What is the question most people have about our faith? I think it is probably; 'What difference does it make?'
People want to be able to see but also us to be able to tell them what difference following Jesus makes when they ask us. And they don't want some long 20 minute spiel that recounts every possible interaction where following Jesus has made a difference, they want the main plot line.
So ask yourself - what is the big difference that following Jesus has made to me? What was I before that is different now.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
A growing trend?
I'm reading Bill Hybels Just walk across the Room: Simple steps pointing people to faith. It is well worth a read and encourages us to simply engage and care for people in need of the gospel.
However, he makes an observation which I find greatly worrying. His observation is that the longer people are Christians the fewer evangelistic conversations they engage in and the fewer friends they have to share their faith with. We may have contacts but we stop building friendships with those who do not share our faith. This means that actually we are opting out of the great commission.
It is worth us asking some questions of ourselves: How many friends do I have with whom I could share the gospel right now? How many friends do I have who do not share my belief in Jesus as Saviour and Lord? How many friendships am I actively building? What is stopping me investing time in these relationships? How can I change that? Am I bothered enough about the lost to want to change?
However, he makes an observation which I find greatly worrying. His observation is that the longer people are Christians the fewer evangelistic conversations they engage in and the fewer friends they have to share their faith with. We may have contacts but we stop building friendships with those who do not share our faith. This means that actually we are opting out of the great commission.
It is worth us asking some questions of ourselves: How many friends do I have with whom I could share the gospel right now? How many friends do I have who do not share my belief in Jesus as Saviour and Lord? How many friendships am I actively building? What is stopping me investing time in these relationships? How can I change that? Am I bothered enough about the lost to want to change?
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Wisdom
There is an interesting contrast in Daniel 12. What would would we contrast with wicked? Good, righteous, moral? But in Daniel 12 the contrast is between the wicked and the wise. Those who know God and live in the light of his Sovereignty and his word.
It poses the question am I wise? Wisdom is knowledge of God lived out. It is seen in the rest of Daniel in the contrast between Daniel and the other courtiers, it is seen in Daniel's reliance not on himself, not on scheming and flattery but it utter outright dependence and loyalty to God.
Am I wise?
It poses the question am I wise? Wisdom is knowledge of God lived out. It is seen in the rest of Daniel in the contrast between Daniel and the other courtiers, it is seen in Daniel's reliance not on himself, not on scheming and flattery but it utter outright dependence and loyalty to God.
Am I wise?
Monday, 19 May 2008
Is Church membership Biblical?
Having grown up in circles where every church had a membership I wasn't aware this was such an issue, but it is. Do churches need memberships? What purpose do they serve? Aren't they just exclusive? There is no biblical evidence for church memberships, is there?
We need to recognise that our world is in many ways very different from the New Testament world. People today are more mobile and move much more frequently, this can lead to shallow, non-Biblical ties to local Churches which are unhelpful for both church and individual. The New Testament assumes strong caring, loving ties between church members.
Whilst membership isn’t mentioned explicitly in the New Testament, its principals seem to be inherent in what we know of the church in Acts and the Epistles. Believers clearly identified themselves with, and committed themselves to the local church becoming participating members and ministers in it (Acts 11:26, Romans 16).
That is not saying their was a formal membership or a list or roll, but that there was a commitment. People couldn't just take themselves off to another church because there wasn't one.
We need to recognise that our world is in many ways very different from the New Testament world. People today are more mobile and move much more frequently, this can lead to shallow, non-Biblical ties to local Churches which are unhelpful for both church and individual. The New Testament assumes strong caring, loving ties between church members.
Whilst membership isn’t mentioned explicitly in the New Testament, its principals seem to be inherent in what we know of the church in Acts and the Epistles. Believers clearly identified themselves with, and committed themselves to the local church becoming participating members and ministers in it (Acts 11:26, Romans 16).
That is not saying their was a formal membership or a list or roll, but that there was a commitment. People couldn't just take themselves off to another church because there wasn't one.
How to live with Questions
We live in a world that wants every question answered now, that's why people dedicate their lives to learning, to accumulating knowledge, some of it practical some of it very theoretical. That's why of the writing of Phd's there is no end.
There is a really fascinating phrase in Daniel 12:4 which contrasts the believers confidence in the face of catastrophe, suffering and persecution and that of the unbelievers. After the horrors of Daniel's apocalyptic vision of the days of Antiochus Epiphanes IV and the end times when God's people will seem broken he is told this "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the times of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."
I need to see the contrast. In the light of the horrors that will unfold, the rising and falling of nations, kings and kingdoms, the oppression of God's people Daniel is told to seal up the scroll with the vision of future events. Not to hide it, but because after being copied and distributed another copy was written and sealed to be stored in the Persian library as a permanent record. God has revealed the future to Daniel. It is recorded so that those who trust God's sovereignty and his word will know how to live in the midst of this trial - knowing God and trusting his word.
In contrast there will be many who do not trust who will be searching frantically for answers for reasons for reassurance but they will find none.
Daniel does not have every question answered but he is given reassurance that is to enable him to "go on your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." We can live with unanswered questions by knowing God which enables us to trust in his character.
There is a really fascinating phrase in Daniel 12:4 which contrasts the believers confidence in the face of catastrophe, suffering and persecution and that of the unbelievers. After the horrors of Daniel's apocalyptic vision of the days of Antiochus Epiphanes IV and the end times when God's people will seem broken he is told this "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the times of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."
I need to see the contrast. In the light of the horrors that will unfold, the rising and falling of nations, kings and kingdoms, the oppression of God's people Daniel is told to seal up the scroll with the vision of future events. Not to hide it, but because after being copied and distributed another copy was written and sealed to be stored in the Persian library as a permanent record. God has revealed the future to Daniel. It is recorded so that those who trust God's sovereignty and his word will know how to live in the midst of this trial - knowing God and trusting his word.
In contrast there will be many who do not trust who will be searching frantically for answers for reasons for reassurance but they will find none.
Daniel does not have every question answered but he is given reassurance that is to enable him to "go on your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." We can live with unanswered questions by knowing God which enables us to trust in his character.
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Northern Men's Convention
Here is the link to listen to previous years teaching from the Northern Men's Convention, this years will appear here soon. Click here
Do I believe?
Do you believe in the Word of God? Do you believe it has the power to change lives? Do you believe that it can save anyone, anytime, anyplace?
One of the great encouragements from the Northern Men's Convention was to be reminded in each of the 3 main sessions of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is preached in Acts. In Acts 2 as Peter speaks it has the power to convict those listening of their sin and rebellion against God and leads to 3000 being baptised. In Acts 10 it has the power to save Cornelius, a Gentile, to break out of the confines of Jerusalem and Israel. In Acts 15 its power is seen in the reports of Gentile conversions and in the belief that this gospel of Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah is for all.
Then in Acts 16 it is seen as it saves a rich woman, a slave girl and a middle ranking Roman jailer, or put another way a God fearing Gentile, a demon possessed girl and a polytheist. The word of God, the gospel is powerful, it saves. The rest of Acts maps that out as 1:8 is fulfilled and God gets his witnesses with his word from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth.
In Acts we see that within the space of 30 years the gospel - God's word - turned the known world upside down. So why all the doom and gloom following on from the news of Christianities seeming decline in Britain. The word of God has not changed, the Holy Spirit has not lost his ability to work in us to equip us to speak for him or work in those we come in contact with, and people still need to hear the news that Jesus is Lord and Messiah. And the gospel is needed by everyone.
Have I lost my edge? Do I still believe everyone needs the gospel? Do I still believe it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe? Do I still believe the Holy Spirit works in and through us? That belief is not about nodding ascent it is evidenced in action - in asking God's help and cooperating with the Spirit of God living in us to build relationships, show Christianities relevance and proclaim the gospel.
One of the great encouragements from the Northern Men's Convention was to be reminded in each of the 3 main sessions of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is preached in Acts. In Acts 2 as Peter speaks it has the power to convict those listening of their sin and rebellion against God and leads to 3000 being baptised. In Acts 10 it has the power to save Cornelius, a Gentile, to break out of the confines of Jerusalem and Israel. In Acts 15 its power is seen in the reports of Gentile conversions and in the belief that this gospel of Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah is for all.
Then in Acts 16 it is seen as it saves a rich woman, a slave girl and a middle ranking Roman jailer, or put another way a God fearing Gentile, a demon possessed girl and a polytheist. The word of God, the gospel is powerful, it saves. The rest of Acts maps that out as 1:8 is fulfilled and God gets his witnesses with his word from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth.
In Acts we see that within the space of 30 years the gospel - God's word - turned the known world upside down. So why all the doom and gloom following on from the news of Christianities seeming decline in Britain. The word of God has not changed, the Holy Spirit has not lost his ability to work in us to equip us to speak for him or work in those we come in contact with, and people still need to hear the news that Jesus is Lord and Messiah. And the gospel is needed by everyone.
Have I lost my edge? Do I still believe everyone needs the gospel? Do I still believe it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe? Do I still believe the Holy Spirit works in and through us? That belief is not about nodding ascent it is evidenced in action - in asking God's help and cooperating with the Spirit of God living in us to build relationships, show Christianities relevance and proclaim the gospel.
Monday, 12 May 2008
How is your listening
1 John 4:1-6 is an interesting section of John's letter.
John writes to reassure, and (3:24) reassures his readers they are God’s children because he lives in them by his spirit. But 4:1 is a warning not every spirit is from God.
1. Be discerning
John exhorts his readers to exercise discernment when listening to those who claim to speak in the name of God. He doesn’t want them to be gullible. Instaed they are to test what people teach them, why? (1) “because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
In fact (2:19-23) even from in their own church ppl had left. Why? Because they denied Jesus Christ, the issue seemed to be that they denied he was the Messiah (2:22). In Chapter 4:2 it is that they are denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Do you see why it matters? – because if you deny Jesus came in the flesh, then he has not suffered in the flesh and the gospel dissolves. So John exhorts his readers to be discerning, to test what people teach.
It poses the question how is my listening? Is it discerning listening? Do I have the Bible open in front of me as people teach me? I guess we may find ourselves thinking ‘its ok its so and so I know them I can trust them. Or I’ve read their other books so it’ll be ok.’ That is just what this passage is saying you can’t do – these men now teaching heresy used to be in the church. Be discerning
2. Be testing
John gives them two tests of what people are teaching them (6) so that they may recognise the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1. Good teaching teaches that Jesus came in the flesh (2) thsi is expressed both negatively(3) and positively(2). 2. Good teaching is in the apostolic tradition (6).
Do you see the two tests? What does it say about Jesus and does it fit with what the Apostles taught? It is not Jesus + or Jesus-, it is just the gospel of grace.
Notice it doesn’t give numerical response as a test. Why? Because the world will love to hear what the world wants to hear (5). We need to listen to this warning from John. Numbers don't equal good teaching.
Am I applying those two tests? Do I examine what I read and hear in light of those two areas?
3. Be encouraged
This is a letter written to reassure and even here John does that. (4) God’s children are overcomers. In this battle between the world and God, between the spirit of God and the spirit of the antichrist. (4) the outcome is not in doubt they are overcomers not because of what they do but because Christ when he ascended poured out his spirit into his people.
Be discerning, be testing, be encouraged.
Listening to that good teaching , holding on to Jesus as God’s Son the Messiah made man will affect the way we live (7-21) as we seek to live like him.
John writes to reassure, and (3:24) reassures his readers they are God’s children because he lives in them by his spirit. But 4:1 is a warning not every spirit is from God.
1. Be discerning
John exhorts his readers to exercise discernment when listening to those who claim to speak in the name of God. He doesn’t want them to be gullible. Instaed they are to test what people teach them, why? (1) “because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
In fact (2:19-23) even from in their own church ppl had left. Why? Because they denied Jesus Christ, the issue seemed to be that they denied he was the Messiah (2:22). In Chapter 4:2 it is that they are denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Do you see why it matters? – because if you deny Jesus came in the flesh, then he has not suffered in the flesh and the gospel dissolves. So John exhorts his readers to be discerning, to test what people teach.
It poses the question how is my listening? Is it discerning listening? Do I have the Bible open in front of me as people teach me? I guess we may find ourselves thinking ‘its ok its so and so I know them I can trust them. Or I’ve read their other books so it’ll be ok.’ That is just what this passage is saying you can’t do – these men now teaching heresy used to be in the church. Be discerning
2. Be testing
John gives them two tests of what people are teaching them (6) so that they may recognise the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1. Good teaching teaches that Jesus came in the flesh (2) thsi is expressed both negatively(3) and positively(2). 2. Good teaching is in the apostolic tradition (6).
Do you see the two tests? What does it say about Jesus and does it fit with what the Apostles taught? It is not Jesus + or Jesus-, it is just the gospel of grace.
Notice it doesn’t give numerical response as a test. Why? Because the world will love to hear what the world wants to hear (5). We need to listen to this warning from John. Numbers don't equal good teaching.
Am I applying those two tests? Do I examine what I read and hear in light of those two areas?
3. Be encouraged
This is a letter written to reassure and even here John does that. (4) God’s children are overcomers. In this battle between the world and God, between the spirit of God and the spirit of the antichrist. (4) the outcome is not in doubt they are overcomers not because of what they do but because Christ when he ascended poured out his spirit into his people.
Be discerning, be testing, be encouraged.
Listening to that good teaching , holding on to Jesus as God’s Son the Messiah made man will affect the way we live (7-21) as we seek to live like him.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
The church on its knees?
The Times today carried the front page headline: "Church going on its knees as Christianity falls out of favour" and an article stating that if current trends continue then within a generation church attendance will have fallen behind that at Mosques, and be battling for second place with the Hinduism.
In the articles Hazel Blears said: "Britain is a secular democracy with a strong Christian tradition but many faiths have a home in Britain.”
How should we react to such news?
Firstly the article goes on to say that some evangelical churches are bucking the trend, where the truth is preached and people live by it the gospel continues to bear fruit.
Secondly it is a great insight into the need for the gospel in Britain. God has not changed, man's need has not changed and neither has the capability of the gospel to save.
Thirdly it should cause us to pray. Why? Because that is Daniel's response when he fears for his nation, because prayer is the place where we can bring our heart felt needs and concerns to God.
Finally it should make us aware of the opportunities. people expect the church to be dead or dying thus when they come across a church that is growing and active as it lives under God's word and models God's love to people it will be all the more startling for them. Indeed we have been involved in seeing people come to faith for whom that was exactly the starting point.
Religion may be on its knees Jesus Christ is not, he reigns at the right hand of his Father on high and he will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We are privileged to be on the front line of that project in a nation with so many opportunities for those who will live with Jesus as their Saviour and their Lord.
In the articles Hazel Blears said: "Britain is a secular democracy with a strong Christian tradition but many faiths have a home in Britain.”
How should we react to such news?
Firstly the article goes on to say that some evangelical churches are bucking the trend, where the truth is preached and people live by it the gospel continues to bear fruit.
Secondly it is a great insight into the need for the gospel in Britain. God has not changed, man's need has not changed and neither has the capability of the gospel to save.
Thirdly it should cause us to pray. Why? Because that is Daniel's response when he fears for his nation, because prayer is the place where we can bring our heart felt needs and concerns to God.
Finally it should make us aware of the opportunities. people expect the church to be dead or dying thus when they come across a church that is growing and active as it lives under God's word and models God's love to people it will be all the more startling for them. Indeed we have been involved in seeing people come to faith for whom that was exactly the starting point.
Religion may be on its knees Jesus Christ is not, he reigns at the right hand of his Father on high and he will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We are privileged to be on the front line of that project in a nation with so many opportunities for those who will live with Jesus as their Saviour and their Lord.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
A Godly reaction to disaster.
How should we react to a disaster like the cyclone which has struck Burma and left so much death and destruction in its wake?
1. Be affected
In these days of 24 hour news the impact of such disasters have lessened, the first question is do I really feel that loss. Such an event with its tragic loss of life should move us.
2. Be alert
It should heighten our awareness to do what we can do in the area God has placed us to alleviate suffering.
3. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ
Pray that our fellow believers would know God's strength in the midst of this disaster, that God would be their comfort and refuge. Pray that the church would declare the gospel to the world and beyond in the way it responds.
4. Pray for unbelievers
We should pray that it would awaken people to what is wrong with the world and that through the love God's people show them that they would come to faith.
5. Pray for ourselves
That we are not lulled into comfort by our lives, that we would live pressing on for goal not settle for what we have here.
6. Act
Give to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Burma.
1. Be affected
In these days of 24 hour news the impact of such disasters have lessened, the first question is do I really feel that loss. Such an event with its tragic loss of life should move us.
2. Be alert
It should heighten our awareness to do what we can do in the area God has placed us to alleviate suffering.
3. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ
Pray that our fellow believers would know God's strength in the midst of this disaster, that God would be their comfort and refuge. Pray that the church would declare the gospel to the world and beyond in the way it responds.
4. Pray for unbelievers
We should pray that it would awaken people to what is wrong with the world and that through the love God's people show them that they would come to faith.
5. Pray for ourselves
That we are not lulled into comfort by our lives, that we would live pressing on for goal not settle for what we have here.
6. Act
Give to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Burma.
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