Open Air Preaching and books

 

Been pretty busy of late, mainly doing my fair share of open air preaching with a fellow full time FPC evangelist round different towns here in Northern Ireland. I enjoy open air preaching. Like many another preacher, it is where I had to start. Here in Northern Ireland - and especially so back around 1980 - capable enough preachers are ten a penny. (Ian Paisley used to say that Ulster didn't need preachers; it needed prophets (i.e. forth tellers). Anyway, it was in Belfast City centre on a Saturday afternoon, my trembling hand raised a loud speaker to my stammering lips and tried to preach. I am still at it and enjoying every minute of it. 

Currently reading in the Scriptures: Daniel and the Psalms. Must start again into the New Testament, having finished Revelation recently.

Books on the go: 

Calvin's Sermons on Genesis 11-20. This is a massive read, but slowly but surely is the key here. 

 I had to park Augustine on the City of God. WA Criswell said that it was one of the greatest books of time and eternity. I think it could do with a massive edit. He leathers into the heathen gods BIG TIME. Which was probably needful at the time that was written. However, IMO, to give endless examples of their folly is wearisome. Sometimes "little is more" and if I were to edit his book, I would pick out about two or three of the best and keep it moving. I have little heart to return to it at the moment. It would probably fry my brain to take on the above Calvin and Augustine at the same time. I suppose Calvin has replaced Augustine in the need-to-concentrate department of my reading. Calvin is a lot easier. 

Lighter reading includes WP Nicholson on "The Evangelist." Nicholson is a bit of an enigma when it comes to doctrine. He was born and reared in the Presbyterian Church here in Northern Ireland and you get a couple of references to the Shorter Catechism which is good. However, you can see the American Fundamentalist influence upon him e.g. denying that men are chosen unto salvation, but rather unto service. For all that, he was a man who saw revival here in Ulster 100 years ago. I wouldn't be fit to lace his boots.  When I say lighter reading, I don't mean superficial, but not the same level of concentration needed.

Reading a biography on Anne Bradsheet by Faith Cooke who is a great British biographer. An interesting picture into the arrival of the Puritan pilgrims to the US Colonies in the 1620's. 

My daily 365 daily devotional reading is JC Ryle. One advantage over the other devotionals on the go including Spurgeon and McCheyne etc., is that the compiler keeps to Ryle's commentaries on the gospels and thus the life of Christ is kept daily before the reader. 

So that is that. Signing off now. Getting ready to prepare a sermon on the text, "Dost thou not fear God?" - the words of the repentant thief to his fellow malefactor at the Cross. My preaching partner preached on the Dying Thief yesterday in the open air and quoted this text. Its words came with fresh power to me and my preacher's mind set to work, gathering together the beginnings of a sermon. 

Behave yourselves....