The School we usually meet in has a power failure and a gas leak.
If you’re planning to come and worship with us please give me a call as we will be at the home of Charl & Bronwen Olivier.
God bless, Malcolm
I take “Worship Musician” magazine. I can thoroughly recommend it. If you would like to subscribe, click here. And no, I don’t have any commercial links to the magazine!
An article I read in the January 2019 edition (vol 17) was titled, “6 mistakes that keep your church from singing” by Jon Nicol. I was intrigued. The churches I serve sing well by and large. But they don’t always sing well. And, it’s clear that some people are less engaged with the musical side of worship than looks healthy to me. What to do?
I certainly don’t want to berate the congregation when they are not engaged in the singing. Neither do I want to bully individuals into participation!
There is a better way. I think you will find the six tips helpful. They may not all apply in your situation, but it’s worth using them to review the areas which might be hindering your church from fully embracing and enjoying all of what corporate musical worship has to offer.
Over the next six weeks we will take each one in turn, tease them apart and think about their application. Right, let’s start with today’s first issue. Jon calls it, “Stand Gazers”.
What do you find hinders congregations from singing? Please add your thoughts based on your local situation and personal experience.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
PS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
I find great spiritual benefit in the writings of David Adam. One of his books, “Tides and seasons”, is a collection of modern prayers in the Celtic tradition.
Today I bring you my musical setting of the prayer “I have seen the Lord”. You might like to find yourself quiet spot, close your eyes and meditate on the words of this song.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
Barnabas is brilliant. But what is it that makes him so “effective” as a speaker (Acts 14:1)? We don’t know much about his technique, but we know a lot about his character and his spirituality.
In this series we will investigate brilliant Barnabas in the book of Acts and beyond. In doing so I hope we will all gain insights which will help us to be as effective as him.
We start today in Acts chapter 4.
Thank you for listening to this recording. You can find more teaching tips here and on the on the YouTube teaching tips playlist.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Thanks again for listening. Have a terrific Tuesday, and a wonderful week.
God bless,
Malcolm
1. sPeak words of encouragement, vv22-24
A. Notice what God is doing
B. Speak words of encouragement
C. God brings the increase
2. Partner with a friend, vv25-26
A. Find a partner not a problem
B. Someone different from you
C. Active in service together
3. Provide practical help vv27-30
A. Listen to needs
B. Respond
C. Sacrifice
“What this means for me is……………………………….……”
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
Buying a new keyboard seems to have brought out more creativity from within me. I love the poems of David Adam. Here’s one from his book, “Tides and seasons: modern prayers in the Celtic tradition”. I’ve set it to music as a meditative quiet time experience.
I’d love your feedback. How could it be improved?
Do you have any projects of your own you’d be willing to share with me and this community? Come on everyone, let’s get bold and creative!
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
Who do you think you are? Who do you think God thinks you are? How do you reconcile those two views when they differ?
I read an article today in Premier Christianity Magazine which shed some light on these questions. It was written by Claire Musters. Check her out at www.ficm.org.uk.
She offers a number of phrases taken from Scripture that can help us to believe that we are accepted, secure and significant. As she said in her article,
“When I first encountered the “Who I am in Christ” list from the Freedom in Christ course, I was encouraged to read it out loud every day. Initially I cringed, as it felt like brainwashing, and yet, as I reflected, I realised that everything on it is biblical truth.”
You might like to try meditating on some of these phrases. If you do, please let me know what you learn and share it with all of us.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
I was listening one of my favourite podcast recently (Kermode and Mayo’s film review). They were discussing a film called “Fighting with my family”. The true story involves a family from Britain whose daughter broke into WWE wrestling in the United States. You might not think there are many parallels between WWE and preaching, but I beg to differ.
Since the results of wrestling bouts are fixed ahead of time, the only thing a performer is in control of is whether they can win the crowd over. In a similar way, we are best off in preaching and teaching when we’re not trying to win the argument against our opponents (listeners), but trying to persuade them of a biblical point of view and thus win them over.
It makes a huge difference to the open heartedness of an audience if they sense we are trying to win them over with healthy persuasion rather than push them into a corner proving them wrong. How do you feel about this perspective? Do you think it significant that we attempt to win our audience over? If so, what are the best ways to do this?
Thank you for listening to this recording. You can find more teaching tips here and on the on the YouTube teaching tips playlist.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Thanks again for listening. Have a terrific Tuesday, and a wonderful week.
God bless,
Malcolm
I led a discussion on the fascinating New Testament character of Barnabas.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up on coach.me.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
I read a section from Craig Douglas Erickson’s book “Participating in worship” today. He was considering the significance of the whole body of Christians coming together to worship – even when they don’t want to.
It created in me some interesting conflicting emotions. Let me share why that was with you. Then I have two questions for which I would love your answers.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
