Sandy Grant's reads of the week include a program to help you share the gospel at work, things that encourages church visitors, the idol of sports for parents, plus a reflection on a proposed anti-bullying program.
Sandy Grant's links on mental health, sacrifice, comfort/suffering, Proverbs 22:6, and religious radicalisation.
So I had long service leave for the first time this year. “How did that happen?” I asked myself, before hurtling back to reality as I remembered first my years of single ministry, rapidly followed by a church plant, getting married, becoming a rector, welcoming two small people into our world, leading a growing church, and dealing with the reality of struggling marriages and bodies ravaged by cancer.
Matthias Media recently published a book by Steve Morrison called Born This Way, addressing the issue of same-sex attraction by examining both the scientific studies and what God says in the Word. After reading the book, I felt the need to write a short post to encourage others to read it too (no, I wasn’t asked by Matthias to do so!).
Read Psalm 128 lately? Does it uncomfortably remind you of the 'prosperity gospel'?
A collection of things worth reading from around the web in the last week.
“So... how did you find the passage? Any initial thoughts?” An eerie silence follows, accompanied by the awkward shifting of people in their chairs, as it becomes apparent that no-one has prepared. It will be a dry old night of trying to wring out some answers from people whose sudden pangs of guilt have distracted them from the possibility of thinking up a response by reading the passage right now.
This fabulously illustrated retelling of the Christmas story is a book that both adults and children will love. (Published by our friends at the Good Book Company.)
What are the small things we can all do that make a big difference in our churches?
Essays interacting with John Dickson's "Hearing Her Voice". Ebook file download. Release date: 5 May 2014.