Am I Reading this Right?

Reading the Bible is hard work. How can we know if we are taking the right meaning? Sometimes our understanding of a verse can be different to those sitting right next to us. Some verses, passages, even whole books seem beyond us. So what do we do about it?

Roberts paints the big picture, showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He offers us tools to read it with confidence, enthusiasm and understanding. He points us to the Bible’s supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God offers through him.

If your problem is lack of self-discipline, the articles in this MiniZine will not suddenly transform you into a disciplined Bible reader. But, by looking at the motivation for reading God’s word, and by dispelling some of the misconceptions about how we should read it, these articles will renew your enthusiasm for doing so. They will also provide you with lots of practical ideas for making prayer and Bible reading a more regular part of your spiritual life.

6 helpful tips when thinking through how to read and interpret different parts of the Bible.

How to Study the Bible With Both Our Hearts and Our Minds

We all know it’s important to study God’s word. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. What’s more, a lack of time, emotionally driven approaches, and past frustrations can erode our resolve to keep growing in our knowledge of Scripture. How can we, as Christian women, keep our focus and sustain our passion when reading the Bible?

A book to help women be better Bible readers.

9 things older godly women do as godly examples to encourage and grow younger women.

Hughes investigates how the true heart of spiritual discipline is a relationship with God. As you grow in that relationship, embracing your heavenly Father and his ways, you discover that discipline is your lifeline to him. It is how he gives meaningful shape to all the days of your life.

God’s Design for Women

In an Age of Gender Confusion

Is there anything unique about being a woman?

God’s Word says yes! Men and women are absolutely equal in dignity. They are also significantly different. Women are only honoured (and fulfilled) when both truths are celebrated.

An examination of 7 key Bible passages addressing men and women and how they should relate together as a part of God’s good design for men and women.

With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story and its creative, practical strategies, Weaver shows how all of us – Marys and Marthas alike – can draw closer to our Lord, deepening our devotion, strengthening our service, and doing both with less stress and greater joy.

This book provides the answer to the question ‘What is God’s will for my life?’ by looking at the character of God and working out what that means for how we live as his people.

Spiritual Motherhood

Tooher answers some questions from her life experience as a spiritual mother.

What does it mean to be a spiritual parent? What has it looked like in your own life? Who have you spiritually mothered? How has it been an encouragement to you/them? How would you encourage those who feel grief at not having their own children in light of this? What would you say to someone who feels hesitant about/unqualified for the role of spiritual mother?

In this article, Williams shows the purpose of Women’s Ministry from Titus 2. She describes some of the consequences that occur when Women’s Ministry doesn’t happen. She then sets out a curriculum for carrying out Women’s Ministry within the church.

Women and God

Hard Questions. Beautiful Truth.

In this warm, conversational and sympathetic book, Nielson looks at what the Bible really says about women and what it reveals about God’s attitude towards them. She asks the hard questions about the Old Testament Law, the role of women in marriage and the role of women in the church, consistently pointing us to God’s word and his perfectly created order.

Word Filled Women’s Ministry

A book to help women consider the need for Women’s ministry among women in their local church, and the necessity of the Bible to be central in all forms of Women’s ministry.

“We need a framework that provides not only a right way of thinking about conflict from a biblical perspective, but also gives us practical guidance on how to deal with it in real life. As a personal observation, based on years working in this area, it seems to me that the church, to its great loss, has historically not done a stellar job in helping its people in either area.”

Burgess offers a Biblical framework to respond to conflict.

The Peacemaker

In The Peacemaker, Sande presents practical, biblical guidance for conflict resolution that takes you beyond resolving conflicts to true, life-changing reconciliation with family, coworkers, and fellow believers.

Beyond Greed helps open our eyes to the problems of unconscious idolatry, and then proposes a liberating lifestyle that trades in greed and materialism for something of far greater worth and satisfaction.

This book is about how to spot ‘comparison syndrome’ and its effects in your life; the view of life that causes it; how the gospel treats it; and how you can move beyond it to live a life of true, lasting contentment.

This MiniZine will help you discover (or rediscover!) the secret of contentment, and will challenge you to a more radical way of living as you serve the Lord Jesus and the people around you.

What’s the cost of being a follower of Christ?

King shows why giving generously is a wonderful gift for Christians; cheerfully becoming poor that others may gain a rich inheritance.

In the secular world today, it seems that greed is hardly seen as wrong, instead wealth and status is often celebrated in the media. So how should Christians view greed? Follow along with Rosner as he unpacks what the Bible says about greed

Piper outlines 11 reasons why he believes all remarriage after divorce is prohibited while both spouses are still alive.

What does the Bible say about divorce and remarriage?

DeYoung outlines 7 Biblical principles on Divorce and remarriage.

Living in the Light of the Trinity

Connected unpacks the practical implications of the truth that God is Father, Son and Spirit. This transforms how we think of God and provides a vital perspective on key topics like identity, gender, church life, discipleship, prayer

Knowing God reveals the wonder, glory and the joy of knowing God.

Ward explains and defends what we are really saying when we trust and proclaim, as we must, that the Bible is God’s word. In particular, he describes the nature of the relationship between the living God and Scripture.

In this book, Josling uses his years of experience in workplace ministry to give you 40 ‘rockets’—that is, 40 short tips and encouragements to get you moving and to turbocharge your evangelistic efforts at work. It’s a book full of tangible, practical ideas to help you make gospel conversations an achievable reality.

How to Make the Unbelievable News About Jesus More Believable

Evangelism in a Skeptical World is a textbook on evangelism that is ideal for the church or the classroom to equip Christians with the principles and skills they need to tell the unbelievable news about Jesus to friends in a skeptical world.

Brimming with true stories, the combination of fresh Biblical insight, humor, and practical steps will not only spark your imagination; it will enrich your sense of wonder at the greatness and grace of the God who not only gave his life for us, but invites us to join him in his glorious, transforming work. And who helps us as we do.

This book by Pearcey provides a useful contribution to the area of evangelism. With particular tenderness and thoughtfulness to women, Pearcey addresses abortion, euthanasia, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and transgenderism in a way that is philosophically rigorous yet accessible.

An Offer of Hope and Purpose

A evangelistic book for women explaining how we are made for lasting hope, and purpose in God.

As Christians, we ought to be involved in our communities, and offer physical and material help to those around us who are in need, but there is also the centrality of preaching the gospel. This MiniZine helps us to see how we can do both.

Dr Sproul answers more than 300 frequently asked questions about life and faith. With practicality, wit, and a seasoned, serious approach to the Bible, Sproul addresses your toughest questions on perennial doctrinal points and contemporary issues such as euthanasia, evolution, and abortion.

How Historians Know What They Know About Jesus

Dickson shows readers how the process of historical enquiry actually works, and provides a soundly argued assessment of the historicity of Jesus, drawn from biblical, patristic, rabbinic, and pagan source documents.

Belief in an Age of Scepticism 

Timothy Keller uses reason, philosophy, and literature to make a compelling case for the rationality of belief in the Christian God. He brilliantly addresses the arguments of influential anti-theists

Facts don’t convert people; friendship does. Clear explains the importance of building friendships with people first before trying to convince them that what you believe is right. Be kind first, be right later.

It’s Always Been a Matter of Trust

Throughout this book, we start to grasp what a life of faith looks like and why faith is more precious than gold.

Shift Your Thinking on Doubt

We all have little moments of uncertainty and anxiety that bother us. In this honest and refreshing take on the doubts we all experience, Ayers leads us back to what the Bible itself says about faith and doubt.

This short book explores the joy and the struggle of the ordinary Christian life. Veteran Australian evangelist John Chapman draws on years of personal reflection and experience to provide this treasure trove of wise counsel and encouragement.

A Fresh Start

This book explains simply how anyone may enter into new life with God through friendship with Jesus.

Basic Christianity

Answers to key questions in order to understand the basics of Christianity. Clear and full explanation, showing what is means to be a Christian today.

Christian Living for Starters

Seven short Bible studies on foundational and basic topics of the Christian life.

Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions

Keller highlights 10 of Jesus’ encounters with various individuals as recorded in the gospels and proves how invaluable the lessons from these encounters are.

Just For Starters

Seven simple and short Bible studies on the basics of the Christian life, designed to establish a new Christian in the faith.

Seven Letters to a New Christian

Seven letters written to a new Christian, Dave, as he learns about some of the essentials of Christian living. Conversational style.

Understanding the Life and Death of the Son of God

Keller takes an extended look at the life of Christ. Basing his study on the Gospel according to Mark, Keller explains how Jesus’ identity as king and his death on the cross have consequences for the whole cosmos and for the individual person.

Life as God Meant it to Be

A book for Christians on what it means and what it’s like to live the Christian life.

A book to help you live like you believe.

In a world where teenage girls are bombarded by different messages about love, dating and marriage, God’s voice can get lost in the noise. Take some time to discover the kind of love God wants for you. Learn how listening to God and choosing to love like he does – even when it’s difficult – can lead to real, deep satisfaction and a love that helps others see the heart of God.

This book answers your questions about teenage sexuality and relationships. Renowned sex therapist and educator, Patricia Weerakoon, explores the topics of sexual desire and arousal, falling in love and dating.

Hynes charts the steps we must take from being wronged to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Forgiveness can be hard. How do we know that we’ve truly forgiven someone anyway?

Baddeley gives a personal reflection on what is needed to properly forgive someone,

Walking Shoulder to Shoulder

Even in the church, a place where we might hope for an oasis of love and acceptance, we can find interactions awkward and superficial. It’s for this reason that Roberts takes us back to the Bible, and challenges us to consider our need for true friendship.

God’s Living Word Will Show You Where to Go

An exploration of how God guides his people in their daily decisions. Navigating through confusing issues, this book shows that God is still speaking loudly through Jesus. 

“God didn’t tell me to read this book, but He worked ‘behind the scenes’ in my decision to read it. So glad I did. Next decision: Weet-Bix or Corn Flakes?”

God doesn’t need to tell us what to do at each fork in the road. He’s already revealed His plan for our lives: to love Him with our whole hearts, to obey His Word, and after that, to do what we like.

This article talks about reasons we don’t practice hospitality and why we should invite others into our homes and lives.

The Gospel Comes with a House Key

Butterfield uses her personal experiences to show how the gospel can be shown to friends, neighbours and strangers through ‘radically ordinary hospitality’.

Ethics and the Beginning of Human Life

What sort of contraception, if any, should I use? When does human life begin-at fertilisation or at some point after that? What are the arguments for and against abortion? Is it OK to use genetic screening and other pre-natal tests to check for abnormalities in my unborn baby? Should Christians use IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies? What is the current state of embryonic stem cell research?

Built on extensive historical, biblical and medical research, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made is the comprehensive, accurate, biblically-based ethical handbook that Christians have been waiting for.

The ‘infertility club’ is not an exclusive one. It has many members from all walks of life, even though no-one wants to join it. But As Mike and Pip Taylor discovered, finding themselves in this unwelcome club taught them profound lessons they would never have learned otherwise.

This article shares a couple’s story about infertility: their struggles, their theological conclusions, sadness and joy.  It gives a brief walk through the minefield of ethical issues IVF raises for Christians.

The all-time bestselling sermon series from Redeemer Presbyterian Church, preached in 1991.

Making Your Marriage the Best it Can Be

Ash examines the Bible’s teaching on marriage, while remaining firmly earthed in the twenty-first-century world where messing up, heartbreak, divorce and sexual chaos are distressingly common. Starting with God’s grace applied to our pain and failure, Ash centres on God’s plan for sex and marriage, one of service.

We live in a world of rampant individualism and self-fulfilment. We’re entitled to sexual satisfaction; our culture vigorously affirms it. The result is dissatisfaction – sex is not as frequent, exciting or orgasmic as it should be and it’s usually our spouse’s fault. Whether you’ve accepted that ‘this is as good as it gets’, struggle in ignorance, or turn to other sources for fulfilment, know that this is not how God intended sex to be! The best way to have a happy, fulfilled sex life is to understand God’s purpose for sexuality and to be willing to live under biblical direction for our relationships in marriage and beyond.

Hope For a Winter Season of Marriage

Sometimes marriages have rough patches. Is there hope when the chill sets in? Kruger offers ways to accept and work through the tough times in marriage and see them  as a normal part of life.

A Parable of Permanence

Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: “Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It’s mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ’s covenant-keeping love on display.”

Redeeming the Realities of Marriage

This unique book introduces a biblical and practical approach to dealing with the challenges of marriage that is rooted in God’s faithfulness and the Bible’s teaching on sin and grace.

The Ministry Mind-shift that Changes Everything

Marshall and Payne dig into the Bible’s view of Christian ministry, and argue that a major mind-shift is required if we are to fulfil the Great Commission of Christ, and see the vine flourish again.

 In this article, Phillip Jensen examines the advantages and disadvantages of ministry to individuals. He also outlines how we can start establishing relationships with individuals, goals we should be considering as we meet with others, what we should do when we meet, and the value that this type of ministry has on both of the individuals involved. 

A Discipleship Handbook

‘One to One’ discusses both the practical and spiritual implications of one-to-one ministry. Sophie De Witt examines New Testament examples of one-to-one relationships to assist in demonstrating what these types of relationships might look like in practice. This book also contains interviews with several people already involved in these relationships, as well as a list of resources to help you get started in one-to-one ministry. 

A Simple Guide for Every Christian

But what exactly is reading the Bible one-to-one?

Why should we do it?

Who is it for?

In One-to-One Bible Reading, Helm answers these important questions.

In this article, Marshall helpfully explains why we should be involved in one-to-one Bible reading and prayer and the reasons we often aren’t. He also outlines how to do one-to-one Bible reading and prayer, who we should be meeting with, and some warnings as we begin these relationships. 

“The coronavirus is disrupting our society in unprecedented ways. Fear and anxiety are rife, and many children are feeling the impact. How, then, do we as Christian parents, grandparents and carers help our children not only make sense of what’s happening, but deepen their trust in God during this pandemic?”

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life

Connor invites you to step back and consider the bigger picture:
What is the purpose of life and parenthood?
What are our human limitations?
How can we cope with our guilt and fear?
What are our family’s values and how do we pass them on?
What is our family’s structure and place within the wider community?

Becoming the Parents God Wants You To Be

Gospel-Centred Family takes us through the major Bible principles for family life, challenging us to give up our ‘respectable’ middle-class idols, and to become the distinctively different people that God, through his gospel, calls us to be.

14 Gospel Principles that can Radically Change Your Family

Tripp unfolds a more biblical perspective on parenting than merely adhering to a list of rules. He lays out fourteen gospel-centered principles that will radically change the way parents think about what it means to raise up a child.

Show them Jesus

Teaching the Gospel to Kids

Let Klumpenhower show you how to put the gospel front and center every day in your teaching of children and youth. His how-to, gospel-centric approach will complement and enrich existing lessons or teaching materials and help teachers and parents to make the most of every teaching moment, whether in the classroom or at home. Appropriate for teachers and parents of children and teens in any setting.

This article talks about skills our children need in order to rise up out of the meaningless futility of living merely for today and participate in the work of the Lord, which is never in vain.

Recognising that children are first & foremost people, and as such are our neighbours, this article helps us look at what God has to say about loving our children as our neighbours.

How the Gospel Changes a Mom’s Heart and Actions

In this article, Jensen reflects on conversations she has had with her children. She outlines 10 areas of motherhood and how these change when she loves God more than she does her children.

How to Love Those Who Are Hurting

Writing from the unique perspective of one who needs extra help on a daily basis, Furman offers insight into the support, encouragement, and wisdom that people need when helping others. Furman draws on his own life experiences, examples from the Bible, and wisdom from Christians throughout history to address the heart and ministry of those who are called to serve others.

How Words Change Lives

In Encouragement: How Words Change Lives, Cheng  explains what encouragement is and how all of us can make one simple and foundational contribution to church life by encouraging others.

People in Need of Change Helping People in need of Change

Following the example of Jesus, Tripp reveals how to get to know people, and how to lovingly speak truth to them. This book provides a comprehensive look at how God uses people as tools of change in the lives of others, people who themselves are in need of change.

Depression is a black pit for the sufferers and no fun for the carers. But on this side of Jesus’ return, it will continue to be a feature of church life. This MiniZine is designed to help churches and Bible study groups talk about the issues involved with facing depression and anxiety as Christians, and reflect on them from the perspective of God’s gospel.

There is often a fine line between words that flatter and words that encourage. This concise article looks at God’s Word and how we are to use our words for building others up for the sake of finishing the Christian race together.

Together Through the Storm

Reading ‘Together Through the Storm’ will help any Christian to develop in their ability to care for others, but it also provides a useful foundation for training a ‘care team’ in your church.

Hill Perry shares her journey of God calling her to himself and how her life of gender confusion, masculinity and homosexuality changed from there.

One Man’s Mission to Change the World

It tells the true story of how a young Dutchman risked his life to bring faith and hope to believers behind the Iron Curtain by smuggling thousands of Bibles across the border.

The Heavenly Man reveals the dramatic story of Brother Yun, one of China’s most dedicated house church leaders, who has endured intense persecution for the cause of Christ. The testimony of his unshakeable faith has become an inspiration to Christians everywhere.

While looking through the lens of history, Heath-Whyte draws out lessons for today, via the honest portraits of these seven unique women from the Eighteenth Century. From godliness to bitterness, hostility to courage, the lives of these extraordinary women point us to a faithful God, even in the midst of the most difficult of life’s scenarios.

The Gospel Comes with a House Key

Butterfield uses her personal experiences to show how the gospel can be shown to friends, neighbours and strangers through ‘radically ordinary hospitality’.

This is an intensely dramatic story of how God took a young, half-starved boy from a poor village in Henan Province and used him mightily to preach the gospel despite horrific opposition. Brother Yun is one of China’s house church leaders.

A True Story of Faith Resurrected

Following God’s call, Kentucky couple Nik and Ruth Ripken spent six years doing relief work in Somalia. Their experience caused a crisis of faith, as they doubted whether the gospel could ever work in the world’s toughest places. This book tells the unique story of God’s response to that point of despair.

Butterfield explains the impacts that being called to faith in Jesus had on her life as a same-sex attracted woman in a committed relationship to her female partner and the train-wreck that followed her conversion.

Prayer that Change Things for Your Friends and Family

We love our friends and family, and we long for God to be working in their lives. But when it comes to praying for them, often we don’t quite know what to ask for. Or our requests to God on their behalf feel shallow, repetitive and stuck in a rut. That’s where this little book is designed to help. It will equip you to pray powerful prayers for the people you love, prayers that really change things, because they’re based on God’s word.

Prayers that Change Things for the Life of Your Church

We long for God to be working in our church fellowship, and we know we’re meant to be praying for our church. But often when it comes to it, we don’t quite know what to ask for. Or we feel our requests to God are shallow, repetitive and stuck in a rut. That’s where this little book is designed to help. It will equip you to pray powerful prayers for your church, family prayers that really change things, because they’re based on God’s word. Because when we pray in line with God’s priorities as found in his word, our prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16) and that’s a truly thrilling prospect. Use this book in any number of ways: work through it as part of your daily quiet time, or pick it up whenever someone you know is in particular need of prayer.

Our prayer lives can sometimes be hindered by distractions. In this helpful article, 7 strategies are outlined. We can use these for fighting and harnessing distraction and thereby deepening and directing our prayers.

Miller lays out a pattern for living in relationship with God and includes helpful habits and approaches to prayer that enable us to return to a childlike faith.

The three articles in this MiniZine will not suddenly solve the problem, or eliminate the struggle. But, God willing, they will provide you with weapons, armour and a renewed courage for the battle.

Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God

A very practical book on how to dismantle idols and bring about deep and permanent changes in our character and behaviour.

God’s Living Word will Transform the Way You Pray

A clear, readable guide for new Christians wanting to get started in prayer, or longer serving Christians whose prayer lives are wilting. This practical book offers powerful motivations to get us back on our knees in prayer.

This article looks at the power of prayer to change the future. Holding the power of prayer and God’s sovereignty together, the article shows that our understanding of God’s providence should lead us to praying more rather than less.

Chapman combines biblical substance with warm, practical teaching to provide a classically simple, challenging call to holiness; its beginning, progress and fulfilment. Ideal for group or personal study, the book includes a discussion guide.

Love, Sex & Romance

Sexual Purity for Every Woman

This article looks at the reality that women often struggle with sexual sin, though sometimes in different ways to men. It helpfully looks at the heart of sin and the need to be reminded of the price Jesus paid for us and the ongoing work of the spirit to change us to live lives for God. While the focus is on  heart change rather than following rules, this article gives ideas on how to start the thought of how to fight temptation. Run!

The three articles in this mini-magazine bring the truth of God’s word to bear on the problem of pornography. They urge us to treat God’s good gift of sexuality with respect, and to be honest and open with each other as we strive to honour the Lord Jesus with all of our heart, mind and body.

In this refreshingly honest, resolutely hope-filled and gospel-soaked book, Thorne speaks the unspoken. In doing so, she shows how purity is better and more satisfying than fantasy – and that, whoever you are and whatever your struggles, that purity is possible.

This article acknowledges that women can often have low self-esteem. It looks at the common causes, being outward appearance and comparison with others. Contrasting this it presents God’s view of use in the bible, that we are dearly loved and valued, encouraging us to remind ourselves of the truth of God.

Is Self-Love Biblical?

It focuses on the parable of the Good Samaritan. The ancient misunderstanding of this parable hinged on the term “neighbour “. The modern misunderstanding hinges on the term “as yourself“.

This article succinctly asks the question of us in turn – am I desiring and seeking the temporal and eternal good of my neighbour with the same zeal, integrity and perseverance that I seek my own?

Written by two faculty members at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation, this book sets forth a holistic view of emotions rooted in the Bible, offering a practical approach to engaging with both positive and negative emotions in a God-honoring way.

Hill Perry shares her journey of God calling her to himself and how her life of gender confusion, masculinity and homosexuality changed from there.

With particular tenderness and thoughtfulness to women, Pearcey addresses abortion, euthanasia, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and transgenderism in a way that is philosophically rigorous yet accessible.”

Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

If you’re struggling with sexual sin, this book will help you. If you are gripped with guilt from your past, this book will strengthen you. If you don’t know how to love or bear witness to your neighbors, this book will equip you.

Taylor walks us through what the Bible teaches and then with honesty, sensitivity and grace, he teaches how it applies in the areas of singleness, marriage, same-sex attraction and the church community.

How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts

Honest and direct yet kind and caring, this book points us to the only place we can find help for sexual brokenness – the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

The Plausibility Problem

The Church and Same-Sex Attraction

Shaw experiences same-sex attraction, and yet he is committed to what the Bible says and what the church has always taught about marriage and sex. In this honest book, he shares his pain in dealing with these issues – but, at the same time, shows us that obedience to Jesus is ultimately the only way to experience life to the full.

Butterfield explains the impacts that being called to faith in Jesus had on her life as a same-sex attracted woman in a committed relationship to her female partner and the train-wreck that followed her conversion.

This short book gives an overview and a starting point for constructive discussion as we seek to live in a world with different values, and love, serve and relate to transgender people.

While singleness is often widely misunderstood by many in the church today and often viewed in negative terms, the Bible speaks about it very differently. This book sets forth a positive vision of singleness by responding to 7 common misconceptions.

Singleness

A Personal Testimony

In this short article, Tooher identifies 7 truths regarding singleness.

1. We are defined by being in Christ or out of Christ, not by our marital status.

2. Singleness is not plan B.

3. My singleness is good.

4. Contentment in singleness.

5. Being a child of God.

6. Being seen as a person.

7. Negative stereotypes.

How to be Single and Satisfied

Trevenna takes readers to the heart of singleness – to what our hearts need, how they feel, and the ways they can be deceived. She shows that there is a way for singleness not to be at best a quiet regret, and at worst a personal tragedy. She points to the ultimate, and only, place where anyone, single or married, finds true satisfaction – knowing, and enjoying knowing, Christ.

The Plausibility Problem

The Church and Same-Sex Attraction

Shaw experiences same-sex attraction, and yet he is committed to what the Bible says and what the church has always taught about marriage and sex. In this honest book, he shares his pain in dealing with these issues – but, at the same time, shows us that obedience to Jesus is ultimately the only way to experience life to the full.

The S-Word

Some Thoughts on Singleness

This article  is an honest look at how singleness is viewed in our society. Ting has numerous anecdotes of how well meaning friends misinterpret her desire for marriage and how she reconciles herself to this. She laments that singleness is not valued in our society but rather seen as a problem to be fixed.

Suffering is real. But so is hope. These thirty biblical reflections are full of realism about the hurts of life yet overwhelmingly full of hope about the God who gives life. This book will gently encourage and greatly help any woman who is struggling with suffering whether physical, emotional or psychological, and whether for a season or for longer.

Reflections on Suffering and Evil

In this new edition of an excellent, widely appreciated study, Carson addresses the issue of evil and suffering with sensitivity, pastoral concern and biblical insight. He helps Christians prepare for the day when they have to experience a ‘frowning providence’, and face it with faith and hope because of an unshakable trust in the providence of God.

Are we truly willing to suffer and die for Jesus? Are we truly willing to be unpopular, to humble ourselves, to cross cultural boundaries, and to give up our material comforts in order to proclaim Christ? Only when we can answer yes to those questions have we truly embraced the strategy of God: the prayerful proclamation of Jesus to all the nations through suffering.

The Predictable Surprise of Christian Suffering

If you had to explain to a friend what the Bible says about suffering, what would you say? Come with Grimmond and discover the surprises he uncovers as he asks some of the most basic questions of the Christian life: Why do we suffer? And what does it mean to suffer – and even die – well?

In this article Grimmond explains the promise of suffering in the Bible, the biblical evidence of suffering, what the Bible says about healing and the hope we have in Jesus.

By understanding this biblical flow of time, it becomes clear that time is not an entity of value in itself. It is better thought of as an ‘arena’ because of the importance of what happens in the arena – God’s arena.

An article about glorifying God at work – ways in which to do this. 

“Whether you eat or drink or work, do all to make God look as great as he really is.”

The worth of our vocations is established not in what we do, but in whom we do it for. Our life belongs to Christ. We submit our lives to Him, because he is our Lord and King. We are citizens of his kingdom. He may use our work in wonderful ways for eternal purposes, namely bringing people to know the gospel. But it also may be just ordinary, and have no seeming eternal consequence. But the work we do, no matter how ordinary, has great value when it is done unto the Lord.

That thing that we spend a large chunk of our time on—whether it’s paid or unpaid, full-time employment in a factory, stay-at-home parenting or Christian ministry—is often what defines us. But should it?

This article helps to answer to questions:

1. Does my work extend God’s Kingdom?
2. Should I cease my work and devote myself more fully to the ‘work of the Lord’?

Orr answers these questions by looking at what the ‘Kingdom of God’ is and by looking at our role as workers and ministers of the gospel.

What’s the Point of 9 to 5?

This book will help you to see that being a Christian can make a difference to how we experience work. Taylor argues that “the Bible’s teaching on work is not only liberating but also exhilarating and refreshingly realistic.”

“The decision for mothers to continue with, or return to, paid employment is fraught with emotional difficulty. It is not an academic theoretical decision but one that impacts every aspect of life. Those who stay at home can feel put down as non-persons who fail to contribute or participate in society.”

“I am not strong enough to face today, let alone the next week, or the next month, or the next year. I am aware of that to my aching bones. But God is strong. He promises to give me what I need to keep trusting and serving him, moment by moment, day by day, whatever our circumstances. That’s how I face the future: not anticipating and preparing for every eventuality, but enjoying God’s gifts for today, and trusting him that, whatever he has in store, he will provide what I need to face it.”