HOW DO WE INTERPRET OLD TESTAMENT NARRATIVE? Our current series in Ezekiel is not really Old Testament narrative. Nevertheless, most of these helpful suggestions from Colin Adams still apply and are really useful no matter where we are in the Bible. He uses the book of 2 Samuel as his example.

EVANGELISM AS EXILES: If you have an e-reader, The Gospel Coalition are giving away a free book each week over the next several weeks. This week's book is 'Evangelism as Exiles', where Eliott Clark encourages the church using the letter of 1 Peter. I haven't read it, but it is worth a look. "Drawing on years of ministry in a Muslim-majority nation, Elliot Clark guides us through Peter’s letter with striking insights for today. Whether we’re in positions of power or weakness, influence or marginalization, all of us are called to live and witness as exiles in a world that’s not our home. This is our job description. This is our mission. This is our opportunity".

BORED TO DEATH: Written in 'Screwtape' format (in case you haven't read the C.S.Lewis classic and miss the references), here is a fictional letter from a senior to a junior demon discussing the spiritually numbing impact of digital distraction. "Do you see any change in your man these past months? He is not the same. He is being consumed by what he consumes — he drowns in innocent trifles. Though the content is not criminal, his mind dulls. His appetites shrivel. His finger-joints grow sore and his eyes ache from all the texting, scrolling, clicking, and watching. This pandemic has provided a tremendous opportunity — one a demon could not resist".

WHAT IF I’M NOT THE BEST AT ANYTHING?: Here's a short article that ends up with much-needed encouragement. "I took a workplace assessment once to determine my strengths and weaknesses and find better ways to integrate them with the strengths and weaknesses of my teammates. When the results came back, there was one thing that stood out about my strengths, and that was that nothing stood out..."