Seven up…

1) This last Sunday, John Piper turned up to church – and I was preaching… – Funny and encouraging!

2) Professor Brian Cox: ‘I can’t be sure there is no God’ – Interesting little interview snippet from Brian Cox, acknowledging uncertainty and the limitations of science.

3) Abortion Statistics – The UK Department of Health & Social Care released 2018’s abortion statistics this week and revealed that there were 205,295 abortions in England & Wales last year. Ross Clark in The Spectator this week called it the “tragedy of Britain’s abortion epidemic,” happening right under our noses. This is the highest figure on record and up 4% on 2017. 97.7% of these were carried out under ‘ground C’ (“the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman”). That equates to 196,083 abortions, with 99.9% of these noted as being specifically due to risk to the mother’s mental health. Only 2% of abortions were due to the risk the child would be born seriously handicapped. This piece on the UK abortion industry is a few years old, but worth a read. This is, of course, a sensitive area, but one that should surely drive us to lament as we all cast ourselves on the mercy of God.

4) 20 Quotes from the Book Your Pastor Wishes You’d Read – Here are some gems from Christopher Ash’s new book on how to care for your pastor.

5) What It Was Like to Be David Powlison’s Friend – Last week David Powlison, Executive Director of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation, died and entered glory. David’s impact through the biblical counselling movement is increasingly being seen in the UK church. The above article is a precious tribute as it illustrates that the kind of ministry Powlison advocated was what he practiced in his own friendships. I had the joy of briefly meeting David in 2013 when he spoke at Oak Hill and gave this short interview with Steve Midgley introducing the concept of biblical counselling.

6) A Liturgy for Changing Diapers I (read by Sally Lloyd-Jones) – The concept of Every Moment Holy, by Douglas Kaine McKelvey, is to craft a set of prayers for every moment of life, believing that every moment, task and activity is an opportunity to glorify God. (By the way, if you want to buy me a copy and cover the US postage, then I won’t say no…) Here beloved children’s author Sally Lloyd-Jones (The Jesus Storybook Bible) voices the prayer for changing nappies.

7) How to Turn Yourself Into a Morning Person, Backed by Science – For something different, well, this sounds good!

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No Refillage last week due to half-term holidays, so here’s this week’s seven up…

1) Five Keys to Sharing the Gospel with Your Secular Friends – This three minute video from Dan DeWitt is full of good stuff. We watched it at one of our midweek discipleship groups as part of a series on sharing the Christian faith. Dan leads the Center for Biblical Apologetics & Public Christianity at Cedarville University.

2) My Quiet Times Are Anything but Quiet – Yes! How often, when we think of reading the Bible individually, do we think of it as “dependent on a really specialized kind of moment — a moment that seldom (to never) graces our own life”? But for most of us life is rarely like that. So rather than “trying to create the perfect circumstances wherein Bible reading might flourish”, what if we instead looked at how we could make it happen “in this life, with these obstacles”? This is written for mothers, but we could all take a long swig.

3) John Stott’s Simple Secret for Spiritual Productivity – I’d come across Stott’s technique before, but I like the way this piece reflects on how we might explore putting something similar into practice, even if can’t be exactly the same.

4) Interview with Aladdin actress Naomi Scott – Thanks to Compassion for this wide-ranging interview with Naomi Scott, a Christian and Compassion ambassador who is in our cinemas at the moment in the re-make of the Disney classic. Here’s a snippet: “But no matter what happens, no matter what somebody says about me on Twitter, whatever the future holds, to know that that doesn’t define me is incredible. To know that doesn’t inform my identity in any way shape or form (although it’s easier said than done sometimes). That’s going to be the thing keeping me going.”

5) Free eBook: James for You by Sam Allberry – I love these devotional expositional books. Great for feeding, reading and leading! The Good Book Company are giving away Sam’s book going through the book of James – and I’m reliably informed it’s a particularly brilliant and practical guide, so I’m signing up!

6) Theresa May’s Resignation: In Politics & Churches It Is Too Easy To Think That Challenges Can Be Solved Simply By Changing The Captain – John Stevens offers some timely reflections.

7) The Shores of Normandy by D-Day Veteran Jim Radford – For something a bit different, as we remember 75 years since D-Day, this video caught my eye. In 1944 Jim Radford was a 15 year old ‘galley boy’ serving with the Merchant Navy and on the morning of 6th June, his first deep sea trip took him to Normandy to help build the Mulberry Harbour, allowing the Royal Navy to transport people and resources onto the beaches.

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What feelings come to mind as you think about sharing the good news of Jesus and being involved in God’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ?

As part of the Thy Kingdom Come initiative, at Grace Church we spent some time reflecting on the different feelings we might have that make us apprehensive or generally negative about speaking or pointing to Jesus Christ – and how we might prayerfully counter those feelings with God’s word…

Feeling like you’re on your own?

Jesus: ”The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37–38).

Feeling like it’s just not politically correct?

Jesus: ”Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20).

Feeling like people are too bruised for religion?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Feeling apathetic?

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” (John 3:36)

Feeling afraid of what others will think?

“Do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honuor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” (Isaiah 8:12–13)

Feeling inadequate for the task?

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:11-12).

Feeling too weak?

“And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2).

Feeling like Jesus is nothing to be proud of?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16).

Feel like it’s someone else’s job?

“How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10)

Feel like Christianity is insignificant?

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). 

Feeling like nothing seems to make a difference?

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6–9, NIV).

Feeling unsure what steps to take next?

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:2–6).

Feeling opposed or isolated?

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:8-9).

Feeling you’ve got nothing to say?

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

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What other feelings would you include and what Bible verses would you point someone to in response?