In my article on singing the other day, I talked about the importance of enjoyment and joy when we are singing. I wanted to expand on a little footnote I included in the article. There I commented that: Incidentally, when I talk about joy and enjoyment here, I don’t think that means we are meant… Continue reading Joy, enjoyment and singing
Tag: Emotions
Food from around the Worldwide web
With the horror of this week’s shooting in Texas there have been some confused and at times abhorrent responses to this. I respond to one particularly unhelpful one here whilst Steve Kneale writes here in response to Franklin Graham’s repeat of a frequent trope that the problem isn’t the guns it’s the people here. There’s… Continue reading Food from around the Worldwide web
When did you last hear a pastor talk about mental health issues?
In my recent survey about application and what pastors talked about, I asked respondents to indicate whether or not they’d heard pastors address particular issues within the last 5 years. One issue concerned mental health. This is such an important subject to address within our churches because as we preach and pastor we are so… Continue reading When did you last hear a pastor talk about mental health issues?
“Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament
I mentioned the other day the conversation I had with Dan James about Haggai 2. One of the things I’ve been challenged about increasingly is the importance of preaching to the affections. This is an old puritan phrase meaning that our preaching should speak to the whole person not just to the intellect. We don’t… Continue reading “Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament
Because I say so? -what should I do with my doubts?
In presuppositional apologetics[1] one of the key arguments deployed for why we can trust the Bible is the claims that Scripture makes about itself. The basis for this argument is tht at some point, we have to accept that there is a final authority, an ultimate arbiter on belief. The question is “who” or “hat… Continue reading Because I say so? -what should I do with my doubts?
Sleep and mental health
One factor affecting mental health is rest and sleep. There are two aspects to this. First of all, when we are struggling with anxiety and/or depression this can affect sleep patterns but also disrupted sleep is likely to affect our overall sense of mental well-being. So, it is possible to get into a vicious cycle. … Continue reading Sleep and mental health
Empathy is not a sin
Okay, so it’s one of those weird days on the internet again. I’m trying to make sense of this guy’s tweet. So, what does it matter Dave you ask? Some person is mouthing off on social media. It’s okay, their pastor will give them some Biblical counsel on Sunday when they pick up on it.… Continue reading Empathy is not a sin
COVID-19 depression and suicide
There has been some discussion about the affects of COVID-19 and lockdowns on mental health. Now despite the memes that have circulated on social media about spiralling suicide rates, the data as we have it does not suggest that this seems to be the case. If there have been any increases in incidents, they reflect… Continue reading COVID-19 depression and suicide
Conversations about God
There has been much debate about the Doctrine of God over the past few years. The technical end of the debate is about whether a particular historical approach known as Classical Theism is the benchmark of orthodoxy and whether certain theologians have strayed beyond that therefore making them heretics. There are two specific examples of… Continue reading Conversations about God