Christmas (in theory, anyway) is supposed to make us happy. The songs have happy tunes, whether Christian ones or just ones about snowmen. Bright lights and calls for goodwill to all are everywhere. (A lot of it is aspirational rather than reality, of course. I don’t get filled with happiness wandering through a large shopping …
It is commonplace for many people to listen to music constantly through the day. Their lives are set to a soundtrack of their own choosing. Whether walking along, catching a bus, or eating their meals, there is always music. Never silence, always music. So what is the problem, you might ask? I like music! What’s …
It can be hard work being a Christian in the workplace. For many people, they are the only Christian in their office or in their department or on their building site. The workplace culture might be challenging. Everyone else might have different values to you and spend their time and money in wildly different ways …
There has been so much commentary in the past few years about the transgender movement. This has often ended up with Christians and transgender activists lining up on opposite sides from one another shouting opinions at on another. Too often the Christian traditional teaching on gender (which I hold to) comes across so poorly as …
All people, just because we are human, are in the image and likeness of God. This means that people are God’s representatives, made to be special, different from the rest of creation. This foundational truth taught in the first chapter of the Bible has all kinds of important applications to it, but today let’s consider …
Christians are those who are living sacrifices, giving our lives to the service of God. We are to be different from the world around us, as we read in Romans 12:2-3: 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what …
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 …
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 …
It is common for people around us to say that all gods are the same. Or to broaden it beyond actual gods, whatever you choose to live for is fine. You do you. Yet even a cursory glance at this idea will reveal that not all gods are the same at all. As one psalmist …
When we are trying to communicate the Bible to people, we need to consider both sides of the bridge. Firstly, and most importantly, we need to understand the word of God well, spending time and effort in understanding what God is saying in this particular passage. And secondly, we need to understand the people being …