7 Things that will help keep your Children to God in every Holidays

1. Summer camp or festival or Retreat

It's not too late to book into a summer camp programme or come as a day visitor to a festival. There's a lot to pick from, whether it's a 72-hour continuous worship event like David's Tent or a preaching and teaching event like Keswick – or even our family favourite Le Pas Opton, the Spring Harvest site in France. There may be a chance to get in on one of Urban Saints' or Scripture Union's children's camps, too. Residential events can be a fantastic way for our children to encounter God in a new way while making friends and enjoying outdoor activities and stimulating Bible teaching.

Festivalgoers at Greenbelt

 

 2. Nature

It's great to be outdoors this time of the year enjoying God's creation on our doorstep. Why not take a trip to your local woods, beach or park? Children of all ages will enjoy a good treasure hunt. For younger children, give them a paper bag to collect things in that remind them of God's attention to detail. For older children, task them with a mission to capture an image on their phone to illustrate a Bible verse. For example: Psalm 96:11-12, 'Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all trees of the forest sing for joy.' Preserve these images, or even the items collected in the bag – they may come in useful in a couple of month's time when you are preparing Christmas cards and gifts.

3. Books

When my eldest daughter was baptised recently, her account of her journey to faith included the impact made on her by a book. When she was 13, she had read The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson, first published in 1962. As someone passionate about helping the Church recover a love of great Christian literature, it was amazing for me to see evidence of the inspiring power of reading so close at hand. This summer, why not encourage the children in your life to read something that may turn out to have a lifelong impact on their faith?

Here are some I would recommend for a start: Jesus Story Book Bible (5 to 9-year-olds),

Diary of a Disciple – Luke (8 to 11-year-olds), Hero Bible (8 to 11-year-olds) The Hiding Place (12 to 16-year-olds). Don't forget to invest in an audiobook that you can all listen to in the car and load up the Kindles for a long afternoon on the beach.

4. Films

When the rain is coming down, a film can be a cheap and convenient way to entertain the children for a couple of hours. But why not turn it into an opportunity to help your children think about their faith? There are some great films out there, including classics such as : Joseph King of Dreams, Prince of Egypt and the Narnia films. Or for older children you could try: Exodus: Gods and Kings, Noah, Soul Surfer, Miracle from Heaven, God's Not Dead.
There are of course a myriad great family films not created by Christians but that could provoke fantastic conversations about faith and life. Just be intentional about making the most of the opportunities in the film – watch the films with your children if you can or strategically place a meal in the middle so you can have a 'half time' discussion.

5. Church

Summer is often more relaxed in church; many churches run all-age services instead of sending the children out to Sunday school. I am a big believer in integrated church, so why not experiment in the summer with ways to help your children engage in the service? Teach them how to sketch something inspired from the sermon, or how to do spider diagram themes from the talk, how to follow along in the Bible, or how to jot down questions they have. There is probably a church near you running a holiday club week this summer. These are usually lots of fun, and easy to invite your children's friends along to.

6. Prayer

There are so many challenges around regular family devotions, but during the holiday season why not experiment with some different forms of prayer with your children? Ideas could include reading through one of the gospels over the summer at bedtime. Or watching BBC Newsbeat after tea and praying for the situations it highlights. Or beginning each car journey with a one-minute prayer after the seatbelts are all on. You could keep a prayer journal for a week, or set up a prayer space in your home/holiday home. If you can't get to a church service on Sunday because you are abroad, why not find a church building open to visitors during the week, where you can take 10 minutes to pray together as a family.

7. Homework

Quite a few of my children are set long summer projects by school. For some it is an art project, others have to read a number of books, or begin research or revision, or keep a scrapbook of their activities. If your children have something similar, why not get involved and encourage them to be open about their faith in the project? This will not only help your child to overcome the 'sacred-secular divide,' but it will also help normalise church and faith not just for your child but for the wider school community. Use images from your summer camp, passages of the Bible, or Christian art work to inspire you

I love the summer holidays, and remember as a child those long lazy days paddling in streams, flying kites and building dens made of sticks. With six children of my own it's very tempting to fill up the time with organised activities, but I also relish the opportunity to spend extra time with them, to enable them to have those lazy days like I did and watch them interact with each other and God before the new term begins. I want them to be forcefully reminded each summer that grace matters more than grades, that hospitality is more important than homework and that spiritual curiosity is more important than SATS scores.

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Shining light or shrinking violet: Did Jesus contradict himself?

A recent survey suggested that the 'good deeds' of American Christians go mostly unnoticed by the average US citizen. In some ways, it was good news perhaps that believers weren't pompously parading their charity to the world so that everyone knows about it. Then again, the negative consequence was also raised – if people don't know they can get help from the Church, then they won't ask for it.

It probes a paradox at the heart of Christian living: are good deeds meant to be public – a living light to the world – or purely private, as hidden and humble as can be? Jesus seems to have said both, but is that really possible? Did Christ contradict himself?

Pope Francis has made a focus on the poor a defining note of his papacy.

 

Jesus seems to have been unrelenting in his judgment on those who advertise their piety to the world. In the Sermon on the Mount, he warns: 'Be careful not to practise your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

'So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you' (Matthew 6:1-4).

They're challenging words, and Jesus gave similar warnings about prayer and fasting – they should be done in secret. We all know that the feeling of 'doing good' can be alluring, such that we focus on that more than the purpose of these deeds – actually helping people in need. The danger is even greater when, as in our present culture, social justice is actually pretty fashionable. Causes are cool. In a twisted way, we can use charity to make us look good and feel great – but the needy get forgotten.

So, Jesus says, don't do it. Then again, he also said the opposite. Only the chapter before, in the very same sermon, Jesus implores his audience: 'You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

'You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven' (Matthew 5:13-16).

Here, we're told to be bright and bold, to let our deeds be so public that they shine before the world. And again the logic holds up: the Church is actually meant to do things on earth, to illuminate, heal and preserve what's good in creation. To defend the helpless and speak for the silenced. It can't do that if it's hidden.

Can those in need be helped if they don't know the Church is there for them?

 

Likewise, when Jesus tells people to 'turn the other' cheek when struck, or go two miles when you're only forced to go one, these are pretty public acts. They send a message. As the biblical scholar Tom Wright would put it, Jesus declared that God was becoming King on the Earth, taking charge, establishing a radical, counter-cultural alternative reality that took shape through the people of God. It has to be public.

So which is it – public or private? Did Jesus deliberately demand the impossible?

What Jesus seems to be doing is going beyond external acts to the human heart. The problem of the hypocritical Pharisee looks external but is really within: he wants the prestige that comes from public piety – his lengthy prayers betray his true audience. He's not truly seeking God. To combat that spirit, Jesus says – go into your room and pray, where no one will see you but your heavenly Father. Likewise, don't use your giving to make you look good – give in private, where you'll get nothing in return but the gift of giving itself.

In the opposite direction, Christians are called to a heart that looks outward to the world: humble in spirit, but also abounding in generosity. Our lives exist for the sake of others, and so we're implored to be a light that shows other the way; to stand up and show a weary world a hint of a new reality. In this case, when there are people in need, the life of a purely private faith is too constrained –  it can't be seen, and so people can't be helped.

The Christian faith abounds in paradox, and this ethical conundrum is another. But perhaps the complexity of the human heart demands something a little bigger than we can comprehend. We're pulled in directions that appear to contradict, because if we only had one imperative (eg be as public as possible, all the time) we might start thinking we had faith and God in a box. Instead, we're called to be inward and outward, humble and bold, to think much of the world, and not too much of ourselves – to know with godly wisdom when to stand out and when to step back.

Jesus famously preached on that mountain: 'Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48).

It probably wasn't meant to be easy.

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Who was the meanest man in the Bible?

There are plenty of examples of really good people in the Bible, and plenty of examples of wicked ones. But there's only one who's described as just plain mean.

Before David became a king, when he was still being chased through the desert by Saul, he relied on the goodwill of local people to provide him and his men with food. Generally this seems to have granted readily enough, but then he tried Nabal. He sent his men with a polite greeting: 'Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!' (1 Samuel 25:6). Nabal, however, was described as 'surly and mean in all his dealings', and he lived up to his name, refusing David's men point blank and accusing David himself of being nothing but a runaway servant.

David, not surprisingly, saw red. But before he unleashed his soldiers, Nabal's wife Abigail took matters into her own hands. She met David with ample provisions and begged for her husband's life: 'Pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal... his name is Fool, and folly goes with him.'

When he finds out what Abigail has done, Nabal has what appears to be a stroke (verse 37) and dies; Abigail becomes one of David's wives.

Being known as the meanest man in the Bible is not much of a legacy. From the start to the end of the story we don't hear anything good about Nabal. There are other people in the Bible of whom that's true, but this story is different: his faults aren't that he's particularly wicked or bloodthirsty or deceitful or proud. He is just not a very nice man.

His faults are, in other words, too close to home.

The story makes us ask: what's the legacy I'm leaving? When I die, how will I be remembered? Am I kind, generous and sensible, or am I surly, mean and foolish? In Proverbs 10:23 it says: ' A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.' That godly wisdom was shown by Abigail; Nabal is just remembered as a fool.

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I TESTIFY BY ADA

For the lord himself is my portion
He lifts my head in glory
For my horn the lord has exalted
He teaches me to prosper
i have come with stories to tell
i have come with testimonies
Take a look at me you could see it
say you can call me testimonies
Every day testimonies

it is my time and it is my season
all around me testimonies
And because the Lord is my shepherd
i shall never want.
Everyday testimonies
Everywhere testimonies
see the word is working i'm so full of praise
In the morning testimonies
And in the evening testimonies
now i tell the stories of how i overcame,
i testify. ... i testify
Your life is not ordinary
It's filled with signs and wonders
For the hand of the Lord is upon you
He fills your life with laughter
You have come with stories to tell
you have come with testimonies
when i look at you i can see it
you are full of testimonies
It's your time yes this is your season
All around you testimonies
And because the Lord is your shepherd
you shall never want
Everyday testimonies
Everywhere testimonies
see the word is working
And you re so full of praise
In the morning testimonies
And in the evening testimonies
Now we tell the story of how we overcame
Every day testimonies
Everywhere testimonies
glory hallelujah
i'm so full of praise
In the morning testimonies
And in the evening testimonies
now i tell the story of how i overcame
i testify. ...
i testify
oh oh oh
The Lord is my shepherd oh
for he leads in glory
to his glory
i testify (oh oh)
for i am like the tree (oh
planted by the waters (oh oh)
i testify
my leaves are evergreen
A thousand shall fall down by my side
ten thousand shall fall down by my side
i testify i testify
from glory to glory
here we go
from glory to glory
here we go
to glory to glory (i testify)
this is my song testimony
this my story testimony
see the word is working
i'm so full of praise
every where testimonies
Every day testimonies
Glory hallelujah
i'm so full of praise
every where testimonies
in your family
testimonies
Now we tell the story of how we overcame
Every day testimonies
Everywhere testimonies
glory glory glory my Jesus is ali ii ive
eh testimonies
every day testimonies
see the word is working and i'm so full of praise
when you look at me testimonies
when i see you testimonies
now i tell the stories of how i overcame
i testify. ...
i testify
i testify
you will testify
i testify i testify
faithful ever sure
you are marvellous, wonderful
i lift my voice to say, i testify today today today...

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The wisdom of John Stott: 9 quotes from a giant of 20th century evangelicalism

John Stott, who died today in 2011, was one of the great figures in 20th century evangelicalism. A scholar, pastor and preacher, he was revered for his wisdom and statesmanship and influenced generations through his writing and speaking. He placed his formidable intellect at the service of the Church, but found time to indulge his great passion of birdwatching. His work continues today through his books and the work of the Langham Partnership global fellowship.
John Stott died on July 27, 2011, at the age of 90.Langham Partnership International

Here are nine quotes from John Stott's writings.

1. Our love grows soft if it is not strengthened by truth, and our truth grows hard if it is not softened by love.

2. Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.

3. The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them.

4. In countries to which Christian civilization has spread, large numbers of people have covered themselves with a decent, but thin, veneer of Christianity. They have allowed themselves to become somewhat involved, enough to be respectable but not enough to be uncomfortable.

5. Social responsibility becomes an aspect not of Christian mission only, but also of Christian conversion. It is impossible to be truly converted to God without being thereby converted to our neighbour.

6. The overriding reason why we should take other people's cultures seriously is because God has taken ours seriously.

7. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?

8. The Bible isn't about people trying to discover God, but about God reaching out to find us.

9. Christianity is not just about what we believe; it's also about how we behave.

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Scottish Anglican cathedral is UK's first to host same-sex weddings

An Anglican cathedral in Scotland is to become the first in the UK to host same-sex weddings.

Glasgow's St Mary's Cathedral is now taking marriage bookings for same-sex unions after the Episcopal Church's General Synod made the landmark decision to amend canon law and approve gay marriage in June.

St Mary's Cathedral is to host same-sex weddings.

'It is hugely exciting to open up wedding services to all couples who want to get married,' said the cathedral's provost, the Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, according to The Herald.

'People at St Mary's were part of the campaign to allow gay and lesbian couples to get married in Scotland so it is not surprising that we would want to be able to offer such weddings in the cathedral itself.'

He added: 'St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow is one of the most stunning places that anyone can get married. It is wonderful that more people now have the chance of coming here for their special day.

'I want to live in a world where same-sex couples can feel safe walking down the street hand in hand and in which they can feel joy walking hand in hand down the aisle of a church too.'

The motion to change the law of the Scottish Episcopal Church was passed narrowly in June, and the divisive legislation comes in effect today. It includes a 'conscience clause' meaning no priest will be forced to celebrate LGBT weddings if they do not want to.

Since the Church of England has not changed its canon law on marriage, it's expected that some seeking a same-sex wedding in the UK will now choose to get married in Scotland.

Holdsworth said: 'We already have one booking from a couple coming up from England who can't get married in their local Church of England parish. We are glad to be able to welcome them and expect there will be many others who will follow them'.

The cathedral congregation's lay representative Dr Beth Routledge celebrated the move toward a church that is 'open, inclusive and welcoming'.

She said: 'When members of the congregation go to Glasgow Pride later this year, we'll have a real sense of having helped to bring about greater equality for members of the LGBT communities.'

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“Rabboni!” by Ken Young

You were there when the world had turned against me.
When the darkness had possessed my soul,
Your tender mercy made me whole.
When I followed You, my life was filled with meaning
From the morning to the evening.
I’ve seen the face of God.
 

Chorus:
Rabboni! My Teacher and my God!
You’re alive and my burdens melt away.
Rabboni! Sweet Son of God Most High!
I know death has lost its power
And Your glory’s here to stay. (repeat).

When I close my eyes
I can hear Your voice so clearly saying,
“Father, please forgive them,
For they know not what they do.”
What good reason did they have to do
The things they did to You?

So I come once again bringing all I have to offer,
Just to find a dark and empty tomb,
Your holy frame somehow exhumed.
Then I hear someone say,
“Why are tears so freely falling?
Can’t You hear the voice that’s calling?
A voice that knows Your name.”

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Revelation 17: The prostitute on the scarlet beast

Let's do some basic preacher training. Christians have a beautiful message, full of love, compassion and gentleness. Those who pass on the gospel message are to be subtle, nuanced, connected and certainly not give any offence. Agreed? But there is something missing from that. It appears that John (or, as we believe, the Holy Spirit speaking to and through him) did not get the right memo.

Revelation 17 is about the most unsubtle message in the whole Bible. Granted, John was not preaching a gospel sermon – but he was telling the troubled and besieged churches about the enemy they were facing. And in so doing he gives us insight into how we are to be the Church in our confused and troubled generation.

The courage of prophetic proclamation

The vision starts with a bang – this is the about 'the punishment of the great prostitute'. Prostitution may be the oldest profession in the world, but that doesn't make it any less horrendous in God's eyes. It is selling what is sacred, our bodies (and souls), for material gain. That is why prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah were not afraid to describe the cities of Tyre and Jerusalem as prostitutes.

John described Rome as the prostitute on the scarlet beast

 

 

The angel's revelation about the great prostitute is reflective of that Old Testament prophetic tradition: 'You who live by many waters and are rich in treasure' (Jeremiah 51:13). The revelation is a direct reference to Rome and a challenge to the supreme economic, cultural, political and spiritual power of that city. Rome was beautiful and powerful. It took enormous courage for John, exiled and imprisoned on Patmos by the Roman Empire to refer to it in such a way.

I think there are two lessons for the 21st century Church in this.

First, we need to be prophetic in this radical way – challenging the powers and authorities. I hear so many people who are into 'the prophetic word' and 'hearing a word from the Lord' and yet the word they get is often glib, trite and superficial. It's almost like personal fortune telling – 'Lo, I am with you always and yes, you are going to marry that beautiful redhead, your big toe will be healed and you will get that seed money.' The Holy Spirit is apparently very keen on telling prophets whether someone has a sore leg, but not so keen on calling the prophets to denounce the iniquities of the economic and political systems they live under. Granted, very few of us will be like John, but surely the Church as a whole can have a much more prophetic role? Yes we are to comfort, yes we are to appeal, but we are also to challenge and warn. Rome was the prostitute that was 'drunk with the blood of God's people'.

Second, we need to make sure that we do not indulge in spiritual prostitution. It's a strange thing, but I don't find a great deal in the Bible about atheism. It's there, but not nearly as much as warnings about false religion, idolatry and spiritual prostitution – when we as a Church sell ourselves to the spirit of the age. It's when we follow its idols and morph Christianity into something that it is not. When bishops and priests blessed cannons and tanks on both sides in the First World War, that was spiritual prostitution. When churches gave into the lure of money and backed slavery, or took money from slave traders, that was spiritual prostitution.

And when our current zeitgeist says that killing the child in the womb is fine, or that Jesus's teaching of marriage as between a man and a woman is 'on the wrong side of history' – and the Church meekly follows – that is spiritual prostitution. When we reach out to those who have the most money and spend our time serving the wealthy (paying lip service to the poor at the same time as neglecting them) that is spiritual prostitution. Any idol of our heart that replaces or just seeks to use Christ, leads us into spiritual prostitution. And the Lord hates it. We need the prophets to challenge us – but sadly far too many of us look for our preachers to mollycoddle us and confirm us in our own biases and lifestyles.

The astonishing beast
The beast that causes so much astonishment is both the Empire of the city and the Emperor. Again this prophecy draws on Isaiah:

Awake, awake, arm of the LORD,
Clothe yourself with strength!
Awake, as in days gone by,
As in generations of old.
Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces,
who pierced that monster through?
Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
Who made a road in the depths of the sea
so that the redeemed might cross over? (Isaiah 51:9-10)

The beast in Old Testament prophecy was often a sea monster who represented the political powers who sought to oppose God. This was overcome, and will come again. When Nero died the news appeared to be too good to be true. The fear was that he would rise from the dead – but John is telling us that no matter what, 'the beast' is doomed. Likewise with the political systems of our day. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but the Word of our God goes on forever.

The fulfilment of God's words

The war against the Lamb will never succeed because he is 'king of kings and Lord of lords' (verse14). And his victory is not just his, but that of his 'called, chosen and faithful followers'. Christians are those who are called by God, chosen by God, and faithful to God. And we can be confident because his words will be fulfilled (verse 17).

The battle and the victory belong to the Lord. The anti-Christ and his followers, the great prostitute and the beast, devour one another. Evil by definition destroys. All the forces of Hell cannot prevail against the Church of Christ. Rome, the mistress of the world, versus Christ, the Lamb who sits in the midst of the throne, is no contest!

I have noticed a strange paradox. While we are often quite confident about our own circumstances, and ourselves , we are easily made fearful about what is going on in the wider world. John seems to do the reverse – he does indeed tell us that our circumstances may be dreadful, and that the world is in a deep mess, but he causes us to look much higher and further. This world is not doomed. It is destined for renewal. The whole creation groans and waits for its liberation from bondage to decay and to be brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21).

Sometimes as Christians we need to lift our eyes from our own personal circumstances, and from is going on in our countries and indeed the whole world, and get a grander vision. We look up, as Stephen did as he was about to be stoned to death: 'But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven upon and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God"' (Acts 7: 55-56).  This is the vision we need, individually and collectively – the vision of Christ and his glory. Then, and only then, will be able to rejoice in the midst of trouble. Even though 'the great prostitute is drunk with the blood of God's holy people', they shall rise and she shall fall. Once we grasp this, then, and only then, will we be able to live lives that are full of faith not fear, love not hate, forgiveness not revenge.

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'We didn't start the fire': How Nero used Rome's tragic inferno to persecute Christians

On this day in AD 64 began a fire of almost apocalyptic proportions in the city of Rome. The inferno was tragic and decisive, not just for the ancient metropolis, but for the Christians who were blamed for it.

'Now started the most terrible and destructive fire which Rome had ever experienced', wrote the historian Tacitus in around the year 116. Fuelled by high winds and chaos amongst the people, the fire would burn for six days, seven nights, and consumed most of the city.

'The Fire of Rome', by Hubert Robert.

Tacitus wrote: 'Terrified, shrieking women, helpless old and young, people intent on their own safety, people unselfishly supporting invalids or waiting for them, fugitives and lingerers alike - all heightened the confusion. When people looked back, menacing flames sprang up before them or outflanked them.

'When they escaped to a neighbouring quarter, the fire followed - even districts believed remote proved to be involved. Finally, with no idea where or what to flee, they crowded on to the country roads, or lay in the fields. Some who had lost everything - even their food for the day - could have escaped, but preferred to die.'

But who started it? Various popular stories attribute it to the Roman Emperor Nero, who allegedly not only started the fire, but played the fiddle while he watched the city burn.

It's almost certainly untrue however: Nero was miles away in Antium when the fire began, and the fiddle wouldn't be invented for another 1500 years. But Nero was an opportunist, and used the scorching of Rome as an opportunity to rebuild, constructing for himself a lavish new palace – this naturally made some suspicious.

The fire needed a scapegoat, and Nero targeted Christians – he blamed Rome's destruction on the new religious sect, torturing and executing hundreds of believers on account of the fire.

Tacitus wrote: 'First those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."'

The faith community was killed for sport, eaten by animals, some stories – perhaps apocryphal – said that they were even lit up and burned alive as torches.

Here began a period of sporadic persecution against the faith, but more direct oppression would not come till about the mid-third century. As a subversive, obscure minority, the Christians were an easy target.

The fire of the summer of '64 may have been an accident, but Nero's use of it was certainly intentional. The tragedy showed Christians to be, as Tacitus wrote, the 'victims of the ferocity of one man'.

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Should churches take up offerings during services?

There's an old joke about a plane that got into trouble. A passenger noticed he was sitting next to a priest, and in a panick he said: 'Quick! Do something religious!' So the priest took up an offering.

It's a very traditional practice and for many it's inseparable from worship. But many churches are ditching it. Some argue it's not 'seeker-friendly' – if someone comes in to church for the first time, or is on the fringes of the church, they might resent being asked for money. Others point out that in many places we're heading towards a 'cashless society'; people don't carry cash nearly as much as they used to, and many give to the church by standing order throught their banks.

Furthermore, it can seem like an interruption to the rhythm of worship – we might be singing a glorious hymn to the praise of the eternal God, and the next minute we're scrabbling for cash in purses or wallets. And that's not even to mention the congregations where the offering time is used to guilt out the congregation into giving more – and sometimes more than they can afford.

There are good reasons for getting rid of the offering. But there are good reasons for keeping it, too. Not everyone is tech-savvy, happy giving online. It's a weekly reminder that ministry costs money, even if that's never explicitly spelt out. We shouldn't be squeamish about acknowledging the importance of money – the earliest Christians weren't. The Apostle Paul regularly mentioned it (2 Corinthians 8, 9, Galatians 2:10; Acts gives us a picture of the disciples sharing everything (Acts 4:32,34-35).

But the best reason for keeping the offering as part of church worship is this: it reminds us, week by week, that we are accountable to God for what we do with our money. Nearly half of Jesus' parables are about money and possessions. According to one count, the Bible has around 500 verses on prayer, fewer than 500 on faith, but more than 2,000 on money and possessions.

It's the easiest thing in the world for us to put our lives outside the church and inside it into boxes, as though they don't have anything to do with each other. The offering reminds us that they do – there's no part of our life that doesn't involve God.

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'What I have taught with my lips I now seal with my blood': The life and martyr's death of Jan Hus

                                                                        Jan Hus
Jan Hus, who died while singing a hymn as he was burned at the stake on this day in 1415, was, along with his mentor John Wycliffe, a key forerunner to the Reformation a century later.

He was the most important 15th century Czech religious reformer, who helped to act as a bridge between the medieval and Reformation periods. For his entire career, Hus was embroiled in the bitter Western Schism (1378-1417) before being convicted of heresy at the Council of Constance, leading to his death in Konstanz, now in Germany.

Born to poor parents in around 1370 in Husinec (from which he took his name) in southern Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic), Hus graduated from the University of Prague before receiving a master's degree and beginning teaching there, becoming dean of the philosophical faculty there in 1401.

Around this time Hus became impressed by Wycliffe's proposals for reform of the Roman Catholic clergy. Against the backdrop of discredited authority of the papacy, there was envy and resentment among the poor priests, as the clerical estate owned about one-half of all the land in Bohemia. Hus preached against the corruption of the Church and against Catholic doctrines of the Eucharist.

From 1402 Hus was in charge of the Bethlehem Chapel, which had become the centre of the growing national reform movement in Bohemia, becoming increasingly absorbed in public preaching and eventually emerging as the popular leader of the movement.

Since 1378 the Roman Catholic Church had been split by the Western Schism, during which the papal jurisdiction was divided between two popes. As the leader of reform, Hus was pitted against Archbishop Zbyněk of Hazmburk when the latter opposed the 1409 Council of Pisa , which was called to dethrone the rival popes and to reform the church.

The Council precipitated the final break between Hus and Archbishop Zbyněk when it deposed both Pope Gregory XII, whose authority was recognised in Bohemia, and the Antipope Benedict XIII, and in their place elected Alexander V.

The archbishop, through a large bribe, induced Alexander to prohibit preaching in private chapels, including the Bethlehem Chapel. Hus refused to obey the Pope's order, and Zbyněk excommunicated him.

In 1412, the case of Hus's heresy, which had been tacitly dropped, was revived because of a new dispute over the sale of indulgences that had been issued by Alexander's successor, the Antipope John XXIII, to finance his campaign against Gregory XII. Hus publicly denounced these indulgences before the university, which proved fatal for him.

Shortly after forcibly arriving at the Council of Constance – under a guarantee of safe-conduct – Hus was arrested and placed in close confinement, from which he never emerged. Hus's enemies succeeded in having him tried as a Wycliffite heretic. He was given three public hearings, at which he was allowed to defend himself and succeeded in refuting some of the charges against him. When he refused to recant, he was solemnly sentenced on July 6, 1415, and burned at the stake as a martyr.

There is an anecdote about the youthful Hus sitting beside a fire one winter evening reading about the martyrdom of St Lawrence. Suddenly, he thrust his hand into the flames. When a fellow pupil pulled him away from the fire and questioned his intentions, Hus replied: 'I was only trying what part of the tortures of this holy man I might be capable of enduring.'

Whether that is true or not cannot be determined for sure. But what is recorded is that as he died, though the Council had consigned his soul to the devil, Hus – singing loudly as the flames consumed him – consigned his soul to God: 'Jesus Christ! The Son of the living God! Have mercy upon me.'

Here are five top quotes from Jan Hus:

'For whoso dies for Christ, he is conqueror and is delivered from all misery and attains the eternal joy to which may it please our Saviour to bring us all.'

'Open is the way of Satan; many walk therein.'

'Therefore, faithful Christian, seek the truth, listen to the truth, learn the truth, love the truth, tell the truth, learn the truth, defend the truth even to death.'

'As for antichrist occupying the papal chair, it is evident that a pope living contrary to Christ, like any other perverted person, is called, by common consent, antichrist.'

'What I have taught with my lips I now seal with my blood.'

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3 reasons to trust in God even when your problems are many

Oftentimes we get shaken by the pressing things that happen around us. When troubles come and problems surround us, it's easy for us to lose heart and start worrying over what could possibly happen. What we need to realize is that God is good and can be trusted in when these trying times come.

Trusting in God when problems come

I know it's easy to say we should trust God in the midst of our difficulties, but why do we find it hard to trust in God in the midst of troubles? Compared to trusting in God, why do we find it easier to trust in riches, to trust in systems, to trust in man?

Maybe it's because we don't really know how trustworthy and dependable God is.

To help you trust in God, here are some things you should know and believe about Him:

1) He is good

Most often we trust a good man or woman to help us when we're in trouble. We quickly reach out to that good friend we have, somebody we've known to be trustworthy and dependable even in times of trouble. What we don't realize is that God is way 'good-er' (forgive me for the term) than any "good" man there is.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said that "No one is good, except God alone" (see Luke 18:19). If we have "good" friends we trust in and rely on, we should know that we have God who is more dependable, trustworthy and good compared to anyone on earth.

2) He is Sovereign

Many of us will try to run to a person we perceive to be "powerful" in times of crisis. We run to the rich and influential, those in positions of authority, and those with much knowledge, but we forget to run to the Almighty who is ever-present, all-powerful, and all-knowing.

The Bible tells us that "our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (see Psalm 115:3). He is above all and can do whatever He wants to do, and nothing is impossible for Him.

3) His plans will always prevail

Lastly, we should all remember that God always has the final say and the last laugh at all things. No matter we try to do or say, God will always have His way now and at the end of days. Consider these verses:

"A man's heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

"The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole outcome is of the Lord." (Proverbs 16:33)

"The wicked plot against the righteous, and grind their teeth against them. The Lord will laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming." (Psalm 37:13)

"The Lord sits enthroned above the flood, the Lord sits as King forever." (Psalm 29:10)

"All the ends of the world will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before You. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules among the nations." (Psalm 22:27-28)

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When Christians fall out: 9 Bible verses about unity

Christians are good at falling out. Sometimes this is just because we're human – someone rubs us up the wrong way, we're in a bad mood or we are not in a cooperative or forgiving mood. Sometimes it's because there are really important issues at stake – or issues that seem really important at the time. It might be about doctrine or about other issues of church life, but we're prepared to think and say things about fellow-Christians that, looking back, don't really do us much credit.

The Bible is clear about the importance of truth, but it's clear about the importance of unity and peace, too. It condemns division and quarrelsomeness and praises unity and kindness. Here are nine Bible verses that remind us how important it is to live in peace and harmony together.

1. How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1).

2. An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels (Proverbs 18:1).

3. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife (Proverbs 26:21).

4. Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division (Luke 12:51).

5. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity (John 17: 22-23).

6. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them (Romans 16:17).

7. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Corinthians 1:10).

8.Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels (2 Timothy 2:23).

9. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? (James 4:1).

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YOU ARE SO GOOD TO ME by TIM GODFREY

You are so good to me Jesus, haha
Jesus, you are so good to me, heh
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances
Halleluyah
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Dependable, dependable God
It doesn't matter what comes my way you are still God
Intentional, intentional God
Everything is working out for my good
Dependable, dependable God
It doesn't matter what comes my way you are still God
Intentional, intentional God
Everything is working out for my good
Everybody sing it
You are good, you are good, Jesus, You are
You are good, you are good, Jesus
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Jesus, you are so good to me
In all circumstances, in all circumstances
Halleluyah

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