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Reformation Revisited
Our next Ridley Training short course is starting next Thursday (21st)! If you haven’t heard about our Ridley Training yet, these are short courses designed to help busy people to better understand and apply the Bible, and over the next 6 weeks we’ll be on a journey through Europe as we look at the Reformation, one of the most significant events in the history of the Christian Church. Five hundred years on from its small beginnings, the Reformation continues to play a central role in shaping the identity of Protestant Christianity today. In this subject, Rhys Bezzant gives a guided tour of Reformation Europe, bringing clarity and context to the key places, people and events that changed the church forever. Get ready for beautiful scenery, thought-provoking commentary and fresh
Does Prayer Work?
Does Prayer Work? A friend of mine recently asked me why I pray. In the few seconds I took considering how I’d answer... she asked a second question “Does prayer work?” I attempted to keep the answer simple and honest. I told her that prayer keeps me close to God. That it reminds me that He is sovereign and in control. That I don’t have to rely on my (failing) strength. I’ve thought a lot about that conversation with my friend. It caused me to thank God for the gift of prayer. When you think about the question ‘does prayer work?’ It really depends on what you consider the ‘work’ prayer can do. I believe that as Christians, we can say with full confidence that prayer most certainly works!
Are You a Do-Gooder?
Are You a Do-Gooder? Have you ever been called a “do-gooder”? I have. It doesn’t feel very nice. Although, when you think about it, it should. It should be a compliment. Doing ‘good’ is actually a positive thing. How can it not be? And as Christians, we are called by God to do ‘good’ in this world. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Hebrews 13:16 says “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” The question is, what sort of ‘good’ should we be doing? And to whom should we be doing ‘good’? The answer of the Bible to this question
Why We (Absolutely, Positively) Can’t Do Without the Bible
Why We (Absolutely, Positively) Can’t Do Without the Bible Every time I visit the dentist, I know it’s coming: ‘Have you been flossing?’ It’s the question I’m asked every time and every time my answer is the same: ‘Not as much as I could be’. It’s not that I doubt the benefits of flossing, I just don’t value them highly enough to do it every day. Many Christians have a similar attitude towards reading the Bible. We know we should be reading the Bible, but if we’re honest, we don’t do it as much as we could. This Sunday we finish our series, ‘The Bible: A Story That Makes Sense of Life’. For the last 10 weeks we’ve been on a journey through the Bible. We’ve explored the big
Highlights from the Bookstall
Highlights from the Bookstall Have you checked out our bookstall at the Connections Centre? It will finish next Sunday when we wrap up our series ‘The Bible: A Story That Makes Sense of Life’. The heavily discounted prices we’ve been given (which we are earning nothing from) are also ending at that time, so, make sure you check it out before next Sunday! If you aren’t sure what book to get, here are some highlights depending on what you need and where you are at in your journey of faith. “I’m a visual learner” If you like pictures, charts and visual expressions of information, The Infographic Bible is for you! This is a really cool resource, filled with detailed expressions of biblical information presented in a clear and useful
The Marriage of Your Dreams
The Marriage of Your Dreams The night before a weekend away with my husband Troy, I set my alarm for 4:10am. Moments later, Troy mentions to me, “I’ve set my alarm for 5:10am in the morning.” He’s got to be kidding! Right? The plane leaves at 6:20am; we need to be at the airport by at least 5:00am. You know, in case there is traffic on the road, or a change to the boarding gate, or if I slip on a banana peel! OK, maybe I’m a little over the top when it comes to my on-time-anxiety. But as they say, better to be safe than sorry. I agreed that 4:10am was a little early, so I changed my alarm to be a little later. But, lo and behold,
Are You Thirsty?
Are You Thirsty?I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Old Testament lately, and I can’t help but notice how often wells are referred to in the narrative. From my reading, it seems that in those days, wells were of great importance. Almost every aspect of daily life in ancient Israel involved water: farming, animal husbandry, cooking, hygiene, and of course, drinking.Digging a well meant you were planning to stay for some time. Owning a well meant your family possessed the surrounding land. Wells were both landmarks and gathering places. A well was essential to life.Our salvation in Christ is like a well. It is not only our eternal life to come, but also our abundant life now while we live on earth. Christ is the living water, refreshing
The Monotony of Evil and the Marvel of Good
The Monotony of Evil and the Marvel of Good “Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvellous, intoxicating.” – Simone Weil I read this quote while reading a commentary on Isaiah (of all places!) and it captured my imagination. It feels like Christians (myself included) are too easily deceived by imaginary versions of good and evil. Do you know what I mean by imaginary versions? We hear about them in conversations with colleagues, and on radio talk shows and on TV. The imaginary good often looks like an obnoxious Ned Flanders and the imaginary evil looks like harmless fun, like some of the hilarious gambling ads we see on TV. In reality though, real
