The first time I organised music for my church camp was at best, discouraging and at worst, a disaster. I felt pretty chuffed to have been asked, and didn’t want to let anyone down, so I pulled out all the stops, putting together a band of the most talented musicians from our congregation and picking out all the favourite songs. I looked forward to the weekend of singing with eager anticipation. But when I got there, everything seemed to go wrong. I hadn’t considered the fact that for all those musicians, I would need a large P.A. setup, nor where those many pieces of equipment would be. It took much longer to pack than I had expected and I arrived...
It’s easy to complain about the problems in the world right now. Where I live, the themes are unimaginative: crime, the government, disrespectful youth… But this isn’t the bible’s perspective.
At the church which I pastor in the UK, we have been working our way through 1 Peter. What has repeatedly hit us is just how crucial it is, as God’s redeemed people, to know who we are, remember who we are, and consistently be who we are in the world. Life as strangers and exiles in the world is hard. Unless we know our value to Christ (redeemed by his precious blood), our identity in Christ (a chosen people), our calling from Christ (a holy priesthood, declaring his praises), and our certain hope in Christ (a resurrection-secured inheritance that can never perish spoil of fade), we will simply fail to stand fast in the true grace of God (1...
Why should we say or sing the creeds in public worship? Surely creeds are something you keep in your back pocket—just in case. They’re a kind of yardstick to ensure our churches and their leaders stay on track. But if that’s it, why not keep them in a drawer until they’re needed? Everyone recognizes you need a set of rules to play football, but fans don’t chant those rules in the stands. So why sing the creeds? Here are three reasons. 1. The creeds celebrate the gospel. The Apostles’ Creed, for example, is in the form of a story. It begins with God and creation. It moves to the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus as well as looking forward...
