Simply ChurchPrimal Fire: Reigniting the Church with the Five Gifts of Jesus is Neil Cole’s latest book. Disclosure: Neil is a good friend of Tony’s and mine. We’ve spent many an evening in our hot tub enjoying a glass of wine and discussing theology and church planting and putting the world to rights. I love all his… Read More
You think you have it tough? I recently came across these figures on a site that encourages people to pray for various countries in the world. (Visit the site–it’s well worth the time.) All of us are aware of some of the injustice around the world, but these figures brought it home to me… Picture the… Read More
When Tony and I moved here to the States in 1987, probably the toughest part of our lives so far at a spiritual level kicked in. Why? God became silent. He stopped talking to us. Back in the UK, nearly everything had gone well. It was relatively easy to know what God was saying. In… Read More
Only too often, I come across this kind of sad story of spiritual control: “I committed some “offense” (usually not a sin but something that went against the church’s “rules”), and the pastor /church excommunicated me. No one else in the church is allowed to talk to me. My old friends avoid me in the… Read More
As a former physician, I still maintain an interest in health. I recently read an article (I think it was probably by or about Dr. David Katz who is an authority on preventive medicine), stating we can reduce our lifetime risk of all chronic diseases by 80 percent with our feet, forks and fingers. That… Read More
As part of my study on Disciple Making Movements, I’ve been reading through the gospels to see how Jesus approached making disciples. Jesus invited people to become his disciples. In Mark 2:14, Jesus said to Levi (Matthew), “Follow me and be my disciple.” He didn’t tell him, “Follow me and when you’ve learned enough, you… Read More
I’m on jury duty this week–one of the responsibilities of being a citizen of this great country. But it may mean this is the only time I post this week. Here’s how I became a citizen. On May 23rd 2008, I became an American citizen. In a large gymnasium hastily converted into a courtroom, before a presiding judge… Read More
For most of us, the New Year is marked by a sense of anticipation. The old year is done with; what will 2014 hold? Here are three of my ideas for what 2014 might bring for those of us in the simple/organic/house church movement (or those with an interest in the role of women in… Read More
Amy Carmichael was a missionary to India who had a profound impact on my life through her writing. Even reading some of her work now, I can understand why they were so impactful (ouch!) Here are some quotes, several of which are taken from one of her little books called If: “You can give without loving,… Read More
For some years we have been friends with Molong Nacua, who lives just 40 minutes from where the worst of Typhoon Haiyan hit in the Philippines. He’s not exactly a house church guy, but he makes disciples all the time. His new disciples go on to make other disciples and so far they have touched… Read More