“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible” (1 Peter 1:8)
As Peter writes to the believers scattered across the Roman empire in the first century he is well aware of the challenges that they face. For many the pressure to conform would have been immense and the risk of identifying as a believer in the crucified Messiah would have been high. Continue reading
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)
God’s word is very clear that no matter who we are or where we come from we are all people who are in a very desperate situation. Our attitude towards God has been one of disobedience and our condition before God is spiritual deadness (2:1-3). Continue reading
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!” (Rev 7:10)
As we start this new year of ministry together it is good to listen in to the chorus we hear echoing out from the throne room of heaven. It is both a very encouraging message and a great reminder of what we are involved in. Continue reading
It is a joy to see the way our denomination is journeying by taking up the task of reshaping for mission. Proposed church plants, revitalisation work and continued gospel ministry all point towards further kingdom growth in our nation. With that as the backdrop the words of Hudson Taylor, the founder of OMF, seem very pertinent; “Let us in everything not sinful become like the Chinese that by all means we may save some”. Loving people by bringing Jesus to them in ways which are culturally relevant is what we have signed up to; this is exciting. Continue reading
Last weekend Jennifer and I were able to gather with others for the OMF Scottish conference through in Arbroath. Typically for Scotland the rain was on hand making an appearance and I’m glad it did. It allowed me to see a wonderful scene; over the north sea there was a rainbow, its colours cascading out of the clouds into the sea, reminding me of the God who does not change. It is good to be reminded of this because the world around us exists in a constant state of transition and change mainly due to the forces of globalization. Continue reading
Book: Not so secret: Being contemporary agents for mission
Graham Orr has worked for a number of years in Japan in urban Tokyo and this book exploring the task of being mission agents in normal life has been a really helpful and informative read for me. Although much of the experience is based on observations from Japan, Orr has thoughtfully related this to the similar challenges which face the church across the UK. Continue reading
It’s been an interesting year, has it not? Many things have changed within our society at large and across the ever globalized network of nations which we live amongst. We have witnessed the atrocities of IS in the Middle East, executing people at will and eradicating priceless historical sites and artifacts. We have also seen key “leaders” in churches proactively denying the cross of Jesus and his atonement as the centre point of the biblical gospel. But its not all bad, doom and gloom. We have also seen times of celebration and rejoicing. The 150th anniversary of OMF and its work to tell others about Jesus in East Asia was very special. There was also the return of Star Wars to the big screen causing my inner child great excitement as the force was awakened once again. Another note of great joy for me has been the return to form of BVB 09; Dortmund once again proving to be a force in the Bundesliga after a poor run last season.
Here is my contribution and the things which have influenced me most during the last 12 months; this is my 2015. Continue reading
