Resources

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One of the key elements in our rule of life is learning.     Much of that should happen in interactions with people, but some reading and study is always a good thing.   We should aim to be “loving the Lord our God with all our mind” – and doing something about that regularly.

The resources listed here are “safe”.  They don’t get political in a partisan way.   They don’t go to extremism, or strange teachings.   They are “mainstream”.

Get a Bible that works for you

Can we suggest the obvious place to start.  If you haven’t had a look yet – read the Bible.   

There are hundreds of translations available.

The Good News Bible – Easy to Read

The Jerusalem Bible – Nice literature

The Revised Standard Version – More academic translation

The Message  –  Contemporary Understanding –  (If in doubt start here for the first read – and then go on to one of the others.)   

If you haven’t read a Bible before – it’s a library not a book, written over 2500 years by all sorts of different people with different ideas and understandings.   By reading it you get to enter into humanity’s biggest (and ongoing ) conversation. St Augustine summed it up nicely as he prayed: 

“Two questions God – Who are you? And, Who am I?    

The Bible starts in the middle – with the stories about Jesus – and works out from there to the beginnings and the end of things.   So start with 

Marks Gospel – if you want the quick overview 

Luke’s Gospel – if you are into social justice, women’s place in things or miracles. 

Johns Gospel – for the philosophers.   

Matthews Gospel – if you want to understand the back story to Jesus 

Make sure you read all four before you go anywhere else.

The Bible

This is your “go to” place. They have everything from an overview to really great summaries and back stories to each book of the Bible. Lots of great video and animations. You’re going to love it.

Prayer:

Daily Prayer: Download the Lectio 365 app on your mobile. This is the way the whole community prays together at least once each day. Morning Prayer is a standard part for most of us. There are three guided prayer times available every day.

Lots of fantastic guides and explanations to get you started.

A quick overview of this “Christian Thing”

Following Jesus – the Manual

Start with the book – but the website from these people is also full of great resources. There’s a spiritual health check up that is worth doing, and an 8 week getting started course on the practices. Visit them at practicingtheway.org

Is real change in my life possible? I try. I fail!

These are friends of ours, and have a gift to get right down to the root of who we are, why that is so, and how we can move forward.

Spiritual Formation

Pulling it together

The biblical faith is amazing in how much latitude it allows us in how we think about politics, economics, morality, family, gender and a host of other hot button issues. This Kingdom we inherit is full of paradox, nuance and the opportunity to explore. Our goal is to try and hold one another near the centre of the faith – not going too far to the left or the right of the core.

Everyone has a “theology”. That is a series of assumptions and beliefs we apply to the way we read scripture and think about God. EVERY theology has problems. The Bible, reason, the practical outworking of ideas and the heritage of faith through the millennia ensure that whenever we come to a conclusion, there will be challenges to it. (That is why there are so many denominations.) The goal is to try and work out where the centre is and understand when we (and others) are majoring on minors.

In the current polarised world, where “a lie can go around the globe before the truth does up its boot laces”, it is critical we know what matters, and what does not. Which parts of scripture do we prefer over others. Where do we stand on the continua between the holiness and the love of God? The transcendence and the nearness of God? The things we already have in Christ – and what we have to wait for? Love and justice? Prayer and action?

This is a book that helped some of us find a core. There are others – but this one helped.

Lots more

Have a look at our book page to find some more specific resources about some of the themes that inspire, interest and concern Jesus’ followers. There is also a link to Ron Hutchinson Ministries. Ron has collected some wonderful, topical resources and his site is well worth a visit.