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Preparing Just for Starters

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Preparing Just for Starters is a self-paced training course with a difference. This workbook, and the two audio CDs that accompany it, contain everything you need in order to learn how to use Just for Starters, a set of Bible studies which have been used for more than 30 years to follow-up new Christians and establish them in the basics of the faith. Setting your own schedule, you will be introduced to the Just for Starters studies, the part they can play in personal follow-up, and be led step-by-step through each of the seven studies.

Whether you have used Just for Starters before, or are new to personal follow-up, this course will give you a deeper understanding of the Just for Starters studies, and greater confidence in using them.

Key benefits:
» Can be done by an individual at their own pace.
» Includes the full text of the Just for Starters studies.
» The ten short talks by Tony Payne provide valuable insights into each of the passages studied and helpful training in the goals and aims of each study. This makes it ideal not only for those who are new to Just for Starters, but also as revision for those who have used the studies before.
» By the end of Preparing Just for Starters you are ready to meet one-to-one to follow-up a new Christian.

If you are new to personal follow-up we recommend you also complete Six Steps to Encouragement, a six-week training course in personal ministry and encouragement.

Price:$ 17.95 Special Price:$ 8.98
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Pure Sex

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Sex—pure, unadulterated and free. Stripped of all the guilt and restrictions of a bygone age. Liberated from the boring claustrophobia of marriage. At last, the freedom to express your own sexuality in whatever way you choose.

Such was the promise of the sexual revolution that swept the Western world in the 1960s and 70s. It didn't deliver. More than 30 years on, we find ourselves not in a sexual utopia, but in a sexual war zone, with broken relationships, hurt, guilt, and confusion on all sides.

Could it be that there is another way, that actually makes sense of our sexuality, and allows us to express and enjoy it? This book suggests that there is, and that it can be found in a most surprising place—n the ancient teachings of the Christian Bible.

Pure Sex is a book for all who are curious, confused, dissatisfied, hurt or struggling with sexuality, and who want some answers.

Contents

Introduction
1. The queer, the unhappy and the irrelevant
2. The search for nudity
3. A brief history of sex
4. The heart has its reasons
5. A failed revolution
6. The way we were
7. Pure sex
Epilogue
Appendix 1: Homosexuality and pure sex
Appendix 2: Two ways to live

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Prayer and the Voice of God

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Prayer doesn't have to be a mystery or a burden. In this Guidebook for Life, Phillip Jensen and Tony Payne open up what God himself says to us in the Scriptures about prayer, including what prayer really is, why we should do it and why we often don't.

This insightful, practical book offers powerful motivations to get us back on our knees and praying, as well as helpful discussions of what to pray for.

This is a clear, readable guide for new Christians wanting to get started in prayer, or longer-serving Christians whose prayer-lives are wilting.

Read a review.

This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way.

Price:$ 14.95 Special Price:$ 7.48
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Passing the Baton: A handbook for ministry apprenticeship

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

After the gospel itself, the greatest need of the Christian church is to keep finding and training people who will faithfully teach the Bible to both Christians and non-Christians. How can we discover these individuals? How can we help them develop in both Christian commitment and ministry competence?

This handbook is part of the answer. It's about recruiting godly, ministry-hearted Christians, placing them under the guiding hand of an experienced minister, and giving them a two-year full-immersion experience of working for a church or related ministry. It's about ministry apprenticeship.

The insights and programmes in Passing the Baton are based on 25 years of experience in running ministry apprenticeships as part of the 'Ministry Training Strategy' (MTS). This programme, initiated by Colin Marshall and Phillip Jensen at the University of NSW in Sydney in the early 1980s, has been developed, copied, refined and implemented in many parts of Australia and the world, including Britain, France, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, and South Africa.

For many, it has been a revolution.

In this convenient handbook, you'll find an introduction to the what, why and how of ministry apprenticeship, including first-hand testimonies from trainers and apprentices, and loads of detailed information and practical suggestions about how to set up, run and maintain a ministry training programme in your local church or fellowship. For ministers who see the need for such training in their churches, or potential trainees who want to understand what apprenticeship is about, Passing the Baton is the place to start.

About the author
Colin Marshall studied theology at Moore College and is the author of Growth Groups, a book on leading better small groups. He has spent many years involved in training others in ministry, and directed the Ministry Training Strategy until 2006.

Price:$ 29.95 Special Price:$ 14.98
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Naked God: the truth about God exposed

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

John Chapman, author and evangelist, describes Naked God:

I have just finished reading Martin Ayers' book. It is a great evangelistic 'give-away'.

It is divided into three parts. In the first part, Martin shows the implications and paucity of atheism and relativism. He interacts with Dawkins and others in a helpful way.

In the second half, he asks us to consider Christ. There are excellent apologetics for the historicity of the New Testament documents and miracles in this section. Martin asks us to consider Christ's teaching, death and resurrection.

The final section is about responding to Jesus. Repentance and faith are clearly and helpfully spelt out.

When I was being urged to write A Fresh Start, I said to my friends, "There are plenty of evangelistic books available", to which they replied, "I have given those to my friends—I need a new one". This book offers us yet another chance to help our friends understand Jesus. Get a copy and see if this is what your friends need. I think it's a winner.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 9.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Going the distance: how to stay fit for a lifetime of ministry

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Christian ministry is not a sprint; it's a marathon, a long-term race, requiring not just initial enthusiasm and ability, but staying power.

Unfortunately, a growing number of Christian ministers don't seem to possess that staying power. 44% of all pastors who have been involved in ministry for more than 15 years suffer from "burn out", mental breakdown or serious illness. And that doesn't include those who fail to continue in active ministry for other reasons, such as immorality or loss of faith.

Going the distance is about making sure you're not one of those statistics.

Drawing on decades of biblical reflection and experience, Peter Brain explains how to keep fit mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for the long-haul.
This is a book for anyone engaged in Christian ministry, whether lay or ordained, and would be an ideal book for pastors to read with their lay leaders.

"This is a book of unusual insight and pertinent, practical wisdom for both the minister and the congregation, to enable them to live together in mutual respect and love, so as to model in their relationships the liberating grace of God, to whom they all belong. Every church leader and every church member would benefit from reading this book."—David Jackman (Director, Cornhill Training Course, London)

Peter Brain has been a pastor since 1975, and has worked in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Armidale Anglican dioceses. He is now Bishop of the Armidale Diocese. He is married to Christine, and they have four adult children.

Price:$ 24.95 Special Price:$ 14.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The How and Why of Love: an introduction to evangelical ethics

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Is abortion ever right? Can divorced Christians remarry? What about euthanasia? In a whole range of issues, Christians search for the biblical answer.

But ethics is about far more than controversial issues and hard cases. It's about how we apply the teaching of the Bible to our lives each day as we wait for Christ's return; it's about our actions and our motives; it's about our character.

In this vibrant, stimulating and much-needed book, Michael Hill introduces us to an evangelical approach to ethics. Starting from creation, and taking us through the whole of biblical theology, the author develops a simple and yet comprehensive model of gospel-based ethics. In so doing, he provides us not just with solutions to difficult cases, but with an ethical framework we can bring to every aspect of our lives.

Download a free study guide for The How and Why of Love by clicking here

Price:$ 24.95 Special Price:$ 14.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Is it Worth Believing? The spiritual challenge of 'The Da Vinci Code'

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Review: Challenge, June 2006
According to the Gospels, according to the Church, according to Christians, Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived, died and lived again in order to make amends to God for our sin so that whoever believes in him will be rescued from God's judgment and given eternal life. If this view of Jesus is right, if Dan Brown's view of Jesus is wrong, then matters of life and death are at stake.

This is why Greg Clarke has written: Is It Worth Believing?

Clarke is the Director of the Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education at New College, University of New South Wales, and he brings considerable scholarship to his book. Yet he writes in an accessible and appealing way, with an easy style and a courteous tone.

In addition to considering whether or not the claims of The Da Vinci Code are worth believing, Clarke considers why and how we come to believe what we believe about Christianity. Is It Worth Believing? is not just a reply to The Da Vinci Code: it is also a treatise on how to think clearly in an age when emotion and cynicism and superstition seem to hold sway.

The book is suitable for all readers—fans and critics, Christians and non-Christians, alike. This is not to say that Clarke vacillates in his views, having "a bob each way", in an effort to cater to the views of everyone. On the contrary, he pursues a distinctly Christian line of thought. However, his research and reasoning is expressed in such an open and considerate way that the reader feels enticed to follow him through the paragraphs and pages.

Clarke even caters for "cave dwellers" who have not read the novel by giving a succinct summary of its plot. He is aware that people do not have to read the novel to be confronted with and affected by the sorts of notions and "facts" that the novel puts forward.

Reviewed by Andrew Lansdown.

Price:$ 5.95 Special Price:$ 1.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Right Side Up: life as God meant it to be

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

"I set out to write a book for new Christians, to explain what it means to be a Christian and what the lifelong adventure of following Jesus is like. But I soon realized that what Jesus wants to say to a new Christian is really the same thing he wants to keep saying to the seasoned saint: "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it". My prayer is that this book will persuade you of the truth of those words, and help you live like you believe them. It's a book for the brand new Christian that should challenge every believer--whether you've been following Jesus for five minutes or fifty years." —Author, Paul Grimmond

About the author
Before joining Matthias Media in 2008, Paul Grimmond was Anglican Chaplain to the University of NSW, and the senior pastor of Unichurch. Paul is a gifted and well-known Bible teacher, and lives with his wife, Cathy, and their three children in Sydney's east.

Contents
1. Life upside down
2. What does Jesus really want from you?
3. Is it worth it?
4. The best offer ever
5. Right side up in an upside-down world
6. Why right side up is right side up
7. God’s gifts for living right side up (I): the Spirit and the Bible
8. God’s gifts for living right side up (II): the church and prayer
9. Wisdom for life right side up
10. Life right side up
Appendix 1: Can we trust the Bible?
Appendix 2: A short summary of the Bible’s story
Appendix 3: Daily Bible reading notes

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Road Once Travelled: Fresh thoughts on Catholicism

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

According to the 2006 census, in Australia over 5 million people identify themselves as Catholic. That's roughly 1 in 4 people. Yet only about 14% of those 5 million Catholics go to church regularly, compared to around 60% a generation ago. The statistics are indisputable: millions of Catholics, whilst still calling themselves Catholics, have a crisis of faith. According to research done by the Catholic Church they are feeling confused, bored, dissatisfied, disenchanted, frustrated, and guilty. Mark Gilbert was one of them. The road he was travelling as a Catholic—a road that began from the moment he was born—didn't seem to be taking him where he wanted to go. But God intervened, and showed Mark that the answer was not far away from him all the time. And when he gave up his own journey, and put his trust in the journey that the Lord Jesus Christ had already taken on his behalf, Mark's life changed completely for the better. In The Road Once Travelled, Mark Gilbert invites those who are on the same road as he was to look for and find the answer. More specifically, he invites them to read the Bible for themselves and to discover that Jesus is the perfect answer to boring irrelevant religion; Jesus is the perfect answer to the desire for good, wise and strong leadership; and Jesus is the perfect answer to the problem of guilt. The Road Once Travelled is a gentle, attractively presented, full-colour booklet (64 pages) which is an ideal evangelistic resource for giving to practicing Catholics or those who have given up any meaningful practise of their Catholic faith. How is this book different to "Nothing in My Hand I Bring" by Ray Galea? While sharing a common starting point with Nothing in My Hand I Bring—i.e. the personal experience of an author who is a former Catholic—The Road Once Travelled is a very different type of book. This book is not a discussion of the theological differences between Catholics and Protestants. Rather, author Mark Gilbert draws alongside the reader to ask: "Is your experience of being a Catholic falling short of what you'd like it to be? It was for me, but I've found the answer, and I want to share it with you."

Price:$ 8.95 Special Price:$ 4.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Rag Doll

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Stories for Little Ones—a new series of delightfully illustrated storybooks which teach important truths about God and are ideal for parents to read to children aged 3 to 6 (or for older children to read themselves). Parents may also benefit by seeing ways they can teach their children about God in day to day family life. (Notes for parents are included.) The Rag Doll When Emily visits Auntie Sarah's house, she can't wait to play with her favourite rag doll. But when it's time to go home, the rag doll has to stay behind. Stephanie Carmichael's simple words and Jessica Green's delightful illustrations bring this short story to life—a story about the clever God who makes us. (The themes in the Stories for Little Ones tie in closely to lessons found in the Teaching Little Ones children’s syllabus.)

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 5.97
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Suffering Well

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

If you had to explain to a friend what the Bible says about suffering, what would you say? Paul Grimmond writes: "As I began to write this book, I thought I knew pretty much what I was going to say. But the more I read the Bible, trying to find the right passages to make the points I thought I needed to make, the more uneasy I felt." Come with Paul and discover the surprises he uncovers as he asks some of the most basic questions of the Christian life: Why do we suffer? And what does it mean to suffer—and even die—well? This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way. About the author Paul Grimmond is a gifted and well-known Bible teacher, currently serving on the campus of the University of New South Wales. He is the author of Right Side Up, a book about the Christian life, and co-author with Phillip Jensen of The Archer and the Arrow, a book about preaching. Paul lives with his wife, Cathy, and their three children in Sydney’s east.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 9.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Two Ways to Live Bible study

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Here is yet another way to take advantage of the widely known and highly regarded Two Ways to Live gospel outline.

Sometimes, perhaps after an initial conversation, your non-Christian friends or family may be willing to sit down with you and read for themselves what God's Word says. In four or five sessions you could work through Investigating Christianity or Tough Questions. But if you only have an hour or so over lunch or after dinner one night, there is something ideal for the purpose: the Two Ways to Live Bible study explaining Christianity.

This attractively-produced Bible study will get people opening up the Bible to discover for themselves the core components of Christianity as they are logically explained in the Two Ways to Live outline. The study combines short passages, simple questions and explanatory text to link it all together. It can be done with individuals or with a small group of enquirers. It can be used informally with friends, as a means of follow-up to evangelistic events, or in conjunction with church visiting. The potential uses for this flexible new resource are enormous.

Price:$ 1.00 Special Price:$ 0.50
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Over the Fence

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Stories for Little Ones—a new series of delightfully illustrated storybooks which teach important truths about God and are ideal for parents to read to children aged 3 to 6 (or for older children to read themselves). Parents may also benefit by seeing ways they can teach their children about God in day to day family life. (Notes for parents are included.) Over the Fence Luke loves nothing better than to kick his ball around the yard. But he wishes he knew more about what was happening ... over the fence. Stephanie Carmichael’s simple words and Jessica Green’s delightful illustrations bring this short story to life—a story about the God who knows each one of us. (The themes in the Stories for Little Ones tie in closely to lessons found in the Teaching Little Ones children’s syllabus.)

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 5.97
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Grumpy Day

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Stories for Little Ones—a new series of delightfully illustrated storybooks which teach important truths about God and are ideal for parents to read to children aged 3 to 6 (or for older children to read themselves). Grumpy Day Some days everything seems to go wrong and everyone feels grumpy. And sometimes, not even a hug from Mum can fix things up. This beautiful story from Stephanie Carmichael and Jessica Green contains a wonderfully clear message about the disappointments of life and the goodness of God.

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 5.97
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Sickness (JC Ryle)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

"I know the suffering and pain which sickness involves. I admit the misery and wretchedness which it often brings. But I cannot regard it as completely evil."— JC Ryle

Sickness affects everyone personally at some time. In this powerful yet comforting Christian perspective, the 19th-century Bishop of Liverpool, JC Ryle, offers some timely biblical wisdom about this universal human problem.

This work has been edited in such a way as to retain Ryle's writing style, but some of the language has been updated and simplified so as to make it easier for the modern reader.

This short (24 page) booklet is an ideal resource for pastoral ministry.

Price:$ 4.95 Special Price:$ 2.48
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Simply Christianity: a modern guide to the ancient faith

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

One of the reasons people sometimes avoid looking into Christianity is that there are so many Christianities on offer, each with their spin on things, their own rituals and practices, their own religious package.

But just imagine if we were able to get beyond this—to strip back all the rituals, myths and dogma; to put to one side the hair-splitting and disagreements; to get beyond all the trappings of 'religion'—what would we find? If we were to go back to Jesus himself, to the biographies about him contained in the New Testament, what would we discover Christianity to be about?

That is the project of this book. It aims to present simply Christianity, by reading and reflecting upon the ancient biography of Jesus written by Luke.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Birthday Party

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Stories for Little Ones—a new series of delightfully illustrated storybooks which teach important truths about God and are ideal for parents to read to children aged 3 to 6 (or for older children to read themselves). Parents may also benefit by seeing ways they can teach their children about God in day to day family life. (Notes for parents are included.) The Birthday Party It's Ben's birthday, but when he falls out of his new wagon and hurts himself, Emily has to think of a way to make the day special again. This latest story from Stephanie Carmichael and Jessica Green is about families and looking after one another, and about the God who loves us all.

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 5.97
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

God is Enough: refocusing your life

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

"What are your disappointments in life? Perhaps, like me, you have unmet superficial desires—perhaps it is achieving that certain position in the company, or getting that high mark in a significant exam. Or maybe you are scarred by grief so profound that you can hardly talk about it. Or perhaps you're not so much disappointed as unmotivated; you have allowed the good and the not so good to hijack the best, and the passionate days of your early Christian life seem so long ago. Whatever the case may be, the issue is the same for all of us: is God enough?" With honesty and humility, Ray Galea reflects on ten psalms that have helped him put God back in the centre of his life. Ray reminds us of the many reasons we have to join with the psalmist in saying, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."

About the Author

RAY GALEA is the senior minister at St Alban’s Multicultural Bible Ministry in Rooty Hill, Sydney (www.mbm.asn.au), and the author of the best-selling book Nothing in My Hand I Bring. Ray loves his wife, Sandy, his three children, eating Middle Eastern food, listening to Bob Dylan, and watching films set in New York. And he especially loves being reminded that God is enough.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

A Foot in Two Worlds: The joy and struggle of the normal Christian life

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

The Christian life is good—really good. It's a life of forgiveness and freedom and fellowship and joy.

But the Christian life can also be genuinely hard. Sickness and suffering still come our way. Sinful habits from the past still dog our steps. Sometimes it feels like an endless grind.

Why is this? Is it meant to be this way? Is there any solution?

In this masterful little book, John Chapman answers these pressing questions by drawing on his profound knowledge of the Bible, and his 60 years experience living as a Christian.

This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way.

About the author
John Chapman is a well-known evangelist, Bible teacher, and author of the best-selling A Fresh Start and Know and Tell the Gospel. For 25 years, he was the Director of the Anglican Department of Evangelism in Sydney. Now, in his 'retirement', he continues to teach at Bible colleges, speak at conventions around the world, and find time for the occasional game of tennis and golf.

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 4.98
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Trellis and the Vine

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

All Christian ministry is a mixture of trellis and vine.

There is vine work: the prayerful preaching and teaching of the word of God to see people converted and grow to maturity as disciples of Christ. Vine work is the Great Commission.

And there is trellis work: creating and maintaining the physical and organizational structures and programs that support vine work and its growth.

What’s the state of the trellis and the vine in your part of the world? Has trellis work taken over, as it has a habit of doing? Is the vine work being done by very few (perhaps only the pastor and only on Sundays)? And is the vine starting to wilt as a result?

The image of the trellis and the vine raises all the fundamental questions of Christian ministry:

What is the vine for?
How does the vine grow?
How does the vine relate to my church?
What is vine work and what is trellis work, and how can we tell the difference?
What part do different people play in growing the vine?
How can we get more people involved in vine work?

In The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne answer these urgent questions afresh. They dig back into the Bible’s view of Christian ministry, and argue that a major mind-shift is required if we are to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ, and see the vine flourish again.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Stirrings of the Soul: Evangelicals and the New Spirituality

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

The explosion of interest in spirituality in our society is nothing short of phenomenal. New Age, feminist, environmental, occult, animal, vegetable and mineral... While 'religion' and 'Christianity' arouse little enthusiasm from a disinterested and cynical public, 'spirituality' draws a crowd.

Among Christians, too, there is a flourishing interest in developing a greater 'spirituality'. Many who love the Lord Jesus Christ and long to please him seem frustrated that their spiritual lives—and the church services they attend—are too often dry and lacking in vitality. There has been a turn to the charismatic movement, to forms of mysticism, and even monasticism, in search of a way to 'practise the presence of God'.

In this intriguing and appealing book, Michael Raiter surveys contemporary spiritualities, highlighting both their enormous variety and their common features, and tracing their historical, cultural and social roots. He then addresses a range of important questions for Christians: What is true spirituality? If we were to meet a 'truly spiritual' person, what would he or she look like? How do we respond biblically to our longing for spiritual intimacy? And is evangelicalism, in its current expressions, contributing to an atmosphere of spiritual dryness?

Michael Raiter is a well known speaker and is currently the Principal of the Bible College of Victoria in Melbourne.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 6.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Archer and the Arrow

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

This book is about a sentence 40 years in the making: "My aim is to preach the gospel by prayerfully expounding the Bible to the people God has given me to love." (Phillip Jensen) Join Phillip Jensen and Paul Grimmond as they explore each phrase in this carefully wrought statement, and show not only why faithful, powerful, biblical preaching is so important, but how to go about it. Recommendation from William Taylor: "Preaching is the lifeblood of the local church. This is an outstanding book by one of the world's foremost preachers, and is essential reading for any would-be Bible teacher." (William Taylor, Rector, St Helen’s Bishopsgate, London, UK). See the PDF download for other recommendations. Wondering how this book relates to The Trellis and the Vine? Read the answer here About the authors Phillip Jensen is an internationally renowned preacher and evangelist. He is the author of the well-known Two Ways to Live gospel presentation, as well as numerous books and Bible study materials, including Guidance and the Voice of God. He currently serves as Dean of Sydney at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Phillip and his wife, Helen, have three children and a growing number of grandchildren. Paul Grimmond is a gifted and well-known Bible teacher, currently serving on the campus of the University of NSW. He is the author of Right Side Up, a book aimed at helping new Christians to understand the Christian life. Paul lives with his wife, Cathy, and their three children in Sydney’s east.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Essential Jesus (1 BOX = 80 copies)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Two very popular and effective evangelistic tools:

(1) Two Ways to Live: The choice we all face

(2) the Gospel of Luke.

What, we thought, if we combined the two?

That's what The Essential Jesus does. Most of its 80 pages are made up of a fresh and accurate translation of Luke's Gospel. But the text of Luke is preceded by some important background information ('Previously in the Bible') that explains the biblical context and Jewish expectations as Jesus walks on centre stage. (This explanation is based on boxes 1 to 3 of Two Ways to Live.) The text of Luke also includes numerous footnotes, helpfully explaining to the modern reader some of the unfamiliar terms and names that appear from time to time.

After Luke's account of Jesus, a summary of the message is presented using the Two Ways to Live framework, concepts and illustrations, but linking back to the content of Luke.

This new resource has been developed in conjunction with a major mission in Sydney in 2009 (Connect09), and this has allowed us to produce a high quality book in large quantities, and offer it at prices that make it an easy resource to give away in significant numbers.

Benefits:
» Highly attractive bound book.
» Inexpensive, yet a quality gift to give away.
» Helpful background provided at the beginning.
» Meet the real Jesus through a fresh and accurate translation of Luke.
» A challenging summary at the end using Two Ways to Live structure and pictures, but referencing Luke.

This resource is also available in a 'large print' edition.

Price:$ 120.00 Special Price:$ 72.00
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

You: an introduction

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Who are You really? What are You supposed to be like? What—or whose—purpose do You serve?

It's never been more complicated—or more confusing—to be a human, and it's never been harder to answer the question of who You are.

But in You: An introduction, Michael Jensen sets about doing just that. In his exploration of some of the different facets of the human condition (You are alive; You are free; You are a child), we soon discover that the question of who we are is essentially bound up with the question of who Jesus is.

Benefits
» Thoroughly biblical perspective.
» Addresses the issues of personhood and meaning.
» Engages with powerful new elements of our culture.
» Easy to read, with blog comments at the end of each chapter.
» Ideal gift (especially for 15-30-year-olds).

Review by Mark Barry at webSalt.

Review by Matthew Moffitt at Hebel.

About the author

Michael Jensen has worked as a school chaplain and church planter, and now teaches Christian doctrine at Moore College in Sydney. He loves the internet and bad TV. Together with his wife Catherine, he has four children.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 6.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Islam in our backyard: a novel argument

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

This book was the 2003 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award Winner.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, as well as other attacks such as the London and Bali bombings, catapulted Islam back into Western consciousness. Were these the opening shots in a new level of conflict between the 'Islamic' East and the 'Christian' West? How much were the attacks bound up with Islam itself? Just what does Islam teach, and how are we in the West to relate to it?

In this unique book—part novel, part essay—Tony Payne explores these questions via a series of conversations with his fictional neighbour, Michael. He goes behind the media stereotypes to examine the beliefs and teachings of Islam, in their essence, and in their diversity, and explains the origins of Islamic radical groups like the Taliban.

More than that, he explores the religious challenge that Islam brings to Western society—not just in relation to terrorism, but in how we should deal with the big questions of 'God' and 'truth' in a multicultural, multi-faith society.

Islam in our Backyard is a fascinating and very readable book.

Review: Evangelicals Now, June 2003
This is an interesting and highly unusual book about Islam post-September 11 by Tony Payne, a well-known Christian author and journalist from Australia.

The book is written in the form of an ongoing discussion between the author and a fictitious neighbour of his (though it has clearly grown out of many real contacts with unbelievers). The neighbour is typical of many Western 'pagans' in that he is troubled by militant Islam, and unsure what attitude ordinary citizens in a Western-style democracy ought to take to Islam.

With this format the author not only manages to outline succinctly the main doctrines and practices of Islam, and explain the main groups within the faith, but seeks to answer honestly some of the pressing but contentious questions about Islam that face us today. These questions include whether militancy and violence are essential and inevitable ingredients of Islam, and (even more basically) can and should religions be critiqued and tested for their truthfulness or otherwise. The answers are refreshingly honest and not fashioned by political correctness.

Though this is a slim volume it is not generally over-simplistic in its approach or conclusions. Its storyline makes it very readable and will challenge Christian readers to think through their attitudes to Islam and also to whether, in the present world climate, there are opportunities for us to engage with anxious pagan Westerners over such questions in a way that will provide thoughtful gospel opportunities.

I think it might also be interesting to lend it to a non-Christian neighbour or perhaps even a Muslim friend, with a view to discussing its conclusions. It is an enjoyable read, and faces real issues in a stimulating way. I shall be commending it to an inter-church reading group as an excellent volume to read and discuss.
Reviewed by Graham Heaps, pastor of Dewsbury Evangelical Church, a Reformed Baptist church in industrial West Yorkshire.

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The Future of Jesus

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

On almost any measure, Jesus has been the most influential human being ever to have lived.

But is the time of his influence coming to an end? Does Jesus have a future in the secular West in the 21st century?

In The Future of Jesus, Dr Peter Jensen, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, challenges believers and unbelievers alike to think again about Jesus—to consider him as an historical figure whose life, death and teachings lie behind so much of our civilization, and to whom many millions still express allegiance.

Who was Jesus? Can we believe in his miracles? If Jesus announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, why are we still waiting? Was he a failed prophet or a religious genius? And does it matter?

Dr Jensen's unfailingly intelligent investigation of these questions will undoubtedly provoke many to read the Gospels once more for themselves.

Read a review published in The Australian newspaper: "I want to encourage secular Australians, especially those on the Left, to read Jensen's book".

Editor's Note: "The Future of Jesus was first published in 2005 by ABC Books in Australia. But we are delighted that Matthias Media has subsequently been able to acquire the rights to this very significant book. This means we can ensure its continuing availability to an Australian audience, as well as make it available in the UK, USA and other parts of the world. This new edition contains minor updates and adaptations, particularly in view of this broader readership beyond Australia. I'm sure this book will be (or will continue to be) very useful as an evangelistic tool for reaching thoughtful non-Christian readers. But it is also stirring reading for those who already, by God's grace, love and serve Jesus."

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
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Beyond Greed

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Greed is not the most fashionable concept these days. It ranks with guilt and sin as words that many modern people have virtually stopped using.

According to Brian Rosner, greed is also a massive blind spot for Christians, which is surprising given how much the Bible has to say about it. He writes:

“The most disturbing thing about the fact that greed is idolatry is that hardly anybody owns up to being a worshipper. Imagine the response of disbelief in the local church if it were revealed that the vast majority of its members were secretly worshipping other gods. Yet if our analysis of the religion of money is right, the unthinkable may not be so far from the truth.”

Beyond Greed helps open our eyes to the problems, and proposes a liberating lifestyle that trades-in greed and materialism for something of far greater worth and satisfaction.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
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At a Time Like This: Some answers for loss and grief

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

This booklet is about a difficult topic, but it is sensitively written, and the Bible describes itself as a light for our path in dark times. So "At a time like this" is suitable for unbelievers attending a funeral or just someone you know who is grieving the loss of a loved one. Both it's eternal truths, and practical advice, will be helpful.

Price:$ 2.95 Special Price:$ 1.48
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By God's Word: volume 2 (hardback)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

When we look through the glasses of Scripture, we see God and his world and his people and ourselves in clearer focus.

By God's word the world was made. By God's word it is sustained moment by moment. And by God's word we can know God through Jesus Christ, and live each day to please him.

In this second volume of encouraging reflections, Phillip Jensen offers warm encouragement to live by God's word in every aspect of our lives—from generosity to grief, and from morality to motherhood. Each reflection is followed by a Bible passage for further thought and prayer.

280 pages, hardback.

About the author
Phillip Jensen is an internationally renowned preacher and evangelist. He is the author of the well-known Two Ways to Live gospel presentation, as well as numerous books and Bible study materials, including Guidance and the Voice of God. With his wife, Helen, he lives in Sydney, where he is currently the Dean of Sydney at St Andrew's Cathedral.

Price:$ 21.95 Special Price:$ 8.78
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The Everlasting God

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

The Everlasting God is one of those mind-shifting, life-changing books that has become a classic that rightly belongs in the personal library of every Christian. As Phillip Jensen says:

"Few minds have explored the depths of God's revelation with such humble and innovative perception."

Dr Knox's very helpful explanation of predestination and 'free will' is worth the price of the book alone, but he also encourages and challenges us from the Scriptures by showing that God...

» is living and true
» is infinite in power, wisdom and goodness
» is three-in-one
» reveals himself to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
» is rich in mercy and grace.

We are delighted to announce the arrival of this new edition of a marvellous book for a whole new generation of believers.

Dr Knox was the Principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney from 1959 to 1985.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
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Faith: It's always been a matter of trust

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Everyone knows that faith is central to the Christian life. But what is ‘faith’? What makes it so important? What are we meant to have faith in, and what difference should our faith make to everyday life?

In six short chapters, Bryson Smith takes us on a climb—a climb to look out at the magnificent wisdom of God and understand faith in all its glory. In the course of this journey, we start to grasp what a life of faith looks like and why faith is more precious than gold.

This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way.

Read a review.

About the author
Bryson Smith is part of the ministry team at Dubbo Presbyterian Church in rural NSW, Australia. He has been living the faith for over 30 years and never ceases to be amazed by God's goodness and patience with him. Bryson is married to Sue and they have three children. He enjoys listening to blues music, watching good movies and dragging a camper-trailer around Australia. Byson is also the author of a few of Matthias Media's ‘Interactive Bible Studies’ and ‘Pathway Bible Guides’.

Price:$ 9.95 Special Price:$ 4.98
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Fatherhood: what it is and what it's for

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

There are enough books about how to be a good father to fill a bloke's shed.

This book is different.

This book goes back to the drawing board—the Bible—and answers the question: what is a father anyway?

And the answer will give dads a whole new way to think about their role and what they are trying to do.

But it's not a book of 'theory'. Drawing on his years of experience as a father of five, Tony Payne provides bucket loads of practical wisdom and advice.

Fatherhood will, without doubt, become the classic book on the subject and is essential reading for all fathers, prospective fathers, and anyone who thinks fatherhood is important.

Also available as an Audio Book.

About the Author
Tony Payne is the Publishing Director at Matthias Media, is married to Alison, and has five children. He is a graduate of Moore Theological College in Sydney, and the author of a number of other books including Guidance and the Voice of God, Pure Sex and the award-winning Islam in our backyard.

Reviews

"Reading this short book is like walking into a secure and happy home. You find that your job as a father is more significant than you thought it was and there is opportunity to check the reasons and also the down to earth application. Best of all—with this godly wisdom—you don't get tempted to the house next door called "leave it to someone else" nor to the other side called "you've done a hopeless job". Read it to be a secure and happy home builder!" Simon Manchester, St Thomas' Church, North Sydney.

Free Fatherhood seminar material available. Download this archive, which contains Leader's notes for running the seminar, and participants' handouts and Powerpoint presentations for each of the two sessions of the seminar.

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
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The Essential Jesus (Large Print edition)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Two very popular and effective evangelistic tools:

(1) Two Ways to Live: The choice we all face

(2) the Gospel of Luke.

What, we thought, if we combined the two?

That's what The Essential Jesus does. Most of its 80 pages are made up of a fresh and accurate translation of Luke's Gospel. But the text of Luke is preceded by some important background information ('Previously in the Bible') that explains the biblical context and Jewish expectations as Jesus walks on centre stage. (This explanation is based on boxes 1 to 3 of Two Ways to Live.) The text of Luke also includes numerous footnotes, helpfully explaining to the modern reader some of the unfamiliar terms and names that appear from time to time.

After Luke's account of Jesus, a summary of the message is presented using the Two Ways to Live framework, concepts and illustrations, but linking back to the content of Luke.

This new resource has been developed in conjunction with a major mission in Sydney in 2009 (Connect09), and this has allowed us to produce a high quality book in large quantities, and offer it at prices that make it an easy resource to give away in significant numbers.

Benefits:
» Highly attractive bound book.
» Larger print size.
» Inexpensive, yet a quality gift to give away.
» Helpful background provided at the beginning.
» Meet the real Jesus through a fresh and accurate translation of Luke.
» A challenging summary at the end using Two Ways to Live structure and pictures, but referencing Luke.

This resource is slightly larger in format to the standard edition, and uses a significantly larger font size for the text.

Price:$ 2.95 Special Price:$ 1.48
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

The Essential Jesus

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

Price:$ 1.95 Special Price:$ 0.98
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

By God's Word (hardback)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

The Scriptures are the glasses by which we bring the world into focus. When we look through the glasses of Scripture, we see God and his world and his people and ourselves more clearly. There are some things, especially about God, that we would never see at all without the Scriptures. There are many things about the world, others and ourselves that we would see in a completely distorted fashion without the glasses. The word of God changes our perspective.

Each week for the last few years, internationally renowned preacher and evangelist, Phillip Jensen, has written a short essay for the congregations he serves at St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral in Sydney, about living in God's world, from the perspective of God's word.

By God's Word is a collection of 60 of the best of these essays or reflections, which offer warm encouragement to live by God's word in every aspect of our lives: from prayer to politics, from forgiveness to fatherhood, and from drought to democracy. Each reflection is also followed by a Bible passage for further thought and reflection.

Phillip Jensen writes in the preface to his book:

Since being drawn to Christ in my early teens, I have been trying to understand life and live by the word of God. It has been a wonderful journey. It has been made much richer by the many Christians with whom I have journeyed—those who have taught me and those that I have had the privilege to teach. I hope in reading these reflections you will gain something of an insight into how one Bible reading pastor views the world around him. And in gaining this insight you may be encouraged to see the world through the lens of the word of God where you are living.

272 pages, hardback.

About the author
Phillip Jensen is an internationally renowned preacher and evangelist. He is the author of the well-known Two Ways to Live gospel presentation, as well as numerous books and Bible study materials, including Guidance and the Voice of God. With his wife, Helen, he lives in Sydney, where he is currently the Dean of Sydney at St Andrew's Cathedral.

Price:$ 21.95 Special Price:$ 8.78
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Defending the Gospel

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

It can happen at a barbeque. It can happen on a beach. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. It's that moment when a friend, relative or colleague makes a comment about your Christian faith and you suddenly realize you haven't the faintest idea what to say in response. Your mind is a blank. You're frozen to the spot. Worse still, what you say is not very helpful at all.

In Defending the Gospel, ABC Broadcaster and Christian evangelist Kel Richards shares how, over the years, he has improved on his ability to answer questions that non-church friends have asked about what Christians believe. With warmth, humour and clarity, he demonstrates how to anticipate gospel-related questions, how to construct the framework behind your response and how to get a conversation going.

This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way.

Price:$ 14.95 Special Price:$ 7.48
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Encouragement: How words change lives

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

In Ephesians 4, Paul's vision of the church is where every single member “speaks the truth in love”.

However for many, our Sunday conversations rarely get past the weather, sport or what we did yesterday. And though there's nothing wrong with this, it's a bit of a pity. Especially when we are allowed—in fact, we're commanded—to speak God's life-transforming word and thereby encourage each other.

So what is ‘encouragement’ exactly? And how does it work? In Encouragement: How Words Change Lives, join Gordon Cheng as he explains what encouragement is and how all of us can make one simple and foundational contribution to church life by encouraging others.

This easy-to-read book is sprinkled with humour, insight and practical wisdom.

This book is part of our Guidebooks for Life series. Like other titles in the series, it covers an important issue of the Christian life in an accessible and straightforward way.

Click here to read a review of this book.

Price:$ 14.95 Special Price:$ 7.48
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012

Living with the Underworld

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:08:12 +0000

The modern world seems to lurch between these two attitudes. At one level, we have never been more sceptical about ghosts and demons and Satan. And yet there are many, even in Western societies, who are deeply fearful of evil spiritual forces. There are yet more still who find the topic fascinating and endlessly devour movies and TV shows that exploit these ideas and themes.

Christians also often swing between paying the devil far too much attention, and not enough. Some Christian groups become obsessed with notions of 'spiritual warfare' and ridding people of demons, whilst other Christians regard such talk—even though it is found in the Bible—as outdated and part of the superstitious misunderstanding of the world from less enlightened, less scientific times.

In Living with the Underworld, the head of New Testament Studies at Moore Theological College, Peter Bolt, takes readers on a breathtaking journey through the spiritual underworld revealed in the pages of Scripture, and shows how Jesus came to reveal its true nature, neutralize its power, and liberate us to live without fear.

Living with the Underworld does not dismiss the Scriptural evidence of the spiritual underworld, but nor does it go beyond what we can know about that realm. Peter Bolt explores what God reveals to us in the Bible, and very helpfully points us to the power and significance of the cross. In so doing, he reveals a little-understood framework for understanding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus—a framework that will enlarge and enlighten evangelical thinking.

It is important to understand the underworld properly, because this will help us understand the message of the Bible better, which will benefit everybody. If we understand the Bible better, we will better be able to understand the threat the underworld poses to us all, and this will help us to more compellingly hear the invitation that Jesus is extending to us all.

In Living with the Underworld, Peter Bolt brings his quirky and humorous style to his topic, and makes his book hard to put down because it is so fascinating and engaging.

A recommendation from Don Carson:
"In a Hollywood-constrained vision of angels and devils, of monsters and the living dead, of alternative worlds with goblins and terrors and sorcerers, we need to recognize where the true horrors lie, where contemporary fantasies embody them, and where they entirely miss the mark. Peter Bolt is a good guide because his 'take' is firmly grounded in a careful reading of the Bible and in an equally sensitive grasp of twenty-first century Western culture. Besides, his book, far from being terrifyingly ponderous and gray, is a pleasure to read. It might even get you to go back and look at a recent film with fresh eyes."

A recommendation from Melvin Tinker (Author and Vicar of St John, Newland, Hull, England):
"At a time when more and more people are asking questions about the 'other world' of spirits, ghosts and demons, this a brilliant book which helps provide the answers. It is wonderfully readable, highly accessible and penetratingly biblical. It is a book which should be in every high street bookshop - definitely a 'must' read!"

Price:$ 16.95 Special Price:$ 8.95
Special Expires on: 13/02/2012