2:35 – slouched on chair, with cup of tea, riveted by afternoon conversation.

But seriously, if you’re considering Christian ministry, or just want to get some training to help you understand and teach the Bible more effectively then you should check out Cornhill.

“My secret is that I need God–that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.”

Douglas Coupland – Life After God

Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodern as incredulity towards metanarratives.

Lyotard – The Postmodern Condition

A heart that’s full up like a landfill,
a job that slowly kills you,
bruises that won’t heal.
You look so tired-unhappy,
bring down the government,
they don’t, they don’t speak for us.
I’ll take a quiet life,
a handshake of carbon monoxide…

Radiohead – No Surprises

As it happens, I didn’t read it then anyone… I filled my week up with other things… but I did finish it soon after! It’s a whilstle stop tour of the Reformation in Europe from the pre-reformation indulgences to the post-reformation Puritans and everything else in between.

Reeves keeps his good humour and slightly zany approach to historical theology. The main players and events are introduced in a novelistic kind of way, you feel a certain attachment and fondness for Luther as he drinks beer and Calvin as he’s hounded across Europe.

For me the best bit is the chapter on the English Reformation and the focus on William Tyndale. It’s the best because I live in England, it feels that much closer to home… this man died for the sake of the gospel and that I might be able to read the Bible in English!

“If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou doest.”

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”

You can buy the book on Amazon, currently for just £5.64 – Bargain!!

The good news is that this teaching is also going to be made available in book form as the guys at Cornhill get going on some editing for it. I’ll let you know if and when this book comes to be published, should be a good resource.

Also, there’s another Tim Keller book coming out now called ‘Counterfeit Gods’ all about the false promises of idols. It’s available from Amazon, hardback for less than £9 – pretty good deal me thinks.

Anyway… I got home early, so popped to a barbers near Brighton station – hair was a serious mess! Having hair cut, by a girl, mid-twenties probably… and we got talking about the gospel… people always ask about work, so working for a church is a great conversation starter (also a conversation killer!). We only had about 5 mins to talk… but three big blockers (as Tim Keller calls them) came up…

• I work for a church… oh I’m not religious
• Do you believe in God?… oh no, I believe we’re here because of evolution
• I believe Jesus says and does what only God can do (and proves it)… ok, but how do I know he’s the right God, there’s so many out there

It was clear that there was unfounded prejudice about Christian beliefs, a narrow-mindedness to look into the evidence, but I think deep down a desire to know the truth. Good chat. Same issues always come up don’t they, nothing new under the sun…