We live in an age where efficiency and productiveness are pursued with vigour. It’s right, of course, that we should not want to be wasteful with our precious resources. But does this apply also to our working out of the gospel in our lives: our mission to the communities around Read more…
When I was advised to omit salt from cooking it took a while to get accustomed to but it was only when someone else, months later, cooked for me that I immediately sensed the intensity of the effect on my palate. I then couldn’t get rid of the taste. It Read more…
In December 2016, a 29-year-old man was murdered. He had been an alcoholic since his teens. One day I had a conversation with him and he said he would be a Christian but he was too embarrassed. So I ask myself: “What is it we Christians do that is so Read more…
For me, The Lord’s Prayer is something that I call upon constantly in my life as it reminds me to stay true to my beliefs and to live my life for God. This passage is especially good at helping to share beliefs as it shows how you should go out Read more…
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me” (v18). As a new steward in my home church, I waited anxiously for the appointed preacher to arrive one Sunday; I was due to lead the small Sunday school class that morning and needed to complete my Read more…
Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. As a leading Pharisee, he wouldn’t want anyone to know that he was associating with the controversial travelling preacher and so he brought his questions under cover of darkness. When I first began to train as a Methodist minister over forty years ago, my Read more…
Have you ever been thrown in at the deep end? Have you ever been in a situation where you have been asked to say something about your faith and how you have come to be where you are? How did that feel? Were you ready? Sharing faith is not an Read more…
An Invitation to stillness “Deep calls to deep” – Psalm 42 Contemplation is a word that is not used regularly in Methodist worship and practice. A common interpretation of Luke 10.38-42 is that Mary is the contemplative and Martha is the activist. We Methodists are activists aren’t we? Yet, the Read more…
The passage begins by telling us that the believers were of one heart and mind. They had contentment because they had faith in the Lord. The Apostles were still telling everyone about the resurrection of Jesus. As disciples, we too should be telling everyone about what the Lord has done Read more…
We would love the mission of the Church today to be effective and successful, to be able to ‘catch’ people for Jesus as easily as an angler can catch a salmon for his supper in the River Tweed. We would love our friends to recognise Jesus as the Son of Read more…