Mary’s choice…
Many people love the account of Jesus’ meal at the home of Mary and Martha. For those of a more contemplative disposition, it is the quick trump card justifying stepping away from the fast lane and spending time with Jesus. For those with a more activist bent, it’s a reminder to sometimes slow down and sit at the feet of Jesus. Here’s a quick rehash of these 5 verses at the end of Luke 10. Jesus and his disciples arrive at a village (likely Bethany) and Jesus is invited to the home of one of the locals, Martha by name. While Martha prepares a meal (and it is not entirely...
Read MoreWhat makes a life worth living? Four lenses to ponder…
Matthew Croasmun directs the Life Worth Living program at the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture, and in a recent podcast suggests there are four levels at which people live, and invites us to examine our life to ask if most of our living takes place at a level of significance. It struck me that the exercise is worth undertaking towards the start of the year, when we might be a little more open to self-reflection and change. While the stages are progressively more stretching, there are benefits and challenges at each. The underlying questions are “what is the shape of a flourishing life”, or...
Read MoreHow to listen when the preacher doesn’t have anything to say…
I always like to be fair, and as my last post was on how to preach when you don’t have anything to say, I thought it only proper to look at the other side of the coin – how to listen when the preacher doesn’t have anything to say. Now don’t misunderstand the motivation behind these posts. I am not anti-preaching, albeit I am not in the camp that believes the world might end if a church service doesn’t include a sermon. I think that preaching can accomplish an enormous amount of good and that the sermon remains the means through which the majority of Christian...
Read MoreHow to preach when you haven’t got anything to say…
Amusing though the title is, let me start with the disclaimer that it isn’t mine, but was the topic given to Mark Oakley when asked to preach at a recent Church Times event. Now Mark Oakley always has something worthwhile to say – so do listen to his podcast on this topic, though other than for the title, I have taken this post in my own direction. Furthermore, lest you think this is for preachers alone, I plan to follow it up with a post: “How to listen when the preacher hasn’t got anything to say…” – so I am trying to make sure there is something...
Read MoreChristmas: From “for us” to “with us”…
Probably like you, I am struggling to believe that Christmas is almost upon us – but facts are facts, and December is galloping away. I have done some Christmas shopping and the family are soon due to see the Christmas lights – so it is definitely that time of the year. As I have been thinking about the significance of Christmas (and Christmas seems especially poignant after this COVID filled year) I have been struck by my favourite name for Jesus, Emmanuel – which means, God is with us. One simple thought has jumped out at me: Until that first Christmas people had a...
Read More