Christmas is a time for giving presents – and a season that links directly to God’s rescue plan in sending Jesus. So surely the obvious present to give a child is a Bible? Yes! And No!
Yes, it’s always wonderful for children to have God’s living Word in a version they can enjoy and understand. But sadly many such Bibles stay on the shelf, unread. And others may get read – but be less than faithful to the full text of Scripture. So, how do you choose a good Bible to give away? Here are a couple of pointers – plus a link to a full article with some further help in making your choice.... continue reading
We’re hearing a lot of pretty strong claims made about the whole women-bishop-debate in the Church of England.
The secular media reports, and the comments from the bishops, are overwhelmingly annoyed that the measure to admit women to the episcopate failed—unsurprisingly, since both the media and the bishops were strongly in favour. Views of those who oppose women bishops tend to be buried right at the bottom of articles—this a pretty representative one. To read the articles and the weight given to the two side’s views, you could quite easily forget that over a third of the “normal” members of the CofE’s General Synod opposed the measure.... continue reading
It's scarily close. That season when many who are sympathetic to Christianity (but rarely give God a second thought) make their annual visit to church. And if you're speaking at a Christmas event, the chances are you're starting to at least mull the content of your talk and pray that the lost will be reached. But how do you preach evangelistically?
The Evangelists' Conference last month tackled just that question. To fuel your prep, why not click here and listen to some immensely useful talks from John Woodhouse?
After yesterday's suggestions on how to get it wrong - here are a few suggestions on how to get it right! Let's take our lead from the message the angels gave to the shepherds:
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2 v 10
1. It's Good News…
People will be scurrying around and fretting to get everything done - you may be one of them. But let's keep Jesus at the centre of what it is all about. How about:
These are all things that I find it very easy to do each December, regret in January, and then repeat the next Christmastime…
1. Be more excited about presents than Jesus. It’s great to think more about what we give to others than what we receive from them. But ultimately, Christmas isn’t about us giving, it’s about us receiving—receiving the precious gift of the Lord Jesus. All of which we know. But all of which we find easy to forget in our excitement at Christmastime.
2. Leave the Carol and Christmas morning services straight away. You may have family and mulled wine and turkey to go back home for. Chances are, there’s someone sitting in those services who doesn’t—who has only an empty home to return to. Why not plan to stick around for twenty minutes after the services, to be a friend to anyone who has nothing to rush off for? Why not prepare some extra mulled wine or cook some extra turkey in preparation for meeting them?... continue reading
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1 v 3-7
Whatever you're facing right now, if you will trust in the Lord, He'll get you through. He will make you resilient in your weakness. The Lord s watching over you, holding on to you, preparing a place for you, taking you to your inheritance.
And amazingly, Peter says in verse 7 that when Jesus returns in glory, He will look at His people who have come through suffering and a say: "Your are beautiful". What a prospect!
You could have heard a pin drop, an hour had flown by unnoticed and we did not wish her to stop. The speaker was Helen Roseveare, former missionary in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. We were all on the edge of our seats - and it was the same each of the three times I have heard Helen speak.
Captured, and abused by a rebel soldier, in the Simba rebellion (1960-1964), Helen’s searing honesty and utter dependence on God in her darkest moments, gripped us then in her talks and has done so since in her books, of which Enough is her eighth currently in print.
As a boy, Helen was one of the first real-life missionaries I ever met: she seemed 6 feet tall, and I looked up to her in both senses! – and I, in my mind, put her on a pedestal. But, once again, in this her latest book, we benefit from her honesty, doubts, fears, perplexity and failures in life – as well as her experience of God’s forgiveness, leading and grace. As always, we can identify with Helen as a real person like us, and she applies Scripture perceptively, with helpful illustrations from her own long experience (she is now 87).
A gentle man of God; faithful preacher; author of engaging books such as A Fresh Start; evangelist with a passion for the lost; treasured family member and friend. Just a few of the ways in which John Chapman will be remembered.
Chapman or Chappo, as he was affectionately known, died earlier today in Sydney at the age of 82 having been in hospital since the end of October. Archbishop Peter Jensen paid tribute to his longtime friend and colleague and was quoted on the Sydney Anglican's website as saying:
"Chappo represented the very essence of what our diocese has always stood for and continues to stand for. A strong affirmation of the authority of the bible, the importance of preaching and an approach to evangelism which made it central while at the same time respecting the intelligence and integrity of the listeners. He was a man of faith like Joshua of old, and he lived out his faith with clear godliness of life"
In the grace of God, his ministry has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many. His legacy - not least through his writing - will no doubt continue to bear fruit for the gospel for many years to come.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15)
So how do we tackle our own laziness and send it packing?
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
(Proverbs 6 v 6-9)
Ever watched an ant at work? To make an ant-hill, each little piece of soil has to be carried by an ant to the top of the mound. That’s a huge number of trips up and down. And even though the ant has no boss keeping an eye on it, it doesn’t stop until the work is finished. God wants us to use our time wisely. That means working hard. It means doing stuff for other people, not just pleasing ourselves.... continue reading
