I'll admit that I am slightly cat-mad but that's not the only reason the headline feature on the BBC site caught my eye today. Recently a team of scientists attached GPS locator chips and small cameras to the collars of a selection of friendly felines from a village in Surrey and tracked their behaviour. Data was transmitted to a central computer every time the cats moved giving an accurate representation of where they went and what they saw. If you happen to be interested in the life of Chip, Rosie, Coco, Hermie or their friends you can follow your chosen moggy or tom's cat-cam here.
But cute furriness and biological intrigue aside, the articles got me thinking. What would people see if someone attached a GPS and a camera to my neck? What would be flashed across the screens of computers worldwide if I live-streamed everything that I looked at and everywhere I went?... continue reading
Do you get involved in issues or problems that matter to you as a Christian? Or, if you're honest, are you more normally like the priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10 v 25-37)? To put it another way—what actually is it that we fear as individuals and as Christians? Are we worried what others will think of us, do we worry what standing up or standing out might cost us, or do we fear that the Lord might not actually love us? These fears will sap our courage and becalm our lives.
And fear and courage were the themes of this year's Bristol Men's Convention. Led and focused by some brilliant talks from Mike Reeves and Rupert Bentley-Taylor, and backed up with Henry Olonga's testimony of standing up for what he believed in as a practical illustration of faith-fuelled courage, this was a day of great reassurance and encouragement.
So, why shouldn't we fear?... continue reading
The numbers are rising by 20,000 a year. 3 million children in Britain are growing up without a father at home. In some communities, well over 50% of the households are headed by lone parents.
Of course, a good number of the lone parents in question are loving, hard-working and in many ways being outstanding role-models for their children. But growing up in a Dad-free zone has its consequences. Father-less childhoods all too often lead to social deprivation, discipline-issues or emotional struggles.... continue reading
Two medical news items caught my eye this morning. The first warns us that by the year 2020 nearly half of us can expect to develop cancer at some point. That’s a scary statistic. But I’m sure you know people who have survived cancer and returned to good health – I certainly do – and the quality of treatment improves all the time. One of the factors in this growing survival rate is catching the disease as early as possible, which gives any treatment the maximum chance to work. So that’s one focus of research – developing tests that will accurately diagnose cancer and catch it as early as possible. Early tests = maximum chance of preserving life.... continue reading
Dear Bishops with seats in the House of Lords,
Today is the vote in the Lords on the redefinition of marriage. There’s pressure on you not to attend, and not to vote against it if you do. People are making the point that if you stand against this measure, there may be moves to deprive the bishops of your seats in the Lords. You’ve been made well aware that by convention only two of you vote on any one measure. And some of you, of course, don’t want to oppose taking marriage out of its biblical context and definition anyway.... continue reading
Yesterday’s news held an interesting revelation: turns out Jesus has been born again! But this time round he’s come in the form of an Aussie called Alan John Miller. Not convinced? Here’s the evidence… AJ remembers.
He describes the crucifixion as not so “harrowing for [him] as it was for others like Mary who [were] present” and claims not to have been in a state of fear or pain. The Bible, he says, is a distortion of his original ‘lessons’ and his current campaign is an attempt to “reverse the untruth taught on earth associated with beliefs attached to the Bible.” The irony is that he continually refers back to what he believes is a corrupted book for support. Mentioning his ‘good friend’ Lazarus, for example, AJ reminds us of the biblical records. However, the only verification of his relationship with his partner Mary – whom he argues was his first-century wife, pregnant with their daughter when he died – apparently stems from the renowned Da Vinci Code.... continue reading
The research is complete. The results are in. We now know the location of the happiest place in the developed world. It's ... drum-roll please ... Australia. At least that's the findings of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Australia ranks highest of all the nations under consideration when assessed on criteria such as income, health, safety and housing. Life expectancy there is about 82 years - approximately double some developing nations.
And if you're wondering, the United States ranks 6th - the UK, 10th.
Now, I love Australia. If you leave aside the grueling 23-hour flight between London and Sydney, I have adored visiting that beautiful country. Potentially, I could be convinced that it's the happiest place there is. And I don't for a moment doubt that many people do equate pleasure with a good standard of living and a functioning body. Health, wealth and happiness are the goals of so many in the world.... continue reading
One week, three amazing events and thousands praising and worshiping our wonderful and gracious God—all framed by one song.
Last Saturday the London Men’s convention in Westminster kicked off with Matt Redman’s 10,000 Reasons, and the man himself closed the Big Church Day Out event with it on this Sunday night in the beautiful Sussex countryside near Steyning.
Many Christian events, conferences and festivals are struggling to keep up with change and keep visitors coming back, But the newest kid on the block, The Big Church Day Out (BCDO), has struck a formula that appeals to young and old alike, individuals and families, groups large and small.... continue reading
Christians have been on the back foot on issues of sex for far too long. Whether that's questions of sexual identity, homosexuality or gender roles, we have increasingly appeared to be out of date, out of touch and out of ideas. Which is a massive shame, because the Bible's understanding of all these issues is truly liberating and part of the "life in all its fulness" that Jesus promises to those who follow him.
These big issues were the theme of this year's London Men's Convention which packed out Westminster Chapel in London last Saturday. The three talks on Maleness, Sexual temptation and Marriage were not just about helping Christians understand for themselves these important issues. They were also to help the assembled brothers think about how they can articulate the good news we have about sexuality and sexual purity to others.... continue reading
There’s something wonderful, and weird, about watching more than 400 11-14-year-olds sit in a church and sing about Christ.
Weird, because this isn’t meant to happen anymore. The statistics about 11-14s leaving the church are startling, and depressing. More are leaving than ever before. That matters because they are part of the church of today, as well as the church of tomorrow. Yet here were hundreds of them—normal, fashionably-dressed tweens and teens—at Sorted:Nano, a morning event held at St Helen’s Bishopsgate in central London.... continue reading
