Category: Discipleship

Being Salty You can be distinctive by speaking up when it is unpopular

Yesterday, we saw that Jesus’ command to be salt and light is not primarily about social justice but rather about sharing the Gospel.  Today, I wanted to pick up further on  little side point, which is that if we want to be distinctive in what we speak up about, then we need to be ready… Continue reading Being Salty You can be distinctive by speaking up when it is unpopular

Being Salty – share the Gospel

Over the years I’ve listened to sermons, read books and articles and had conversations with people about Matthew 5:13-16 and its meaning. The big emphasis seems to have been about living lives that are distinctive from the world around us, which of course is the very essence of saltiness but that then moves into an… Continue reading Being Salty – share the Gospel

Happy People – The Peacemakers

What is a peacemaker? We actually have an award for people whom we recognise as peacemakers, the Noble Peace prize. I am not sure however that the prize fully functions effectively.  How do we decide who is a peacemaker? For example, should President Trump be considered a peacemaker? After all he went to meet the… Continue reading Happy People – The Peacemakers

Happy people – the hungry and thirsty

Have you ever lost your appetite? I don’t just mean being off your food for a few days because you are a bit under the weather or snacking all day so that you are not hungry at mealtime.  I’m talking about significant loss of appetite over a sustained period of time. In such a case,… Continue reading Happy people – the hungry and thirsty

Are Christians meant to feed themselves?

A couple of years back, a US church surveyed its members to get a better understanding of retention issues. They discovered that a major problem was that a lot of members, especially those who were mature Christians felt that they were not being properly fed. The church’s response?  They began to look at how they… Continue reading Are Christians meant to feed themselves?

Happy people – those who mourn

Our second beatitude promises blessing or happiness for those who mourn.  In Matthew, the reason that they are happy, or blessed is because they will be comforted. Luke 6:21 sets an even strong contrast “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Jesus here is picking up on an important Old Testament theme… Continue reading Happy people – those who mourn

I don’t feel fed (part 2) – how do we feed the church?

Yesterday I wrote about the problem when people don’t feel fed in church. I highlighted that 30-40 years ago, many churches would have provided quite a programme in the week for teaching including services, adult Sunday schools and midweek ministry. Given that feeding has a wider dimension than just intellectual content, we might add to… Continue reading I don’t feel fed (part 2) – how do we feed the church?

Happy people – the poor

Have you experienced abject poverty? Perhaps if you have not experienced it personally you have witnessed people living with nothing or very little. I’ve seen people in Cairo living among the garbage. I’ve also known people here in the West Midlands who have got themselves into such a mess that they are left homeless, on… Continue reading Happy people – the poor