Shaping The Future: Looking Back And Contemplating The Future

Well you will be glad to know that I arrived safely in Beijing and have settled in well for the few days that I will be here.

As the waters cover the sea: OMF March 2017

“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14)

 

In a number of discussions recently I have been reminded of just how important it is for us as the people of God to have a clear view of two things. Very simply they are as follows; remembering who God is and remembering what God’s purpose is for all the nations.

Off The Shelf: 2016 Review

Changes seems to be the word which best sums up the past year for me on a personal level. There has been the death of a close relative, the birth of my first child (Sophia Jane Paterson), moving house, starting a new ministry role & travel to Singapore. However it also seems an appropriate word when we consider global politics. This time last year I don’t think there would have been many people who would have expected that Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson would have brought the conservative front bench to their knees. Maybe even less likely was “the Donald” winning the US Presidential election (the only president in history to receive a stunner from Stone Cold). It has also been a year of change in popular culture with the departure of many well loved contributors such as Prince, Bowie, Fisher & Rickman.

It has been a year to pay attention to for many reasons and here are things which have greatly shaped me over the last 12 months; here is my 2016.

Scotland and the Private Faith

With the rise of secularism in Scotland, and the western world in general, there has been a concurrent agenda forced upon the church or indeed any faith group. Its origins were simple enough and the spread of it has been infectious; faith or belief are not things which should be discussed outside of the private sphere.