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Why is belonging to a church such a challenge? As Christians, we need to overcome at least four obstacles to live out the biblical vision of a gospel-centered, Spirit-filled community in the church... continue reading
I have the privilege of talking with pastors from around the world on a weekly basis. Every context is dealing with Covid differently, but very many pastors have described to me the need to “re-launch” or “re-boot” their churches. After so many months of restrictions on church gatherings, they want to call people to re-engage. In my own context, too, we’re preparing to do a sermon series on the local church which will explore what the church really is—and emphasize its glory.... continue reading
If you’re an adult child, chances are that your parents may be among those who are feeling the ache of loneliness right now. There are lots of ways to come alongside them and help them feel less lonely—calling them regularly, sending a note, and dropping off a meal can be tangible expressions of love for sure. But there are times when even our kindest gestures can’t fill the void of loneliness, and the best thing we can do for our parents is to turn to the only one who can.... continue reading
This is an extract from 5 Things to Pray for Your Parents by Chelsea Stanley to help you pray for your parents, that they would find their joy in our everlasting God rather than the temporary things of this world. Below are five prayer prompts based on Psalm 16 v 8-11.... continue reading
Ok, so maybe with a headline like that we need to back up and ask: Why does a Christian man need to know anything about periods? Well, like it or not, they’re coming for you. There’s a growing number of voices in our culture seeking to bust the taboos and bring periods into the mainstream. But there’s another, more compelling reason Christian men should know something about periods: your sisters in Christ have them.... continue reading
Idolatry—in your life and more broadly in society—precedes immorality. If we would understand why immorality is tolerated or even promoted, we need to look behind the behavior to the worship—to the idol. Of course, the idols change; few people in the West bow down to golden images today. But the idols have no less a hold, and our reasons for bowing to them are no different—they look impressive, our peers are worshiping them, and our society threatens us with penalties if we do not join in.... continue reading
Refusing to eat the special diet assigned to them seems a strange place for Daniel and his fellow young Jewish exiles to draw a line. But in the Old Testament, one of the distinguishing features of God’s people was the rules they followed about what they would and would not eat and drink. Dietary choice for God’s people was not just an external manifestation of nothing much; rather, it was an external outworking of their deeply held convictions about what it meant to belong to God.... continue reading
Over the past year, we’ve become very accustomed to online church. Church on a screen hasn’t been ideal, but here’s the thing: at least there’s still been weekly ministry for me to receive. For all its drawbacks and limitations, I’ve been taught, fed, encouraged, and inspired by the ministry of my church during Covid. However frustrating this season has been on so many fronts, I can’t imagine how much worse it would have been without having at least this ministry available.... continue reading
In Luke 10, an expert in Jewish law asks Jesus how he can gain eternal life. It sounds like a good question, but the lawyer is testing Jesus. He knows he should love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and love his neighbour as himself—the problem is he doesn’t. So, to justify his lack of love, he asks, Who is my neighbour? Who is it I’m called to love as myself?... continue reading
The Bible calls all followers of Jesus to “practise hospitality”—and to do it “without grumbling” (Romans 12 v 13; 1 Peter 4 v 9). But it doesn’t link hospitality with expense, exhaustion—or even an extroverted personality. Rather, it reveals a God who overflows with generous, compassionate welcome to undeserving people. It invites us to accept his welcome—and then share it with others.... continue reading
