by John McCrindle This is the text of an undated pamphlet written by my maternal grandfather, John Cree McCrindle (1897-1982), probably around the time of his wife Lily's death in 1956, to commend and share his Christian faith with fellow workers in the coal mines in Ipswich, Queensland. Dear Comrades, For the past thirty-four years …
The power of repentance
A sermon by Rod Benson Jonah 3:1-10 No sooner have Jonah’s wrinkled, fishy hands gripped the coarse sand of a Jewish beach, than he hears the now familiar voice of God once more. It is the same message, the same words – a message previously disregarded, presenting a challenge previously disobeyed: “Go to the great …
A passion for conversion and baptism
A sermon by Rod Benson What makes us who we are as Christians known as Baptists? Last week I suggested that one of our distinctive characteristics or qualities is a passion for reading the Bible for ourselves, expecting God to supply fresh light and spiritual nourishment to us through his written word. Today I want …
Experiencing God’s mercy and grace
A sermon by Rod Benson 1 Timothy 1:12-19 They can put a man on the moon, but they can’t make solar cars. Or cure acne. Or invent the self-sorting sock drawer. Or make me lose weight by eating all the donuts. Or find a word that rhymes with orange. Or drive a road tunnel through …
Ethics and conversion
Conversion is the central ethical message of Jesus and lies at the heart of evangelical faith and experience. For some, conversion is a slow, lifelong movement of the heart and will toward God. For others, it is a single dramatic experience, a sudden realignment of the self as the Apostle Paul experienced on the Damascus …