Why don't we disciple?

Six years ago, in Christianity Today magazine, John Stott was asked for his assessment of the growth of the evangelical church. This was his reply:

The answer is “growth without depth.” None of us wants to dispute the extraordinary growth of the church. But it has been largely numerical and statistical growth. And there has not been sufficient growth in discipleship that is comparable to the growth in numbers.

Although our growth is wide, wide as the ocean, it’s about as deep as a puddle. Why is that? What is going wrong? Over the next five weeks, I’m going to suggest five reasons we don’t disciple – or at least disciple well.... continue reading

Fighting the Monday feeling

Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30: 4-5

A day to celebrate

Every now and then I find myself needing to know what day it is.

I can generally cope with the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday thing. I mastered the days of the week - to a greater or lesser extent - some time ago. But I yearn to discover what animal, vegetable or other obscure aspect of life on earth is being celebrated somewhere in the world. And my search engine of choice rarely leaves me wanting!

My favourite days include: National Pig Day in March (to celebrate all things trottered); National Ice-Cream Day in July (make mine pistachio please), National Carrot Day (though sadly there seems to be some controversy over the exact timing of this exciting opportunity to focus on the fact that the average person consumes in the region of 10,866 carrots in their lifetime) and National Hug Day (which conveniently coincides with my birthday). You may like to know that tomorrow is Cherry Popsicle day. I hope you'll plan to celebrate in style!

But while there is some merit in setting aside a special day to focus with thankfulness on one aspect of God's world - and a certain amusement factor about openly rejoicing in the obscure and the mundane - it occurs to me there are some things for which one day of celebration is simply not enough:... continue reading

10 things to say to a grieving Christian

“I don’t know what to say…” came the plaintive text. A friend, who had known me for years, who loves me dearly and who genuinely wanted to help was stumped. In the face on my grief they found themselves strangely inert. Desperate to say the right thing. Terrified of saying something wrong. And they weren’t alone.

It can feel profoundly difficult to know what to say to someone who has lost a close family member or friend. Partly because there are no hard and fast rules about what will actually help. But saying something is important. And the reality is, what we say doesn’t need to profound, it just needs to be true and kind!

I’m no expert on grief, just someone who’s had quite a bit of practice at being bereaved this year, but here are 10 phrases that might well be of use if you find yourself struggling for words – my suggestion would be to just pick a couple that you can say naturally and go for it:... continue reading

What's God's plan for the local church?

In this Bible overview Christopher Ash shows how the local Church is at the centre of God's plan for remaking this broken world.

His aim is for Christians to refresh their passion for their local church and to see how God works through bringing His people together.

Use the code rabw at the checkout to get 30% off.

Offer expires 31/08/12.

Christianity in the News

Report Highlights Consistent Pattern of Hostility Toward Christians in US

Atheists' road signs attack faiths of Romney, Obama ahead of Democratic convention

Pakistani girl accused of Qur'an burning could face death penalty

Canadian 'punching' preacher banned from UK

Science and the roots of faith

Jeff Foxworthy returns to game-show hosting with GSN’s ‘American Bible Challenge’ starting August 23

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The Son of David?

When Jesus was born, as "the son of Abraham, the son of David" (Matthew 1 v 1), how many other people in Israel were descended from Abraham, and from King David?

Really interesting article on the BBC website, by a guy with considerably more mathematical skills than me. His (very convincing) answer: everyone!

There were, according to Matthew, 28 generations between David and Jesus (1 v 17); and it appears that by that stage, King David would have almost certainly been an ancestor to everyone who lived in Israel (and a lot of people who didn't), simply because the number of our ancestors doubles with each preceding generation. We have two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, so by the 28th generation there are 265,977,856 (assuming no "inter-breeding"). Since there were only around 1 million people in Jesus' time in Israel, there's a very high chance that David (and, therefore, Abraham) was the ancestor of all of them.... continue reading

The dating game

I read an article last week about the difficulties of finding a fellow believer to date and/or marry. Perhaps some of these quotes sound familiar:

• It is not just convenience that drives him to seek someone with similar beliefs. It is also a question of ethics.
• The numbers ought to favour men, as __________ women outnumber them by about three to one. But in practice it doesn't work out like that, he says. __________ women, it seems, are more willing to tolerate a non-_________ partner.
• Of course, there are men, too, who are prepared to be flexible – or maybe have little choice. G became a ___________ at the age of 12, while growing up in the north of Scotland, where there was not much hope of going out with a ____________ girl. “They are hard to come by in Aberdeen," he says.
• M accepts his girlfriend's diet. "There are relationships in which, though the people are completely different, they support each other's beliefs – and it works," he says.
• Although M is not going to change his beliefs, with the passage of time he sees that he may need to date a non-____________ if he is to find his life partner. "I would definitely prefer to go out with a ____________ but you cannot choose who you fall in love with."