Our final witness
We’ve just had the experience that within one week two friends were called out of this life into the next. Maybe that’s a sign of me aging. I recall that some twenty years ago the monthly letters from my mother often contained a list of friends and fellow church members who had died. In one letter she remarked that one of the down-sides of living to a ripe old age was that you get to go to so many funerals…
When a leader is regarded as god
Back in the 1800s British historian, Lord Acton, said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” That observation helps us understand why, throughout history, rulers have often claimed to be gods. It helps us understand the story of the Exodus and the Ten Plagues. That was not just a battle between Moses and a very stubborn ruler. It was a battle between the God of the Bible and a ruler who…
Why I love an evening service
Of all the casualties the church has suffered in recent decades, I wonder if many will have longer-lasting consequences than the loss of the evening service. There was a time, not so long ago, when many or even most churches gathered in the morning and the evening. But today the evening service is increasingly relegated to the past. At Grace Fellowship Church we hold on to the evening service and I wouldn’t want it any other way. It is a…
Fun times – when?
Jesus once told a story about a rich man who lived in luxury and who feasted every day. He wasn’t a wicked man. His relatives and friends would have told you that he was a great guy to be with. He wasn’t stingy either – the parties he threw were memorable occasions. The problem was Lazarus. He was the ‘skin and bones’ beggar who was always there at the gates of rich man – always hoping that he might get…
Light
To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Flabbergasted, would probably be a better word. Someone had just told me about a person who had asked her pastor about the creation versus evolution debate. He had responded by saying, “We don’t really have to worry about that. All we need to do is trust in Jesus.” Hey, I don’t want to minimise the importance of us trusting in the finished work the Lord Jesus Christ – that was…
The not-so-lucky country
One could be forgiven for taking a somewhat pessimistic view of things here in the land down-under at present. The State of Victoria has once again been plagued by particularly nasty summer bushfires. Up here, in our neck of the woods, drought conditions are going hand-in-hand with an escalation of suicides on the farm. A story doing the rounds at the moment is of the farmer who couldn’t sell his cattle because they were so out-of-condition. He spent a day…
What if our church burnt down?
If your church burned down what impact would that have? In a smaller city like Toowoomba the fire might make the headlines in the paper. For the congregation it would be an inconvenience, as other arrangements would have to be made for worship and other activities. But hopefully insurance would cover the costs and the congregation might even take on a new lease of life in new, rebuilt facilities. But what about the impact of such a fire on the…
The mystery of a sermon (3)
A well-known preacher once said in his Sunday sermon, “Every blade of grass is a sermon.” Some days later a parishioner saw the minister mowing his lawn. When he turned off the mower to say, “Hello!” the parishioner remarked, “That’s good Pastor, cut your sermons short!” No doubt many a time we’ve wished the preacher would do exactly that. I recall a fellow student at college who preached for the first time and spoke for over an hour. The elders…
The mystery of a sermon (2)
Do you remember the guy in the Bible called Eutychus? He’s the patron saint of all those who fall asleep while the minister is preaching. You can read his story in Acts 20, where the preacher was none other than the apostle Paul. I’ve seen a few of Eutychus’ followers over the years. One outstanding “Eutychus” was an older man who had developed a unique pattern for snoozing during the sermon. Usually those who doze while the minister preaches have…
The mystery of a sermon (1)
In Reformed worship the exposition of God’s Word has a central place. Rightly so! Praise is important – it’s something the Lord repeatedly calls us to do. Public prayers are important when God’s people gather for worship. Our giving for the work of church and kingdom should continue to be part of public worship. So should the administration of the sacraments. It’s not difficult to find Biblical support for all those things that we do in our gatherings for worship. …