A very happy Christmas to all our blog-readers around the world.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
Congratulations to Nick Howard and Betsy Childs on the news of their engagement to be married.
Nick works as a pastor in New York City and Betsy is the web and publications editor of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. They both share a passion for the communicating the gospel in the written word. Nick, known as Bernard in the US, has published a number of books, including the excellent The Book of the Covenant with the Good Book Company. Betsy is a regular contributor to The Gospel Coalition blog.
Our best wishes, love and prayers to them both as they plan and prepare for their life together.
Good Book Author David Robertson will be engaging in friendly dialogue at the local launch of his new book in Dundee next week.
Engaging with Atheists aims to give Christians the confidence to talk about the good news of the gospel with their friends and others who deny the existence of God.
David, who has recently been appointed the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, will discuss atheism and belief in God with Gary McLelland, the Education Policy Office of the Humanist Society in Scotland.
This FREE event, with refreshments included, takes place at the CLC Bookshop, Nethergate in Dundee next Tuesday 18th November at 7.30 pm.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
I’m sure, like me, you’ve been watching with concern as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa worsens week on week. Just today, a man in New York has been tested positive for the disease. But from some corners, there’s been criticism that the media coverage has been so focused on European and American victims.
It should come as no surprise to us that the instinct for (self-interested) fear runs deeper than humanitarian empathy for people living far away. But what is it that scares us so much about Ebola? Not, I don’t think, the thought of the symptoms themselves (horrific though they are). It’s the perceived lack of control that terrifies us: the thought that this invisible threat could sneak undetected onto our little island and pass unseen from person to person; the idea that one day soon the coughing colleague at the desk to my right could be carrying something significantly more sinister than a common cold. However small that likelihood is, fear is certainly a powerful emotion.... continue reading
In this case, I really do hate to say: I told you so.
Back in June, when the “Trojan horse” Islamic “radicalization plot” was front-page news, and there was great fear about the creeping influence of Islam by the “back door” (or rather, school door), I blogged that Christians should be worried that the arguments being used against Islamicisation could equally be used against Christian teaching, and asked:
How long is it before there’s a news item about a school, or group of schools, where some of the governors stand accused of:
I missed a bullet point off that list. I should have added: “Not offering their students a well-rounded, broad approach to spiritual formation”.
So, how long?... continue reading
Turn your back on Christ or watch your children die.
That’s the choice your brothers and sisters, if you’re a Christian, are being given in ISIS-controlled areas of Iraq and Syria, today. Children are dying because their families stay loyal to Christ. This is real. Right now.
And that is why God’s judgment is not just a truth we have to acknowledge because the Bible says it. It is not a truth that we must explain away, smooth over and get past as quickly as possible so we can talk about love and forgiveness.
Because “all this”, as Paul puts it to a church suffering serious persecution for your faith, “is evidence that God’s judgment is right” (2 Thessalonians 1 v 5). God’s judgment is not merely real, but right. It is good, and we should celebrate it.... continue reading
There are lots of great Christian conferences around this autumn, so why not take the opportunity to get some great training? Register now for some short, biblical, practical days - it's never a waste to spend a few hours getting better equipped for Kingdom living.
What's on?... continue reading
Here's your chance you number crunching CofE people, and anyone else who wants to wade in - what is your take on these findings? Is it discerning? Is it far-sighted? Or have they missed something important? Offer your thoughts below and we'll share our thoughts next week on this issue... Full report details HERE.
Do you have a bucket-list? I wrote one once - I'm not alone - Barack Obama has one too. He ticked off "visit Stonehenge" last week and why not? The world in all its beauty and history is a fascinating place.
Since the US President's trawl around the stones, the web has been awash with bucket-list ideas. There's even now a "Great British Bucket-List" - I've done 14 out of the 50 - clearly I still have plenty to do on my days off in the coming years!
It's all very well to have hope and dreams - personally, I would love to bottle-feed a baby panther and I make no apology for that - but there's a danger that we can get so focused on the here and now that we forget what's truly important. Visiting the Giant's Causeway, climbing Ben Nevis and eating a deep-fried Mars bar may all bring a smile to our face but they pale into insignificance when compared with the glory of knowing Christ, the privilege of serving Christ and wonder of going to be with Christ in eternal bliss.... continue reading
