My younger brother lent me Timothy Dudley Smith’s two-volume biography of John Stott – an ordained Anglican minister and well-known in circles in which he is well-known. I airily pronounced that I was little interested in biographies of professional Christians. But my brother responded that the biography was also inter-woven with the history of evangelicalism in the 20th century – a topic which does intrigue me.
Here are some observations: Read the rest of this entry »
Ah. music to my ears. Mrs MAWAMFC and I and four friends had come to a conference on Total Church and Steve Timmis, one of the speakers, said that one of his main aims was to “de-professionalize gospel ministry”. Given the sub-head of this blog you can see why I loved this. Read the rest of this entry »
Mrs MAWAMFC and I had a similarly-aged couple over for lunch today. We have known them for many years and we have children of similar ages. We talked about the things of God, but He was by no means our main topic of conversation. Why was that? Read the rest of this entry »
The preacher – “a well-known name in circles in which his name is well-known” (phrase © Alan Bright) – was winding up his sermon on Hebrews 11 and ended with a challenge to people who were gifted in teaching the Bible. He suggested that they consider what it was that was stopping them pursuing it full-time, “since there is nothing more important”. Read the rest of this entry »
A group of young people working with a Christian trust led the morning meeting at our church today. One of them, Hannah, was talking about taking steps of faith. Was that the main point of Matt 14:22ff? Anyway…
…she talked about how, for her and others, working for XLP has been a step of faith BUT, she then added “just as much, perhaps even more, we can step out in faith in our schools, colleges and at work”. Amen, preach it, sister!
A friend has just started full-time at a Bible college
I must tell you that my personal quiet times and prayer have been more regular than they have been for a long while – how much I need the discipline and encouragement of corporate, community times! Read the rest of this entry »
I receive a newsletter from a mission society on the continent. An article in a recent edition made me write the following to the society:
In the September issue Mr C wrote about the transforming power of good Christian books. He said, “This… led to a longing to serve the Lord”. Dare I say that is theologically inaccurate since Mr C seemed to already be a believer? One of the marks of being a believer is that we long to serve the Lord – isn’t it? Read the rest of this entry »
Leslie Ludy, an American author and speaker, writes
A Christian publisher once told me, “You shouldn’t always write about missionary Christians… Why don’t you share about some normal, everyday Christians who live in the suburbs and work for IBM? Those kind of Christians are just as important as the ones who go to the mission field. Don’t just focus on Christians who had a ‘special calling’ to go and change the world”.
Well, sorry to be blunt, but most “normal, everyday” Christians… are living pleasure-seeking, self-absorbed lives… Are we, as the majority of American Christians, pouring ourselves out for the lost of the least, or are we lying on our couches, eating pizza and watching reality TV”
“That’s a double ooch” (as many middle-aged people might recall from ‘The Banana Splits’)
I subscribe to The Briefing: “a short regular shot of encouragement and fresh Christian thinking to stimulate biblically faithful Christian life and ministry.” – and it does this, mostly. Read the rest of this entry »
“We are convinced that England will never be converted until the laity use the opportunities daily afforded by their various professions, crafts and occupations.” Towards the Conversion of England, 1945
Click here for how this inspired work at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity.
