Advice for New Christians by J.I. Packer


JI Packer Speaks To New Christians from Mike Anderson on Vimeo.

If viewing by email, you may have to go to: www.an-old-kind-of-christian.blogspot.com

HT: JT

Having a Hard Time Getting Through the Bible Each Year?

Here is some good advice that Justin Taylor posted on his blog (see especially the last part):

In listening to an old lecture recently by J. I. Packer, he made the comment that it was not until after the 17th century (as far as he could tell) that people started doing silent prayers and reading as opposed to praying and reading out loud.

For most evangelicals, silence represents the vast majority of our reading and praying. But I wonder if that's to our detriment. One of the great enemies to Bible reading and praying is a wandering mind--and one of the great ways to make your mind wander is to do everything in your mind without involving your voice and ears!

. . . Here's something else to consider: the entire Bible on audio is usually about 75 hours (or 4500 minutes). If you commute to work 5 days a week, that's about 260 days a year. And if it takes you, say, 17 minutes to commute each way to work--and if you listen to the Bible on audio during your drive each way--you'll get through the entire Bible twice in a year.

Here are some audio Bibles that are available on amazon.ca:

• Listener's Bible (NIV) MP3 CD by Max McLean CDN$ 32.96
  
• Listener's Bible-ESV Mp3 CD CDN$ 33.28
• Listener's Bible-ESV (Audio CD) CDN$ 79.92
• Dramatized Bible (NIV) Mp3 CD CDN $34.01
• Audio Bible Voice Only-NIV (Audio CD) CDN$ 54.17
• Audio Bible-NIV-Dramatized (Audio CD) CDN$ 68.03
• The Bible Experience - TNIV (MP3 CD) CDN$ 47.24
• The Bible Experience: The Complete Bible TNIV (Audio CD) CDN$ 85.04

Interesting Story About J.I. Packer and the ESV Bible

Josh at Ephemeros shares an anecdote about J.I. Packer not signing a copy of the ESV:

After I had my book [Knowing God] signed, many more pressed him. He signed books as he answered questions. The insight he provided into the Puritans in those few minutes still have a lasting impact on me. During the conversation, a young man (my age) approached Packer with a newly purchased ESV Bible (of which Packer was a general editor). Excitedly, he asked Packer to sign it and handed it to him. For a few moments Packer held the Bible in his hands, and quietly returned it to the young man. He said, “Son, this is God’s book. If you want it signed you will need to ask him.”

HT: ESV Blog

Around the Web

On the Physical Resurrection of Jesus (Journal of the American Medical Association)
Thabiti on Black Liberation Theology
Passion Week Geography and Harmony
Count Your Surprises by J.I. Packer
2008 Christianity Today Book Awards
When Ordinary is Extraordinary: Review of Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson
Gheen Lectures by Millard Erickson
The Crowd Was Not Fickle
Tim Keller's Talk at Google
Jesus' Resurrection Appearances
The Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review
That Martin Luther, He wasn't so bad, says Pope
Graeme Goldsworthy's Biblical Theology Lectures

HT: Justin Taylor, Tim Challies, In Light of the Gospel, Buzzard Blog, Jim Hamilton

J.I. Packer to be Suspended from the Anglican Church in Canada

Justin Taylor has the whole scoop concerning J.I. Packer, including videos explaining why St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church (the largest Anglican Church in Canada) where my wife and I used to attend, has left the Anglican church. The National Post also has a helpful article on this here.

Chapter in J.I. Packer's New Book

J.I. Packer's new book is called Guard Us, Guide Us: Divine Leading in Life's Decisions. It looks really good. Here is a free sample chapter from the book.

HT: Justin Taylor

Thinking About Going to Seminary?

Justin Taylor draws together many helpful resources, articles, and a reading list all in one helpful post here.