“I want my children to experience another culture”. “As a family, we think it’s important to see the great wonders of our planet – the barrier reef, the Grand Canyon, the pyramids…”. “I want a full life, a fun life, and that means grabbing every opportunity with both hands”. “I’ve made my bucket-list and I’m not going to quit until every item is ticked off”.
Human beings in the West love trying something fresh. Positive new experience is actively sought. And why not?... continue reading
I love talking to certain old saints. They overflow with wisdom and experience. And so often have a gentle manner that combines godly patience with the willingness to remind me that, despite being in my 40s, I am still a young whippersnapper with much to learn about the Kingdom of God.
I think the thing I love most about chatting to people who have been walking with the Lord for many decades is the fact that so many of them call Scripture to mind with ease. A significant proportion of them grew up in an environment where memorising verses of the Bible was seen as part of the normal weekly routine. A phenomenon that is often missing in congregations today.... continue reading
What are you like when you get to church? Stressed? Excited? Tired? I’m usually glowing. I cycle to church, and have the brightest, most fluorescent, deeply reflective jacket you can imagine. The first time I wore it, my pastor told everyone my holiness was glowing! But this week that was a problem. They’ve been digging up the cycle path under the railway. Mud, soot and oil everywhere. I knew I’d arrive at church filthy. And all the more obvious because of my glowing jacket.
So I tried to cover it up. I wore an old black ski jacket instead. Surely that would do the trick. But I hadn’t reckoned on just how churned up that cycle path had become. Even black can’t disguise much when you’re covered in thick, sticky sludge. Even my hair was muddy. I slunk in at the back, feeling ashamed – but telling myself at least I was at a church where they’d welcome me anyway, no matter how filthy I was.... continue reading
We know the theory. The local church is designed to be a loving community where people of all ages get to know God better. At their best congregations are places where old and young alike spur one another on in their Christian life. But all too often congregational life looks very different with children hidden away in a hall, young people meeting at a completely different time and, other than in families, very little meaningful contact takes place.
At the Bible-centred youthworker conference in January, Dave Thornton gave his 10 top tips for integrating under 18s into the life of the church. And here they are:... continue reading
If you were to die today what would you wish you’d done differently? Would there be things you’d want to put right? Would there be ambitions left unfulfilled? Tasks undone – or not done as well as you’d like?
It’s a fascinating question. And one that has captured my imagination since reading an article in the Guardian this week: Top five regrets of the dying.
In the article, the most common regrets were:
A list that, I suggest, it would be hard for any Bible-believing Christian to articulate.... continue reading
Have you ever let your hair get much dirtier than you should? (Don’t worry, this isn’t a personal-hygiene homily!) On Monday my hair really needed washing – but I reckoned I could get away with it, so I didn’t bother. On Tuesday, it really, really needed a wash – but I ran out of time. So on Wednesday, it really, really, really needed washing – but…
Yuck. But it got me thinking.
On Monday, I was probably the only person who knew there was a problem. The slight itch of my scalp and lankness to my hair. On Tuesday, my scalp itched quite a bit more and the hair was greasy. But I knew only a couple of observant women (and none of the men!) would notice. Even by Wednesday, I’m confident many people didn’t spot a thing. But I knew. I could feel the constant itch.... continue reading
At the Bible Centred Youthwork Conference this week some of the delegates made a likeness of The Good Book Company Managing Director, Tim Thornborough.
Any captions? We'd love to hear your ideas!
On January 18th 1779, Peter Mark Roget - compiler of Roget's thesaurus - was born. He's a minor hero of mine. I like words. I like long words. And, personally, I don't think we use the phrase "systematic floccinaucinihilipilification" anywhere near enough.
You may have heard people talk about the “big but’s” of the Bible; for example: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. BUT now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” Colossians 1 v 21-22. But I’ve been thinking about the “yet’s” of the Bible.
I know many people who have had a hard time during the autumn, including illness, bereavement, church issues… Others are facing a difficult start to 2013. And some of us are experiencing both. Which is what got me thinking about biblical “yet’s”. Here are a couple to mull over:
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will YET praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Psalm 42 v 5... continue reading
It's nice to know they care. Far from being a faceless corporation, it seems they are interested in our lives. Have you noticed it on your social media screen? It's been a recent change. Facebook is now asking us the question, "How are you doing?"
As a prompt to get us to update our statuses it's not a bad one. Sometimes I rise to the bait and answer their enquiry with a quip or short retelling of some ridiculous incident from my life ("I'm fine, thanks - but the cat sat on a candle and ignited her tail" ... sadly, a true story). But I'm going to go out on a limb here ... I don't think they really care how I'm doing at all. I reckon I could pour out the deepest pain in my heart and the corporation that is Facebook wouldn't step in and help. They may be asking the question but they wont come to visit me if I'm sick; they wont do my shopping if I'm housebound; they wont pray with my if I'm in despair and they certainly wont give me a lift to church. Some of my friends might ... actually, I'm sure they would. But Facebook itself ... probably not.... continue reading
