The Magazine Podcast

We continue the remarkable story of Charlotte Geddie, whose witness to the gospel consisted in her brave, self-denying ministry as a wife, mother, and helpmeet to her missionary husband John.  This week we pick up the story as the Geddies, recently bereft of two of their children, continue making plans to minister in the New Hebrides.    Featured resource:  Joan Kingswood, 'From Island to Island:...

David Bissett has served Clifton Park Community Church in upstate New York since 1995. We sat down with him at the East Coast Minister's Conference, where he was kind enough to commend three of his favourite Banner books.    Books mentioned:  Iain H. Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography Thomas Manton, Sermons on Psalm 119 (In volumes 6–9 of Manton's Works) Iain H. Murray, Revival and Revivali...

Charlotte Geddie was called to be a wife, mother, and helpmeet to her husband James Geddie in almost unimaginably difficult circumstances in the South Seas.  Joan Kingswood began to relate her remarkable testimony in the Summer double issue of the magazine. She writes that Charlotte's life of loving service proved to be a 'living introduction to the message of the gospel her husband proclaimed.' ...

The Scottish Church, or Kirk, has been blessed with an abundance of theologically-minded pastors and pastorally-gifted theologians in the centuries since the Reformation. Without a survey of these men and their works, however, it can be difficult to know where to start reading.  James Walker's The Theology and Theologians of Scotland can help in this area. The fruit of his 1870–71 Cunningham Lectu...

Many of us struggle with a critical spirit, and a lack of patience with the foibles and weaknesses of others. In such a context, how we need the example and challenge of Barnabas the encourager! This Monday we continue our consideration of Barnabas and his gift of encouragement with the help of Cecil Siriwardene's 2007 article.    Featured resource:  Cecil Siriwardene, 'Sons and Daughters of Encou...

What is God's response to a world that rails against him?  Rob Ventura, co-author with William Boekestein of our forthcoming devotional book on the Psalms, God is Our Refuge and Strength, reads the entry for Psalm 2.    Listen to the full author interview with Rob Ventura and William Boekestein:  https://bannerpodcast.podbean.com/e/interviewing-the-authors-god-is-our-refuge-and-strength/     Join...

Barnabas, the 'son of encouragement,' was a man willing to give generously, advocate for the misunderstood, and bear patiently with the weaknesses of others.  Today's reading invites us to appreciate afresh those we know who have the gift of encouragement, and to seek to be encouragers ourselves.    Featured resource:  Cecil Siriwardene, 'Sons and Daughters of Encouragement,' Banner of Truth Magaz...

God is Our Refuge and Strength: 150 Devotionals Through the Psalms releases in October. Through brief, practical expositions of all 150 psalms, this volume proclaims, explains, and applies each one in light of the New Testament and the finished work of Jesus Christ the Lord. These reflections are designed to enlighten the mind, warm the heart, strengthen the hands, point to the Saviour, and encour...

Prayer is indispensable—it is the key ingredient in truly fruitful life and ministry. This week's Magazine Monday looks at a group of nineteenth-century Scottish ministers who knew this to be the case to an extraordinary degree.    Featured resource:  Jonathan Watson, 'John Milne of Perth and the Importance of Prayer,' Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 617 (February 2015).    Explore the work of the...

This week's Friday Extra is a short snippet from David McKay, author of Last Things: Preparing for the Future in the Present. This volume is one of our Banner Mini-Guides, concise introductions to essential areas of Christian belief and life.    More on the book:  https://banneroftruth.org/store/christian-living/last-things/  

What makes a Reformed pastor? Ian Hamilton draws out some lessons from the strengths and weaknesses of the seventeenth-century Scottish pastor, Samuel Rutherford.    Featured resource:  Ian Hamilton, 'Marks of a Reformed Pastor: Lessons from Samuel Rutherford,' Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 617 (February 2015).    Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org   Subscribe to the...

What do we need to know when melancholy comes knocking? Where do we turn when the darkness does not lift?  This week's Magazine Monday is a reading from the Edinburgh minister John Colquhoun (1748–1827). The October 1971 issue of the magazine included the following excerpt from Colquhoun's Treatise on Spiritual Comfort (1814).    Featured resource:  John Colquhoun, 'Directions to Christians Afflic...

In this Friday Extra, Rufus Burton, Minister at First Presbyterian Church, Martinsburg, West Virginia, recommends Chad Van Dixhoorn's Confessing the Faith: A Reader's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith.    Buy the book:  https://banneroftruth.org/store/theology/confessing-the-faith/   Study guide, authored by Emily Van Dixhoorn:  https://banneroftruth.org/store/theology/confessing-the-fa...

'Endeavour with all your might to make a conquest of all those enemies that be within you.' So wrote the Puritan Thomas Brooks (Works, vol. 6, p. 385).  This week we take a closer look at the virtue of self-control, without which we are left vulnerable to all of the predations of Satan and sin. Heaven-bound saints cannot afford to neglect self-control.    Featured resource:  Mark J. Larson, 'The V...

In this Friday Extra, the Chair of the Banner board, Rev. Jeff Kingswood, recommends one of our more obscure biographical titles, Faith Cook's William Grimshaw of Howarth.    Buy the book: https://banneroftruth.org/store/history-biography/william-grimshaw-of-haworth-2/  

The subject of health, and what is now called 'mental health,' comes up a great deal today, even in connection with ministry. While the treatment of the subject may sometimes leave much to be desired—biblically, theologically, or medically—it is at least firmly on the agenda.  That was not the case when Dr Brian Beardsworth was asked to speak on the topic of 'The Pastor and His Health' at the 1992...

In this Friday Extra, we explain a little bit about some exciting new podcast developments at the Banner of Truth. Following that 'service announcement' we hear from the Chair of the Banner board, Rev. Jeff Kingswood, about a little-known but highly significant title published by the Trust.    More info. on T. J. Crawford's The Mysteries of Christianity:  — Short review by David Campbell — Excerpt...

We readily accept that preachers need to be familiar with the Scriptures and with theology. But church history? Surely it is a matter of indifference whether or not a preacher has much knowledge of the often-complicated history of the church?  Peter Barnes disagrees, and lays out the case for the studied and accessible use of the church's history in evangelical preaching and teaching.    Featured...

This week we read a gripping article on a man whose ministry, despite sorrow and ill-health, was faithful and blessed—in Perth, Scotland, as well as Calcutta, India.    Featured Resources:  David Campbell, 'John Milne: "A flower of rare beauty and sweetness of odour"' Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 754 (July 2026).    Buy the book:  Horatius Bonar, The Life of John Milne of Perth   Explore the wo...

A title which many have appreciated and which is, for the moment, still out of print, is the The Diary of Kenneth A. MacRae, edited by Iain H. Murray. MacRae had a long ministry in the highlands and islands of Scotland. This week we read a collection of his candid and spiritual reflections on the topic of preaching. We trust they will be helpful to preachers and hearers alike.    Featured Resource...

Daniel Funke highlights the unique opportunities of the morning, and the value of sanctifying our waking hour for the glory of God.    Featured Resources:  Daniel Funke, 'Waking the Dawn with Praise,' Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 752 (May 2026).    Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org   Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine   Le...

This week we read a reflection on the unique, powerful ministry of A. W. Pink, particularly as it was expressed through his periodical, 'Search the Scriptures.' His writing combined great profundity with clarity and spiritual authority. This combination is shown in the second piece we read, a short meditation on 'The Godhood of God.'    Featured Resources:  (Presumed to be by Iain H. Murray), 'The...

Does seriousness matter in a pastor? Rev. Daniel Dana, an American Presbyterian writer of the 19th century, argued that it does—profoundly so. This week we read his meditation on the subject which was featured in the eighth issue of the magazine.    Featured Resource:  'The Importance of Seriousness to the Christian Minister,' Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 8 (August 1957).    Explore the work of...

Our forthcoming volume, Spurgeon's Pastoral Wisdom, has been compiled and edited by Geoff Chang. Composed of contributions from Spurgeon to the Sword and Trowel magazine on the topic of the church and ministry, it will encourage, inform, and challenge readers to love and serve Christ's church better.  We sit down with Geoff to discuss Spurgeon as a pastor, some of his convictions about the church...

This year we have devoted quite a bit of time to considering the Scottish Covenanters (and yes, our fourth Covenanter video is still on the way!). The Covenanters, however, were not the only body of believers to suffer extreme persecution in the seventeenth century. This week we consider the plight of the French Huguenots, with excerpts from an article by Henry Martyn Baird, first published in the...