REVIEW: Joyful Perseverance
Title: Joyful Perseverance: Staying Fresh through the Ups and Downs of Ministry Author: Ajith Fernando Publisher: Crossway Year: 2024 Reviewed by Mark Powell I heard of a retired minister once who was asked by […]
Jude’s Warning to the Church
Vision Christian Media recently reported that Dr Aaron Edwards has failed in his attempt to be re-instated at Cliff College in the UK after he had been dismissed for publishing […]
Interview: The Elder-Led Church
In this interview, AP (The Australian Presbyterian) talks with Murray Capill of the Reformed Theological College Australia about the Biblical responsibility for churches to be led by a plurality of […]
Interview: The Christian Church and Porn
In this episode of AP’s Profiles in Christian Living, host Mark Powell sits down with Dr. Marshall Ballantine-Jones to discuss the sensitive and pervasive issue of pornography. Dr. Ballantine-Jones, who […]
Why Eldership should be Permanent and not for a Limited Term
The office of elder is one of the primary components of Presbyterian polity. Importantly, this particular form of church government is founded upon the Scriptures contained in both the Old […]
Chinese translation for ‘Lament’
基督徒生活中的哀傷 信徒也哭泣 閱讀阿吉斯·費爾南多（Ajith Fernando）的新近佳作《喜樂的堅守：在起起落落的事工中保持精神》 （Crossway，2024）時，我看到了這句關於哀傷主題的引言： 哀傷可以成為治癒痛苦的一步。如果我們在上帝面前表達悲傷和哭泣，發生在我們身上的怨恨就可以消除。 約瑟經歷了極度的痛苦。 他的兄弟密謀毀掉他；他忠於主人拒絕與其妻子發生性關係卻被送進監獄；曾經接受過他幫助的獄友忘記了他。 但他沒有表現出任何怨恨。當約瑟相信兄弟的背叛也出於神的主權時，我們看到他對上帝的信心，而這給了他寬恕別人的自由（創 50:20）。 費爾南多接著說：「創世記 43-50 章記載約瑟哭了八次」。 「哭泣」這個詞在約瑟的生活中佔據如此主導的地位令我大大震驚。 顯然，他比大多數人經歷了更多的傷痛。 聖經記載約瑟哭泣的每一個例子值得我們思考。 哭泣的約瑟 第一個例子發生在大飢荒時期，那時約瑟的兄弟們第一次來到埃及購買糧食（創42:24）。約瑟立即認出他們，然後以莫須有的間諜指控將他們扣留。 約瑟隨後指示他們中的一人留下作為人質， 直到他們將最小的弟弟帶到埃及。 兄弟們對這個提議深感悲傷，並承認這是要他們為當年加害約瑟「血債血償」。當聽到這些時，約瑟的心被刺痛並哭泣起來。 第二次哭泣發生在約瑟遇見弟弟便雅憫時（創 43:30）。 這對約瑟來說一定是個美妙的祝福，以至於他激動不已。多年的孤獨之後， 他終於見到同父同母的兄弟（雅各和拉結所生的第二個兒子）。 第三次，約瑟的哭聲如此之大，以至於不只普通的埃及人，就連法老全家都聽見了（創45:2）！ 這件事發生在約瑟把一個占卜用的銀杯藏進便雅憫的袋子裡之後。當猶大懇求他憐憫， 約瑟終於向兄弟們透露了自己的身份。 根據描述，約瑟與兄弟們和解之後不止哭了一次，而是兩次（創45:14-15）。 首先他為便雅憫， […]
Book Review: The Elder-Led Church
Title: The Elder-Led Church: How an Eldership Team Shepherds a Healthy Flock Author: Murray Capill Publisher: Presbyterian & Reformed Year: 2024 Reviewed by Mark Powell Every now and again a […]
The Place of Lament in the Christian Life
Believers Weep too While reading Ajith Fernando’s excellent new book, Joyful Perseverance: Staying Fresh in the Ups and Downs of Ministry(Crossway, 2024), I came across this quote on the theme […]
Book Review: Plans for Your Good
Plans for Your Good Title: Plans for Your Good Author: Scott Morrison Publisher: Word Year: 2024 The autobiography of the former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is one of the […]
Review: Ruined Sinners to Reclaim
Title: Ruined Sinners to Reclaim: Sin and Depravity in Historical, Biblical, Theological and Pastoral Perspective Editors: David Gibson and Jonathan Gibson Publisher: Crossway Year: 2024 Every so often a volume […]
Book Review: O’Donnell on the Gospel of Mark
Publisher: Crossway Year: 2024 I’m currently preaching through the Gospel of Mark, and so I have several commentaries on my desk, but Expository Reflections on the Gospels – Markby Sean […]
Talking Back to Death
One of the most anguished stories I’ve ever read was about what happened to Martin Luther’s daughter Magdalena. Barely fourteen years of age, she was stricken with the plague. Broken-hearted, […]
A Tale of Faith, Adversity and Courage
Interview: Ruth Ridley AP sits down with Ruth Ridley, the daughter of the famous Baptist evangelist John Ridley who preached the famous ‘Eternity’ sermon which inspired Arthur Stace. Ruth has […]
Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s journey to Christ
The Humble Faith of Ayaan Hirsi Ali 2024 continues to be a year of spiritual surprises. One by one by one, well-known voices from around the world are expressing a […]
Law, Christianity and Religious Freedom
Prof. Zimmermann is a prolific author as well as courageous spokesman for Christianity in the public square. In this interview AP talks to Prof. Augusto Zimmermann about the vocation of […]
Responding to Gay Conversion Laws: How to Get it Wrong
There is a gathering storm against religious freedom in Australia. In many ways it is already here. In the past four months, Christians have lost a flurry of foundational freedoms […]