In each issue of Engage, a section called Toolbox gives readers tips, tools and advice for wrestling with the Bible. In issue 18, we ask: who should we copy?
Follow the leader?
When learning to drive, it’s natural to watch other drivers and copy them. But many experienced drivers don’t drive as you’re meant to in the driving test. There are some habits you should copy and some you shouldn’t.
Sometimes we should follow the example of people in the Bible. But not always! For example...
Still buzzing from a great day at the Growing Young Disciples conference in central London. I especially enjoyed running a workshop on Making Crafts Work for those who run childrens' groups and Sunday Schools. Here's a few key points that I became more convinced of during my preparation:
Crafts have to work practicallyThe need to be:
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
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?
My first Advent calendar was in a shoebox. Numbered doors round the outside walls, flaps tucked back in to reuse it each year. But the exciting bit was inside. A 3D tableau of the nativity scene. A window at one end looking in to the box. And masses of stars cut in the lid, their light shining down on the scene inside. It was magical. I loved it. The nativity at the centre. But it told me nothing at all about the real Christmas.
Modern-day Advent calendars are exciting too. They’re centred on something beginning with “Ch” – not Christ but chocolate. Most don’t mention Christmas – they’re about Barbie, Transformers or a favourite Disney character. So is this a rant about the commercialisation of Christmas? No. But hopefully a gentle nudge to reclaim Advent for Christ.... continue reading
One of the most depressing truths about suffering from CCS is that it stops us loving others.
The Bible is full of warning stories which are essentially examples of CCS run riot. Take the historical story of Joseph and his brothers, for instance. Joseph’s father, Jacob (also called Israel), “loved Joseph more than any of his [eleven] other sons” (Genesis 37 v 3). And to show this, he gave Joseph, and only Joseph, “an ornate robe”.
How did his brothers respond? When they “saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him” (v 4). They compared themselves with Joseph on the basis of their father’s love, came off worse, and were filled with envious hatred.
How did Joseph respond? He shared his dreams with them: “We were binding sheaves of corn out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered round mine and bowed down to it” (v 7).
Why did Joseph choose to share his dream in which he ruled his older brothers? Maybe he was simply young and naĂŻve. But probably he wanted them to know that, compared to them, he was greater, more successful, and headed for more significance than them. While his brothers show the symptoms of looking-up comparison, he displays the symptoms of looking-down comparison.... continue reading
The way we spot the existence of CCS in us is via the signs—the feelings—it produces.
When you compare yourself with someone and they come off better than you, how do you feel?
And when you compare yourself with someone and come off better than them, what feelings does that produce?
When we compare ourselves with others, we’ll either “lose” or “win”. If we lose, we’ll find ourselves doing a “looking-up comparison”. We might think: “Her children are so much better behaved than mine” or: “She’s so much more confident than me” or: “I wish I had her house”.... continue reading
One place it happens to me is in a shopping centre. When another woman around the same age as me passes by, I give them a quick up-and-down scan. It’s just a two-second appraisal. And as I look at them, I see that they’re doing the same thing with me—a quick sideways glance.
What are we doing? We’re comparing ourselves with each other. How does my figure match up with hers? Does she look more or less stylish/cool/effortless than me? Do I look as good as her without having spent the money she clearly has? On all these measuring scales, do I win, compared to her? Or lose?... continue reading
The word "catechism" may conjure up for you images of a world gone by, with musty prayer books and children repeating answers to questions couched in ancient language.
Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and The Gospel Coalition have just released a modern catechism on iPad that could change the way we think about this.
New City Catechism aims to help adults and children memorise a 52-point exposition of the Gospel. One for each week of the year. The app encourages adults to learn a full version of the answers, and there is a shorter question and answer that is suitable for children to learn, which uses a subset of the words in the adult version. This makes it easier for children to "upgrade" to the adult version at the appropriate moment.
The catechism was written by Tim Keller and Sam Shammas at Redeemer, but contains a wealth of supporting material to the basic question and answer, including: a Bible verse; a prayer; an extended quotation on the theme of the question from one of the great theologians of the past; and video comment from a contemporary pastor, including Don Carson, Mark Dever and John Piper. You can download a PDF of the full catechism here.
This is a superbly thought out app, with a wealth of riches to be enjoyed as an adult, and a very worthwhile exercise to build into family life. If you've got an iPad, download it for free at the Apple app store. If you haven't got an iPad - this may be a worthwhile reason for buying one!
