The other day, I shared some questions that I would ask churches when they are looking for help with revitalisation. So, what next once you’ve answered those questions together. Well, what I find helpful is to talk through the full range of options that may be open to the church. Hypothetically at least these include:… Continue reading Revitalisation questions – looking to the future, what are the options?
Posts
Just because the mob is after you doesn’t mean there isn’t a real problem
The saga about the bloke who wrote an article about sex and salvation, had it withdrawn and then had to resign continues. Now, some more prominent evangelicals are beginning to find their voice on the matter. Now, for what its worth, I’m not too worried if people were quiet in the early stages, we can… Continue reading Just because the mob is after you doesn’t mean there isn’t a real problem
Those around
What does it mean to live in this world as part of the church. We know that we are sinful and that the church has its faults. At times it seems that the church is weak, half asleep, luke-warm. Do we really have anything to say to unbelievers? But then we can look at a… Continue reading Those around
Groundbreaking?
You can’t sell books without some superlative description about how this or that book will literally change lives. One over used descriptive is that a book is “ground breaking.” I suggested recently that I’ve not come across a book in the last 20 years that I would truly describe as “ground breaking.” Is that harsh?… Continue reading Groundbreaking?
Light in the darkness
Chapter 8 finishes with a sobering prophecy, all that the people will see if they look away from God is gloom and darkness. Without God, all there is for us is hopelessness. Read Isaiah 9 Whilst the present situation seemed pretty hopeless and Israel were about to face judgement, shame and destruction, Isaiah looks ahead… Continue reading Light in the darkness
My sadness may commend the Gospel
Jesus is described in Isaiah 53:3 as a man of sorrows,[cand acquainted with[ grief;” We would do well to pay attention to this as it provides the starting point to the other side of the coin to Lloyd Jones’ comments about the failure of unhappy Christians to commend the Gospel. Jesus himself experienced suffering, sorrow and… Continue reading My sadness may commend the Gospel
What we don’t talk about: The Fall out from that TGC article about sex and salvation
Following “that” article on The Gospel Coalition Website about sex and salvation, the saga continues. You may remember that at the time I wrote my response, the original article had been pulled and replaced with a longer article from Josh Butler’s book. Well, if you go to the page now, you’ll instead find a statement… Continue reading What we don’t talk about: The Fall out from that TGC article about sex and salvation
It shall not stand
Imagine that you have an uneasy relationship with a close family member. You have your differences, your squabbles and fights but at the end of the day you are family. Then one day you discover that they have been working with someone else, a rival, an enemy of yours to bring you down. Imagine the… Continue reading It shall not stand
When my unhappiness does not commend the Gospel
Remember that Martyn Lloyd Jones quote I mentioned the other day? Unhappy Christians are a poor recommendation of the Christian faith.” I thought it might be worth digging a little deeper into it. As I suggested in my previous article, it probably works best as one half of a proverbial provocation. On the one hand,… Continue reading When my unhappiness does not commend the Gospel
The idols must go
The things that we fear and the things that we put our trust in are the things that become our idols. They become our idols because we give power and authority to them. We think that they have control and influence over our lives. We are scared that if we do not do what they… Continue reading The idols must go
