This is not a pragmatic book. Anyone looking for hints and tips should look elsewhere. This is a gospel-centred look at persevering amidst the challenges of rural ministry, not a how-to guide. I believe that makes it more, not less, helpful. I’d recommend Pastoring Small Towns for pastors and eldership teams in British rural areas.... Continue Reading

Roberts rightly insists that my identity is not something socially constructed, nor is it something I curate or discover for myself. Rather, it is something conferred by God, which defines who I am…Roberts’s treatment of identity is exceptionally rich and helpful because it is shaped by careful reflection on the ten commandments, understood as an... Continue Reading

As a feminist more or less from the left, not everything Perry says will be embraced by those who are conservative and/or religious. But when you have someone like this making a fairly strong case for the differences between men and women, the importance of marriage, and the depersonalising nature of the sexual revolution and porn culture, then you know you need to sit up... Continue Reading

Shepherding is challenging and rewarding—but it won’t bring you the rewards that are often coveted in this world. This is why proper motivation for ministry is so important. Its reward in this life is the joy of serving the One who died for you when you serve those he has entrusted to your care. Jesus’s... Continue Reading

In “Trembling Joy,” Pastor Ryan Speck answers the question, “What if worship style were more than a matter of personal taste?” by showing how the Bible’s own definition and description of worshiping God should impact the church… Presenting the teaching ministry of Rev. Eric Alexander, “Hear the Word of God” has joined the Alliance’s Podcast... Continue Reading

The world tells us that our identity is found in what we desire. So to deny the fulfillment of what you desire is to deny your truest identity. We are all awash in what Carl Trueman calls “expressive individualism.”3 The idea is that you are what you feel, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I’m... Continue Reading

Australian law professor Augusto Zimmermann, in his chapter in Wokeshevism that he and Joshua Forrester edited (Connor Court, 2023), discusses the Marxist roots of Nazi-Fascism. “There are, therefore, important commonalities between Nazism and Marxism. It is patently wrong to assume the Marxism is the polar opposite of Communism, or that the Nazis were “reactionary capitalist counter-revolutionaries”.  As... Continue Reading

In 1955, A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), classic work The Root of the Righteous was published. The 46 brief chapters therein are all well worth reading and meditating upon. But I want to refer you to chapter 34, “In Praise of Disbelief”. Yes, you read that right. Let me quote much of this great piece here. He... Continue Reading

What Charnock does that is so impressive is that he does not simply argue for an uncaused cause, designer, or moral governor, but he argues for God the Creator. He gives us a full definition of God and then uses individual arguments to prove each attribute. Charnock shows us that God is a Spirit. He... Continue Reading

Pastors, in particular, need courage and fearlessness to endure disapproval, opposition, foot-dragging, sabotage, and whisper campaigns. If confidence is an aspect of “healthy narcissism,” preachers need it, lest they falter due to criticism.   Why has the church witnessed the moral failure of so many leaders in recent years? While there are many reasons for... Continue Reading