2018 Books

It's the end of another year, and another year of reading. I've been keeping track of the books that I've read each year since 2007 - purely for my own interest. I'm glad to report that my 50 books this year is well up on last year's 31, but still not close to 2007's 78 books! This is partly due to the Arrow Leadership Course and its extensive reading list, and partly because I've been trying to use my phone less and read a bit more. Plus, when I'm on holiday, I read quite a bit, managing ten books in one week abroad!

Here are the books I read this year:

1. To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain - Matt Chandler & Jared C Wilson
2. Insight into Stress - Beverley Shepherd
3. The Emotionally Healthy Leader - Peter Scazzero
4. Do More Better - Tim Challies
5. Camino Island - John Grisham
6. The Work of Christ - RC Sproul
7. The American Future - Simon Schama
8. Anthems for a Dying Lamb - Philip S Ross
9. Death by Meeting - Patrick Lencioni
10. This Invitational Life - Steve Carter

11. A Resilient Life - Gordon MacDonald
12. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni
13. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
14. Supernatural Power for Everyday People - Jared C Wilson
15. Reset - David Murray
16. Fierce Convictions - Karen S Prior
17. What is the Mission of the Church? - Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert
18. The Lord of the Ring - Phil Anderson
19. The Future of Jesus - Peter Jensen
20. Perfect Sinners - Matt Fuller

21. Bring Me Back - BA Paris
22. Death of a Village - MC Beaton
23. The Rooster Bar - John Grisham
24. Micah - Dale Ralph Davis
25. Room - Emma Donoghue
26. The Gospel comes with a House Key - Rosaria Butterfield
27. The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
28. Teaching Amos - Bob Fyall
29. The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
30. Paul meets Muhammad: A Christian-Muslim Debate on the resurrection - Michael R Licona

31. The Hole in our Holiness - Kevin DeYoung
32. The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris
33. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng
34. God and the Transgender Debate - Andrew T Walker
35. Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng
36. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
37. A Study in Scarlet / The Sign of the Four / The Hound of the Baskervilles / The Valley of Fear - Arthur Conan Doyle
38. If You Could Ask God One Question - Paul Williams & Barry Cooper
39. Growing Through Encouragement - Roger Carswell
40. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

41. Ten Reasons why the Rapture must be Left Behind - Stephen D Morrison
42. Milkman - Anna Burns
43. Hit the Ground Kneeling - Stephen Cottrell
44. A Long, Long Way - Sebastian Barry
45. The Ulster Plantation in the Counties of Armagh and Cavan 1608-1641 - RJ Hunter
46. God’s Word, Our Story - DA Carson & Kathleen B Nielsen (eds)
47. Luck and the Irish - RF Foster
48. Philip Pullman’s Jesus - Gerald O’Collins
49. Murphy’s Law - Colin Bateman
50. Good Tidings of Great Joy - Charles Spurgeon

My top five would have to be:
1. The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
2. Milkman - Anna Burns
3. Micah - Dale Ralph Davis
4. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng
5. God's Word, Our Story - DA Carson & Kathleen B Nielsen (eds)

Here are the links to previous years' book blogs: 2017 (31); 2016 (23); 2015 (21); 2014 (26); 2013 (45); 2012 (49); 2011 (37); 2010 (52); 2009 (41); 2008 (23); 2007 (78).

Finishing 2 Peter - sermons and reflections

On Sunday we finished our series in 2 Peter, looking at God's precious and very great promises. I really enjoyed getting to grips with the letter again, having previously organised a preaching series in Dundonald.

But it's not enough to think, ok, I can put a big tick beside 2 Peter now, we all know it. We must continue to reflect on the truth God has taught us through this particular portion of his word. For me, one of the things that stood out, was about how the whole letter is about God's word - his precious and very great promises. Peter links the 'other' scriptures of the Old Testament with the scriptures Paul has written in his letters, and urges us to pay attention to them, and all the more because of the false teachers who will come. Will we have the confidence to hold onto God's word when all around us try to persuade us away?

On finishing a series, it's also a good idea to reflect on it, to think of how you would do it differently. The more I've considered it, the more I reckon I would have needed an extra sermon - but not to divide chapter 2 into two portions, I think it works as one sermon. The difference would come in the very first sermon - to separate the two truths of what we have received, and what we need to do. It seemed to be a bit rushed, a bit cramped, and there is a lot more detail that I didn't get to really dig into in the opening 11 verses. The opening sermons would then be 1:1-4 (the privileges of what we've been given) and 1:5-11 (the increasing qualities of godliness). Perhaps the next time we revisit this letter I'll get it right!

Here are all the sermons that were preached in the series - click on the links to listen or download the sermons.

2 Peter 1: 1-11 Growing in godliness

2 Peter 1: 12-21 Total recall

2 Peter 2: 1-22 This messenger will self-destruct

2 Peter 3: 1-10 The promise of his coming

2 Peter 3: 11-18 What sort of people?

2015 Books

I like to keep track of the books I read, and tot them up at the end of each year. I normally try to review them on the blog as well, but it didn't work out that way this year. I also didn't get as many books read - my worst year since recording my reading, with just 21 books. So here is the list of books I've read in 2015:

1. Time for Every Thing? - Matt Fuller
2. The World of Pangea: Path of a Warrior - Michael Davies
3. Faker - Nicholas T McDonald
4. A Meal with Jesus - Tim Chester
5. Waterloo - Bernard Cornwell
6. Chapter & Verse - Colin Bateman
7. Fruit that will Last - Tim Hawkins
8. The Horse with my Name - Colin Bateman
9. Gray Mountain - John Grisham
10. Wild About Harry - Colin Bateman

11. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
12. Ordinary - Michael Horton
13. What's Best Next - Matthew Aaron Perman
14. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert - Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
15. A Storm of Swords: Part 1 Steel and Snow - George RR Martin
16. Punch - Austin Tanney
17. How People Change - Timothy S Lane and Paul David Tripp
18. The Most Misused Verses in the Bible: Surprising Ways God's Word is Misunderstood - Eric J Bargerhuff
19. The Art of Storytelling: Easy Steps to Presenting an Unforgettable Story - John Walsh
20. The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God - John Piper

21. A Storm of Swords: Part 2 Blood and Gold - George RR Martin

Here are the links to previous years' book blogs: 2014 (26); 2013 (45); 2012 (49); 2011 (37); 2010 (52); 2009 (41); 2008 (23); 2007 (78).

My top five of 2015 are:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
2. Waterloo - Bernard Cornwell
3. The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God - John Piper
4. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert - Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
5. Time for Every Thing? - Matt Fuller

2014 Books

Another year is ending, so it's the time to have a look back at what I've read over the past year. A disappointing year in some ways, with fewer books read than I would have liked. There seemed to be about three months after holidays when I hardly started a book, let alone finished one. But 26 books is one every fortnight, and it's not my worst year, beating 23 books in 2008. Here are the books, links to the reviews, and my top five of 2014:

1. Finding Joy: A Radical Rediscovery of Grace - Marcus Honeysett
2. I am Joseph - Alan Pain
3. A Time to Kill - John Grisham
4. Journey to Joy - Josh Moody
5. Homosexuality: Christian Truth and Love - Paul Brown (ed)
6. Jesus the Son of God - Don Carson
7. Jesus and the Logic of History - Paul Barnett
8. Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf - Sean Duffy
9. Preach: Theology Meets Practice - Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert
10. Crossword Ends in Violence (5) - James Cary

11. A Game of Thrones - George RR Martin
12. The Poetic Wonder of Isaac Watts - Douglas Bond
13. The Resurrection of Christ - Michael Ramsey
14. Naked God - Martin Ayers
15. Five Festal Garments - Barry G Cooper
16. What Christ Thinks of the Church - John Stott
17. The Day of the Jack Russell - Colin Bateman
18. Magnificent Obsession - David Robertson
19. Dr Yes - Colin Bateman
20. Slogging Along in the Paths of Righteousness - Dale Ralph Davis

21. Sycamore Row - John Grisham
22. Letters to a Young Pastor - Calvin Miller
23. A Clash of Kings - George RR Martin
24. Praying Backwards - Bryan Chapell
25. Building Below the Waterline - Gordon MacDonald
26. Crazy Busy - Kevin DeYoung

Here are the links to previous years' book blogs: 2013 (45); 2012 (49); 2011 (37); 2010 (52); 2009 (41); 2008 (23); 2007 (78).

My top five of 2014 are:

1. Jesus and the Logic of History - Paul Barnett
2. Naked God - Martin Ayers
3. Letters to a Young Pastor - Calvin Miller
4. Crazy Busy - Kevin DeYoung
5. Sycamore Row - John Grisham

2013 Books

It's the final day of the year, which gives me an opportunity to check how many books I read this year, revisit the reviews, and decide on my top five books. There's a variety of theology, history and fiction here, with something for everyone to have a look at.

1. The Litigators - John Grisham
2. The Explicit Gospel - Matt Chandler
3. Five English Reformers - JC Ryle
4. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
5. The Intolerance of Tolerance - DA Carson
6. Connected - Sam Allberry
7. Empire State - Colin Bateman
8. The Ragamuffin Gospel - Brennan Manning
9. Dangerous Calling - Paul Tripp
10. Brookeborough: The Making of a Prime Minister - Brian Barton

11. Christ, our Righteousness - Mark A Seifrid
12. Maid of the Mist - Colin Bateman
13. Unreached - Tim Chester
14. Lectures on Preaching - Phillips Brooks
15. Turbulent Priests - Colin Bateman
16. Loving the Way Jesus Loves - Phil Ryken
17. Closer Still - Scott Evans
18. Simpler - Mike Burns
19. A Quick Introduction to the New Testament - DA Carson & Douglas Moo
20. Calico Joe - John Grisham

21. Lies Lies Lies - Michael Green
22. Different by Design - Carrie Sandom
23. Gordon Hannon: Some Parson! Some Man - David Hannon
24. The Plantation of Ulster - Jonathan Bardon
25. Shooting Sean - Colin Bateman
26. Amazing Grace - Marcus Loane
27. Green is the Colour - Peter Byrne
28. The Racketeer - John Grisham
29. Grow in Grace - Sinclair Ferguson
30. Prophecy - SJ Parris

31. Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard
32. The Ministry of a Messy House - Amanda Robbie
33. And The Mountains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini
34. Straightening Out The Self-Centred Church - John Benton
35. Beautiful Attitudes - Scott Evans
36. The Thirty-Nine Steps - John Buchan
37. What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace? - Richard D Phillips
38. Mohammed Maguire - Colin Bateman
39. The Island - Victoria Hislop
40. The Message of Daniel - Dale Ralph Davis

41. Speaking God's Words - Peter Adam
42. Mystery Man - Colin Bateman
43. From Triumphalism to Maturity - Don Carson
44. Saving Eutychus - Gary Millar and Phil Campbell
45. The Lion's World - Rowan Williams

Last year there were 49 books read, so I've read a few less this year, but things were a bit hectic over the last couple of months and I haven't managed to read so many. Still, 45 isn't my worst year: 2012 (49); 2011 (37); 2010 (52); 2009 (41); 2008 (23); 2007 (78).

My top books this year are:
1. Saving Eutychus - Gary Millar and Phil Campbell
2. Dangerous Calling - Paul Tripp
3. The Plantation of Ulster - Jonathan Bardon
4. The Ministry of a Messy House - Amanda Robbie
5. The Racketeer - John Grisham

What was the best book you read this year?

2012 Books

Last year, I set myself the challenge to read more books and spend less time on my phone. Did it work? Here's the list of books I've read and reviewed this year:

1. Ministers of God - Leon Morris
2. Such a Candle - DC Wood
3. Ministries of Mercy - Tim Keller
4. The Holiness of God - RC Sproul
5. Dead Interesting - Shane MacThomais
6. Who Moved The Stone? - Frank Morison
7. The God with Sore Legs - Adrian McCartney
8. Christianity and Liberalism - J Gresham Machen
9. Gunning for God - John Lennox
10. Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals - Brian Croft & Phil A Newton

11. Precious Blood - Richard D Phillips (ed)
12. The Christ of the Empty Tomb - James Montgomery Boice
13. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
14. South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition - Sir Ernest Shackleton
15. The Bookseller of Kabul - Asne Seierstad
16. Orthodoxy - GK Chesterton
17. Forgotten God - Francis Chan
18. Mud, Sweat and Tears - Bear Grylls
19. The Independence of the Celtic Church in Ireland - WS Kerr
20. The Making of Modern Britain - Andrew Marr

21. The Measure of our Success - Shawn Lovejoy
22. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness - Tim Keller
23. Divorcing Jack - Colin Bateman
24. Men Made New - John Stott
25. The Power of Words and the Wonder of God - John Piper and Justin Taylor (eds)
26. Heresy - SJ Parris
27. John Charles Ryle - Marcus Loane
28. Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome - Kent and Barbara Hughes
29. Cycle of Violence - Colin Bateman
30. It's Not What You Think - Chris Evans

31. Crazy Love - Francis Chan
32. For the City - Darrin Patrick & Matt Carter
33. Enniskillen - Denzil McDaniel
34. How (Not) to Speak of God - Peter Rollins
35. The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World - John Piper & Justin Taylor (eds)
36. Housegroups - Ian Coffey & Stephen Gaukroger (eds)
37. Planting for the Gospel - Graham Beynon
38. The Diamond Queen - Andrew Marr
39. Jesus and his World - Craig A Evans
40. Reclaiming Genesis - Melvin Tinker

41. Seven Days that Divide the World - John Lennox
42. How To Read Genesis - Tremper Longman III
43. God's Pattern for Creation - Robert Godfrey
44. Genesis in Space and Time - Francis Schaeffer
45. The Masculine Mandate - Richard D Phillips
46. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
47. Ritual - V L Young
48. Dig Even Deeper - Andrew Sach & Richard Alldritt
49. Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men - Colin Bateman

There was also the review of an unreadable book in the Kindle format: The Life and Times of James Ussher - James Anderson Carr

Last year there were 37 books read, so 49 is a bit better, although still nowhere near my previous best on the blog: 2011 (37); 2010 (52); 2009 (41); 2008 (23); 2007 (78).

My top books this year are:
1. Dig Even Deeper - Andrew Sach & Richard Alldritt
2. Christianity and Liberalism - J Gresham Machen
3. The Diamond Queen - Andrew Marr
4. Men Made New - John Stott
5. Mud, Sweat and Tears - Bear Grylls

What was the best book you read this year?

Book Review: The Christ of the Empty Tomb

I've previously reviewed another similar book from James Montgomery Boice - The Christ of Christmas. In it, Boice's Christmas sermons were shared, but in this volume, The Christ of the Empty Tomb, Boice turns to the other great festival of the Church: Easter.

Boice was a great preacher, with clarity of thought, superb illustrations, and life-changing application, all of which shines through in this volume of Easter sermons. They are collected into four main sections: New Day Dawning; The First Lord's Day; He is Risen; and Our New Day; and even from those titles you can see the arrangement of material and the scope of the sermons.

There is something for everyone in this very helpful book. For the sceptic (skeptic?), there is a careful examination and explanation of the events of that first Easter Day at the empty tomb. For the new Christian, there are encouragements to grow in faith and confidence because Jesus is risen from the dead. For the seasoned saint, there are plenty of encouragements to keep going and keep growing. For the pressured pastor, there are ideas and illustrations that may be a launchpad for an Easter sermon series; new angles and interesting details to stop and consider; fresh fodder for the preacher.

Above all, the book is an exciting reminder that the heart of our faith is the fact that Jesus is alive and reigns, that death could not hold him, and because of this, nothing will be the same again. Check out the promotional video from the publishers:

Things I Want To Say

Facebook is a great way of keeping up to date with former school friends. Just last week, I noticed that one of my contemporaries from Wallace High School in Lisburn is soon to be launching her debut album, Things I Want To Say. I ordered my copy on Friday evening. In the meantime, Ruth was on Radio Ulster on Saturday morning, and I couldn't wait for the album to arrive! Yesterday morning it did arrive in our letter box, direct from Ruth Trimble, and it's the only thing I've listened to since.

It's a beautiful album from a very talented lady, with a variety of emotions and moods from her distinctive style. The title track Things I Want To Say is a poignant, quiet song to a dear friend, dearly departed, and almost had me in tears, such is the power of the emotion in the lyrics. Fighter is an upbeat pop song celebrating her little nephew's birth and growth with a catchy chorus. Tonight returns to the quieter type of song, reflecting on a lost love. Let You Go is a lovely tune on the break-up of a relationship with a powerful chorus (which was featured on the radio on Saturday). Awaken My Soul is a smooth song packed with longing and hopefulness. The pace picks up with Set You Free, and slows for Goodbye as the relationship continues to break down. Judah has an Irish feel, with its tin whistle and accordian, celebrating the birth of her nephew. You Took My Heart highlights her prowess on the piano in this quiet and haunting tune. May It Be picks up the pace with the guitar leading the band as her faith comes to the fore in this worship song. The Fourth of November is a beautiful instrumental, written for her friend's journey up the aisle, which could easily feature in a pipe band's repertoire. The album closes with the majestic God Knows, reflecting on the providence of God in her life.

All in all it's a great debut album, and one that you need to get in your ears. Copies can be bought at Ruth's website.

2011 in Review

This is now the final blog posting of 2011, and an opportunity to look back at the events of this year. All in all, there have been 248 posts, considerably less than last year, but not the lowest ever annual total.

We began the year in Dundonald, where I was the Curate of St Elizabeth's, but having been appointed as Rector of Aghavea in April, we moved house in August and I was instituted in September. Since then, we've been settling into the rectory, getting to know our parishioners and not get lost as much!

During the year, I turned 30, on the day of the royal wedding, and shared a special evening with some friends.

Over the course of this year I've preached roughly 57 times, conducted my first wedding, 5 baptisms, and 7 funerals. We also had the series of posts around Easter tracing The way of the cross.

We made it as far as New York over the Thanksgiving holidays, as well as spending some time in Scotland.

I also took some photos and read some books this year.

Here's to more blogging in the new year. For now, I wish you and yours a happy and blessed new year.

December 2011 Review

The last month of the year always seems to be a busy time, with the run-up to Christmas and all it entails. This is the 22nd post, although there will be another couple before tonight is finished.

This month has been a bumper month for book reviews, with reviews on The Pastor as Scholar and The Scholar as Pastor by John Piper and Don Carson, Iron Sharpens Iron by Orlando Saer, The Preacher's Portrait by John Stott, God's Executioner by Michael O Siochru, Gospel and Wisdom by Graeme Goldsworthy, The Ulster Crisis by ATQ Stewart, The Christ of Christmas by James Montgomery Boice, The People Next Door by Christopher Ransom, Harry Ferguson by Colin Fraser, and The King is Here by Marcus Loane.

There have been sermons from Luke 1: All Things Are Possible, Mary's Melody of Mercy and Zechariah's Song; Matthew 1, and Lamentations 3.

We thought about Christmas in New York, the comfortable words, and another portion of McFlurry's McLinks.

The picture of the month was snowy Aghavea:

2011 Books

There isn't a prize for book reading, yet I find it useful to keep a list of the books I've read to remind myself what they were about, and some of the useful things I've found in them. The reviews may hopefully have been of some use to some of my readers as well. Here are the books I've read this year:

1. Inside The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Devin Brown
2. In The Days of the Kings - Michael Wilcock
3. We Don't Know What We're Doing - Adrian Chiles
4. The Archer and the Arrow - Phillip Jensen and Paul Grimmond
5. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Philip Pullman
6. Holiness by Grace - Bryan Chapell
7. Life and Laughing - Michael McIntyre
8. On Being a Pastor - Derek Prime and Alistair Begg
9. Commentary on The Gospel According to John - DA Carson
10. Penguins Stopped Play - Harry Thompson

11. The Empty Cross of Jesus - Michael Green
12. The Confession - John Grisham
13. The Orange Order - Mervyn Jess
14. A Time to Dance - Stanley Gamble
15. Collected Writings on Scripture - DA Carson
16. This Momentary Marriage - John Piper
17. How the Irish Saved Civilization - Thomas Cahill
18. One-to-One Bible Reading - David Helm
19. Parson's Pitch - David Sheppard
20. The Long of it - Ernest Long

21. True Spirituality - Vaughan Roberts
22. Johnny Cornflakes - Denise George
23. Respectable Sins - Jerry Bridges
24. Compelled by Joy - Michael Green
25. One Day - David Nicholls
26. A History of the Gunpowder Plot - Philip Sidney
27. Going for Growth - Ken Clarke
28. The Scholar as Pastor and the Pastor as Scholar - John Piper and Don Carson
29. Iron Sharpens Iron - Orlando Saer
30. The Preacher's Portrait - John Stott

31. God's Executioner - Michael O Siochru
32. Gospel and Wisdom - Graeme Goldsworthy
33. The Ulster Crisis - ATQ Stewart
34. The Christ of Christmas - James Montgomery Boice
35. The People Next Door - Christopher Ransom
36. Harry Ferguson: Inventor and Pioneer - Colin Fraser
37. The King is Here - Marcus Loane

Not just as many books this year as last (52), but there have been changing circumstances and less opportunities to read. Perhaps in the new year I need to work harder at my diary to carve out opportunities to read. Wasn't it John Stott who endeavoured to read an hour a day, an afternoon a week, a day a month, and a week every year? My figures would drastically improve if I could give myself to that! Another factor I've found is that I'm more likely to play with my phone than sit down and read - the ever-present lure of Facebook/Twitter/Words With Friends/blogs and websites. The challenge is set - reading more books and less social media in 2012.

The top five books of 2011 have to be:
1. Harry Ferguson: Inventor and Pioneer - Colin Fraser
2. This Momentary Marriage - John Piper
3. Holiness by Grace - Bryan Chappell
4. The Ulster Crisis - ATQ Stewart
5. Respectable Sins - Jerry Bridges

Previous reading lists can be found for 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.

2011 in Pictures

2010 was the year of the 365 project, which almost made me despair of taking photos for a while once the pressure was off. I even promised that I wouldn't do something like that again. All was fine, until jt came to visit in October and persuaded me to sign up for Blipfoto, the daily photo journal. Sixty seven days later, and I'm still blipping daily!

Here are this year's best photos from my camera:
January


February


March


April


May


June


July


August


September


October


November


December


Which is your favourite?

2011 Top Referrers

Last year I compiled a list of the top ten blog referrers of 2010. As we're in the season for summing up the year and reflecting on what has passed, I thought I would have another look at referrers for this year:

1. After Darkness, Light. A non-mover at the top spot, my brother-in-law Bryan is still over in Dundee as a gospel worker.

2. For the Fainthearted. Ian Poulton has jumped from sixth to second, now working in a parish in County Laois.

3. Minister? Me?. Mrs Gerbil is a new entry, as she begins her studies for ministry in the Church of Scotland.

4. Clerical Whispers. This news and gossip site on all matters Catholic moves from fifth to fourth in this year's analysis.

5. Rambling Rural Rector. Craig's blog has slipped from third to fifth - but it's remarkable he's still there at all, given that his blog is now unavailable. This must have been based on referrals early in the year.

6. Virtual Methodist. David jumps from eight to six. It's nice to see referrals still coming from Dundonald after I've moved on.

7. Bishop Alan. A non-mover at seven, this English bishop continues to blog on matters of faith, culture and society.

8. The Diary of a Reformed Workaholic. Ali may have gone private, but there are still referrers coming in.

9. The Simple Pastor. Phil stays at nine, as he settles into life in Sweden on missions.

10. Opinionated Vicar. A blog break, a name change, and David Keen is back blogging again, and still sending enough referrers to hold on to tenth spot in this totally pointless and arbitrary list!

I'm thankful to these and lots more blogs and sites for sending readers this way, and hope that we continue to blog in the new year.

In other news, there were more referrals from Twitter than Facebook, and Google was the most used search engine to get to this site, with some interesting searches such as "naked prophet", "mr noah built an ark lyrics", "anger of the lord", "annoying paragraph", "ill people cured by mcflurry", and "seeing your reverend naked". Some very strange ones there - let's hope they found what they were looking for...

The big business of my blog seems to be the sermon resources available - of the 7759 search enquiries to land on my blog, 4239 of them had the word 'sermon' in them somewhere. Indeed, the top fifteen pages to be visited this year are all sermons, except for the homepage. Now, how do I monetize these resources?

November 2011 Review

It's almost as if the blog is declining from neglect, and it's getting worse each month! We're at the end of another month, and there have been just ten posts this month. The long-promised book reviews haven't all appeared yet, but they'll have to come soon for the end of this year's tally!

The consistent feature has been preaching. We've had sermons on 1 Corinthians 12, Psalm 2, 1 Corinthians 15, and Luke 1. There was also some thoughts on knowing and doing from Colossians 1.

There were some book reviews, on One Day by David Nicholls, A History of the Gunpowder Plot by Philip Sidney, and Going for Growth by Ken Clarke.

One of the reasons for the dearth of posts was the fact that we were off on holiday in New York, so didn't post the week before (being too busy getting everything sorted before I went) nor the week we were away.

My photo of the month after a full house posted on Blipfoto has to be Shepherd's warning:

Book Review: A History of the Gunpowder Plot

Remember, remember, the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot.

The old school children's rhyme about the Gunpowder Plot sticks in my mind, and yet, to my shame, while I could give a vague overview of what happened - Guy Fawkes, the Houses of Parliament, gunpowder, in 1605, that may be as far as I could go. So when I saw this little book a while back, I purchased a copy to be better informed. And so, last week, running up to the anniversary of the plot's discovery, I decided it would be an opportune time to read about the events in London and the attempt to assassinate King James I (and VI of Scotland).

Philip Sydney's book has been extremely well researched, with access to the original records in the British Museum and the Public Record Office. While fascinating reading, I'm not sure that this volume was intended for the general reader seeking an introduction to the events, but rather it is a fairly detailed and passionately argued position in distinction to previous histories of the plot. I noticed this particularly at the start, where the introduction was fairly short and sharp, almost immediately we were being introduced to the main conspirators without really having enough background to draw us in to the story.

Perhaps what was assumed in the general reader was too much, or else I was just starting further back than the author's intended readership! Similarly, the motivation of the plotters was almost skimmed over, and again, perhaps assumed rather than explained. Having said that, there are lots of the original documents consulted and quoted, which helps us hear from the people involved.

In numerous places, the writer is keen to disagree with and refute the suggestions and conclusions of other historians writing on the plot, particularly those of Jesuit sources, which suggests that the old battle of religion rife in Britain and Ireland in the 1600s is still alive and well in the historian's world as books and articles are written and argued.

Another slight disadvantage for me, although perhaps understandable and beyond the author's remit, was the almost complete ignorance of Ireland - it would have been good to see how events in Ireland around the end of Elizabeth's reign and the beginning of James' contributed or informed what happened.

All in all, if you're interested in the history of the period, then this will be a good book to get your teeth into. If you're looking for an introduction, or something slightly more accessible, I don't think I would recommend this book, but then I'm not sure what other book I would recommend. Any suggestions, do leave a comment!

October 2011 Review

This is just the twelfth blog posting of October, the frequency seems to be going down while the visitor stats continue to grow by random search enquiries and people accessing sermon archives. There should have been more blogging, but I haven't been able to find the time. The thing that is missing from October's blogging are the book reviews - five books have been finished but not written about. Perhaps I should get down to it! In the meantime, here's what did appear on the blog this month:

It being harvest season there were sermons and lots of sermons: Psalm 34, Mark 15, John 10, Habakkuk 3, Acts 2, Acts 1 and John 14.

I also started writing through Paul's Letter to the Colossians, with thoughts on reasons to be cheerful, the whole truth, global gospel growth, and being a faithful minister.

And that was it. Twelve blog posts accounted for in just two subjects. A short review. In other news, I signed up to Blipfoto, yet another photo site, this one where you can only upload one photo per day in a photo journal style and I've managed to do at least eight days in a row now. The photo of the month has to be Shadow Angel:

September 2011 Review

My first month as Rector of Aghavea completed, it's time to look back and see what's been happening on the blog. Just thirteen posts this month, as I adapt to the new 'job' and some of the new things expected of Rectors that Curates don't have to worry about!

One constant has been my preaching, with sermons from Matthew 13, Psalm 33, Psalm 1, Luke 15, Luke 12, and Mark 8.

There were a couple of other posts about becoming a rector, reflecting on the Institution service and getting lost. Other news items were related to travel too, as we had the Journey concert in Dungannon and driving a hard bargain for ministers of religion (but not Baptists!).

There were a couple of book reviews, on Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges and Compelled by Joy by Michael Green.

My favourite photo of this month was this ruined church at Wattlebridge:

Book Review: Respectable Sins

This was a difficult book to read, not because the words were hard to understand, but because the words impacted so well, through the nudging of the Holy Spirit. For that, I must thank Jerry Bridges for writing this book, Respectable Sins.

So often if we mention the word 'sin', our minds naturally turn to the big, bad sins we see all around us in culture and society. While they may be big and bad, they're not what Bridges has in his sights here. Rather, 'This book is about sin - not the obvious sins of our culture but the subtle sins of believers.'

Following a great reminder of what the gospel is, how the good news saves us, and how it continues to sanctify us, Bridges then turns to a variety of 'decent' sins which we seek to overlook or excuse; sins we have accepted and made respectable: ungodliness, anxiety, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience, anger, judgementalism, envy, jealousy, sins of the tongue and worldliness. Using an array of illustrations and personal examples, he helps us uncover those sins within our hearts.

Oftentimes you'll hear that a book has changed someone's life; you may not believe it. This book really has - many times since reading this book I've been caught thinking/saying/doing something that was exposed in the book, so that I have been helped and encouraged in my sanctification.

This book is for all Christians who want to grow in their faith, who may be discouraged by the ongoing sins in their heart, and who need to be reminded of the glorious truth of the gospel which brings freedom and will lead to ultimate victory through Jesus' sanctifying death.

August 2011 Review

The end of another month, the children are going back to school, and my holiday between jobs comes to an end with my Institution service this Friday night. On the blog, it's been a quiet month with a huge break in the middle as we moved house and settled into the rectory. Still, there have been 11 posts, made up of the following:

My only preaching in August has been the three farewell sermons in Dundonald, at the midweek congregation on Colossians 1, the morning congregation on 1 Corinthians 3, and the evening congregation on Matthew 9. Ironically, having established the sermon audio website there, no recordings of the three have survived!

There were book reviews, The Long of it by Ernest Long; True Spirituality by Vaughan Roberts and Johnny Cornflakes by Denise George.

In other news, I thought about the border and the barker, moving house and going up in the world.

Had I remembered my camera, the photo of the month might have been taken from the top of Slieve Croob, but as it is, the photo of the month is Ancient Stones:

Book Review: The Long of it

My earliest memories of the author of this autobiography were in the Diocesan Magazine he edited, with his name emblazoned in bold letters. An appropriate, if slightly humorous name for a minister with journalistic tendencies: S. E. Long (read it as 'essay long' and you'll get my drift!).

Ernest Long is now in his eighties, and in this book presents a series of memories and anecdotes from his life and ministry. Having served curacies in St Donard's and Willowfield in East Belfast, the rest of his stipendiary ministry was in Dromara, not too far from where I grew up. There were interesting stories of how the self-confessed city boy adapted to life in rural County Down, which may be useful for me as I move to Fermanagh in the near future!

Despite very different times, what shines through is the gospel is the same in every generation, it just needs to be communicated to the people in ways they understand. Community involvement, outreach, all the buzz words of the emerging era were already in place in Long's rural ministry, as he relates his experiences of community life and outreach in Dromara.

Long is also well known locally for his prominent position in the Orange Order, and a considerable portion of the book was given to detailing his involvement with the Order, including his international speaking tours on behalf of the Grand Lodge. Perhaps my only regret is that he didn't spend much time discussing the recent difficulties, instead skirting around them.

All in all, The Long of it is an interesting read to discover the impact the gospel has had on an individual life, and the wider impact through that one person to reach and change so many. It will be particularly interesting for those with some knowledge of the local area, but would be profitable for a wider audience too.

The Long of it is available from Slieve Croob Press and has one of my photos on the front cover!