Posts from October 2014

Years ago when we were in the middle of the “worship wars” I was talking to someone about the trend towards entertainment. I expressed concerns about a congregation becoming just an audience watching a performance on the stage. This person replied, “That’s wrong! The congregation should never be an audience. It’s really the other way around: God is an audience of one, and we’re putting on some worship for Him.” In the context of our discussion that made sense. Last…

Once, when I referred to someone as an expert, a work colleague commented that an expert is a “drip under pressure”. The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of an expert is “someone who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area”. I’m often amazed how many people are experts when it comes to religion… or more particularly experts on Christianity. Let me give you some examples. The man was my age and a member of a church that has a…

There are many folk who believe in God and who even believe that Jesus died for their sins but who are not into church going. Their problem is not with God, their problem is church. There is a new brand of person in our society today who do not believe in God and don’t accept that Jesus died for them but who are into church going. Their problem is not with church, their problem is God. I became aware of…

The last day of this month, 31st October was the day in 1517 when the Reformer, Martin Luther, challenged the church to deal with the abuses and perversions that had crept into the church over many centuries. In three years’ time there are plans afoot already for a 500th anniversary celebration. Of course today that date is better known in our society as Halloween. When people of my generation were growing up we were vaguely aware that Halloween was something…