Just had a look at this trailer for a new video coming out of the Centre for Public Christianity which we hope will be shown on the TV over the Easter period. It is a film about the life of Jesus, giving a reasoned defence for believing the story.

It would be a good thing to mention to friends to watch. It is down for April 10 (Good Friday) at 1pm in Sydney. Let's hope they screen it in Melbourne too.

Promoting the Gospel

A few years ago I bought this book by John Dickson. It is a great read about the whole range of ways people in churches can promote the Gospel. We are not all evangelists, but we can all be promoters of the Gospel, through - our answers to questions, our good living, our giving financially and our prayers - among others.

On Tuesday night, I head John speak on this topic. It was a fantastic address, full of encouragement and hope for ordinary Christians in the way they can be involved in promoting the Gospel every day. Speaking from what he described as the 2 most paradigmatic texts on Gospel promotion - Colossians 4:2-6 and 1 Petr 3:14-16.

He made 4 points:

1. Prayer is the most basic gospel promoting activity. All of us can be involved in winning the world for Christ through prayer.

2. All believers are to speak up for the Lord, when asked. This is our duty to have an "answer for the hope within us". (1Peter 3:15)

3. Allegiance to Christ is the greatest motivation to speak of him. That is - the antidote to our coyness about speaking about Christ, is knowing Him, and being sold out for him.

4. We need to live lives that are worth questioning. Do we so live that people ask us about our hope.

I think this is very liberating and helps us think carefully about how we are going to see Spiritual Renewal in our city.