Ten thoughts on planning missions

 Like many churches across the country, we’re planning our involvement with the Passion for Life mission initiative taking place in Easter 2010.  Here are ten thoughts on these kinds of missions in no particular order. ‘A mission’ should be part of a church’s ongoing life of mission.  The one-off sports event with gospel talk at [...]

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Servant Song sermon

Audio of sermon preached today on first two servant songs .

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Comedy and Christianity audio

Here tis Lots of other posts on the topic here. .

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How not to read the bible

A semi-imagined conversation – Right.  Bible reading.  Here we go – Speak Lord, your servant is listening.  Ok, Matthew 11:28.  Jesus said “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”  Ok, good verse.  Thank You Lord.  But now let me think.  What is this verse really saying [...]

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Comedy leftovers – Self lightly, God seriously

  . Here’s the audio of my talk on the subject All this began here. Then I had some initial thoughts on the usefulness of comedy here There’s an excellent CS Lewis quote here Here is a very expanded early version of the talk: part one, part two, part three, part four. Then some follow up [...]

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Servant Songs help

Isaiah’s servant songs are: Isaiah 42:1-7 Isaiah 49:1-6 Isaiah 50:4-9 Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Now in the songs, the servant is clearly a figure who acts on behalf of the people.  He is a covenant for the people (42:6).  He will bring Jacob and Israel back to the LORD (49:5,6).  His word is the word the people should [...]

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One more thing on blasphemy…

… Interesting that the city clerk of Ephesus did not consider Paul to have blasphemed Artemis, their goddess. (Acts 19:37)  Along with strong and clear proclamation, Paul was obviously respectful in a way that gained the notice of the pagans. Just something to bear in mind as we speak about other religions. .

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Comedy leftovers – blasphemy

After my comedy and christianity talk I was asked a question on blasphemy.  I had a Romans 2 quote up my sleeve which a) wasn’t much of an answer and b) I forgot on the day.  So here are a few extra thoughts.  To be honest I don’t really know about blasphemy – any ideas [...]

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Breaking the Alabaster Jar at Christ’s Feet

Here’s a snippet from Watchman Nee, read the whole quote from Dev: Now the breaking of the alabaster box and the anointing of the Lord filled the house with the odor, with the sweetest odor. Everyone could smell it. Whenever you meet someone who has really suffered; been limited, gone through things for the Lord, [...]

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Like little children

Nothing transforms my prayer life like quoting Matthew 18:3 to myself: Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Here’s Barth on coming to our Father in heaven as child-like beginners: In invocation of God the Father everything depends on whether or not it is done in [...]

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Surely Jesus would have said something…

I was at a meeting of local Anglican clergy yesterday and got talking to a local minister at the coffee break.  I offered to pour him a brew and he said, “Oh I’ve given up coffee for lent.  You’d better make it half a cup.” “Oh right.  Shall I make you a tea instead?” I [...]

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Comedy and Christianity – draft 4

…And so idolatry is not the way back to paradise, and neither is worldly success and neither even is biblical religion. All those ways are ridiculous. Here is the way back to paradise – it’s the LORD Jesus Himself.And this is the very deepest irony of the bible – the very deepest irony of the [...]

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Comedy and Christianity – draft 3

As I close let me highlight three ways the bible says we try to get back to paradise, all of which the bible ridicules. First is we redefine God. It happened as soon as Adam and Eve disbelieved the LORD. The devil said ‘Are you really going to let the LORD be God?’ And we [...]

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Comedy and Christianity – draft 2

Here’s my central contention: Comedy is serious. And Christianity is comedic. Now maybe that’s a shocking shift in perception for you – in some ways I hope it is. But that’s my contention: Comedy is serious. And Christianity is comedic. The bible is comedic. The Christian message is comedic: I mean that in two senses. [...]

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Comedy and Christianity – draft 1

I’m giving an evangelistic talk on the above subject on Thursday.  I have way too much material and I’m toying with tackling it from a totally different angle – but, well.  Here’s some stuff that I have at the moment and maybe you can help me.  I’ll lay out what I’ve got in installments and [...]

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CS Lewis on Comedy

On Thursday I’m going to speak about Comedy and Christianity (see here and here). The Screwtape Letters is itself a wonderful argument for the positive Christian use of comedy.  In fact I once heard John Cleese read the book on tape – hilarity itself!  Lewis’ book consists of the letters of Screwtape, a senior demon, [...]

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Al Jazeera on Iraqi converts

Thanksgiving and prayer called for.  Wise as snakes, innocent as doves. H/T Paul Blackham .

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Chasing after the wind

Matthew Syed in the Times today.  He writes about cyclist and Olympic Gold medalist Victoria Pendleton.  She has spoken of the tremendous let-down that follows even world-beating success. …The Great Britain cycling team have always been up front about their raison d’être: winning Olympic gold is everything, all else is detail. Pendleton worked harder than [...]

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