Would you like to be “lifted” by God as you lead others in worship? There’s a key to such an experience. I was reminded of that key at a recent Sunday service where I was preaching for the North West Region of the London International church of Christ. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, […]
Month: September 2018
We lead busy lives. Sometimes we forget God’s presence, and we do not have opportunity for lengthy prayer. What to do? “The Virgin Eye”, Robin Daniels Arrow prayers, pp319-323: These can be a simple word, or a short phrase that is repeated throughout the day bringing remembrance to us that God is with us in […]
My friend Katie asked me a question about mentoring the next generation of teachers and preachers. She asked if it was hard for me to let go? In truth, it is. Is it for you too? “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is […]
Do you have a joy-filled life, or a joy-less life? Joy is vital in a healthy marriage, family and friendship. Why is it so elusive? We learn in this lesson how to find joy – via courage. Question: what examples of courage do you see in Acts 8.1-8? “But the angel said to them, “Do not […]
Do you realise the importance of your role in reminding other people of God’s attributes and what he has done? We mine a couple of pithy sayings from Erickson’s book, “Participating in worship” and reflect on our opportunity to remind people of vital truths on which they can base their faith. Thank you for listening […]
Balthasar Hubmaier was an Anabaptist leader who wrote this short meditation in 1526. Soon afterwards he was arrested, tortured and executed for his faith. Our Father. Gracious Father, I am not worthy to be called a child of yours or that I should be able to call you my Father. I have not always done […]
If you are a preacher, you know the scene all-too-well. It’s Sunday afternoon/evening, or Monday morning, and you’re thinking about how your sermon went. Perhaps it was a cracker, or perhaps it was simply cracked! My most recent one went too long! We need to process our frustrations, but how do we do this in […]
I’m preaching soon on Acts 8.1-8, and noticing a connection between courage and joy. Could you help me in my sermon preparation by sending me your reflections on the connection between courage and joy? I’d be very grateful. “And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church […]
Do you use poems in your corporate worship settings? I bring you the results of a poetic experiment from a recent Sunday service in the Thames Valley churches of Christ. Thank you for listening to and watching this recording. You can find more Sunday Samples here and on the YouTube playlist. Here’s the text of […]
I’m very privileged to bring you a post on prayer by my friend Dr Steve Kinnard. We’ve known each other a few decades now, and I have benefitted significantly from his lessons, conversations and reading his books. This blog post originally appeared on Steve’s site, November 7, 2016. The Garden of Gethsemane is a special […]