we be church

Impressed by Free

I’m seriously impressed by UCCF’s Free campaign to get the gospel out amongst universities in Britain. There was nothing like this when I was at university, five years ago now! They have beautifully presented Mark’s gospel with 8 different cover designs for people to read and encounter the Word of God. I would love a resource like this to get our youth reading their Bibles more.

Theology Invites Us to Encounter God

Am I the only one that thinks Bible commentaries can take the joy out of reading the Bible? I have only recently been introduced to using them and I’m starting to click that there is a right way and a wrong way to read them. I don’t wish to offend, I know others take great joy from reading commentaries and they certainly can be insightful when you just don’t get that little scripture.

The sad fact is I can imagine people pouring line by line in their Bibles and chapter by chapter in their commentaries because that is just the way. We have to guard ourselves from becoming educated fools and use what we learn wisely. So many of us have the aim of widening their christian vocabularies as to inflate themselves and forget their mission is to inflate Jesus and experience him.

I’m amazed sometimes how one simple word when truly understood can catapult you to experiencing how great God’s love is for us. Ephesians 3:14-19 is Paul’s prayer about grasping (understanding) how awesome Jesus’ love is for the church is, and “which surpasses all knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”.

“Most believers stop short of a divine encounter because of their satisfaction with theology. Theology is meant to be that which invites us to a divine encounter.” – Bill Johnson