EXPLORING the CENTRAL MESSAGES of EVERY BOOK of THE BIBLE
Sola Scriptura!
By God's grace, we have completed another important component of our Back to the Bible Reformation project launched over 6 years ago – to preach through every Book of the Bible. Last Sunday, I presented a summary of the 66th Book of the Bible: The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Marion completed my sermon notes and Colin and I have been shaping these into chapters for our book: New Testament Survey. Today, we have been inserting pictures and maps and providing proofreaders with copies to proof. God willing, the New Testament Survey will go to the printer first thing in the New Year, before our Biblical Worldview Summit and Great Commission Course begin. The printer assures us that they can have the books back by the end of January 2019.
Back to the Bible
Our Old Testament Survey book was published over two and a half years ago. The Audio MP3 of these sermons preached, summarising the key messages of each Book of the Old Testament are already available and the MP3 Audio Boxset on the New Testament messages will be available early in January 2019. You can listen to my Bible Survey sermons on our Sermon Audio page on www.LivingstoneFellowship.co.za.
Reformation 500 Zürich
It was on 1 January 1519, that Swiss Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli, launched the Reformation in Zürich, Switzerland. He dispensed with the Latin Mass and began expository preaching in the local language, starting with the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 1. Zwingli worked line by line, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, week by week, through the New Testament. This bold action of replacing the Mass with the preaching of the Word of God as the central focus of church services, marked the beginning of expository preaching. The Reformers called believers to return to the Bible as the sole standard of Faith and practise and to recognise our Lord Jesus Christ as the only true Head of the Church.
Have You Studied Every Book in the Bible?
Scripture alone is our ultimate authority. However, most Christians have never even read through every Book of the Bible. Our professor of Old Testament at Baptist Theological College, Dr. Fritz Haus, regularly asked the students how many had actually read the Book which we had been focussing on for the semester. Incredibly, only a minority of the students could say they have actually read the Book of the Bible we were studying! On one occasion, Dr. Fritz Haus asked the assembled college students of all years, at a chapel service: How many had read the whole Bible? Sadly, very few could say that they had.
Biblical Illiteracy
Surprisingly few pastors can articulate the central message, or clear distinctives of each Book of the Bible. We know this, because for 37 years of ministry in the streets, market places and shopping malls, across the continent where we have engaged in personal, one-on-one evangelism and surveys, it is clear that there is a pervasive Biblical illiteracy. Even at Bible colleges and Theological seminaries, we can see from the responses to the Bible Exam that most students and even a surprising number of lecturers, are ignorant of central doctrines of the Scripture and the major events in Redemption history.
Africa Reformation Overland Missions
Our Mission is organising regional events and missions to encourage and equip pastors throughout Africa, from Cape to Cairo, to return to studying and preaching through every Book of the Bible. To this end, we have also published the Biblical Preaching Handbook. We pray that this New Testament Survey will be a vital resource for Bible college students, pastors, lecturers, for missionaries and evangelists throughout Africa.
“So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
Resource for Bible Study
The New Testament Survey (over 300 pages) and the Audio MP3 Boxset will be available from Christian Liberty Books, PO Box 358, Howard Place 7450, Cape Town, South Africa, Tel: 021-689-7478, Fax: 086-551-7490, Email: admin@christianlibertybooks.co.za and Website: www.christianlibertybooks.co.za.
Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Fax: 086-494-8070
Email: mission@frontline.org.za
www.FrontlineMissionSA.org
www.LivingstoneFellowship.co.za
www.williamcareybi.com