Thanks Matthias Media

One of the things that I think we often take for granted in Christian ministry is a publishing house like Matthias Media.

Personally, I know that when I purchase a product from them, I have a high level of comfort of its quality - both in terms of its Biblical/evangelical outlook and perspective as well as value for money.

I can trust that the material is well researched and reliable.

Here's some recent experiences I've had:

1. Recently, I finished reading "Is it worth believing? The Spiritual Challenge of the Da Vinci Code" by Greg Clarke. A good read as it outlines in more depth some of the errors within the book. However, I would have liked it to have pushed the beliefs angle a bit more and maybe challenge people more on what it is they believe and how they come up with their beliefs.

2. The Genuine Imitation Interactive Bible Study on CD-ROM has been a great resource as I've looked at 1 Thessalonians for my Wed night bible study group as well as in preparation for Maitland Alive talks.

Pitched at the right level for someone who is not looking for something as technical as a commentary.

3. The recent Taste and See magazine contained a helpful extract by J.C Ryle on Sickness - especially in light of the flu that Teresa is currently enduring.

Ryle says that sickness has benefits! Namely:

i. It reminds us of death
ii. It helps to make us think seriously of God
iii. It helps to soften our hearts
iv. It helps to level and humble us
v. It helps to test our religion

To quote:

'We have no right to grumble against sickness, and complain at its presence in the world. We ought rather to thank God for it. It is God's witness. It is the soul's adviser. It is an awakener to the conscience. It is a purifier to the heart. Surely I have the right to tell you that sickness is a blessing and not a curse, a help and not an injury, a gain and not a loss, a friend and not a foe to mankind. So long as we have a world in which there is sin, it is a mercy that it is a world in which there is sickness.'

I think its done its job in tempting me to buy these resources to read more!



I'm just about to utilise the revised Just For Starters training manual.....stay tuned!