Latest Blog Posts

Posted 9 hours 27 min ago

“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross. If he refuses the cross he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar, but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.”

AW Tozer

Parks And Gardens 1: My Eye On You

Posted 1 day 2 hours ago

The Christian Moon

Posted 1 day 10 hours ago

Rico Tice and Paul Bayes: a Different Religion

Posted 2 days 13 hours ago

Rico Tice, the public face of the Christianity Explored course, has resigned from Archbishop Welby’s evangelism group. He hits the nail on the head:

It’s a different religion. Bishop Paul Bayes [the Bishop or Liverpool] and I have a different religion and it’s around whether scripture is authoritative in terms of human sexuality.

Bayes recently declared that the Church of England needs to be more accepting of same-sex relationships. Tice continued his diagnosis, as reported by Premier Christianity website:

Sad Places: Old Langho Church & Brockhall Hospital Memorial

Posted 3 days 12 hours ago

I paid a visit to Old Langho this week. There’s not much there: a few farms, cottages, a pub and a redundant church.

Pauline in a Yellow Dress

Posted 4 days 12 hours ago

Pauline in a Yellow Dress doesn’t sound promising. It’s a portrait of a wife, the artist’s own. It was described by the Daily Mail as the ‘Mona Lisa of 1944’. At first this appears a little OTT, yet when beholding it, one becomes captivated with Pauline’s beauty. Even the little dog she holds gazes up to admire her loveliness.

Samlesbury Hall and its Witches

Posted 5 days 12 hours ago

I visited Samlesbury Hall this month. You’d describe it as a Tudor-style Hall with its black and white timbers, whereas it is really 200 years older. It’s a wonderful building and charges no admission to visitors, its owners instead hoping you’ll tarry for a meal in its restaurant or choose to marry in its hall.

Preston PWMI

Posted 6 days 12 hours ago

On Saturday night I attended the Preston Branch meeting of the Prophetic Witness Movement International, whose chief concern is Christ’s return. The preacher, a Doctor Boreland, had a reassuringly godly Northern Irish accent, as he expounded various passages of his Authorised Version. There were a couple of gospel appeals in the sessions, which I felt were mainly for my benefit; I was unknown to the speakers, I had come without my Bible and was casually attired. We were given special PWMI hymn books which I noted retailed for three shillings or fifteen New Pence.

Boring Interruptions and Leading Worship

Posted 1 week 11 hours ago

What do Bony M, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Hits of the Sixties and Best of Folk have in common? Answer: I’m sick of them all. Or, more accurately, of their particular CDs in my car. Due to inertia, I seldom change a CD, and generally play it to death, rendering its sounds repellent for the next 2-3 years. I therefore made the wise decision to instead employ radio to slake my musical needs whilst driving. I listen to BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. Both play lovely music yet manage to nark me in equal measure.

So Hard To Come By

Posted 1 week 1 day ago

I’m a bit busy at the moment, but you’re welcome to look over my shoulder, if you’re interested. Better still, you can pull up a chair and work with me. No, you can’t be all that busy or you wouldn’t be reading this.

You’ll need your bible and a piece of paper, or your laptop, or similar. I’ve got a reporter’s notebook handy, because I’ve been jotting down notes during the week, and I’m on my laptop.