Do you get involved in issues or problems that matter to you as a Christian? Or, if you're honest, are you more normally like the priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10 v 25-37)? To put it another way—what actually is it that we fear as individuals and as Christians? Are we worried what others will think of us, do we worry what standing up or standing out might cost us, or do we fear that the Lord might not actually love us? These fears will sap our courage and becalm our lives.
And fear and courage were the themes of this year's Bristol Men's Convention. Led and focused by some brilliant talks from Mike Reeves and Rupert Bentley-Taylor, and backed up with Henry Olonga's testimony of standing up for what he believed in as a practical illustration of faith-fuelled courage, this was a day of great reassurance and encouragement.
So, why shouldn't we fear?... continue reading
1. Like a Pub Landlord
Dan Green summarises an article by Paul Levy. "There are lots of similarities between running a local pub and being a minister."
2. The best leader of a church service I have ever met
A helpful article for anyone who leads church services.
3. 8 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Seminary
Some advice from Matt Damico for anyone considering or already in seminary.
4. How to Disciple Your Worship Ministry
A list of intentional actions to disciple worship ministries.
5. And finally…
Our video of the week, the 'Women of Faith 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
The numbers are rising by 20,000 a year. 3 million children in Britain are growing up without a father at home. In some communities, well over 50% of the households are headed by lone parents.
Of course, a good number of the lone parents in question are loving, hard-working and in many ways being outstanding role-models for their children. But growing up in a Dad-free zone has its consequences. Father-less childhoods all too often lead to social deprivation, discipline-issues or emotional struggles.... continue reading
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Matthew 6:25-27
Two medical news items caught my eye this morning. The first warns us that by the year 2020 nearly half of us can expect to develop cancer at some point. That’s a scary statistic. But I’m sure you know people who have survived cancer and returned to good health – I certainly do – and the quality of treatment improves all the time. One of the factors in this growing survival rate is catching the disease as early as possible, which gives any treatment the maximum chance to work. So that’s one focus of research – developing tests that will accurately diagnose cancer and catch it as early as possible. Early tests = maximum chance of preserving life.... continue reading
Gay marriage bill: Peers back government plans
Church of England gives up fight against gay marriage
Atheists challenge churches' free parking permits
Bible outpaces Fifty Shades of Grey to become surprise hit in Norway
Church of England leaders propose female bishops by 2015
Campaign aims to make faith schools open to all
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.
I'm trying something different at my homegroup this week.
As we're starting looking at the book of James, we're going to read the whole thing in one as a starter to the series. I'll ask individuals or pairs (if enough turn up!) to focus their minds particularly on a specific chapter. But from everyone at the end of reading right through it, I'll ask them two questions:
We'll then think a bit about the context, author and first readers of the letter by looking at the opening few verses and the closing verses.... continue reading
1. New eBook: Piper Celebrates the Influence of Lewis
A free e-book by John Piper about C.S. Lewis.
2. TGC Worship
A new blog from The Gospel Coalition, TGC Worship.
3. Bibles Open
A helpful article for preachers. When you preach, how long do Bibles stay open?
4. Reading Profitably
Joe Thorn shares some words from Henry Scudder.
5. I Was a Pragmatist
An interesting article from one of our authors, Jeramie Rinne.
6. And finally…
Our video of the week, the Questions Christians Ask 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 still remember the moment when I first walked down into the Norrington Room of Blackwell's bookstore in Oxford. It would have been the mid 90s, when I was a teenager. The experience brought home to me, more forcefully than any statistic, that I would go to my grave having read only a tiny proportion of the world's books. The Norrington Room was at one time (and it may still be) the largest single room selling books anywhere in the world. It has more than three miles of shelving in an open plan layout that leaves you gasping, overwhelmed by the vast quantity of book spines - each spine representing months or years of labor by someone passionate about their subject.
With so many books filling up not just the Norrington Room but our global shelf-space, and only a limited number of years to do our reading, it seems fair to require every new book to have a solid rationale for its existence. You could call this the Norrington Room Test. So, with that in mind, how would I defend the publication this year of my Bible overview, "The Book of the Covenant," especially given the large number of Bible overviews already available?... continue reading
Dear Bishops with seats in the House of Lords,
Today is the vote in the Lords on the redefinition of marriage. There’s pressure on you not to attend, and not to vote against it if you do. People are making the point that if you stand against this measure, there may be moves to deprive the bishops of your seats in the Lords. You’ve been made well aware that by convention only two of you vote on any one measure. And some of you, of course, don’t want to oppose taking marriage out of its biblical context and definition anyway.... continue reading
