Thursday 31 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 7


How has your 'time with God' gone this year?

Friendship takes time and effort. We can't expect to know someone unless we spend time in their presence, listening to them as they speak and speaking to them as they listen. 

We reveal ourselves through our words. Words express character. Words disclose emotions. Words unveil thoughts and plans and hopes and dreams. Words unlock relationships.   

So how has it been this year with God's Word? And how has it been this year with prayer? And linked to both: has your relationship with God deepened this year? Has he become more special to you? Do you love him more today than you did on 31st December last year?

Tomorrow we exit 2015 and enter 2016.

Can I suggest something to help you with your relationship with God in 2016?

Make a PLAN.

Relationships don't just happen. They need to be intentional, deliberate, premeditated.

Particularly in a busy world where 101 things demand our time and thought and attention, if you want to relate well to God you need to PLAN for it and the STICK to it.

In previous years I've included links to daily Bible readings plans to help get you started with this.

See HERE for a helpful blog post from Tim Chester which has links to a helpful Bible reading plan and the rationale for reading the Bible in a year.

But this year I've come across a different sort of daily devotion that might just help if you've struggled  to get going with Bible reading plans in the past.

Glen Scrivener is an evangelist who works in Eastbourne. He's known for his creative use of new media to communicate Jesus. In 2016 he's starting a daily 6-7 minute Vlog called 'Line by Line' where he will work through some of the key phrases of the Bible. It looks like it will be a really helpful way of engaging with God's Word if you're someone who struggles. For those of you who travel it also looks like it will be available as an audio podcast as well.

There are various ways to get it.

You can subscribe to his YouTube channel HERE

You can 'like' his Facebook page HERE

Here is Glen's introduction to the series. But it's worth flagging up: it looks like when they start, the Vlogs will be shorter and more polished.


Direct Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqNa0NwOdIY




Wednesday 30 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 6

This year we added something new as a regular feature to our church noticesheet.

I suspect most people didn't even spot it, but although small, it performs a very important function.

What is it?

A 3D barcode!

If you are one of the 80% of people in the UK who own a smartphone you will probably be familiar with 3D barcodes already (or QR codes as they're also known). The idea is that you point your smartphone's camera at it and it sends you to a website. In our case, the church's website:  www.woodgreenchurch.co.uk

But it struck me recently that as a follower of Jesus, I am called to do the same thing as a 3D barcode.

Barcodes exist to point people to something else. They're inconspicuous. Blink and you miss them. They're never on the front of the packet, they're always hidden on the back or the side. You never see a barcode spotlighted. Barcodes are humble servants. They point you to something much more significant and important and full of meaning.

And that's what I'm called to do as a follower of Jesus.

My job is to point people to something - someone - else. Someone far more significant, important and full of meaning. My job is not to draw attention to myself, my achievements, my greatness or my 'glory'. My job is to be a 3D barcode.

John the Baptist understood this. He understood that he was NOT the light and that his job was to point others to THE light.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (John 1:6-8)

John's purpose was to point others to the light of the world - to Jesus.

He once said of Jesus: 
'He must become greater; I must become less.’ (John 3:30)
And as disciple of Jesus, that should be myattitude as well. My job is to make sure others see Jesus. My job is to point people to the source eternal joy, hope and life.

My job is to be a 3D barcode.


Tuesday 29 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 5


Father Christmas is big this time of the year. But do you know the man behind the myth?

Another extract from 'One True Light' by Tim Chester.

It made me smile. I hope it both makes you smile and strengthens your resolve to know the REAL Jesus this Christmas...

Did you know that Santa once threw a punch? The name 'Santa Claus' is derived from 'Saint Nicholas'. Nicholas was a bishop who attended the Council of Nicea in AD 324. The council had been called in response to the teaching of a man called Arius, who claimed that Jesus was a created being. He was willing to affirm that Jesus was the first created being and so supreme in creation, but, according to Arius, he was created. In other words, there was a time when Jesus did not exist.  
The story goes that at first Nicholas listened quietly to the arguments of Arius. But in the end he could take it no longer. He stepped across the room and slapped Arius across the face.  
So maybe on Christmas Day we should punch heretics instead of giving presents. (or maybe not).  
The point is that this truth mattered deeply to Nicholas. It was not just a debating point - it was of crucial importance for the salvation of our souls. If Jesus was created, then he is not truly and fully divine. And John is clear: Jesus the Word already 'was' in the beginning. (John 1:1)

If you want to buy a copy of 'The One True Light' in time for next Christmas CLICK HERE
If you want to buy it now as an ebook for ipad or kindle: CLICK HERE

Monday 28 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 4


During December I've worked my way through Tim Chester's 'The One True Light' book, which are readings for Advent from the gospel of John.  It's been great! 



Here is an extract from one of my favourite days...
God takes on flesh. God lies in a manger. God plays with other children. God eats round the table. God sweats on the roadside. God sleeps in the boat. God shares our human weakness. God experiences our temptations. 
This is the wonder of the incarnation. God is clothed in human flesh: 'For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.' (Colossians 2:9). It's as if the splendour of God has been squeezed into a human body. Imagine trying to pack all your possessions into a suitcase - squashing it, pushing it, sitting on it, trying to cram them all in. That is what God did at the incarnation. He took the fullness of the Deity and squeezed it into bodily form. And nothing was left out. Jesus is truly divine and truly human. Christmas marks the coming of God. 
Christianity is not a call to embrace a system of thought or a religion or a moral code. It's the invitation to embrace a person - or rather to be embraced by a person. It's the invitation to look to Jesus and see in him the kindness, glory, beauty, power and holiness of God. 
The Word became flesh. Wisdom became flesh. Love became flesh. Holiness became flesh. Justice became flesh. Truth became flesh. And his name is Jesus.

If you want to buy a copy in time for next Christmas CLICK HERE
If you want to buy it now as an ebook for ipad or kindle: CLICK HERE

Sunday 27 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 3


Think you're an expert on the Christmas Story?

This year the Bible Society produced a superb interactive 'Nativity tube map'. It's designed with smartphones and tablets in mind and every stop has a question about the Christmas story from the Bible to which you have to answer 'true' or 'false'. 

You're then directed to the next 'stop' on the journey. At the end of the line, you get a score so you can see how well you did.

It's a really creative, fun idea, which is very well done. Why not have a go yourself, or do it with the kids.


The place to start is - of course - Angel tube station.

CLICK HERE to get started!



Direct Link: http://nativity15.biblesociety.org.uk/


Saturday 26 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 2


Have you ever noticed how many times angels tell people connected to the Christmas story: do not be afraid'?

·       When an angel told Zechariah he would have a son who would prepare the way for the Messiah he prefaced what he said with: 'Do not be afraid' (Luke 1:13)

·         When an angel appeared to Joseph to tell him Mary was pregnant with the Messiah he told him: 'Do not be afraid' (Matthew 1:20)

·         When an angel told Mary she had found favour with God and was going to give birth to God's Saviour Son he said: 'Do not be afraid' (Luke 1:30)

·         When the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce good news of great joy they said:  'Do not be afraid' (Luke 2:10)


However, there is more to this than an angelic catchphrase. 

'Do not be afraid' is a message for us all, which this brilliant 3 minute 'spoken word' video from Dai Woolridge beautifully explores. Grab a coffee, sit back, and enjoy...


Direct Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RTyb26EC6U


Friday 25 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS: Day 1


I don't know if you've noticed, but we have a tendency to give names to days at this time of the year.

Some of them are traditional: Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, News Eve, New Years Day. 

Some are fairly modern: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Panic Saturday. 

And some are frankly ridiculous: at the beginning of December the singer Taylor Swift sought to trademark the term 'Swiftmas', which is a word her fans use to describe the random acts of kindness she makes, such as giving them unexpected presents.

But there is one day nobody has suggested we rename (yet): Christmas Day.

Until now that is.

The term Christmas originates from a mash up of two Old English words. Once a year, medieval churches would hold a special service - a Mass - to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They called this 'Christ's Mass'. Over time this turned into 'Christmas'.

However, the original meaning of 'Christmas Day' isn't clocked by most people today. And as an evangelical Christian, I have more than a few issues with the Mass. So how about a new nickname for Christmas?

This year Christmas Day is on a Friday. If you had to add an adjective to 'Friday' to sum up the message of Christmas what word would you use?

HAPPY Friday? CELEBRATION Friday? JOYFUL Friday? NATIVITY Friday?

Here's my suggestion: BRIGHT Friday.

Describing the birth of Jesus, the Apostle John wrote:
'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.' (John 1:5)
The sad fact is we are all in the dark when it comes to God. We refuse to listen to his Word and shut out his light. But when Jesus - the Word made flesh - was born, our world was flooded with light. 

And he has the power to do that in our lives as well, if we put our faith in him.

This Christmas - let in the light.

May today be BRIGHT Friday for you.
O Christ, our Morning Star,Splendour of Light Eternal,shining with the glory of the rainbow,come and waken us from the greyness of our apathy,and renew in us your gift of hope.Amen (The Venerable Bede 672-735)

Wednesday 23 December 2015

12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS



I started doing the '12 BLOGS of CHRISTMAS' four years ago. Christmas is an extended holiday season for many and so it's an ideal time to rest, reflect and reconsider. So I thought it would be good to provide something helpful to prompt thought and reflection each day.

Most people have come across the 12 Days of Christmas today because of the famous song about someone receiving lots of presents from their 'true love'. However, to get to the song there had to be the days to start with!

The 12 Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and last until the evening of the 5th January - also known as Twelfth Night. They have been celebrated in Europe since before the Middle Ages and were traditionally a time to remember saints and other religious figures who each have a day dedicated to them. (Fellow Worcesterites  will be interested to know that they 6th day, 30th December, is in honour of St Egwin from Worcester!).

However,  my 12 blogs are designed to encourage devotion to one supreme person - Jesus - and to stimulate a desire to live for him more wholeheartedly in the year ahead.

So while they will have Christmas flavour, they will increasingly become a prompt to look forward and prepare for the year ahead.

They start on Christmas Day. Look out for them. I hope you find them helpful.




Sunday 13 September 2015

Ready for Eternity? Woodgreen Booklet on Giving



For the last couple of Sunday mornings at Woodgreen we've been looking at Jesus's radical teaching about how a Christian should view money.

As promised, here is the booklet we give to all new Church Members at Woodgreen entitled 'What should I know about cheerful giving?' I shared the first part of this in a series of blogs recently, but the second half was written by our Finance Team Leader, Steve and contain some helpful practical tips to help think through individual giving.

If you would like to know more how to give to Woodgreen, feel free to get in contact with me or any of the other Elders. You can do that through the contact form on the church website (HERE) or my contact details are on the church noticesheet which is given out each Sunday.

You can download the booklet as a pdf HERE.

You can download a copy of a Standing Order form so you can start giving to Woodgreen HERE.

Sunday 12 July 2015

Why doesn't God stop the Suffering? VIDEO and E-BOOK




Woodgreen Church was used as a polling station the day of the General Election. After people had cast their vote we gave them the opportunity to vote for the question they would ask God if they could and we said we would answer it one Sunday.

The overwhelming winner was 'Why doesn't God stop the suffering?' and so we looked at that question on Sunday.

If you want to listen to the talk, a link to it will be available HERE as soon as it is online.

At the end of service we said that if people wanted to investigate it further we would make two different resources available on this blog. Which one you need, will depend on how you want to follow up the talk and what it is you're looking for.

VIDEO: If you're looking for an accessible, but deeper and more philosophical exploration of the question, then the video is for you. This tackles the question of why a  good and loving God can allow evil to exist. If you want to explore the question of evil and suffering in more depth - this is a great start.
E-BOOK: However, if you're looking for personal examples of how the truths we looked at on Sunday work out in practice, then the book 'Why Me?' is for you. This contains 8 biographical stories of people who have suffered, all in heartbreaking ways, but who who have found and/or proved God through it. If you want to know how you can find God in the midst of suffering - this is the place to start.

After watching or reading the resources below you may want to explore the Christian faith further. We run a free short course called 'Christianity Explored' at Woodgreen and we'd love to welcome you along. More details about the course and how to book on to the next one can be found HERE


VIDEO: How can a good and loving God allow evil?



E-BOOK: 'Why Me?' (by Roger Carswell)

You can download this e-book HERE

Many thanks to www.10ofthose.com for making this available free of charge



Sunday 28 June 2015

Capturing the Heart: Talk Notes



We had a guest speaker at Woodgreen this morning (28th June): Julian Hardyman, who is Senior Pastor at Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge. He spoke on the subject of 'idols' under the title: 'Capturing the Heart'.

We tend to think of idols as wooden or stone statues worshipped by unenlightened people of a bygone age. However, as Julian showed us so clearly, we each struggle with idolatry, because an idol is anything that has replaced God as primary in our hearts. An idol is something we trust, serve and love more than God. And while we might not recognise it an idol, we all have them. Julian helpfully reminded us that we all have surface idols which are shaped by deeper idols of the heart. It is only as we identify and deal with these deeper idols that we can know true joy.

Wonderfully, Jesus fulfils all the longings of our hearts for comfort, security, power, approval and control, which so often shape the surface idols we adopt.

One of the most helpful things Julian pointed us to in his talk, were three diagnostic tools - three sets of questions - we can ask ourselves to help identify our deeper idols. Why not carve out some time to work through these tests for yourself, slowly and honestly before the Lord?

We each need our hearts to recalibrated to worship God and love Jesus. Julian gave us a great introduction and some very practical tools this morning to help us do just that.


You can download the  slides from Julian's talk HERE as a pdf

You can listen to Julian's talk HERE

You can buy Julian's book on idols HERE

Thursday 25 June 2015

BOOK REVIEW: The Treasure Principle


Peter Barham, one of the Pastors at Woodgreen, reviews a little book with a big message that taken seriously would not only transform church finances but also our lives...


If you like small books, you'll like this one. If you don't like books that challenge your lifestyle, don't read this one!

The book's dimensions are just 16x12cm and only has 120 pages but the subtitle says it all. It's about 'unlocking the secret of joyful giving'. If we are true to ourselves we know that talking about giving for some reason makes us uncomfortable, and even Pastors can feel reticent to preach on the subject! Randy Alcorn (he's an American if you didn't know by his name) did not write this book to give us a guilt trip about giving but to reveal to us the joy of giving.

The book is very readable with insightful illustrations, many of them personal, but in particular he challenges us by pointing to what the Bible says and especially Jesus' view on the subject.

When thinking about Jesus statement to 'store up treasures in heaven' he says:

'You'll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. (That's a removal van to us in the UK) You can't take it with you but you can send it ahead...If wegive instead of keep, if we invest in the eternal instead of the temporal we store up treasures in heaven that will never stop paying dividends'
'My heart always goes where I put God's money. God isn't looking for donors for his kingdom. God wants your heart. He says show me your chequebook, your credit card statement, your receipts'

He tackles the question of whether we should use a tithe as a measure of how much we  give and says:

'I detest legalism... Every New Testament example of giving goes far beyond a tithe. However, none falls short of it...It's unhealthy to view tithing as a place to stop but it can still be a good place to start'.

One particular quote that struck me is 'God prospers me not to raise my standard of living butto raise my standard of giving'.  How perceptive is that. He asks why God has entrusted  America with so much, and tackles the practical question of how much we intend to leave the kids as an inheritance.

Randy Alcorn finishes by suggesting we fill out a 6 point 'Giving Covenant' backed up with some helpful questions we should ask God about our giving experience. Here's one of them:

'Father, what's the eternal downside in giving as much as I can give to you now? In contrast, what's the eternal downside of minimising my giving or delaying giving until later? Is there really a danger in giving too much too soon? Or is the true danger giving too little too late?'

Read this book if you want to to see giving as an investment in eternity. Read it at your peril if you only live for today and tomorrow.


Get your copy of the book in Woodgreen's online bookstore HERE




Friday 5 June 2015

'Honest Evangelism': a great book worth reading

'Honest Evangelism' is a book about overcoming evangelism phobia. And it's therefore a book every Christian needs to read! 

When was the last time you spoke one-to-one with a non-Christian friend about Jesus? Not about that you go to church, not about some moral or ethical issue in the news, not even that you're a 'Christian' (that's a misunderstood religious label by most people in the UK) - but about JESUS? If it was so long ago you can't remember - you (like me) - need this book!

Written by Rico Tice - author of the Christianity Explored course and Associate Minister at All Souls Langham Place, London - it's an honest look at why we often find speaking up for Jesus so difficult and what should motivate us to 'cross the painline'.

Some books on evangelism are discouraging because they pile on the guilt, but Rico has a disarming ability to motivate as well as diagnose. The end result is an immensely readable book - at times funny, at times challenging, at times deeply personal - that not only led me to a greater understanding of WHY I often find it hard to witness, but also HOW I can become more effective.

In the opening chapters, Rico diagnoses why we often find it hard to speak up about Jesus. In a culture that is increasingly hostile to the gospel, evangelism will be costly and we naturally shy away from this.

'I want to be honest: if you tell non-Christians about Jesus, it will be painful.'

However, Rico also goes on to show that while hostility to the gospel may be growing, so is hunger for significance and purpose. Secularism and materialism have left people feeling short changed. So when we share the gospel, while we should expect to get hit, we should also expect to find a longing for what the gospel offers and this should motivate us to cross the pain line.

Personally, I found chapter 3 the most insightful and helpful: 'Why we (still) won't evangelise'. Rico poses the question many a pastor has struggled to answer: why is it that mature, compassionate, committed Christians don't evangelise? His answer is right on the money: idolatry.

'Honest Evangelism' is worth the price tag for this chapter alone. Illustrating from his own personal experience, Rico shows how the idols in our hearts stop us speaking up for Jesus. We need to uproot idols such as approval, acceptance, respectability and love of self if we are to be effective witnesses.

'As long as Jesus is not my greatest love, I will keep quiet about him in order to serve my greatest love, my idol. I will keep quiet about him because I am afraid of losing my greatest love, my idol.'

The second half of the book is intensely practical.  Chapter 5 is entitled: 'What do I say?' Rather than just list the gospel truths we need to download in our non-Christian friends, Rico suggests a simple framework it can be helpful to keep in mind as we witness:

'First, what do I need to say? Identity. Mission. Call. That's the gospel. Jesus' identity - who he is. Jesus' mission - why he came. Jesus' call - what he wants from us. Second, how do I need to engage people as I talk about Identity, Mission and Call? Understanding. Agreement. Impact. To put it bluntly: Do they get it? Do they agree with it? What are they doing about it?'

It's not rocket science, but it IS incredibly sticky! I've found it a really simple way to make sure I stay on track as I share my faith. It reminds me that I need to stay on message and get to Jesus.

One of the things I most loved about 'Honest Evangelism' is that - unusually for an evangelist - Rico doesn't try to squeeze us all into his mould. Chapter 6 is entitled: 'Be Yourself' and I breathed a sigh of relief when I read it. God has given the Church some who are specially gifted Evangelists - with a capital E. They are a wonderful gift of God. However, in my experience they can often make the rest of us feel intimidated and inadequate.

However Rico helpfully shows that while not all Christians are Evangelists, all Christians are called to do the work of evangelism. Using biblical examples, he encourages us to witness in the way God has made us. Peter had a confrontational approach, Paul had a more intellectual approach, the blind man in John 9 shared his testimony, while the woman at the well  invited her friends to come and hear. And because we are all different, God puts us in local church communities so that we can reach all sorts of people.

'God has wired you to tell others in a way that allows you to be yourself. Evangelism is not just for extroverts, brainboxes or full-timers. It is your job and in the Lord's strength you can do it.'

The last couple of chapters are full of lots more practical wisdom on how to get started in the context of the post-Christian culture in which we now live. Again, Rico is both insightful and honest about the obstacles we face today as we seek to share the gospel:

'Witnessing takes time and effort... Research suggest that when people put their faith in Christ, on average it's taken two years from the point when they came into meaningful contact with a Christian who witnessed to them - and that time is growing.'

While - as the title suggests - 'Honest Evangelism' is always honest, it is also shot through with hope and faith in a God who is determined to save. In the last chapter Rico challenges us to have the same compassion Jesus had for lost people. We are to pray but we are also to be obedient. As I finished the book, I felt more determined than ever to 'cross the pain line' with my own friends and speak up about Jesus.

'Where is your harvest field? It's your workplace, your family, your street, your sports club, your social group. Who knows what harvest is there? Who knows how many people have been praying for years for the people you will sit next to or speak to today? This is the corner of the global harvest field where Jesus says to you: Go, proclaim the kingdom.'

Get your copy of 'Honest Evangelism' from our e-bookstore HERE




Monday 18 May 2015

2011 Census Infographic: Religion



Last night Andy shared some sobering statistics from the 2011 Census about religion in England and Wales. Christianity was fairly static across the age ranges but the rise in Islam and 'no religion' is striking. Here it is...


















































Tuesday 14 April 2015

The Bible: An inspired book?



Andy Rees, our Assistant Pastor at Woodgreen, recently did a talk on the reliability of the Bible. Here he recaps the verses which show how the whole of the Bible is God’s inspired word...


Jesus shows us that the Old Testament is the inspired word of God

Matthew 19:4-6 
In talking about the issue of Divorce Jesus quotes from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24. This is significant in that Jesus says it is the “creator” speaking, when he quotes something the author of Genesis wrote (most likely Moses.) So Jesus is saying the written words of Moses are God’s word. 

Matthew 12:3-4; 12:40-41; Luke 4:25-27 
Jesus quotes historical events in the Old Testament as true events.


Jesus commissions the New Testament to have his uniquely inspired authority

John 14:25-26; John 15:26-27; John 16:12-13 
Jesus promises his Spirit to his disciples (in the first instance the twelve) to remind them of what he has said and to lead them into the truth. When they write they will do so with his authority and they will record the truth about him and the gospel.

New Testament writers place their writing on the same level of authority as the Old Testament scriptures

Paul does it
2 Timothy 3:14-17 
Timothy learnt the gospel from the “holy Scriptures” which would have referred to the Old Testament canon. Then we are told “all scripture is God-breathed”, I take this to include the New Testament writings. Looking at 1 Timothy 5:18 Paul uses both a quote from Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7 and calls them both Scripture. In saying this he is giving them both have the same level of authority, as coming from God.

Peter does it
2 Peter 3:15-16
Peter places Paul’s letters into this same authoritative category “Scriptures”.

The Bible testifies to itself that it is a collection of writings written down by men with their personalities and human style but uniquely inspired by God’s Spirit and so carry all his authority.


Drop me a line if you want to ask more: andy@woodgreenchurch.co.uk


Friday 3 April 2015

A new angle on Good Friday



How would the events of Good Friday have been reported if they had happened today?

Watch this powerful video from 'Christians in Sport'...


Direct link to video: http://www.christiansinsport.org.uk/resources.asp?itemid=6080&itemTitle=Good+Friday%3A+Live%21&section=27&sectionTitle=Resources


Monday 16 March 2015

A Prayer for Mums


Peter Barham, one of our Pastors at Woodgreen, wrote a prayer for our Mothering Sunday morning services yesterday. A number of people commented on how helpful - and all-encompassing - they found it. It's copied below. This is a prayer for mothers of all sorts, which can be prayed all year round...


Loving God, we give thanks today for mothers.

Thank you for the blessing of mother figures in our lives. For those mothers who gave birth to us, for great grandmothers and grandmothers and women who have treated us as their own children. Thank you for all our mothers mean to us and do for us. You teach us how to be good mothers, cherishing and protecting the children among us. Help us mother lovingly, fairly, wisely and with great joy. Help us raise our children to be the people they are born to be.

We need your comfort here today, Lord, because we live in a broken world. Some are missing their mothers, some are missing their children, some are parted by distance or death. Some are new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility or expectant mothers, wondering and waiting; Some are single mothers or caring for children of others.

Especially comfort those who have longed to be biological mothers, but cannot. Those women who are single. Those who have lost a child, given up their child for adoption, or who chose not to give birth, and had an abortion. Those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities.

We pray for those here whose mothers have disappointed them; we ask for grace in relationships where there is pain and bitterness, for healing in relationships where there is abuse and violence. Comfort  mothers around the world. Mothers who cannot feed their children due to poverty, mothers who are homeless or without a homeland; mothers who must teach their children about the dangers of bombs and bullets.

Help our church to be a space where people can feel mothered, a family where women's gifts and talents are appreciated and nurtured.

For each mother in our church, because of what Jesus has done, create in them a clean heart. Renew a refreshed spirit within them. Give them gospel strength to get through the day. Open their eyes so that they see your hand at work in the mess of life. Be their constant in fluctuating emotions. Keep the gospel ever before them and make it a reality in their daily life as a mother.

We pray that tomorrow you would be with them in all the muck and mire of motherhood. Help them to find their joy in you and not in my circumstances. May they remember that even when it feels otherwise, you are always with them, will never leave them, or forsake them. Tonight help them to  sleep in peace knowing that even when they lose their grip, you will never let go of them. And they will open their eyes in the morning to find mercy, fresh and new, ready for the taking.


Thank you Lord for the way you care for mothers, Amen

Saturday 7 March 2015

Money Matters: Part 5


God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.
(Billy Graham)

In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up that makes us rich.
(Henry Ward Beecher)


In PART 1 (Click HERE) we saw that Paul told the Corinthians God loves 'hilarious' givers.

In PART 2 (Click HERE) we saw the FIRST REASON from 2 Corinthians 8-9 why God loves cheerful givers: because joyful generosity is a mark of God's grace

In PART 3 (Click HERE) we saw the SECOND REASON God loves cheerful givers: because this sort of giving is a prelude to his blessing.

In PART 4 (Click HERE) we saw the THIRD reason God loves cheerful givers is because this sort of giving is a reflection of his heart.

In this FINAL BLOG in the series, we get the chance to apply some of this to our own giving...


Reviewing my Giving

‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’
(2 Corinthians 8:9)

How we TEND to treat giving:
How much can I afford to GIVE?

How we SHOULD treat giving:
How much do I need to KEEP?


A ‘Giving Goal’

If we're honest, most of us tend to give a proportion of what we have available, after we have taken care of our lifestyle.

The 100% rule described in Part 4, calls for a radical approach to giving. Instead of considering what we can give out of what's left, we should attempt to give as much as we can, by considering what we actually need, then targeting the difference as our 'Giving Goal'.

Use the questions below to help you think through what your ‘giving goal’ could be...

  • What do I currently give to God's work per month? What percentage of my income is this?
  • What approach best characterises my giving at the moment
a) I give a percentage of my income each month (the 'principled' approach)?
b) I give out of my disposable income (the 'leftovers' approach)?
c) I give now and then when I have spare cash (the 'afterthought' approach)?
d) I give as much as I can in a way some might consider reckless (the 'Christ-like approach)?

  • How does my current giving to God compare to what I 'give' to myself? For example, how does my giving compare to my 'non-essential' regular expenditure (Sky TV, buying new clothes, eating out, going out, gym membership, lifestyle items etc etc)?
  • Do I work to a monthly 'budget'? Am I being proactive in tracking what I spend my money on so I can save in order to give more?
  • Have I ever had to go without in order to give? (If not, you're not giving sacrificially.)
  • How regularly do I re-examine my giving? Has it changed as my income has changed? Has it increased to keep track with inflation?
  • What do I do with one-off windfalls? Do I give a percentage of this to God?
  • What do my spending habits say about what is important to me and 'where my heart' is? (Matthew 6:21)



If you want to give to God's work at Woodgreen you can do so by setting up a standing order. If you are a tax payer you can also fill out a gift aid form which means the church can claim back the tax on whatever give. This will be an extra 20-40p for every £1 you give, depending what tax band you are in. 

Standing Order and Gift Aid forms can be downloaded HERE.

Finally, to round this series off, a really helpful video that challenges us  to ask three questions related to our spending:


  • What does my spending say makes me most happy?
  • Does my spending suggest I am collecting for this life?
  • Is my spending explicitly supporting the spread of the gospel?






Friday 27 February 2015

Money Matters: Part 4


We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give.
(Duane Hulse)

God’s greatest desire is to give. When man follows God’s example, he receives a divine blessing because he demonstrates that he is one of God’s children.
(Simon Kistemaker)


In PART 1 (Click HERE) we saw that Paul told the Corinthians God loves 'hilarious' givers.

In PART 2 (Click HERE) we saw the FIRST REASON from 2 Corinthians 8-9 why God loves cheerful givers: because joyful generosity is a mark of God's grace

In PART 3 (Click HERE) we saw the SECOND REASON God loves cheerful givers: because this sort of giving is a prelude to his blessing.

In PART 3 we see a THIRD reason God loves cheerful givers...


3. Joyful Generosity... is a Reflection of God’s Heart

Paul challenged the Corinthians to model their giving on God’s giving:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9)

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor 9:15)


How much should a Christian give?

As New Testament believers, should we give a 10th of our income like Old Testament believers were required to do? And if so, is it 10% of our gross income or our net income or our disposable income?

What’s the benchmark for New Covenant Christians?

For many Christians the 10% tithe has been a helpful rule of thumb and if you’re not in the habit of giving this is a good starting point.  However there is no specific command in the New Testament that Christians should give 10%. Jesus didn’t restate it in his teaching and neither did the Apostles.

In fact, the 10% figure can sometimes be unhelpful:

·         For those who have higher incomes and fewer outgoings, the 10% rule can be an excuse for giving too little;
·         Whereas for those who are on the breadline and struggling to make ends meet, the 10% rule can become a legalistic burden.

So what New Testament rule of thumb should we use as a guide for our giving as Christians?

The answer is in 2 Corinthians 8:9 and the example Jesus set us:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9)

Jesus didn’t need to teach on sacrificial giving, because his whole life was an illustration of sacrificial giving. The New Testament benchmark for giving is much higher than 10%. If we are to imitate Jesus then we are to give 100%: we are to regard everything we have as belonging to God.

Which turns the giving-equation completely on it’s head:

·         The question is not: ‘How much of MY money should I GIVE to God?’  
·         But rather: ‘How much of GOD’S money should I KEEP for myself?’

The issue is how much I need to keep, not how much I’m required to give.

When we begin to think in that way, it completely changes the way we think about money and how we should use it. The money gathering interest in our savings account, the money we get each month from a pension or salary, the money tied-up in our house or investments is not OUR money to do with as we please. As Christians we are stewards looking after GOD’s money, and we are to invest it in ways that advance his kingdom.

One Christian writer outlined the implications of this way of thinking by using the example of John Wesley:

‘For some of us, that will mean that we can’t give 10%. A tithe may push some Christians below the poverty line. But for others with substantial incomes, we can afford to give much more than a tithe. John Wesley followed a sensible policy.  Out of his yearly stipend, he lived on £28 and gave the remaining £2 to the Lord.  The following year his salary doubled, but he found that he could still live comfortably on the £28, and so instead of raising his standard of living, he resolved to give away the greater part of his increase the Lord. Wesley had the mind of Christ.’

Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians to be Christ-like in the way they gave, and the same challenge comes to us today.

Jesus once commended a widow at the temple who put two coins in the offering box, a pittance compared to what others were throwing in, but she caught Jesus eye because she put in everything she owned. She was a woman after God’s own heart, she gave as God gave, she gave as Jesus was going to give just a few days later on the cross.

Jesus has given us a far higher benchmark for giving. It’s not 10% anymore. In the light of the cross, it’s 100% of all we have. The radical principle of giving we see in the New Testament is this: we are to decide what we need to live on and then give the rest away to support God’s work.

Oliver Cromwell was once faced with a financial crisis. His government had run out of silver, and could no longer mint coins. A man of great resourcefulness, he sent his Treasurer on a mission to see if he could find more silver from somewhere. When the Treasurer returned, he reported that the only silver he could find was in the statues of Saints kept in cathedrals around the country.

‘Good,’ Cromwell said, ‘Then we’ll melt down the Saints and put them into circulation!’

And that's just what they did!

While Cromwell's approach to a monetary crisis would probably raise the eyebrows of most economists today, he stated a vital principle which would solve most of the funding problems churches face today.

For Cromwell the difficulty was not a lack of silver - there was plenty of that around - the difficulty was that it was contained in the Saints and was not easily accessible.

And the same is often true today.

What we need above all else is for God to melt our hearts so we are prompted to follow the example of our Saviour who:

‘though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, so that we through his poverty might become rich.’


NEXT WEEK: Some questions to ask as you consider how much to give.


Read the previous posts in this series:

Part 1 HERE / Part 2 HERE / Part 3 HERE
Go to PART 5 HERE

Thursday 19 February 2015

Money Matters: Part 3



Many people will always be poor because they never give to the cause of God.
(C.H.Spurgeon)

We expect our young people to lay down their lives for God, but most of us are not willing to lay down our bank accounts.
(Paul B. Smith)


In PART 1 (Click HERE) we saw that Paul told the Corinthians that God loves 'hilarious' givers.

In PART 2 (Click HERE) we saw the FIRST of THREE REASONS from 2 Corinthians 8-9 why God loves these sorts of givers: because joyful generosity is a mark of God's grace

In PART 3, we see a SECOND reason God loves cheerful givers:

2. Joyful Generosity... is a Prelude to God’s Blessing

In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds the Corinthians of a farming proverb:

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Cor 9:6)

You don’t have to be green-fingered to understand the principle Paul is getting at here. In just the same way that a farmer can expect a good harvest when he scatters his seed generously, so Paul says that if we give generously to God’s work we can expect to be more fruitful as Christians.

The principle is really very simple:
  • Miserly Christians are Miserable Christians.
whereas
  • Generous Christians are Growing Christians.

Paul goes on:
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor 9:7-8)

When we give to God, says Paul, we get a great return from him. God rewards our faith by giving us more of his grace in our lives, so that we can ‘abound in every good work’.

In verse 10 Paul goes on to say that God blesses those who sow generously with a ‘harvest of righteousness’. The implication is that those who give cheerfully and generously are blessed by God with greater fruitfulness and growth as Christians.

As far as the Bible is concerned, there are really only two options when it comes to money: as Christians we either tithe to God or we thieve from God.

This was the charge God brought against his people in Malachi. Tithing was a well established principle in the Old Testament: it was stated specifically in the law and practiced by Abraham long before then.

Our English word ‘tithe’ comes from the Old English word for ‘tenth’. Old Testament believers were required to give a tenth of their crops and livestock to God for two main purposes:

·        To provide for the Levites: the priests whose full-time job it was to serve in the house of God.
·         To provide for other needs as the priests saw fit.

The people’s tithes enabled the priests to do their job without distraction and the work of God to continue without disruption. However in Malachi’s day God’s people were not giving their full tithes and God had some harsh words to say to them as a result. In Malachi 3 God accused his people of robbing him and as a result, losing out on his blessing!

‘Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’’ (Mal 3:8-10)

The Hebrew word translated ‘rob’ is a very strong one. Our modern equivalent might be: ‘to take at gunpoint’.

The implication in verse 9 is that there was a small level of giving still going on, just enough to salve the people’s consciences perhaps. However God saw it for what it was: his people were prioritising their own comfort before their responsibility to give to his work. 

And so God confronted his people. He reminded them that their priority should be to give to the House of God and he would not bless them until they showed, in this most tangible of ways, that they were prepared to put him first.

And although we are New Covenant believers, not bound by the requirement of the law of tithing, there is a clear principle here for us as well:

  • While joyful generosity is a sign of a spirit-filled heart, and therefore results in blessing.
  • Withholding from God is a sign of a rebellious heart, and therefore results in discipline.

Like the Old Testament believers we too should prioritise giving to the House of God. There are many other good causes we could give to, but our primary responsibility as God’s people is to give to God’s work: to support the local community of faith we belong to.

Why is joyful generosity a prelude to blessing? Not because God responds to bribes! But because the way we give to his work reveals the true state of our hearts and whether we are ready for God’s blessing to be poured out upon us.

And one of the ways we show that is by open-handed generosity:
  • by bringing the whole tithe into the house of God;
  • by giving sacrificially and willingly and joyfully;
  • without demands or restrictions: but with faith that he will guide those who have the responsibility to divide it up.


Read the previous posts in this series:

Part 1 HERE / Part 2 HERE 
Go to PART 4 HERE


Friday 13 February 2015

Money Matters: Part 2


If we live at the same level of affluence as other people who have our level of income, 
we are probably giving away too little.
(C.S. Lewis)

When we give to God we are taking the gift out of one of his hands and putting it into the other.
(John Blanchard)

By practising the grace of sharing, a person is storing up treasure for himself.  
Gifts are investments. (William Hendriksen)


In PART 1 (Click HERE) we saw that Paul told the Corinthians God loves 'hilarious' givers.

In PART 2 we will see from 2 Corinthians 8-9 the FIRST of THREE REASONS why God loves these sorts of givers...

God loves hilarious givers because...
1. Joyful Generosity... is a Mark of God’s Grace

The Macedonian churches were going through a time of intense persecution that had left them financially destitute. However, despite having so little, they developed a remarkable attitude towards giving:

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. (2 Cor 8:1-4)

The Macedonian churches were models of cheerful giving:

·         They gave generously:
despite being on the breadline themselves.

·         They gave sacrificially:
even beyond what they could afford!

·         They gave eagerly:
they didn’t need to be lobbied by Paul: ‘entirely on their own they urgently pleaded’ for the ‘privilege’ of giving to God’s work.

However Paul also makes it clear where the Macedonian’s heart of generosity came from. They were cheerful givers because the grace of God had gripped their hearts.

For Paul, joyful generosity was one of the signs of growth in grace. As God’s grace gets more of a grip on our hearts, so the grip money has on our hearts us is loosened and we grow in generosity!

Which is why Paul goes on to use the example of the Macedonian Christians to challenge the wealthier Corinthian Christians:

Just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Cor 8:7)

And 2,000 years later, we should be challenged by their example as well.

Joyful generosity is one of the signs that God’s grace has gripped our hearts.

God has given to us generously, sacrificially and eagerly in so many ways: both materially and spiritually. And as his grace grips our hearts, we should reflect his heart by giving to his work generously, sacrificially and eagerly. 

Read PART 1 HERE
Go to PART 3 HERE