We all think about things we want from time to time - that car, that house, that holiday or new iPad air - but I imagine all of us know a brother or sister in Christ who goes beyond the occasional musing, an individual who is driven by the accumulation of wealth. Even in the most faithful churches, where the Bible is taught carefully week by week, people can still find themselves being sucked into the world’’s way of thinking – lots is good, more must be better.
Greed is a dangerous path to tread. No-one can serve both God and money as Matthew 6:24 reminds us. So how can we gently encourage our fellow-believers who struggle in this area to come back to whole-hearted worship of their loving King? Here, continuing our Wednesday afternoon pastoral series, are our tips:... continue reading
I’m guessing it’s not just me. Most of us know what it’s like to be keen to pray for a while but then slump and find ourselves struggling to send up anything more intimate than a panic-laden arrow prayer when a crisis hits. But even though we know what it’s like to be there, many of us flounder when a friend asks us for help to tackle the poverty in their prayer life. Here, continuing our Wednesday afternoon pastoral series, are our tips on how to help someone get their praying back on track:... continue reading
Maybe they ask for a quiet word after the service and tell you about their struggles. Maybe you spot them staggering home from the pub one evening and looking embarrassed as they catch your eye. Maybe you gradually begin to notice, whenever you pop round, they have a drink in their hand – no matter what the time of day - and you know you can’t say nothing. Sound familiar? Then you may well have a friend who drinks too much. But how can we – as fallible brothers and sisters in Christ - help them? Here, continuing our Wednesday afternoon pastoral series, are our top tips of ways to begin:... continue reading
“I am so angry with him. I need to vent …”
“I think it’s important that you know what she has been doing … “
“Have you heard the latest? I mean, for prayer… “
It’s a temptation to which many of us succumb. For a few it becomes a habitual sin. And when a sermon or a loving rebuke from a friend opens our eyes to the fact we are a gossip, often we need support … But if someone asks for our help after the service, what on earth can we say in response? Here are a few thoughts …... continue reading
Lust (which for the purposes of this post, we’ll define as a strong sexual desire for someone other than our spouse) is a big problem but let’s face it, most of us don’t naturally talk about our sexual struggles over coffee after church. Every now and then, though, there’s a cracking sermon on Matthew 5:27-30 and someone quietly whispers … “I needed to hear that so much – I’m in a mess … “
In moments like this, how can we make sure our initial response is as helpful as it can be? Here are our top tips for things to say:... continue reading
Each Wednesday afternoon over the next few months we are going to be looking at how to answer some of the common questions we might get asked after the service on a Sunday. Today, our first post:
I’ve got a friend who struggles with… guilt
“It’s all my fault”
“I know it happened years ago but it preys on my mind every day”
“I don’t believe God will forgive me … I know I can’t forgive myself”
They’re the kind of phrases I hear each week. Each Sunday we praise God for his extraordinary gift of forgiveness but that doesn’t seem to help on Mondays. The guilt of sins past and present weigh heavy on many people’s hearts.... continue reading