Thoughts on preaching

Reading through Stuart Olyott’s book: “Preaching pure and simple” (Bryntition Press), I came accross this quote: “Just as preaching is the chief means by which sinners are convinced of gospel truth and are converted, in the same way it is God’s chief way of building up his people in holiness, of comforting them, and of keeping them believing until the end of their lives. No Christian can grow as he should without listening to lots of preaching. It is an impossibility.”

In France, people get one sermon on the Sunday, and if they go to the Bible study in the week, they will have a bit more input. That’s if they make it to the meetings.

Talking with my fellow MPEF missionaries in Bordeaux recently, we agreed that French Christians get very little preaching in the week. The challenge for us is: How can they grow in holiness and knowledge of our Lord then? Thank you for your prayers.

Autumn harvest: chestnuts

I went for a run on Saturday afternoon, Jean-Baptiste following me on his bike. There are a lot of Chestnut trees around, and we noticed that the chestnuts have started falling off. I am getting really excited. When I was a child, we’d go out collecting chestnuts every year, and I am looking forward to do this again. They’re great roasted off course, but are amazing also served as a soup, or a mash.

La chasse/ Hunting

Today, the hunting season is starting. It is a big thing in rural France, and hunters have been preparing this opening day for weeks. It also means you may want to wear bright colours when you go for a walk, and you need to talk loudly.

The father of a little girl in Jean-Baptiste’s class loves hunting and was talking about it two weeks ago. Who knows, we may get to eat some game in the coming weeks?