This week at Portstewart Baptist

Just one service at PBC today and we had Gilbert Lennox from Glenabbey Church in Belfast preaching. He talked about the kinds of things we tend to make resolutions on at this time of the year and challenged us to think about our spiritual fitness.
Working from 1 Timothy 4, he talked about the need [...]

In the interests of even handed journalism…

BBC SPORT | Football | Premier League | Everton 1-4 Arsenal

Everton back to winning ways against Bolton – Football News – Telegraph

Normal service resumed…
Everton back to winning ways against Bolton – Football News – Telegraph

Christmas dippers

I know we are Baptists and Baptists believe in immersion, but Christmas morning on the beach?  Actually it is not a baptism service, but traditionally PBC has a number of people who join in a Portstewart tradition of a quick Christmas dip.  I preferred to be a cameraman rather than an actual participant. 

Pauline writing on Christmas longing

Pauline has been reflecting on her blog about Christmas longings. 

Happy Christmas

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

“A moment of madness…”

… is how people have described poor Stephen Pienaar’s sloppy tackle attempt that led to Everton’s unbeaten run coming to an end at the weekend.
BBC SPORT | Football | Premier League | Man Utd 2-1 Everton

Christmas Sunday at Portstewart Baptist

This morning we looked at the fourth Christmas theme – peace. “Peace on earth” is one of the often repeated Christmas expressions, but in reality many parts of earth remain troubled. The sermon (which you can download here) looked at three aspects of the peace that Jesus brought.
This evening is our service of [...]

More lazy reflections on Christmas legend

While journalists tell us we should expect better of Dr Williams (in light of his discussion the other day about the nativity), it seems to me that readers should be able to accept more of journalists.  Simon Heffer (a self-avowed atheist) writes about Dr Williams’ musings, and asks if we dismiss elements of the birth [...]

Another win

Another win (this time away to AZ Alkmaar) makes it 11 wins and 2 draws in the past 13 games. 100% record in the UEFA group stages. All Everton eyes will be on our old town, Nyon, for this afternoon’s draw.

The Archbishop and Christmas legends

Archbishop says nativity ‘a legend’ – Telegraph.
In the above story, the Daily Telegraph reports on a radio interview involving the Archbishop of Canterbury. I have no special reason to defend the Archbishop or to attack the Telegraph, but a reading of the newspaper’s own transcript of the interview would seem to suggest that [...]

Portstewart Baptist Church new website

We have a new website online this week.  Still some things to be added to it, so check back from time to time.
Portstewart Baptist Church

Christmas church attendance

Interesting story in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph reporting an expected influx of people at Christmas services. Apparently numbers are up 37% since the turn of the Millennium.
That is certainly an interesting trend at a time when Christianity is being pushed further to the fringes and Christmas commercialism seems to be galloping on. Perhaps there [...]

Sunday at Portstewart Baptist – the Grace of Christmas

Today is the third Sunday of Advent and the third in our morning series on Advent themes.  We have been looking at the theme of grace, in particular the way it is expressed in the genealogy of Jesus.  Apparently some historians think that folk who go hunting in their family tree might need counselling to [...]

Everton unbeaten in 12 games

Another win today – the 10th in 12 unbeaten games since Tim Cahill made his comeback and since the Liverpool debacle.

Another win

A 2-1 win away to West Ham sees Everton into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup and takes the unbeaten run to 11 games.

Paul Tripp on sin

“Sin makes us look at what is evil and see good; sin makes us look at what is false and see truth.”
Paul Tripp in a recent sermon.

Sunday at Portstewart Baptist

This past Sunday saw the end of the Galatians series when we looked at the differing “obsessions” of Paul and his opponents. Paul’s opponents wanted to look good and appear as successful proselytizers; Paul’s horizon was filled by the cross of Jesus that had changed everything.  Click here for the Galatians sermon.

Our morning service [...]

Religious knowledge in Northern Ireland

The Evangelical Alliance have released news of a survey of religious knowledge in Northern Ireland. It makes for some sobering reading as it demonstrates significant drift. For example, almost 2 in 3 Protestants were unable to say how many gospels there are.
Here are some of the details:
54% of respondents can name the Holy [...]

Ten games unbeaten

3-0 win over Fulham makes it ten games unbeaten for Everton. Yakubu scores the first hat trick for Everton since September 2003. (Tim Cahill is in the photo missing with a header).

Preaching generalities

In the Fall 2003 edition of the Journal of Biblical Counselling, David Powlison of CCEF writes the following. Although his article is primarily about minstry through counselling, he connects the principle to preaching:
When you [preach] in great and good generalities, people will nod, but they will rarely change.

He goes on to say that “Ministry [...]

The Five Points of Criticism

Mark Dever has written on the five points of criticism.

“Directly, not indirectly”
“Seriously, not humorously”
“As if it’s important, not casually
“Privately, not publicly”
“Out of love for them, not to express your feeling or frustration”

(HT Between Two Worlds).
Church Matters: 9Marks Blog

Everton in Europe

Just caught the last 15-20 minutes of Everton’s latestUEFA Cup game last night.  A narrow win against the Russian champions with yet another late goal from Tim Cahill.

Jerey Bridges’ new book

Jerry Bridges has recently published a new book on so called respectable sins. He is concerned that while the concept of sin has disappeared from some churches, in others – conservative, evangelical churches – the idea of sin has been deflected to refer to flagrant acts committed by people outside these churches.
He starts by [...]

This Sunday at Portstewart Baptist

This Sunday (and the weather has looked quite different from the photo for much of the day) we have embarked on the Advent series looking at themes related to the birth of Jesus.  This morning we looked at the theme of prophecy, highlighting how prophecy reminds us of the plan and promises of God, it [...]

Do you know who is coming for Christmas?

This weekend is the start of the Advent season, the four week anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Although our church does not follow the tradition of Advent wreaths, we will be looking forward to Christmas by means of a four week series called “Do you know who is coming for Christmas?” [...]