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Bringing to light the riches of the Banner of Truth Magazine archive for the encouragement of believers today.
Episodes
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
James Gilmour (b. 1843) laboured in Mongolia, seeing precious little external fruit in the form of conversions. He continued on, serving his Lord Jesus in trying and discouraging circumstances. In this historical address from the 2023 UK Borders Conference, David Campbell introduces us to Gilmour, a true stalwart of the faith, who laid down his life in service to the Mongols and for their salvation.
His testimony is a wonderful reminder that the Lord is often at work even when our best efforts seem to yield little in the way of tangible 'success'.
David Campbell is minister of North Preston Evangelical Church, Lancashire.
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
When is controversy justified? When is it not? How ought it to be conducted? When ought it to be refused?
These are questions of particular importance for Christians in an argumentative and distracted age, such as ours. The three selections we read this week go some way towards helping us answer them.
Featured Content:
– Excerpt from 'The Benefits and Dangers of Controversy' in Evangelical Holiness and Other Addresses, by Iain H. Murray (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2013), pages 119–130.
– Selection from a sermon by Dan Peters given at the 2024 Banner Borders Conference, 'Blessed are the Peacemakers, Part II'.
– 'William Cunningham–Humble Controversialist', David Campbell, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 690, March 2021.
About the Contributors:
Iain H. Murray is one of the founders of the Banner of Truth Trust. His books published with Banner include Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (1987), Revival and Revivalism: The Making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750–1858 (1994), and Amy Carmichael: Beauty for Ashes (2015).
Dan Peters is minister at Newcastle Reformed Evangelical Church and is the author of Distinct Communion: The Believer's Relations with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Christian Focus Publications, 2024).
David Campbell is minister at North Preston Evangelical Church, a trustee of the Banner of Truth Trust, and author of Sanctification: Transformed Life (Banner Mini-Guides).
Buy Iain H. Murray, Evangelical Holiness and Other Addresses (Paperback, 2011):
https://banneroftruth.org/store/christian-living/evangelical-holiness/
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
We are by nature grumblers and malcontents. We take offence easily, and become critical when our desires and expectations are disappointed. Paul Levy, in this week's main article, helps us to see that these tendencies aren't mere quirks, or 'weaknesses', but sins of great consequence in the church of God. Moreover, they are sins to which we are often tempted at times of great growth and kingdom advance.
Through a discussion of the beginning of Acts 6, he helps us see how this dynamic was negotiated by the apostles, and how we can take evasive action against it today.
Featured Content:
– 'The Gospel, Grumbling, and Growth', Paul Levy, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 735, December 2024.
– Excerpt from United We Stand (Pocket Puritans), by Thomas Brooks (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2009). United We Stand is sourced from Brooks' Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices (Puritan Paperbacks).
Buy United We Stand: https://banneroftruth.org/store/church-ministry/united-we-stand/
Buy Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices: https://banneroftruth.org/store/christian-living/precious-remedies-against-satans-devices/
About the Contributors:
Paul Levy is ministry of International Presbyterian Church in Ealing, London. He writes at https://ealinglevy.wordpress.com/
Thomas Brooks was a Puritan gospel minister. The scant amount of information known about him comes largely from his writing. Born in 1608, he entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625. He spent several years at sea, perhaps as chaplain, and was licensed as a preacher by 1640. After England’s Civil War, Brooks served as pastor of London’s Thomas Apostle; in 1648, he preached before the House of Commons. He later became the subject of controversy when he refused baptism and the Lord’s Supper to people that weren’t walking faithfully with the Lord. Thomas Brooks books include a six-volume set titled The Works of Thomas Brooks, with each book also available individually. Other books include Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (written to help people resist Satan’s seductive power), The Secret Key to Heaven ( which emphasizes the importance of private prayer) and Heaven on Earth, which reminds people there is no greater privilege than to be a child of God.
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
The third and final instalment of our mini-series on the three Bonar brothers who became ministers of the gospel in 19th-century Scotland. This week we consider the life of the youngest, Andrew Bonar, who ministered principally in Collace, Perthshire, and in Glasgow.
We consider the graces and gifts, weaknesses and witness of this humble, happy servant of Christ.
Featured Content:
– 'Andrew Bonar and Fellowship with Christ', Iain H. Murray, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 567, December 2010.
– 'Andrew A. Bonar—The Youngest of the Three Bonar Brothers', David Campbell, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 723, December 2023.
– 'I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say', a hymn of Horatius Bonar (public domain).
Featured Hymn: 'I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say'
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till travelling days are done.
Amen.
We are grateful to Mr. Jack Adair for singing this hymn.
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Monday Nov 11, 2024
This summer the Trust brought out a new, retypeset edition of William Cunningham's Historical Theology (1863). This week we read its new introduction by Banner Trustee Donald John MacLean, to find out why this work is of unique value to the 21st Century reader.
Read Material:
– 'William Cunningham's Historical Theology – An Introduction', Donald John MacLean, in William Cunningham, Historical Theology (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960 and 2024). First edition 1863.
Buy the work (2 volumes): https://banneroftruth.org/store/theology/historical-theology-3/
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
The second of three episodes inspired by David Campbell's mini-series on three remarkable brothers who ministered in 19th Century Scotland.
This week we consider Horatius Bonar (1808–1889), pastor, author, and hymnwriter. We read David Campbell's article on him, an excerpt from Iain H. Murray, and then read a piece by Bonar himself critiquing the idea of 'religion without theology'. We close with a rendition of Bonar's hymn, Everlasting Light.
Featured Content:
– 'Horatius Bonar—The second of the three Bonar brothers', David Campbell, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 722, November 2023.
– Excerpt from 'Horatius Bonar (1808–1889) and his Writings', Iain H. Murray, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 314, November 1989.
– 'Religion Without Theology' (taken from the preface of Catechisms of the Scottish Reformation, edited by Horatius Bonar, London 1866), featured in the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 93, June 1971.
– 'Everlasting Life', a hymn of Horatius Bonar (public domain).
Featured Hymn: Everlasting Light
1 O everlasting Light!
Shine graciously within;
Brightest of all on earth that's bright,
Come, shine away my sin.
2 O everlasting Truth!
Truest of all that's true;
Sure guide of erring age or youth,
Lead me, and teach me too.
3 O everlasting Strength!
Uphold me in the way;
Bring me, in spite of foes, at length
To joy, and light, and day.
4 O everlasting Love;
Wellspring of grace and peace,
Pour down Thy fullness from above,
Bid doubt, and trouble cease.
5 O everlasting Rest!
Lift off life's load of care;
Relieve, revive this burdened breast,
And ev'ry sorrow bear.
7 Thou art in heav'n our all;
Our all on earth art Thou;
Upon Thy glorious name we call:
Lord Jesus, bless us now.
We are grateful to Mr. Jack Adair for singing this hymn.
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Dr Chad Van Dixhoorn has spent many years researching and teaching the theology of the Westminster Standards (comprising the Confession of Faith, with the Larger and Shorter catechisms). We sat down with him to learn more about the standards and the 'Assembly of Divines' that produced them, as well as asking him about his own upbringing in Canada, his conversion, and work. We finished by discussing his own exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, 'Confessing the Faith', published 10 years ago by the Trust.
More about the Westminster Standards: https://westminsterassembly.org/about-the-project/
More about Dr Van Dixhoorn: https://rts.edu/people/dr-chad-van-dixhoorn/
Buy the Westminster Standards: https://banneroftruth.org/uk/store/theology/westminster-confession/
Buy 'Confessing the Faith': https://banneroftruth.org/uk/store/theology/confessing-the-faith/
Buy the Study Guide for 'Confessing the Faith': https://banneroftruth.org/uk/store/theology/confessing-the-faith-study-guide/
Related video: 'What are Confessions?' with Jeremy Walker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcqSub_gtrU&t=13s
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Motherhood is a precious and unique gift of God. Yet faithful motherhood has perhaps never been under such sustained and serious attack as is it now. In such a context, Christians need to recover a respect for mothers and motherhood that reveals the Lord's goodness to a faithless world.
In this episode we consider the calling of a mother, and the beauty and necessity of her God-given role.
Featured Content:
– Her Husband's Crown: A Wife's Ministry and a Minister's Wife, Sara Leone, (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 2007, rep. 2021). Booklet, 55 pages (excerpt read from pages 10–15).
– 'A Mother's Work', article by Rebecca Vandoodewaard (originally published on her blog, now unavailable, and appearing at The Aquila Report: https://theaquilareport.com/a-mothers-work/). Used by permission.
– Excerpt from A Father's Gift: Lessons from Proverbs, by Kenneth B. Wingate (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2009), pages 155-163.
Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org
Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine
Leave us a voice message: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast