Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843), uncommon Christian Scottish pastor and missionary . . . 200th anniversary of his birth, May 21, 2013

Robert Murray McCheyne

Though largely unnoticed by Evangelical Protestants, May 21, 2013, was the bicentennial of the birth of Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843).

Just weeks prior, on March 19, was the bicentennial of another famous Scotsman, the missionary-explorer David Livingstone.

Click here for an instructive and inspirational 90-minute presentation by John Piper titled "He Kissed the Rose and Felt the Thorn: Living and Dying in the Morning of Life, Meditations on the Life of Robert Murray McCheyne." It was delivered at Desiring God's 2011 conference for pastors in Minneapolis.

Another minister who died young, the "uncommon Christian" James Brainerd Taylor (1801-1829), was often compared to R. M. McCheyne, David Brainerd (1718-1747), Henry Martyn (1781-1812) and other American, British and Scottish evangelists, missionaries and pastors who died young in the 19th-century.

"[James Brainerd Taylor] was a man of exceptional piety, a Christian of the Henry Martyn and [Robert Murray] M'Cheyne type. With him love for Christ and the souls of men was a ruling passion."

--> John T. Duffield (1823–1901), Professor of Mathematics and Mechanics (1847-98), Princeton University, and longtime advisor to and historian of the student-led and James Brainerd Taylor-founded Philadelphian Society of Nassau Hall (est. 1825, continues today as the Princeton Evangelical Fellowship). Among other works, Duffield is the editor of The Princeton Pulpit (1852), a collection of 15 sermons by some of Princeton Theological Seminary's faculty and staff, including Archibald Alexander, Charles Hodge and Samuel Miller.

Be blessed as you learn more about this Scottish divine and originator of the "McCheyne Bible Reading Plan" (whereby one can read through the Old Testament once, and the New Testament and Psalms twice, all in one year).

"Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. . . . Live much in the smiles of God. Bask in his beams. Feel his all-seeing eye settled on you in love. And repose in his almighty arms."
--> R.M. McCheyne

To visit, click here.

Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (F.I.R.E.) . . . national conference, Seattle, May 20-22, 2013

Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals.
Est. 2000.

"Every Spiritual Blessing" (Eph. 1:3) is the theme for the 2013 national conference of the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (F.I.R.E., est. 2000).

Along with four pastors, Carl Trueman, author and Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary near Philadelphia, is a plenary speaker.

This year's conference is being held May 20-22, 2013, near Seattle, at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. Come and bless us with your presence! (Last year's conference was held in Louisiana.)

Uncommon Christian Ministries has been a member of F.I.R.E. since 2011, having been active in a F.I.R.E. ministry (Voice in the Wilderness) in Jerusalem, Israel, August 2009 to July 2011.

F.I.R.E. "is a unifying network for independent Reformed (and Reforming) baptistic churches to experience mutual edification, fellowship, cooperation and prayerful support in ministries and missions. There is no membership fee. Each project is initiated and overseen by a local church. Other churches may be invited to participate by sharing their time or resources. The success of the network is dependent on the committed involvement of the members."

The ecclesiastical fellowship adheres to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 and the London Baptist Confession of Faith 1644. And affirms the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation:

    Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
    Sola Fide - Faith Alone
    Soli Deo Gloria - the Glory of God Alone
    Solus Christus - Christ Alone
    Sola Gratia - Grace Alone

Here is a 5-minute introductory video on F.I.R.E. It is from the May 2008 national conference in Mount Hermon, California. Be blessed!