Author: Philip

Christianity Explored course to begin…

Philip

These really are crazy times. A spreading viral pandemic. Countries banning travel in and out. Fights in the supermarket aisle over toilet paper! Who could have seen this coming? Not many, I suspect.

Here at St John’s we are not about to prepare for the end of the world, but we are about to run a course that asks (and answers) some of the bigger questions of life that are so relevant in these crazy times and will always be eternally important. Questions like, ‘Who is Jesus’ and ‘What does it mean to believe in Him’? These are questions that will be raised during this course called ‘Christianity Explored.’

Christianity Explored is an informal and relaxed seven-week course based on the Gospel of Mark that gives you time and space to consider the big questions of life and to explore the life of the person at the heart of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ. It’s an ideal course to attend if you want to;
• Find out what it what it means to be a Christian
• Get involved in a Bible study group on the Gospel of Mark
• Hear what the Bible says about the meaning of life
• Go over some Bible basics so that you can share your faith better
• Ask some questions about Christianity in an informal and non-threatening setting
And by the way, the following also apply. You don’t need to know anything about the Bible or be asked to read aloud, pray or sing and you can ask any question you want, or just listen.

When is it on? There are two options to choose from.
Wednesday evenings @ 7:30pm on April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13
Thursday mornings @ 10:30am on April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14
(It’s the same course run twice. You can attend either or alternate between them as it suits!)

Where is it? The meeting room in the St John’s Presbyterian Church Hall, 35-41 Forest Street, Bendigo.

There’s no real need to RSVP, but if you would like to attend and want to let us know visit our contact us page 🙂

‘Meet the (original) preacher at the Church in Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Philip

After telling the Corinthians that they could not boast in men, nor in their position in the world before God called them, and that the gospel message was ‘weak and foolish’ in the eyes of the world, in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul went on to write that he too was ‘weak and foolish’. His preaching at Corinth was not a demonstration of his skill or wisdom, but of the power of God who saves ‘foolish’ people through the ‘foolish’ message of the cross.

‘Meet the ‘foolish people’ in the Church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

AudioPhilip

The Church at Corinth was in crisis. Divisions over personalities were fuelled by the cult of pride. While some distance away from them when we wrote his letter, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 reflects just how close Paul was to these wayward believers. Having established that being united to Christ should mean the death of all divisions, Paul now explains what the world calls ‘foolish’ (that is the preaching of the cross) is nothing but the express wisdom of God.

‘Meet the biggest problem in the church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

AudioPhilip

The text of 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 tells of the report that the Apostle Paul heard from ‘Chloe’s people’ about the state of the church at Corinth. They were a church divided. The issue was playing favourites with people. Some preferred Paul, others Apollos, others Peter and still others – Jesus! At the root of this problem of division was pride and at the centre of the solution Paul outlined was the principle – that when we look to Jesus and Him crucified, there is no room for pride and boasting, for in Christ and Him alone, their is true unity.

Another leap year day… another Scots Day Out!

GalleryPhilip

 

 

It was a beautiful day in Bendigo today for the extra (leap year) day and also the 2020 Scots Day in Rosalind Park.

It was great to be part of our Scots Day Out Team, handing out free biscuits and gospel leaflets, chatting to the many people who passed our tent, helping children to enjoy some colouring-in and generally raising the profile of the three Presbyterian churches in Bendigo. Bring on SDO 2021!

‘Meet the church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)

AudioPhilip

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, it was no small rural backwater but a bustling cosmopolitan city of about 650,000. Paul had brought the gospel to Corinth and the church had begun – by the grace of God – amidst much persecution. Nobody knew the church at Corinth better than Paul and in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, it is evident that God was doing something among His people, the Church at Corinth, because He is a faithful God.

‘Sent out to serve the King (part 5)’ (Matthew 10:34-42)

Philip

In sending His disciples out on mission, He took time to prepare the 12 for what they would face in terms of rejection and hatred of the world, but He also took time to make sure His disciples knew of the consequences of their mission. In Matthew 10:34-42, Jesus told them that they would have to know that families would be divided over the gospel, also that their loyalty to Him would have to be greater than that of their families, and even though they would suffer privations in His service, there would be much reward awaiting them.