Most people will have their eyes on Halloween as the big celebration today. However, 31st October is also the anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Now some of you may be asking whether or not that’s something to celebrate. Wasn’t the Reformation a negative and divisive thing. So it is helpful… Continue reading Still reforming?
Tag: Prosperity Gospel
Getting the ending right?
Would you leave a church if you disagreed with its position on eschatology, or would you be happy to stay? Is it okay for a church not even to have an agreed position on eschatology and to allow elders to come to different conclusions? Eschatology is concerned with “the last things” and so doctrinally it’s… Continue reading Getting the ending right?
Is three a magic number?
You’ve probably heard people quote these words from Matthew 18:19-20 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” And you’ve probably heard them used to suggest… Continue reading Is three a magic number?
How (not) to be a guilt driven church
#TheDailyDose – Ephesians 2:8-10 The book we bought and the book we read Rick Warren’s best sellers “The purpose driven life” and “The purpose driven church” –but a lot of churches and Christian lives feel “guilt driven” …not purpose driven What do I mean …. Trying to bridge a gap “For it is by grace… Continue reading How (not) to be a guilt driven church
Must we leave our trauma at the door?
Two wings of the Evangelical church tend to suffer from a bit of stereotyping. On the one end are those frequently accused of focusing so much on the emotional aspect of worship that they forget exposition and doctrine, requiring you to leave your brains at the door. At the other end are those who are… Continue reading Must we leave our trauma at the door?
Showing Up: Alternative Hope
In this chapter, we start to think more about idolatry and the alternative (false) hopes that people living in urban neighbourhoods are offered. Showing up, is the stage where we start to think about why idolatry offers false hope by showing up its failings and flaws. Idolatry offers false hope because whilst for a time… Continue reading Showing Up: Alternative Hope
Far as the curse is found (Deuteronomy 28:15-16)
We have seen that life in the presence of the living God is about blessing. In Genesis 1-3, this blessing is seen in terms of provision and protection for God’s people in the place he has given them. For Adam and Eve, that meant in the Garden of Eden. For Noah, this meant life on… Continue reading Far as the curse is found (Deuteronomy 28:15-16)
What does the Bible say about giving?
The Prosperity Gospel deal is that if you give the right amount of money to the right pastor and he gives it the right blessing then you will be blessed in your personal finances. In other words you should tithe. I think that well-meaning Evangelicals come unstuck on the question of tithing. Or to go… Continue reading What does the Bible say about giving?
So should we talk about money in church?
There are all sorts of reasons why, as a pastor of a church in urban Britain I feel uncomfortable talking about money and particularly about giving. These include It’s just not the done thing in polite circles! To an English man, talking about money is like talking about politics and religion. I can’t avoid one… Continue reading So should we talk about money in church?
Does the Bible talk about money more than it talks about love, heaven and hell?
The short answer is “No.” If it did, then you would notice it as a recurring theme when you are part of a church where expository preaching is practiced. You would either notice that the preacher kept, accurately and transparently showing how the text applied to your wallet, or you would wonder why the preacher… Continue reading Does the Bible talk about money more than it talks about love, heaven and hell?
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