preaching and ministry training

Devoted to prayer?

Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry] November 2023 Peter Adam Dear friends, Are you devoted to prayer? The first Christians ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread…

Repentance in slow motion

Note that repentance is not remorse. We repent to God when we acknowledge our sin, and turn from it. In remorse, we feel sorry for ourselves. Or, in modern public life, express sorrow that others…

Leaders, labourers, learners?

Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry] August 2023 Peter Adam Dear friends, Leaders? Leadership is in crisis in our world. Our world is full of bad examples of leadership. We have many different bad…

God’s promises, our only hope

Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for godliness and good ministry] July 2023 Peter Adam Dear friends, One of my favourite books is John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress: it is full of wonderfully vivid characters, who are just…

The Devouring Lion

Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry] June 2023 Peter Adam Dear friends, ‘Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’ [I Peter 5:8]. No wonder: Though God…

Reimagining your relationship with God

Peter Adam Personal relational prayer with God in the Bible. [You might like to reflect on whether you pray prayers like these! You may feel them, but do you pray them?] Pause between each one,…

Using the Bible to reimagine your prayers

Peter Adam Charles Spurgeon was once asked ‘Which is more important, to read the Bible, or to pray’? [Silly question]. Spurgeon replied, ‘Which is more important, to breathe in, or to breathe out?’ I don’t…

God is at work, when we pray! [3]

[Part Three] Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry] April 2023 Peter Adam Dear friends, In Part One of this series in February, I reminded you that God is constantly at work in our world…

God is at work, and don’t forget it! God’s word [2]

Paraklesis [‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry] March 2023 Peter Adam Dear beloved friends and fellow-workers, God is at work! Last month I showed you that God the creator and sustainer of the universe is…