Mercy and Mephibosheth

At our Sunday evening communion service I spoke from the story of Mephibosheth.  This was the son of Jonathan who was dropped at age 5 and as a result was lame.  David emerges positively from the story.  He displays the value of loyalty to his friend Jonathan; he displays unexpected kindness towards someone whose life [...]

Conference Video :: Desiring God

The good people at Desiring God have now posted all the video from the weekend’s conference that featured John Piper along with Paul Tripp, Bob Kauflin and others speaking on the power of words.
Conference Video :: Desiring God

Belief in God ‘really can relieve pain’ – Telegraph

An experiment with electric shocks and famous paintings points to the ability of religious feeling to help people deal with pain.
Belief in God ‘really can relieve pain’ – Telegraph

Baptism service at PBC

This morning we are baptising a couple of people; we are also praying for a number of families who have recently had new additions.  The tongue in cheek worry about it all is to make sure that we don’t accidentally splash any of the babies – we are Baptists after all.
I will be preaching a [...]

Ten Commandments for Bloggers

The Telegraph reports on Ten Commandments for bloggers – suggested by the Evangelical Alliance.
1 You shall not put your blog before your integrity
2 You shall not make an idol of your blog
3 You shall not misuse your screen name by using your anonymity to sin
4 Remember the Sabbath day by taking one day off a [...]

More on the Desiring God conference.

Although 6 hours separates Ireland from the Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, they have got so good with the service on their website that it is possible to follow the conference practically as it happens.  Audio is already available for the first three sessions, including Bob Kauflin’s talk on the words we sing, freshly delivered [...]

Everton 0-2 Liverpool

One of a limited range of possibilities was likely to happen this afternoon.  Everton could pull a rabbit from the hat, turn recent form on its head, and begin to show a glimmer of hope for the season by beating their rivals; a slight variation that they might scrap a draw; or they could give [...]

Desiring God conference

What promises to be an outstanding conference is taking place this weekend in Minneapolis.  It’s the annual Desiring God conference where John Piper will be joined by a speaking line-up that includes Mark Driscoll, Paul Tripp and Bob Kauflin.  The theme is the power of words.  I have never been at one of these conferences, [...]

John Piper on Psalm 127

So don’t eat the bread of anxious toil, because no matter how hard you work to achieve anything, God has lifted off your back the final responsibility for its success, and God can accomplish more good for those who trust him while they sleep than they can accomplish with anxious labor while awake.
Don’t Eat the [...]

Tim Keller interview

Terry Virgo is writing about next year’s visit to Newfrontiers by Tim Keller.  There is an interview with Keller, covering his book on apologetics, the story of how he got to NYC and some thoughts on church sizes.
Terry Virgo’s Blog » Blog Archive » Tim Keller coming to Newfrontiers

Faith like potatoes

Someone gave me the DVD of this story (there is also a book) and we watched it this week.  It is the true story of Angus Buchan, a farmer of Scottish descent who settles in South Africa.  As his life hits a major crisis point he is invited to a church service where God speaks [...]

Everton – the great entertainers!

Tim Cahill strikes again to lead Everton comeback from two goals down at Hull – Football – Telegraph
Everton are reinventing themselves as the Premier League’s great entertainers, but that is no cause for satisfaction. With three own goals in as many games, their generosity towards opponents knows no bounds.

The Cross and Christian Ministry

For too long, many evangelicals have viewed the cross exclusively as the means by which God in Christ Jesus achieved our redemption.  Of course, no Christian would want to minimize the centrality of the cross in God’s redemptive purposes.  BUt it we view it as the means of our salvation and nothing more, we shall [...]

What is your capacity for listening?

I was reflecting the other day on a phrase from Mark 4:24:
‘with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.’
The context is listening (immediately before that phrase Jesus urges people to pay attention to what they hear).  Jesus is talking about our capacity to hear. [...]

John Newton

Our week in Mallorca gave me the opportunity to read Jonathan Aitken’s excellent biography of John Newton.  I have to admit that I did not know a lot about Newton.  Most of us know about the slave ships and Amazing Grace, but there is a lot more to know; Aitken’s biography opens up a remarkably [...]

Everton – The Tim Cahill Factor (08/09)

Last season there was a significant difference between Everton’s results with and without Tim Cahill playing.  It is looking like that again already this season.  Cahill has been out injured since March, missing the end of last season and the beginning of this.  While it looked two weeks ago that the wheels were about to [...]

Holiday in Mallorca

Pauline and I are just back from 6 days in Mallorca.  We’d never been before but got the opportunity for a quiet break there at the end of our busy summer season here in Portstewart.  It might seem odd to put “quiet” and “Mallorca” in one sentence and it is certainly true that many of [...]

The Red Arrows

This weekend has seen two displays by the Red Arrows along the North Coast.  Spectacular!

Sunday morning at Portstewart Baptist

This morning was designated as ministry Sunday.  Each of our ministries had a table to display what is going on in their area.  I preached on the parable of the talents.
Being a faithful steward…
… does not depend on how much opportunity we are given,
… means a long term view,
… requires a proper attitude to our [...]

Sport for the glory of God

I don’t think I have ever heard a sermon on the theme of sport before – until today.  I’ve been listening to CJ Mahaney of Sovereign Grace Ministries preaching on the subject.  He talks about how to glorify God through sport: learning to thank him for the gifts that sport brings and also to see [...]

Barack Obama makes history

The Gospel for the Gospel-Saturated | PreachingToday.com

Not every sermon should be evangelistic, but every sermon should proclaim the “wide and long and high and deep” dimensions of the gospel.
Lee Eclov in an article in PreachingToday.  His point is that preaching needs to do more than just repeat a basic evangelistic message (how to be saved), but that there are deeper riches [...]

Sunday at Portstewart Baptist

Yesterday was the last summer Sunday at PBC for this year.  Schools are back and many of the people who have been around the area for the holidays have returned home.  So next week we will be back to just one morning service.
For our 11 a.m. service yesterday we welcomed Desi Maxwell.  Desi taught for [...]