What else would you do with 40 minutes on a Sunday morning?

Since September we have started a time called '40 minutes' on Sunday mornings at Twynholm Baptist Church.

We are encouraging people to come to church an hour earlier than normal to take a short course on something that might be doctrinal, practical, ethical or exegetical.

We have just begun the third course. Having completed Christianity Explored and then a great course on personal finances taught by Paul Mills, Leigh Porter has just begun a bible overview course, based on Vaughan Roberts' book, "God's big picture".

Over at 9Marks, Jamie Dunlop has written a great little article about the kinds of ways in which such a slot could be well used to bring about biblical change in the life of a congregation.

Kauflin on using the piano in public worship

Here's an email I sent to our pianists at church this morning....

Hi Russ, Luke and Joseph.

I’m preaching on Psalm 95 this Sunday. There’s a lot about music in the first few verses.

“come let us SING... etc”

In doing some reading on  the blog of my favourite ‘worship leader’ I came across these 3 vids that may be really helpful for you guys.

Listen to them in front of a piano one day!

Outline

Piano in Contemporary Worship, Part 1 from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Piano in Contemporary Worship, Part 2 from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Piano in Contemporary Worship, Part 3 from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

Thanks brothers for your service in music. As you'll hear on Sunday, singing God's praises wouldn't be the same without music!!

Mike

Great verse for pastor/teachers

I've just pinned this verse up on my wall (that's a thing in a room covered in plaster and paint, rather than a thing on a facebook page with lots of random comments), as it is a powerful reminder of the responsibilities before the Lord that those who teach God's word have.

"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right."

1 Samuel 12:23

Read it in context here 

Seven False Christianities that stint gospel growth

I'm off to my fraternal this morning. we've been reading 'How people change' by Timothy Lane and Ed Welch.

Here's a few quotes to recommend the book.
Things that easily replace the gospel as 'fake' Christianities
1) Formalism: "The gospel is reduced to participation in the meetings and ministries of the church"
2) Legalism: "Salvation is earned by keeping the rules we've established"
3) Mysticism: "more a pursuit of experience than a pursuit of Christ"
4) Activism: "whenever you believe the evil outside you is greater than the evil inside you, a heartfelt pursuit of Christ will be replace by a zealous fighting of the 'evil' around you."
5) Biblicism: "he has invested a great deal of effort in mastering the Word, but he does not allow the Word to master him.
6) Psycologyism: "sees Christ more as a therapist than a Saviour"
7) Socialism: "The gospel is reduced to a network of fulfilling Christian relationships"
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