Brothers and Sisters,

 

How time flies when you are enjoying yourself! This Monday we will have the last of our weekly online cafes – although I hope it will not be the last one we will ever hold. The team who have worked on this have been excellent – musician, sound engineer, camera operator, tv presenter, publicist and barista – who knew that these were spiritual gifts?! I have been very encouraged to see St Thomas’s work together like this.

There are many things we have learned from this – not least that we learn from our mistakes. But most of all it is a joy to see Christ being discussed and proclaimed. Last Monday we had a discussion with Phil Wheeler about Jesus’s church – you can still see it online – make sure you stay to the J I Packer clip at the end. Find here.

We have had a lovely variety of guests – Dr Sarah Irvine-Stonebreaker (historian), Colin Buchanan (musician), Ray Galea (pastor), Rob Smith (musician/theologian), Simon Manchester (preacher), Glen and Nalini Pather (pastor and medical science lecturer), and Phil Wheeler (new churches director). This Monday we finish with our very own Ali MacIntosh- we will be looking at the subject of heaven and hell. If you have not yet been able to come to Café Online in person, please do feel free to take this last opportunity to join us in the hall. Please come by 6:45pm.

I recently read a book by an Australian Christian author who argued that we all find our own way to God – and that could be by different religions. This may suit the zeitgeist of the age, but it is far from the Good News of Jesus Christ. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) This is why we have been talking about Christ at Café Online. It’s why we seek to preach Christ, and him crucified. It’s strange how so many people see and want the advantages of Christianity – but without Christ. As Michael Ramsden states “You take Christ out of Christian and you are just left with Ian – and Ian won’t save anybody!”.

So, where do we go from here? How do we share Christ with friends, family, neighbours, workmates and our society? Over the next few weeks we will continue to look at that. If you have any ideas and want to help feel free to contact me here.

The first resource I want to mention this week is one of the best books you can read or give to someone – J I Packer’s Knowing God. This is one of the few books I read and re-read.

The second is part two of our discussion with Professor John Lennox – Find here.

Finally, here is a lovely rendition of Psalm 62 from Townend/Keyes, this is such an encouraging and helpful song – Find here.

 

Yours in Christ
David Robertson

You can find all the resources David has previously recommended in one place here.