Loving Christ's Church

Richard Baxter wisely writes that love for the church ought to be in a pastor's heart,
"He needs to delight in its beauty, seek for its good and rejoice in its welfare.  He must be willing to spend and be spent for the sake of the church." The Reformed Pastor
This is a key part of a man's call to the ministry.  Can it be seen that he loves the church of Christ, rejoices in her, thanks God for her, serves her, speaks well of her, is ready and willing to do all in his power to see her flourish.  Of course this is the duty of every Christian.

Sing a New Song

Anything from Reformation Heritage Books publishers is worth buying. This recent volume edited by Joel Beeke and Anthony Selvaggio is a fantastic book designed to stimulate the recovery of psalm singing in the twenty first century. The book comprises eleven chapters each written by a different writer. There are some big hitters in the list of writers - Beeke, Johnson and Murray to name but a few. Some of the chapters have an historical flavour, others on the blessing of singing psalms, and one or two from a more technical side. Malcolm Watt's defence of exclusive psalm singing is a belter.

I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. Every right minded RP should fork out the fourteen quid and delight in the privilege of psalm singing. Any reader who imagines that there is just not enough weight to the exclusive psalm singing argument needs to read this too. And not for the chapter by Malcolm Watts but for the other ten chapters that speak so highly of singing the psalms. The only possible conclusion someone could come to is - why would I want to sing anything else.

Forever, living with eternity in view, Paul Tripp

This is another classic by Paul Tripp. If you like his style of writing - Biblical truth inserted straight into the heart before you get the Aoah out - you will love this one. His main thesis is that we must learn to view all of life from the viewpoint that this is not all that there is but that there is a vast eternity to get ready for.

The book is filled with heart warming illustration from a multitude of lives which helps get the truth right up close and personal. A whole host of areas are covered - from family to work. All of which are to be viewed from the vantage point of forever. Well worth the read.