God, Marriage, and Family | Andreas J. Kostenberger

Crossway have recently launched the 2nd Edition of God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas J. Kostenberger. You can find out about the book here. It comprehensively deals with the Old Testament, the New Testament and current topical issues. I’m currently studying Christian Ethics at college and it’s a useful text for a theological college student, but I think it’s not beyond the average reader. I know of a number of churches that use this as required reading for couples before they get married. Marriage is currently under attack in our world… there’s no better time to be acquainted with God’s good plans for  relationships than now!

Here’s a blurb from the product website:

The release of the landmark first edition of God, Marriage, and Family provided an integrated, biblical treatment of God’s purposes for the home. Since then, explain authors Andreas Köstenberger and David Jones, the crisis confronting modern households has only intensified, and yet the solution remains the same: obedience to and application of God’s Word.

In the second edition of God, Marriage, and Family, Köstenberger and Jones explore the latest controversies, cultural shifts, and teachings within both the church and society and further apply Scripture’s timeless principles to contemporary issues. This new edition includes an assessment of the family-integrated church movement; discussion of recent debates on corporal punishment, singleness, homosexuality, and divorce and remarriage; new sections on the theology of sex and the parenting of teens; and updated bibliographies. This book will prove to be a valuable resource for personal and group study, Christian counseling, and marriage and family courses.

Get your hands on a copy:

Crossway | Amazon | Booko | Browse the whole book online

MP3s from Regenerate Spring Camp 2010

Are you involved in youth ministry? Keen to see a great youth ministry in action? Try and spend some time with Regenerate Youth from Christ Church Gladesville, such an encouraging bunch of young punks. Exciting stuff happening in their community. I gave 5 talks from Luke’s gospel on following Jesus at their recent Spring Camp. Sweet.

Here are the MP3s:

[right-click to download]

The Humbling Power of Cross-Centred Thinking

The extended extract below is from John Piper’s recent sermon: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God (read manuscript, watch vid or listen to MP3). (h/t  CJ Mahaney)

Where should our mind focus in order to know God most fully and deeply?

We could focus on nature because the heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).

We could focus on the human soul for we are made in the image of God.

We could focus on the history of Israel because God calls Israel “my glory” (Isaiah 46:13).

We could focus on the life of Christ because he is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3).

Or we could come to the event where more of God is revealed than any other event in history, the death of his Son.

All the other revelations of God in Christ are like rays of sun breaking through the clouds. But the death of Christ for sinners was like a bolt of lightning.

Continue reading “The Humbling Power of Cross-Centred Thinking”

COME HOME – 5 Youth Sermons

Last week I spoke to 50 year 12 students each day on the Christ Church Youth Year 12 Study Hall (check out their swanky new website). The 5 talks were from Luke’s gospel on the theme “COME HOME”. We kicked off in Luke 15 and saw how the rebellious son and the religious son were both lost and need to come home to their father. I think it was challenging to both church kids and non-church kids. Check out the MP3s below:

[Right-click to download]

According to Twitter: 2 Corinthians

Here’s the latest according to twitter. I was really struck in 2 Corinthians by how candid Paul is in sharing his weaknesses and suffering. It’s clear as you read the letter that suffering comes before glory. What a good smack down against triumphalism.

Here is the reading plan I use (PDF). Here are some other  Bible reading resources.

See below the jump for the compilation of the 2 Corinthians verses:

Continue reading “According to Twitter: 2 Corinthians”