As the presenter on BBC Radio Four put it, when it comes to where humans come from, evolutionists are having to “rethink what we thought we knew”.
The discovery of the skull of a human (or human ancestor, depending on how you choose to label it) in the Republic of Georgia, is being seen by some scientists as evidence that humans are all descended from a common ancestor. This overturns the prevailing theory of the last forty years, which was that there were several human-type species around, out of which humanity evolved.
So Justin Webb, interviewing one of the scientists who had been analyzing the skull, really wasn’t exaggerating when he spoke of the science community needing to rethink what they thought they knew. And in saying that, he pointed out a nuance in how science is “done” which is rarely mentioned in school lessons or in Richard Dawkins’ books.... continue reading
Recent research has shown that divorce rates are just as high among Christians as among non-Christians. It seems that even Christians have trouble maintaining a healthy relationship in which both people feel fulfilled. Part of the problem is that happiness in a marriage is not automatic. Creating a great marriage takes work and if we cant keep love alive in the relationship, then the conflicts are going to overcome us.
These days of course it's not just the relationship between husband and wife themselves that create problems in a marriage. The financial pressures we find ourselves under with unemployment high and relatively lower rates of pay, demands of children who are more worldly than we ever were at their age, the constant need in secular terms to prove ourselves over and over again all contribute to the strains put on a marriage, as of course does a complete feeling of being overwhelmed and tired by everything going on in your life.
So what can we do? Avoiding these kind of problems (or fixing them if it is already happening in your marriage) involves going back to the basics of what God intends a Christian marriage to be. To understand why marriages struggle - as I know from experience, they all do at some time - we need to understand the nature of our sin. To make marriages work, we need to understand how to apply the truth about God and His salvation.
Whether you are a newlywed or you have been married for years, Tim Chester's Gospel Centred Marriage can help you and your spouse create the marriage that you’ve always wanted. Chester advises us in clear, captivating terms what happens when the cross is lifted high in Christian marriage. His advice is intensely biblical and intensely practical. Many couples (especially those who read it together) will find this book to be a life-giving page turner.
Get it HERE for just £1 until midnight on Monday. Simply use code gcm1013 at the checkout.
Faith groups raise lobbying Bill concerns with PM
New legal battle over gay adverts on London buses
Challenges for the gospel: Christian witness and the future of Anglicanism in Sydney
Rand Paul warns of war on Christianity
Q&A: Billy Graham's Warning Against an Epidemic of 'Easy Believism'
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We got around to 1 Timothy 2 v 8-15 at homegroup recently, and it was an educating experience for me as a leader. The passage has been a battleground for alternative interpretations over the last 30 years, so I was interested to discover how influenced my group members have been by these views, when our church's preaching and practice has been uncompromisingly complementarian (women and men are equal, but have different roles) for the last 30 years.
We had a great time talking about how men should pray, not fight. We had a good discussion about the particular issues the women in the group faced on the clothing v godliness issue. I spent a long time on these two questions, secretly hoping that the discussion over verses 11-15 would be squeezed a little shorter.
We had 20 minutes of slightly confusing discussion, which raised more questions than it was able to answer, but my issue as a leader was: how do I land the study in an encouraging and substantial place, rather than leave group members going home with their heads reeling in confusion. Three big points occurred to me:... continue reading
Her hands trembled as she typed the words. She took a breath and paused before pressing "enter". But soon her question was visible to all ..."Do you like me?"
She had been bullied at school that day. She had been bullied the night before over social media. And within minutes the barrage of abuse began again. "As if". "I hate you". "No-one will ever like you". The comments came thick and fast. Some in English, some in the new text speak that those of us in our 40s are largely too old to comprehend, but all laced with hate. Soon she was in tears. Soon she was curled up on her bed repeating the words of torment to herself: no-one will ever like me.
It's not new for teenagers to be cruel to one another. It's not new for human beings to be mean. That has been going on since the fall of Genesis 3. It's moderately new for that cruelty to take place in cyberspace - a medium that never sleeps, never leaves space for respite. But what's really new is the way a small number of young people are using cyberspace to induce a context for virtual self-harm.... continue reading
1. Messages that Move E-Book Deal
Until midnight on Thursday, the e-book version of Messages that Move is available for just £1 in the UK and $2.99 in the US.
2. From the River to the Ends of the Earth
A new album on the Psalms from Matt Searles.
3. Personal Devotions in the Digital Age
David Murray at HeadHeartHand Blog looks at 20 tips for personal devotions and 18 obstacles for personal devotions in the digital age.
4. Why should we trust the gospels?
Mark Meynell looks at the historicity of the gospels.
5. Galatians For You
Galatians For You by Tim Keller is now available as a new title on the Olive Tree Bible Study App..
6. And finally…
Our video of the week, from Open Up the Bible, 'Bible reading for families':
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
We've all sat through Bible talks and sermons that meander all over the place going nowhere, or are just plain dull and uninteresting. But, whatever your involvement in your church or ministry, the law of averages suggests that at some time you will be called upon to talk in some way about a biblical topic. That doesn't mean preaching from the front of church necessarily, but just in some group format, in a home study, youth group or wherever. If you are like me, you'd take all the help you can get in putting that talk together.
Well seasoned preacher and youth pastor Tim Hawkins is on our side too. In Messages that Move, Tim provides great help and understanding in getting our listeners engaged with our talks or sermons.
Get the e-book version HERE for just £1 until midnight on Thursday. Simply use the code mtme10 at the checkout.
When people don't respond to the gospel, it's easy for us to hide behind the powerful truths of 2 Corinthians 4 v 4:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
We should not let ourselves off so lightly.
Last week I was involved in three superb conferences. The Evangelists' Conference in London and Manchester, and then to Southampton for the first of our Growing Young Disciples conferences for those involved in youth and children's ministry. Both conferences were addressing the same issue from a different direction. How can we present the gospel in a way that means people really hear it?... continue reading
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Some people, both Christian as well as non-Christian, find it easy to understand God and Jesus, but struggle to understand quite how and where the Holy Spirit fits into the picture. Who exactly is he? And how does he work in our lives?
Silence can mean many things to different people; some love it, while others fear it, some fight against it. I am sure that it is no co-incidence that the level of noise has increased, as the separation between God’s ways and the world’s ways, are becoming further apart. Noise clouds judgment, overwhelming the still small voice, causing further confusion. Is it easier to fill your life with noise, than to be still in silence? If I asked what you could hear right now, what would it be? I am not just talking about the voices from those who need us, calling for our attention, or the noise from traffic, radio, TV, phone …. But also the words we repeat over in our minds, our worries, the words we carry around in our heart, the endless list of things we need to accomplish!... continue reading
