‘You can be lonely anywhere, but there is a particular flavour to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people.’ Olivia Laing – The Lonely City In her haunting book, The Lonely City, Olivia Laing explores the theme of loneliness, especially as experienced in urban contexts. Loneliness is not…
Tag: luke 8
Ground black pepper and holy robes
Two illustrations on Jesus, healing, and ritual impurity.
Healing in his Wings (Luke 8:40-56)
This weekend I preached at Christ Church Manchester, and in the morning I spoke on one of (or rather, two of!) my favourite stories in Luke’s gospel: the healings of Jairus’ daughter and a lady who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. It’s a remarkable passage, which demonstrates the heart of God, the power…
Unintended consequences of failure porn
I’m seven episodes into The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and my feelings are more mixed than before. Not particularly towards the podcast itself. I have some questions about particular editorial choices in the more recent episodes, but I still feel it’s an important project, generally well-executed, and a valuable though painful listen. But…
A Lesson on Listening: The Rise and Fall of David and Driscoll
My Bible in One Year (which is taking me considerably longer than a year!) has me struggling through 2 Chronicles. I’m nearing the end, and if I’m honest, I’m grateful! There have been beautiful moments and I’ve blogged about a couple of them. But all in all, I’ve found it hard going. And one of…
The Crown: A Parable of the Parables
Whenever I teach on Jesus’ parables, people ask whether they are intended to reveal his true message or conceal it? If I’m feeling in a sensible mood, I give a detailed answer. If I’m feeling more playful, I give this one… The question arises from the seemingly contradictory explanations in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and…
Consuming Fire: Good Soil (Mark 4:1-20)
Jesus tells a story about a farmer who sowed seed on different soils. In the first talk of 2020, Liam unpacks this parable, encouraging us to reflect on the state of our hearts, and surrender to the one who can make us truly fruitful. Listen or download Below is the prayer that we used at…
Liam Thatcher 