Category: Culture

Sin means that we cannot have a perfect world now

Sin means that we cannot have a perfect world now

I’ve just finished reading a thorough and very interesting historical account of China’s Great Leap Forward in 1958-62. The book is called ‘Mao’s Great Famine: The History of China’s Most Devastating Catastrophe’ by Frank Dikotter. It’s a harrowing read at times. In an attempt to bring China’s industrial output in line with the developed countries …

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How are Christians free in Christ Jesus?

How are Christians free in Christ Jesus?

If you asked someone who was not a Christian to describe what Christians are like to you, you would get a range of answers. On the negative side, some might say that we are hypocrites or bigots or judgemental. On the more positive side, others might say that Christians tend to nice or friendly or …

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Preachers, work on connecting to your listeners

Preachers, work on connecting to your listeners

Preachers need to think about a lot of different things. It is hard work to interpret and explain God’s Word faithfully and well. A great deal of theological training goes into teaching the original languages, theology, Bible interpretation, and church history. All of this is critical. Yet preachers also need to consider how to connect …

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Don’t only think of what you will do, consider what has already been done

Don’t only think of what you will do, consider what has already been done

Happy new year! A new year always makes us think of new possibilities. Perhaps you are making plans for the new things you want to do this year. Perhaps you have made new year’s resolutions. You might have signed up for that gym membership, enrolled in that new course, or decided to try a new …

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Diet, exercise, and Christian service

Diet, exercise, and Christian service

Diet and exercise are hot topics today. Many of the best-selling books and highest profile online companies are those who offer help either with what we eat or how we move. Yet Christians don’t often think of the connection between diet and exercise and our faith. There are two extreme positions here that we need …

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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 …

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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 …

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