Archive for the ‘Provocateur’ Category

Posted on March 5, 2010 - by Chris Lazenby

How Can I Find Faith?

In my last entry ‘What is the Gospel’, I spoke quite a lot about faith. The bible says: ‘without faith it is impossible to please him (God), for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him’ (Hebrews 11:6). For this reason, if you are an agnostic, ’sitting on the fence’, maybe thinking that you’re not a bad person and that if there is a God, you’ll get by okay, I’d urge you to think again. I’d suggest to you that the fence you believe you are sitting on doesn’t exist; it is purely imaginary. If you like to imagine fences where there aren’t any, try imagining this particular fence as being so narrow that there isn’t room to sit on it. You must be on either one side of it or the other. As Jesus said: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). (more…)

Posted on February 16, 2010 - by Chris Lazenby

What is the Gospel?

What is the Gospel? Or, to translate the word ‘gospel’, what is the Good News? You may think it a rather unexpected, or even silly question, to be asking on the website of a college which exists to teach the bible and Christian theology. And yet, I would suggest it is not. I believe there is a great deal of confusion over this word and guess that if you were to put this question to a number of churchgoers, you would get various answers. In the majority of the larger denominations for example, you’d most likely be told something along the lines that the Gospel is simply the love of God. Or that Jesus loves you and has a plan for your life. Some people asked may also talk about Jesus dying for us, but not be clear as to how this works. (more…)

Posted on December 21, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

Christmas

There are many sideways ’swipes’ at the Christian faith which go on in the media throughout the year. But Christmas really seems to bring out the worst in third rate comedians who think they’re being funny or original in mocking the Christmas story. So often in recent years (2009 being no exception), I’ve heard the sneering jibes made about ‘the baby Jesus’, and unsavoury humour about the Virgin and child, delivered in that deprecating way which will jar on the hearts and minds of all true Christians. But I find it impossible to be judgmental; heaven knows, I once ridiculed Christ myself. (more…)

Posted on November 21, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

THE AGONY OF LOSING FAITH

I never read ‘agony’ columns in newspapers, but whilst reading the Daily Telegraph the other day (Tuesday, 17th November 2009), my eye was caught by the following headline in Lesley Garner’s LIFECLASS column. It read: “I was brought up a Christian and my life revolves around church, but now I fear I’m losing my faith.” (more…)

Posted on November 10, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

The Nature of Reality (Again)

My very first blog entry as ‘Provocateur’ concerned the nature of Reality (http://collegeblog.midbible.ac.uk/category/provocateur/page/6/). I thought it about time I added a small update to that topic to see if I can provoke more discussion.

For those interested in questions on the nature of reality, one key thinker who can’t be avoided is George Berkeley (1685-1753). Berkeley became a bishop in the (Anglican) Church of Ireland. He was both a scientist and theologian, writing on subjects as diverse as economics and medicine. Berkeley’s main contribution to philosophy was his famous dictum ‘to be is to be perceived’ (Esse est percipi). (more…)

Posted on September 9, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

The Shack

I’ve just finished reading The Shack by Wm Paul Young. The book seems to have caused quite a stir and the internet is littered with reviews either lauding it it or criticising it. There is indeed a great deal to criticise, and yet, I hesitate, because there is also a quality of beauty about the book that takes one off guard. (more…)

Posted on August 9, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

keswick convention sadness

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip up to Keswick for a few days during the final week of the Keswick Convention. I often try to get to the event and have spent many happy hours there. When I’d only been a Christian for a few years, I found it a great encouragement and help. I suppose my first visit would have been around 1993. At that time, the Keswick hymn books had just dropped out of use and the words to hymns were printed in the centre of the programme, with books being available on request. Around 1994 or 1995, TV screens were introduced around the main tent displaying hymn words (amidst much complaining) and paper texts were dropped. (more…)

Posted on July 4, 2009 - by Chris Lazenby

REVELATIONS ON ALPHA

As a person who many years ago led a couple of Alpha courses, I watched Channel 4’s documentary Revelations: How to Find God (Sunday, June 28th, 7pm) with great interest.

In the introductory spiel, the voice-over informed us that; ‘Alpha is the world’s most successful scheme to convert agnostics to Christianity…. Churches everywhere buy the study pack and off they go…. It sounds impossible, but over ten Tuesday evenings and a weekend away, the Alpha Course routinely transforms unbelievers into Christians’. According to the programme, the course, (described as originating with Nicky Gumbel), has had around two million takers in Britain so far and approximately one in eight of them have ‘found God’. (more…)