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Means o[ Grace
Visit to Ukraine
The1859 Reviva| - 4
The New Moderator
1.00
2009
Ju|-Aug
1h
ltunQIItuI
PrshylrIun
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Editor
Harold CIbson
'StockbrIdge'
2 8arronstown Court
0FD|DFE 8T25 1F8
hgIbson@barronstown.force9.net
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Collected f 6.00
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EvangelIcal 8ook Shop
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Take Note
PecoverIng hother KIrk!

PresbyterIan roots are fIrmly entrenched In
the Church of Scotland. For generatIons
the CoS has been referred to as 'the |other
KIrk'. FaIthful men of the past shaped the
theology and practIce of PresbyterIan
polIty In the 8rItIsh sles and beyond.

Dver the passIng of tIme shIfts In theology
and practIce has led the CoS to become, In
the eyes of most reformed evangelIcals, a
broad lIberal denomInatIon. The recent
Ceneral Assembly shows how much further
the church has departed from the truth of
Cod's Word. The Intense medIa Interest In
thIs year's Assembly focused on the debate
surroundIng an openly homosexual mInIster
who has been called to be the mInIster of
Queen's Cross Church In Aberdeen. The
congregatIon accepted the terms and the
Presbytery of Aberdeen sustaIned the call.

A number of evangelIcals then appealed to
the Assembly and the Issue was debated.
n the lead up to the debate over 12,000
people worldwIde sIgned an onlIne petItIon
expressIng theIr opposItIon to the departure
of the church from 8IblIcal teachIng.

The Assembly subsequently approved the
call and appoInted a commIssIon to report
back In 2011 on the questIon of
homosexualIty. n the meantIme mInIsters
are forbIdden to speak about the Issue.

There are those who thInk they can reform
the church from wIthIn. HIstory has not
proven thIs to be so. |other KIrk wIll not
be reformed from wIthIn. The need today
Is for evangelIcals to stand together.

Tcke Note: "What fellowshIp has lIght wIth
darkness:" (2 Cor 6.14)
Cover Photograph
CentrepIece of FeformatIon Wall,
Ceneva: WIllIam Farel, John CalvIn,
Theodore 8eza, John Knox.
The wall, constructed 19091917,
Is J25 feet long and J0 feet hIgh.
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harold 0ibsoo
Christian Unitg
8ack In the 1960s and 70s when unbIblIcal ecumenIsm was at Its heIght, most
evangelIcals shunned the whole area of ChrIstIan UnIty lest they be accused of
beIng on the 'Fomeward trend' or suspected of not beIng a real evangelIcal.
UnIty Is not a notIceable feature of PresbyterIanIsm. ts hIstory has been marked
more by dIvIsIon and fragmentatIon. The number of PresbyterIan denomInatIons
In Scotland, reland and AmerIca confIrm thIs observatIon. Some of the dIvIsIons
though have been necessary, for example, on grounds of upholdIng fundamental
theologIcal 8IblIcal orthodoxy, and many have paId the prIce for theIr faIthful
stand In the face of a 'unIty at any prIce' mentalIty.

n today's world there Is an urgent need for evangelIcal ecumenIsm and for
the voIce of 8IblIcal ChrIstIanIty to be heard In our natIon today. John |urray
wrote: "The mysterIous unIty of belIevers wIth one another must come to
vIsIble expressIon so as to be Instrumental In brIngIng convIctIon to the world."
1
EvangelIcals have at tImes been more concerned wIth fIndIng grounds for
separatIon rather than seekIng after the unIty of the SpIrIt.

The asIs of ChrIstIan UnIty
The fundamentals of ChrIstIan belIef form the basIs of any unIty among true
belIevers. 8elIef In the trIune Cod, the InfallIbIlIty and Inerrancy of ScrIpture,
the dIvInIty of Jesus ChrIst, the lost condItIon of mankInd and salvatIon In no
other name than that of ChrIst Jesus, and heaven and hell beIng the respectIve
two fInal abodes of the saved and the lost. ThIs Is not an exhaustIve lIst of
evangelIcal belIef but IndIcates an evangelIcal IdentIty.

Too often unIty Is sought among people not of lIke mInd. Where there are
dIvergent vIews on the fundamentals of the faIth ChrIstIan unIty cannot be attaIned.
"FelatIonshIps can never be a substItute for embracIng the truth of Cod."
2
"8ut
If we walk In the lIght as he Is In the lIght, we have fellowshIp wIth one another,
and the blood of Jesus ChrIst hIs son cleanses from all sIn." (1 John 1.7) "FaIth
In the Lord Jesus ChrIst not only brIngs us Into unIon wIth hIm, but wIth all who
are joIned to hIm. You cannot have ChrIst apart from hIs people."
J


The eauty of ChrIstIan UnIty
The PsalmIst speaks of the lovelIness of ChrIstIan unIty In the sIght of Cod. John
takes up thIs theme In Chapter 17 of hIs Cospel. We see the unIty between ChrIst
and the Father and Jesus prays that hIs chIldren "may be one as we are one".
ThIs expressIon of unIty seen In the TrIune Cod Is the example of unIty that Cod
wants to see among hIs people. The unIty of Cod's people Is somethIng that must
be guarded and protected because of Its unIque beauty. The church of Jesus ChrIst
Is descrIbed as "the glorIous body of ChrIst." C H Spurgeon has commented:
"When brethren can and do dwell In unIty, then Is theIr communIon worthy to
be gazed upon and sung of In holy psalmody."
4

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The unIty of Cod's people Is good, pleasant and precIous and we must guard
agaInst those forces that seek to destroy that whIch Is pleasIng unto Cod. The
WestmInster ConfessIon of FaIth speaks of "The CommunIon of SaInts" In
descrIbIng the unIty that Is to be maIntaIned among belIevers. Peter descrIbes a
ChrIstIan as beIng a "partaker of the dIvIne nature" remIndIng us that ChrIst, by
hIs Holy SpIrIt dwells wIthIn us. Every member of the body of ChrIst Is gIfted by
the Holy SpIrIt and In our servIce for ChrIst we are to edIfy one another and seek
to maIntaIn "an holy fellowshIp and communIon In the worshIp of Cod." WCF 26.2.

Yet wIthIn thIs unIty there Is dIversIty. Paul Illustrates thIs by hIs pIcture of
the body. t Is made up of many parts but each havIng a dIfferent functIon.
Every sIngle member of the church Is Important and has a part to play In
edIfyIng of one another. Such expressIons of love and servIce are beautIful to
Cod and a testImony of hIs savIng grace.

The IessIngs of ChrIstIan UnIty
KeepIng the unIty of the SpIrIt In the bond of peace Is Paul's InstructIon of how
we are to lIve as Cod's people. t Is from unIty that the "blessIng descends".
UnIty Is not somethIng that we make, It Is somethIng that we are to maIntaIn.
For years noted lIberal church leaders have sought to create a unIty that Is
really only a unIformIty. True ChrIstIan unIty already exIsts and belIevers are to
seek to maIntaIn that unIty.

Psalm 1JJ speaks of blessIng that the Lord commands, showIng hIs favour on
those who dIsplay concord, peace and unIty among Cod's people. Paul
expresses the same sentIment towards the end of 2 CorInthIans: "be of one
mInd, lIve In peace; and the Cod of love and peace wIll be wIth you." The
pIcture of the early church In Acts 2 shows a unIty-all who belIeved were
together, and It tells of the blessIng, the Lord added to the church daIly those
who were beIng saved. t cannot go unnotIced that tIme and tIme agaIn the New
Testament epIstles stress the Importance of Cod's people beIng of one mInd.

Let us endeavour to keep the unIty of the SpIrIt In the bond of peace of
EphesIans 4:J because,

The Church's one ]oundcton
ls 1esus Chrst her Lord:
She s hs new crecton
8y wcter cnd the word ...

1
Collected Wrtnys o] 1ohn Murrcy, vol. 1; 8anner of Truth, p 271, 1976.
2
The Perls Fccny the Evcnyelccl Church, F C Sproul, Tcbletclk, |ay 2009.
J
Let's Study The Letters o] 1ohn, an HamIlton, 8anner of Truth, p 6, 2008.
4
The Trecsury o] 0cvd, C H Spurgeon, Ps 1JJ.
"It cannot go unnotIced that tIme and tIme agaIn the New Testament
epIstIes stress the Importance of Cod's peopIe beIng of one mInd."
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Fobert 8eckett grew up In Upper 8allInderry,
Co AntrIm. HIs famIly were members In our
CrumlIn congregatIon and Fobert came to faIth
when he was thIrteen through Its wItness. After
graduatIng In AgrIculture at Queen's UnIversIty
8elfast he gaIned an |S at DhIo State UnIversIty
In FeproductIve PhysIology and also achIeved
hIs doctorate In AnImal 8reedIng and CenetIcs.
He joIned the 0epartment of AgrIculture In
8elfast In 1974.

HIs call to the mInIstry developed durIng hIs
student years and he studIed at the Feformed
TheologIcal Hall, 8elfast, 19781981. He was
ordaIned and Installed to Crosscollyer Street,
on 7 Dctober 1981, and ten days later Installed
at ClIntyfallow, Co Tyrone, where he served
untIl 1985. |InIstry at 8allyclare from |arch 1987 untIl January 1991 followed.
Dn J January 1996 he became |InIster of Somerton Foad when It was
desIgnated a joIntcharge wIth Crosscollyer Street. Fobert Is also ChaIrman of a
Northern reland CreatIon CommIttee and lectures on thIs and other related
topIcs. Fobert and hIs wIfe 0oreen, a parttIme teacher, have a famIly of four-
Fachel, Stephen, CatherIne and 0avId. Fachel marrIed 0avId Stephenson In 2007.

North 8elfast was the worst affected part of Northern reland durIng Its
thIrty years of 'troubles' and the sItuatIon stIll presents many opportunItIes and
challenges for the Churches. Fobert regularly partIcIpates In dIscussIons to
develop relatIonshIps and ease the contInuIng tensIons In the area.

Fobert has seen Increase sInce arrIvIng In north 8elfast IncludIng the progress
of youth work and work wIth |others and Toddlers. Crosscollyer Street runs The
Helpny Hcnd group, now In Its tenth year, whIch mInIsters to those wIth addIctIons.
1617 attend Its Tuesday nIght Cospel servIce and around 12 come on Thursday
mornIngs for the 8Ible study. He Is hopeful that plans for a local 0ropIn centre
to facIlItate the work wIll materIalIse. n Somerton Foad there has been much
work among young people, many of them affected by dIffIcult socIal Issues. The
Church Is lookIng forward to the week of outreach to youth, 2428 August. t Is
hIghly encouragIng that 11 from Crosscollyer Street have enrolled for JunIor Camp.

0urIng hIs year as |oderator Fobert would fIrst lIke to develop further the sense
of togetherness that exIsts among our |InIsters, as far as theIr workload demands
permIt. Then he would lIke to see EPC wIth a hIgher medIa profIle and Its
people wIth a greater IdentIty awareness. We wIll pray for hIm.
EPC Moderator 2009-2010
Rav 0r Robari 0 Baekaii
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Rav 0araib Borka
Be|[ast 1859-*A Compact Town"
The fourth In a serIes of sIx artIcles on the 1859 FevIval durIng Its 150
th
annIversary year.
The cIty of 8elfast In 1859 was a very dIfferent place to the 8elfast we know
today. t was, accordIng to J T Carson, a very compact town wIth the green
fIelds wIthIn easy reach of any part of It. There were, for example, very few
houses north of North Queen Street, west of Peter's HIll or south of 8radbury
Place. LIsburn Foad was vIrtually unInhabIted and there were no houses be
tween 0onegall Pass and the Lagan. |alone Foad was stIll studded here and
there wIth the stately houses of a few wealthy people. Dn the other sIde of the
rIver, 8allymacarrett enjoyed the dIstInctIon of beIng a large suburb of the
cIty. Woodstock was a mere clump of houses whIlst FavenhIll, Strandtown and
many other well known street names were then names of large houses and the
Lagan 8oulevard and the Drmeau Park were covered wIth trees. Edenderry , on
the northern sIde, was a vIllage well outsIde the town and the 0onegall Foad
was open country. The populatIon numbered 120,000 of whom 40,000 were Fo
man CatholIcs. There were 5J places of publIc worshIp of whIch 12 belonged to
the Church of reland and 20 to the PresbyterIan Church.

8elfast was rIchly blessed wIth a number of notable and godly mInIstrIes,
the most notable beIng Fev Hugh Hanna of 8erry Street and hIs PresbyterIan
colleague, the eccentrIc southerner, Fev Tommy Toye In Creat Ceorges Street.
Fev TheophIlus Campbell of Holy TrInIty Church of reland was also to be mIght
Ily used by the Lord when the revIval came to 8elfast. These brethren had been
conductIng prayer meetIngs for revIval for some years prIor to 1859.

t was over the weekend of 27-29 |ay In Creat Ceorges Street church that the
revIval fIrst broke In 8elfast. Some of the Connor converts had been InvIted to
address meetIngs over that weekend and throughout the next week meetIngs
were held In varIous churches throughout the cIty durIng whIch many professed
faIth In ChrIst. The 8el]cst News Letter of 4 June reported that Ewarts Flax
SpInnIng |Ill had to be closed for some tIme the day before as over thIrty work
ers had come Into deep convIctIon of sIn makIng them Incapable of workIng.

The News Letter
"The glorIous revIval of relIgIon Is now goIng on speedIly In 8elfast. Each Prot
estant place of worshIp In thIs town Is becomIng rapIdly fIlled. There are no
empty pews now, no unoccupIed seats. Every evenIng the streets are crowded
wIth hundreds and thousands of people who are wendIng theIr way not to the
place of amusement, not to joIn In the gIddy dance, not to attend eIther thea
tre or concert hall but wIth theIr 8Ibles, hymn books and psalm books In theIr
hands eagerly passIng onward to the house of Cod to endeavour to obtaIn ad
mIssIon so that they may thereIn hear InstructIon to how they shall escape from
the CIty of 0estructIon and at length reach the celestIal kIngdom."
,..-~.. .

VIctorIa husIc HaII
WhIlst the Lord was at work mIghtIly by HIs SpIrIt In the cIty yet the unIty and
togetherness that had characterIsed the churches and mInIsters of Londonderry
durIng the revIval was not found In 8elfast. |uch tensIon and strong dIfferences
of opInIon exIsted among the varIous churches. As such, a meetIng was arranged
for |onday 14 June to whIch mInIsters of all denomInatIons were InvIted to
dIscuss whether greater cooperatIon could be achIeved In these days of revIval
blessIng. As a result the great 'UnIon Prayer meetIngs', as they were called,
came Into beIng. They were held In the 7IctorIa |usIc Hall In |ay Street each
Wednesday lunch tIme from 1.00 pm2.00 pm and were chaIred, among others,
by the 8Ishop of 0own and 0romore and Fev 0r Henry Cooke.

The otanIc Cardens
Dn 29 June an enormous gatherIng was held In the 8otanIc Cardens presIded
over by the PresbyterIan |oderator, Fev John Johnston. Around J5,000 to
40,000 attended travellIng from far and wIde-ColeraIne, Portrush, Armagh.
The purpose of the gatherIng was to revIew the work of revIval, to hear reports
on the progress of the work, and to pray for further outpourIngs of Cod's SpIrIt
upon the land. |any of those who gathered could not hear the maIn speakers
because of the absence of mIcrophones and other modern methods of amplIfIcatIon
and thIs led to a certaIn splInterIng In the crowd wIth up to twenty frInge meetIngs
takIng place all round the gardens. Up to one thousand people attended some
of these smaller gatherIngs whIch were placed under the care of elders and
other godly men but seemed to have been gIven over to some excesses. The
organIsers learned from thIs experIence and when a second meetIng was held In
8otanIc Cardens on 17 August the splInterIng whIch characterIsed the June
gatherIng dId not occur. ndeed, although there were only 20,000(!) present In
August It seems to have been a more spIrItual occasIon wIth excellent addresses
been gIven by Fev Hugh Hanna of 8erry Street, Fev Charles Seaver of St Johns,
Professor Edgar of Assembly's College and James |cQuIlkIn of Connor

Sandy Pow Dpen AIrs
The |ethodIst mInIsters In 8elfast organIsed huge open aIr meetIngs In Sandy Fow
whIch were attended by around 15,000 people. ndeed 0r Henry Cooke estImated
that some J0,000 were present at one of these remarkable evangelIstIc occasIons
when many were converted to ChrIst through the preachIng of 0r Crattan CuInness.

12 JuIy
The 12 July demonstratIon had for several years durIng the 1850s been somewhat
boIsterous and troublesome. Stone throwIng and rIotIng had often accompanIed
the processIon especIally In the Sandy Fow area of the cIty. Dne man who had
been an actIve stone thrower on past occasIons was converted In the revIval. He
was asked by an InquIsItIve frIend: "f a PapIst would set to throwIng stones at
you wouldn't you gIve hIm a sound drubbIng:" "Ah no", he saId, " would hug
hIm, and what's more because of what Cod has done In thIs cIty there won't be
a stone thrown thIs year on the 12
th
July.'"
And there wasn't.
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, ,, ,
A|| Lands to GodI
Rav 0r odraw Woolsag
Dur tIme In UkraIne was very enlIghtenIng and enjoyable, and we trust, helpful
to the churches we vIsIted. We stayed In a vIllage called Stepan In the north
western part of the country. n some ways vIllage lIfe has remaIned unchanged
for generatIons. The people generally lIve In lIttle wooden houses and dIlIgently
cultIvate the garden space around them (sometImes up to nearly half an acre),
growIng most of theIr own food. They also
keep a cow, a pIg and a few hens, and
augment thIs wIth food from the forest
(mushrooms etc. whIch they pIckle) and
fIsh from the rIver. All In all, It Is a pretty
healthy, selfsuffIcIent way of lIfe. Yet
average lIfe expectancy Is not hIgh In
UkraIne. |any men dIe short of retIrement
age through alcohol poIsonIng and smokIng. Health concerns resultIng from the
Chernoybl nuclear dIsaster (1986) are stIll evIdent.

8ut sIgns of change are creepIng In. ThIs reflects the changes that have
already taken place In the towns and cItIes. 8Igger shops are now openIng In
the vIllages, stocked wIth most of the thIngs we would get In our stores.
|odern houses are beIng buIlt by those who have acquIred the means to do so,
often through workIng abroad for a tIme. All homes now have gas, electrIcIty
and runnIng water. T7s and mobIle phones are commonplace. 8ut It Is stIll a
strange mIxture of ancIent and modern wIth many horses and carts sharIng the
road space wIth 7olvo trucks and |ercedes cars. Away from the urban areas the
sIde you drIve on Is the one wIth less ruts!

0urIng our vIsIt, we were Involved wIth
two local churches, about sIxty mIles apart,
one In Stepan, and the other In the large
town of FIvne. 8oth are part of the UkraInIan
EvangelIcalFeformed Church and both are
pastored by Fev 7asIlIj PIlIpenko, who has the
exhaustIng task of travellIng back and forth
several tImes each week on the local bus
servIce whIch Is not always relIable. Sunday Is
a busy day for hIm. WIth the help of
InterpretatIon we were able to share In the
servIces In both these congregatIons. We met
7asIlIj at the regIonal CFC Conference In Soest, Holland, last November, and
durIng our stay we enjoyed the hospItalIty of the manse In Stepan where he lIves
wIth hIs wIfe, Helen, and theIr three chIldren, Helena, Tergasse, and KatIa.
A Visit to Ukraine
EvungeIicuI-Reformed
Church Rivne
,..-~.. .

The UkraInIan EvangelIcalFeformed Church has a remarkable hIstory. WhIle
the Eastern Drthodox Church has domInated the relIgIous scene In UkraIne from
the tenth century, there has been evIdence of evangelIcal thInkIng and Ideas In
UkraInIan lIterature and folklore for a long tIme. ThIs thInkIng blossomed,
however, not In UkraIne but amongst UkraInIan ImmIgrants In Canada and the
USA at the begInnIng of the twentIeth century. As a result of the work of
UkraInIan pIoneers of evangelIcal persuasIon the FIrst UkraInIan PresbyterIan
Church was establIshed In Newark, New Jersey on 20 June 1909, and In
Edmonton, Canada, on 20 August 1911. The movement spread rapIdly amongst
the ImmIgrants, and In the early 1920's, concern for the homeland led to a
group of preachers beIng sent to Western UkraIne where the EvangelIcal
Feformed Church emerged.

Weary from fIghtIng on many fronts, and several abortIve attempts to set up
an Independent State, Western UkraIne was annexed to Poland accordIng to the
Peace of FIga followIng World War . 8ecause of the exhausted state of socIety,
aggravated by a severe famIne In 1921, a faIrly flexIble polItIcal polIcy was
followed by the government, and UkraInIan culture and language enjoyed
somethIng of a revIval durIng the 1920's.

AlongsIde thIs, an amazIng
perIod of IngatherIng and
growth In the Church occurred
when many congregatIons were
establIshed and buIlt up. ThIs
contInued Into the 19J0's, wIth
actIve mIssIonary work, and the
development of cultural
educatIonal and socIal welfare
projects, In spIte of more
repressIve measures beIng
adopted then by the atheIstIc
communIst authorItIes. There
were sIxtytwo congregatIons In Western UkraIne, IncludIng FIvne and Stepan,
durIng those years. n Stepan alone, the congregatIon numbered several
hundred members. Dne of the members from those days stIll lIves In the
vIllage. Her greatgranddaughter Is part of the present congregatIon.

World War was a watershed for the Church when the SovIets occupIed
Western UkraIne. Alexander 0ombrowsky sums up the result when he says, "the
new regIme brutally lIquIdated the UkraInIan EvangelIcalFeformed |ovement
and Its leaders. The remaInder of the faIthful and sympathIzers went
underground." He explaIns that "In the prevaIlIng polItIcalhIstorIcal
condItIons" the Ideas of the Church "were consIdered dangerous for the
ImperIalIstcolonIal polIcIes of the modern KremlIn chIeftaIns". Church
buIldIngs were destroyed. |en and pastors were carrIed off to the Culag - the
notorIous slave labour camps In SIberIa.
EvungeIicuI-
Reformed
Church
Stepun
. -.... ...
r r r r
We had the prIvIlege of meetIng one of these pastors, Fev FIlImon SemenIuk.
He spent ten years In SIberIa, and on hIs release soon set about the dIffIcult
task of seekIng to rebuIld the Church. A congregatIon was gathered agaIn In
FIvne, and durIng the 1980s a new buIldIng was erected. SemenIuk contInued to
mInIster there untIl recently. He Is now nInetyseven years old, and stIll attends
servIces when health permIts. t was through thIs dear man that 7asIlIj PIlIpenko
was converted and encouraged to enter the mInIstry of the Feformed Church.
7asIlIj has been In Stepan for eIght years now, and for four of those years has
assumed responsIbIlIty for the FIvne church also.

The Stepan congregatIon meets In a large room In the manse, desIgned for
thIs purpose, and can seat about forty people. 7asIlIj concentrates hIs work In
Stepan maInly on the young
people, many of whom are
contacted through the local
schools and sports actIvItIes.
Sunday School classes (held on
Saturdays due to pressure of
servIcIng two congregatIons on
Sundays) are supplemented by
other youth actIvItIes. HIghly
successful Summer Camps attract
chIldren from a wIde area. For a number of years the congregatIon has been
erectIng a buIldIng maInly for youth work. ThIs Is a carefully planned project,
but progress has been slow. t Is now well advanced and we were able to fulfIl
the purpose of our vIsIt In provIdIng some help wIth It, mostly wIth a paIntbrush.

The collapse of the communIst regIme In 1991 enabled the ChrIstIans to
breathe more easIly In UkraIne, but It left a terrIble legacy of professed atheIsm,
IndIfference, and unwIllIngness to be Involved. ThIs Is partIcularly felt In church
work. The EvangelIcalFeformed Church Is stIll small and weak In many ways,
but a good work Is beIng done, wIth excellent help from some 0utch
mIssIonarIes. There are about sIx congregatIons at present wIth three pastors. A
Synod (the equIvalent of our Presbytery) has been set up, and a TheologIcal
SemInary has been establIshed outsIde KIev where others are preparIng to take
up the mInIstry. Here, a pretty fullorbed currIculum has been put In place, and
lecturers from Holland and AmerIca assIst wIth admInIstratIon and the teachIng
programme. The HeIdelberg CatechIsm has been adopted as the ConfessIon of
FaIth of the Church, but there Is stIll a lot to be done to get the proper
PresbyterIan structures that 7asIlIj envIsIons establIshed In all the congregatIons.

Please pray for thIs work, that Cod wIll be pleased to bless It wIth revIvIng
and awakenIng power. UkraIne Is a great country wIth tremendous potentIal In
so many areas, not least In the Interests of establIshIng Cod's rule In the hearts
of Its people through the Cospel of HIs Son.

Dutlne o] the Hstory o] the 0krcncn EvcnyelcclRe]ormed Movement. p 515
The Stepun Congregution with Visitor
,..-~.. .
rr rr rr rr
Christ's Witness Concerning E|ection
Jobo 0alvio [losiiioias 3.22.7)
Now let the sovereIgn Judge and |aster gIve utterance on
the whole questIon. 0etectIng such great hardness In hIs
lIsteners that he would be almost wastIng words before
the crowd, In order to overcome the hIndrance he crIes
out: "All that the Father gIves me wIll come to me" (John
6.J7). "For thIs Is the wIll of the Father, ... that whatever
he has gIven me, should lose nothIng of It". (John 6.J9)

Note that the Father's gIft Is the begInnIng of our
receptIon Into the surety and protectIon of ChrIst. Perhaps
someone wIll here turn the argument around and object that only those who In
faIth have voluntarIly yIelded are consIdered to be the Father's own. Yet ChrIst
InsIsts upon thIs poInt alone: even though the desertIons of vast multItudes
shake the whole world, Cod's fIrm plan that electIon may never be shaken wIll
be more stable than the very heavens. The elect are saId to have been the
Father's before he gave them hIs only begotten Son. They ask whether by
nature. No, those who were strangers he makes hIs own by drawIng them to
hIm. ChrIst's words are too clear to be covered up wIth any clouds of evasIon.

"No one", he says, "can come to me unless the Father ... draws hIm. ...
Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me." (John 6.
4445) f all men In general bowed the knee before ChrIst, electIon would be
general; now In the fewness of belIevers a manIfest dIversIty appears. Therefore
after ChrIst declared that the dIscIples who were gIven hIm were the specIal
possessIon of Cod the Father (John 17.6), a lIttle later he adds " am not
prayIng for the world but for those whom thou hast gIven me, for they are
thIne" (John 17.9; see also John 15.19)

Whence It comes about that the whole world does not belong to Its Creator
except that grace rescues from Cod's curse and wrath and eternal death a
lImIted number who would otherwIse perIsh. 8ut the world Itself Is left to Its
own destructIon, to whIch It has been destIned. |eanwhIle, although ChrIst
Interposes hImself as medIator, he claIms for
hImself, In common wIth the Father, the
rIght to choose. ThIs we must belIeve: when
he declares that he knows whom he has
chosen, he denotes In the human genus a
partIcular specIes, dIstInguIshed not by the
qualIty of Its vIrtues but by heavenly decree.
From thIs we may Infer that none excel by theIr own effort or dIlIgence, seeIng
that ChrIst makes hImself the Author of electIon. To sum up: by free adoptIon
Cod makes those whom he wIlls to be hIs sons; the IntrInsIc cause of thIs Is In
hImself, for he Is content wIth hIs own secret good pleasure.
. -.... ...
r. r. r. r.

l \C[\ 'o `C(` lCil

Hi|
Imogine,
, you've been
coughf cheofing in on
exom. Mum ond Dod
hove been fo see fhe
heodmosfer.
Mow you ore COMDEMMED:
DETEMTIOM every doy nexf week ond nof oIIowed on fhe
schooI frip. (And you deserve if)

I hope fhof wouId never hoppen fo you, buf here is o frue exompIe:
In fhe sfofe of FIorido in fhe USA, o mon is heId in prison.
His ceII is in fhe porf of fhe prison coIIed DEATH POW. He
hos been found guiIfy of murdering o poIice officer ond hos
been COMDEMMED. In o few yeors fime, he wiII be PUT TO
DEATH, by IefhoI injecfion. (And he deserves if)

CONDEMNED
This meuns
sentenced to
punishment

The 8ibIe soys we ore oII sinners. 8ecouse of our

sin, we ore COMDEMMED by 0OD.
The punishmenf fhof we foce is ETEPMAL DEATH.
Thof meons seporofion from 0od forever in HeII.
(And we deserve if)
,..-~.. .
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Peod fhese phroses bockwords fo find how Jesus
describes HeII in Moffhew chopfer Zb:

SSENBRA RETOO

GNIPEEw

HTEET EO GNIHSANG

ERIE GNITSALREVE

LIVE EHT ROE ERAPERP

TNEMHSINOP GNITSALREVE

Whof SEPIOUS DAM0EP we ore in

Mow for fhe 0OOD MEWS ond our OMLY HOPE:

There is therefore now
NO CONDEMNATION to those
who ure in CHRIST JESUS
Pomons 8:I

Ask Him to suve you toduy
. -.... ...
r- r- r- r-
Been thinking about ... PersonaI RevivaI
t Is good to hear of sermons, lectures and conferences coverIng the '59 FevIval,
wIth books, magazIne artIcles and tracts addIng to the lIst. FIghtly so! ScrIpture
tells us to remember the wonderful works of Cod.

So hesItate to add comment. |y hesItatIon Is not In explorIng the events of
1859, but the possIbIlIty of Imbalances resultIng from the exploratIon. At one
extreme, It can be just a hIstory lesson tellIng of remarkable evIdences of Cod
at work, but whIch hardly affects us. The other extreme Is to attempt a re
enactment, whIch, when nothIng seems to happen, can lead to despondency.
As read the accounts there are partIcular happenIngs whIch leave me
uncomfortable, Indeed some thIngs whIch do not fIt my theology! long and
pray for revIval, yet Cod Is sovereIgn and the Cod of surprIses, who wIll not be
put Into my box. We cannot call revIval down, but we must plead and set our
saIls In expectatIon to catch every wInd of the SpIrIt that Cod sends.

WhIch brIngs me to my maIn concern. Though not wrong In Itself, there can
be a tendency to seek specIal events for our spIrItual uplIft and experIence.
Why do we flock to the bIg meetIng wIth the outstandIng speaker: Why do we
expect somethIng from the vIsIt to the ConventIon, to KeswIck, or other: have
heard of folk goIng to these and other meetIngs for theIr annual 'top up'-the
hIghlIght of theIr spIrItual year! They go wIth prayerful expectatIon and that Is
good. Yet sometImes the flIp sIde Is an unconscIous denIgratIon of the regular
tImes for worshIp. To some there Is lIttle dIfference between goIng to work and
goIng to worshIp! How wrong! We are admonIshed to go to the Lord's house,
wIth care, preparatIon, prayer, expectatIon and a heart for worshIp, as If goIng
to KeswIck. f we don't, we wIll sImply trIvIalIze thIs awesome prIvIlege, and
fear thIs occurs, even In evangelIcal cIrcles! Just read Hebrews 12.1829!

Cod does not send contInuous revIval of the '59 type and In tImes of leanness
we can thInk that nothIng Is happenIng. f that were so, and no conversIons had
taken place from the last clear movement of Cod In the 1920's, the church In
Ulster would have long dIsappeared. 8ut the wItness remaIns, the mustard seed
grows and the church Is beIng buIlt through the maIn tool In Cod's hand, the
weekly tImes of worshIp.

The mornIng after pennIng these thoughts our Pastor spoke on WorshIp from
FevelatIon 45. Among many thIngs saId (to whIch breathed an Inward hearty
Amen) was thIs warnIng: "l] you brny worshp down to c humcn level, do not
be surprsed ] you don't touch Hecven". want to touch heaven every tIme
go to worshIp and, If do, wIll know somethIng of the Presence and Power of
Cod In revIvIng my soul-a personal revIval, whIch, If true for every worshIpper
would revIve our church. We thank Cod for the '59 revIval, but that Is only one
of the ways In whIch he works!
0avid Waisoo. Ballgelara
,..-~.. .
r- r- r- r-
Ju|g 2009 Prager Diarg
Wed 1 Camp Leaders Pray for our camp leaders as they seek to present the Cospel
Thur 2 T |cCormIck Pray for TImothy |cCormIck as he returns from NIger tomorrow
FrI J Dmagh Pray for our wItness at Dmagh Show tomorrow
Sat 4 Camps Pray for JunIors at 8ushmIlls and nters at Fermanagh untIl 11 July
Sun 5 Peru Pray for the J000 students who attend LIma EvangelIcal SemInary
|on 6 CW Pray for 'Kosher Encounter' outreach In London thIs month
Tues 7 FInaghy Pray for vIsItors joInIng wIth us over the holIdays
Wed 8 Croomsport Pray for our wItness to vIsItors durIng thIs holIday season
Thur 9 FIchhIll Pray for those who wIll preach durIng the |InIsters' holIdays
FrI 10 CSS|8each Pray for CSS| E 8each |IssIons takIng place over the summer
Sat 11 SenIor Camp Pray for SenIor Camp In Fermanagh, 1118 July
Sun 12 Camps Pray for conversIon of young people through camps and beach mIssIons
|on 1J Creece Pray for the cause of the Cospel In Creece and the Creek sles
Tues 14 NIgerIa Femember |usa and Pamela and all who work wIth ACTS
Wed 15 EEFC Pray for Suzanne 8urke as she goes to Hungary, 1825 July
Thur 16 Crosscollyer Pray that approval for the planned '0rop n' centre wIll be granted
FrI 17 Knock Pray for dIstrIbutIon of InvItatIons to our servIces In the area
Sat 18 8allyclare Pray for those who preach durIng the |InIsters' holIdays
Sun 1 Somerton Pray for our dIstrIct, that more would come along to the servIces
|on 20 ColombIa Pray that the Church wIll benefIt fully from theologIcal educatIon
Tues 21 FeIds Pray for Norman E Angela as they return to South AfrIca
Wed 22 StranmIllIs Pray for the groups that meet at LIsburn Fd-JA| E Youth Club
Thur 2J Carlands Pray for SId and Jean on SabbatIcal, that they may be refreshed
FrI 24 8ook Shop Pray for the staff as they seek to wItness for ChrIst each day
Sat 25 HolIdays Pray for many of our famIlIes and frIends on holIday at present
Sun 26 ServIces Pray for all who wIll preach In our churches today
|on 27 |agazIne Pray for the ongoIng plannIng and wItness of thIs magazIne
Tues 28 SIckElderly Pray for the elderly and sIck, confIned to nursIng homes or hospItal
Wed 29 South AfrIca Pray for the plannIng and for resources for new buIldIngs at 0umIsanI
Thur J0 ndIa Pray for the Presbytery as It seeks to develop Its procedures
FrI J1 CrumlIn Pray for guIdance and leadIng In our tIme of vacancy
. -.... ...
r. r. r. r.
August 2009 Prager Diarg
Sat 1 CrumlIn Pray for the Summer Youth Dutreach week, J7 August
Sun 2 Crusaders Pray for the Camp at CranfIeld
|on J StranmIllIs Pray for the new Student worker preparIng to start In September
Tues 4 ChrIstIan nst Pray for the nstItute's excellent programme of communIcatIon
Wed 5 Knock Pray for the Lord's guIdance as we plan a new church buIldIng
Thur 6 WItness Pray for opportunItIes to Increase our wItness throughout reland
FrI 7 FInaghy Pray for our door to door outreach durIng August
Sat 8 ndIa Pray for the relocatIon of |InIsters after retIrements
Sun Dmagh ContInue to pray for our wItness to the Cospel In thIs dIstrIct
|on 10 EPCEW Pray for the developIng relatIons between EPC and EPCEW
Tues 11 Uganda Pray for the vIsIt of Careth E Futh 8urke to Uganda
Wed 12 |InIsters Pray for our |InIsters on holIday at present
Thur 1J Camps Pray for all the talks that were gIven
FrI 14 H8Cs Pray for the salvatIon of boys and gIrls at HolIday 8Ible Clubs-page 18
Sat 15 South AfrIca Pray for Cod's blessIng on the mIssIon hIstory, soon to be publIshed
Sun 16 Summer Pray for blessIng on all the outreach E wItness over the summer
|on 17 Uganda Pray for Careth In hIs addresses at the pastors' conference In ColI
Tues 18 |IssIon AfrIca CIve thanks for the STEP teams that have worked In NIgerIa
Wed 19 FIchhIll Pray that we would develop an Increased prayerfulness
Thur 20 Croomsport Pray for InvItatIons gIven to our new |others E Toddlers group
FrI 21 Peru Pray for the appoIntment of a ChaplaIn for the ColegIo San Andrs
Sat 22 Somerton Fd Pray for our week of Summer Youth Dutreach, 2428 August
Sun 23 SS Teachers Pray for our Sunday School teachers recommencIng In September
|on 24 PersecutIon Femember the wItness of the persecuted church In PakIstan
Tues 25 Uganda Pray for the 8urkes as they travel home from Uganda tomorrow
Wed 26 Crosscollyer CIve thanks for Improved peace and safety In the area
Thur 27 Employment Pray for those who are seekIng employment at thIs tIme
FrI 28 8allyclare Pray for YP outreach 2829 August
Sat 29 New SessIon Pray for the new sessIon of work and wItness begInnIng In September
Sun 30 UkraIne Pray for the wItness of the UkraInIan Church-see pages 810
|on J1 ChIldren Pray for our boys and gIrls who wIll be startIng school tomorrow
,..-~.. .
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Churches News
The EP Crossword - The Acts o[ the Apost|es
The EdItor wIII award a ook Token for the fIrst correct entry
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1 Joseph's posItIon (8)
5 Paul spoke to thIs (8)
Herod's end (5)
10 Stephen's vIsIon (8)
11 8ack of shIp (5)
12 8ook In a charIot (6)
13 FIlled AnanIas's heart (5)
15 Tempted to put yoke here (4)
16 Languages (7)
17 Transport to PhenIcIa (4)
20 Heard own language (9)
22 Paul safe here (J)
23 Not many noble here (12)
24 Father of PublIus was thIs (4)
26 Years of the Judges (12)
2 Joses was thIs (6)
30 Name for a cross (4)

0own
2 0escrIbes the waves (8)
3 CItIzens of PhIlIppI (6)
4 Stand (4)
5 LaId at Apostles' feet (5)
6 120 of these (5)
7 Also receIved the Word (8)
8 Words to Festus (5)
11 Seven 8rothers (4)
12 Cod wInked at (9)
14 0uo In whIte (7)
16 Lots of spearmen (10)
18 Fully come day (9)
1 Contrary to hIs decrees (6)
20 LocatIon at AntIoch (7)
21 8arnabas shIpmate (4)
24 Father of 11 down (5)
25 0orcas's handIwork (5)
27 0Id wIth gladness (J)
28 |nason, In years (J)

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1 Please post your entry to the EdItor to arrIve
In week commencIng 26 July. (Not before!)
2 |ark your envelope 'Crossword'.
J The EdItor wIll select the fIrst correct entry
from the bag as the wInner.
Acts contInues the story of the church
beyond the Cospels as It spread north
wards to AntIoch and then westwards
to Fome. The Cospel Is not just for the
JewIsh natIon, but for the whole world.
. -.... ...
r, r, r, r,
Churches News
EPC-EPCEW Presbyters ut the meeting of both Presbyteries Cumbridge 9 Muy Z009,
Ho|idag Bib|e C|ubs-August 2009

3-8 CrumIIn
17-21 aIIycIare Croomsport Dmagh PIchhIII
24-28 FInaghy Somerton Poad StranmIIIIs

Please pray for our H8Cs at Prayer |eetIngs and at
home throughout the month of August. Please pray
for the plannIng and preparatIon, for the leaders, for
good procedures and for safety. Pray that the
chIldren wIll come In good numbers, that there wIll
be conversIons, and that there wIll be ongoIng
contact wIth chIldren, parents and frIends.
Camps-Ju|g 2009

4-11 JunIors ushmIIIs
4-11 Inters Fermanagh
11-18 SenIors Fermanagh

8oys camps began In our Church In 19J9 followed by gIrls In 195J, and
they became joInt camps In 1979. The Lord has blessed thIs work In
notable ways from the begInnIng. Please pray for the camps agaIn thIs
year. 8e sure to obtaIn a copy of the Prayer Letter and use It daIly.
,..-~.. .
r r r r
Means o[ Grace
0r laio 0 0ampball
n Feformed cIrcles, the phrase 'the means of grace' has often been used, and
Its meanIng has often been assumed. t Is an Important phrase, and It Is
Important that we understand what Its sIgnIfIcance actually Is. The emphasIs on
grace Is a remInder that It Is possIble for us to have a real relatIonshIp wIth
Cod, and that such a relatIonshIp Is founded and grounded upon hIs actIon
toward us. Left to ourselves we would never move towards hIm, but he has
taken the InItIatIve In establIshIng a relatIonshIp wIth hIs world. PhIlIp Yancey
has wrItten a book wIth the tItle Whct's so Amczny cbout 6rcce, remIndIng us
that we should never lose the sense of wonder whIch John Newton expressed so
memorably In hIs hymn, Amczny 6rcce. Every good thIng we experIence In the
ChrIstIan faIth Is on Cod's express InItIatIve.

Crace means that, although Cod was under no oblIgatIon to move to the rescue
of hIs rebellIous creatIon, he opted to do so, and to meet every contIngency of
man's lost condItIon. To be effectIve, dIvIne grace must be more than equal to
human sIn-and Its effectIveness Is seen In the fact that Cod Is able to address
every aspect of our fallen condItIon, and restore what he dId not take away.
The severed relatIonshIp he heals; the guIlt of sIn he deals wIth In atonement;
the estranged sInner he reconcIles; the dysfunctIonal soul he reorders. f any
man Is In ChrIst, he Is a new creatIon, and the glory Is all to grace.

8ut grace goes beyond the recovery of fallen man. n hIs theologIcal
treatment of the doctrIne of man, Thomas 8oston descrIbed regeneratIon as
"begun recovery". 8ecomIng a ChrIstIan Is only the begInnIng of the story. n
ChrIst, man Is a new creatIon; but lIke the old creatIon, there Is a new theatre
now In whIch the glory of Cod Is dIsplayed. ChrIstIan lIvIng means lIvIng In the
lIght and In the grIp of grace. That Is why just love James' assurance-Cod
gIves more grace, not less, as our cIrcumstances unfold and our lIves develop.

8ut the Feformed tradItIon recognIsed, alongsIde Its great emphasIs on grace,
that whIle we experIence that grace personally and IndIvIdually, we recognIse
It through partIcular channels, or 'means'. There Is a dIstInctIon to be made
between means and ends-the end that Cod has In vIew Is the transformatIon of
our human character Into the character of Jesus ChrIst hImself, but he chooses
ordInarIly to effect that purpose through partIcular channels he has appoInted
to that end. ThIs Is emphasIsed In WestmInster's hIgh vIew of the church, outsIde
of whIch, says the ConfessIon of FaIth, there Is "no ordInary possIbIlIty of salvatIon".

The qualIfIer Is extremely Important. The Feformers dId not belIeve that there
was no possIbIlIty of beIng saved outsIde of the church-after all the FeformatIon
was nothIng If not a polemIc agaInst a theology that made the church and Its
sacraments IndIspensable to salvatIon. 8ut they dId belIeve that ordInarIly Cod
uses the church as the channel of hIs grace, In at least two ways.
. -.... ...
. . . .
FIrst, Cod uses hIs own word as a prImary channel of hIs grace. He has
magnIfIed hIs word above hIs name, and through Its doctrInes, precepts, storIes
and InsIghts, he makes the word that he hImself has breathed out, IndIspensable
for our salvatIon. That Is why the classIc prooftext for the orthodox doctrIne of
ScrIpture-2 TImothy J.16-emphasIses that the 8Ible Is both InspIred and
profItable. t Is the word of Cod and It Is the voIce of Cod. t orIgInates In
Heaven and channels grace to earth.

AccordIng to the New Testament, Cod has made the church the pIllar and
ground of the truth. The church ought to be the showcase for the word of Cod.
Through the preachIng and proclamatIon of the Word, rIghtly expounded and
personally applIed, Cod's grace does Its work In the lIves of IndIvIduals.
Femarkably, Cod's grace does Its work even when the Word Is wrongly
expounded, and even mIsapplIed. HIs word achIeves hIs goal, and flIes Into the
hearts of men and women, wIth a grace that brIngs salvatIon.

Secondly, Cod uses the sacraments of baptIsm and the Lord's Supper as
channels of grace. That was never understood In the reformed tradItIon to
mean that a church rItual or ecclesIastIcal actIvIty was capable of effectIng
savIng change sImply by vIrtue of beIng carrIed out. There was no mechanIcal
or magIcal way by whIch the hands of a clergyman could call down the grace of
Cod. 8ut as ordInances appoInted by ChrIst, and as vIsIble representatIons of
the Word whIch derIve theIr effectIveness from the Word, the sacraments are
also effectIve channels of the grace of Cod. They portray the same salvatIon as
the Word preaches. They draw the attentIon of the church to the only means of
salvatIon-the fInIshed work of ChrIst whIch remaIns outsIde of ourselves.

The WestmInster standards, thIrdly, make prayer a means of grace, along wIth
the Word and the sacraments. nterestIngly, the HeIdelberg CatechIsm does not,
presumably because It took the vIew that prayer Is the evIdence that we have
receIved grace, rather than a means through whIch we receIve It. Presumably
also HeIdelberg wIshed to protect the Idea that, by defInItIon, a means Is
somethIng Cod uses, whereas prayer, by defInItIon, Is somethIng we do.

However, preachIng and dIspensIng the sacraments are also thIngs we do.
WestmInster's emphasIs Is altogether fIttIng, sInce, accordIng to the New
Testament, prayer Is not somethIng we know how to do properly. We need the
Internal mInIstry and IntercessIon of the Holy SpIrIt to enable us to pray In a way
that Is acceptable to Cod. And when we do, we make use of what the 8Ible calls
the throne of grace. AnythIng that brIngs us there Is a great means to a great end.

ThIs may all seem academIc, but It Is anythIng but. There Is a need to
recover the creedal emphases of our faIth, wIth theIr hIgh vIew of the way Cod
has chosen to mInIster hIs grace Into the lIves of hIs people. We have tended to
dumb down the Idea of the church, and even a need for It. 8ut ChrIst has
appoInted It, and, however dIstasteful the Idea mIght appear to some, outsIde
of It there Is no ordInary possIbIlIty of our receIvIng the grace of Cod at all.
,..-~.. .
.r .r .r .r
A seres o] one pcye summcres o] the JJ Chcpters o] the Westmnster Con]esson,
wth comment where spcce permts. Plecse recd the Con]esson Chcpter tsel]!
SectIon 1 The Purpose of aptIsm
ChrIst ordaIned the Sacrament of 8aptIsm to contInue In hIs church untIl the
end of the world. t Is the means of admIttIng those baptIsed Into the vIsIble
church and a sIgn and seal for each of them of the grace of the covenant, of
beIng grafted Into ChrIst, of regeneratIon, of pardon of sIn and of theIr
commItment to a new lIfe of holIness for Cod through ChrIst.

SectIon 2 The Dutward EIement of aptIsm
The outward element Is water wIth whIch a lawfully ordaIned |InIster baptIses
a person In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy SpIrIt.

SectIon 3 The hode of aptIsm
8aptIsm Is properly admInIstered by pourIng or sprInklIng water on a person.
mmersIon Is not necessary.

SectIon 4 The Subjects of aptIsm
Those who profess faIth In ChrIst and obedIence to hIm, and also the Infants of
one or both belIevIng parents are to be baptIsed.

SectIon 5 The PeIatIon of Crace to aptIsm
WhIlst It Is a serIous sIn to dIsparage or neglect baptIsm, It Is not essentIal for
salvatIon. Crace and salvatIon are not so Inseparably bonded to It that no
person can be saved wIthout It, or that all baptIsed persons are saved.

SectIon 6 The EffIcacy of aptIsm
The effIcacy of baptIsm Is not lImIted to the tIme when It Is admInIstered.
When It Is properly admInIstered to adults or Infants, the grace promIsed In
baptIsm Is not just offered but Is effectIvely conveyed by the Holy SpIrIt, In
Cod's appoInted tIme, to those whom Cod has chosen to receIve It.

SectIon 7 The AdmInIstratIon of aptIsm
8aptIsm Is only to be admInIstered to any person once.

As part of the ConfessIon's sectIon on the Church, chapters 25J1, 27 dealt wIth
the Church's responsIbIlIty to admInIster the sacraments to represent and apply
the benefIts of ChrIst to belIevers. 8aptIsm has been controversIal In just about
every area outlIned above and the ConfessIon has not escaped crItIcIsm over Its
handlIng of the Issues. However, It Is always profItable to focus on one great
purpose of 8aptIsm-It Is a sIgn and seal of our commItment to a new lIfe for
Cod through Jesus ChrIst. Larger CatechIsm (167): How s our bcptsm to be
mproved by us ts wonderful answer remInds us that we are baptIsed Into ChrIst
for the mortIfyIng of sIn and quIckenIng of grace, and that It Is a lIfelong duty .
WCF 28
Faith and Li[e-Baptism
. -.... ...
.. .. .. ..
As we remember the 500th annIversary of John CaIvIn's bIrth on
10 JuIy 200 we hIghIIght some recentIy pubIIshed books of Interest.

John CaIvIn-A Heart for 0evotIon 0octrIne E 0oxology
urk Parsons, EdItor. Foreword, aIn H |urray.
FeformatIon Trust, Hardback, 257 pages, f7.
ThIs book brIngs together some nIneteen leadIng Feformed
theologIans and pastors IncludIng ErIc Alexander, Joel 8eeke,
SInclaIr Ferguson, John |acArthur and 0erek Thomas. Each
contrIbutor takes a dIfferent aspect of CalvIn's lIfe and mInIstry
remIndIng us of hIs early lIfe, hIs heart for Cod and hIs lIfe of
devotIon to Jesus ChrIst as a preacher, counsellor and wrIter.
As aIn |urray poInts out In hIs foreword, thIs volume does not
set out to remember the man who requested that no stone should
mark hIs grave, rather It Is the work of Cod that Is remembered In these easy to
read chapters.

The CospeI as Taught by CaIvIn
P C Peed, 8anner of Truth, Paperback, 146 pages, f5.50. f4.40
0escrIbed by the publIsher as a rare lIttle gem thIs book Is
desIgned to help ChrIstIans come to a clear understandIng and
apprecIatIon of the grace of Cod In the Cospel. ThIs revIewer
found chapter three, An Dpen Heart, most helpful. 0ealIng wIth
the openIng of LydIa's heart Feed concludes: "When on theIr
knees, the ArmInIans and CalvInIsts agree In ascrIbIng to Cod
absolute power over hIs creatures, and entreatIng hIm to do what
he could not do If man's wIll were Independent of hIs control".
Dther chapters cover The Fatal mage, FIrst ChoIce, 8oundary LInes and Crace
LInked to Clory. The concludIng two chapters, CalvInIsm Tested by Love and
Tested by FruIt bear wItness to the everlastIng nature of the Cospel of grace.

Truth for aII TIme
John CaIvIn, translated by Stuart Dlyott.
8anner of Truth, CIft edItIon, 140 pages. f10.00 f7.50
ThIs attractIve lIttle book Is a brIef outlIne of the ChrIstIan faIth.
The preface tells us that It Is In fact a resume of the fIrst edItIon
of The lnsttutes.
0ealIng wIth KnowIng Cod, The Law of the Lord, FaIth,
Prayer, The Sacraments and Drder In Church and State, we have
In mInIature form a good IntroductIon to systematIc theology.
ThIs pocket sIze book Is nIcely presented and would make a
suItable bIrthday present or gIft for someone who apprecIates
sound 8IblIcal theology!
Book Reviews
PrIce
0Iscounts
avaIIabIe from
Evanyelcal
ook Sho
eIfast
,..-~.. .
. . . .

365 0ays wIth CaIvIn
A unIque collectIon of readIngs from the wrItIngs of John CalvIn,
selected and edIted by Joel F 8eeke, 0ay Dne/FeformatIon
HerItage 8ooks. f12.00 f.00
ThIs book of daIly readIngs from the wrItIngs of CalvIn wIll
prove to be a further aId to our daIly devotIons. Heart warmIng
and challengIng we are remInded that everythIng belongs to Cod.
n the mIdst of the government upheaval In our land the readIng
on June J, taken from Luke 1.52 "He hath put down the mIghty
from theIr seats", brought the comment: "judgements that appear to dIsturb us
and overthrow the entIre framework of socIety are regulated by Cod wIth
unerrIng justIce."
These medItatIons wIll help keep our focus on the Lord our Cod, the one
who rules and reIgns, and who's Word contInues to speak loud and clear today.

Tracts and Letters
John CalvIn, 8anner of Truth, 456592 pages per volume, hardback.
SpecIal prIce for 2009, f45.00 net
ThIs Is a republIcatIon of a sevenvolume set contaInIng three
volumes of Tracts and four volumes of letters. For all who have
come to apprecIate the lIfe and wrItIngs of CalvIn thIs collectIon
of volumes wIll add to theIr joy.

Teenagers- 8IblIcal WIsdom for Parents
Ann enton, nter7arsIty Press, Paperback, f7.99 f6.50
Ann 8enton Is a mInIster's wIfe and the mother of four chIldren. Her aIm In thIs
book Is to gIve practIcal advIce on how to parent teenagers. As
the mum to a 12 and a 10yearold, thIs journey looms large and
started readIng unsure about where It wIll take me.
|rs 8enton's overrIdIng theme Is that chIldren need to learn
the fear of the LDF0. From that fear follows wIsdom and Cod's
blessIng. Proverbs Is used to Illustrate many of the poInts and shows
how relevant It Is to lIfe today. Dne partIcular verse cropped up
several tImes whIch found encouragIng. "Whoever loves
dIscIplIne loves knowledge, but he who hates correctIon Is stupId." (Prov 12.1)
Each of the eIght chapters starts wIth a scenarIo that places It In context
and concludes wIth questIons for further reflectIon whIch often lead to poInts
for prayer.
The book doesn't contaIn any startlIng revelatIons or Imply that raIsIng
teenagers Is lIke rocket scIence. t dIdn't make me feel guIlty or Inadequate but
made me thInk about my attItudes and thought processes for my chIldren and
the Importance for them to learn to fear the LDF0. ThIs Is an excellent,
compellIng and easy read. 0obooH K|||oo 0obooH K|||oo 0obooH K|||oo 0obooH K|||oo
CaIvIn's IIfe and mInIstry: "hIs heart for Cod and hIs lIfe of devotIon to
Jesus ChrIst as a preacher, counsellor and wrIter."

PrInted by Edenderry PrInt Ltd UnIt 6 Agnes Street ndustrIal Estate 8ELFAST 8T1J 1C8
Maoagar: Jobo 0riar
15 College Square East 8ELFAST 8T1 600
Fax: 028 043 8330 Telephone: 028 032 052
EmaIl: ebsbelf@btconnect.com
Evange|ica| Book 5hop
LIsten Up! ChrIstopher Ash f1.50
A PractIcal CuIde to LIstenIng to Sermons
A lIttle booklet that could revolutIonIse our churches! Should be requIred readIng
for every member.

SINC PSALhS SpecIal Summer PrIce f16.
New metrIcal versIons of the 8ook of Psalms, |usIc EdItIon (staff), splItpage format

hend The Cap Jason Cardner f8.99 f7.1
Can the Church Feconnect the CeneratIons:
PractIcal InsIght Into brIngIng the generatIons together, from an experIenced youth
worker and church leader.

PIskIng the Truth hartIn 0ownes f8.99 f6.75
HandlIng Error In the Church
UnIque and IntrIguIng collectIon of IntervIews wIth 20 evangelIcal church leaders,
full of 8IblIcal wIsdom and practIcal advIce. ncludes 0erek Thomas, Ceoff Thomas,
aIn 0 Campbell.

Truth For AII TIme John CaIvIn f10.00 f7.50
A 8rIef DutlIne of the ChrIstIan FaIth.
CalvIn wrote thIs to "defIne the ChrIstIan faIth for ordInary people." HIs lnsttute'
In a nutshell. 8eautIful lIttle pocket gIft edItIon. Translated by Stuart Dlyott

Heroes IaIn hurray f15.00 f12.00
nspIrIng ChrIstIans, a few wellknown, most not; Includes new research. StorIes of
the past that wIll help you lIve for ChrIst today.

ChrIstIan HeroInes CatherIne hackenzIe f4.99 f3.75
Just LIke You:
ChallengIng short storIes of 21 women and gIrls throughout ChrIstIan hIstory. Young
teens upwards.

Sport Sundays 0an WaIker f2.00 f1.50
ChrIstIan 88C presenter tells hIs story In thIs J2 page magazInestyle book-how Cod
honours those who seek to keep Sunday specIal In the world of sport and broadcastIng.
0V0s
PIIgrIm's Progress SpecIal prIce f12.
Journey to Heaven (070)
A modern retellIng of John 8unyan's classIc brought to lIfe In thIs powerful fIlm versIon.

Has ScIence urIed Cod! (070) f12.71
The famous debate between Dxford professors FIchard 0awkIns the atheIst and John
Lennox the ChrIstIan-a lIvely, entertaInIng and thoughtprovokIng dIscussIon.