It's a recurrent problem for those who lead Bible study groups and church services. People arrive with their heads full of stuff: their personal problems; a crisis with a friend; money worries; the pressures of a hard day at work; frustrations with children; the long-term problems that are a constant weight to our souls.
It's not uncommon for someone to say, or the leader to pray something like this:
Lord, help us to put aside the distractions of today, so that we can focus on you...
It sounds like it should be the right thing to do. After all, distractions are … well … distracting! And aren't we at church or homegroup to focus on God's Word and worship him? Sounds like the right thing to do, until you read the psalms and understand the lives God wants us to lead. The book of Psalms is not just a personal prayer book for our private moments - but a songbook for people to sing aloud as we approach the Lord. Take these examples of typical songs on the hymn sheet at the temple:... continue reading
What professions lead to the unhappiest people? It may have shocked you to discover that Ministers of religion are the happiest profession (see blog on Tuesday). But if the biggest driver for happiness and job satisfaction is interaction with people, it should be less surprising to see the bottom five. The interesting thing here is that they are, in general, much higher paid, and have a much higher social status, but they don't deliver the goods in terms of happiness:
5. Technical Specialist
4. Senior Web Developer
3. Product Manager
2. Director of Sales and Marketing: I guess the issue here is that social interaction in sales and marketing is dominated by wanting to get the sale. And of course, the pressure of meeting those targets.
1. Director of Information Technology: often high earning, but the pressure point for anything that goes wrong. People complain and are frustrated when it doesn't work - but do not appreciate how difficult it is to make it work properly.... continue reading
What professions lead to the happiest people? It was a simple question that delivered a surprising result from the General Social Survey produced by the National Organization for Research at the University of Chicago.
It seems the big driver for happiness and job satisfaction is interaction with people. Here's the top five - be prepared for a surprise when you reach no 1:
5. Special education teachers: If you don’t care about money, a job as special education teacher might be a happy profession. The wages are low, but the sense of satisfaction and happiness is high.... continue reading
A Christian need never feel harassed, nor experience helplessness. Never.
Why?
Because a Christian is never without a shepherd.
Life is full of harassed-inspiring challenges and busy-ness, and helplessness-inducing events and unknowns. It’s what Jesus noticed about people as he travelled round, preaching and healing; it’s what aroused his compassion for them:
“He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9 v 36)
If you don’t have a “shepherd”—someone to rely on who is in control, who knows what they are doing, and cares about you as their own possession—then you’re going to know the feeling of being harassed and helpless, because you’re thrown back on your own abilities, and life is so often too big or confusing for our minds and strength to handle. If you don’t have a shepherd, you will be harassed and helpless.
And so Jesus gave his famous command to his disciples—the harvest field is vast, the workers are few, and therefore to pray for workers, and go out as workers (9 v 37 – 10 v 2).... continue reading
I'm sure many of us have been praying for the atrocities we have seen in the news in recent weeks. The shootings in the states, the blasts in the Kenyan shopping centre, the suicide bombings in Pakistan - the pictures on our TV screens have been horrifying. There have been moments when many of us have been close to tears and churches and individuals around the globe have been interceding for the victims and their families.
But our memories are often short. Within weeks, if not days, our prayers often turn to the next crisis and - unless we have friends who are directly impacted by the events - we rarely revisit the needs of those in news stories past. It's easy for us to forget. But those who survive the atrocities, never do. Recently, I spoke to one survivor of a suicide bombing that took place 3 years ago. He's a Muslim who is currently exploring the claims of Christ - many of the events of the day and his life have been left deliberately vague.... continue reading
I'd been talking about evangelism with a friend's child. And, to illustrate my point, I mentioned that new people had just moved in down the street. I said that I wanted to make the effort to get to know them and planned to pray for them and invite them to church.
I was expecting a barrage of questions. After all, adults always question things when it comes to mission. How will you approach them? What will you pray? Will you build up relationships with them before issuing the invitation? When is the best time to call? Won't they think you odd? Aren't you scared? ... But the questions didn't come. Instead, I got 5 words that stopped me in my tracks.
What are you waiting for?... continue reading
There's nothing more depressing for a home group leader than members who don't show up.
Sometimes it's inevitable - people who have jobs that take them away. People who are part of messy, chaotic families. People who struggle with illness. We should cut them slack.
But then there are those for whom the weekly Bible study just does not appear to be a priority. How can we encourage them?
Perhaps the root of the problem is that these friends often view homegroup as just another "event" that we show up to for our own enjoyment or benefit. And because it is mentally filed as such, it immediately becomes optional. It is thrown out in favour of a drink with friends, a desire to work late, a vague feeling of tiredness, or a TV programme they would rather stay home and watch. The key to changing their discouraging attendance pattern is to change their thinking about what a homegroup really is.... continue reading
What sermons or Bible talk do you remember most? It's a really important question - and not just for you.
There are moments in sermons when God's Spirit speaks to us with such clarity and simplicity that they become turning points for our spiritual lives. There are moments when things just go "click" in our minds, and what was cloudy or opaque becomes suddenly crystal clear. It's what every preacher longs for, prays for, works for as they prepare week by week, and as they strive to develop and improve their craft.
My own observation is that it is the simplest and clearest of talks that have remained with me over the years. Of course I love to hear a talk that is filled with deep thoughts, has impressive cultural and biblical cross references, and stretches my thinking and understanding. But the ones that have stuck with me; the ones that have made a conscious change to my direction or motivation in following Christ have all had this in common: they were plain, simple and clear.... continue reading
Work was going well. Yes, very well indeed.
Jim couldn't stop himself rubbing his hands together as he cast his eye over the latest monthly figures. His timber yard was bustling with energy, and the shouts of the foreman and the sound of sawing came through the open window.
But he had a problem to deal with. He had seen only growth for the past three years, but would it continue? Lots of building work going on. And lots of rebuilding work too. There were always places that burned down in the hot summers - and there were plenty of louts around who were happy to set fire to places for fun. But there was a cloud on the horizon. His best customer had just finished his massive project and, unless he decided to start something else equally ridiculous, it would drop his income by a quarter the next year.... continue reading
Do you ever get that sinking feeling on a Sunday? That heaviness in the heart which means just one thing: you don't want to go to church.
Maybe it's the people in your congregation - one or more of them has caused you hurt. Maybe, it's a sermon series that seems to be dragging. Or, dare I say, a minister that is driving you nuts with decisions that you don't understand. Of course, it may be that God is convicting you of some sin or throwing some difficult circumstances your way and your heart has become hard instead of submitting to his sovereign and good will. Maybe you have some key questions that you want answering - but the answers aren't coming at the moment. And the temptation is to stay at home for one week, or a month, or maybe just drift off until you feel more positive.... continue reading
