Found this publisher in China producing some very fine books including stuff by JI Packer, Puritan papers, many different types of bibles.
Jireh Publishers
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Category Archives: books
Motivations for a teacher
As a Christian and as a teacher, WHY do you teach?
I hope as you read this that you will evaluate why you teach, what are your motivations and point you towards right motivations. As teachers we recognize that the word of God is not only information but there is power in the word for transformation.
That is why Paul says in 1 Cor 13:1-2 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge… but do not love, I am nothing.
We have more than just information, but in Christ, we have something transformational. But Paul also recognize that some teach out of selfish motives.
Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
Some people do it out of selfish motives, they want the limelight, influence or have power over others, or have a large following.
God desires to transform not only our students, but our hearts as well. I know we all have selfish motives. We want to be somebody, we want to be noticed and wanting to look smart.
But God sees us. God knows our hearts. God knows our deepest desires. But he also desires for us to know him, and to worship him, and to bring all things under him.
So one characteristic of teachers with the right motivation who seek after God is humility. Teachers who seek God’s glory, desire the transformation for themselves and their students, seeking the good of others, motivated to help others are humble teachers.
So what are your motivations? Are you trying to seek the glory of God, to see people transformed through preaching and teaching of the word, to see your heart being renewed? Or do you want to look good, want to be a rockstar with a large following?
What are your motivations? I hope you it is love for God and his people.
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For more info on teaching check out: Come Teach With Me
Writing on the heart
Our hearts, then, are the destination of God’s revelation. In us, the process of communication reaches its terminus. In our hearts we receive God’s personal words to us in such a profound way that they become the foundation of all our thinking and living. We look forward to the consummation of this knowledge in the last day, when God will tear away from us our sinful inclinations to disobey and devalue this wonderful word. God has accompanied his word through all the vicissitudes of history, the problems of Scripture, and the spiritual battles of our lives, so that we might receive it with joy. And he will continue to accompany it until he receives us into glory. – John Frame Doctrine of the Word of God (44)
The Robert Morrison Project
Been updated with the Robert Morrison Project. They have a bunch of translation projects to translate Christian books into Chinese. There are a bunch of other sources but not legally translated material.
New Reformed Chinese Bookstore
Found this link from another reformed blog. There is a new reformed chinese bookstore named sinimbooks. Check it out, buy some books, learn, worship…
Southern Presbyterian Review
PCA Historical Center has a record of publications from the 1800s to today. Some of the periodicals are scanned and are still quite an enjoyable read. Others are long and tedious. If you have time to sift around, there’s a wealth of information. One of the periodicals I ran across is the Southern Presbyterian Review. They have quite a list of articles that they were able to scan.
Go and pick up an article to read.
More books
Ferguson, Everett; Backgrounds of Early Christianity – very good book with historical, political, social religious, other aspects of the intertestamental period and early christianity. parallels very well. ***
Blomberg, Craig; Jesus and the Gospels – a good overview of the Gospels. The first few portions about history, politics and society is same as Ferguson, but the gospels reveal a lot of Jesus, his ministry, critiques, theologies, history, culture, etc. ****
books update
you know what kind of books i like… more book reviews:
- chinese way of doing things by rev. samuel ling (an insightful look at differences and similarities of abc’s and obc’s for doing ministry and ministering)****
- christ-centered preaching by dr. bryan chappel (teaches on preaching, also does a good job on interpreting, breaking down scripture and organizing a sermon… application) *****
- ministries of mercy: road to jericho by timothy keller (part expository of the good samaritan story, part statistics on the poor, part psychology on man, part ministry, part theology… all good)****
- true spirituality by francis schaeffer (reads like a devotional with excellent articles on the christian life from schaeffer’s theology… rejection, death, resurrection… the life of Christ is now the life of the christian) ****
Currently Reading:
new testament in chinese (with pinyin edition)
books
been reading a bunch because of a long metro train ride… books i’ve read so far (will have reviews soon):
- Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (classic, one of my favorites… book on Christian fellowship) ****
- Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (another one of my favorites… when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die) **** 1/2
- The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning (another re-read, I first read in 1998… an extravagent God pouring out His love to ragamuffins) ***
- On Being Black and Reformed: A New Perspective on the African-American Christian Experience by Anthony Carter (a look into the struggles of African Americans and the need for a reformed perspective) **
- Pursuing the Pearl: A Comprehensive Resource for Multi-Asian Ministry by Ken Fong (a look at the struggles of multi-generation, multi-asian ministries) **
- Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders by Paul Tokunaga (Intervarsity presents a look into the Asian American culture) **
- The Westminster Shorter Catechism: For Study Classes by G. I. Williamson (a foundational book on Reformed doctrines… God, man, Order of Salvation, worship, the law, Ten Commandments, Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer) *****
Currently reading:
- God Who Is There by Francis A. Schaeffer (an analysis of philosophies, presuppositions, and the current development under “the line of despair.” written from an apologetics point of view pointing towards the need for an absolute/unified system of beliefs or ending up living in great tension between the reality that is and an optimistic/relativistic reality that we try to create for ourselves… book was given to me in 1998 by IV staff worker) *****