30th Anniversary of Opening of Church Building

The 2nd September marked 30 years since the opening of the present church building. This is the recording of the opening service that Saturday afternoon.

Remembering Dr Henry Cooke's battle for a Bible-based Education System & Protestant Unionism

Motto Text for 2019

Motto Text for 2019 is from 1 Timothy 4:7-9: …exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

Sermon - Remembering Dr Henry Cooke's battle for Trinitarianism against Arianism

Church History Anniversaries - 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Amy Carmichael

Amy Carmichael was born on 16th December 1867 in Millisle, Co-Down, Northern Ireland. She is best known for her labours in Belfast and also for her missionary endeavours, particularly in Dohnavur, southern India, which included an orphanage.

She served the Lord on various mission fields for 55 years without any furlough time at home. She died, aged 83, on 18th January 1951 in Dohnavur, India, where she had laboured for over 40 of those 55 years.

For the last 20 years, of that missionary service, she was an invalid, confined to her room in the orphanage she was instrumental in seeing built 30 years earlier (1901). It was in 1931 that she suffered what seemed a fairly minor accident. However, this accident ended up crippling her. Confined to her room for those 20 years she was not inactive. From bed of sickness she organised, counselled and wrote numerous books. She wrote between 30 to 40 books during her lifetime.

Here is the link to other church history anniversaries that have been commemorated over recent years. Sermonaudio - Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church - Church history anniversaries

Church History Anniversaries - 150th Anniversary of the death of William Chalmers Burns

The third church history anniversary commemorated was that of William Chalmers Burns. This year, 2018, marks the 150th anniversary of his death.

'Willie' Burns was saved from a careless life as a youth and devoted himself to the service of the Lord. He wrote: From the first moment of this wonderful experience [ie. his conversion] I had the inspiring hope of being saved by a sovereign and infinitely gracious God; and in the same instant almost, I felt that I must leave my present occupation and devote myself to Jesus in the ministry of the glorious gospel by which I had been saved.

He endured much in the land of China for the sake of his Lord and Master. The story is told how that on one occasion he was arrested and told to bow before the chief magistrate. His response was: Your Excellency, I will render to you the same obeisance as I would to my Sovereign Queen Victoria, humbly on a bended knee, but I will only kneel on both knees to God, the King of Kings.

Here is the link to other church history anniversaries that have been commemorated over recent years. Sermonaudio - Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church - Church history anniversaries

Church History Anniversaries - 300th Anniversary of the birth of David Brainerd

The second church history anniversary commemorated was that of David Brainerd. This year, 2018, marks the 300th anniversary of his birth.

David Brainerd was the missionary who took the Gospel to the Native Americans. He wrote in his diary: Here am I, Lord, send me. Send me to the ends of the earth. Send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness. Send from all that is called comfort in earth or earthly comfort. Send even to death itself if it is be in Thy service and to promote Thy kingdom. I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts.

It was his love for Jesus Christ that constrained him to labour as he did. Again he wrote: If I had a thousand lives, my soul should gladly have laid them all down at once to have been with Christ.

Here is the link to other church history anniversaries that have been commemorated over recent years. Sermonaudio - Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church - Church history anniversaries

Church History Anniversaries - 400th Anniversary of the Synod of Dort

Every August, as the Lord leads, relevant church history anniversaries are commemorated. It is important to remember the mercies of the Lord towards past generations. Events which took place that advanced the caused of Jesus Christ are worthy of remembrance. The raising up men and women of God who served the Lord with distinction is again something that ought to interest every child of God. We can say with the Psalmist: The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage, Psalm 16:6.

This year the following church history anniversaries were marked:
1. 400th anniversary of the commencement of the Synod of Dort
2. 300th anniversary of the birth of David Brainerd
3. 150th anniversary of the death of William Chalmers Burns
4. 150th anniversary of the birth of Amy Carmichael

Here is the consideration of the first of those anniversaries to be marked - 400th anniversary of the commencement of the Synod of Dort. One historian said of the Synod of Dort: The convocation and proceedings of the Synod of Dordt may be considered among the most interesting events of the seventeenth century. The Westminster Assembly was indeed more immediately interesting to British and American Presbyterians, yet the Synod of Dordt had a species of importance peculiar to itself and altogether pre-eminent. It was not merely a meeting of select divines of a single nation, but a convention of the Calvinistic world, to bear testimony against a rising and obtrusive error; to settle a question in which all the Reformed churches of Europe had an immediate and deep interest.


Here is the link to other church history anniversaries that have been commemorated over recent years. Sermonaudio - Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church - Church history anniversaries

Dr S B Cooke - The Early Years of The Free Presbyterian Church

Former Deputy-moderator of the Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church, Dr S B Cooke, speaks about the early years of the denomination and its stand against apostasy.

This account is particularly important as it explains the need for the Free Presbyterian Church to continue to be true to its founding creed and to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Special Sermon Subject

Abortion Referendum in the Republic of Ireland

The government of the Republic of Ireland has confirmed that the national referendum on changing abortion law will be held on Friday, 25th May 2018.

The referendum will centre around the Eighth Amendment of the Irish constitution. Voters will decide if they want to make changes to Republic's strict abortion laws.

Below is a link to a sermon preached in 2007 to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act being introduced in mainland United Kingdom. Thankfully that iniquitous Abortion Act has never been extended to Northern Ireland. 

Also included is a link to an earlier post on this Blog which contains some Scriptural Observations on the issue of Abortion. These form the basis of the sermon.

Mary Magdalene

A film entitled Mary Magdalene has recently been released in the United Kingdom. This film claims to be a biblical drama about the woman of the same name who is referenced a number of times in the Word of God in connection with the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

This film portrays Mary as a fiercely intelligent, resourceful woman who rejected the norms of being married and having children and instead insisted on following Jesus of Nazareth. This was what caused her to be, at least initially, condemned as being possessed with seven devils.

Which is more important - a film depiction of Mary Magdalene or a Scriptural portrait of this woman?

This sermon considers what the Word of God has to say about Mary Magdalene. 

What Kind of Atheist are You?

There are at least three types of atheist mentioned in the Word of God. This sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church explores the question: what type of atheist are you?

It is based upon the words of Psalm 14:1: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Compromise of Billy Graham

More than 2,000 mourners, including President Donald Trump,  attended the funeral of Dr Billy Graham in North Carolina on Saturday past.

Following his death just over a week ago, at the age of 99, Billy Graham became only the fourth private American citizen, and the first religious leader, in the history of the United States, to lie in repose in the Capitol building in Washington DC.

Below is a link to a sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church on Lord's day evening 4th March on the Compromise of Billy Graham, highlighting the truths he no longer wanted to emphasis in his ministry.

The European Union & Prophecy

This is the first of two sermons considering the European Union in the light of Scripture prophecy.

Motto Text 2016

In Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church we have taken as our The Motto Text, for 2016, the words of Asaph in Psalm 74:22: Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

The words of this particular verse, and the contents of the whole of the Psalm, are very appropriate and applicable to our own times. We too live in a day when the foolish man reproaches God's cause daily!

The following messages were preached on this portion of Scripture:
1. The Features of this Attack upon the Cause of God
It was a day of: (i) Spiritual darkness and cruelty, (ii) Blasphemy, (iii) Reproach, (iv) Rising up against the Lord, and (v) Constant and increasing opposition to God's Cause.

2. The Focus of this Attack upon the Cause of God
This attack was focused on (i) The House of God & (ii) The People of God

Mary - Mother of God or Sinner Needing Salvation?

This sermon was preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church to mark Reformation Sunday.

Church History Anniversaries - Justin Martyr

During the month of August a series of messages was preached marking Church History Anniversaries.
This sermon is marking 1850th anniversary of the death of the Christian Apologist Justin Martyr.

The Principle of Magna Carta applied in the Gospel

This sermon was preached at Carnmoney District's Widows & Ophans Memorial Fund, Orange Service held in Newtownabbey FPC on Lord's day evening 28th June 2015.

June 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta. This sermon takes the central principle of that document, namely all men are subject to the law, and applies it in the Gospel.

The Stupidity of Railing Against God - An Answer to Stephen Fry