• UN: two steps forward...
• The Commentary
  Secular grace deception
• Martin Holdt, 1941-2011
  Obituary
• How to visit your missionary
• The story on an Albanian atheist
  Interview with Pastor Gani Smolica
• How accountable are you?
  Graham Hooper applies the gospel to the 'untouchable people' of the modern world
• Mark Drama
• Court chaplains
• Moving in for the love of God
  A challenging new initiative from Canada
• Why read Dickens?
  February is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth
• Unapologetic Christianity
  A rage against religion
• The Music Exchange
  Harmonising with the devil
• Crossing the culture
  Brontes' 'eternal powers'
• Notes to growing Christians
  Bible in a busy life
• Monthly youth leaders column
  Recessional?
• The Third Degree
  Student Christmases
• Letter from America
  The great and the good

other articles

• Isaiah by the day - An extract
• Lit! A Christian guide to reading books - Secular shelf life
• Good to grow - Building a missional church in the 21st century — one church’s story
• Reality beyond reason - The story of TELit
• Seeking a city with foundations - Theology for an urban world
• The Book that made your world - How the Bible created the soul of Western civilisation
• The message of sonship - A home in God's household
• The message of Obadiah, Nahum & Zephaniah
• Beyond the gold - What every church needs to know about sports ministry
• Letters by a modern mystic
• Did Adam and Eve really exist?
• Everyday church - Mission by being good neighbours
• The Bible now - Homosexuality, abortion, women, death penalty, earth
• No ordinary view
• The Corinthian question - Why did the church oppose Paul?
• The people's theologian - Writings in honour of Donald Macleod
• New proofs for the existence of God
• Twelve hidden heroes - More Bible people who lived behind the scenes

Major help with minors

THE MESSAGE OF OBADIAH, NAHUM & ZEPHANIAH
By Gordon Bridger
IVP. 303 pages. £11.99
ISBN 978 1 844 744 381

This is another contribution to the fine series of commentaries in The Bible Speaks Today series from the IVP stable.

It would be a very useful addition to the library of the preacher or serious Bible student, with lots of illustration and application and plenty of good quotes and anecdotes.

Here is the Bible expounded carefully, verse by verse, by Gordon Bridger, former principal of Oak Hill Theological College and a seasoned campaigner with a clear mind and a warm heart. It has the immediate feel of sermons which have been preached and appreciated by the congregation.

Perhaps it is a little wordy in parts — it could have been edited down somewhat without losing any of its force. Having said that, however, we would not want to lose its excellent treatment of issues like the old chestnut that the OT has a God of wrath but the NT has a God of love (pp.88-90).

There are a few highly contemporary illustrations which may date the book prematurely in coming years, for example a reference to ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair and the war in Iraq.

But if you are ever going to preach, or lead a Bible study, on one of these three books from the Minor Prophets, then this is a good book to get hold of to help you in your preparation.

To my shame I have to confess I have never preached through any of these three OT books. This commentary has challenged me to preach at least one of them soon.

John Samuel,
pastor of Grosvenor Road Baptist Church, Dublin, Ireland