Millions of people with an Asian background live in the UK. Some have only recently arrived, others have lived in Europe, North America and Australasia for many generations. Their coming has enriched our culture enormously with food, clothing, art and cinema blending into national life. Asians may have family roots from India and Pakistan, Hong Kong, China, Japan or Korea. But one thing is certain - Asian people are often more open to talking about spiritual things than longer-established residents of the Western world. There is a huge mission field on our doorstep!... continue reading
This week on the blog we are going to feature a new resource that is being officially launched on Wednesday at an event in central London.
Discovering Jesus Through Asian Eyes is an exciting new outreach resource that has been developed through a collaboration between the Evangelical Alliance, The Good Book Company, and over 30 specialist agencies from around the world that are involved in evangelism both in Asia, and among the Asian diaspora in the developed world.
Here at GBC central in Epsom, we are very excited about the potential for this resource to stimulate churches and individuals to reach out to new groups of people.
Follow the posts to discover more about what this initiative might be able to do for you and your church.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22
Preachers and Bible teachers spend a lot of time trying to hone their craft. There are some great books out there to help you with ideas and techniques whether you're giving a talk at a camp to teenagers, or preaching in a formal setting to hundreds or thousands.* But there's another place we should be looking to learn how to communicate better - the World!
There are some very gifted communicators out there - some of them communicating to make us laugh. Some of them to make us wealthy, or better businessmen. Others wanting to convince us that their philosophy is worth believing in. And all of them are able to draw immense crowds who pay good money to sit and listen. Here are just three things we can learn from our contemporary orators:... continue reading
The man behind the most famous sign seen from Sydney's Harbour Bridge
Town Meetings Can Have Prayer, Justices Decide
Why One In Four U.S. Latinos Now Identify As Former Catholics
Christian leaders say Middle East Christians must not be forgotten
PM 'should do God', Tory party survey suggests
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Vaughan Roberts has done it again. Since the publication of Turning Points fifteen years ago, he has been producing a steady stream of books on subjects from biblical theology and worship to godliness and apologetics. Now the tradition continues with his latest offering, True Friendship (10 Publishing, 2013)
Like Vaughan’s other books, True Friendship is insightful, punchy, clear, and biblical. He writes as a Pastor to ordinary people, and it’s hard to imagine anyone struggling to understand what he’s saying. If you can read English, you can read True Friendship.
And yet behind this easy style lies a remarkable depth of theological and pastoral reflection. Vaughan has clearly read widely and deeply on the subject of friendship, and brings us insights from (among others) the 12th-century English monk Aelred of Rievaulx, the 19th-century theologian Hugh Black, and the 20th-century Catholic Priest Henri Nouwen, along with more familiar names such as C. S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer. Vaughan encourages his readers to take time chewing over what he says, and each chapter ends with questions for reflection, making the book ideal for group discussion.... continue reading
The horror of the girls abducted in Nigeria can barely be quantified. The plight of those trafficked across the world as domestic slaves or tools for the sex industry continues each year. Individuals mysteriously disappear each month, even in the safe suburbs of the developed world, despite the best efforts of the authorities to track them down. And in the wake of such tragedy there is pain and desolation in the lives of individuals, families and communities.
If we live nearby we can help search, we can encourage those affected through visits and cards. But, for many of us, the only way to help is prayer - geographically we are in the wrong place to do anything else, except maybe sign a petition or two. But all too often words fail us. All too often we allow our busy lives to crowd out the pain of others across the world. So why not take a moment now to bring their plight to the Lord, in the [slightly adapted] words of the Psalmists...... continue reading
Name: Peter Lombard
When: c. 1100-1160
Where: Born in northern Italy, later lived in Paris
So What?
While you might be forgiven for thinking of Wayne Grudem as the father of systematic theology, Peter Lombard was around considerably earlier. Lombard was a theologian who studied and taught in Paris. His most influential theological work was his Four Books of Sentences (sentences means “opinions”), a sort of systematic theology. The four books were on:
The sentences were a collection of teachings on different aspects of Christian doctrine. First, Lombard would state the church’s official teaching, quote relevant passages of Scripture, and then give the opinions of the early church fathers. Finally, he discussed any apparent contradictions, using logic to resolve them. Although little of Lombard’s theology was new, what was novel was the way he marshalled the different arguments together and interacted with them before making a judgement. Sentences became a standard textbook for all students of theology; for instance, John Calvin quoted it over 100 times in his Institutes.... continue reading
1. Serving without Sinking ebook - just £1.49!
Get the ebook version of Serving without Sinking by John Hindley for just £1.49!.
2. Preaching Matters: David Cook, Gospel Preaching
A video with David Cook on how we preach the gospel from John’s Gospel.
3. A Timeless Prayer Before a Sermon
Erik Raymond looks at praying before preaching.
4. 5 ways to use your commute for Jesus
Helen Thorne looks at 5 ways to make the most of your commute.
5. And finally...
This week's video of the week, ‘Titus For You Trailer’:
Found something that you think should make it on to the On to a Good Thing round-up? Send it to: ontoagoodthing@thegoodbook.co.uk
I have a confession to make. I’m not very good at having quiet times. I know they are important. I believe the Bible is God’s living and active word that equips me for all I am called to do. And I know that building up my relationship with God in prayer is utterly vital. But I’m still rubbish at doing it. And I feel just awful as a result.
I could give you a list of excuses...
But the trouble is, they are just excuses. Excuses that ooze out of my sinful heart.... continue reading
