Caught, not taught

Christianity is "a contagion which spreads by contact with a shining example; it is not just learned from a textbook. God's most powerful visual aid in the education of mankind is a consistent Christian."

John Stott, The Preacher's Portrait, p.87 (my emphasis)

Call no-one 'Father'

I suggest that what Jesus is saying is that we are never to adopt towards a fellow-man in the Church the attitude of dependence which a child has towards his father, nor are we to require others to be or become spiritually dependent upon us...Spiritual dependence is due to God our heavenly Father. He is our Creator, both physically and spiritually, and as creatures we utterly depend upon His grace. But we do not and must not depend on our fellow-creatures. Our desire, as preachers, is (like Paul) to 'present every man mature in Christ'. We long to see the members of our congregation grow up into independent, adult, spiritual maturity in Christ, looking to Him for the supply of all their needs, since it is 'in Christ' that God 'has blessed us...with every spiritual blessing'. We have no desire to keep our church members tied to our own apron strings and running round us like children round their mother. There are in every church some weak and feeble souls who love to fuss round the minister and are constantly seeking interviews with him to consult him about their spiritual problems. This should be resisted, and that strenuously. Gently, but firmly we should make it clear that God's purpose is that His children should look to him as their Father and not to men.

John Stott, The Preacher's Portrait, p.73f

The Complexities of Forgiveness

Cate Macdonald has written two very thoughtful articles on forgiveness and its complexities. Someone you know may be very helped by reading them.

Part 1

Part 2

Preacher/Pastor

The preacher needs to be pastor, that he may preach to real men. The pastor must be preacher, that he may keep the dignity of his work alive. The preacher, who is not a pastor, grows remote. The pastor, who is not a preacher, grows petty.

Phillips Brooks, quoted in Stott't |The Preacher's Portrait, p.77

the brain and creativity

You might want to check this out.

an increase of humility and collaboration

This article by Alan Jacobs makes the observation that many scholars are badly-placed to pick-up on biblical allusions in non-biblical texts (the case in point being Oscar Wilde's Portait of Dorian Gray). It's worth a read and so, too, are the comments, in which one reader advocates "increased humility and collaboration" which seems a fine thing to me.

Beautiful photos of Llyn

Check out this collection by Martin Turtle.

And if you're ever in Abersoch, the gallery is well worth a visit.

For some strange reason

my family say this ad reminds them of me.......

On Mynydd Mawr

Pwllheli: The marina beach, towards Abererch sands

Pwllheli: from Gimlet Rock towards West End

Atop Gimlet Rock (2)

Atop Gimlet Rock

Towards Morfa Bychan

Between Carreg Y Defaid and Pwllheli

can you be so certain?

Tony Schwarz writes of Ten Principles to Live by in Fiercely Complex Times. They all bear considering but I liked the first in particular:

Always challenge certainty, especially your own.When you think you're undeniably right, ask yourself "What might I be missing here?" If we could truly figure it all out, what else would there be left to do?

the arctic light

The Arctic Light from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Do you want to work in an office?

Here's some interesting thoughts on the topic.

Me? I'd love to, but keep the home-based study, too, for when I want space and silence.

If you're a boring preacher....

why not share these rules with your congregation?

aurora borealis

The Aurora from TSO Photography on Vimeo.