Audio and Video for D. A. Carson’s The God Who Is There

Free audio download for one of Carson's books: Audio and Video for D. A. Carson’s The God Who Is There – The Gospel Coalition Blog

An All-Round Ministry by Spurgeon

A good quote by Spurgeon from: An All-Round Ministry � Expository Thoughts

Teachers should be what they wish their students to be; and what manner of men should ministers be? They should thunder in preaching, and lighten in conversation; they should be flaming in prayer, shining in life, and burning in spirit. If they be not so, what can they effect?

"I Over-Repented" Ted Haggard Tells Wall Street Journa

Is it even possible to "Over Repent"? No: "I Over-Repented" Ted Haggard Tells Wall Street Journa | Acts 29 Network

Don Carson to preach in Melbourne : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia

I think he is also coming out next year for a Katoomba convention: Don Carson to preach in Melbourne : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia

Marry Outside the Faith? The Logic of Christian Marriage

AlbertMohler.com – Marry Outside the Faith? The Logic of Christian Marriage:

...it turns out that marrying outside the faith is one of the most significant risk factors for divorce. Citing the American Religious Identification Survey of 2001, Riley reported that “people who had been in mixed-religion marriages were three times more likely to be divorced or separated than those who were in same-religion marriages.” Riley referred to this fact as “an open secret among academics.”

The sociological research presents a clear case for social concern, but the Christian case against mixed-faith marriage emerged long before the academic discipline of sociology. That case is rooted in the logic of the Gospel itself, and in the reality of the Lordship of Jesus Christ

Sex, the Bible and Australian media

This links to two articles that were in SMH and the Age this week on the Christian view of sex: ‘The good book’s guide to great sex’ : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia

Bear Grylls fronts Alpha campaign on Sydney buses

Interesting: Bear Grylls fronts Alpha campaign on Sydney buses | Communicate Jesus

Bear Grylls soon to appear on Aussie buses

Preaching to the Whole Choir

Kevin identifies four types of people that might be in your congregation on Sunday and how you should cater for all types: Preaching to the Whole Choir – Kevin DeYoung:

Bryan Chapell is well suited for the weary, John Piper for the wandering, Matt Chandler for the lazy, Time Keller for the lost. God doesn’t ask us to preach like only someone else can or preach for someone else’s context. But he does want preachers to remember that the choir is made up of more than just sopranos. So when you’re preaching, be sure to hand out more than one part.

Randy Alcorn Interview

Driscoll interviews Randy Alcorn, who only earns minimum wage because 25% above that would go to an abortion clinic, he protested against in 1990. Now Randy gives 100% of his writing profits to charity. Randy Alcorn Interview | TheResurgence

Randy also spoke in 2007 at a Desiring God Conference: Today's Decisions Determine Who You'll Be Tomorrow

How Does John Piper Prepare a Sermon?

I guess when you have been writing sermons for over 30 years it wouldn't take you as long. Piper doesn't look at the passage till the Friday before: How Does John Piper Prepare a Sermon? :: Desiring God:

I don't work on it until Friday. I pick out the title and text either weeks or days ahead of time because I have to get it to the worship guys by Tuesday. But I don't study it, and I don't write or work on a sermon until Friday morning. I devote all of Friday to sermon preparation

Keeping Kids Safe Cannot Be Outsourced

A mate of mines article got republished on Gizmodo about the Australian Internet filter idea: Keeping Kids Safe Cannot Be Outsourced | Gizmodo Australia

Jason Helopoulos on Good Reasons for Changing churches

This has some good reasons as to why or why not you should change churches. Jason Helopoulos on Good Reasons for Moving On, eg:

New Pastor—A new pastor is not a sufficient reason to change churches. It doesn’t matter how stiff, impersonal, unfunny, etc. he is. The list is endless. It doesn’t even matter if he is not the most interesting preacher. He is the man God called to this church for this time. And this is your church. Again, unless he is unbiblical why move on? You haven’t covenanted with a man, but with this body.

The Swedish Method

We had a missionary from Italy lead our bible study last night using this method. It was quite good and I am thinking about taking it up: The Briefing Library: The Swedish Method

Driscoll on Manhood

Worth a look, even if you just scan the images with text in it: Why Men Are Cultivators, Warriors, and Sages

C.S. Lewis on Democracy

Every now and again around the 4th of July I read some American Christians quoting this, I don't disagree and I think it might be worth Australian's thinking about as we are to vote soon C.S. Lewis on Democracy – Justin Taylor:

I am a democrat [proponent of democracy] because I believe in the Fall of Man.

I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that every one deserved a share in the government.

The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true. . . . I find that they’re not true without looking further than myself. I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost. Much less a nation. . . .

The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters.