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Call And Response
CALL AND RESPONSE: THE WORD AND THE WORLD Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ Isaiah 6:8. Christianity is par excellence the religion of the Word. When we speak, we disclose ourselves: so does God. […]
Solitude And Community
Provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together… but encouraging one another. Hebrews 10:24,25. God meets us, personally, alone, in solitary places: Jacob at Bethel, Moses before a burning bush, Isaiah in the temple, Jesus in the wilderness, Paul in a ‘third heaven’, John on an island. Corporate worship is […]
Doubt
THE CAPACITY TO DOUBT After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3. Physical resurrections aren’t common, so I for one don’t blame Jesus’ disciple Thomas for doubting the reality of Jesus’ conquest of death. ‘We […]
Learning From John The Baptist
In those days John the Baptist appeared… Matthew 3:1. The headlines: ‘Thousands flock to hear hill preacher’. ‘Thousands of people have left their homes and jobs in the cities and suburbs to listen to John the Baptiser, commonly known as “The Prophet of the Hill Country”. Roads eastwards from the coast are so jammed with […]
Examine The Evidence!
Beloved… have mercy on some who are wavering. Jude 22. Many have examined Christianity with a head full of questions, who then read the New Testament. As they came face to face with this remarkable man Jesus, they had to argue for or against his claims to be divine. A Canadian theologian, Clark Pinnock wrote, […]
Sharing With One Another
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for me. Psalm 66:16. In worship we share our joys and sorrows, learnings and aspirations. If there’s a celebration or a bereavement or a tragedy, let people verbalize their feelings. Encourage them to tell brief faith-stories about the […]
Forgive – And Be Forgiven!
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12. Gilbert and Sullivan could put happy words to happy music, and created some of the loveliest light operas – Patience, Iolanthe, The Mikado but apparently they couldn’t get along. They had bitter fights about trivial things – like the price of a […]
Confession And God’s Pardon
Your sins are forgiven. Mark 2:5. ‘Tremble with fear and stop sinning’ (Psalm 4:4). Authentic worship involves ‘diminishing one’s load of narcissism’ (self-worship). Gathered worship is a positive way of dealing with guilt. Self-examination, confession, and the biblical word of ‘assurance’ are a fundamental part of worship. Some churches, in their over-reaction to the manipulative, […]
Helplessness
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Psalm 46:1. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we are entering a little […]
Faith
THOSE WHOM GOD REWARDS Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6. Christianity is essentially relational. You don’t know all about your spouse when you marry, but the areas of ignorance are overshadowed by a […]
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