May 1, 2008

Dear Friends,

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals delivers excellent, biblical sermons from a variety of great teachers, both new and classic. These sermons proclaim the saving message of God’s grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Please help us continue to make these sermons available across North America and around the world.

Every week my pastoral staff meets to discuss the work of the church, to read Scripture, and to spend time together in prayer. Whenever possible, I bring in books or sermons to share with my colleagues in ministry. I often bring sermon CDs from Donald Grey Barnhouse and James Montgomery Boice—items we receive each week from the Alliance as a Subscribing Church.

These sermons are always in high demand. I will start our meetings by saying something like this: “Who wants a sermon from Dr. Boice on election, or a sermon from Dr. Barnhouse on the doctrine of justification?” Immediately several hands will shoot up. People want to hear these famous expositions; they want to hear the Word of God.

Very likely you have heard some of these sermons, too. This month The Bible Study Hour features Dr. Boice’s expositions of Romans 10, while Dr. Barnhouse & the Bible airs Dr. Barnhouse’s sermons on grace from Romans 5:20.

Or perhaps you listen to some of our newer programs. This month on God’s Living Word, Rick Phillips is preaching the rich theology and practical spirituality of Jonah. And I continue to work my way through the Gospel of Luke, teaching what it means to be a disciple on Every Last Word.

All of the messages we broadcast—from all of our preachers, on all of our programs—proclaim the same saving message of God’s grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like my pastoral staff, you know the value of these sermons, and the power they have to bring spiritual change.

Needless to say, most of the radio stations that carry our programs charge us for air time. There are also costs to edit the sermons and make them available over the Internet. And folks are still ordering CDs, over 60,000 in 2007 as a matter of fact, and that equipment needs repair and replacement.

Therefore, we depend on you and other listeners to support us through financial giving. The Bible Study Hour needs more than $509,000 a year to keep the ministry going. And we want to expand this great resource so more people can hear the saving messages of the gospel. Please help us to make these sermons widely available by making a gift to the Alliance. Every dollar you give enables us to do kingdom work.

We also need your prayers. Please take a moment now to ask God to bless our ministry of His Word. Pray that people will come to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel, and that they will go on to grow in grace. Pray as well that God will provide everything we need for all of the work he is calling us to do in His Name.

And the next time someone gives you the opportunity to hear a good sermon, be sure to raise your hand!

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken,
Bible Teacher, Every Last Word

P.S. If you would like to help more people hear the saving message of the gospel, click here.