Do you believe in the power of prayer?

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During the past 25 years, numerous medical studies have been conducted to try to measure whether prayer has any beneficial effects on patient recovery. The experiments usually involve two randomly assigned groups of patients, and a group of ‘pray-ers’. The ‘pray-ers’ are asked to pray for the recovery of one group of patients, but not for the other. Neither staff nor patients are told whether they are being prayed for, so that any effects are attributed to the power of prayer, rather than the power of suggestion.

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Introducing: The Sola Panel

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The word ‘blog’, I gather, is a contraction of ‘web log’. I’ve been reading blogs on and off for a couple of years now, and it seems to me that ‘blog’ isn’t the only new word we need to describe what goes on in the ‘blogosphere’. Other handy words might be ‘binane’, ‘brudeness’ and ‘bwaste of beveryone’s time’.

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The slow death of congregational singing

Everyday Ministry

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It seems like genuine, heartfelt congregational singing is experiencing its dying gasps. But why does it matter and why should we care? Mike Raiter brings us back to the Bible to inject our singing with new life.

I was at a convention recently, seated near the rear of the auditorium. The music team at the front were ‘leading’ (and I use that word advisedly) and we were singing. Well, we were meant to be singing. And so I did what I’ve done quite often lately: I closed my eyes and listened to the singing. The song leaders with their microphones were clear and distinct. I could identify each of the several instruments accompanying the singers. But if you blocked out the ‘worship team’, all that was left around the building was a barely audible murmur. I opened my eyes and looked around. Most folk were either standing silently, not even making a pretence of singing, or were little engaged in the activity. (more…)

Podcast: Preaching and personal ministry

Audio

Tony Payne and Gordon Cheng reflect on the differences between the USA and Australia in the area of personal ministry (MP3).

Audio MP3

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity” (Part 3)

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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

2. Responding To Doctrinal Diversity

We now turn to examine how the gospel controls our response to doctrinal diversity. We suggest here six ways that we can respond, before concluding with a return to the slogan for our consideration ‘In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity’. Our goal is to consider how this statement fares as a guide for responding to doctrinal diversity.

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One-to-one ministry

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It is probably fair to say that most modern Christians would regard the small group and the large public church meeting as the two key activities in their Christian lives. The Sunday church meeting is the public rallying point—the front door of the congregational life—in which newcomers can be welcomed, the word of God preached, the sacraments duly administered, and so on. The small group is the power-house of mutual encouragement and Christian nurture where relationships are formed, where the Word is applied to each person’s life, and where prayer can focus on the particular needs of individuals.

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Review: “The Old Evangelicalism”

Review

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The Old Evangelicalism: Old truths for a new awakening
Iain H Murray
Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 2005, 226pp.

Recent debates in my circles (about the nature of the Trinity, and about who is suitable to be ordained or to preside at the Lord’s Supper) show an uneasy footing with regard to theologians of the past. Sometimes we are keen to legitimate our standing in the apostolic tradition, and so we selectively cite those earlier divines who shared our opinions. Sometimes we confer on some past thinker a godlike authority, and then proceed to marry our thoughts precisely to theirs. Sometimes we are so convinced of an historically eccentric view, we ignore all our forebears, rebuffing them with a cry of “Sola scriptura!” (more…)

Preaching the Cross

Review

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Sometimes it can seem futile preaching the Bible week in and week out. But, as Gary Koo discovers, it’s the most important thing God wants you to do as a pastor. (more…)