Strategic planning in the local church

Strategic planning in the local church

Some people like to plan for the future; others just seem to deal with whatever might happen to them. I am a planner. I like to make lists. I like to know what my diary is likely to look like next week, and what major events are planned next month. I realise that not everyone …

+ Read More

Training in godliness

Training in godliness

In the past few months, I have become more regular with working on my physical fitness. I have managed to fit a few different exercise sessions in each week as part of my everyday routines. At the start, it didn’t seem like much had changed. Starting something new meant that my muscles that were used …

+ Read More

Watch out for weeds

Watch out for weeds

Weeds have been dominating my garden lately. I have all kinds of beautiful plants I would like to see flourish, yet the things that are most successful are the weeds. You don’t need to put in any effort for weeds to grow. They just happen. And if you don’t do anything about them, the garden …

+ Read More

Information, knowledge and wisdom

Information, knowledge and wisdom

Information, knowledge and wisdom are all different things. I know that sometimes people use these words interchangeably, but they are distinct. We live in an information age with torrents of information being delivered to us every day. Yet not much of that information actually settles in our brains to become knowledge, something we know. And …

+ Read More

Don’t utilize extensive vocabulary when you can use simple words

Don’t utilize extensive vocabulary when you can use simple words

Too many sermons are more complicated than they need to be. Like any specialty, the Christian world has its own special vocabulary. Words like holy, justification and glorification do turn up in the Bible, yet they rarely if ever turn up in everyday conversation. On top of this, there are all kinds of theological terms …

+ Read More

You learn a great deal by going outside

You learn a great deal by going outside

Have you noticed how many Bible passages draw conclusions from looking at the natural world? Here’s only a small sample: 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the …

+ Read More

Understanding introverts in the church

Understanding introverts in the church

We live in a world which values extroverts very highly. School children are marked on contributions in class. Job interview processes always include evidence of teamwork. TV shows and movies portray typical social lives as being dominated by attending parties and large social gatherings. We all love someone who loves people and is in their …

+ Read More