Monday, April 10, 2006

Hope puts a spring in your step

Last night we finished a series on What Christians Believe, rounding it off with hope - what is it that Christians are hoping for? And what difference does it make?

I think it's fair to say we had a good evening. The discussion was lively and the conversations I had after the service were very encouraging.

I think what pleased me most was the fact that people wanted to continue to think about these issues, read the scriptures I recommended and follow up other material. It's heartening when some are saying - I think rightly - that Christians appear less inclined to think about their faith, to find a group of people keen to have this kind of conversation in church.

What was most heartening of all were the numbers who indicated how exciting they found the Christian hope that we outlined. And what kind of difference it might make to the way they live their lives in a world teetering on the brink of despair.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

More good stuff dude, keep it up! We must get together some time, after lent, I've given up beer believe it or not.

simon said...

Hey phin, I too have given up beer for lent - doing Thirst for life in fact. But it would be great to get together after Easter. Have a good one.

simon said...

Hi Dan, sorry if I gave the impression of things being black and white - not my intention at all. The final clause, I guess, is shorthand for saying that people generally in our culture don't have much hope for the future. The days when people generally thought that things were getting better seem to have gone. People talk gloomily of the rise of violence, the rise in the cost of living, the pensions crisis, global warming and a host of other things that makes them sound as though there's not a lot to hope for. That's what I meant. Sorry for the confusion...