Posts from 2018 (Page 2)
The Bucket List You and I Need to Write
“Our deadline for leaving town was definite and I treated it as such. I carefully thought about the closets that needed tidying, the showers that needed scrubbing, the sheets that needed washing. And while the deadline for the end of my life is yet unknown, it is indeed definite. Our ends are imminent. And we only have this lifetime to accomplish whatever it is the Lord has tasked us with. When you and I arrive in heaven, it will be…
Does Your Heart Run on Hype?
Our men’s group has been working through a video course from the RTC about loving God’s people and the theme this past week was on worship. Following on from that, here’s an article to consider to answer the question about whether our hearts are running on hype: “For some time now, many churches have structured worship gatherings to heighten natural emotional stimulation. Dim the lights. Pick songs that tug the heartstrings, despite their thin context. Make sure the choir or…
The Peace of God or the God of Peace?
“I am an anxious person. I haven’t always known that to be true, but it has become more obvious with each passing year. I am anxious about what I can do—and anxious about what I can’t. I’m anxious about how to love the people in my life—and I’m anxious when I don’t. I’m anxious about what is past—and anxious about what is yet to come. Are you like me?” Read more…
What if the Worst Happens?
“I found myself growing fearful. Not a heart-stopping, all-encompassing fear, but the kind of constant gnawing that occurs when you look at the discouraging trends of the present and assume things will never change. When you think about the future and wonder, “What if the worst happens?” What if. I’ve spent a lifetime considering the “what ifs.” Those questions have a way of unsettling me, destroying my peace, leaving me insecure.” Read more…
What Church is like for a person on the Autism Spectrum
“Like most people on the autism spectrum, I need some structure and predictability. Surprises are challenging. Unwanted physical exchanges can be difficult. I often can’t sustain eye contact. Some weeks I can’t participate in activities that fall in the category of fellowship. No one expects you to walk on eggshells or get everything right. Just aim for greater knowledge and empathy. Listening to our stories—including reading pieces like this—is a great start.” Read more…
Take the Long View
“Now politics is one thing, our lives are another. I wonder if as Christians we’re in danger of exactly the same sort of short-term thinking? What would it look like if I held Jesus to the same standards that I demand from a Prime Minister? I reckon I’d be calling for a leadership spill far too often. But that would only be because I had utterly unrealistic expectations about what should be happening. Yet I wonder if our increasingly short-term…
Is Reading the Bible a Chore or a Delight?
“How is the Bible to you at the moment? A page turner or a turn off-er? So, here’s a question worth answering: is there anything we can do to trigger a moment when reading the Bible stops being a chore and becomes a pleasure? In a dry spell, is there something that will foster some new spiritual energy? When reading has become a chore what, if anything, can shift us away from duty and toward delight?” Read more…
Not Worrying ≠ Not Caring
“Those nights when you lie awake, restless and tossing and turning, your mind churning over a future that is uncertain and unknown. Those days when your heart is heavy and your spirit is sorrowful while you imagine what will befall you or that person you love. There isn’t a human being alive who doesn’t know the agony of worry. There isn’t a human being alive who hasn’t allowed legitimate concern to devolve into illegitimate anxiety. But just because worry is…
The Doctrines of Graciousness
“The “doctrines of grace” are explosive — first mind-boggling and then, if they truly take root, inevitably life-transforming. When they land on a young and restless person, they can make him a kind of liability for a season (though a host of other benefits may come with it). Giving mental assent to the Bible’s teachings about our depravity and God’s election, atonement, and grace is quicker and easier than learning to live out the kind of virtues God pairs with…
But I’m Not an Evangelist
One of the biggest reasons people don’t want to share their faith is the belief that only people with the spiritual gift of evangelism are called to do that. I’ve heard it many times, “I don’t have the gift of evangelism!” Or “Do you really expect everyone in your church to be willing and able to share their faith?” And the answer is “Yes!” So why do I believe everyone who follows Jesus should be able to explain why? Firstly,…