This stunning photo was taken while on holidays recently. It was a sight to behold: dazzling colour in the midst of vast stretches of green fields. One could hardly believe that such vivid colours were possible. The air was cool but not cold. There was the slightest hint of rain, and indeed, a few drops […]
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Ministry Matters
* When I was growing up, I thought that serving the Lord meant being a paid full-time pastor. I thought being in ministry meant having an official title in your church, along with status, authority and responsibilities. As a teenager, I joined the church band and helped to lead worship. I served during the week […]
Good Grief
My grandfather recently died and I now find myself wanting to blog about death and grief. Those of you who have been following my blogs for a while may recall that I have previously written about lamentations and joyful grief. This week I will be talking about some of the most beautiful and encouraging aspects […]
Risky Business
I have worship on my mind this morning. I’ve been pondering the nature of worship and worship leading in the context of a congregational service. Here are a few of my thoughts. Worship is confusing – and yet so simple at its core. Worship at times can feel very private and personal, and yet we […]
Ethics: Conclusions
“First, do no harm.” A young Christian lady involved in her church worship ministry has a creative idea for training and development for the ministry team. She puts together a proposal for a training program and submits it for consideration. She is told that her program will not be used but she is not told […]
Ethics: Boundaries
“Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune.” — Carl Jung Personal and ethical boundaries are necessary for daily interaction. They guide us during difficult or tempting situations and help keep us on course. Boundaries […]
True Lamentations – Conclusions
I have written more than I originally intended about this topic. It has opened up more aspects of Christian living, and of human living, than I first realised. It has been intriguing unpacking these ideas further. I have also received some interesting comments from readers in response to this series on lamentations. One reader noted […]
True Lamentations – Part 2: Joyful Grief
Feeling joyful or hopeful when one is in the midst of grief can be difficult, if not impossible. I am going to write about a few examples of how grief can yield joy, or how the two may be mixed together, like combining light with shadow. Today I will focus on one example in particular: […]