The Valley of Vision

So, here is something new for you.  You may have come across a beautiful collection of prayers by some of the Puritans under the title “The Valley of Vision.” The Puritans were both deep thinkers about God’s Word and firm believers in the conviction that faith in Christ should lead to radical heart and life… Continue reading The Valley of Vision

What not to take away from the Meghan and Harry interview

Well the Meghan and Harry interview has done its work in generating a lot of opinion and discussion. It seems to me that polarisation is likely to align along pre-established lines. Steve Kneale writes here about how it is likely to reflect culture with Meghan and Harry’s approach and therefore support reflecting a younger, new… Continue reading What not to take away from the Meghan and Harry interview

What you don’t do is start a witch hunt

One of the standout claims from the Oprah Winfrey interview is the claim that a member of the royal household made racist comments about the potential skin tone of baby Archie.  The accusation is hard hitting in the context of current concerns about racism’s effect on our society and to be honest has that edge… Continue reading What you don’t do is start a witch hunt

How to listen to character study sermons

Years ago my dad did a series of Bible studies which he called “An A-Z of Old Testament Characters.” I’m not sure if he managed to find someone for every letter, but there was certainly enough mileage to keep the series going for a good while.  It’s no surprise that character studies have proved popular.… Continue reading How to listen to character study sermons

Who made who cry?

One of the stories circulating around the Harry and Meghan controversy is about whether or not Meghan made Kate cry during preparations for the Royal Wedding.  The story has circulated for some time that something happened during rehearsals that reduced Kate to tears. In the Oprah interview, Meghan sought to set the record straight.  She… Continue reading Who made who cry?

Elders should be above reproach

I’ve been sharing a few thoughts about aspects of church life over the past few days to help those who are seeking to plant or replant churches think through the practicalities of church life.  In this previous article, I wrote about elders and what they should do, today I want to talk about what elders… Continue reading Elders should be above reproach

Church decision making – methods and majorities

This is a follow up to my article on how we go about making decisions as churches. In my previous article, I talked about when decisions should be made by church leaders and when they should be made by the whole congregation all together. Today, I’d like to talk about the nuts and bolts of… Continue reading Church decision making – methods and majorities