Being told of domestic violence can come as a real shock - especially if the perpetrator of the violence (male or female) is someone you know and like. Because of that, it's easy to let unhelpful things come out of our mouths. Here are our top 5 things that should never be said:
There was a time when I barely even thought of myself as human. Oh don't get me wrong, I wasn't under some illusion that I came from an alien species, it's more that I didn't think I deserved to be treated like I would treat other people. I thought I was different, lower, less significant than those around me.
When I first met my husband, I was in a bit of a mess. My depression was bad and I had trouble making decisions. He was like a breath of fresh air. He was always so full of faith, so willing to take the lead, galvanise me into action and guide me on how to act and dress. I loved it. I loved him! Within weeks I went from a timid woman who rarely left the house other than to go to work to a well-groomed, socially-active person who could be confident in her boyfriend's words.... continue reading
No-one really wants to admit it's there - especially in churches. We're God's precious family and we're supposed to act like it. That shouldn't include beating up your husband ... or wife ... or elderly parent. But, in families across the globe, it does.
Domestic violence is not just out there, it's common. According to The Crown Prosecution Service website nearly 1 million women in the UK experience at least one incident of domestic violence each year and, each week, 2 women are killed by their partner or ex-partner. And churches are not immune from the phenomenon.... continue reading
Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15:3-4
Moving on from a church is usually, to some degree or another, painful. And identifying a new church is often difficult too—trying to somehow balance all the factors while avoiding the opposite temptations of being, on the one hand, a consumer, and on the other, a martyr with a Messiah complex, doggedly set on a solo mission to bring revival to an ageing congregation of seven.
Having finally settled on a church, what about the next matter of settling in? After all that thinking, praying and heart-searching, you’d be forgiven for feeling exhausted at the prospect of round after round of small-talk.
I’ve fairly recently moved from Burnley to Surrey and have been both encouraged and challenged by the experience of becoming part of a new church.... continue reading
Registration opens for first same-sex marriages
Kim Jong-un calls for execution of 33 Christians
North Korea expels Australian missionary over Christian pamphlets
Don’t expel God from our children’s classrooms
Christians line up to break US box office for Jesus
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What do you prefer? The gospel, or controversy? No, really?
I mean, would you have read this blog if the title was just “Amazing Gospel: Do you know about it?” (And are you about to give up because you’ve realized there is no great controversy you’re about to find out about?)
Titus 3 is about the gospel—the gospel of God’s appearing in grace through Christ in the past, and of God’s appearing in glory through Christ in the future. And Paul tells us to “stress these things” and devote ourselves “to doing what is good … excellent and profitable for everyone”.... continue reading
I'm tired. It's been a tough day at work. The to-do list is calling. And the meal isn't going to cook itself. All I want is a quiet night. Every bone in my body is screaming for a few moments of peace. And just then, the phone explodes into action. I'm not talking about a pleasant "dinner invitation" phonecall - I'm talking "one of those" phonecalls. One of those circular calls of desperation.
It's not that I don't love my friends with severe mental health struggles - I am privileged to have them in my life - but the phonecalls, oh the phonecalls can be so hard. The suicidal intentions that are no longer an isolated act of desperation but a daily topic of conversations; the irrational arguments that involve dragging the reputation of others through the mud or the wild tangents that are almost impossible to follow - these are the fodder of the recurring conversations that can easily last an hour or more unless boundaries are put down (and a "you don't really care about me" rant risked).... continue reading
1. Cross Examined ebook just £5 till midday Thursday
Get the ebook version of Cross Examined by Mark Meynell for just £5!
2. Bible Debate: Steve Chalke & Andrew Wilson
Justin Brierley hosts a series of debates between Steve Chalke and Andrew Wilson. Watch Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
3. Infographic: The New Calvinism
An infographic from Tim Challies, ‘Where Did All These Calvinists Come From? A Visual History’.
4. The Problem with Jesus
An article from our very own Carl Laferton at Desiring God.
5. And finally...
This week's video of the week, ‘Something More’ by Moving Works:
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
Welcome to March 10th: international day of awesomeness.
I kid you not ... a bunch of laugh-loving people are inviting you and I to spend today displaying awesome acts. Their strapline: no-one's perfect but everyone can be awesome! The ideas are diverse but, at their heart, quite simple - validate someone else's awesomeness, affirm your own awesomeness - then do something awesome (be that having an amazing meal or doing something profoundly life-fulfilling) and blog about it. The primary aim is to have fun. Lots of it!
On balance, I don't think I'm going to be engaging with this day of awesomeness in any specific way but it did get me musing on the journey to work today ... As Christians:... continue reading
