Back in 2017, I received an invitation from the Queen to join her at Buckingham Palace. I turned her down. Why? Because I’d already heard her on the radio. I’d read her written messages. I’d seen her on TV plenty of times. That was enough for me. Seriously? Of course not! Lizzie and I went there with a great sense of privilege, anticipation and honour, and had a wonderful time. Now, what is on offer today, to all of us, is not a personal invitation from the Sovereign of a nation, rather one from the Sovereign of the Universe, the […]
Category: Sermons
Who Do You Say I Am?
In a talk for a local church last Sunday, I was asked to look at this passage and the question Jesus asks of His disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’ If you agree with what Peter answered then the implications are huge. Do take a listen. You can also listen to the sermon or download the audio recording. Some Quotes Oswald Chambers: Is God going to help himself to me, or am I so taken up of my conception of what I want to make of my life? CS Lewis: “Anything which isn’t eternal is eternally out of date” […]
Down with the Kids!
I invite you to listen to this last Sunday’s sermon, it’ll challenge you to the core! We had a powerful time… Watch the sermon: Listen to the sermon below or download here. Jim Wallis writes: “The danger of secular fundamentalism is its allergy to spirituality and disdain for anything religious. Prophetic religion is the antidote to bad religion. Prophetic faith is not the battle between secularism and faith, but rather between cynicism and hope. Prophets begin in judgment, social critique of status quo, but end in hope – that those realities can be changed. It’s a spiritual choice. Ultimately, cynicism […]
Love Bites
Have you ever had a love bite?! No, I’m not talking about the hickey variety… Below is last Sunday’s sermon from St Mark’s Battersea Rise as part of their series ‘Love Justice’. After so long in lockdown, it was lovely to be back preaching in the flesh. Have a listen, it’s challenging stuff: Here are some quotes that I shared: Anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Edmund Burke: “All that it takes for evil to prosper is for good people […]
Wake up NOW to the Satanic Lullaby!
Can you hear it? Let me explain. An extraordinary phenomenon has taken place over the last few years in Iran – or, to give it its full title, the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the context of the strict application of Shariah Law and in a climate of severe persecution for anyone who converts to Christianity, a steady stream of people are risking life and limb in their declaration of allegiance to the way of Jesus. To become an apostate of Islam is extremely costly, and there are plenty of documented cases of rape, imprisonment and torture of those brave […]
Lockdown Encouragement!
I just recorded this talk and sent it out to a number of churches. If you fancy a listen, may it bring you some encouragement through these difficult times… God bless you loads, cheering you on in the Spirit! Simon PS Lots of folks have joined the Choose Life Big Church 365 Read, and it’s easy to sign up for, with a weekly vlog to further encourage folks. Here’s the link: glo.org.uk/chooselife
Wartime Walkie-Talkie or Domestic Intercom?
The world we are living in is nuts, and only getting more nuts. Most people, however intelligent, are seeking rational explanations. But the truth is, there aren’t any. I genuinely think most of us in the West are so blind to spiritual realities that we have an awful lot to learn from other worldviews.I was cleaning up my computer and came across this talk given in 2017. I’d never posted it. But I found that all the more after a short time of living back in the West I needed to hear it. I think it’ll do you some good […]
Come Down!
‘Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.’ (Habakkuk 3:2) Sunday’s sermon at Holy Trinity Cheltenham can be viewed below. The covid limitations and seating restrictions were a little strange, but it was good to be back in a church, and we had a powerful time. Below is some of what I shared: A few years ago I flew to the Hebrides to speak at a number of meetings. It was great to go to places I’d read about from the 1949-52 revival there, and even talk […]
How Long Will This Epidemic Last?
“My belief is that when you’re telling the truth, you’re close to God. If you say to God, “I am exhausted and depressed beyond words, and I don’t like You at all right now, and I recoil from most people who believe in You,” that might be the most honest thing you’ve ever said. If you told me you had said to God, “It is all hopeless, and I don’t have a clue if You exist, but I could use a hand,” it would almost bring tears to my eyes, tears of pride in you, for the courage it takes […]
My Failed First Relationship and then Finding True Love…
Gini was my first love (or should I say lust?). It didn’t work out well, much to my chagrin… I was given 5 minutes as part of 24-hour speaking event, and this is what I came up with. Feel free to pass on to folks who could do with hearing it. Next steps? Over lockdown I’ve been looking at the Alpha Course. Short videos that are so clear and helpful. Here’s the first one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBMMD5C0k-s
The Gospel Call – Urgent, Costly, Precious
William Booth’s last speech to the Salvation Army ended with this: “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight. While little children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight. While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight. While there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight – I’ll fight to the very end!” Greetings! The above and below are a few of the stories I shared in this talk […]
The Adventure of Calling
My life motto is John 10:10 where Jesus says: “I have come that you might have life, and life to the full.” This talk on the Adventure of Calling was given a few months ago in North Carolina. It definitely applies to all of us, and is worth a listen. Below I’ll paste a few quotes that I included: If you want the adventure of calling, you have to COME: Claim God’s promisesObey God’s instructionsMaintain faith in God’s leadingEmbrace risks for God’s glory “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road […]
Faith in Word and Deed
A vicar was too busy to help a desperate homeless lady needing help. He fobbed her off with a promise to pray for her. She wrote the following poem and gave it to a local Shelter officer: I was hungry,And you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.I was imprisoned,And you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release.I was naked,And in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.I was sick,And you knelt and thanked God for your health.I was homeless,And you preached a sermon on the spiritual shelter of the love of God.I […]
Lockdown Talk for Schools…
A few years ago, Fenn Chapman, a 16-year-old from Rugby School, flogged some techy gear to raise some money, and then flew to the Bahamas during term-time. Reporters got wind of it and knew it would make a good story. One of them eventually tracked him down on the beach and asked Fenn why he did it. Fenn replied: “I started thinking about the rest of my life: university, a job, buying a car, getting married, a mortgage, and then dying. I thought there had to be something more to life than this. So I had to get away for […]
Top 10 Tips from 20 Years in Burundi…
One US lady was sharing her testimony in Francophone Africa. She wanted to say in French that her past was divided into two parts. Instead of ‘passé’ she said ‘derrière’ (behind, backside). She went on to say that one part of her butt was black, one part was white, and between the two there was a great chasm! Greetings to you all in lockdown (or not) wherever in the world. This is a talk I gave at a missions conference in North Carolina called New Wineskins (https://newwineskins.org) a few months ago. Grace and peace to you, Simon
Forget What’s Gone, Now Press On!
1st talk: One Thing I Ask2nd talk: One Thing You Lack3rd talk: One Thing I Know And finally the 4th talk: One Thing I Do, click on here to be encouraged to ‘forget what is behind, strain towards what is ahead, and to press on towards the goal to win the prize…’ Download audio (mp3) Below are some juicy quotes that I used which are worth cogitating over: “When God forgives, He forgets. He buries our sins in the sea and puts a sign on the shore saying, ‘No Fishing Allowed’.” (Corrie ten Boom) During the Truth and Reconciliation hearings in South Africa […]
What’s Your Story, Blind as a Bat?!
What’s your story? I was driving along one of the most dangerous roads in the world with my team. Many had been killed in ambushes on it. Yet we talked away cheerfully, having total assurance that our mission was worth the risk. Next to me in the front seat, Etienne looked across and said: “Simon, isn’t it exciting? We’re immortal until God calls us home!” This is the 3rd talk in the ‘One Thing’ series I gave recently at Lee Abbey. 1st talk: One Thing I Ask2nd talk: One Thing You LackAnd now 3rd talk: One Thing I Know Download […]
Living with No Regrets
In 1910, William Borden went to Yale University as an undergraduate and afterwards became a missionary candidate planning to work in China. When he made his decision to invest his life in this service, many of his friends thought him foolish. He had come from a good family. He had wealth and influence. “Why are you going to throw away your life in some foreign country,” they asked, “when you can have such an enjoyable and worthwhile life here?” But William Borden of Yale had heard the call of God. While in Egypt, on the way to China and even […]
Worrying about a lot of $£%@!
The Gospel according to Hollywood sometimes nails it. In the film City Slickers, starring Billy Crystal and the late Jack Palance, they are riding slowly across the range on horseback, discussing life and love. Palance plays a wily cowpoke, while Crystal is a tenderfoot from Los Angeles who has paid for a two-week dude ranch vacation. Of course, he gets more than he bargained for, and in the process, Crystal learns something important about himself. Listen carefully to their slightly edited conversation: PALANCE: You city folk. You worry about a lot of $£%@!, don’t you? CRYSTAL: $£%@!? My wife basically told […]
Confidence, Comfort, Challenge…
‘We believe…’ series, ‘in the resurrection of the dead’ – Revelation 21:1-8 Do click on the above link to listen to a recent talk I gave at Holycross on Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina. Belief in the resurrection brings confidence, comfort and challenge. Below are a few of the juicy quotes I shared: Dallas Willard: “We should not think of ourselves as destined to be celestial bureaucrats, involved eternally in celestial ‘administrivia’. That would be only slightly better than being caught in an everlasting church service. No, we should think of our destiny as being absorbed in a tremendously creative […]