Keller on Q and A's after services
Heroes and Villains Lecrae's TED talk
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Bits and bobs
1. Interesting piece in the Guardian about the Conservatives doing God again.
2. A review of 'Why vote leave' which new Tory cabinet ministers will probably all have on their bedside tables.
3. May's mission
4. We had a great word at 'The Sanctuary' (our monthly prayer night) on 'Come to me all you who are burdened'. This post on 'The spirituality of vacation' is worth a read.
5. A week until a crowd of us head off to Focus
6. I am preaching on spiritual gifts in a series inspired by reading 'Jesus continued'. This quote is included in Sunday's message.
"Whatever you are good at, do it well for the glory of God- and do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God " (p. 129)
7. Ian Paul on Synod's shared conversations. This post 'Where the difference lies' also caught my eye quoting Ruth Gledhill suggesting that sexuality issues have at their root the role of Biblical authority.
8. I learnt yesterday about Pokemon go
9. This photo made me smile.
10. I chatted with a mum today about video games and a particular incident her child had faced relating to 'Grand theft auto'. Driscoll was asked recently 'Should a Christian play video games'. I have in the past found his three categories: Receive, Reject or Redeem quite helpful when thinking about cultural engagement.
2. A review of 'Why vote leave' which new Tory cabinet ministers will probably all have on their bedside tables.
3. May's mission
4. We had a great word at 'The Sanctuary' (our monthly prayer night) on 'Come to me all you who are burdened'. This post on 'The spirituality of vacation' is worth a read.
5. A week until a crowd of us head off to Focus
6. I am preaching on spiritual gifts in a series inspired by reading 'Jesus continued'. This quote is included in Sunday's message.
"Whatever you are good at, do it well for the glory of God- and do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God " (p. 129)
7. Ian Paul on Synod's shared conversations. This post 'Where the difference lies' also caught my eye quoting Ruth Gledhill suggesting that sexuality issues have at their root the role of Biblical authority.
8. I learnt yesterday about Pokemon go
9. This photo made me smile.
10. I chatted with a mum today about video games and a particular incident her child had faced relating to 'Grand theft auto'. Driscoll was asked recently 'Should a Christian play video games'. I have in the past found his three categories: Receive, Reject or Redeem quite helpful when thinking about cultural engagement.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Disciples
I sometimes dose through sermons that I put on in the very early morning. This morning, I was dosing through 'The Glory of God as the ground of the minds certainty and the goal of the Soul's satisfaction' ( now that title positively trips of the tongue) and one statement shook me into being fully awake.
This was it:
'If you don't want God more than anything else- you're not a Christian'
This is a deep and long talk but is worth 1 hr 7 mins and I have been mulling on that one sentence all day since I heard it. Mulling and praying.
I have also been considering what it means to be 'a disciple' and have spent some time asking how we, as a church, are doing on our desire to be a people who 'make disciples'. I came across this talk by a chap called Ron Edmondson who gave these eight marks of a disciple he got from a book called 'Growing up':
1. Bible engagement
2. Obeying God and denying self
3. Serve God and others
4. Sharing Christ
5. Exercising faith
6. Seeking God
7. Building relationships
8. Unashamed transparency.
It was the last one 'unashamed transparency' that jumped out at me and I rather like it as a marker of discipleship.
We are planning to go from one to two services in the morning from September and have a great logo to communicate as much. I do know we may need more than a logo i.e plenty of prayer needed over the summer and we've also planned a preaching series entitled 'Invited'.
Indeed, you are, and bring friends.....
This was it:
'If you don't want God more than anything else- you're not a Christian'
This is a deep and long talk but is worth 1 hr 7 mins and I have been mulling on that one sentence all day since I heard it. Mulling and praying.
I have also been considering what it means to be 'a disciple' and have spent some time asking how we, as a church, are doing on our desire to be a people who 'make disciples'. I came across this talk by a chap called Ron Edmondson who gave these eight marks of a disciple he got from a book called 'Growing up':
1. Bible engagement
2. Obeying God and denying self
3. Serve God and others
4. Sharing Christ
5. Exercising faith
6. Seeking God
7. Building relationships
8. Unashamed transparency.
It was the last one 'unashamed transparency' that jumped out at me and I rather like it as a marker of discipleship.
We are planning to go from one to two services in the morning from September and have a great logo to communicate as much. I do know we may need more than a logo i.e plenty of prayer needed over the summer and we've also planned a preaching series entitled 'Invited'.
Indeed, you are, and bring friends.....
Disciples
I sometimes dose through sermons that I put on in the very early morning. This morning, I was dosing through 'The Glory of God as the ground of the minds certainty and the goal of the Soul's satisfaction' ( now that title positively trips of the tongue) and one statement shook me into being fully awake.
This was it:
'If you don't want God more than anything else- you're not a Christian'
This is a deep and long talk but is worth 1 hr 7 mins and I have been mulling on that one sentence all day since I heard it. Mulling and praying.
I have also been considering what it means to be 'a disciple' and have spent some time asking how we, as a church, are doing on our desire to be a people who 'make disciples'. I came across this talk by a chap called Ron Edmondson who gave these eight marks of a disciple he got from a book called 'Growing up':
1. Bible engagement
2. Obeying God and denying self
3. Serve God and others
4. Sharing Christ
5. Exercising faith
6. Seeking God
7. Building relationships
8. Unashamed transparency.
It was the last one 'unashamed transparency' that jumped out at me and I rather like it as a marker of discipleship.
We are planning to go from one to two services in the morning from September and have a great logo to communicate as much. Plenty of prayer needed over the summer and we've also planned a preaching series entitled 'Invited'.
Indeed you are and bring friends.....
This was it:
'If you don't want God more than anything else- you're not a Christian'
This is a deep and long talk but is worth 1 hr 7 mins and I have been mulling on that one sentence all day since I heard it. Mulling and praying.
I have also been considering what it means to be 'a disciple' and have spent some time asking how we, as a church, are doing on our desire to be a people who 'make disciples'. I came across this talk by a chap called Ron Edmondson who gave these eight marks of a disciple he got from a book called 'Growing up':
1. Bible engagement
2. Obeying God and denying self
3. Serve God and others
4. Sharing Christ
5. Exercising faith
6. Seeking God
7. Building relationships
8. Unashamed transparency.
It was the last one 'unashamed transparency' that jumped out at me and I rather like it as a marker of discipleship.
We are planning to go from one to two services in the morning from September and have a great logo to communicate as much. Plenty of prayer needed over the summer and we've also planned a preaching series entitled 'Invited'.
Indeed you are and bring friends.....
Monday, July 11, 2016
Monday musing
1. I haven't read the book but love the idea of 'Moving towards the mess'
2. Marriage takes constant work and I found this short post called 'The Silent Marriage Killer' a blessing. Last year Mrs C and I did 'The Marriage Course' which I would recommend to anyone wanting to put some good habits and foundations into a marriage.
3. In 'The Prayer Course' Pete Greig talks about '...praying the Bible'. I can commend 'A call to spiritual reformation' as a way to help you do that.
4. A while back I really enjoyed watching 'The History of Christianity'. MacCullough has a new book out called 'All things new'
5. Andrew Jones (TSK) sadly reports the death of his wife.
6. A mega-church pastor falls foul of the drink.
7. I was blessed by this little clip about praying in Jesus name and the power of his word.
2. Marriage takes constant work and I found this short post called 'The Silent Marriage Killer' a blessing. Last year Mrs C and I did 'The Marriage Course' which I would recommend to anyone wanting to put some good habits and foundations into a marriage.
3. In 'The Prayer Course' Pete Greig talks about '...praying the Bible'. I can commend 'A call to spiritual reformation' as a way to help you do that.
4. A while back I really enjoyed watching 'The History of Christianity'. MacCullough has a new book out called 'All things new'
5. Andrew Jones (TSK) sadly reports the death of his wife.
6. A mega-church pastor falls foul of the drink.
7. I was blessed by this little clip about praying in Jesus name and the power of his word.
Saturday, July 09, 2016
Thursday, July 07, 2016
An unseen revolution
Jonathan Martin, author of the book I am currently reading called 'How to survive a shipwreck' included this quote in his recent post 'Hey preacher'.
From Herbert McCabe’s Love, Law and Language: “The Christian minister is meant to be neither the pillar of an established quasi-feudal order, as conservative Christians are inclined to think, nor is he the democratic representative of a quasi-bourgeois society as the progressives seem to suggest; he is a revolutionary leader whose job is the subversion of the world through the preaching of the gospel. He exercises authority amongst his people not as maintaining an established structure; he is the leader of his people in a movement towards a new community. He is representative of his people not necessarily in the sense of being their elected spokesman; he may represent them in the way a revolutionary leader does, a way that is not obvious to them and only becomes clear when the revolution is achieved.”
From Herbert McCabe’s Love, Law and Language: “The Christian minister is meant to be neither the pillar of an established quasi-feudal order, as conservative Christians are inclined to think, nor is he the democratic representative of a quasi-bourgeois society as the progressives seem to suggest; he is a revolutionary leader whose job is the subversion of the world through the preaching of the gospel. He exercises authority amongst his people not as maintaining an established structure; he is the leader of his people in a movement towards a new community. He is representative of his people not necessarily in the sense of being their elected spokesman; he may represent them in the way a revolutionary leader does, a way that is not obvious to them and only becomes clear when the revolution is achieved.”
Tuesday, July 05, 2016
The little room
Rev Gary Jenkins in this post offered up a fascinating Churchill quote (source Robert Harris in the Sunday Times)
"Late one night in 1917, at the height of the First World War, Winston Churchill beckoned to a fellow Liberal MP to join him for a final look inside the deserted Commons chamber. Everyone else had gone home. “All was darkness,” wrote the MP in his diary. “We could dimly see the table, but walls and roof were invisible. ‘Look at it,’ he said. ‘This little place is what makes the difference between us and Germany. It is in virtue of this that we shall muddle through to success & for lack of this Germany’s brilliant efficiency leads her to final disaster. This little room is the shrine of the world’s liberties.’”
"Late one night in 1917, at the height of the First World War, Winston Churchill beckoned to a fellow Liberal MP to join him for a final look inside the deserted Commons chamber. Everyone else had gone home. “All was darkness,” wrote the MP in his diary. “We could dimly see the table, but walls and roof were invisible. ‘Look at it,’ he said. ‘This little place is what makes the difference between us and Germany. It is in virtue of this that we shall muddle through to success & for lack of this Germany’s brilliant efficiency leads her to final disaster. This little room is the shrine of the world’s liberties.’”
Monday, July 04, 2016
Monday musing
1. I was reminded yesterday by Will's sermon of grace He started a six-week series inspired by 'Jesus continued'.
2. The current UK leadership vacuum reminds us all of the need for some sort of plan. Michael Hyatt wrote a book called 'Living Forward' which we could have done with a bit of recently.
3. Eric Metaxas has a new book out. In this review, my interest peaked at the mention of a James K A Smith book called 'You are what you love: The spiritual power of habit' which has reviews packed with theological debate. I lingered a while reading them.
4. Interesting reflections on Ian Paul's blog about 'priestly ministry'.
5. I am still enjoying Jonathan Martin's 'How to survive a shipwreck' which I would recommend to anyone who wants to dig deep below your own surface waters.
6. I have rediscovered Piper talks in the early and sleep-interrupted hours and listened to this one called 'The bondage of the will'.
7. The BiOY has been such a blessing recently.
8. Andrea Leadsom was very composed until Marr caught her napping at the end with a blinding question about her tax returns.
9. Tim Challies mentions a few new and notable books.
10. Brexit and social divisions.
2. The current UK leadership vacuum reminds us all of the need for some sort of plan. Michael Hyatt wrote a book called 'Living Forward' which we could have done with a bit of recently.
3. Eric Metaxas has a new book out. In this review, my interest peaked at the mention of a James K A Smith book called 'You are what you love: The spiritual power of habit' which has reviews packed with theological debate. I lingered a while reading them.
4. Interesting reflections on Ian Paul's blog about 'priestly ministry'.
5. I am still enjoying Jonathan Martin's 'How to survive a shipwreck' which I would recommend to anyone who wants to dig deep below your own surface waters.
6. I have rediscovered Piper talks in the early and sleep-interrupted hours and listened to this one called 'The bondage of the will'.
7. The BiOY has been such a blessing recently.
8. Andrea Leadsom was very composed until Marr caught her napping at the end with a blinding question about her tax returns.
9. Tim Challies mentions a few new and notable books.
10. Brexit and social divisions.
Saturday, July 02, 2016
The King
'I have this picture in my head of being part of a village, once an enemy of the King. But the King conquered us and we knew he now controlled our fate. Fear overwhelmed us. But then a messenger brought news of the King. And the message was good news. He not only forgave us but promised us he would fight for us now and give us all we needed. We knew we deserved punishment but instead we receive grace and mercy. I keep that picture in my head all the time.'
These beautioful words of Matt Redmond spoke to my heart today @ Echoes and Stars
These beautioful words of Matt Redmond spoke to my heart today @ Echoes and Stars
Saturday blog-sweep
3 elements to your calling via Dash House
Brexit basics and an updated Basics 2
True leaders are teachable
The poor and Brexit
The Book of Jeremiah
Centenary of the Battle of the Somme
Why praying the prayer is not enough
Brexit, Hate Crime and Fear: What's the Christian response?
A history of the sinners prayer
The awkward love story of Trump and American evangelicals
The Conservative party at prayer
Brexit basics and an updated Basics 2
True leaders are teachable
The poor and Brexit
The Book of Jeremiah
Centenary of the Battle of the Somme
Why praying the prayer is not enough
Brexit, Hate Crime and Fear: What's the Christian response?
A history of the sinners prayer
The awkward love story of Trump and American evangelicals
The Conservative party at prayer
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Onwards and upwards
Apologies for the silence on the blog but I've been away on Men on Mountains. We climbed Hellvelllin and Red Pike which was fun and we missed all the pre-Brexit build-up.
I am happy to confirm - God is good, the gospel remains unchanged and the church is still very much the hope of the world.
Loved David Keen on 'And now the good news...'
Enjoyed this about slowing down over the summer
I never got around to watching this 'Brexit the Movie' which I probably should now we're out and the 'Yes minister' clip has been doing the rounds.
A good piece by Patrick Dixon on the post-Brexit outlook.
Johnson's article in yesterdays Telegraph and Owen Jones on 'Great changes ahead'. Also, an interesting piece by Yanis Varoufakis
Love the photo in this piece by Cranmer.
The BBC has a crack a predicting impact on everyone's money
The new book by Os Guinness caught my eye so did Zeal without burnout.
I enjoyed reading J D Greear's plumb lines and Trevin Wax's post entitled 'The counter-intuitive vision of Christian morality'
One of our Men on Mountains is now running All nations.
It's always my recommendation but worth saying again- a good response to just about everything is to pray....
'When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine'
Prayer, Tim Keller P. 171
I am happy to confirm - God is good, the gospel remains unchanged and the church is still very much the hope of the world.
Loved David Keen on 'And now the good news...'
Enjoyed this about slowing down over the summer
I never got around to watching this 'Brexit the Movie' which I probably should now we're out and the 'Yes minister' clip has been doing the rounds.
A good piece by Patrick Dixon on the post-Brexit outlook.
Johnson's article in yesterdays Telegraph and Owen Jones on 'Great changes ahead'. Also, an interesting piece by Yanis Varoufakis
Love the photo in this piece by Cranmer.
The BBC has a crack a predicting impact on everyone's money
The new book by Os Guinness caught my eye so did Zeal without burnout.
I enjoyed reading J D Greear's plumb lines and Trevin Wax's post entitled 'The counter-intuitive vision of Christian morality'
One of our Men on Mountains is now running All nations.
It's always my recommendation but worth saying again- a good response to just about everything is to pray....
'When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine'
Prayer, Tim Keller P. 171
Onwards and upwards
Apologies for the silence on the blog but I've been away on Men on Mountains. We climbed Hellvelllin and Red Pike which was fun and we missed all the pre-Brexit build-up.
I am happy to confirm - God is good, the gospel remains unchanged and the church is still very much the hope of the world.
Loved David Keen on 'And now the good news...'
Enjoyed this about slowing down over the summer
I never got around to watching this 'Brexit the Movie' which I probably should now we're out and the 'Yes minister' clip has been doing the rounds.
A good piece by Patrick Dixon on the post-Brexit outlook.
Johnson's article in yesterdays Telegraph and Owen Jones on 'Great changes ahead'. Also, an interesting piece by Yanis Varoufakis
Love the photo in this piece by Cranmer.
The BBC has a crack a predicting impact on everyone's money
The new book by Os Guinness caught my eye so did Zeal without burnout.
I enjoyed reading J D Greear's plumb lines.
One of our Men on Mountains is now running All nations.
It's always my recommendation but worth saying again- a good response to just about everything is to pray....
'When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine'
Prayer, Tim Keller P. 171
I am happy to confirm - God is good, the gospel remains unchanged and the church is still very much the hope of the world.
Loved David Keen on 'And now the good news...'
Enjoyed this about slowing down over the summer
I never got around to watching this 'Brexit the Movie' which I probably should now we're out and the 'Yes minister' clip has been doing the rounds.
A good piece by Patrick Dixon on the post-Brexit outlook.
Johnson's article in yesterdays Telegraph and Owen Jones on 'Great changes ahead'. Also, an interesting piece by Yanis Varoufakis
Love the photo in this piece by Cranmer.
The BBC has a crack a predicting impact on everyone's money
The new book by Os Guinness caught my eye so did Zeal without burnout.
I enjoyed reading J D Greear's plumb lines.
One of our Men on Mountains is now running All nations.
It's always my recommendation but worth saying again- a good response to just about everything is to pray....
'When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine'
Prayer, Tim Keller P. 171
Monday, June 20, 2016
Under the waves
'Whatever storm, whatever crisis, may have caused the shipwreck may not be nearly as scary as the things you have to confront out here on the other side of where your ship sunk. When we are shipwrecked, everything that has lurked beneath the surface of our lives will rise from the bottom to meet us- and these are not beautiful creatures. Everything we've tried to push down for so long- every flaw and fault we've denied or ignored, every truth we'd rather not come to terms with- all of this will come to light in the crisis of a shipwreck
And we're not going to make it safely to shore unless we deal with these monsters we've dealt with for so long'
Jonathan Martin 'How to survive a shipwreck'
Monday, June 13, 2016
Monday musing
1. It was the last chapter of 'Jesus continued' that moved me most deeply. It was about being broken and weak of which I am both.
'Remember he didn't call you because he needed you. He called you because he loves you, he wants you to know his wonder and be amazed by his glory, and he wants to show off his power in you.' p.223
2. My next read is called 'How to survive a shipwreck'.
3. We have a super group gathering in our home for 'The Prayer Course'
'The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayer-less studies, prayer-less work, prayer-less religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.....Prayer turns ordinary mortals into men of power....It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God. There is no power like that of prevailing prayer.' Samuel Chadwick
p. 205' Jesus continued'
4. I enjoyed these photos of Mecca. Thank the Lord for the gospel of grace....
5. I will always need parenting tips.
6. I was reminded afresh of the timely watch of this which simply says: 'If God hasn't told you to plant a church don't'
7. I like the idea of a biography of a book.
8. One of the Men on Mountains has been learning about problem-solving and dealing with anxiety. He sent through these three questions which are interesting:
'Remember he didn't call you because he needed you. He called you because he loves you, he wants you to know his wonder and be amazed by his glory, and he wants to show off his power in you.' p.223
2. My next read is called 'How to survive a shipwreck'.
3. We have a super group gathering in our home for 'The Prayer Course'
'The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayer-less studies, prayer-less work, prayer-less religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.....Prayer turns ordinary mortals into men of power....It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God. There is no power like that of prevailing prayer.' Samuel Chadwick
p. 205' Jesus continued'
4. I enjoyed these photos of Mecca. Thank the Lord for the gospel of grace....
5. I will always need parenting tips.
6. I was reminded afresh of the timely watch of this which simply says: 'If God hasn't told you to plant a church don't'
7. I like the idea of a biography of a book.
8. One of the Men on Mountains has been learning about problem-solving and dealing with anxiety. He sent through these three questions which are interesting:
Who knows about this problem? (if it’s just you, probably more people need
to know)
Who cares about this problem? (feelings question)
Who can fix this problem? (ultimately a question that teases out the
will - what do you really want and who has to make that happen?)
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Saturday blog-sweep
Four reasons we don't share the gospel'
The Bible project
Christianity isn't dying- it's sleeping
The six best reasons to vote remain and Prospect on 'The Case for 'in'
The six best reasons to vote leave and Prospect on Eight reasons to leave
...to read 'Six best...' in full you will have to buy a hard copy of the Spectator Magazine but the links to Prospect are there.
The weight of glory
The Bible project
Christianity isn't dying- it's sleeping
The six best reasons to vote remain and Prospect on 'The Case for 'in'
The six best reasons to vote leave and Prospect on Eight reasons to leave
...to read 'Six best...' in full you will have to buy a hard copy of the Spectator Magazine but the links to Prospect are there.
The weight of glory
Friday, June 10, 2016
Lower is higher
'The gospel begins with our brokenness and inability, not our power and potential. Billy Graham once said that rarely is it someone's sin that keeps them from heaven; usually, it is their good deeds. In the same way, it is our false sense of ability, not our inabilities, that keeps us from the power of the Spirit. Thinking we can get along fine "apart from" him keeps us from the gift of power available in him (John 15:5)
When you finally come to the place where you realise you have no true power, then you are ready to receive his. The great irony in the Christian life, you see, is that the way up is the way down. The lower we sink in ourselves, the higher we rise in him'
Jesus continued, J D Greear, p 217
Wednesday, June 08, 2016
Seven bits and bobs
1. Mike Breen's model UP/IN/OUT for thinking about church and mission is a wonderfully simple one and has stuck with me since I first heard it.
2. Most people are more on the In and Out rather than Up thinking currently. Jason Manford made me laugh on HIGNFY saying his Dad's reason for staying 'In' was 'you don't want to be in that non-EU queue on holiday - it's always longer'. He is a very funny man...
David Keen has some interesting EU thoughts.
3. James Fraser, the long-time missionary to China, said, "I used to think that prayer should have the first place and teaching the second. I now feel it would be truer to give prayer the first, second and third places and teaching the fourth'
Jesus Continued, Page 202
2. Most people are more on the In and Out rather than Up thinking currently. Jason Manford made me laugh on HIGNFY saying his Dad's reason for staying 'In' was 'you don't want to be in that non-EU queue on holiday - it's always longer'. He is a very funny man...
David Keen has some interesting EU thoughts.
3. James Fraser, the long-time missionary to China, said, "I used to think that prayer should have the first place and teaching the second. I now feel it would be truer to give prayer the first, second and third places and teaching the fourth'
Jesus Continued, Page 202
4. I found this post called The four burners: Work-life balance thought-provoking and have been appraising my burners as a result.
5. Ian Paul critiques Jeffrey John's use of Scripture and nice work if you can get it.
6. I enjoy a summer reading list
7. Aimee Semple. McPherson was new person to me.
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