Category Archives: Church

Israel and church in dispensational teaching

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Foundational to dispensationalist teaching is the idea that Israel and the church are two distinct entities.

L.S. Chafer wrote:

‘God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to the earth with earthly people and earthly objectives involved which is Judaism; while the other is related to heaven with heavenly people and heavenly objectives involved, which is Christianity.’

Ryrie concurs:

‘A dispensationalist keeps Israel and the church distinct…This is probably the most basic theological test of whether or not a person is a dispensationalist.

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The church and Israel

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What is the relationship between the church and Israel?

Summarising Wayne Grudem on this:

Dispensational teaching is represented by Lewis Sperry Chafer: God has two distinct plans for Israel and the church:

‘God’s purposes and promises for Israel are for earthly blessings, and they will yet be fulfilled on this earth at some time in the future. On the other hand, God’s purposes and promises for the church are for heavenly blessings, and those promises will be fulfilled in heaven.

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Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19 – “This is my body”

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Mt 26:26 ‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.”’

Mk 14:22 ‘While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.”’

Lk 22:19 ‘Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.…

From Evangelicalism to Orthodoxy

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There has been a steady migration of prominent evangelicals – or, least, those with an evangelical background – into the fold of Eastern orthodoxy.

These include, here in the UK, Kallistos Ware, Michael Harper, and, in the US, Peter Gillquist, Hank Hanegraff and Mark Galli.

Evangelicals Now reports on Hope Church Halifax, which was affiliated to the FIEC and has now become St Hilda’s Orthodox Church.

One of its leaders, Deacon Caedmon Clark (formerly known as Doug Clark) has explained why they made the move:

‘We began to struggle when, as evangelicals, we came across clear statements in the Bible that were contradicted by the teaching of our evangelical tradition.’

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Acts 21:17-36 – Dealing with difference (sermon notes)

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[Notes of a sermon preached at St. Andrew’s, Eaton (Norwich) on 4th May, 2025.  The introductory questions were posed with tongue somewhat in cheek.]

Acts 21:17-36

Are you a Calvinist, or an Arminian?

Do you think that the universe was created in six literal days a few thousand years ago, or did it begin with a ‘Big Bang’ nearly 14 billion years ago?

Do you prefer to sing traditional hymns, or contemporary worship songs?

In the current crisis in the Middle East, are your sympathies more with Israel, or with Palestine?…

Living With Difference

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What follows is based on:

Jonathan Lamb, Essentially One: Striving for the Unity God Loves, Chapter 6 – ‘Living With Difference’

There will always be differences between Christians.

These may be:

  • cultural, having to do with social class, background, education, income, manner of dress or lifestyle.
  • historical, with tensions arising from past injuries, be they old family feuds, business failures, marriage break-ups or even hurtful remarks made many years earlier.
  • doctrinal.
  • individual, connected to differences of personality type and temperament.
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All those differences!

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[This post is a work in progress!]

According to Acts 21:17-26, when Paul and his associates arrived in Jerusalem they were told that some Jewish Christians were troubled by a rumour that Paul had been teaching that, upon conversion to the Christian faith, they must abandon their adherence to the law of Moses, stop circumcising their children, and give up various other Jewish customs.

Paul accepts a proposal that he demonstrate his denial of these things by publicy associating himself with a Nazirite vow that was currently being undertaken by four members of the Jerusalem church.…

Three ways of being ‘church’

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Back in the 1980s, ‘Church Growth’ thinking helpfully distinguished between three ways of being church.

(a) The Cell

  • based on weekly (often weeknight) meetings, membership of around 12
  • will have relatively close association with one of the congregations (e.g. members will typically attend, and contribute ministry to, the same congregation)
  • purposes: pastoral, praise, prayer, outreach, study, social
  • oversight by cell-group leaders, under Associate Pastor, under incumbent

(b) The Congregation

  • based on weekly meetings, attendance of around 30-100
  • meetings will typically be held on a Sunday, on church premises.
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Is there a Scriptural model for the public meetings of Christians?

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Here’s an essay I wrote back in 2000 as a basis for discussion amongs the preachers and worship leaders at my church, Holy Trinity Norwich.

1. Starting-Point: Scripture or Tradition?

Our starting-point should not be, ‘Where can we find scriptural warrant for our current practice’; but rather, ‘What form of public meeting might be suggested if we went back to Scripture and ignored, for a moment, what we have become used to?’

2. Scriptural Basis: Old Testament or New Testament?…

John Stott’s dream

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On 24th November, 1974, John Stott preached at All Souls Church, London on the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the church.

He concluded his sermon with a ‘dream’ (with apologies to Martin Luther King and his famous’ “I have a dream” message delivered a few years earlier).

I have a dream of a church which is a biblical church—

  • which is loyal in every particular to the revelation of God in Scripture,
  • whose pastors expound Scripture with integrity and relevance, and so seek to present every member mature in Christ,
  • whose people love the word of God, and adorn it with an obedient and Christ-like life,
  • which is preserved from all unbiblical emphases, whose whole life manifests the health and beauty of biblical balance.
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