It’s sad that people can misunderstand the term intimate and only think it involves the sensual and sexual. It’s sad because it can help reinforce a barrier we put up to prevent people getting too close to us. That to a degree is fine if we subscribe to a ‘trust no one’ mentality. However when […]
Read More Say What You See: Intimate FellowshipHe said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16:15) There are a number of reasons why followers of Christ are nervous, reluctant and outright objectionable when it comes to spreading the gospel. I’m fairly familiar with most of those reasons and have only too gleefully jumped on […]
Read More Say What You See: Gospel SpreadingGod sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. (Psalm 68:6) Let me state the obvious: There are too many lonely people in the world. Now you can rightly ask, how is that so obvious to me? Well, I’m glad you asked. It’s so obvious to me […]
Read More Say What You See: Lonely BefriendedAs you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5) It is actually very easy for us to say what we see. Two […]
Read More Say What You See: Living StonesThe scenario in 2 Kings 7 is so intriguing. The city is under siege by the Arameans. They have successfully strangled the city. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out. Food supplies have got so desperate that people are resorting to inhumane extremes to stay alive. The situation is grim, all hope is ebbing away as […]
Read More When You Might As WellBeing raised in a denomination heavily influenced how I saw church. It came as a huge shock to the system to discover that some of those views of church, were wrong. At best they were misguided, at worst they were dangerously arrogant, divisive and sectarian. Getting a peek at the effects of some of those […]
Read More What About The True Church?A group of us are making our way through the books of Kings. At present we’re looking at 2 Kings 3. I’m a big fan of prophets because of their tendency to be against the grain. What I find interesting is how Elisha is described: And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord […]
Read More Pouring Water On The HandsI appreciate that reading the Bible is not about slavishly following everything said there. I know the church I read about in the New Testament is not to be seen as perfection. If it was, there would be no need for the apostolic letters. It still baffles me, however, that clear indications of how church […]
Read More Reading And Seeing The GapsActs 7. Go ahead. Read it. Then read it again. And answer me this – why did they stone Stephen? It could have something to do with what he said. Why was that so upsetting? Would the heart of his argument apply to us? For His Name’s Sake Shalom C. L. J. Dryden
Read More Why Did They Stone Stephen?I have nothing against youth ministries. I know a lot of work goes into engaging with children and young people helping to develop spiritual awareness, personal growth, social skills and even a sense of vocation. What I get a bit concerned about is how youth ministry can tend to emphasise a generational gap. People are […]
Read More Taking Advice From The Elders
Life With CD 