John Percival at Unashamed Workman asks 7 questions during the process of deciding on the broad shape of a preaching program—useful thoughts for anyone putting together a teaching series, whether it’s a congregational preaching programme, a youth group series, what to look at together in a small group/one-to-one/etc.
Category Archives: Bible study aids
Back to the Beginning (2)
Life, Sola Panel
Following on from my previous post, I am still thinking of beginnings. This time it is in a different way.
I am in Wheaton, Illinois this week. I’m attending a Charles Simeon Trust workshop for people who teach the Bible. I am here as a participant as well as on behalf of Matthias Media. Vaughan Roberts, rector at St Ebbes in Oxford, is leading the workshop alongside Josh Moody, pastor of College Church. (more…)
Happy Birthday, New Bible Dictionary
Review, Sola Panel
This month marks the 50th anniversary of The New Bible Dictionary [Amazon], first published by IVP back in May 1962. Initially edited by James D. Douglas, it featured contributions from a host of evangelical scholars, including Australians like Leon Morris, Donald Robinson, Edwin Judge, Alan Cole, Broughton Knox, and more recently, Peter Jensen and David Peterson. (more…)
After the NIV, then what? The NIV.
Everyday Ministry, Life, Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel
Some time ago I wrote about choosing a Bible translation for public use in church. At my church, St Michael’s Cathedral in Wollongong, we’ve decided to go with the 2011 version of the New International Version (NIV11), recently published by Biblica (a.k.a. the International Bible Society). I’d like to follow up on my previous article to tell you about our decision, and why.
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Preaching: to tweet or not to tweet
Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel
That is the question. At least that’s the question raised by the twitter feed from my treasured old seminary, Moore College (@MooreCollege if you want to follow them!)
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Which three books?
Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel
A pastor friend has some book money in his budget and wants to stock up on books he can freely pass out to people he is discipling or those who come through his office. He asks me about my choices. (more…)
What if?
Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel
2012. A new year. Resolutions, decisions, choices to be made. What if…?
Over on Kevin DeYoung’s blog, guest blogger Jason Helopoulos asks this intriguing question: (more…)
Reading through the Bible in a year (or two)
Life, Sola Panel
flickr: jjreade
I’m doing something I haven’t attempted since I was at university, many years ago. I’m reading through the Bible in a year. Make that two years: after twelve months, I’m half way through my Bible reading plan.
There’s something exciting about reading the Bible in big gulps. I feel well-fed, like I’ve been at the richest of banquets all year long. I’ve discovered long-forgotten treasures, and I’ve seen familiar verses shine with unexpected colours in their setting. I’ve been reminded how, verse after verse, chapter after chapter, the Bible tells the same story. I can’t wait to turn the pages and watch the history of salvation unfold.
Worship and Relationship
Thought, Sola Panel
From what I understand, I am one of the few who have been convinced by Tony Payne and Phillip Jensen’s assertion that you don’t come to church for the purpose of worship. Call me a company man or, as I like to think of it, a person who recognizes biblical correction. Either way, I know that I am in the minority. (more…)
Reading the Bible with kids – even the hard bits
Everyday Ministry, Life, Sola Panel
flickr: Wikipedia Commons: Michelangelo, Sistene Chapel ceiling
The first chapter of Ezekiel (let’s be honest) is some kind of weird. A wind drives an immense storm cloud from the north; four glowing creatures emerge from the cloud, each with four different faces, with two wings covering their bodies and two spread out, darting to and fro with a sound like roaring waters; wheels within wheels, one for each creature, their rims covered in eyes, move in a straight line wherever the four creatures go; and above the creatures’ wings is an expanse like crystal, surmounted by a sapphire throne on which sits a human figure, glowing like metal in a furnace. (more…)
Creatures of habit
Life, Sola Panel
“I really should be more disciplined…”
How often do you experience that gaping chasm between ‘should be’ and ‘is’ in your regular daily habits? Most of us can think of good habits we’d really like to develop, but somehow have never got around to it. If you’re a Christian, some of those habits you wish to develop possibly include things like regular prayer and Bible reading; intentional care for others; disciplined consumption; not spending too much time online, etc. You may have heard countless times that these things are important; you’ve probably nodded sagely in agreement; you may even have spoken about them many times out loud in sentences that begin, “I really should…”. But you’ve just never got around to turning them into lasting habits. Maybe that’s because your desire to develop these habits has never been anything more than a vague wish. Or maybe you don’t know where to start. Or maybe you’ve tried repeatedly to develop these habits and failed miserably. (more…)
The Surprise of God
Thought, Sola Panel
I can keep my kids busy for quite a while when I tell them that there is a surprise hidden in a certain area of the house. Their determination is unmatched as they search high and low. (more…)
Bible reading with kids
Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel
I was asked for recommendations for resources that would encourage parents to read the Bible with their kids, especially in the six-to-ten-year-old age range. I can think of several, most of which my family has tried.
Answering questions for yourself
Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel
For the first time I can recall, I recently received questions via our church comment cards about the non-sermon Bible reading. It was Galatians 3:15-25! Normally questions are from the sermon passage—things the preacher has not covered or were not clear on. But it’s good to be attentive to the other Bible reading too!
However, I want to encourage people to see if they can answer their questions for themselves, rather than just asking the pastoral staff. (I still answered the questions though as worked examples!)
Three big questions for your small groups
Resource Talk, Sola Panel
In recent months, Col Marshall and I have been running some workshops based on The Trellis and the Vine, and during the workshops we spent a bit of time talking about small groups—about why we have them (or don’t), the part they normally play in church life, how we train our leaders (or don’t as the case may be), and so on.