Tag: Church Growth

Michael Ramsden: Knowing and trusting the character of God.

Michael Ramsden. Evangelists Conference. He was converted as a child, while living in Cyprus. Knew he would have to give up everything for Christ. He loved the Bible immediately. They asked at the first Bibel study, ‘If God could give you one thing what would you want?’ His reply: “I would want to be an evangelist.” Always knew that’s what he was called and appointed to. But there can be a performance mentality, and being judged by numbers. Retreated from that – a turning point came when he was preaching in South Africa, and at a golf club a business man had arranged an evening meal. Hoping for 60 people to come – 137 came. There were more non Christians than Christians. Afrikaans high class business types. Someone came up to him and told him the meeting was a mistake, they would not be receptive. And that experience happened when there was complete silence to all his points, and his heart was sinking! Cold sweat! But then at the end he gave an invitation. Then cards were offered for a […]

Wrong about everything

Sometimes I read a book or hear a talk that makes me think just about everything else I’ve ever read or heard about it is wrong. If the subject is something trivial like, say, what’s the best car on the market, or how to bake a souffle – who cares. But when the book is about what you have devoted the greatest part of your adult life to, and which you intend to devote the rest of your life to, that’s either infuriating, exciting, terrifying or shattering. Or all of the above. Yesterday I read a book that nearly did that, I read it in one sitting: Gary Bishop’s book Darkest England and the way back in is phenomenal and very challenging, but left me with some, “Yes but hows” personally. I cried a couple of times reading it, was challenged by the terrible injustices of a nation like Britain where the poor are desperate to hear the gospel but hardly anyone goes with it, while we encourage consumerist Christianity that has a form of religion but denies its power. […]