The Bible teaches us that wisdom is corporate, and one way we can benefit from the wisdom of others is discussing Christian books together. Book group will run throughout the year, covering a different book every six weeks or so. Anyone is welcome to join a discussion – you don’t need to sign up for the whole year!
Click below to sign up, or get in touch with pippa@christchurchkensington.com if you have any questions.
Autumn term: Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp
People in need of change helping people in need of change.
We might be relieved if God placed our sanctification only in the hands of trained professionals, but that’s not his plan. Instead, through the ministry of every part of the body, the whole church will mature in Christ.
This book helps us discover where change is needed in our own lives and the lives of others. Following the example of Jesus, it reveals how to get to know people, and how to lovingly speak truth to them.
We’re going to discuss this book in three sections to help us think carefully about what it says and start putting it into practice:
- 4 September: chapters 1–6
- 16 October: chapters 7–10 and appendices 1–3 – sign up
- 4 December: chapters 11–14 and appendices 4–5 – sign up
Please sign up by 16 July if you would like a copy.
22 January: Embracing Complementarianism by Graham Beynon and Jane Tooher – sign up
It can be tempting to shy away from addressing the issue of gender roles in church because it’s often controversial. But this can result in churches either being increasingly influenced by secular culture or simply sticking with the status quo when it comes to what men and women do in church.
Building on the belief that complementarianism is both biblical and positive, this book focuses on what these convictions look like in practice. Moving beyond the familiar discussions around ‘gender roles’, and leaving room for variety in how readers implement these ideas, it will encourage a church culture where men and women truly partner together – embracing their privileges and responsibilities, and maximising their gifts, in joyful service of God’s kingdom.
11 March: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs – sign up
Jeremiah Burroughs was a preacher in England in the 17th century. He describes Christian contentment as ‘that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.’ This classic book of his is concerned with promoting the often elusive jewel of peace and contentment in the heart of the believer.
29 April: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield – sign up
What did God use to draw a radical, committed unbeliever to himself? Did God take her to an evangelistic rally? Or, since she had her doctorate in literature, did he use something in print? No, God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the gospel daily, simply, and authentically.
With this story of her conversion as a backdrop, Rosaria Butterfield invites us into her home to show us how God can use this same ‘radical, ordinary hospitality’ to bring the gospel to our lost friends and neighbours. Such hospitality sees our homes as not our own, but as God’s tools for the furtherance of his kingdom as we welcome those who look, think, believe, and act differently from us into our everyday, sometimes messy lives – helping them see what true Christian faith really looks like.
3 June: The Secular Creed by Rebecca McLaughlin – sign up
In this house we believe that:
– Black Lives Matter
– Love Is Love
– Gay Rights Are Civil Rights
– Women’s Rights Are Human Rights
– Transgender Women Are Women
These messages offer us an all-or-nothing package deal – in short, a secular creed.
In this provocative book, Rebecca McLaughlin helps us disentangle the beliefs Christians gladly affirm from those they cannot embrace, and invites us to talk with our neighbors about the things that matter most.
Far from opposing love across difference, McLaughlin argues, Christianity is the original source and firmest foundation for true diversity, equality, and life-transforming love.
15 July: Pure Joy by Christopher Ash – sign up
Conscience is the Cinderella of the contemporary world. We hardly speak or think about our conscience. She is left behind while we get on with the party of life, untroubled by any serious self-examination. And yet conscience is a God-given part of being human, with tremendous potential for good – if it is cleansed and kept clean – or for harm – if it becomes hardened or calloused.
This book will help get us thinking about conscience again, so that, with a clear conscience, we can enjoy not just the stuff we think of as ‘spiritual’, but all sorts of things like sleep, sport, friendship and holidays – without it ever leaving a sour taste in our mouths.