In our Year of opportunity as a Church, I’ve called this talk, ‘Opportunity to rest,’ this is from the NT book of Hebrews, chapter 4. It says.. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you fail to experience it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not add faith to hearing it. But we who believe do enter that rest. (For) God rested on the seventh day from all His works… “Today, if you hear his voice,(are we listening) do not harden your hearts.” So… there remains a rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort – to enter that rest… (PRAY) I read this week about a trip to the supermarket that ended with a high speed chase, a frantic call to the police, a border […]
What To Say At A Funeral?
I have been invited by my friend J.John to contribute to a few books, one of the new ones will be a collection of funeral talks. I include my submission below. I have done so many hundreds of funerals but it’s always a great privilege. I offer the below to anyone who finds themselves in the position of doing a eulogy but more particularly Ministers of Religion leading services. Names and details etc have been changed. Notes – I am delighted to be asked to provide a talk in this collection. I believe that the opportunity to present the love, truth and hope of Christ at funerals is so great, and so often so greatly missed. Jesus must weep again at the graves of his friends as horror stories abound of Vicars forgetting the deceased person’s name etc. Not good enough! To be asked to speak at a funeral is one of the greatest privileges of ministry or indeed life. It deserves our prayerful hard work, full attention and every skill of pastoral ministry we can muster. My old Vicar […]
James White – The Christian Mind (iDisciple conference WCAUK)
There are few Christian warriors of the mind these days. Most retreat into personal piety or good works. We follow someone who died at 33. Don’t live a life that doesn’t offend people, if we don’t live as if we don’t care if we die, we will be impotent.
Building Life Changing Churches – Gordon MacDonald at WCAUK iDisciple
He was invited to speak at West Point. Saw that it was a place to train and qualify top people to go anywhere in the world and immediately get the job done, whatever the job is. How do you train people like that? Do we show any interest in developing leaders? Not just the ‘anyone can come’ one. A West Point for church? The number 1 job for a Pastor = training the bext generation of leaders. It’s more important than preaching. Heschel – We don’t need text-books but text-people. Titus 2:1-8 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s […]
Gordon MacDonald – Life Changing Churches. #iDisciple #WCAUK.
We really believe that we head up societies of people which have the power to change lives. Rufus Jones (Quaker) – in Friend Of Life ‘The greatest miracle we know in our world is the way a person who has failed, like the rest of us – suddenly becomes a saint – and therefore a transmitter.’ Does my church have the capacity to create saints? Are we committed to producing saints? Am I one? People grow by imitation! Col 1:27 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians is core discipleship teaching. Mature here = telios (perfect!) If Paul had a business card what would he put on it? Evangelist? No – ‘Perfect Disciple Member.’ When you approach people, hold a crown just above their head so they can grow into it. That’s what Paul did. Question to ask ; How does this help people mature? Col 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, […]
How To Write A Worship Song
I stopped doing music at school after Mull of Kintyre on the recorder, but I’ve been in church long enough to know this video is TRUE (and funny).
James Galloway – A church full of Armour Bearers
Gen 1 Gods word brings creativity and vision – then in John 1 we see his word made flesh! And he makes a promise – ‘I will build my church’ So why is the average church in Britain in retreat ? Gen 3 – we have to cultivate the ground. The standard way of building church – gather a few people around a vision. Then a vision statement. Then they cross their fingers and hope the church gets it . The future of this church is not in the hands of the leaders so much as the lead. 1 Sam 14 Jonathan steps out from the rest of the people who are under the pomegranate tree and sets out on an adventure with an adventure Answer? I’m with you heart and soul The 2 of them set out and got a victory But the 600 with them were watching And eventually joined in. Saul eventually said ‘forget the ephod let’s get into it.’ 600 immobilised warriors got out from the shade abd engaged in the mission. They were looking for […]
J. John puts down Darwin the dog (humanely)
I met with my friend @canonjjohn this week and was interviewed by him on my life story for UCB TV. The guy is a force of nature! Always a great encouragement. I subscribe to regular updates in my email from him (available free from the Philo trust) and was amused, informed and challenged by this one that arrived today – New Year, New Atheism, New Challenges 12 Jan 2013 It’s rather a scary thought that we are already over one eighth of the way through the twenty-first century. And even though year seems to follow year at an increasingly rapid rate, our culture changes even more speedily. One feature of the last decade that shows no sign of going away has been the rise of the ‘New Atheism’. It’s easy to dismiss the New Atheism as no more than a warmed-up version of old-fashioned humanism and in terms of substance there is little new. What is truly novel and troubling is the movement’s aggressive and bitter hostility to religious faith in general and Christianity in particular. A fascinating revelation […]
“I will never let what I can’t do get in the way of what I CAN do.’
Totally amazed and inspired by the example of Cpl Todd Love. The triple amputee recently completed a five hour 10.5m endurance race ‘The Beast.’ He wrestles alligators, skydives, skis and surfs. He’s also learned to play the piano as part of his rehab. What’s your excuse?
2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 25,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 6 Film Festivals Click here to see the complete report.