Historical Apologetics: 1697-1893
An Introductory Bibliography

What follows is a highly selective bibliography in historical apologetics the branch of apologetics dealing with the authenticity and credibility of the scriptures and particularly of the New Testament from the late 17th century through the late 19th century. Although the progress of scholarship has raised new questions and provided additional lines of evidence, these older works are of more than merely historical interest. Most of the objections raised against Christianity today are variations on objections that go back hundreds of years, in some cases all the way back to Celsus and Porphyry. These objections were thoroughly discussed by some of the finest minds of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and their responses are as cogent now as when they were first printed. Unfortunately, there has been little guidance to this literature for interested Christian readers, and as a result some masterpieces are almost unknown even among seminary graduates and students of apologetics.

In July 2008, Mark Driscoll traveled to England and preached several sermons. Topics range from outlining the missional movement to a swift kick to the groin of young men.

Sermons

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Luke and Acts
On the Missional Church
On Missional Movements (Acts 1)
Driscoll at Jubilee Church, London, on Loving the City (Jeremiah 29)
Preaching in Brighton
Gospel of Grace vs. Religion of Works
Preaching Jesus
Driscoll Unleashed in the UK!
The Missional Church | London 2008
Movements are Messy: Getting and Staying on Mission
Spirit Led Missions: Following the Luke-Acts Paradigm
Be Radical & Plant Radical Churches! | Church Planter
Be Radical & Plant Radical Churches! | Church Leadership
Be Radical & Plant Radical Churches! | Final Thoughts and Q&A

Any recovery of an authentically biblical understanding of men and women must begin in the Garden of Eden. It is there that we learn about the special creation of Adam and Eve. It is there that we read God's mandate to the first male and female. And, perhaps more importantly for this article's purpose, it is there in the garden that we are able to see the effects of sin and grace on the relationship between Adam and Eve. Of these lessons on the relationship between the sexes, it might be the case that the effect of grace on Adam and Eve's sin-broken relationship receives less attention than some other equally valuable biblical truths recorded in the first chapters of Genesis. This article will explore this perhaps neglected lesson on grace in the garden. It will do so by posing two questions: (1) Why does Adam call his wife Eve; and (2) What lessons does this surprise ending to the narrative of the fall teach us? Although this article will focus on Adam's role in acting in accord with the grace that he has received, other equally important considerations regarding Eve's transformation by grace could be developed as well.

When it comes to the subject of leadership in action, one of my favorite Old Testament characters is Nehemiah. In his book we see every facet of leadership lived out. I admire the depth of his prayer life, his love for God, and his sterling character. I admire his courage in the face of crises, his willingness to make tough decisions, his perseverance to stand for what is right, and his candor in dealing with people. He is a man of prayer, a man of faith, a man of vision, a man of courage and a man of action. We find him praying, watching, working and warring. He's my kind of leader.

I have studied my way through Nehemiah with two groups of leaders, and each time was insightful and challenging. It is a book rich in leadership principles. As to lessons we learn from Nehemiah, J. Sidlow Baxter says, "There is no winning without working, no opportunity without opposition, no triumph without trouble, no victory without vigilance."

Click through to the Resurgence if you can't see the video.

In this interview I talk with Acts 29 Director Scott Thomas about two things that he has lots of experience with—replanting churches and dealing with criticism.

As expected, he offers some sound counsel for both.

Watch, learn and help us spread the word.

For more from Dustin Neeley check out cp4us.org.

Death By Love

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears tackle some of the most serious redemptive aspects of Jesus' work in these twelve letters of counsel. Find out more.

Crossway has just released a free ESV Bible app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Here are some of the features:

• works with or without internet connection
• has four font sizes including large print
• lets you highlight verses, save favorites, and write notes
• looks amazing
• it's free!

Get it here.

Crossway is also working on getting the ESV to other mobile devices.

Scripture Wallpapers

Download free Scripture wallpapers for your desktop and iPhone. Get them here.

From the recent sermon Jesus Loves Sinners. Here's the full sermon:

Click through to the Resurgence if you can't see the video.

Luke Sermon Series

The current Mars Hill sermon series traces the life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. Watch the preview.

Every opportunity comes with opposition, and we must rely on God’s wisdom to proceed with any opportunity. This involves a careful examination of time and energy, which begs the question: Do you know your priorities?

Yes vs. No

Many of us wrestle with people-pleasing and a reluctance to say “no,” but sometimes it’s the only possible answer.

If you say yes to everything, you will spread yourself thin and perhaps miss truly beneficial opportunities while fulfilling less meaningful requests. You’ll see better opportunities come and go; with no margin available you’ll be trapped by foolish commitments.

On the other hand, if you don’t know your priorities you may never confidently commit to the work God’s called you to, out of fear that a better opportunity may come along. In other words, inaction and action can both be sinful.

Prepare Yourself for Action

Aligning your decision-making with a set of pre-determined priorities is critical. If your priorities aren’t defined up front, then when the opportunities come you’ll respond hastily—usually adding another plate to the pile.

“Yes” is the right decision sometimes, but how do you know? For starters, consider whether or not the opportunity compromises or enhances your priorities.

These Are Your Priorities

In its simplest form, the Christian’s priority list is:

1. Jesus
2. Spouse (if applicable)
3. Children (if applicable)
4. Ministry/Vocation

If you clarify your priorities ahead of time, you’ll be able to reject empty opportunities much faster and consider helpful opportunities more wisely. You may not do as much, but you will do it better.

Jamie Munson is the Lead Pastor of Mars Hill Church. You can connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.