New medias and the Christian mind.

Here is a list of a few articles I have come accross which lead me to wonder about the impact of the new medias (Internet, Facebook and the like, Mobile phones…) on the ministry, Evangelism, Discipleship, and on my/our own Spiritual growth. Comments on these are welcome:

Scott Thomas: The Troubled Souls of Pastors

I found the following article on the Acts29 Blog helpful: The Troubled Souls of Pastors. In it, the author Scott Thomas gives some very practical advice to Pastors who are burned out. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the ministry. Even more so in pionneering contexts, and in small churches where so much is expected of the pastor. The article came from his meeting the widow of a pastor who had commited suicide, a sobering reminder of our own weaknesses.

Scott Thomas first lists a few symptoms of a troubled soul:

  1. Minimal longing for Jesus
  2. Minimal joy and gladness
  3. Minimal dependence on God
  4. Maximal thoughts of self
  5. Maximal burdens of ministry
  6. Maximal outbursts of anger (masked fear)

Then, he gives 7 Possible Solutions to a Troubled Soul:

1. Renew your mind with prolonged Scripture reading

2.  Pray with an unhurried heart

3. Confess the hidden sins of your heart

4. Live in true community with others and allow them to truly know you.

5. Review your calling by God.

6. Review the goals and strategies you have for your life

7.  Rest in God’s grace, love and acceptance of you

Read the whole article at: The Troubled Souls of Pastors

Jesus’ prayers for his people.

In Luke 22: 31-32, our Lord warned Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Our preacher today the Rev Jeremy Walker brought us a challenging, yet encouraging Sermon. In this passage, Peter was about to fall, but our Lord encouraged him by telling him that he had prayed for him, and that although he would fall, his faith would not fail. The Lord never promised Peter that he would be immune to the attacks of the Evil one.

The message was challenging: just like Simon Peter, Chritians must face the assaults of Satan. He will not let the church alone one minute. There is a sifting going on, often brutal, always challenging for our faith. None of us can boast that we will not fail. Peter did and fell. We must be on our guards, and aware of this.

But the message was also comforting. The Lord is praying for us, interceding in our favour. However badly we may fall, if we are truly one of His people, our faith will be protected, and will not be extinguished.

John Lichfield: Holidaying en masse: What France can teach us about the Big Society

John Lichfield is correspondent in France for the Independent newspaper. Last Saturday, he published this column on France which has some good insight into French people’s mindsets: John Lichfield: Holidaying en masse: What France can teach us about the Big Society – John Lichfield, Commentators – The Independent. I won’t post extracts because of copyright issues, but read on, it will give you some idea about the people we are trying to reach out to.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-07-25

  • CSI on TV, that's fatal. #
  • Our latest prayer update is available on the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/keloumat #
  • The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost #
  • I am being buried alive under dust and junk. But we'll get there. 18 days to go before we leave for Brittany. #
  • Transport for our move is being sorted out. Amazing to see how God is answering prayer. #
  • Admin: need to sort out house insurance for our move. #
  • Against Heresies: Arminian Bible Bits and Breaking the Dress Code http://goo.gl/b/zH5b #

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The Web Means the End of Forgetting – NYTimes.com

I have read a number of articles recently about the fact that you can’t delete anything online once it has been published on the web, however hard you work at it. The following NYTimes article is only one amongts many: The Web Means the End of Forgetting – NYTimes.com. It often makes me think twice before posting anything here, or anywhere else. What if what I am about to put online will come back to me in years to come, and I’ll regret it. I am sure it has some consequences for new believers. They will always have reminders of their past lives coming back to haunt them.

But I find comfort in these words in Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. God knows all things about me, nothing escape His watching eye. But as a Christian I have the assurance that as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:1). But also: Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies (Romans 8: 33). The web may not forget, but God forgives.