Archive for April, 2010

Greg Haslam – The basis and blessing of Christian Unity

by Hugh on April 30, 2010 in Faith with No comments

It’s the first night of Bible by the Beach 2010, an annual Bible-teaching conference in Eastbourne, UK. The sun is shining, Stuart Townend and Phatfish a playing nice and loud, and there’s a great turn out for the first night, with many still travelling to join us – it’s not too late for you to come!

Greg Haslam, minister of Westminster Chapel is preaching on Psalm 133 – a song of ascents, when God’s people coming together to celebrate.

We live in a world of suspicion and disunity and rivalry… and it’s often the same in the church. One three letter word – SIN – it’s the cause and root of our disunity. But in John 17 – Jesus prays that we may be one, so that the world may believe!

Unity can be Experienced! – It’s good for Christians, for prodigals, for outsiders, for children… there’s something amazing about unity. v.1 – It’s GOOD and PLEASANT

Unity is not just being put together, it’s not being uniformed (‘cookie-cutter Christians’)… unity is a togetherness in Christ, that comes from the heart.

Unity is portrayed (v.2-3) like sweet oil, like dew on the mountains bringing new life. So… unity is a gift from God (just like the dew), unity flows from God right down through leaders to the church – if pastors aren’t united, congregations won’t be either! So too unity spreads, like oil, like dew… it increases more and more uniting many. Unity… brings nothing but blessing!

Christians – we have more in common than divides us! One body, one Lord, one faith – servants of the same Master, One Father – brothers and sisters together… the Holy Spirit unites us!

You’ll be able to buy DVDs, CDs and MP3 downloads of this talk at the Online Shop.

James 1 – Pure Joy

by Hugh on April 28, 2010 in Faith, Talks with No comments

Preached a couple of weeks ago on James 1…

There’s that somewhat shocking, disagreeable, interesting, vexing, deep, confusing, enigmatic, truthful, heart-warming, [insert adjective here] verse which goes something like…

“Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds”

I would say this verse is a little bit challenging, to preach, and even more so to live out!

Download the MP3 here

Script here

Review: Lifted

by Hugh on April 20, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

Lifted – Experiencing the resurrection life, is the new book by Sam Allberry. 140 pages, published by IVP looking at 4 big implications of the Resurrection; Assurance, Transformation, Hope and Mission.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and consequently recommended it to be our Easter Focus book on our church bookstall this Easter.

Allberry brings a simple, informal style to help make weighty subjects accessible, with helpful illustrations and witty comments to keep the reader engaged! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it… often I find books hard work, when the author just talks… but in Lifted you’re gently taken through the implications of the Resurrection – and you’ll want to keep reading.

My fiancée demolished the book in one sitting as she prepared to give a youth talk on the Resurrection… her assessment was… Great book, especially chapter 3 on Christian Hope… great to be reminded, refreshed and encouraged by the hope of resurrection life to come.

It’s well worth a read - Buy it now – just �6.29!

Westminster 2010

by Hugh on April 19, 2010 in Faith, Politics with 5 Comments

WE BELIEVE

that protecting human life, protecting marriage, and protecting freedom of conscience are foundational for creating and maintaining strong families, caring communities and a just society.

WE INVITE

Christians of all denominations who subscribe to the historic Christian faith to sign the Westminster 2010 Declaration of Christian Conscience.

WE CALL

upon all parliamentary candidates to pledge that they will ‘respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience.

If you agree… sign up here!

In related news… in the spirit of Christian unity, prominent UK leader Steve Chalke under the banner of Faithworks has refused to sign up stating that social action is more important than Christian conscience (I paraphrase). So Faithworks have their own declaration which Steve Chalke will deliver personally, because he’s a greaser. Personally I think Chalke in this situation has been unhelpful, and generally a bit of an idiot. For a more helpful and measured response, please see Westminster 2010 Response.

7 Miles

by Hugh on April 9, 2010 in Faith, Random with No comments

Cheers Dan

Review: Raised with Christ

by Hugh on April 7, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

Raised with Christ – How the Resurrection Changes Everything… is the new book released by popular UK Christian Blogger, Adrian Warnock. Who despite making fun of my figure on at least one ocassion (pot, kettle, black), is quite a nice bloke really, and sent me a copy of his book, very nice.

It seems that in his great providence God has seen it right to raise up some folk in the Church to write for us on the subject of the Resurrection; Adrian Warnock, Sam Allberry, Tim Chester, Dan Clark and Don Carson of late. In his book Adrian sets out to put the Resurrection back on the agenda!

The book sets out in the opening chapters to provide a framework for Resurrection, looking at historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, thoughts on why we neglect the Resurrection, and looking at some Biblical background of what resurrection is, means, and occurrences of it before Jesus (great pointers to lots of OT passages). While this is probably a necessary framework to have, it is not done in sufficient detail to be convincing… ie. I wouldn’t point a sceptical friend here to examine evidence for the Resurrection. But this is not the focus of the book, rather the book gets going in the later chapters as Warnock looks at the implications of the resurrection… how it changes everything!

There’s rich material here looking at the Apostles focus on preaching the Resurrection, spelling out what it means to be united with Christ and practical application on what it looks like to be transformed in the light of the Resurrection. The book concludes with yet more practical outworkings, looking at being born again – resurrection life in the believer, revival, mission, the Spirit sent by the risen Lord (lays out some controversial issues graciously), and the hope and assurance that the Resurrection brings.

“Christians have the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead living inside them. One day that power will complete the work of saving us, but in the meantime the normal Christian life can be one in which we are very aware of the change that the resurrection brings. We are citizens of the age to come, living in a world that is dead to God. But we are not dead to him. We live to him. May God help us live in the light of that fact more each day.”

See also reviews by: Dave Bish, Phil Sweeting

Definitely worth reading, and a great resource to have when thinking about the Resurrection. Packed with helpful quotes and footnotes for further study.

Currently it’s selling for less than £10 on Amazon – buy it now!

A Parable of a Rich Fool

by Hugh on April 6, 2010 in Current Affairs, Faith with No comments

I picked up this story on Sky News last week. What a tragedy!

There are many clichés like “money doesn’t buy you happiness”… I think they are true and this story proves it!

A former baker who won £9m on the Lottery has died, five years after scooping the jackpot which sent his life downhill.
Louise and Keith Gough, on the day they were unveiled as lottery winners
Keith Gough, 58, died on Saturday at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire; it is believed he suffered a heart attack.
Mr Gough won the jackpot in June 2005 after his wife, Louise, bought a lucky dip.
The couple, who had been married for 25 years with a 12-year-old son, split two years later.
Mr Gough reportedly received £1.5m from the divorce and bought a house in Cheshire, hiring a chauffeur and a gardener to help with the upkeep.
He went on to spend much of his winnings on racehorses, fast cars and an executive box at Aston Villa – and he was also tricked out of £700,000 over two years.

Sky News