Introduction What is your picture of the gospel? Doubtless it is affected by your personal spiritual biography and formative spiritual experiences. Is it possible that your view could contain an incomplete or even distorted view of the gospel? For many, the gospel is mostly about forgiveness, going to heaven, and avoiding hell. Is that all? Today is part 1 of two classes designed to refresh and expand our view of what the gospel is, and what it means for us today. 1. Good News The...

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 517 | New Creation Series — Part 9 | “New Creation - New Spirit” | Malcolm Cox    Introduction: Reflecting on Our view of the Spirit  “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 11:19 NIV11) Ezekiel made this remarkable prophecy many centuries before the time of Jesus. On the day of Pentecost, Peter sees a connection between these prophecies, the words...

Teaching Tip 360 | “Plain Speaking - Speak With Life” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  What does it mean to ‘speak with life’? Well, does your lesson have ‘life’ in it? Does it contain a spark? If so, it will fly from your mouth to your listener’s heart and set it aflame. What does life look like in a speaker? Enthusiasm.  Bercot shares three healthy expressions of enthusiasm...

 Quiet Time Coaching Episode 516 | New Creation Series — Part 8 | “New Creation - New Picture of the Gospel, Part 2” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction  A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’.  Introduction: Reflecting on Our view of the Gospel  What is your picture of the gospel? Doubtless it is affected by your personal spiritual biography and formative spiritual experiences. Is it possible that your view could contain an incomplete or even...

Teaching Tip 359 | “Plain Speaking - Listening to your Listeners” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  In the previous episode, we explored eye contact. What does this have to do with listening to our listeners? As Bercot says, ’When you make eye contact with your listeners, you’ll soon find that they’re communicating back to you.’ 75  How does this help our speaking...

Sean St. Jean brought us a deeply moving and assuring lesson based on: Matthew 6.27 ““And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” As he said, "Life is fragile. Anxiety is inevitable. Worry is not." 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:...

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 515 | New Creation Series — Part 7 | “New Creation - New Picture of the Gospel, Part 1” | Malcolm Cox Introduction A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’.  Introduction: Reflecting on Our view of the Gospel What is your picture of the gospel? Doubtless it is affected by your personal spiritual biography and formative spiritual experiences. Is it possible that your view could contain an incomplete or even distorted view of the...

Stefan gives us the reasons behind why it's important that we are a new creation. 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:...

Teaching Tip 358 | “Plain Speaking - Eye Contact” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  In the previous episode, we explored conversational preaching. What part does eye contact play? As Bercot says, ’None of us enjoy conversing with someone who rarely looks at us.’ 72  How do we maintain healthy eye contact? Look at people. Make eye contact with specific people - briefly....

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 514 | New Creation Series — Part 6 | “New Creation - New Picture of Self” | Malcolm Cox Introduction A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’.  Introduction: Reflecting on Our Inner Image Have you ever seen yourself on video? I first saw myself on film during a preaching training session.  Questions flooded my mind: Did I really stand like that? Was my face contorting in such a way? Why was I staring at the floor while...

What is my picture of myself? Introduction - Do you like how you look? Have you ever seen yourself on video? How did you react. I'll never forget the first time I saw myself on film. We had a preaching training session. Each of us gave a short presentation while being videoed. We received immediate feedback from the people present, but were asked to watch ourselves on the video later. I was shocked. Did I really stand like that? Was my face actually contorting in that way? Why was I staring...

Teaching Tip 357 | “Plain Speaking - Speak Conversationally” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  In the previous episode we explored being ourselves when speaking. As Bercot says, ’The ultimate expression of being yourself is speaking conversationally.’ Why does this matter, and how do we do it? Domination is deadly. Have you ever been at a party where you’ve been cornered by...

Exploring Our Picture of God What is your picture of God? We're diving into deep stuff today: Our impressions of God and how they affect us. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and see how our views of God have evolved over the years. Childhood Impressions Remember when you were a kid? For me, God seemed distant and holy, except when I thought about Jesus. He made God feel closer, more like a friend than a distant deity. As I got older, the hymns and anthems I sang at church started...

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 513 | New Creation Series — Part 5 | “New Creation - New Picture” | Malcolm Cox Introduction A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on the topic of ‘A new creation’. New Creation - New Picture Exploring Our Picture of God: A Journey of Understanding and Healing What is your picture of God? We're diving into deep stuff today: Our impressions of God and how they affect us. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and see how our views of God have...

Introduction QUESTION: Smell, touch, hearing, sight, taste - which sense is most important to you and why? 1. Death Smells Bad  A. Lazarus, Jesus “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.”” (John 11:39 NIV11) Spices needed:  “Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance...

Teaching Tip 356 | “Plain Speaking - Be Yourself” | Malcolm Cox  Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  Are you trying to sound like someone else when you speak? Please don’t. You have a personality for a reason. Be yourself.  Reading the public teachings of Jesus and Paul, it is clear they spoke differently. If the book of James is a collection of sermons as many scholars think, they also ‘sound’...

Sense of smell In terms of the number of distinguishable stimuli, our sense of smell can detect thousands of different odours. Additionally, smell is closely linked to memory and emotion. During the COVID epidemic many sufferers lost their sense of smell, and speaking for myself I’ve occasionally experienced phantom smells - quite often dog poo! What do smells have to do with Easter? Death smells bad Perhaps you remember Martha’s comment when Jesus ordered that the stone blocking Lazarus’...

Sense of smell In terms of the number of distinguishable stimuli, our sense of smell can detect thousands of different odours. Additionally, smell is closely linked to memory and emotion. During the COVID epidemic many sufferers lost their sense of smell, and speaking for myself I’ve occasionally experienced phantom smells - quite often dog poo! What do smells have to do with Easter? Death smells bad Perhaps you remember Martha’s comment when Jesus ordered that the stone blocking Lazarus’...

Paul Smith was our visiting speaker in Watford for Palm Sunday. He gave a fascinating insight into the triumphal entry to Jerusalem made by Jesus the week before he died. 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]. If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines,...

Teaching Tip 355 | “Plain Speaking - your speaking notes” | Malcolm Cox Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on chapter 2 of the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  Different philosophies exist about the value or otherwise of using notes when you speak. What does Bercot think? He follows this process: Type up a detailed sermon outline Print it off and read it through making sure it makes sense Highlight key points (words) of the...

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 511 | New Creation Series — Part 3 | “What is a Spiritual Life” | Malcolm Cox Introduction A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on the topic of ‘A new creation’. QUESTION: What is a 'spiritual life'? A 'with-God' life that effects an on-going transformation towards Christ-likeness through the power of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3.18 “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being...

A New Creation, Matthew 20.29-37 —  New Sight Introduction What is the question? Who does God accept? Rich law-keepers? Ethnic Israel? Leaders? Associates? What is revealed? About God? About Jesus? About following Jesus? “As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even...

Teaching Tip 354 | “Plain Speaking - rousing introductions and conclusions” | Malcolm Cox Introduction Here is your 2-minute tip based on chapter 2 of the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.  "The introduction and conclusion of your sermon are like the appetiser and dessert of a meal.” Although a starter and a pudding are optional, they certainly add something special to a meal! A good introduction needs to accomplish two purposes according to...

In this class we explore the way Jesus models the new creation life. He is interruptible for the sake of those who need his help. Matthew 20. 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...