Author: faithrootsdw

How do you collect and organise sermon illustrations?

I don’t, is the quick and simply answer! Furthermore, I wouldn’t advise anyone else to either.  The question was put to pastors on twitter and I presume arises out of a culture where pastors and preachers are encouraged to go searching for potential little stories and quotes that they can easily select from in order… Continue reading How do you collect and organise sermon illustrations?

Refined

A refiner’s fire removes all of the dross and waste material so that only the precious materials are left.  Israel and Judah experienced God’s refining work through their suffering and captivity so that all of their false worship and shallow claims were removed leaving behind only true worship. That’s what God does with us too,… Continue reading Refined

Generational Distance

I recently participated in a workshop looking at Christians and the environment and one of the big themes was the need to engage on the topic due to its relevance to younger people. Three things stuck out for me.  First, we looked at data showing high proportions of young people expressing concern and even fear… Continue reading Generational Distance

Disability, discrimination and New Creation

Yesterday on my twitter timeline, a tweet came up from someone who seemed deeply angry and offended. They took exception to evangelical theology of renewed and restored bodies, especially when suggested that those with disabilities would receive them.  Their anger arose from having a relative with Downs Syndrome. They couldn’t imagine them without Downs Syndrome… Continue reading Disability, discrimination and New Creation

Rescuer

A dominant theme throughout Isaiah is the Exodus, just as Israel had been slaves in Egypt, so too, they would be exiles in Assyria, Babylon and Persia.  Just as God had brought them up out of Egypt, so too, he would come to their aid, deliver them and lead them home. Read Isaiah 43-45 In… Continue reading Rescuer

I’m not your Saviour

I recently wrote in response to a quote from John MacArthur where he suggested that husbands are in effect their wife’s saviour, rescuing them from loneliness, a lack of care and protection and unfulfilled potential in terms of children.  Of course, when MacArthur talked about husbands as saviours, he wasn’t intending us to think that… Continue reading I’m not your Saviour

The irony of Putin’s threats

Vladimir Putin’s threat to the West seems to be that by cutting off gas supplies and by preventing the export of the Ukrainian harvest, he can impoverish the West. His further threat is that he could launch devastating nuclear attacks that will destroy our environments, leave our water toxic and our air unbreathable. I can’t… Continue reading The irony of Putin’s threats