Why so many Christians won't back down on gay marriage
Refuge for Iraqi Christians could play into Islamic State's hands – bishop
Victory for Christian sacked over gay weddings
More than half of Christian men admit to watching pornography
Facing Ire, Mark Driscoll Says He Will Take a Leave
Iraqi Christians reach France after fleeing Islamists
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Today on The Good Book Blog, a word of encouragement from a friend who wishes to stay anonymous:
I used to cry every year on his birthday ... Every Christmas, every Easter, and plenty of days in between. Sometimes I still do.
I don't actually know if he really was a "he". He might have been a she. I didn't ask. But I always imagine he was a boy. I would have liked to have had a son.
I regret it deeply now but at the time I just didn't feel I could face the pregnancy. I was young, I wasn't married, I was supposed to be a good church-going believer - a teacher in Sunday School. It was too hard to admit that I had messed-up. I know I wasn't the only single person in the church who had given in to temptation but I was the "stupid one" who got caught out. I had to make a decision quickly or soon my sin would be seen by everyone in the congregation. And I couldn't face the shame.... continue reading
It's an exciting time to be part of The Good Book Company marketing team at the moment. We have some amazing new titles launching over the next few months and plenty more further ahead in to 2015. So the challenge for us is how we make sure the word gets out to the people who will really benefit from them. We're a fairly small team - Emily oversees email communications, Alexa works on catalogues and advertising, Dean handles events and key accounts, Phil is our video and media guy and James does a bit of everything! Here are some areas in which we'd be very grateful for your prayers:... continue reading
1. Gospel-Centred Life and Gospel-Centred Work just £1 each till midday Thursday!
Get the ebook versions of Gospel-Centred Life and Gospel-Centred Work for just £1 each!
2. God’s Great and Precious Promises
The second Look at the Book video from John Piper.
3. Four Things God Says to Singles
Vaughan Roberts looks at the topic of singleness.
4. Five Tips for Leading your Small Group
Kevin DeYoung shares five tips for leading a Bible study.
5. 10 Thoughts on Reading
Ten helpful suggestions about reading (Part 2).
6. Nine Secrets Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew
”What if we just asked our pastor’s wife to candidly, honestly, even anonymously share some of their secrets?"
7. And finally...
Our video of the week, Ben’s ‘Life Story’ from Live:
Found something that you think should make it on to the On to a Good Thing round-up? Send it to: ontoagoodthing@thegoodbook.co.uk
For a number of people, this week sees the return of the ordinary daily routine. And to help you get back into the swing of things, we’re offering a fantastic deal on 2 of our ebooks.
Sympathetic to our struggles, clear and concise, rooted in the Bible, and relevant to our everyday experience, Gospel-Centred Life by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester shows how every Christian can follow the way of the cross as they embrace the liberating grace of God in Christ.
In Gospel-Centred Work by Tim Chester, you’ll discover how the good news about Jesus transforms the way we think about our work in surprising practical ways.
Until midday on Thursday you can get the ebook versions for just £1 each using the code gce0209 at the checkout.
It's a question I get asked a lot. Those who love me, those who have been praying for me want to know ... But how do you assess whether the talk you've given (or the Bible study you've led) was "good" or not? Is it all about people having enjoyed themselves? Or about having learned something new? What criteria can we use to assess? Should we worry about negative reactions? It's a bit of a minefield. But here are the criteria I've started to use. Feel free to add to the list if you want...... continue reading
[Jesus said:] 'Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’
Luke 11:11-13
When your elders, church council or PCC meets together, what occupies most time in discussion? What's on the agenda?
I suspect that the universal rule of human life kicks in that the urgent constantly threatens to displace the important. So it might be that your time is taken up with discussing pastoral problems, building projects and needs, complaints from members of the congregation and, the oldest one of all - arguing about the heating system.
A friend of mine put it like this.
Why do you think we are not yet with the Lord in the New Creation? Why has Jesus not yet returned? Is it so that we can worship and praise him better in the here and now?
No. We will do that far better in the new Creation.
Is it so that we can grow in holiness and godliness now?
No. We will be perfect in the new creation.
The only thing we can do now that we won't be able to do better in the new creation is to tell those who don't know him how wonderful he is, and what he has done for us...... continue reading
The cross is the very centre of the Christian faith, but that simple truth can sometimes be easy to forget. So how do we remember to focus every day on this reality with all that surrounds us? Never lay the cross aside, never move on says C J Mahaney. Deepen your passion for Christ and his cross each and every day.
Mahaney in his book, Living the Cross Centered Life implores us not to move on from the foot of the cross and examines the deepest truths of the events of Calvary.
Read more about the book and buy it HERE with 30% off (£6.29) until midday Monday using the code ccl0814 at the checkout.
A couple of days ago I received an Ice Bucket Challenge on Facebook. I was delighted—and have decided not to do it. Here’s why.
I had actually started to work out how I could perform the challenge in my allotted 24-hour period (if this blog has completely lost you, the Ice Bucket Challenge is where a friend nominates you, you give a donation of £3 or more to a particular charity, film yourself tipping a bucket of icy water over your head within a day of receiving your nomination, and then challenge some friends to do likewise). Then a Christian who is wiser and more thoughtful than me encouraged me to just check that I was thinking Christian-ly about it. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much at all. But the Bible tells me to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10 v 5). Every thought—even thoughts about ice buckets and giving to charity.
So I thought about it. And as I did so, I ended up deciding not to be part of it. Why? Well, here’s where I’m at. First and foremost, this is not an issue of Christian obedience. I’ve watched (and laughed at) Christians far more godly than me doing the Challenge, and I’m not saying they were disobeying Christ. If ever there were an issue where the Bible does not speak specifically, tipping ice-cold water over your own head would be it.
But I am saying that my best attempt at thinking with Christian wisdom is suggesting to my conscience that I shouldn’t do it. Here are my five reasons:... continue reading
