Among my friends, it tends to be a toss-up: chocolate, alcohol or social media. They’re the three things that do the most noticeable damage to their waistlines or their ability to progress through their to-do lists and Lent is an ideal time to give them a break. Sometimes there are benefits: increased health, a few extra pounds in the wallet and a shift of emphasis from Candy Crush to quality time with elderly relatives, temporarily at least … Come the end of April they are usually back to multiple nibbles and the latest addictive game.... continue reading
Lent is nearly upon us and my preparations are going well. The batter (shop bought to avoid the colossal lumps of previous years) is in the fridge - my lemon and sugar are at the ready. And, because I like slightly savoury pancakes too, the bacon, maple syrup and strawberries have been purchased as well (really, try it, I was skeptical at first but it’s a great combination!). I love the food of Shrove Tuesday. I enjoy my feeble attempts that unfailingly result in mangled pancake adorning my kitchen floor. I even quite enjoy laughing at the smoke that billows around the rest of my home in the wake of overheated oil…
But no matter how much I enjoy them, pancakes provide nothing of lasting value. Some giggles, a few moments of culinary delight, a minor elevation in cholesterol levels and a large pile of sticky washing up is hardly a recipe for overwhelming edification. In order to prepare for a meaningful Easter, my passion needs to be focused elsewhere.... continue reading
“The most helpful thing anyone’s told me about evangelism is…”
How would you complete that sentence? I’ve been a Christian for almost fourteen years, and when it comes to evangelism I’ve felt in turns fired-up, complacent, defeated, useless, proud, guilty and privileged. I’ve read books, I’ve heard sermons, I’ve been to training days, I’ve drunk in new techniques. And in all that time, the most helpful, liberating and motivating thing anyone’s told me about evangelism is…... continue reading
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-10
The blogosphere (or at least the Christian bit of it) has lit up this week in response to Steve Chalke's latest pronouncement, this time on his view that the Bible contains mistakes and that sometimes when God is recorded as speaking, he in fact was being misheard.
This blog ends up with the serious matter of Steve Chalke and what the Bible actually is, but begins with the considerable hilarity around the office as several of us have taken an online test to see whether our actual beliefs match up to the policies of any particular political party.The results have been interesting.
Poll: Christianity under attack, losing culture war
U.S. Christianity growing, changing through immigration
Indonesia’s religious freedom ‘in peril’
South Australian missionary John Short, detained in North Korea, has son in the Army
Church of England launch app to encourage stressed commuters to pray
Disclaimer: The Good Book Company is not responsible for the content of external sites and does not necessarily agree with the content of articles listed.
Shock. Fear. Anger. Denial. Devastation. Panic. Emptiness.
Powerful words. Strong emotions. But that can be what happens when someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness. That moment when we learn a cancer or degenerative disease has passed the point of no return has to be one of the scariest moments any human can experience.
We know mortality will catch up with us one day. Unless Jesus returns within the next few decades, there is no getting away from the fact we will die. But most of us want to assume that day is a long time in the future. When the doctor gives us – or someone we love – the news that there are only months left, we can feel as if everything has been ripped apart. Our plans, our dreams, our relationships, our very beings torn in two.... continue reading
We all think about things we want from time to time - that car, that house, that holiday or new iPad air - but I imagine all of us know a brother or sister in Christ who goes beyond the occasional musing, an individual who is driven by the accumulation of wealth. Even in the most faithful churches, where the Bible is taught carefully week by week, people can still find themselves being sucked into the world’’s way of thinking – lots is good, more must be better.
Greed is a dangerous path to tread. No-one can serve both God and money as Matthew 6:24 reminds us. So how can we gently encourage our fellow-believers who struggle in this area to come back to whole-hearted worship of their loving King? Here, continuing our Wednesday afternoon pastoral series, are our tips:... continue reading
This week sees the launch of our exciting new product, The Third Day - a graphic realisation of Luke 22-24.
Today, we bring you a glimpse of the behind the scenes process with a look at some of the character development sketches ... Enjoy!
When was the last time you were surprised by the Bible? I've just had an email from a seven-year-old who uses XTB Bible-reading notes for children. He says:
"Thank you for making XTB I really like it. I was really surprised when Solomon turned away from God!"
That got me thinking: Do I need to read the Bible (in some ways, at least) with the eyes of a child?
1. Do I know Bible stories so well they don't surprise me any more?... continue reading
