Natalie Vellacott's Blog, page 3

Is There a Solution to Our Biggest Problem?

“Let yourself have fun and let yourself fail. Who cares? We’re all going to die. Just have a go.”               A heavily edited excerpt from an interview my cousin, Connor Swindells, recently gave to a national newspaper. At 26 and on the edge of stardom, you might think that death would be the last thing on his mind, but it isn’t.

In fact, no human being has ever had an answer to the problem of death. It hovers over us like a dark cloud throughout our lives rearing its ugly head from time to time when we lose someone close to us.

So, we do one of several things; ignore it, refuse to think about it and bury our heads in the sand choosing instead to live for the moment, or we become obsessed with health and safety to ensure we live as long as possible, or even, in extreme cases, we arrange for some kind of preservation of the body, just in case the scientists find a way to restore life in the future. If you are hoping for the latter, by the way, it will never happen!

We can’t beat or cheat death and, at the risk of stating the obvious, it gets us all in the end.

I often meet people who are upset about a particularly serious accident or tragedy where lots of people have died. The terrible incident at Aberfan, where a rubbish tip on hills above the village merged with springs of water causing a catastrophic collapse of slurry that killed many children at the village school and some adults, have been mentioned a few times this year even though it was decades ago.

People ask how God can be loving yet not have intervened as these, and other tragedies, unfolded. One man told me that if he had been God, he would have moved the trajectory slightly as the slurry descended the hill, so it avoided the school at Aberfan. I had no answer to this particular observation, and I’m not sure the man was expecting one, it was more like he was thinking out loud.

Reflecting, I wondered whether the man would still have been upset if he had been able to change the course and a group of different people had been killed instead of all the children. What if one of the new victims had been a relative of his, or the parents of one of the children that had survived and was now an orphan?

We can easily fall into the trap of thinking like this man. Perhaps we think the saddest aspect is because most were children that had barely started life. But is there ever an age that makes it easier to lose a loved one?

Some of the angriest people I meet in the street are still holding a grudge against God for allowing one of their grandparents to die decades earlier. Often, they had lived to their 70’s or 80’s but the person still believes God was unfair in allowing it to happen.

They are asking, “Why Me?”

Leaving aside the issue of us being unable to assess the fairness of God due to our comparatively minuscule minds and the fact that we cannot see the bigger picture.

The reality is that if God intervened to prevent your relative or friend dying in an accident or from an illness, others with people who love them are dying in similar circumstances all around the world every second of every hour, of every day. These people might well ask why your loved one was saved and theirs was not. 

If fairness is what we are concerned about, would that be fair?

Taking this to its logical conclusion, the result would be that God would be forced, or expected, to intervene in every situation where someone’s life was at risk, otherwise He would be showing partiality, or favouritism, to one person over another.

Then, we would all live forever!

Maybe at this point you are thinking that this sounds like a good idea and wondering why God didn’t set things up in this way in the first place.

Actually, He did…. but we messed it up. 

Our first parents rebelled against God and rejected His rule over them. So, God gave them over to their own ideas and, because of their sin, He cursed the Earth with suffering, sickness and…. wait for it…. death.

The Bible makes it clear that we ultimately die because of our sin, “the wages of sin is death…” and that we all are guilty of sin, “for all have sinned”.

God can’t just overlook sin, or He wouldn’t be just and fair. He can’t just intervene every time someone is in danger or there would be no penalty, or consequence, for sin which also wouldn’t be just and fair.

This would be a pretty diabolical position for us all to be in, and this post would be seriously depressing, if it weren’t for one important fact.

God loved us so much that He had a rescue plan. A plan to defeat the curse of sin, suffering, sickness and death that He had placed on the Earth due to our rebellion. A plan to send His Son Jesus to live a perfect life on our behalf. A plan for Jesus to die on a cross, taking the punishment you and I deserve, and to be buried in a tomb. A plan for Jesus to defeat the curse of death by coming back to life.

I said earlier that no human being has an answer to the problem of death. This is true, but thankfully God does.

Jesus was able to stand in our place, pay for our sin and reverse the curse of death because He was sinless. If we repent (turn away from our sinful lives), ask for forgiveness, and trust that Jesus died for us on the cross, we are promised eternal life in Heaven as a free gift.

Effectively, we can receive the benefit of Jesus defeating death and live forever with Him.

The alternative, which I don't recommend, is to stand before God on Judgment Day carrying all of our unforgiven sin. God has to punish us at this point, or He is not just. The punishment is eternal in a place called Hell.

Either way, death doesn’t have the last word, God does. 

Will you face Him joyfully having been forgiven through Jesus or will you suffer His righteous anger for all eternity?

 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 15 vs 55-57)

10 Reasons I Am a Christian and You Should Be Too!

Maybe when you see a title like this you feel irritated, annoyed or even angry. Who am I to be telling you what you should believe? What gives me the right to suggest that every person needs to become a Christian? What about other religions? Or a combination of these and other questions.

The truth is, I have no right (apart from God's command), and my plea for you to consider Jesus has nothing to do with my believing that I’m in any way better than anyone reading this. We are all the same. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect standards. We are all in need of a remedy for that broken relationship with God.

The good news of the Bible, that Jesus died on the cross for our sin making a way for us to receive forgiveness, peace with God, and a permanent home in Heaven, is available to ANYONE who will repent of their sin and trust Him. Repentance is a complete change of mind and direction from living for ourselves and what we want to do, to following Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

This message is urgent as we are not guaranteed tomorrow. The loving thing for me to do is to tell you so that you too might be saved.

It is with this in mind that I ask you to consider these reasons:

1. I believe Christianity is exclusively true. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” This statement should silence those who believe all religions lead to God, or that you can pick and choose bits of one and then another. It’s either a true statement or it’s false. My believing it doesn’t make it true, but there is plenty of evidence that it is.

Rather than being a faith I have just accepted because of my cultural roots, my parents, or a label I have had since birth. I became a Christian in my early twenties having wandered far from God for many years.

2. I don’t want to end up in Hell. I have listed this before speaking about Heaven because personally it was a greater motivation for me in coming to faith.

Many Bible characters, including Jesus, warned about Hell being eternal, conscious torment, facing the wrath and justice of an angry God towards unrepentant sinners. A place where people will want to die but won’t be able to. We are told to flee from the wrath to come.

Thankfully, Jesus has made a way for us to do this and, believing the warnings, I took it.

3. I want to go to Heaven. In the Bible, Heaven is described as a place with no sin, suffering, sickness, pain or death. We are told that no one can imagine the amazing things that God has prepared for those who love Him. Christians will be there forever with God.

Heaven is not a worldly place full of carnal lusts like the Muslim’s paradise. It does not celebrate sinful vices as we tend to do on Earth. Nor is it a boring place with people sitting on clouds playing harps as some seem to imagine. Finally, it is not too crowded as someone else surmised.

Heaven will be perfect like the world was meant to be in the beginning before humans rebelled against God.

4. The meaninglessness of life/purposelessness of life as a non-Christian. I’m not a Christian purely because I was lacking purpose and meaning in my life. However, being a Christian has given me both.

Prior to my conversion, I was seeking satisfaction and happiness, perhaps fulfilment, in worldly things; vices, relationships, career, material things, money. I ended up realising these things were empty and meaningless by themselves which led to hopelessness. It was also a very selfish way to be living and I was troubled by guilt because of my sin.

5. Receiving forgiveness of my sin- past, present and future, and peace with God. On becoming a Christian, I clearly remember that my biggest emotion was a sense of relief. Relief that I was no longer at war with God, no longer running from God, no longer at risk of Hell. I felt an immediate sense of peace knowing that all of my sin had been forgiven and that I couldn’t lose my salvation which had been secured by Jesus on the cross.

Then, I wanted to live a life that pleased God out of gratitude to Him for rescuing me.

6. Jesus changed my life. I’ve spoken briefly about vices but some of these were deeply ingrained. I had tried hard to deal with them myself and was unable to. It was only when I recognised that they were sins against God which had become idols in my life, and asked for God’s help, that I was able to be rid of lifestyle sins that had plagued me for years.

In time, I found that I no longer wanted to do these things and, whilst I have to be careful with some things, others are no longer a temptation for me. I have seen others trapped in these vices and been able to help them because Jesus helped me.

7. Creation makes sense of the evidence. I’ve never believed in the Big Bang or the theory of Evolution. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. I’m a logical thinker. I’m often astonished when talking to people far more intelligent than I am, who seem to have swallowed the evolutionary nonsense, hook, line and sinker, despite all of the flaws in the theory, and the much more plausible alternative.

How do people explain the conscience, the soul, our wills, feelings and emotions? Also, the irreducible complexity of things created which have obviously been intelligently designed? The Bible tells us that people are without excuse for rejecting God because His Hand can be clearly seen in Creation.

8. The Bible is factually reliable. There is a lot that could be said here. I’ve never had an issue with accepting the supernatural in the Bible because if God created everything then He can do whatever He wants.

A few of the main evidences are that there are hundreds of specific prophecies in the Old Testament that came true thousands of years later in the New Testament. There were many witnesses to Jesus' life, death and even His resurrection. The tomb was empty. The disciples went from being timid and afraid to associate with Jesus when He was arrested and killed, to boldly proclaiming that He had risen from the dead. Most of them lost their lives for their stance.

Additionally, there are plenty of facts from sources outside the Bible that confirm its reliability. Facts about the Geography of the area, the language used at the time, the names of people etc.

We know that the Bible hasn’t been changed as we have the Dead Sea Scrolls and eyewitness testimonies from the time.

9. God answers specific prayer. I know of people who have had supernatural experiences including someone who asked God to switch a TV off if He was really there. Imagine the terror when it actually happened!

Though I haven’t personally experienced anything supernatural, I have seen answers to prayer that cannot be explained away. When I was first saved, I prayed for an opportunity to speak to a group of lads that were smoking drugs on my train. I was so stunned when it happened, and was initiated by the lads, who were being chased by train security at the time, that I was almost lost for words!

10. God orders circumstances. We need to be careful about reading things into our circumstances especially when seeking guidance. But there have been several times in my life where circumstances have miraculously come together to give me the confidence to move forward in faith.

A major example was when I was seeking God about heading to the mission field, but I had a mortgage. God used my lodgers, who weren’t Christians at the time, to provide for me for the next seven years. Even my lodgers said that it felt as if things were being taken out of their hands and they later became Christians. This type of intervention gives me confidence in my faith knowing that God works things for good for those who love Him.

I could add a section dealing with the fact that Christianity works but experiences are subjective and can often be explained away. If you do want to look into this aspect, there is a good series on this YouTube page every Saturday night called Real Lives that tells individual stories of lives changed through becoming Christians. There are millions more around the world with similar stories from the mundane to the miraculous. Jesus does change lives, but this doesn’t mean that all of your problems will disappear, or that Christianity will make your life easier. My life got a lot harder when I became a Christian.  

I’m not going to mention that the Bible is the world’s best-selling book, or that Christianity is the largest world religion. Muslims often ask why, if Christianity is true, Islam is the fastest growing religion. These facts are largely irrelevant as many people who think they are Christians are just born in a “Christian” country but have no faith to speak of. Likewise, anyone born in a Muslim majority country is automatically classed as a Muslim even if they convert to another religion. A lady I know who converted to Christianity from Islam is still repeatedly told that she is Muslim by her neighbours because her father was a Muslim despite her being a member of a Christian church!

The Bible says that "narrow is the way that leads to life, and few will find it and that broad is the road that leads to destruction with many on it." This immediately makes a nonsense of any statistics regarding religious adherence. We all know also that people can be sincerely wrong, and that the majority are not always right.

These are some of the reasons I am a Christian. I’m praying that if you really think about these things, you’ll realise that you too should become a Christian for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Danger of a Wrong Diagnosis

Many of us have had the frustrating experience of being repeatedly told that the result of a medical investigation is that there is nothing wrong, or to put it in simpler terms “the blood tests are normal.” Our plea which seems to fall on deaf ears, “But Doctor, I just don’t feel right!”

The weekend before last, I went walking with some friends. A few steps (literally) up the first hill and I was gasping for breath, wheezing, and with serious chest pain. Berating myself for being unfit which seemed to be the only possible explanation, I forced myself to continue at a slower pace and finished the walk in the pouring rain several hours later. Seemingly, no harm done, apart from my wounded pride.

At church the following day, a friend suggested that this was not normal, even for an unfit person, I had already been walking regularly so was not that unfit, she then told me of someone that had had a heart attack in similar circumstances at 40. I felt afraid, but not very afraid.

The following day, I woke up with slight chest pain and, my friend's words ringing in my ears, decided to go to A and E. To their credit, they took the situation more seriously than I had been taking it up to this point and arranged all manner of tests. After several false alarms, a few days later I was diagnosed with severe iron deficiency anaemia and told not to do any further exercise, until I could have the first of several iron infusions.

Suddenly, a lot of symptoms I’d been struggling with on and off for years made sense. Why had this not been picked up earlier, you might be wondering?

Basically, because I have an under-active thyroid which involves similar symptoms, every-time I tried to get to the root of the problem, I would end up in a circular conversation like the one above. I’d grown so tired of fighting a losing battle with medical professionals that I’d given up and convinced myself that it was my thyroid issues that were the problem.

What’s my point? I think that sometimes we do the same thing in evangelism.

We might meet someone in the street and be so determined to communicate our message, or reach as many people as possible, that we don’t really listen to the person in front of us. We provide a solution without really hearing the problem. The person is left feeling like a number in a doctor’s waiting room, or worse, telling us that they still don’t feel right (understand the Gospel) by which point we’ve already finished our script, given them a book that doesn’t answer their questions, and moved on to the next person.

We can also make assumptions about what someone believes and end up in long discussions that don't deal with their real problem. I covered this last time in the difference between red herrings and real hindrances. But we can also do it when we assume that because someone is a Muslim, they won't believe that Jesus died on the cross, or because someone is a Catholic, they are relying on good deeds to get to Heaven. Sometimes, this happens because we sub-consciously like to show off our knowledge, or conversely it may happen because we are ignorant about something the person has mentioned, and we don't want to admit this. I've even ended up in a long discussion about Creation vs Evolution with someone who also believed in Creation because I wasn't listening properly to what he had said. Whatever the case, we haven't gathered the correct information which will inevitably lead to a wrong diagnosis.

Perhaps, more worryingly, we can make assumptions about what people need without reference to the Bible, or God. We might decide that they need food, a place to stay, help getting a job, a reference, a loan, friends, a social life, a holiday, time off etc. Yet, when someone is sick, they need a doctor not a well-intentioned stranger to make a diagnosis. We can be impulsive and jump in with a wrong diagnosis. The sin-doctor is Jesus, and we must refer to Him first if we are to really help anyone.

Another tendency is to determine that we can save the person either through our exhaustive efforts, or through money, or practical help. We give 24/7 to a person for weeks, months, years. We have everyone praying for them. We raise their plight at every opportunity. We create dependence, then resentment. We are left broken when the person isn’t saved and finally walks away from God for good. We can’t redeem or pay a ransom for someone else (Proverbs). This is another form of wrong diagnosis as we have wrongly, (and usually subconsciously), determined that the person needs us rather than God.

I’m sure we can all see the danger of giving someone false assurance of salvation, yet we do it often. John MacArthur said once that if someone came to his office with doubts as to whether or not they were saved. He would say to them, “You’re probably not saved”, and explain again the way of salvation, rather than offer false assurance. Each time a member of another religion tries to tell us that we are all on the same path, or a cult member says that they are a Christian, or someone says that they were born a Christian, or that they are sure they are going to Heaven because of good works, and we fail to challenge it…we are potentially giving the person false assurance that they are saved. In this case, if we don’t pluck up the courage to tell the person we don’t agree with their statements, we may be contributing to their own wrong self-diagnosis!

A less likely issue in street evangelism, but something that is occasionally possible would be making a real Christian doubt their salvation. We might wrongly decide that the person isn't a Christian based on something they say or do, or we might be, usually unintentionally, adding church culture or our traditions as necessary for salvation. We have again made a wrong diagnosis which could be extremely damaging.

How can we make sure we are not causing, or contributing to people being wrongly diagnosed?

It’s true that the Bible holds the solution to our greatest need, forgiveness of sin and peace with God. But people are individuals and can’t be treated en masse with the same medicine delivered in the same way.

We need to really listen to a person’s heart when we are speaking one to one with them and not be rushing to solutions or looking around for our next contact.

We all know that there’s nothing more annoying than someone coming up to you at church and asking how you are. Then, as you begin to reply, you notice that the person has gone, or turned their back on you to talk to someone else, or interrupts with an “I’m fine too”, before you can say anything! Or the person who is looking over your shoulder for someone more interesting to talk to, or who seems easily distracted by anything and everything going on around them whilst you are pouring out your heart. It’s just another way of looking at a watch which we would all say is extremely rude!

People are in different circumstances and often we have no idea what they are going through when we talk to them. We need to be sensitive to God’s leading and aware of issues that may crop up in discussions.

It’s obvious, with hindsight, that a wrong medical diagnosis could have led to my collapse halfway up a mountain. Yet, a wrong spiritual diagnosis could have a far more deadly consequence.

Let’s make sure we are not getting in the way of what God is doing by offering people a wrong diagnosis without reference to Him.

 

 

Is it a Red Herring or a Real Hindrance?

Often when having conversations about faith with people in the street, there will come a time during the discussion when they will raise objections to what is being said. So far, so obvious.

We were speaking to a lady today at the book table in Rochdale for a long time. During the conversation she spoke about karma and reincarnation as something that she loosely believed. Later, when we spoke in depth about Jesus, she suddenly responded sharply with words to the effect of, “Wait a minute, so in order to be a Christian, you have to believe that Jesus was punished for your sin. I don’t believe that. I’d rather pay for my own sin.” It was as if a switch had been flicked, she understood what was being said and didn’t like it. The discussion continued for quite some time afterwards and she ended up taking a Gospel of John from one of our team.

Reflecting on this afterwards, I realised this was a prime example of someone with both a red herring and a real hindrance (not my phrases, but useful here.) The red herring was the lady’s loosely held new age beliefs as they didn’t stand up to scrutiny, and we were relatively easily able to redirect the hearer back to the important matters. The real hindrance was the idea that she could somehow atone for her sin herself. This conviction was more deeply held in her heart, and concerned key elements of the Gospel, so it was necessary to try and remove the hurdle before continuing.

Perhaps you have spoken to people like this and wondered whether to redirect the hearer, effectively ignoring the red herring, or to attempt to remove the hurdle of the real hindrance which is likely to be an ongoing barrier to the person seeking to understand.

It’s an interesting dilemma for Christians and not always as obvious as the example I have given. Furthermore, what may be a red herring for one person, may be a real hindrance for another!

Consider how you would deal with these:

-I believe in Science

-What may be true for you may not be true for me

-I’ve lived a pretty good life

-Sometimes, I think my mum is looking down on me from Heaven.

-I’m a Muslim/Buddhist/Hindu/Catholic

-I can’t change religion at my stage of life

-I would like to believe it but I just can’t

-Christians have never helped me when I’ve needed it

-Do you believe in Noah’s ark then?

-Why didn’t God stop Aberfan?

-Aren’t Catholic and Christian the same thing?

-The cross is cosmic child abuse

-So, you think you’re better than me

-The God of the Old Testament is vengeful and slaughtered loads of innocent people

-It’s not justice for Jesus to be punished in my place

-God seems arrogant, demanding worship for Himself

-I can’t come to church as I’m socially anxious

-Why did God create evil?

-We’re all going to end up in Heaven anyway

-Religion has caused loads of wars. What about the crusades?

-I only trust myself

-I’m a drug addict, God can’t help me as I’ve tried asking Him before

-I want to do things my way

-How can God have a Son?

-We believe in Jesus too. We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.

-I don’t believe in God, so He can’t judge me.

-Will I have to give all my money to the church?

-Is being gay a sin?

-Why did God create the world if He knew what would happen?

-Nobody has come back to tell us. I can’t believe unless I see.

-Churches are full of hypocrites.

-Is there any sin that can’t be forgiven?

-So, your God died on a cross, couldn’t He have stopped that happening?

-The Bible was written 2000 years ago.

-When you’re dead, you’re dead.

-What are you collecting for?

A lot of the time, the tone of the conversation will tell you whether the person is really struggling with something, or whether they are just mocking the Christian, or attempting to show off to their friends. They might even be deflecting you with a red herring to avoid getting into anything serious.

It’s worth knowing the biblical answers to these questions and statements, to help those who are sincerely seeking God. It’s also good to make sure you know what you believe, (the key elements of the Gospel), so that you can redirect and refocus someone who has thrown you a red herring.

There will also be times when someone asks something that you haven’t thought about before. Don’t be afraid to admit this, and then either ask someone else, or get back to them with an answer.

Nobody has all the answers, and there are some things we just don’t know because God has left them unanswered.

Prayer is key as God is in control and He promises to honour us if we honour Him. He wants us to seek to share the Gospel with others, so even when we think we haven’t done well in a discussion or when we have engaged with a red herring, or failed to address a real hindrance, God can still use our weak efforts for His glory.

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

I haven’t written for a while so was trying to think of a title that sums up the last few years. I settled on this as being apt.

Non-believers reading this may initially agree as phrases like “live for the moment”, “your best life now”, “only one life, live it”, “there’s probably no god so stop worrying and enjoy life”, or even “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die”, come to mind. 

But is this what the Bible means?

The pandemic highlighted our collective mortality in a way that hasn’t happened in my lifetime and that probably hasn’t happened in the UK since the end of the Second World War. To a greater or lesser degree our movements were suddenly restricted, and our perspective forcibly changed. The reminder that despite our “progress” as a society, we aren’t really in control of anything.

Personally, I struggled with something akin to burn-out during this period as suddenly all the outreach dried up and I was forced into lengthy spells of isolation with nothing constructive to do. I understand that everyone was in the same boat, but it definitely impacted individuals in different ways. I also appreciate that for some not having work was a relief, even a blessing, but I found that my zeal for evangelism died a sudden and dramatic death.

Perhaps, the exhaustion of enthusiasm with no outlet was the problem, or maybe the seeming endlessness of the situation with multiple lockdowns, and cycles of hope then disappointment. Or maybe it was the frustration that Christians seemed to be panicking as much as non-Christians. Or the horror of so many deaths of non-believers to a lost eternity.

I really don’t know, but I do know that when the outreach restarted, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to go to church or see other people. So, I definitely didn’t want to put on a fake smile and attempt to share the Good News with others.

So, I jumped ship. I took a few months out with family before relocating and attempting to return to secular work for the first time in a decade.

It wasn’t long though before the summer missions started at which point my energy inexplicably returned, and I was forced to admit that my heart wasn’t in my new job.

Changing course once again, I booked a summer of missions which has now almost come to an end.

It’s been a great summer, full of opportunity and Gospel conversations. Probably, the best I’ve experienced. People seem so much more open than a few years ago, but only God truly knows where their hearts are.

So, looking back, what have I learned?

Apart from the obvious, that nothing is wasted in God’s economy, even a time of confusion, discouragement or burn out.

I learned to take one day at a time.

People often ask me whether I get tired doing so many missions. They ask how it’s sustainable. A few years ago, I would have said something about living all out for Christ because He died for me or something similarly bold and lacking humility. Whilst the fact is true, the thinly veiled slight is that others should be doing the same and are not, which is really nothing to do with me.

Yet, Paul and others who worked tirelessly for the Kingdom always attributed their energies to God and His grace towards them rather than their own efforts or zeal. It’s also possible to be zealous with the wrong purpose or for the wrong things, or to be inconsistent or insincere.

If, at the start of the summer, I looked ahead at the many weeks of mission yet to be completed, I would probably faint under the weight of expectation or feign illness so I could pack up and go home.

If, instead, I take each day as it comes and try to make the most of the opportunities on that day alone, the burden is lighter, and the work even becomes enjoyable for the most part. 

If I am tired, I will rest so that I’m better prepared for the following day. More experienced leaders on mission teams often remark that we’re not involved in some kind of test of endurance when choosing to pack up early in the rain. 

We have different characters and temperaments which are in play here as some are naturally enthusiastic or all or nothing type people, whilst others may be more measured or have more of an inner passion. But we are all also influenced by sin including pride and self-sufficiency on the one hand and false guilt, irresponsibility and laziness on the other.

Balance and sustainability are important. If we go all out for a season and then are forced to spend time recovering from burnout, what more have we achieved than someone who has steadily and consistently persevered, perhaps at a slower pace or with less outward enthusiasm. We may even have caused damage by being unreliable or letting people down.

When the Bible speaks of not worrying about tomorrow, it isn’t telling us to “live it up”, it’s reminding us that there is no point in worrying about the future because we don’t have any control over it. Our lives are as vapour, here today and then gone tomorrow.

Instead, we should focus on the day in front of us and make the most of that day as we may not be blessed with another one.

God gives us the energy, strength and grace for one day at a time.

Top 10 Christian Books Read in 2020

 It’s time for my Christian book recommendations for 2020. My Goodreads Challenge lists 140 books. I read a lot more secular books than usual especially during the second part of the year largely due to finding them free locally and being at home a lot due to Covid-19.

For those that missed them, you can also see my 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 selections.


You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link.


1. Living Stones of the Himalayas- The third in the trilogy by an American missionary surgeon in Nepal. These are funny and real.


2. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You- I remember this giving me a shock earlier in the year but then I promptly forgot its warnings and carried on as before....It seems to be virtually impossible to separate ourselves from the technology that we have become reliant on.


3. The Victor- Much loved children's author Patricia St John shines in this lesser known tale of forgiveness.


4. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe- A classic and well worth a re-read. Surely everyone has now heard about the Chronicles of Narnia, if only people thought about the spiritual side of things too.


5. Tony- Little known auto-biography by a man who came to faith from a background of drink but was then lured by false promises of healing when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness.


6. John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace- Well researched biography about this slave trader turned Christian minister.


7. Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England- I don't always get on that well with Faith Cook's writing style, but this is well written and an eye opener for the Ecumenical movement.


8. Born Again- Every Christian will know this story about the dramatic fall from grace of prominent politician Charles Colson and how he found faith in the midst of his trial.


9. No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green- This has to feature as it had such a big impact on me as a young Christian. The tragic story of Keith Green who lost his life at 29 told through the eyes of his wife.


10. Singing Through the Night- Eye opening stories about the persecuted church.


So, that's my list for 2020. Hopefully, you find something on it worth looking at for 2021. Happy reading!

Why a Christian Can't Just Leave Their Faith at Home

There’s been a lot of discussion in the media recently about Donald Trump’s expected appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court. The comments in the secular press, certainly in Britain, have been overwhelmingly negative due to Ms Barrett’s views on abortion influenced by her Catholic faith.

A similar thing happened in the UK a few years ago when MP Jacob Rees-Mogg was questioned about his views on abortion and homosexuality. Just prior to this he had been the up and coming posh but trendy MP who appealed to a wide demographic. His Catholic views, however, suddenly made him unpalatable. People seemed to assume that he needed educating or that he would apologise and back down realising his mistake. Instead, he suggested that a new form of bigotry was emerging against Christians. It was suggested to him that he would never be able to hold high office in Britain with his views as they were unacceptable to a vast swathe of the population.

Most people are surprised to hear that Christians up and down the country are facing intolerance and discrimination on a daily basis. They reject the idea that Christians are becoming a side-lined minority because they still think we live in a Christian country. A lot of people with no faith to speak of still class themselves as Christians and still ask what group/denomination you are part of if you express anything beyond mere intellectual assent to a vague belief in God. They class such people as extreme or suggest that they take their religion too seriously.

When pointing out that Christians are now regularly silenced and sacked, and occasionally prosecuted for their biblical beliefs, people initially may be sympathetic. However, when gay marriage or homosexuality, abortion or creation are mentioned, they change their tune and either fall silent indicating passive disapproval or denounce such views openly. They advise that things have moved on, society has progressed and that science has proven that people don’t have a choice about some of these things.

Others tell Christians that it’s okay to hold these views privately but that they should never bring them to work. They are told that they must not allow their Christian views to influence decisions in the workplace. They are told that they cannot express religious opinions. They are banned from purchasing stalls at public markets if they are intending to sell or distribute Christian books.

Just last week a friend of mine who had been told he was making a positive contribution to an open public market with his potter’s wheel display, was suddenly banned because he was giving away Christian books. He was told he couldn’t even share his own story of conversion as he showed people how to make pots. In essence, he was gagged and rejected. The authorities wanted the feel good factor of people being able to learn a new skill, but not the real message of hope in Jesus that can permanently transform broken lives. How tragic.

The expectation that Christians can somehow divorce themselves from what they believe and then continue as if they were atheists whilst at work is evidence of a fundamental misunderstanding of what a Christian is.

A Christian is a new creation, they have been rescued from their sin and born again to a new life with a new Master. They are living for a new life, beyond this one, in Heaven with Jesus. They won’t conform to the world or embrace secular values. They cannot adopt views that are acceptable to the masses if they go against what is clearly stated in the Bible which is God’s Word. They won’t change what they believe or soften their stance on controversial issues. If they do and are ashamed of Jesus, He says that He will be ashamed of them when He returns.

A true Christian cannot and will not leave their faith at home because it is who they are. They likely believe they have been placed by God in their workplace to influence those around them by their words and behaviour. How can they do this if they are no different to their peers, if they don’t stand up for what they believe when the opportunity arises?

Would you ask someone to cut off an arm or leg or to wear a gag or blindfold in order to go to work? Of course not. Yet, the expectation that a Christian can leave their faith at home is no different to this ridiculous suggestion. This is why Christians would rather lose their jobs, their homes and everything else than deny their Lord.

Many stories of Christians being discriminated against quietly slip from public attention but are regularly highlighted by organisations like the Christian Institute and Christian Legal Centre who are working tirelessly to defend them.

Are we really a tolerant, democratic country or do we just support freedom of expression and conscience when it suits our purposes?

Common Mistakes by Christian Authors

I thought it would be useful to pull together some of the recurring issues that I’m seeing in books written by Christians. These are the things that annoy, the things that damage, and the things that usually result in the book being thrown away prior to its conclusion.

For those that wonder whether this is legalism, wherever we draw the line, Christians’ standards should surely be different to the standards of those who haven’t been bought for a price. How will the power of God be proved, if there is no visible difference between us and those still living in darkness?

I’ve included examples of books with these issues and linked to my reviews. Where relevant, I’ve also linked to my other posts that deal with the topics in more detail:


1. Use of swearing and blasphemy. I’m constantly finding profanity in Christian books. My post on this subject is the most popular to date. Yet, even here, Christians aren’t all in agreement and several have (poorly) attempted to defend the use of swearing in books. In my opinion, using a quotation containing a swear word, or just using the first letter and blanking the rest out, is just as bad. Examples include: No Graven Image, Run Baby Run, Mission Under Fire, Dan Walker's Football Thronkersaurus


2.  Irreverent titles.  Choosing a title is so important as it will be the main thing that stays in people’s minds. It will appear on any promotional and advertising material and will be used in conversation about the book. It’s no good coming up with a dodgy title and then justifying it with a long winded explanation, because readers don’t have the explanation when they initially consider the book. Examples include: The Prodigal God, The Heavenly Man, The Insanity of God, The Devil in Pew Number Seven


3. Glorifying sin. This often occurs in auto-biographies. Sometimes, authors are keen to demonstrate the dramatic changes in their lives when they become Christians. This is a worthy goal, but do we really need to know all the ins and outs of the drug taking, sexual conquests, and criminal activity. There needs to be a sense of shame and regret that accompanies these type of confessions, not a nostalgia or pride. I used to relay an amusing tale of drunken exploits from before I was converted until I realised that it was hardly honouring to God. It was almost coming across as if I was looking back with regret that I no longer had these experiences, rather than that I was relieved to be free from my lifestyle of sin which was ultimately meaningless and empty. Examples include: Street God, Junkie Meets Jesus


4. Poor conversion testimony and/or Gospel presentation is missing key elements. I’ve seen this in fiction and non-fiction. I’m not someone who thinks that every Christian book should contain the Gospel message explicitly. However, if people in Christian books become Christians, it needs to be clear what it is they are subscribing to; what do they now believe? I’ve read books where the character has some kind of overwhelming sensory experience that they attribute to God. They then decide this means they are a Christian, and everyone else in the book accepts this as if this is what makes a Christian. Surely, anyone can see the issue for any non-believers who happen to be reading the book. I’ve read of conversions with no mention of conviction of sin, focusing instead on the love of God exclusively. Likewise, those who seem to fall in love with Jesus which meets a need in their life at a particular time. This isn’t saving faith. Examples include: Journey to Riverbend, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Negotiator, Once an Arafat Man


5. Dogmatic on secondary issues.  This is an obscure one and, again, tends to appear in autobiographies. Some authors use their personal stories as a platform for espousing strong views on a particular doctrinal, or church based, issue. The last thing a reader wants, when reading a biography, is suddenly to be hit with a sermon on charismatic gifts, Calvinism, replacement theology, home-schooling, political dogma, or the perils of different Bible translations. Authors should realise that they are shooting themselves in the foot when they do this because they will alienate anyone who doesn’t share their view and also annoy anyone who does share their view but just wanted to read a biography. If people want to read about these other issues, they will buy books about them or listen to sermons about them in church! Examples include: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, God Less America, The Mind of Terror, Hillary's America


6.  Too much personal detail.  This is more about protecting the author than anything else especially if the book receives wide acclaim. What if our circumstances change and there are things in the book we wish we hadn’t included? What if we want to work as a a missionary in a closed country in the future; will our book put us in danger? I’ve seen books with details of sexual exploits, even some where names are mentioned. Also, books detailing criminal activity which appears never to have been dealt with by the criminal justice system. Additionally, books containing things that are just too personal for others to read. Our emotions are changeable; we can write and publish something but later feel exposed and vulnerable. It’s important to get feedback from friends and family prior to publication and especially to ask permission from those that will appear in a book. We must think about our purpose in writing and weigh up the pros and cons before publication. Examples include: A Heart for Freedom, Why I Stayed, Why Me?, Once an Addict, Unashamed


7. Failure to uphold biblical principles. This is one of my pet peeves. Is it really okay for a Christian character in a fictional tale to pursue a relationship with a non-believer despite the clear biblical instruction not to do this? What message is sent to the audience when the relationship works out despite the sinful behaviour? What if the Christian character appeared to know it was wrong but did it anyway and God appears to bless the decision? There are so many books out there like this but how damaging is this for a Christian trapped in an emotional entanglement with a non-believer and trying to make the right decision? What about Christian characters who swear, don’t go to church, dismiss parts of the Bible, commit crime, or appear to turn a blind eye to corruption, or bribery. We should not have Christian characters who behave exactly as their worldly counterparts behave. How about authors who promote evolution? Examples include: Why There Almost Certainly is a God, Wild At Heart, Things Forgotten, Nevertheless, Captivating, Bruchko, The Truth Seeker


8. Spiritual ramblings. Another pet peeve. I’ve been forced to skip whole chapters of books where the author rambles on and on about the goodness of God in a particular situation without actually saying anything. They use plenty of emotion and a range of flowery words to describe how they feel and basically seem like a record stuck on different versions of God is so good. The problem is, readers can’t usually relate to someone else’s emotional and spiritual experience of God because it’s personal. It either feels very cringe worthy or just pointless. A good writer will demonstrate the greatness of God through detailing the circumstances and His interventions without nonsensical ramblings about how they feel about it all. Examples include: Kisses from Katie (audio version is worse), God Knows My Name, Tables in the Wilderness


9.  Failing to live up to their own standards (and God's).  This has been an issue in the public eye recently because of the downfall of popular author, Joshua Harris. There have also been organisations that have written books and then later been exposed for corrupt practice. Authors with life-style issues and addictions have written books detailing the power of God helping them overcome these sins and then relapsed some years down the line. Essentially, if you’re going to write a book about it, make sure you’re truly converted. It does great damage to the church of God when these people with public profiles fall. Christians will fall into sin from time to time as we aren’t immune to temptation, but we are new creations in Christ, and shouldn’t then respond arrogantly, or wallow in lifestyle sins that we have been freed from in the past. We definitely shouldn’t try to justify ourselves in these circumstances. Examples include: Saving Levi, Anointed for Burial, Sinner's Creed


10. Focus on the subjective without checking Scripture. There is a danger when authors relate their subjective experiences, or their characters’ experiences, as if they are main-stream for Christians. This can apply to signs and wonders, appearances of Jesus, dreams, visions, healings, tongues speaking, casting out demons, prophecy, visits to Heaven, callings by God, talking to God, directions from God etc. The impression can be given that, unless a reader experiences these things, as the author or character has done, they are not a true believer. It could also make someone feel inadequate spiritually or, worst case scenario, it could result in someone waiting for these experiences to happen to them before they trust Jesus for themselves. If authors want to include these things in their books, they really must make it clear that it is their personal experience and not something that is likely to happen in the life of every Christian. The Bible is the only source of authority when things like this occur and we need to be referring back to it constantly. Examples include: I Dared to Call Him Father, Back to Jerusalem, Sadhu Sundar Singh, Heaven is for Real, I Told the Mountain to Move


11. Changing and misquoting the Bible. This should go without saying, but sadly I see too much of this either through ignorance or deliberate manipulate to fit a particular point the author wants to make. It the intention of the author is to make the Bible story or teaching more accessible to a particular group of people, then there is room for manoeuvre here. An example would be missionaries trying to deal with cultural issues e.g. Judas inadvertently becoming a hero because friendship betrayal is considered extremely clever in Peace Child! However, most authors are not dealing with situations like this and should not then be changing the Bible. This happens more often in films where dramatic licence is taken, but these films are often based on books. Authors’ that write about Bible themes should always remember that they are dealing with the perfect Word of God which is not something to be treated lightly, and that account will have to be given for every careless word. Examples include: The Shack, The Prayer of Jabez, The Purpose Driven Life


12.  Too much graphic detail. Christians will argue about this until the cows come home. What is too graphic? The fact is, we all have different standards and different things effect each of us in different ways. Some may not be affected by violent scenes whilst others may have nightmares. Some may not be tempted when reading sexual scenes, others definitely will. Some may be able to tune out bad language, others won’t. We all need to remember that we have a fallen, sinful nature that will feed on graphic detail in a way that may not be helpful. We need to consider how much of this we are exposing ourselves to and how that affects our thinking and our behaviour. We need to ensure we are also focusing on good, pure things and know where to draw the line. To deny that what we read and fill our minds with has any effect on us spiritually is ignorant and foolish. There are plenty of Bible verses that prove that we are affected and that we are responsible for what we read, watch and listen to. Christian authors who put these things out there need to be aware that they could be causing a brother or sister to stumble, or putting temptation in their path or planting ideas that weren’t there before. It’s easy to place the responsibility on the reader, but Christian authors must surely consider how their words could affect others. Examples include: Bone Man's Daughters, Redeeming Love, Bridge to Haven


13.  Excessive focus on dark themes.  Should Christians read Ted Dekker or John Grisham? What about Frank Peretti? How about C.S. Lewis or Tolkien? Some of these books fall into the horror genre and I would question whether Christians can justify reading them. Some are fantasy but with a big focus on demonic activity. Some deal with the Occult in detail. Others involve magic and witchcraft. Again, Christians draw the lines in different places but authors really must consider the impact of their writings on their audience particularly as some of these authors are writing for children. Should a Christian author really write a book that makes a reader feel sick, or scared, or that gives them nightmares? I’ve heard authors argue that we need to be aware of the spiritual battle and learn the tactics of the enemy in order to defeat him. This is a weak argument, the Bible encourages us to study the Truth to determine error, it tells us to beware of the devil but never to investigate his schemes. Instead, we are told to put on the full armour of God and to resist the devil and he will flee from us. Examples include: The Screwtape Letters, By Reason of Insanity, Showdown, This Present Darkness


14.  Misleading titles and summaries . How annoying is it when you’ve purchased a book on a subject that you were interested in reading about, but the book is about something else? What about when the book has large sections dealing with something not mentioned in the summary? How about if it extensively details the early life of the subject when the book is meant to be about something that happened to them later on? Christians need to be honest about their books and not try to sell them as something they aren’t. It’s not clever to deceive someone into buying a book with a Christian message when they aren’t interested in Christianity. The deception will just annoy them and they will have the perception that Christians aren’t truthful, or that Christianity is so desperate for converts that we are resorting to underhand tactics rather than relying on the power of God to open blind eyes. Likewise, dramatic claims to fame, or to some extraordinary experience, in a sub-title to grab attention, must be backed up by the content or readers will just be disappointed and irritated. Examples include: Taming the Tiger, False Witness, Shouting into the Silence, While the World Watched, Flash: The Homeless Donkey, They Say We Are Infidels, The Boy Born Dead


I’m sure there are more mistakes that Christian authors make, but these are some that I’ve come across. It’s worth highlighting that there are plenty of Christian authors out there who avoid all of these pitfalls and write excellent books. You can check out my 5 star reviews on Goodreads for some of these.


Let's stop and think about our purpose in writing, and whether the content is acceptable to God, before we put our names to something that may be in the public domain for generations to come!

What a Christian is not.....

It is assumed, almost universally, that everyone knows what a Christian is. Sadly, as societies drift further and further from God, ignorance reigns.

In recent weeks, when I’ve explained what I believe to individuals, I’ve been asked what faith I belong to, what denomination I’m in, and even whether I’m a Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Catholic or with the Latter Day Saints, (the same as Mormons.)

When I respond that I’m a Christian, a Christian that believes the Bible, I usually receive a bewildered look. Of course, no one says anything at this point because in Britain we are too polite, but I know exactly what they are thinking. They’re wondering why I take it all so seriously and insist on telling others about it. And, perhaps they are confused because they also believe they are a Christian but recognise that there is something very different about my life in comparison with theirs.

So, I thought it would be helpful to dispel the myths by explaining what a Christian is not…..

1.  Someone who was born in England, America, or any other countries that are, or have been, culturally Christian.  There may well be Christians in these countries, but being born into the country doesn’t make someone a Christian. When I speak to someone and ask them when they became a Christian, as soon as they reply “from birth,” or “I was born one,” or “I’ve always been one,” I know there is something amiss. A Christian can usually date their conversion, if not by exact date, to an age, or period of a few years, even if they were very young.

2.  Someone who goes to church.  Again, most Christians attend church regularly: the Bible says we shouldn’t give up meeting together and gives instructions for how church should be organised. But, there are plenty of people attending church that aren’t Christians. There is now even a church for atheists! Many people go through religious rituals of all kinds, and a lot of these are very sincere, but these things don’t make someone a true Christian. Likewise, many attend church at Christmas and Easter, weddings and funerals, but this won’t save them.

3.  Someone who has been christened, baptised or confirmed.  In response to the question, “are you a Christian?” people often tell me they have been christened or baptised, usually as a baby. Others point out that they’ve gone through a religious ceremony at a certain age. However, a lot of these people don’t even believe in God, and the fact of their christening has made no difference in their life. They just keep it as a “get out of jail free” card, as if it will possibly make everything okay in the end.

4.  Someone who lives a good life or is a good person . Most people, on some level, associate Christianity with being a good person; doing charitable works, helping people, giving to the poor etc. I often get told I’m a good person by non-Christians who think I’m involved in some kind-of social work. Those that question further and find out that I’m basically sharing my faith with people are less enamoured. If I get the chance to explain, I will tell them why helping people practically with immediate needs won’t help them with their eternal destination on Judgement Day. The fact is that we cannot live good lives, or be good people. We are born with sinful natures which mean that even our good acts are tainted by mixed motives. One small thing that we do wrong is enough to keep us out of Heaven forever. It’s bad news for all those that are relying on their good works outweighing their bad when they stand before God, no one will make it.

5.  Someone who knows the Bible.  There are people out there who are relying on their academic knowledge, or being widely read. They are often the same people who dismiss parts of the Bible when it suits them. They know what the Bible says but it hasn’t changed their lives. I’ve met older people like this: when asked if they are Christians, they respond sharply, “of course,” but follow up questions reveal that they don’t understand the Gospel message. They know verses from the Bible, and hymns, and can quote these at length. When I gently try to explain what I believe in the hope they will realise it’s different to what they’ve said, they become offended and then belittle me. They remind me that these are things they’ve known their whole lives and have been brought up on. They can’t understand why I’m even speaking to them, and tell me to go and talk to others who need to hear what I’m saying. It is tragic that these sincere people are not saved.

6.  Someone who is in full-time Christian work.  On a recent camp, a young girl was astonished when I suggested that some Church of England vicars may not be Christians. I’m sure there are many that are, but some will just be doing a job. Certainly, in previous generations, men chose “the church” as their profession whether or not they believed the truths they were teaching. There were some serving alongside me on the mission field who later renounced the faith. We’ve seen recently, the well known pastor and author, Joshua Harris, abandon the faith, and his marriage. We can’t assume that church leaders, youth workers, missionaries, or others in Christian work, are Christians.

7.  Someone who has a relative that is a Christian.  This is an interesting one. I’ve met people who say, “my wife does the religious bit,” or “my niece is the one who’s into all that.” Sometimes, these people seem to be relying on their connection to this person whether through marriage or biology. They think that they don’t need to do anything about it themselves because their family is somehow covered by the devotion of the one person with faith. This is not a common view, but needs to be mentioned. The Bible makes it clear that faith is an individual matter, and that on Judgement Day we will stand alone before God to account for our lives.

8.  Someone who separates themselves from the world.  There are many examples of people believing that God desires us to cut ourselves off completely from society and live nomadic lives. The idea is that we are tainted by the sin of the world and therefore need to be separate in order to be holy and acceptable to God. There are monks, and some nuns, that have done this, and even harmed themselves physically, in an attempt to prove their devotion. The Bible says that we are to be in the world but not of it and that we are to be witnesses to non-believers. How can we do this if we are living completely separate lives? God does not require this of us and it is actually a form of self-righteousness or pride, thinking that we can reach God by our sincerity or acts of devotion over and above other people.

9.  Someone whose life doesn’t change when they are converted.  A Christian is a new creation with the Holy Spirit living inside them changing their desires, thoughts, attitudes and behaviour. If there is no visible difference, over time, between a person’s life before and after they say they became a Christian. There is a problem with their story. This is often what happens when someone makes an on the spot decision at a crusade, rally or meeting. They are swayed by the emotional atmosphere and really believe they should respond to an altar call but, afterwards, they change their mind, or forget the decision, or choose to continue as before. It is God who is at work, changing a person, and He doesn’t fail. We all mature at different rates but there is no such thing as a carnal Christian. Christians will fall into sin from time to time as we are all tempted, but they will respond in repentance and faith not in defiance and continuation of the sin.

10.  Someone who doesn’t believe the Bible . There are people around who say they are Christians but either reject the whole of the Bible, or parts of it. These people haven’t understood the Gospel message of salvation. The Christian faith rests entirely on the Bible. It is God’s Word and therefore our source of authority. It provides instructions for life and conduct. More importantly, it tells us how we can be saved judgement for our sin, and go to Heaven forever. A person who thinks the Bible is unimportant, old-fashioned, out of date, or who doesn’t read it, or who rejects large parts of it, is not a Christian. This includes cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons (Church of the Latter Day Saints.) Both cults have their own religious books that contradict parts of the Bible. They don’t believe that Jesus is God.

11.  Someone who is religious.  When talking to people in the street, they often say, “I’m not religious” as if that is an answer to the Christian message. Somehow, people have convinced themselves that they don’t have to think about God unless they are religious. That God is only for religious people and as they aren’t religious they can live without reference to Him. This is an illogical philosophy. If God exists and created everything and everyone, we are all accountable to Him whether we are religious or not. It’s the same for those who believe they can somehow magic God out of existence by what they believe; “I don’t believe in God therefore He can’t judge me.” A more logical approach would be to say, “I’ve considered the Christian message and decided I don’t believe it is TRUE. I understand the consequence if I’m wrong but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Ultimately, Christians can’t force someone to believe, they can only present the Gospel message and ask people to consider whether it is true. If it’s true then it applies to everyone so look carefully at the overwhelming evidence!

12.  Someone who focuses on signs, wonders and miracles.  The Bible makes it clear that there will be people who have been involved in these things that are not saved. They may even convince themselves that they are doing these things in Jesus’ name but He will reject them on Judgement Day. This includes those who steal money from people for so-called faith healings and then live in luxury and self-indulgence. We cannot buy miracles, health, wealth or happiness from God and no human can provide these things on God’s behalf. We are told to pray to God and wait for His answer. A true Christian knows that they cannot expect a life of ease and prosperity because we are told to count the cost of following Jesus and that we should take up our cross and follow Him daily.

Having explained what a Christian is not, it would be remiss of me not to, briefly, explain what a true Christian is. The Bible says:


“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3 vs 16)


“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10 vs 13)


“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10 vs 9)


“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1 vs 9)


A true Christian is someone who acknowledges that they have sinned against God. They have confessed their sin and turned away from it (repentance). They have placed their whole faith and trust in Jesus, who lived a perfect life, and then died in their place on the cross. Jesus was punished by God instead of the sinner. They are following Jesus as Saviour and Lord, seeking to live a life that pleases Him. They have a certain hope of Heaven through Jesus’ death and resurrection, not through the good things they now do.


As you can see, being a Christian is about what you believe, not about any number of other things. A true Christian will change and become more like their Saviour, Jesus Christ.


The first step is to believe that He died for you on the cross and to ask for forgiveness of your sin. He promises to forgive all those who come to Him and ask.


Have you trusted Jesus yet?

Top 10 Christian Books Read in 2019

It’s time for my Christian book recommendations for 2019. My Goodreads 2019 Challenge lists 77 books. I can't answer why it is exactly the same as last year, more by luck than judgement.

For those that missed them, you can also see my 2016, 2017 and 2018 selections.

I have now given up trying to cover a range of genres and sub-genres and accepted that I read a lot more biographies, especially by or about missionaries, than anything else. I prefer books with a clear Gospel message and Christian purpose in writing.

The majority of the books I recommend here are clean—no bad language or sexual content and limited graphic violence. Where there is slight deviation I have commented in my review so you should know what to expect. You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link. The books appear in the order I read them in 2019.

1. Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story - I was surprised that I enjoyed this book more than Joni's first book about her diving accident. I can just see so many circumstances where this book will be helpful for Christians in gaining perspective in the midst of difficult circumstances. 

2. Spiritual Depression - I was amused to re-read my review of this, apologies for the brevity. I liked how practical this book was despite it being written a while ago. Every Christian struggles with a lack of joy at some point. This book helps to refocus the mind and heart.

3. Ice and Fire - Another book on discouragement, which needs to be included as it's up to date and contains examples of men and women of God who can inspire us to persevere in the race. I read this after a long Summer of beach missions when the excitement and fellow evangelists had disappeared back to their local work. It helped combat the "post camp blues".

4. Our Witchdoctors are too Weak- This was really funny, at least I thought so. It's also pretty unique as modern missionary biographies tend to focus on the spiritual emotions of the author rather than the practical side of missionary life. This author examines missionary life from the perspective of the tribes people when Westerners appear in their midst. Granted, at times he takes it too far and borders on the ridiculous and you really have to share his sense of humour to get this book.

5. John Williams: Messenger of Peace - This is in the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series. They are written for teens and adults. This is worth reading just for the story that I've quoted in my review. Williams approaches what he thinks is an unevangelised island in Polynesia only to find the natives have already heard the Gospel via a chain of Chinese whispers that originated with him decades earlier!

6. The Doulos Story- This was a blast from the past. I read it originally whilst serving on the Logos Hope, a sister ship to Doulos. It is a good reminder of the ups and downs of life as a volunteer, in a Christian community, whilst serving in various foreign countries.

7. Abide- More of a booklet than a book. Explains why a daily quiet or devotional time is necessary for spiritual growth.

8. Troubled Journey: A Missionary Childhood in War-Torn China- I've included this for the unique perspective it offers. Children were often sent away from parents for years or sent home to their country of origin for schooling. This painfully honest account by well-known author Faith Cook reveals the lasting damage.

9. Missing, Believed Killed- Life for missionaries during the Simba rebellion in the Congo. Margaret Hayes relays the various atrocities without sensationalism and keeps trusting God throughout her ordeal.

10. On the Far Side of Liglig Mountain- I like this author who works as a missionary doctor in the mountains of Nepal. I included his first book, Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees, in last year's list. I'm currently reading the final book of the trilogy. Hale simply tells stories from the field, many are about the remote hospital where he works. He doesn't hold back, revealing both the joys and sorrows and the small spiritual breakthroughs in a country where it is illegal to evangelise and to change faith from the national Hindu religion.

So, that's my list for 2019. Hopefully, you find something on it worth looking at in 2020. Happy reading!