does it work that a book written by scores of people over a thousand year span can claim to be literally the very words of God?
And at a time when the central ideas of Scripture are more and more out of step with the spirit of the age, we are tempted to doubt the Bible as reliable and trustworthy.
That's why I'm delighted that Barry Cooper has written Can I really trust the Bible? - the latest in our Questions Christians Ask series. Barry uses a simple example to ask some key questions about the Bible. If you see what looks to be a jar of honey on a shelf - how do you know that it is genuinely honey inside? Three simple steps:... continue reading
The wayward prodigal son, the weak character of Gideon - not likely role-models at first glance! But they were people who came to realise the most important fact any human can ever grasp: they realised they needed God.
Aimed at teens, but accessible to all, these two books offer easy-to-read glimpses into these fallible characters and help us unpack the ways in which their stories can inspire us in the 21st century.
Get the ebooks today at the great price of just £1 each (that's over 65% off!). Simply use code lh0614 at the checkout.
For 24 years Romania was under the Ceausescu regime, with a strong communist influence the government made efforts to undermine religious teaching and faith. As a result, there is a huge lack of biblical knowledge as well as people being suspicious of the motives of evangelical churches because of the spiritual vacuum created by the Communist regime. However the people in Romania are in a continuous search of spiritual fulfilment today and the hunger for the Word of God continues, but the means to guide people towards a sound theological understanding are very poor." So reflects Dinu Moga, General Director of Faclia House Publishing - a company whose work is focused on equipping Romanian church workers to do ministry biblically and faithfully.
The situation in Romania is challenging but also full of opportunity which is why we are delighted that Faclia House have partnered with Christianity Explored and The Good Book Company in the production of Explorari in Crestinism (that's Christianity Explored in Romanian to you and me).
So far, both the Christianity Explored course handbook and leader's guide, and the book, "One life, What's it all about?" have been translated. Work on Discipleship Explored is well under way ...and Soul (the Christianity Explored course for young people) is next in line.
Please do pray with us that the launch of this new translation will bear much fruit in the Kingdom and that God's people in that land will be built up as they focus afresh on the wonderful truths set out in the Gospel of Mark.
And if you happen to have contacts in Romania, do please forward on this link, so those on the ground can browse these new and exciting products for themselves ...
What are we to do with the gospel? In Titus 3:8 Paul says: “Stress these things”. We are to stress the gospel that he’s just outlined. We can never talk about the gospel too much. We need never move on from it or move away from it. Stressing these gospel things to our own hearts and to our church family is what we and they most need.
On the other hand, we’re to avoid what is unprofitable and useless: “Foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law” (v 9). Stress and avoid—these are the two guidelines of verses 8-9. Stress the gospel and avoid controversies. We stress the gospel because it is excellent and profitable, and we avoid controversies because they are unprofitable and useless.
You would not think that was a difficult or contentious thing to say. But the reality is that all too often in church life, we stress controversy and avoid talking about the gospel. It may be true that our preaching stresses the gospel. But our conversations so often stress controversy. The letters and emails that people write stress controversy. The points that people raise stress controversy. We agree on the kindness of the Father, the renewal of the Spirit, the grace of the Son and the hope of eternal life. And these things are excellent and profitable. But we put our energy into controversies, arguments and quarrels. We do this even though Paul says such things are unprofitable and useless. In other words, they are a waste of time and energy.... continue reading
I was at a confirmation service for my eldest son on Sunday night. A poignant moment in any parent's life. It's great to see your child committing themselves to the Lord in such a public way.
As all the candidates renewed their baptismal vows and confirmed what they believe in, it struck me that we all need to revisit those beliefs from time to time and just ground ourselves in the gospel truths we live by.
Rock Solid, is a book that helps us do just that. It explains and clarifies these important and powerful doctrines, or ‘themes’, of the Bible so that we might have the comfort and assurance that comes from them, and so that we can make our life decisions by them.
Read more HERE and get the ebook for just £2.49 using code rse0614 at the checkout.
Living the good life of the gospel is always a challenge when we live in a wider culture that defines the good life in other ways. It is particularly hard in a culture where newspapers cannot be trusted and politicians are corrupt; a harsh, selfish, racist culture in which there is a fear of crime; a culture where people are reluctant to do manual work, which is therefore left to migrant workers; a culture in which people routinely overeat.
And that was the culture of first-century Crete, where Titus led the church and to whom Paul wrote: “One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons,’” (Titus 1:12). The quote is from a Cretan philosopher, Epimenides. Epimenides was held in high honour by Cretans—so they could not readily ignore or deny his verdict. And yet, of course, this description of first-century Crete could just as easily be a description of twenty-first century western culture. How do we live as Christians in a dishonest, harsh, selfish culture? How can we survive without adopting those attitudes? How can we live the good life in this situation? These are the questions the letter of Titus addresses, and these are the questions we need help with each day as we seek to live a gospel-changed life in a society that seeks change and finds truth in many places, but so rarely in the gospel.... continue reading
What does an Old Testament book have to say to us in the twenty-first century? Discover how to find out, using the tools explained in this great book, Dig Even Deeper, from Andrew Sach and Richard Aldritt.
Rather than a Hollywood movie, this book is more like the how-they-made-the-movie footage that you get in the DVD extras. As well as showing you the treasure, it will help you to grow in your ability to unearth such treasure for yourself in the pages of Scripture.
Read more HERE and get the ebook for just £5 until midday on Thursday. Use code ded0614 at the checkout.
The passionate aim of Dig Deeper is that it should help you to 'correctly handle the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2:15) so that you will experience God's clear guidance in your life, come to know him better and grow to love him more. Our prayer is that your Bible reading will never be the same again. The tools here in this book are a means of getting to the bottom of any Bible passage and discovering its true meaning.
Read more HERE and get the ebook for just £5 until midday on Thursday. Use code dd0614 at the checkout.
Is there something you've been itching you ask God? What's the big question on your mind? If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
Whatever that question is, there is a good chance it will be answered in the book entitled If you could ask God one question. It tackles common questions in a careful and compassionate way. Whether they are questions you have yourself, or questions you get asked, this little readable book will help you with the answers based firmly on scripture.
Read more HERE and get the ebook for just £1.99 until midday on Thursday. Use code qu0614 at the checkout.
