Halfway through my 40 years with the B.E.M., I wrote an article exhorting God’s servants to seek after excellence in their ministry and in their preaching, so that the church of Jesus Christ might be as God wants it to be. Today at the ‘end of my career’ I would like to recall six points [...]

“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Philippians 1 v.12 There was really very little cause for rejoicing. Paul’s many adversaries had done all they could to silence him. With obstructions and false testimony, they had succeeded in discrediting him. Now he [...]

It was Adamo, the Belgian musician, who used these words in one of his songs. As Christians we know that the world is in pain because it is under the power of the evil one. Things aren’t as they should be because of God’s curse following the sin of Adam and Eve. Even as he [...]

‘In the twenty first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet: ’Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, “Who of you is left who saw this house in [...]

We follow a Saviour Who has given everything. He left heaven to come and save us from hell. He was rejected by men, crucified after the ignominy of an unjust trial and terrible floggings. When men mocked Him He breathed love for them, prayed for their forgiveness, gave His life, shed His blood…faithful to the [...]

Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, David…names that bring to mind stories that are equally famous -great biblical examples, the ‘heroes of faith’ of Hebrews 11,. But how much do we know about Andronicus, Junias, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Apelles, Herodion, Tryphaena , Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus… the believers greeted by Paul in Romans (Chapter 16)? Not a lot, but [...]

The financial support of God’s servants is recommended by the Bible. Already in the Old Testament the Levites, the priestly tribe of Israel, having no land, were dependant on God’s people to supply their material needs. ‘Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple , and those [...]

There was nothing to be envied in the circumstances of the birth of Moses. The Hebrew people had become public enemy number one, oppressed by the Egyptians and reduced to slave labour. However this was not having the desired effect, so the midwives were ordered to kill all new-born Hebrew boys. Not all of the [...]

The conversation lasted just a minute. A stranger asked me the way to the nearest superstore. As she moved away she called out, “Thank you, you are really so kind!” And with a light heart I went on my way! “Really so kind” – but I had done nothing special. I said to myself, if [...]

Things don’t always turn out as well as you’d like. If the Apostle Paul could have written the scenario of his own life he would probably have envisaged it quite differently. Take, for example his second missionary journey… Even before they left it went wrong. Barnabas wanted John Mark to come with them, Paul did [...]