HOW DO YOU READ THE BIBLE  

1 comments Posted by Andrew


Next year one of the sermon series I intend to work through is a series on how to read the Bible. It's the issue that I most often hear the people in our church grapple with. They say to me, thinking that this is somehow scandalous and they're the only Christians to have ever confessed to such a heinous crime, "Andrew, I don't read my Bible." When I ask them what stops them, they usually say "it's so boring" After talking a while I come to realise that they've been sold this nonsense that the Bible is an easy read. That you can just pick it up and find little snippets of religious inspiration to help you out with your life. No one has ever helped them read the Bible and no one has ever helped them to read the Bible on its own terms (as opposed to reading it on our own terms).

I came across this video by Real Live Preacher on this very topic - it's brilliant. Go check it out.

THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS  

0 comments Posted by Andrew


If you didn't know, Christmas is upon us. In NZ that means rushing to finish work so that you can go on your summer holidays. Christmas for me means beaches, fishing, sunburn, BBQs and family. In the midst of the mayhem it's hard to find space to reflect on God with us in Jesus. So, I thought I'd share my favourite Christmas poem:


THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS:

That night when shepherds heard the song
Of hosts angelic choiring near,
A deaf man lay in slumber's cell
And dreamed that he could hear.

That night when in the cattle's stall
Slept Child and mother in humble fold,
A cripple turned her twisted limbs
And dreamed that she was whole.

That night when o'er the newborn Babe
A tender mother rose to lean,
A loathsome leper smiled in sleep
And dreamed that he was clean.

That night when to the mother's breast
The little king was held secure,
A harlot slept a happy sleep
And dreamed that she was pure.

That night when in a manger lay
The Holy One who came to save,
A man turned in the sleep of death
And dreamed there was no grave.
-Author Unknown

Schismatic or Saint?  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

I used to (and still do sometimes today) moan on about the church and the people in it to my then mentor Brian Smith. Brian used to listen intently and then say to me "Yep, the church is a crummy place Andrew, full of people like you and me. But you must remember Jesus loves the church and gave himself for it. The church is God's plan A and there's no plan B"

A great quote from G. K. Chesterton: The difference between a schismatic and a saint is that the schismatic loves their criticisms of the church more than they love the church, while the saint loves the church more than their criticisms of it.

I'm still learning what it means to love the church more than my criticisms of it and to love the church more than I love myself. I'm further along this road than I was when a few years ago when I was cynical and bitter but I've still got a long way to go. I'm learning and I'm growing...

ALCOHOL 2  

1 comments Posted by Andrew

The thread over at Paul Windsor's blog on the issue of alcohol is so good I want to plug it again. Go check it out. My own experience is very similar to that of Servant's.

HUNGER SITE  

0 comments Posted by Andrew


Each day I visit The Hunger Site and click on an icon that helps to give food to the hungry. It's part of my online spirituality. It's only a simple click each day and it contributes towards making a difference in our world. Check it out and I'd be very keen to hear of the other things people do online as part of their online spirituality...

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