[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 25/Aug/2024]
In last week’s edition of YOURS, one of the prayer points was for kindness, openness & acceptance across the UK, and an end to threats of riots and violence. We were asked to pray for all people who have been affected by the violence and hostility and to pray for a truly welcoming society. It ended with the plea “Heal our land, Lord.” (more…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during July 2024]
When Satan tempts me to despair or tells me of the guilt within …
As you look around on a Sunday morning and see all those super-saints worshipping God so confidently are you ever tempted to echo the words of a song rooted in a certain period in American history?
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
[This reflection by Martin Shorey was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 14/Jul/2024]
This August I will have been at Horley for 7 years! How that time has flown, marked by how tall my son is getting (who was only a bump when we first moved). It will also be 13 years for me as a Baptist minister. I love my job, with it’s ups and downs, and joys and frustrations. I was unsure at first whether this was what God as calling me to, but I can look back and see how God has guided and blessed me since I made that step 16 years ago to pack my bags and head to Bible College. (more…)
[This reflection by Dazz Jones was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 02/Jun/2024]
Our Role in God’s Divine Plan
Prayer can be such a mysterious thing to take part in. We can often treat it like a request list, or perhaps sometimes even give it a little bit of a superstitious edge, for example, we could be guilty of using prayer as a way to start and finish our get-togethers or meals out of some feeling of necessity or formulaic duty above the reason of just wanting to include God in what we’re doing and remember his goodness. If it becomes more ritual than relationship, how is it any different to a sports player simply touching a picture of Jesus before they run out onto the pitch and expecting God to bless them? Prayer is all about intention and relationship, we hope it becomes habitual and reflexive, yes, but it cannot become robotic. (more…)
[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 12/May/2024]
During a recent ‘Connect in Faith’ house group meeting, the internet connections went awry and the songs that had been prepared could not be projected and played.
The following day in church, I met one of the regular attenders, a friend, whose smile is usually so welcoming, you have no choice but to give him a hug, but not that day. He looked quite sad, and the smile was nothing near its usual, brightness. He just said it had been quite a difficult week. (more…)
[This reflection by Dennis Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 12/May/2024]
I’ve been thinking about labels – the things we stick on people. The judgments we make about others without bothering to get to really know them. Sometimes it’s just because we’re too lazy to make the effort. Sometimes it’s more serious: we actually self-righteously set ourselves up as judges! (more…)