Right, let’s start with a questionnaire. I am going to give you a few different scenarios that (theoretically) you could experience this week, and for each one I want you to choose one of two options to describe how that potential scenario makes you feel. Option A is that you feel something along the lines of positive, strong, optimistic or energized. Option B is the opposite; you feel negative, weak, apprehensive or drained.
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A friend recently made two pointed comments on an important subject. In his church, an evangelical church, sin only figures superficially in the preaching. And the only sin people recognise today is hurting someone’s feelings.
Read moreBooks on Christian Growth often follow one of three basic approaches. The most common of these follows a systematic theology model, sometimes taking into account the order of salvation, or more often focussing on biblical sanctification or holiness. The second type focusses more exclusively on holiness and practices that promote it, such as prayer. More recently the tendency is toward down to earth Christian self–help manuals, majoring in ‘how it feels’ to be a believer or how to tackle mental heal
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If you’ve ever read a fantasy book or watched a fantasy film, you’ll know that a common trope is that the protagonist is often the prophesied ‘chosen one’. They are called to stand up as a hero and save their people because it was ‘written in the stars’ before they were born, or promised by an old seer, or revealed in a dream.
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That is no exaggeration. As a nine–year–old boy in a mid–week children’s’ meeting in our village Presbyterian church in North Wales, during the winter months an elderly lady serialised the story of Thomas Charles (1755–1814) on a weekly basis. And it was exciting. In fact, I remember being one of the children who wanted her to carry on with the story. Why wait a week before hearing more? We were enthralled. ‘No’, was her firm and regular response, ‘come again next week and hear more’.
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There is no such thing as untested Christian faith.
Testing is part of Christian experience. Not in the sense that God sets us tests we have to pass to qualify to be Christian. If he did, none of us would make the grade! But our Christian faith is tested and ‘proved’ in life generally when we face sickness, bereavement, and family problems, or when we experience doubt, depression or injustice. We naturally start wondering, ‘Is God really there? Does he care about my life? Why do I have to wait so
We all have them. ‘Yuk’ moments. Some notice them. Some are unaware of them. Some ignore them. Many form addictions in an attempt to eradicate them. What are they? They are those moments when for whatever reason we feel a lack of fulfilment and purpose and a feeling of emptiness washes over us instead.
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Have you been following the space exploration that NASA and other groups are doing? I like to check in on the Mars mission that began in 2020 with the launch of the rover that the scientists have named Perseverance. Perseverance was launched in July 2020 and landed on the planet Mars on February 18, 2021. That was a long trip, and all would have been wasted if the rover had not landed safely.
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One of the events that contributed to the Union army winning the Civil War occurred when a Yankee soldier found a detailed copy of Robert E. Lee’s orders for the Antietam campaign on a cigar wrapper. The wrapper quickly passed through the ranks until Northern officers found themselves holding a cheat–sheet to victory. A subtle and cunning enemy is far easier to counter when you know with precision what his next move will be.
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The support group, AWARE, states that in the Republic of Ireland one in ten people are suffering the symptoms of depression at any given time. The figures are likely to be similar in the United Kingdom. That being the case, you can be sure that there are probably more people in your church who struggle with depression and anxiety than you realize. So, how can you help them?
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