Every so often I go away on a conference to sharpen my preaching skills – in fact, I’m on one at the moment. Something like this has popped up in my diary every year since – well, since a long time ago, and it is one of the top two things that help me improve.
A church I know has just stopped running its mums and toddler group. It’s stopped bumps and babies. It’s stopped – well, it’s stopped doing everything except bible studies. The argument is that it’s too easy for us to be distracted from doing what we ought to be doing by what is secondary, and attractive,
No matter who makes up you congregation, they all have one question as you begin your sermon; and no matter how you do it, you have to answer it somehow. Fail to acknowledge the question, and you have set yourself for a long-term battle to win and keep their attention. I missed this for years.
The speakers list keeps growing! http://globalmissionconference2016.net Spread the word London, October 12-15 2016 will see a unique gathering of missionaries, mission societies, pastors, theologians and church members, to think and pray about Mission in the Third Millennium. Speakers will come from around the world, and will include: From the US George Verwer, the founder of Operation Mobilisation Deborah Chapman, Mothers’
I went to a strong, hearty conference recently, full of talk about gospel work and initiatives, and the theme was ‘standing shoulder to shoulder.’ And I thought then, as I still think, that that’s all very well, but it’s still very independent. The model is that strong (i.e. larger) churches can help weaker (i.e. smaller)
This has to be strangest book review I have ever attempted: a book about a man you’ve probably never heard of, written by a man you’ve probably never heard of; and yet I want to persuade you that it’s one of the most remarkable books you will ever read, and whose theme is of stunning
This week has given me the preacher’s headache: a really, really difficult passage. One of those ones where the commentaries delight in saying, ‘This is one of the most problematic texts in the canon’. One where you start to wonder if you will have anything useful to say come Sunday, or if anyone will notice
You’ll need to open this page to access the Soundcloud file.
ministrynutsandbolts.com 