Submitting to one another and learning love languages

My friend Steve Kneale has written a very helpful article here about how we learn to experience love across cultures.  In his article, he picks up on how the concept of “love languages” has often been misunderstood and misused. Steve, observes that too often, people talk in terms of what their “love language” is meaning… Continue reading Submitting to one another and learning love languages

Ephesians and the prosperity Gospel

There’s been a lie going around for so many years, often referred to as “The Prosperity Gospel.”  This is the belief that if we have enough faith and use the right words, then we can claim whatever we like from God and he will give it to us.  This is sometimes known as “Health, wealth… Continue reading Ephesians and the prosperity Gospel

Ephesians and Church leadership

We want our church leadership to be Biblical. Usually by this, we mean that we want to appoint people to the offices we find in Scripture and mirror the structures we find there. The problem is that there is often a lot of disagreement here because in fact the New Testament doesn’t really have that… Continue reading Ephesians and Church leadership

Slaves and Masters

Ephesians 5-6 applies the way God’s love poured out to us is reflected in our love for each other in four relational examples Encouraging one another in the church Marriage Parents and children Slaves and Masters Here is some background reading relating to the 4th example with a look at church history and the movement… Continue reading Slaves and Masters

Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Spiritual Warfare”?  You perhaps think first of all about demon possession and exorcism, perhaps too about witchcraft and sorcery.  Perhaps you will have in mind some famous secular films like the Exorcist or popular level Christian literature. Well you would not be wrong to think about… Continue reading Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians

Marriage health-check (applying Ephesians 5)

In my previous article, I suggested that we should be cautious about attempting to be over prescriptive about what it means to practically apply Ephesians 5:21-32.  I’m convinced that rather than looking at each aspect individually to see if wives are submitting, husbands are being good heads etc that we do best to look at… Continue reading Marriage health-check (applying Ephesians 5)

Strengthened in love (A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 for Pentecost)

What is love?  Famously, a set of cartoons back in the 1980s offered the answer “love is…” with lots of examples.  Perhaps, given he  was not too sure himself at the time and what was to follow, they were unwise in one suggestion “Love is Charlie and Di” We might suggest that love is our… Continue reading Strengthened in love (A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 for Pentecost)