I’m just back from a church weekend where we learnt the whole of Psalm 16 by heart. I’m now practising it every day to try and get it firm in my mind. I am not finding it easy. But that’s partly because my adult brain isn’t used to memorising stuff, and is protesting at the strain. However, children do learn things – poems at school, the words of pop songs, lines for a Christmas play. So this is the ideal time for them to be memorising key verses from God’s Word.
Most children’s teaching material will include some memory verses, and may also give suggestions for how to teach them. But we can quickly get locked in to using the same few techniques – the ones we think “work”.... continue reading
Hi, I’m Alison Mitchell, and I’m the Children’s Editor at The Good Book Company. I’ve been here for twelve years, during which time we’ve grown from five of us (all getting involved with whatever job needed doing – I was pretty good at packing books) to more than 25.
My claim to fame is that I’m the only person in the company who has a Computer Science degree. But it’s from early 80’s when computers filled whole rooms and programs had to be translated onto punched cards before being fed into the machine. Later, as a research assistant, I developed educational software for one of the very early microcomputers. It was the bee’s knees with a whole 32K of memory. None of us could have imagined an iPad back then.... continue reading
Few debates have become more heated in the last 50 years. The Bible's teaching on homosexuality is profoundly counter-cultural and hugely unpopular. But amid the debates are real people. People who are struggling. People who want to be more like Jesus. Today on the blog one person, who wishes to remain anonymous, asks a very personal question to each of us: would it be safe for them to tell us that they're bi-sexual?... continue reading
Do you have a question? A burning ministry conundrum? Something that is confusing you about the Bible, Jesus or how to serve him? Then why not post your question below or send it in to: blog@thegoodbook.co.uk. We'll do our best to answer them all in the coming weeks ... and throw open the discussion to all our other readers too.
Whether you'd value some hints on leading your youth group better, preaching more engagingly, discipling more effectively or you're simply wondering what the Bible says about a specific doctrine, we'd love to help you tease things out.
We’ve been studying 1 Chronicles in homegroup, and I was struck again by the contrast between the Philistines’ “god”, Dagon – and the LORD, Sovereign of all things. You may be familiar with the account in 1 Samuel 5 v 1-5 where the Philistines have captured the ark of the covenant and plonked it in their temple, next to Dagon. In the morning, Dagon has fallen over. So they prop him back up. But the next morning, he’s not only toppled over but his head and hands have fallen off. It’s a great story that points to the supremacy of the LORD God – and children love it!... continue reading
Hi I'm Martin Cole, and I've been working at The Good Book Company for far too long! 15 years to be precise, and it's been such a huge and enjoyable privilege to see God graciously grow our work here. When I began here, as the entire admin department, there were only two of us in the office, and now there are more than 25 GBC employees. These days I'm Youth Editor, which means I write for and edit the daily Bible notes Discover (11-13s) and Engage (14+). I'm also responsible for the daily tweets of soundbites from Explore and Engage, and I produce "Fighting that Monday feeling" here on the blog, amongst my other crimes.
Away from GBC, I'm married to Kirsty with 2 gorgeous and crazy daughters, Josie and Charlotte. I foolishly but enthusiastically support Chesterfield FC and I know far too much about films.
I'd just like to say what a privilege it is to work here at GBC, and to spend my day in God's Word, wrestling with how to engage young people with the Bible. I was so rubbish at reading my Bible regularly, that God gave me a job where I have to study it daily! I've grown hugely and continue to be humbled and amazed at how God uses strange and flawed people like myself in His work. Right, time to get back to making Ezra exciting for 16 year olds...
A Swedish designer has put together a new range of clerical clothing CasualPriest.com for women that aims to express stylish and confident femininity.
Is it just us ... or does this look suspiciously like a Star Trek uniform?
This weekend will be filled with street parties, the magnificent spectacle of the royal flotilla sailing down the Thames, and a joyful celebration of a British tradition, and a wonderful woman who has served her country so well over the last 60 years.
But, as we have seen over the last few days, the idea of Jubilee in the Bible is filled with a much richer meaning.
The Bible is one book, one story. And at its centre is Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all the law. Yes, even of the law of the Jubilee celebration. How?
Rest: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11 v 28
Rejoice: “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven…" Luke 6 v 22-23
Reliance: "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6 v 31-33
Restoration: "In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." John 14 v 2-3
Release: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down ... And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4 v 19-21
So let's join in the praise for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, but reserve our full passion and joy for the One True King - Jesus our Lord. He's our real Jubilee.
From all of us at The Good Book Company, have a great weekend.
As the Queen's Jubilee celebration approaches, we've been looking at the origin of the Jubilee festival and made some fascinating discoveries.
The trumpet blast that started the Jubilee 50th year was the sign that anyone who was a slave was released. But there was another important economic aspect of the Jubilee as outlined in Leviticus 25. The land itself as restored to its original owners. In other words - there is no such thing as freehold.When someone sold a field or a plot of land, they were only leasing it for the time until the next Year of Jubilee. Why? As a reminder that: "The land is mine, and you are to reside in my land as foreigners and strangers." (Leviticus 25 v 23)
This whole economic system of land ownership has some very interesting implications for the way that business was conducted - not least that relationships and families became more important than money. But did you get the spiritual dimension of the command for restoration? It was a constant reminder to remember that the land they lived in was not theirs at all - but held as a gift from God.
It was the Lord who had rescued them from Egypt. It was the Lord who brought them through the wilderness to the land of Milk and Honey. It was with the Lord's strength that the Canaanites were driven out. It was the Lord's promise to Abraham that was fulfilled by the Lord's hand. The Jubilee enshrined in the rhythm of life the reminder that what they have comes as a gift to them from a gracious God. They must hold onto it lightly. They must live in it and enjoy its blessings with gratitude.
Many people admire the hard work and dedication to duty that has marked the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. She has worked hard to fulfill her role. She deserves to be celebrated this weekend. But I am sure that Her Majesty would echo the sentiments of the original Jubilee. That it is a time for recognising that all the good things we enjoy come from the hand of God. Your house, our country, your work, your bank account, your stuff. It's all his really.
Tomorrow: the real Jubilee!
The name Jubilee has a couple of possible derivations. It's either from the Hebrew term Yobel meaning a blast on the trumpet (the Jubilee year was announced by the blowing of a Shofar - a ram's horn - during Yom Kippur); or else it is from the Latin Jubilo - meaning shout.
Either indicates a celebration of enormous importance and joy. English words like "enjoy" and "Jublilation" come from the same root.
We saw yesterday how the Sabbath years were part of the way God built the principles of Rest, Reliance and Rejoicing into the life of his people Israel.
But the Jubilee, the 50th Year had another important function. In addition to the above, it was also about Release and Restoration.
Because in the Jubilee year, it wasn't just the land and the farmers that were released from having to do any work - anyone who was indentured as a slave was also released.
We tend to think of slavery today in absolute terms. Someone who is completely owned by another for life, and has no possible means of escape. Slavery in ancient Israel, and in much of the ancient world was practised in a very different way - more like the practice of bonded labour, where you effectively sign up with an employer for a period of time. In Israel, this time period was intended to be calculated from the Jubilee that came round every 50 years.
So if I got into debt or some kind of economic trouble, I could "sign up" as a slave, knowing that when I heard the blast of the trumpet that marks the start of Jubilee, my contract is over and I am free to go.
This release from slavery mirrors God's great saving act in Israel's history in Egypt. He put an end to their slavery and released them for a life of freedom under his loving rule.
Fast forward 1500 years to a hillside outside Jerusalem, and we see what the Exodus and the Jubliee year is really pointing to. God's ultimate act of salvation, as the Lord Jesus dies to set us free from the penalty of sin, so that we can live a life of freedom under his loving rule.
Jubilee is about celebrating the reign of the British Sovereign, Elizabeth. During here reign the UK has known a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. But the Jubilee ultimately urges us to celebrate the reign of the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus whose brings peace with God and whose service is perfect freedom.
Call back tomorrow for some thoughts on Restoration...
