This is the first in our new series of sermons on Matthew’s Gospel. Here we start to see how Jesus is the promise of the ages who brings a new Genesis, a new beginning. Catch up with a look back at the live stream video here
Posts
Awkward – the unsayable?
A baby boy is born, rejoice, a symbol of hope in troubled times. That was the general mood of many public statements yesterday. Carrie Symonds, the prime-minister’s fiancé had given birth. This was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reaction. There is a lot to be thankful for. A few weeks back, we were praying for Boris… Continue reading Awkward – the unsayable?
False teachers, abusers and cults (2 Peter 2:10-16)
I’ve spent some time on Faithroots talking about the problem of abuse and bullying in the Church. This has been in response to some very public scandals in the last year or two relating to high profile church leaders and organisations. It also relates to things I have observed more widely in church culture. High… Continue reading False teachers, abusers and cults (2 Peter 2:10-16)
The Prosperity Problem
We know there’s something bad out there called “The Prosperity Gospel.” We know it’s bad because most preachers and pastors will quickly tell us that it’s wrong and that they don’t teach it. However, I’m not sure that we quite grasp exactly what the problem is. The risk then is that we can end up… Continue reading The Prosperity Problem
Putting God First
What do you put first in your life? It might be job, education, your football team, your family. Many of you will say “I want to put God first.” But what does that mean? It might mean some sacrificial decisions, perhaps a willingness to give up your job and comforts for full time Christian work.… Continue reading Putting God First
Meeting “The One”
The other day as part of #AfternoonTea, we talked about relationships and the question of “Is there the one?” In other words, does God have one specific and ideal partner in mind for you who will complete you in every way. In classic style, I responded with the good old “No and yes.” Now that… Continue reading Meeting “The One”
The greater risk
Whenever I was involved in a major project such as an IT systems implementation, one of the important things we had to do was to put together a risk management plan. There were a number of stages to this. Stage 1 identify the potential risks by listing everything that would possibly go wrong Stage 2… Continue reading The greater risk
Victory and the Church on Display (Sealed with the Spirit Part 4)
In the fourth part of our look at the work of the Holy Spirit, how we know him and experience his work in our lives, we complete the background look at the context of Ephesians 1:13 which talks about being sealed with the Spirit. The goal of the Holy Spirit is to enjoy God (himself)… Continue reading Victory and the Church on Display (Sealed with the Spirit Part 4)
Facing Depression (The videos)
A lot of people struggle with emotional health issues. There is a good chance that either you or someone close to you has, or is going to face depression at some point. I wanted to share some helps for those who are either struggling with anxiety depression or are walking with someone who is depressed.… Continue reading Facing Depression (The videos)
Learning the wrong (right) lessons -the importance of curiosity
One of the big problems our society has is that we have suffered the death of curiosity and that stops us from asking good questions especially when presented with data and statistics. I get frustrated when people bring out the old “lies, damned lies and statistics” routine because statistics don’t lie, you do however need… Continue reading Learning the wrong (right) lessons -the importance of curiosity