God ordains our suffering
Something which we must all grapple with in life is the presence of suffering. We see it on the news. We hear of it on the phone with friends and loved ones. We experience it ourselves as we sit in hospital waiting rooms or examination rooms or when relationships fracture. When it comes, we seek […]
A way to study the Bible
One of the things that we seek to do here at Ardgowan Square is help people know how to read their Bibles. We do this for a few reasons. Besides attending things like training courses at Cornhill Scotland, there are resources that can help us to read the Bible on our own as part of a […]
The joy of song
“Music is a noble gift of God, next to theology. I would not change my little knowledge of music for a great deal.” Martin Luther As I write this on a Monday afternoon, I look back at last night’s HymnSing and am filled with joy. It was a great evening where we gathered to sing […]
Jesus cares about our Mondays
For most people, most of the time, Monday is a rough day. The daily grind begins after the weekend rest. Along with this comes the temptation to think that Sunday has nothing to do with Mondays or Tuesdays or Wednesdays. We spent a bit of time discussing this during our Fireside chat last night. Why […]
Do we really need to hear this again?
Week after week, Sunday after Sunday, we talk about the gospel at Ardgowan Square. We talk about who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and why Jesus did it. We talk about what we must do to be saved. We talk about how we can experience forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God and others, healing in […]
Why go through John’s Gospel?
If you were to ask random people on the street who Jesus was, you’d get answers like a good teacher or a prophet or a fiction. You’ll find his name addressed with reverence or used as an expletive. There are many ways that people speak about the gospel as well. Some think of it purely in terms of a style […]
a crisis of knowing
At Sunday Night Firesides last night, we were discussing how we can discern truth from error, where false beliefs come from, and what part the church can play in helping us to be more discerning. This is all the more important as the culture around us becomes more pluralistic, as technology progresses, and as ‘almost true’ begins […]
You have a role
God has a history of using people who appear, feel, or seem unremarkable in order to fulfill his purposes on earth. Abraham was a nobody in a foreign land. Joseph was the second-youngest son. Gideon was a nobody from an insignificant family in an insignificant tribe. King David was the youngest son. And we see […]
The root of resilience
In a world which is full of endless turmoil, terror, and trials, it is easy to think that the Christian life is just an endless slog. It is easy to think that each day is just another day of hoping for the best in the morning and trying to go to sleep while disappointed. This […]
The summer so far
Hard to believe, but we are already nearing the end of July. So far, we have enjoyed All Together Sundays as we look at the book of Acts. It’s been a real encouragement to see how God worked in the life of Paul as he went from chaos to prison to chaos. You can catch […]