This week we finish Stuart Olyott's article exploring the nature and practice of 'corrective discipline', a subject utterly essential in our non-judgemental age. He shows us that the work of such discipline must always be focused on the restoration of the erring member, and carried out with great humility and wisdom. We also read the testimony of B. R. Basted, who found himself in a situation in which he could not, as a gospel minister, exercise the basic church discipline of preventing unbelievers from accessing gospel ordinances. It is a salutory reminder of the need for ministers to be resourced and supported in the work of church discipline.

Featured Content:

– Second part of 'Church Discipline', Stuart Olyott, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 163, April 1977.

- 'Discipline at the Local Level – The Real Problem', B. R. Basted, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 80, May 1970.

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Church discipline is a gracious institution of the Lord Jesus Christ for the honour of His name, the purity of His Church, and the eternal salvation of His people.

This week's episode focuses on this neglected topic. An excerpt from Jeremy Walker helps to unpack some of the reasons why church discipline matters. Drilling down on 'corrective' or 'restorative' discipline, we read a section from Stuart Olyott's article 'Church Discipline' to help guide us through a difficult area.

Featured Content:

– Excerpt from 'Called to be Holy' by Jeremy Walker sourced from pages 19 to 24 of that booklet.

Buy the booklet: https://banneroftruth.org/uk/store/christmas-bulk/called-to-be-holy/

– First part of 'Church Discipline', Stuart Olyott, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 163, April 1977.

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We live in trying times, when it often seems as if the 'foundations are destroyed' (Psalm 11:3). How are believers called to live in a dark day? This week's readings, from Mauric Roberts and John Flavel, address dark days and preparations for trial.

Featured Content:

– 'The Believer's Duty in a Dark Day', Maurice Roberts, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 678, March 2020.

– Excerpt from Chapter 4 of John Flavel's 'Preparations for Sufferings, Or, The Best Work in the Worst Times' (Puritan Paperback, 161 pages).

Buy the book: https://banneroftruth.org/store/christian-living/preparations-for-sufferings/

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We had the great pleasure of talking with Stuart Olyott at the Banner of Truth Ministers' Conference. A much-respected Bible teacher and pastor, Stuart discusses his formative years, his time at London Bible College, and subsequent journey in ministry. He even has occasion to describe a Homburg hat for the benefit of the uninitiated!

Banner Books by Stuart:

– I Wish Someone Would Explain Hebrews to Me! (https://banneroftruth.org/store/sermons-and-expositions/i-wish-someone-would-explain-hebrews-to-me/)

– Ministering Like the Master: Three Messages for Today's Preachers (https://banneroftruth.org/store/church-ministry/ministering-like-the-master/)

– Preaching That Gets Through: God's Words and Ours (https://banneroftruth.org/store/church-ministry/preaching-that-gets-through/)

– Reading the Bible and Praying in Public (https://banneroftruth.org/store/church-ministry/reading-the-bible-and-praying-in-public/)

– You Must Read: Books That Have Shaped Our Lives, Various Authors, Stuart writes an entry on reading Spurgeon's Revival Year Sermons. (https://banneroftruth.org/store/theology/you-must-read/)

Other Resources from Stuart:

– Stuart's sermons for download: www.knowyourbiblerecordings.org

– Preaching: Pure and Simple (https://epbooks.org/product/preaching-pure-and-simple-by-stuart-olyott/)

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The ministry of John Angell James, favoured though it was, marked the end of an era at Carrs Lane Congregational Church. When it came to ministerial handover, we observe a weakness of judgement in James which made room for a less than orthodox ministry at the church. The upshot was that sadly James's ministry legacy was not extended and built on with gospel vision by his successor, R. W. Dale.

From noting this sad turn of events, we remind ourselves of the crucial nature of truth in a victorious Christian pilgrimage with a reading from Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Featured Content:

– 'John Angell James', Peter Seccombe, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 220 (January 1982).

- Excerpts concerning Mr Valiant-for-truth from 'Part the Second' of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (Banner of Truth ed., 1977, current ed., 2017), pages 348–350 and 373.

Buy The Pilgrim's Progress: https://banneroftruth.org/store/christian-living/pilgrims-progress/

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Pastor, author, and missionary motivator, John Angell James (1785–1859) was one of the most gifted and respected of Independent church ministers in 19th-century Britain. From humble beginnings as a draper's son in Dorset, he went on to become minister of Carr's Lane Congregational Church in Birmingham. His ministry there was greatly blessed, as were his literary labours, with over 3 million copies of his works being published within his lifetime.

Angell James's ministry was marked by earnestness, a note sounded in the title and text of his book on ministry, 'An Earnest Ministry: The Want of the Times'. In this week's episode we look at the life of this outstanding servant of God, and consider his abiding interest in the work of gospel advance in China.

Featured Content:

– 'John Angell James', Peter Seccombe, Banner of Truth Magazine, appearing in two parts in Issues 219 and 220 (December 1981 and January 1982, respectively).

– 'John Angell James', Alec Taylor, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 619 (April 2015).

– 'God's Voice from China', John Angell James, reproduced in the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 166 (July/August 1977).

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

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Francis Turretin of Geneva, if he is known at all, is often thought of as a Protestant 'scholastic', where this is shorthand for an ivory tower theologian given to excessive hair-splitting. Such a caricature, however, does not do justice to the man himself. An earnest preacher, and a devoted disciple, Turretin placed his scholarship at the service of the church. While he was a thorough and careful theologian, Turretin sought to go only as far, and no further, than the Scripture warranted, and to do his theology in a spirit of charity.

This week's episode introduces us to Turretin the man and theologian, and to Volume 1 of his Institutes of Elenctic Theology, which has been published by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishers since 1992.

Featured Content:

– 'Shapers of Christianity: Francis Turretin (1623–87)', Nick Needham, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 716, May 2023.

– 'Francis Turretin's Institutes in English', Robert Sheehan, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 368, May 1994.

Resources Mentioned:

- The Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Francis Turretin (1992–1997, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing)

Volume 1 (surveyed above): https://www.prpbooks.com/book/institutes-of-elenctic-theology

Three-volume set: https://www.prpbooks.com/book/institutes-of-elenctic-theology-3-vol-set

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

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The Revoice Conference was founded in 2018 in order to 'support and encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual, and other same-sex attracted Christians—as well as those who love them—so that all in the Church might be empowered to live in gospel unity while observing the historic Christian doctrine of marriage and sexuality.' (Revoice, Mission Statement).

A year after the initial event, aware that the movement was only just beginning, Dr. Jonathan Master wrote a 'Letter from America' in the Banner Magazine. With the help of the analysis of David Wells, he notes the weakness of the postmodern vision of spirituality that informs Revoice's commitments. He points us back to classical Christian spirituality, founded on a commitment to the holiness of God and a seriousness about sin which is well reflected in our second selection, from Geoff Thomas, entitled 'Take Sin Seriously'.

Featured Content:

– 'Letter from America: The Revoice Conference', Jonathan Master, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 667 (April 2019).

– 'Take Sin Seriously', Geoff Thomas, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 678 (March 2020).

Resources Mentioned:

- 'When Christians Adopt Sinful Identities' (segment from Matthew Roberts interview): https://youtu.be/QmFkWDCixXg?si=PecUoJdy5vTIAbsp

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

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