Malcolm Cox

I'm in the last stages of preparing for our church history module for AIM UK & Ireland coming this weekend. If you are watching this in time, please feel free to sign up for the classes on the 3rd of December. Even if you're too late for that, you can still sign up for the course and watch the classes online. https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history What does church history have to do with teaching of preaching? Church History helps us separate pragmatism and tradition from core teachings, and thus helps unity and prevents unnecessary division. Let me offer one thought based on the book, “Renewing God’s People” by Holloway and Foster.  The churches of Christ have been traditionally non-instrumental. Churches have divided over the issue. Where did this come from? The lack of instruments in the movement was not initially a scriptural issue and was probably more to do with its frontier nature.  “The first recorded instance of an instrument used in worship among the Stone-Campbell churches w

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13 NIV11) David’s statement is literally, ‘I am still confident’. He has this confidence despite how things look, not because the problems are resolved.   “Confidence: Scripture shows that confidence in God will never lead to disappointment. Out of the fifty-three references in Scripture to confidence, approximately half refer to the ability to have confidence in the Lord or one’s standing before him. Time and time again those who trust in the Lord see victory; believers can know that there is certainty and security in Christ. As Proverbs 3:25–26 states, “Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot

Registration is open: https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history  Why church history? Renewing God's People: A Concise History of the Churches of Christ, Gary Holloway and Douglas A. Foster - 13 short chapters - "Studying church history also helps us experience how faithful Christians in the past struggled to follow God in their own context." 10 Restoration of unified church so the world can be won.     - Thomas Campbell: The church is one body because Christians are, “subjects of the same grace, objects of the same divine love, bought with the same price, and joint heirs of the same inheritance.“ 43     - “to Campbell, the purpose of restoring the ancient order was not to be legalistically correct, but to make the church to school of discipleship and devotion to Christ that it was intended to be.“ 74     - The authors would wish to see us as "neither an exclusive sect, not a denomination alongside others, but a movement in the churches, and in society to call all people back to God through Chris

1. Paul the ideal representative of Jesus - a regenerate life v3: Snake: symbol of evil. Eden. Snake tried to kill Paul - a 'risen' man. Symbolic of the message of resurrection post-baptism (shipwreck)? v5: Shook off the snake - Jesus shook off death's curse snake and sea (two evils) have no effect on Paul. This new life is powerful v9: So many parallels with Jesus. see Luke 4:38-41 “Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” (Luke 4:38–41 NIV11) vv15-16: Paul escorted like an Emperor arriving victorious “T

Is the goal of relevancy necessary, helpful, or a curse? Today I offer some thoughts on sermons and relevancy prompted by the book, “The Givenness of Things”, by Marilynne Robinson. We speak of the sacred “My tradition places great importance on the sermon, and I go in hopes of hearing something that acknowledges this deep old human intuition, this sense of the sacred. Often I don’t hear any such thing, but sometimes, more remarkably, I do. A good sermon is a pure, rare, strangely unworldly gift.” 141 The Western environment in which I live over-elevates the solving of mystery which leads to an impoverishment of our spirits. I am glad the mystery of what causes pneumonia has been solved. But in our preaching God is someone more to be described than explained.  We speak of life and death “My church is across the street from a university, where good souls teach with all sincerity – the factually true, insofar as this can really be known; the history of nations, insofar as this can be faithfully reported

Registration is open: https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history Why church history?     - "For years I kept a cartoon on my study door. Students who stopped to read it often stepped into my office smiling. It encouraged easy conversation. It was a Peanuts strip. Charlie Brown’s little sister, Sally, is writing a theme for school titled “Church History.” Charlie, who is at her side, notices her introduction: “When writing about church history, we have to go back to the very beginning. Our pastor was born in 1930.” Charlie can only roll his eyes toward the ceiling." Shelley, Bruce L.. Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition (p. 1). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.      - 1. We can avoid repeating mistakes     - 2. We can learn from the wisdom of the past     - 3. We can get a vision for the future WHEN: 3rd December WHERE: On-line or in person in Reading WHO: Douglas Jacoby: Andy Boakye; Myself More on the content in next informational video Please add your comments on this week

Handout Class 4 | “Finding the Father’s Face” Series | Watford Men 2022  Matthew 6:9-13 ““This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven - Father-God is nearby - hallowed be your name, - Father-God is holy - your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.- Father-God is powerful, He is King of Kings and cannot be thwarted - Give us today our daily bread - Father-God is caring Our Father God is caring     - He provides - Psalm 23     - “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV11)     - Care about our bodies         - “…in the 1850s the average American slept 9.5 hours a night. By 1950 that number dropped to eight hours a night. Today the average American sleeps under seven hours a night.” Smith, James Bryan. The Good and Beautiful God (p. 33). John Murray Press.         - In what ways do we take care of our bodies?     - Care about our emotional/mental health         - In what ways do we take care of our emotional and mental health?     - Care abou

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  “Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.” (Psalm 27:12 NIV11) The prayer progresses (from vv7-12) through: i. Addressing God ii. Reminding God that seeking Him is His idea iii. A plea for acceptance iv. An appeal to the divine nature of His love v. A request for guidance and strength vi A desire for protection in a specific situation False…accusations Does anything feel worse that false accusations made publicly and with some semblance of credibility?  We have a spiritual accuser: “..the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” (Revelation 12:10 NIV11) David’s treatment is mirrored in that of Jesus, Matt 26.59; Mk 15.24, 29, 34; Lk 23.18, 25. Je

1. Inherited Flaws A. ‘Son of Shealtiel’ B. You are someone’s son/daughter 2. Circumstantial Flaws A. Zerubbabel  B. You are influenced by society, this world and people around you  3. Created Flaws  A. “I will take you”  B. You are responsible for your decisions  “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:7–10 NIV11) 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: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).  If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disci

VALUE THE DISCIPLINE OF SHORT LESSONS 1. Shorter is not always better:      - “And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.” (Luke 3:18 NIV11)     - “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”” (Acts 2:40 NIV11)     - “He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,”(Acts 20:2 NIV11)     - No formula 2. But speakers should master the art of speaking long, medium, short 3. My Format     - Context     - Verse     - Main point     - Illustration     - Application 4. Leave them wanting more 5. My experience     - Hard     - Practice the timing     - People asked me about the next one - were looking forward to it     - Could repeat back to me the main point 6. Conclusion     - Fill the heart/mind, not the time     - Most of the parables are short     - Experiment: how short can you go and still be meaningful? Please add your commen

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  “Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.” (Psalm 27:11 NIV11) Lead Me The path is revealed by God, but it still our choice whether to walk it. The contrast is between the way of sin/death and the way of obedience/life. These exhaust our available options.  “The path of life (Ps 16:11; Prov 2:19; 5:6; 10:17; 15:24) corresponds with the path of integrity (Ps 27:11), the path of uprightness (Prov 2:13), the path of justice (Prov 2:8; 17:23; Isa 26:8; 40:14), the path of righteousness (Prov 8:20). Conversely, one is to spurn the path of evil (Ps 119:101) for it is a false path (119:104, 128). To follow the path of truth and life is to follow God’s own path (25:4, 10; 44:18 [H 19]; 119:115, where the word is a synonym for God’s Torah; Isa 2:3).” p161 Theol

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY OF A BIBLICAL TEXT This is the first of three teaching tips on how to dig into a text from a literary perspective.  What is the literal , or narrative, perspective? "The basic method by which we are to study biblical narratives is simple: we are asked to __read__ them!  Most of us have grown up with the Gospels or Old Testament history as isolated stories. We have seldom sat down and simply read them through to catch the drama and power of the stories as they fit together to form a holistic panorama. [[Literary]] critics have developed techniques that will aid us greatly to perform a 'close reading' of the text and to note such features as plot and character tension, point of view, dialogue, narrative time and settings, all of which will enable the reader to detect the flow of the text and therefore the see the hand of God as he has inspired the biblical author to develop his story." Osborne, Grant R., 'The Hermeneutical Spiral' These tips are taken from Marlene Kropf’s book, ‘Preparing

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” (Psalm 27:10 NIV11) Even the strongest human love fails sometimes. God is different. We can count on Him to never give up on us, always hear our prayers and attend to our needs. David David had a personal faith/relationship with God - “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6 NIV11 It was not always corporate Israel that God saw as His ‘son’, but individuals as well. Something made clearer in the New Testament. Father and Mother “But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY OF A BIBLICAL TEXT This is the second of three teaching tips on how to dig into a text from a literary perspective.  What is the literal , or narrative, perspective? "The basic method by which we are to study biblical narratives is simple: we are asked to __read__ them!  Most of us have grown up with the Gospels or Old Testament history as isolated stories. We have seldom sat down and simply read them through to catch the drama and power of the stories as they fit together to form a holistic panorama. Literary critics have developed techniques that will aid us greatly to perform a 'close reading' of the text and to note such features as plot and character tension, point of view, dialogue, narrative time and settings, all of which will enable the reader to detect the flow of the text and therefore the see the hand of God as he has inspired the biblical author to develop his story." Osborne, Grant R., 'The Hermeneutical Spiral' These tips are taken from Marlene Kropf’s book, ‘Preparing Su

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  Psalm 27:9 “Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Saviour.” God’s nature God is ‘helper’ and ‘Saviour’. His nature is clear to David. What is helping you at the moment to develop a clear and balanced view of the nature of God? What have you discovered recently? Do not reject The implication here is that prayer can make a difference as to whether God turns us away and whether he will treat us according to His anger. Stephen states that “…God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.” (Acts 7:42)  Might this happen to us? We have an extraordinary promise: “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and wh

1. How does coming into my blessings (relationship with me) work? vv 10-13  A. Israel needed reminding that they did not make themselves holy B. God chose them, redeemed them, stuck with them through ups and downs  C. How did God first make you aware that the blessing of being a relationship with him was possible?  2. What has been your experience of my holiness? vv14-19a  A. You did not respect it.  B. I brought/allowed you trouble, but you ignored it to pursue your own priorities  C.What influences/tempts us to forget to respect God’s holiness?  3. What does your future look like now you have repented? vv19b  A. Currently no better than before!  B. But the future is promised to be better.  C. What does trusting God look like, here in Watford, practically, today?  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: [malcol

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY OF A BIBLICAL TEXT This is the first of three teaching tips on how to dig into a text from a literary perspective.  What is the literal , or narrative, perspective? "The basic method by which we are to study biblical narratives is simple: we are asked to __read__ them!  Most of us have grown up with the Gospels or Old Testament history as isolated stories. We have seldom sat down and simply read them through to catch the drama and power of the stories as they fit together to form a holistic panorama. [[Literary]] critics have developed techniques that will aid us greatly to perform a 'close reading' of the text and to note such features as plot and character tension, point of view, dialogue, narrative time and settings, all of which will enable the reader to detect the flow of the text and therefore the see the hand of God as he has inspired the biblical author to develop his story." [[Osborne]], Grant R., '[[The Hermeneutical  These tips are taken from Marlene Kropf’s book, ‘Preparing

Handout Class 3 | “Finding the Father’s Face” Series | Watford Men 2022 “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us…. Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, “What comes into your mind when you think about God?” we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.” A. W. Tozer Matthew 6:9-13 - “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Father-God is powerful. He is King of Kings and cannot be thwarted. Our Father God is Powerful Defining ‘powerful’. “When the Bible seeks to explain God’s holiness, it says that God is a “consuming fire”—a dangerous and terrible presence.” ‘The Possibility of Prayer’, John Starke“To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.”…“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.“…“..for our “God is a consuming fire.” Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29  Why does this matter? Isn't he already power

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm.  Now, on to today's verse.  “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:8) My heart It is his heart that is seeking God, not just his mouth. He is not relying on his use of words. Words can be cheap, but when they are matched by the heart we pray with an authenticity that moves God’s heart. Seek his face  The implication is that David is reminding God that He has invited David (and all humankind) to seek Him, therefore David is only doing what God wants him to do.  In that spirit he is expecting a reply to his prayers. What does he want?  Your face “To “see the face” is to gain acceptance to one’s presence (Gen 32:20; Esther 1:14; Acts 20:25). The face of Moses, because he had been in the presence (before the face) of God, shone (Ex 34:29; 2 Cor 3:7). The devout live as if in th

“HAPPY HARVEST!” | Lev 23:33-43 1. Sukkot: Lev 23:33ff (Soocoat) 2. Jesus, Jn 7:37-39  A. Water from Siloam B. Light of the world, Jn 8:12  C. Vision  3. Transformation  A. Transformation was Jesus’ vision  B. How is our transformation going?  C. Decisions  Conclusion, Jn 19:31-37  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: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).  If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).  Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.  “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)  God bless, Malcolm