It has been great to have two weeks together, particularly preparing the new group of apprentices as they go out into challenging mission placements all over Kenya (and beyond). Second Timothy was one of our main texts for the fortnight and our expositors drew out very clearly for us that what the Lord is seeking is not creativity but faithfulness. We don’t need to invent a clever new strategy to…
Read MoreColossians: Christ alone
It’s been great to get into Colossians in the current (ongoing) ministry training course. I thought I’d gather here a few helpful resources on the letter as a whole: ESV Study Bible full intro to Colossians Global Study Bible short intro to Colossians NIV Study Bible intro to Colossians Bible Project Colossians (YouTube) But actually, good as these resources are, I’ve found over the last week that there’s nothing like…
Read MoreThe un-wasted, future-focused life
Last Friday – the last day of the Ministry Training Course week – we began with an eternal perspective as Harrison preached through the later chapters of Acts and brought out Paul’s single-mindedness, heavenly focus and willingness to be the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to bring fruit. I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I…
Read MoreFaithful and fruitful in mission – MTC1 2016
We have been reminded recently as a staff team from John 15 that we should be aiming not only at faithfulness (as a steward discharging a duty) but also at a joyful, loving, prayerful, Christlike, tangible, supernatural fruitfulness. At the Ministry Training Course last week we were looking at 2 Timothy and Colossians and seeing there faithfulness and fruitfulness. The hardworking farmer expects a harvest (2 Tim. 2:6). There is faithful guarding and preaching…
Read MoreTotal Gospel: MTC December 2015
Tim Keller puts it like this: ‘We never “get beyond the gospel” in our Christian life to something more “advanced.” The gospel is not the first “step” in a “stairway” of truths, rather, it is more like the “hub” in a “wheel” of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C’s of Christianity, but it is the A to Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required…
Read MoreFaithfulness in Gospel Mission
The more important thing than hermeneutics is reading. In other words grappling with Scripture is primarily an exercise of attentiveness to One who speaks through a text. (John Webster, Kantzer Lectures, 2007) Thanking God for the last week of the Ministry Training Course and good times listening at the feet of Jesus. Here are some notes, resources and links for the sessions: 1st year apprentices: How to lead an inductive Bible study Understanding and…
Read MoreSteadfast 24-7: the first three days
We started this ministry training week for the iServe Africa apprentices with the Garrisa massacre very much in our minds. With that background we are very aware that when we talk about these young people remaining ‘steadfast’ in the years to come we are not joking around. This is a very serious business. The world is a dangerous place in which to do the work of the Lord. We are…
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