Malcolm Cox

This Friday I’m starting a new class series for younger speakers in the Thames Valley churches of Christ (http://www.tvcoc.org/) . Recently I posted asking questions about what younger speakers would like to learn about and what more experienced speakers would like to have known when they started out. I’m very grateful for everybody who provided feedback. Today’s teaching tip is inspired by a response from Alberto Rioja who posted the following on my YouTube channel:

"One tip I would give: Prepare yourself as much as possible, dominate the subject and let God use you. The preparation is not something for us to perform as robots or memorising the lines, but for us to dominate the subject and be sharp tools for God to use us. Use bullet points, and let God do His work with you :)” 

(I have done little editing since English is not his first language)

I like the phrase, “dominate the subject”. What does he mean?  Is he advocating jettisoning your notes? Someone once did suggest to me that the ultimate goal in preaching is to not use notes. Let’s think about this.

Did Jesus use notes? Did Paul and Barnabas? Is it the goal to not use notes?  Paul and others wrote letters which were read out in churches as, effectively, lessons. 

“After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” (Colossians 4:16 NIV11)

“I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.” (1 Thessalonians 5:27 NIV11)

The point is not to have notes or not, but to be in a position to not need them. After a while. After much experience. 

What I believe Alberto is pointing out, quite correctly, assuming I have his intention properly understood, is that preaching and teaching is not about information transfer. In other words it’s not from my head to your head. Perhaps it’s not even from my heart to your heart. But, instead, it’s from my life to your life. The Bible is not a book, it is life.

“Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15–16 NIV11)

As I have mentioned elsewhere, those of us getting ready to preach a lesson in not so much preparing a sermon, as allowing the sermon to prepare us. A speaker prepared by their message is prepared to deliver their message.  How do we get there? Well, here are a few ideas…

Tips for dominating your subject/text:

Decide in advance

Start preparation as early as possible

Read in several translations

Read more than one commentary

Talk about it with other people

Pray through the text

Live the text/topic

As an example, let me comment on my next sermon which is coming up this Sunday. I’m speaking on Acts 16.1-5. Part of Monday’s prayer time was spent praying through how I might live it. Below is the text,

“Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” (Acts 16:1–5 NIV11)

Here are my living-the-sermon plans for the week ahead:

Do some ‘walking' with a disciple younger than I. Do some ‘ministry’ together and inspire vision in them.

Consider how I can become more “all things to all men” for the specific people God has placed around me.

Actively promote unity between congregations such that it will build stronger faith.

Those are my plans. What are yours for your next lesson?

Questions for today: “What helps you to dominate your subject/text?"

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

Sober Judgment

“I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” 

(Romans 12:3 NRSV)

Knowing our limits is one thing. Accepting them is quite another!  We are building a wildlife pond in our garden.  I lifted the turf for the hole using a hand turf cutter and spade. Having dug the hole, it was time to take off the turf around the edge in preparation for laying flag stones. In between we had several downpours. Now the turf was much heavier. Reluctantly, I accepted the need to hire a turf cutter. 

It was humbling to need the mechanical turf cutter.  It was humbling to need the help of a kind man at HSS hire to help me get the turf cutter into and out of the car. It was still more humbling to experience how difficult I found it to use the blessed machine as it slipped on the wet grass and I wrestled it around the hole in two concentric circles.

As you can see, the humbling was worth it. Carpet has been laid on the bottom, then underliner and finally the pond liner itself. The water butts have been emptied into the pond and, as it continues to rain, the water level is rising.

As I continue to contemplate the shifting in my role for the Thames Valley churches of Christ (which is in no sense a bad thing, and in many ways quite exciting), I am confronted with the limits of my time and energy. When we completed the first consultation/workshop the list of possible areas in which I could be involved clearly created enough work for five people!

The problem is, I would like to do all of it. One of the challenges with this process is in letting go of areas I find interesting and even meaningful. It must be that I and the church discover what it is which God desires me to focus on. Of course this is a need for all of us who follow Jesus. There are so many things are positive, meaningful and interesting. Yet, we have limited energy and time.

Please pray for me as I find the courage to accept my limitations and let go of whatever is not needed at this time. And pray for wisdom for yourself that you would also see where God is saying "yes", and where he is saying "no".

I offer my recordings this week in the hope that they will keep you connected with Jesus and effective at proclaiming his love and truth.

The podcast summary contains a reminder of what’s been posted on my site this week. I.e. the usual TTT, SS & QTC. To watch/listen to any posts, just head over the the website (https://malcolmcox.org) .

Prayer requests

Please pray for what I have written above - that we will soon have clarity about the details of my refined role in Thames Valley.  In addition, please keep me in your prayers as I continue to prepare the teaching series for January and February as well as the teaching day on the Sermon on the Mount.

Thank you for reading this far, and encouraging me in my endeavours to support our times of quiet with God, our corporate worship experiences, and the effectiveness of our preaching and teaching.

If you know anyone who might enjoy these materials, please send them a link to my website (http://www.malcolmcox.org) and encourage them to sign up for this newsletter.

God bless, Malcolm

Koinonia is a key element in Christian community. Where is this word found? And what does it mean?

Koinonia: To contribute; to have in common, share, Heb. 2:14; to be associated in, to become a sharer in, Rom. 15:27; 1 Pet. 4:13; to become implicated in, be a party to, 1 Tim. 5:22; 2 Jn. 11; to associate one’s self with by sympathy and assistance, to communicate with in the way of aid and relief, Rom. 12:13; Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:15*  participate in; share.

sharing (13x)  G2842 (19x) [Mounce Greek Dictionary]

Let’s consider the most important use of the word for our purposes connected to corporate worship:

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing (koinonia) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing (koinonia) in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17 NRSV)

Paul’s point, amongst others, is that, since we share in Christ, and we share in the wine and bread (communion), this makes us one body (local congregation). Thus we should participate in our gatherings in a way which glorifies God, edifies the members and reveals God to non-believers.  That’s unpacking much of the rest of 1 Corinthians which we don’t have time for here. For our purposes, the thing to note is that oneness in the body implies connectedness of participation in our times together. We are not 'attending church', but sharing in a gathering. We are not singing a song, but sharing a song.

That’s what all of us who helped to coordinate and lead corporate worship desire. Participatory connectedness. What the Bible would call koinonia. However, we know that this does not happen as often as we would like.  Let’s have a brief conversation about what to do when participatory connectedness does not happen.

Let’s list some of the obstacles to koinonia:

Habitual late arrivals

Members seated far from other members scattered around the room

Uneven access to lyrics of songs

Un-dealt with sin between one Christian and another

Personal hidden sin

Hidden fears, doubts confusion and anger towards God

Misunderstanding around the purpose of corporate worship - i.e. the sense that the personal experience is the most significant element.

I daresay you can add many of your own observations. And please do so in the comment box below. From this we can see that some of what it takes to develop koinonia is about practical preparedness, and some of it is about pastoral involvement.

 Some questions to myself and all of us leaders of corporate worship:

Are you having conversations with the habitual late arrivals? Talking to find solutions, not to condemn, of course.

Do you encourage members to move and sit close to each other, and give a healthy reason as to why?

If you are using projection, are the lyrics visible and is the font large enough? If you are using songbooks or song sheets are they being distributed well? If you notice people squinting at the screen, are you having conversations about them getting an eye test or bringing their spectacles to church?

If you are aware of any unhealthiness amongst relationships in church, are you addressing them or engaging with people who could address them?

If you sense there may be hidden sin, are you praying and asking God to reveal it?

If you are aware of members who are struggling in their trust towards God, are you offering to pray for them, with them and perhaps sit down and listen to their practical challenges and heart struggles?

Are you teaching on the significance of offering all of ourselves as a body in worship, not just our individual voices/hearts?

Much more could be said here, but this is for starters. Here’s the key question for today:

"What do you find is the most helpful way to encourage koinonia-worship in your congregational setting?"

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

On Tuesday I took a morning to pray and talk things over with God. It was one of my monthly 'sabbath' days.  I went walking and praying in Denham Country Park (https://www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/visitor-centre/) . I picked the location for two reasons.  

The first was that it was a delightful spot with open countryside, rivers, a canal and wooded areas. The second was because it is close to the location for the group spiritual retreat I’m planning for March 2020. I wanted to go to the area, pray and ask God for wisdom and guidance in the preparation and planning of the retreat amongst other things. 

I certainly felt God answered my prayers. More on the retreat later, but something else also happened that morning. 

As many of you will know I am preparing a teaching and preaching series on the sermon on the Mount for the Thames Valley churches of Christ, as well as a teaching day on the same topic for the Watford Church of Christ.  As I wrestle with the study of and application of the sermon on the Mount, one aspect  which intrigues me is how to fully inhabit these beatitudes.  

I prayed about that challenge on Tuesday morning, and in doing so recognised that this is as much to do with being conscious of the presence of God as it is to do with the specific Beatitudes.  I decided to attempt  an experiment with technology to help me in my awareness of God being with me throughout the day. I set an alarm on my phone to go off every 12 minutes. Why 12? 12 apostles. 12 tribes. Enough said. 

Every 12 minutes the alarm went off, and I quoted to myself this verse from the King James version of Psalm 118: 

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 KJV) 

It’s a verse I’ve known since childhood. I probably learned it in Sunday school whilst singing the old chorus “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord hath made, that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it…" 

I continued this experiment all day until about 9 PM. Sometimes I said the words out loud. Sometimes I sang the song to myself and to God. At other times I said to myself in my head and my heart. Never did it failed to bring a smile to my lips. I will not be doing this every day. But it certainly refreshed me on Tuesday. 

There are more details on my experience in the podcast, so have a listen to that if you’d like to hear more about how this simple use of technology helped me to be more aware of the presence of God. 

Do you use technology to help you with your prayer life? I would like to know what you do.

------------------------------------------------------

RETREAT UPDATE

Now onto the latest progress with the retreat. In case you haven’t heard before, it’s booked for the final weekend in March 2020, 27th-29th March.  I won’t go over all the details now because they are contained in last week’s quiet time coaching episode (107).  

What I will say for today is that I’ve decided not put up a registration page. I realised that to go to all that effort for the booking of up to a maximum of 17 people didn’t seem proportionate! Instead, I will register you once you have told me you want to come and I have received a cheque or bank transfer for the cost of attending. 

I will put up a blog post on my website with all the details of the retreat as a specific place for people to go back to and check from time to time as things develop.  That should go live next week. 

In the meantime, if you would like to pre—register, please drop me a line via [email protected], or by phone: (07973) 491021. I will pencil book names given to me and confirm them when payment has arrived. 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

I heard someone say the other day that we should not compare ourselves to other people. Instead we should compare ourselves to who we were yesterday. There is much wisdom in that statement.  Especially when it comes to teaching and preaching in our church congregational context.

I don’t know who first said that comparisons are odious, but it goes back to at least 1440. Shakespeare used a comic version in his play, “Much ado about nothing” when he has Dogberry mistakenly say, “Comparisons are odorous”. Actually, perhaps they are. Comparisons leave a bad smell in your own 'nostrils’.

What’s the problem with comparing yourself with other speakers? Comparing yourself against someone with greater experience, or strengths where you have weaknesses, will only leave you insecure, feeling inadequate and, if you’re not careful, even angry.

You are not meant to be the other person. You’re not meant to speak exactly like them. You are called to be the best speaker you can be - and only you can be. We don’t hear of Paul, Barnabas, Apollos or others comparing themselves to each other. We see them being used in different ways according to their different strengths and experiences.

Standards

It occurred to me a few years ago (and I cannot remember exactly what prompted it), that, more broadly, discipleship is best seen as imitation and inspiration not as comparison to a standard. In other words, if Jesus is my standard I am always falling short. In this situation, Jesus becomes an impossible standard to attain, and becomes a source of discouragement. 

Instead, Jesus is my inspiration and someone whom I would like to imitate within the context of my own life such that I can reveal my discipleship to him and show others what it means to follow King Jesus.

Imitation

Imitation of another person’s good habits, techniques and even their heart can be a healthy perspective.  When the apostle Paul says,“Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” (1 Cor 4:16),  he is not telling the Corinthians that they should be exactly like him. He’s asking them to imitate his faith in the context of their own situation.

Now, all this to say, that as a speaker of God’s word, you are called to learn from other people, and to grow. But you are not called to be somebody else. Stop comparing yourself to that other preacher or teacher that you admire. Admire them if you wish. No harm in that. But do not make an unhealthy comparison.

On the other hand, do not let fear of comparison prevent you from learning from other people who have strengths where you have weaknesses.

Questions for today: “What helps you to learn from other effective speakers? What prevents you from unhealthy comparison but helps you to find inspiration?"

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

One in voice and joy

I enjoy singing when we have house church. That's probably what it was like for Jesus and his disciples - “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30 NIV11). 

It doesn't matter how big or small the group, the quality of our worship can remain the same. However, I have to say that occasionally singing with close to a thousand people or so is something else! That's what happened this last Saturday and Sunday at our UK and Ireland conference in central London.

One of the great joys in leading others in worshipful singing is the ability to see everybody. To see them singing. To see them moving. To see their smiles! It was my privilege to lead a couple of songs on the Saturday of the conference. It really was a privilege. The energy, the zeal, the overflowing joy was palpable.

Perhaps the reason this is so inspiring is because it gives us a glimpse of what it must be like in that other realm which will be joined to ours one day:

    “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

    “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

        to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

        and honour and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

    “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

        be praise and honour and glory and power,

                for ever and ever!”” (Revelation 5:11–13 NIV11)

It's not that one context for worship is better than another. Each has its place. But, it must be a healthy thing for a Christian who is habitually in a large group to occasionally participate in small group worship. And it surely adds something to our faith if we are in a small group to occasionally participate in a large crowd offering praise to God. Have you had the opportunity, or can you find a way to worship with a larger or smaller group than is normal for you? Seek it out. You will find it a blessing.

I offer my recordings this week in the hope that they will keep you connected with Jesus and effective at proclaiming his love and truth.

The podcast summary contains a reminder of what’s been posted on my site this week. I.e. the usual TTT, SS & QTC. To watch/listen to any posts, just head over the the website (https://malcolmcox.org) .

Prayer request

This week's prayer request is that by this time next week I will be able to fix a date for the spiritual disciplines group retreat. I have found what I think is a good venue (more in the section on that in the newsletter). Now I need confirmation of interest and then I will make a booking for March next year. Of course, if this is not God's will then I also need to hear that.

Thank you for reading this far, and encouraging me in my endeavours to support our times of quiet with God, our corporate worship experiences, and the effectiveness of our preaching and teaching.

If you know anyone who might enjoy these materials, please send them a link to my website (http://www.malcolmcox.org) and encourage them to sign up for this newsletter.

God bless, Malcolm

Something different this week. I spent Saturday and Sunday last weekend at our UK/Ireland annual conference in central London. I was privileged to participate in leading worship on Saturday evening, but on Sunday I was a humble congregant! I enjoyed being able to sing along with everyone else and not having any responsibility for a change.

I loved many things about the atmosphere, the content and the attitude with which the musical aspects of the worship were conducted. I took some video of the final song led by my old friend Morris Ximinis. He is a leader of worship I respect and who leads me into the joy of God like few other people can.

I have no comments this week, simply an offer and a couple of questions. I’m going to show you a clip of the final song, "I want to see Jesus lifted high”, led by Morris. Then I’d like to ask you what you see in this clip which you would consider to be healthy, admirable, worthy of imitation and the reason why the congregation responded with such enthusiasm. 

Now, if you’re listening to the podcast, you’re not going to see the visuals, but I think you’ll get something even from the audio. I would recommend, however, that you pop over to the youtube channel to watch at least that part of today’s recording (https://youtu.be/x-F-SdgIy8A) .

 So, to summarise with two questions:

What practicals do you see which you believe led to the song’s effectiveness?

What principles apply to where you are, given that your congregation’s corporate worship setting might be significantly different to what you see on the video or hear on the audio?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

I’m diving deep into Matthew 5-7.  it’s all in preparation for a teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley churches of Christ (http://www.tvcoc.org/) , and a teaching day for the Watford Church of Christ (http://www.watfordchurchofchrist.org/) based on the sermon on the mount. 

Today I want to bring you an overview of the Beatitudes based on chapter 8 of the book “Unloading the Overload: Stress management for Christians (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unloading-Overload-Christian-Managing-Stress/dp/189974617X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=%E2%80%9CUnloading+the+Overload%3A+Stress+management+for+Christians%E2%80%9D+by+Chris+Powell+and+Graham+Barker.&qid=1557228534&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0) ” by Chris Powell and Graham Barker. 

The podcast contains the full commentary on my thoughts of their approach to the Beatitudes. For these show notes, I’ll content myself with inserting the text of Matthew 5:3-12, and a few choice quotes from the book. 

““Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

         for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, 

         for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

         for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, 

         for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, 

         for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, 

         for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 

         for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.    

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3–12 NIV11) 

These beatitudes are effectively priorities for a follower of Jesus. Three stand out: 

Our relationship with the Creator-father. 

Our relationship with other people. 

Our relationship with our own self and our circumstances. 

Quotes from the book

Blessed (makarios) “carries a sense of unassailable wholeness.” 

“meekness Is a kind of compound quality which includes moderation, self-control and self-awareness." 

“We need to offload the pressures we put on ourselves by simplifying our lives and wholeheartedly pursuing the just, the good and the healthy." 

“We will not have makarios if we simply use people and love things, rather than use things and love people." 

“If we live expecting to receive from others, we will always be disappointed, but if instead we live giving to others a “womb experience” of deep emotional connectedness, we cannot be disappointed even if they do not respond." 

“Peacemakers seek resolutions, not the attribution of blame." 

"Jesus did not advocate social rebellion. He began an inner revolution that promotes a love of others and a gentleness of spirit, while giving all the glory to the father." 

Let me know what stands out to you from these thoughts today. How might digging into the Beatitudes help you unload the overload? In the weeks ahead I shall be posting more about each of the Beatitudes as I wrestle with them both in understanding, but also with application in my own life.

Retreat Report

I have found a terrific place for a group retreat.  last Friday I went to have a look at St Michael’s convent (https://stmichaelsconvent.sistersofthechurch.org.uk/home) in Gerrards Cross.  It’s secluded, quiet and has a pervading sense of peace. 

A pencil booking has been made for the final weekend of March 2020. That's the 27th-29th March. 

Schedule: Friday night to Sunday lunchtime. 

Maximum capacity is 17 people, which, if we took all those places, would mean we were the only guests at the convent.   

Accommodation: Bedrooms (3 Double, 2 Twin and 8 Single) are simply and comfortably furnished. Each room has a hand basin and three/four bedrooms have ensuite WC/shower rooms. Additional showers are mostly shared between just two guests. A bath is available on the second floor for those who prefer. 

The extensive gardens would give people opportunities for a stroll, prayer walk or simply to sit and read or meditate on God’s word. The house is very quiet, and includes a beautiful intimate chapel which we would be able to use as well as a meeting room.  

The location is easily accessible by many routes. Not far off the M25 and M40 and only a few miles from the M4. By Train: Marylebone to Gerrards Cross about 20 minutes. Also good service from Aylesbury, Oxford, Stratford upon Avon, Birmingham and Kidderminster via Chiltern Railways. Walking distance from the Gerrards Cross train station is about 10-15 minutes. 

The cost is £120 per person which includes full board for 48 hours, use of the meeting room and other facilities. The chef can make allowances for a wide variety of dietary needs.  

Next steps:  receive feedback and comments from you, my lovely audience, then make adjustments and set up a registration page. 

Watch this space. 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

Preaching and teaching without using your imagination robs your listeners of the power in God’s word.

It looks to me as if Jesus used his imagination in his speaking. Considered the parables.  Stories with a powerful point informed by Jesus’ imaginative reflecting on old covenant themes illuminated by new covenant realities.

This is on my mind because of a book I’m reading. This one is called, “Wilderness Time (https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Time-Guide-Spiritual-Retreat/dp/0060633611) ”  by Emilie Griffin.  it’s a book about taking a spiritual retreat, not speaking, but a point she makes under “The discipline of meditation” on page 28 caught my…er…imagination!

The section is too long to quote in the show notes here, so go and listen to the podcast or watch the video. But she makes excellent points connected with meditating on Mark 3:1-5. 

What helps your imagination come to life? How does it benefit your Bible study and speaking? What are the limits of using our imagination? Not too long ago I heard someone say that Jesus was tired and frustrated, when the passage he was talking about does not say so.  Is that legitimate? I imagine he imagined that was the case.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

The importance of not getting above ourselves

Last Sunday I had a fun experience. Bill plays guitar with our church in Walford, but he also plays tambourine on occasions with a band called "The Zimmermen" - a Bob Dylan tribute band. They play now and again at a pub called "The Horns" in Watford. I discovered they were performing last Sunday afternoon. Danny and I went along to support Bill as he played his tambourine with great vigour accompanying, of course, "Mr Tambourine Man".

The band were excellent. Energetic, tight, musically competent. Everything you could want. Yet there was something extra that made the event special. It was the atmosphere. An atmosphere of intimacy, closeness, connectedness and a lack of pretension. The pub was full of people. Quite a variety. Younger and older, tattoos, clean-skinned, porkpie hats, smart and casual, different cultural backgrounds, some sitting silently, others singing along lustily, some dancing (yes, I now know that it is possible to dance to Bob Dylan).

At one point the band took a break. But they didn't retire to a green room in splendid isolation. No, they mingled with the crowd, chatting and sharing a few laughs. The bassist invited younger people on stage to try his bass and drums. He even gave impromptu drumming and bass lessons. All that during his break. I was hugely impressed.

It reminds me of the value of small church - as we have it in Watford. In the pub the band had only a low stage. It kept them connected with their audience. In small church it's so important that we don't have barriers between us and one another. Our setup does not include a stage, but we need to constantly monitor whether the way that we are seated is helping to facilitate connection or weaken connection. The band were competent but not pretentious. In small church you can't get away with being pretentious.

What's the setup like where you are? Is it maximising connectedness?  I'd be interested to know your experiences of what helps and hinders that connectedness between not just those who are speaking or leading singing, but all of us in our collective worship settings.

I offer my recordings this week in the hope that they will keep connected with Jesus and effective at proclaiming his love and truth.

The podcast summary contains a reminder of what’s been posted on my site this week. I.e. the usual TTT, SS & QTC. To watch/listen to any posts, just head over the the website (https://malcolmcox.org) .

Prayer request

I have two dates which need to be fixed fairly soon. One is for the Watford teaching day on the "Sermon on the Mount". Could be mid-March. 

The other is a date for the first group spiritual retreat I'll be leading which is likely to be the end of March.  Please pray I pick the dates which work best for God's glory.

Thank you for reading this far, and encouraging me in my endeavours to support our times of quiet with God, our corporate worship experiences, and the effectiveness of our preaching and teaching.

If you know anyone who might enjoy these materials, please send them a link to my website (http://www.malcolmcox.org) and encourage them to sign up for this newsletter.

God bless, Malcolm