Pastoral ministry isn't for everyone. Indeed, it isn't for the many. 'Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers', writes James, 'for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness' (James 3:1).

This week's readings spell out and explore some bad reasons for going into ministry, hopefully serving men considering the pastoral office, as well as those who advise and support them.

Featured Resources

– Rebecca Vandoodewaard, Five Bad Reasons to Go Into Ministry, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 698 (November 2021).

– Albert N. Martin, Wrong Reasons for Entering the Christian Ministry, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 208 (January 1981).

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'He did not get up to talk about his party, his cause, his interest or his office', wrote J. C. Ryle of George Whitefield. 'He was perpetually telling you about your sins, your heart, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the absolute need of repentance, faith, and holiness, in the way that the Bible presents these mighty subjects.'

This week we turn our attention to a man who, by God's grace, became a means in the salvation of thousands of souls in the eighteenth century.

Featured Resources:

– David Campbell, 'George Whitefield: The Power of the Gospel', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 699 (December 2021).

– Bob Thomas (collator, introduction), 'Encouragement from the Eighteenth Century: Extracts from Arnold Dallimore's Biography of George Whitefield', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 737 (February 2025).

Resources on Whitefield:

Dallimore, Arnhold, George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the 18th Century Revival (2 volumes, clothbound, 1232 pages, also available as single volumes)

Philip, Robert, The Life and Times of George Whitefield (paperback, 588 pages)

Vandoodewaard, Rebecca, The Man Who Preached Outside (board book)

Select Sermons of George Whitefield, With an Account of His Life by J. C. Ryle (paperback, 200 pages)

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Last year the Trust published W. Ross Blackburn's Unveiling the Cross: Beholding and Proclaiming the Whole Christ. Ross has a background in Old Testament studies, has pastored in the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) and has been involved for many years with the pro-life movement in the USA. We sat down with Ross and found out a bit more about his own backstory, and also his burden in Unveiling the Cross. We trust you'll enjoy the conversation.

Buy the Book:

Unveiling the Cross: Beholding and Proclaiming the Whole Christ

Online articles from W. Ross Blackburn:

- Down Syndrome Day? (Human Life Review)

'Have you ever wondered why we see so few children with Down Syndrome today compared with past generations?...' Read the article

- Keep Them From Idols: The Education of Children Takes Generations of Fidelity (Touchstone Magazine)

'Education is chiefly about God. If that sounds strange, it is because we have understood education to be a different endeavor than raising children to know God...'

Read the article.

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There is no such thing as 'neutral' history. All history is written from a religious standpoint, reflecting either an awareness of and reverence for God and his purposes and dealings, or an ignorance of the same.

Towards the end of the twentieth century, some Christian historians reacted to 'providentialist' history, that is, history that gives place to God, and sought to deal in strictly naturalistic terms, explaining and conjecturing on the sole basis of biological, social, and economic forces. It was thought that only this approach could make the work of Christian historians appeal to those with no faith. This framework was even brought to bear to 'explain' revival movements and the success of preachers.

In 1994 Iain H. Murray engaged with such a group of scholars in a book review. His critique will continue to resonate while Christian scholars feel the need to operate according to a framework which allows no room for a free, sovereign God to work out his glorious purposes in the world.

We read Mr. Murray's review article this week, alongside the Foreword to his book Heroes, which sets forth some of the blessings history offers to the attentive believer.

Featured Resources

– Iain H. Murray, 'Explaining Evangelical History', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 370 (July 1994).

– Iain H. Murray, Foreword to Heroes (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2009, 2020), pages ix to xiii.

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In 1868 Pope Pius IX issued a call to those who, in his words, 'glory in the name of Christian, yet do not profess the true faith of Christ, nor hold to and follow the Communion of the Catholic Church.' He wanted them to submit to and join with the Catholic church, and hoped that the forthcoming First Vatican Council would catalyse this.

Grasping the need for a concise and clear response, grounded in the biblical teaching recovered by the Reformers, Princeton theologian Charles Hodge penned a letter on behalf of the two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church in the USA. His explanation of the non-attendance of Protestant clergy at 'Vatican I' is helpful to us as the Pope and the Catholic Church once again loom large in the headlines.

Featured Resources:

– Charles Hodge, 'Letter to Pope Pius IX', as re-published in the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 415 (April 1998).

– W. Robert Godfrey, 'The Lutheran–Roman Catholic Joint Declaration', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 436 (January 2000).

Materials Referenced:

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification: The Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church

The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Confessional Lutheran Perspective (The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod)

Banner Resources on Justification:

Buchanan, James, The Doctrine of Justification (Clothbound, 520 pages)

Roberts, Maurice, Finding Peace with God: Justification Explained (Booklet, 40 pages)

Traill, Robert, Justification Vindicated (Puritan Paperback, 96 pages)

Venema, Cornelis P., Getting the Gospel Right: Assessing the Reformation and New Perspectives on Paul (Paperback, 112 pages)

Venema, Cornelis P., The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ: An Assessment of the Reformation and the New Perspective on Paul (Clothbound, 352 pages)

Banner Resources on Catholicism and its Claims:

Bennett, Richard, Catholicism: East of Eden (Catholicism for the 21st Century) (Paperback, 336 pages)

Bennett, Richard, Far from Rome Near to God: Testimonies of Fifty Converted Catholic Priests (Paperback, 360)

Pollitt, H. J., The Inter-Faith Movement: The New Age Enters the Church (Paperback, 224 pages)

Webster, William, Salvation, the Bible & Roman Catholicism (Paperback, 184 pages)

Webster, William, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History (Paperback, 256 pages)

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Weakness within and trials without. A constant battle against the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. This is the common lot of Christian believers in this life. This is the sober reality which ought to push us, each day, to apply for new supplies of the Holy Spirit's power for perseverance.

The life of the gospel minister fits this pattern, too, and if anything, the intensity of the battle is greater. Satan has a particular loathing for all members of Christ's body, but especially for its leaders.

This week we read two articles on different aspects of perseverance in ministry. They call us all—especially those of us in church office—to fresh vigilance and new earnestness, confident of the Lord's power and willingness to sustain us.

Featured Resources:

– Andrew Swanson, 'Causes and Cure of Spiritual Decline in the Minister's Life', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 391 (April 1996).

– David N. Jones, 'Maintaining the Earnestness of our Ministry', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issues 239–240 (August–September 1983).

– Interview snippets with Gerard Hemmings and Keith Berry recorded at the UK Ministers' Conference 2025 ('A Lifetime in the Ministry')

Note: the dates for this year's US West Coast Ministers' Conference are October 21–23, 2025, and those for next year's UK Ministers' Conference are April 20–23, 2026. For more information, go to https://conferences.banneroftruth.org/

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We had the joy of sitting down with Paul Levy who pastors International Presbyterian Church in Ealing, a thriving district of West London. Paul spoke to us about a range of topics, including the joys and challenges of church growth and how he prays for the children of his church to have a ‘boring testimony’, and he also recommends a couple of the Banner’s more obscure publications. We trust you’ll enjoy the conversation.

Further reading:

The Pastor-Scholar (article by Paul Yeullett, which originally appeared in the January 2012 issue of the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 580).

Banner Books Mentioned:

Bakker, Frans, Praying Always

Cuyler, Theodore, God's Light on Dark Clouds

Through the Year With William Still

Letters of William Still

Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org

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This week we consider the Christian's relationship to revolution. In the first reading, we ask how the Christian is to relate to the 'spirit of Revolution' embodied in the French Revolution (a movement that is still with us, bearing fruit in our own politics and society). Towards the end of the episode we consider Francis Schaeffer and Samuel Rutherford in their arguments for civil resistance to ungodly authority. Is it right to oppose the humanistic revolutionary spirit, if necessary, by force? These and other questions are given attention in this episode of the Magazine Podcast.

Featured Resources:

– Jan Freeke, 'The Life and Work of Groen van Prinsterer', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 430 (July 1999).

– D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 'The Christian and the State in Revolutionary Times', The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1987, 2024), pages 393–396.

– John Legg, 'The Christian and Revolution', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 247 (April 1984).

Further Reading:

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Christian and the State in Revolutionary Times

A helpful, sustained treatment of issues around Church and State, the Christian and the State, civil disobedience, and other related subjects (including capital punishment, revolution, and pacifism) can be found in Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones' treatment of Romans 13:1–7. This is published by the Trust in the Lloyd-Jones series as Volume 13: Life in Two Kingdoms and is also available freely in audio format from MLJ Trust.

About the Contributors:

Jan Freeke is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland congregation in Glasgow.

D. M. Lloyd-Jones was the minister of Westminster Chapel, London, for 25 years and a noted evangelist and teacher. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones author page.

John David Legg (1936–2023) ministered in North Yorkshire (Reeth Congregational Church and Northallerton Evangelical Church) and in Shropshire (Shrewsbury Evangelical Church). Read John's obituary here.

Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org

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