For those who asked here are the plans for my last Sundays in St Peters and our last month in Scotland (DV for a wee while!)… Today (the 26th) – Preaching at both services on Romans 14 and 15. Communion in the morning. 2nd of June – Preaching in the morning on Romans 15 and baptising our grandson, Lewis Robertson. 9th of June – Farewell … Continue reading Joe Barnard, the Last Sundays and Decades in Dundee
When in the Netherlands last week we visited the Helmantel museum in Westeremden and some of his paintings in the Havezate Mensinge museum in Roden. If you are ever in the Northern Netherlands then make sure you visit both of these. Henk Helmantel is a contemporary Dutch painter best known for his classically composed still-life paintings. They are simple and stunning in their colour and … Continue reading Helmantel – The Greatest Living Painter
This weeks Quantum is the second part of our review of what we do. Last week we looked at society. This week we look at the church. Joel Osteen and Matt Chandler; Steve Chalke and Jayne Ozanne; And the wonderful Sinclair Ferguson – watch this clip! Then we have a look at both the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Church … Continue reading Quantum of Hope 43 -Joel Osteen; Matt Chandler; Steve Chalke; Sinclair Ferguson; The General Assembly; Durham Church; Lucas Moura; City Alight
The week of speeches continues – After talking about church planting amongst the poor at the Assembly, then religious freedom at the Scottish Parliament, it was back to the Assembly to talk about education. I moved the following: The General Assembly recognise that there is a fundamental onus laid on the Church to communicate a Christian world view to its young people. They recognise the … Continue reading The Free Church and Education
This week is a week of speeches. Yesterday I was not only at the General Assembly but speaking at the Scottish Parliament – to their Freedom of Religion Committee on the subject of The Threat to Religious Freedom in Scotland. Here is the speech. The Threat to Religious Freedom in Scotland Religious freedom is the bedrock of all other freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of … Continue reading The Threat to Religious Freedom in Scotland – and a Response from the Humanist Society.
In the early 1980’s I was studying history and politics at the University of Edinburgh. I had been attending Morningside Baptist Church, and indeed had been baptised there – but, through reading the Bible, I became what is called ‘Reformed’ – even though I did not know what that was! I became to look for a church that taught this biblical theology but also practised. … Continue reading The Free Church and the Poor
This is a slightly amended version of my latest post in Christian Today – you can read the original here.. This is an important subject for us all to grasp…please do feel free to spread this article around…(if you agree!) (Photo: Unsplash/Matt Botsford) After the Second World War, Soviet Russia was determined to have the concept of ‘hate speech’ enshrined in international legislation. They … Continue reading I Hate ‘Hate Speech’
I am in the Netherlands this weekend – saying goodbye to some dear friends and looking forward to worshipping in Dutch today. Last Sunday we continued our series in Romans. Two very different services – in the morning we looked at the role of the Church in politics – the relationship of Church and State (it’s not as dull as it sounds!) from Romans 13:1-7 … Continue reading Romans 13:1-7 – Church and State. Romans 13:8-14 – Living in the Light. Special Events and Dutch Worship
As we head towards the General Assembly next week, my hope and prayer is that we will deal with the important issues – one of which is how we reach the hundreds of thousands of people who live in Scotland’s schemes. To my mind, it is fanciful to think that the Free Church will be able to do this. We will need to partner … Continue reading The Three Presbyterians – the Free Church and Twenty Schemes.
This week’s Quantum marks a change in how we do things. We will continue to look at what is going on in the world; the good, the bad and the ugly – but there is a danger that just pointing things out can leave one with a sense of despair and turn into a kind of rant about how we are all doomed! I don’t … Continue reading Quantum of Hope 42 – An Apology and a Change; Entertainment; Politics; Religious Freedom; Christian Humanism; Education; Poverty; Leonard Cohen
