A considerable amount of care, thought, and effort has gone into a new and revitalized resource centre at the Baptist Union.
The centre houses over 90 titles and in excess of 450 individual books, DVD’s, CD’s, and instructional material.
The centre was created to give access to our church leadership in the Union for biblical, practical, and encouraging material that would develop healthy personal and church life together.
To access the material go to the website and follow the links. If you have any difficulties, please phone Pamela Stevenson at the Calgary office at 1 800 820 2479. The beauty of the site is twofold: first, it removes barriers. For those of us who can not afford, or can not readily access significant resources the centre offers ready access. Secondly, it is free. There is no point in having a resource centre and then making it prohibitively expensive to access. The material in the centre is accessible free of charge. Once the item is ordered on-line, it is promptly mailed free of charge, accompanied by an addressed, pre-paid return envelope.
It is one thing to have an excellent (it is most excellent and eclectic resource) selection of resources but it takes a both of a leap to actually start using it.
Jeremy’s Reviews
Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. The fundamental book by the French-born Genevan theological is essential reading for those who wish to navigate the essentials of Protestant theology.
Bruce Milne’s Know the Truth has always been a favourite read and reference of mine as an “orthodox” clear and thorough treatment of an introduction to theology. This is one of the best selling single volume theological overview available. Written by one of our own.
Roy Bell The Five Minute Conversation (available February 15). Much of life occurs in a rush of brief encounters. Roy’s helpful guide to rating these “NANO” times become meaningful (especially church coffee hours) is both original and practical.
Alpha Marriage Tapes / DVD’s A warm,fun, integral and biblical course on marriage from the folks that brought you the Alpha course. Excellent presentations from Nicky and Sila Lee (they are both brilliant). A breath of fresh air from some of the “power tripping” alternatives (ask me what I mean by this if you really want).
Gary Haugen The Good News about Injustice. A personal story of the journey from being an affluent “trauma tourist” in peripheral place of suffering through to biblical, practical, and persuasive proposals for personal and church change.
Reginald Bibby Restless Churches. Former Union pastor (and the camp counselor at Gull Lake where I became a Christian) and University of Lethbridge sociologist shares his ongoing data of Canadians and faith. The most positive and encouraging to date. For notes and commentary give me a phone call. A practical guide to respond to Canadian’s hunger for God.
Jimmy Carter Our Endangered Values . Former American President, co-founder of the Co-operative Baptist Denomination and carpenter for Habitat for Humanity (along with his wife Rosalind). Carter writes from an American perspective lessons we can learn in Canada about Christians in public life and especially about relations between church and state (available February 28).
The Economist magazine The World in 2005 is the British magazine’s look at the world by numbers. Why would you want this? Because the simple data of population and wealth in about eighty countries give the lay economist and wannabe seeker of justice a steel cold look at wealth and poverty in our world. Great source of illustrations and encouragement to act (available February 15th).
C.S. Lewis The Narnia Chronicles (book or CD’s) You’ve seen the movie (I hope you have), now read or see the books. Remember Aslan is about the peace and as the White Witch says “All traitors are mine”… so get the books to see Aslan’s side.
Ward Gasque The Da Vinci Code De-Coded. An audio presentation looking at the theology (thin gruel) history (even thinner gruel) and symbols in Dan Brown’s bestselling fiasco of the same name. Originally this CD was a Regent College Lecture. It is simply excellent. Ward has a PhD under F.F. Bruce and is very entertaining and incisive (read incisors).
Eugene Peterson The Beatitudes a Regent College course on CD’s. Most helpful, warm and biblical Peterson takes you through a week of the beatitudes that takes about as long as it takes to drive form Vancouver to Banff. Impeccable scholarship and easy and accessible style.
So enjoy folks!
Warmly
In Christ
Jeremy Bell