I ordered some groceries online, including some unbelievably-low-cost-special-offer organic carrots, pre-cut into batons. But the unbelievably-low-cost-special-offer organic carrots were so unbelievably-low-cost-special-offer they sold out before my order was packed!
No problem - the supermarket provided a substitute at the same unbelievably-low-cost-special-offer price. I checked the list - it looked fine - so I said Yes to the driver.
Unpacking the bags was a bit puzzling - no sign of unbelievably-low-cost-special-offer replacement carrots. No orange vegetables to be seen. But there were some packets of snacks I didn't remember ordering. So I looked closer and found they were organic corn puffs aimed at babies above 7 months - carrot-flavoured. I ordered vegetables - they substituted baby food!
I'm so glad that supermarket wasn't in charge of the most important substitution ever made…
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53 v 5-6 - emphasis mine)
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Psalm 95:1-7
There are no quick fixes to the problems of domestic violence but there are things a local church community can do to help prevent it and help respond to it well. Here are our top tips for ways to be proactive:
Raise awareness
It doesn’t take much to put a notice on the church noticeboard, website or noticesheet. It just takes a line … Make sure people know that if they are affected by domestic violence – either as an abuser or by being abused – the leadership of the church are willing to talk with them. If it’s appropriate to flag up the subject in a Bible study or sermon, that can be helpful and marriage prep courses are a great place to start the conversation too.... continue reading
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It can be a shock, it's always hard, but it's a huge privilege when someone tells you they're being hurt. To be trusted to such an extent that someone is willing to tell you that their closest relationships are on the rocks is an opportunity to show the love, wisdom and practical support that we are called to exhibit in the local church. But what exactly is going to be helpful? Here are our ideas:
1. Thank you
Your friend may be terrified that you will doubt them or run away in terror, simply thanking them for sharing their life with you is a great way to start.
2. Would you like to tell me more about what has been happening?
It's never a good idea to pressurise, but it's great to give people an opportunity to share what is burdening them.... continue reading
The recent death of left-wing politician Tony Benn has prompted a flurry of analysis about socialism in the UK. I heard Tony Benn lecture at Bristol Baptist College when I was a student over 30 years ago. He was MP for Bristol South at the time, and, although he did not profess a Christian faith himself, had a long free church heritage in his family. He was charismatic as a personality, and always stimulating and intriguing to listen to. His five questions to ask people in power are now famous:
What were you like 5 years ago?
I'm ashamed to say I was a monster. Of course, I didn't see that at the time but it's true. I shouted, I swore, I lashed out with my fists towards my spouse and my elderly mother who lived with us.
So, you were angry?
Yes, but I was more scared. I was scared of losing control of my life, scared of being unable to cope, scared of people thinking badly of me, scared of failure and so I set out to control everything, everyone, around me. When they didn't comply with my plans or fit my view of how life should be, I lost it and the world went red: I blamed them and punished them for ruining my little corner of life.... continue reading
1. Delighting in the Trinity ebook just £2.49
Get the ebook version of Delighting in the Trinity by Tim Chester for just £2.49!
2. Multiplying Churches Audio
Listen to the audio recordings from Acts 29’s Multiplying Churches conference.
3. St. Helen’s Training: One2One Part 2 of 3
Part 2 of St. Helen’s Training on where, when and how to do a one2one Bible study.
4. 5 Parenting Opportunities When Our Kids Sin
Andrew Weiseth at Resurgence looks at these 5 opportunities.
5. And finally...
This week's video of the week, ‘LMC 2014’. Book HERE for this year’s convention (early bird rate closes on March 24):
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