Book Review

Graham Weeks writes:-

This is the best short book I have ever read. I fist heard two of the chapters in a tape of the author at the banner of truth Leicester ministers' conference. Chantry teaches that to deny self is of the essence of becoming and being a Christian. "Self is the idol to which all men naturally bow." In five short chapters he teaches what it is to deny self following Christ and taking up the cross. He teaches on Christian liberty, marriage, ministry and pray, all linked to self denial. This is an important neglected subject in our hedonistic culture. read it and grow in grace.

There will be a discussion evening on this book Saturday November 15th

Discovering the Old Testament

Discovering the Old Testament – Alec Motyer - £5

Have you struggled with interpreting the Old Testament? Have you wanted some help on how you piece it all together? How does the New Testament interpret the Old? These are questions every Christian faces and this book helps us with.

Alec Motyer has been the best Old Testament theologian in the UK for decades. Here is 50 years of his distilled wisdom, anything by Motyer is worth reading but this book introducing us to the Old Testament. Every Christian should buy this book!!

The Top 100 Questions Remix

The top 100 questions Remix by Richard Bewes £7.99 - £6.50

This book collects the top 100 questions asked by people about the Christian faith. Richard Bewes was for many years the minister of All Souls, Langham Place and now lives in Ealing. He’s a clear communicator and this book is biblical, simple, highly readable and full of common sense. It will help us all in our evangelism and thinking through our faith.

I particularly enjoyed the section on 'the bible we read', Richard explains difficult concepts very simply

Summer Reading 3

We've bought 60 copies of 'The House that Jesus built' by Dale Ralph Davis and would love it if the whole church could read it.

It's a great introduction to the church and is only 60 pages.

It is so good we are literally giving it away!!

David Barnes plugs it for us

One Saturday morning a Roman Catholic approached the Book Table in Greenford Broadway. He was a bus driver. He was with a friend who he described as a ‘born again Christian’. He saw our leaflet and asked ‘So you are Presbytrerian? Where are your headquarters? A difficult 5 minutes of explanation followed. How I would have liked to have something like this little book available.

This is a 55 page pocket size introduction to Presbyterian Church life and beliefs, aimed at enquirers and young Christians. The essentials of the Reformed Faith are set out briefly under such headings as ‘The Bible is entirely true’, ‘the Cross is absolutely central’, ‘Grace is utterly incredible’, ‘God is really big’, ‘Disciples are continually secure’, ‘Life is wholly holy’. (I leave it to you to supply the more traditional formulae).

The (Our) church is then described as ‘A Bible church,’ ‘A local church’ followed by a section on what church is and the meaning of ‘Presbyterian’ and ‘Reformed’ and a short section explaining to the reader what he or she needs to do to make it ‘my church’. Including ‘Do I have a ministry here’? Whilst brief, easy to read, this book is never superficial, and the amount of ground covered (and the questions raised) is very large.

A chapter, ‘How Christians live’ deals with the means of grace, the Word, the Sacraments, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship.

The final chapter briefly explains the gospel and challenges the reader to faith.

It was originally written for a specific local church in the USA. It comes warmly recommended by our friend Willie Phillip, and I would like to add my recommendation. I think it is better for Christians than an enquiring unbeliever, their being more Christian jargon than I would like for the latter, but if a reasonably intelligent friend wanted a short introduction to Presbyterianism I would be more than happy to give it to them.

Summer Reading 2

Grace – Amazing Grace by Brian Edwards, Day One Publications, 2003
Normally £10 but at IPC - £8

“Grace is a many-splendoured thing. In this book, Brian Edwards takes the topic of grace and explains and illustrates many aspects of it in God at work in the lives of men and women. My mother and I enjoyed reading this together over a number of months and were sorry to finish it!

Edwards is a popular author, with a great sweep of both historical and up-to-date illustration of his themes and the lives of two great heroes of the faith crop up throughout – the apostle Paul and John Newton.

It is impossible to list all the aspects of grace he deals with, but from 16 chapters these are a few – universal grace (the term he prefers over common grace), forgiving grace, community grace, ultimate grace. Just try chapter one, and you’ll be hooked! This is a book which left us praising God and to which we intend to return.”

- Chris Hosier

Summer Reading 1

War and Grace by Don Stephens, Evangelical Press
Normally £9 but at IPC £6.50!!

“What a joy and inspiration to read War and Grace by Don Stephens. One of a few book apart from the Bible that reveals so clearly God’s blessing and mercy to those facing the trials of war, even to death. A truly memorable, easy read that guarantees to leave a lasting impression.”
- Terry Seaber

Thirteen brief biographies of people, all but one of whom lived through the second World War. Six became Christians during the war in the most adverse of circumstances. Three Americans, two Germans, two Japanese, one Dutch and five Britons are featured. In all the stories, what comes through most strongly is that the grace of God can reach into the most extreme situations and to the greatest sinners, even war criminals facing death. This is a book that is very hard to put down. Well written, easily read, it moves ones heart to read of how God's grace changes and sustaines lives. A thrilling book I cannot commend too highly.

- Graham Weeks

Book Review

The Church that Christ Built - John Legg - Only £7.50

Our esteemed Graham Weeks writes -

Simply the best book on church history I have read if one considers the needs of the ordinary Christian. From the early martyrs through to Spurgeon, John Legg writes biographies that inform the mind and move the heart. I cannot recommend this book too highly. It is full of great quotes from great men and women. Finally the truths taught from history are applied to today. I have heard the author preach many times. He is an excellent expositor. here he proves an excellent writer, biographer and historian.

You can buy this on the bookstall for £7.50