I am thankful to the Lord for Christian publishers like the Banner of Truth Trust. I have been blessed by the literature they've been printing or publishing over these years. I am also aware of the annual conferences that they're holding although I haven't been to one.
I was introduced to the Banner of Truth in the 1990s. One of the first books I owned from the Banner of Truth was Walter J. Chantry's "Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic," and Sinclair B. Ferguson's "John Owen on the Christian Life." I still have those books with me.
Over the years, especially during my seminary days, I was able to accumulate more books, either new or second hand, from the Banner. The Puritan Paperbacks were introduced to me in the late 90s and I have benefited a lot from reading a few of them (especially John Owen's "The Glory of Christ" and Jeremiah Burroughs' "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment."
More Puritan Classics are being printed by the Banner. I heard that there's a recent Puritan conference at Grace Community Church in California attended by more than a thousand (maybe two thousand) people on site and another thousand joining online.
I am not surprised of this trend. Christians who are first introduced to the Puritan literature normally like them right away. There are a few, of course, who are not so interested to Puritanism, but overall, the Puritans are reliable spiritual guides. There are diversities among them but one common characteristic of the movement is the desire to be devoted to the Lord, knowing and obeying Him wholeheartedly, as all Christians are supposed to be.
I confess that I still have some Banner of Truth titles that I own but haven't read yet. I don't know if I'll be able to read them in my lifetime. I wish I could. Nevertheless, I am so grateful that the Banner continues to publish books that are biblical, theologically sound, soul-enriching, and faith-strengthening.
Posted with permission from Ptr Vic Bernales, Pastor, Davao Covenant Reformed Church
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