In June and July, I preached a series at Welcome Church called “The Generous Life”. Together we explored how we can steward our finances with faith, grow in generosity, and reflect the generosity God has shown to us.
During that series, we shared that although our church has doubled in size over the last five years, our staff team had actually shrunk—a significant challenge for a growing church.
We asked you to step out in faith with your giving, and you did. The number of people giving regularly has grown by 27%, and for us that is a game changer.
Please remember: Welcome Church is a charity. Everything we do—both for those who are part of our church and for those who are not—is funded by your generosity. There’s nowhere better to invest your money than into God’s church!
A Huge “Thank You”
Some of you…
Increased your giving – thank you
Are new and jumped straight into giving – thank you
Moved from giving occasionally to giving regularly – thank you
Between April and October this year, our giving increased by 18% compared to the same period last year. Praise God for His provision, and thank you for standing with us in faith.
Because of your generosity, we are now able to move ahead with expanding our staff team, and are delighted to announce four new employed roles:
1. Operations Manager — 3 days per week
This key role supports the full range of our operational activities, with overall responsibility for the management and support of all food-related ministries—especially our Community Grocery and our kitchens.
Closing date: 4th January 2026
2. Finance Manager — 3 days per week
This role ensures the accurate, transparent, and compliant management of our finances. You’ll help our leadership steward our resources wisely, meet charity regulations, and provide clear reporting to the Senior Leadership Team and Trustees.
Closing date: 4th January 2026
3. Children’s Ministry Lead— 3 days per week
This role leads our Children’s Ministry across all age groups from birth to Year 6. We’re looking for someone who can shape excellent children’s ministry, build strong teams, create safe and welcoming environments, and help our children to encounter Jesus, grow in their faith, and feel at home in church. This is a role for a leader of leaders.
Closing date: 5th December 2026(Please note the earlier date)
Youth and Young Adults Pastor — Full Time
This role carries responsibility for the leadership and discipleship of our youth and our fast-growing 18–30s community. We’re looking for a strong, dynamic leader to help shape how we engage, pastor, and disciple the next generation. This will be a significant leadership role for our church.
Closing date: 4th January 2026
How do I apply?
Please click this link for full details on each role and how to apply. You’re also welcome to get in touch for an informal chat, or to come and visit the church if you’d like to find out more.
A Few Encouragements for Those in Welcome Church
There are four things I’d love us all to do:
1. Continue stepping out in faith in your giving Your generosity makes all of this possible.
2. Share these opportunities Spread the word to anyone you think would be a great fit, and share the roles on your social media.
3. If you apply, hold it lightly There may be many applicants but only one position for each role. If you’re not successful, please don’t allow that to affect how you feel about your church or cause you to withdraw.
4. Pray with us Ask God to bring the right people into each of these roles.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
The redevelopment work on Church Gate continues day by day with roofers and electricians making great progress. I’ve found myself singing along to their radio a few times in the office!
We wanted to share an update on some of our grant applications, much of which Dub shared in his talk last Sunday called, “Why Love Must Fight For Justice” – if you missed it, do have a listen.
To date we’ve received the following grants:
Benefact Trust: £80,000
Garfield Weston: £30,000
Laing Family Trust: £20,000
Woking Healthy Communities Board: £8,000
Total: £138,000
We’ve been so blessed by each of these grants, and we’re deeply thankful — both to our incredible grants team, and to the organisations who have believed in this vision.
£138,000 is a remarkable provision!
Our Application to Your Fund Surrey
Many of you will know that we also applied to Your Fund Surrey (YFS) for support towards the Community Grocery, which will serve families in need across Woking. Our team worked incredibly hard with the YFS grants team and submitted a truly excellent application — originally for £497,000, later revised to £350,000 at their request.
The application met all the criteria, and the YFS grant team themselves recommended it for approval. However, despite that, the advisory panel — made up of nine Surrey County Councillors — decided not to award us the grant.
Their reason?
On a video call with Dub and Mike D (our Chair of Trustees) on Monday 6th October, a senior employee of Surrey County Council told us that the panel felt that the giving of Welcome Church — £2 million raised in just ten months for this project — was raised “too easily” and that we could therefore raise the rest ourselves.
That was hard to hear! Not because we doubt God’s ability to provide — we’ve seen Him do amazing things — but because this project is forecast to directly help around 1,000 local families struggling to afford food. We had hoped Your Fund Surrey would chip in towards helping us meet that need.
We also know that the £2 million given by our church family was raised quickly, but it was not raised easily. It came through deeply sacrificial giving — every pound representing someone’s personal generosity and faith.
We’re left to ask: Has justice been served here?
Our response: Faith and Resolve
Whilst the decision is disappointing, our response is simple: when others step back, we will step forward. We are a people of faith, and we serve a God who provides. Our confidence isn’t in any council or grant provider, but in Him — the One who never fails.
So we’re going to do what we’ve always done: trust God, give generously, and continue to serve our town. We’ll fund this project ourselves, because it’s what we’re called to do. Families will be helped, lives will be transformed, and Jesus will be glorified.
So, let’s continue to give faithfully and generously to the church and to the Church Gate project. Please don’t wait for a special Gift Day — let’s keep being generous all the time, just as God is generous towards us.
By the way, if you’d like to share your thoughts about the decision you can contact your Surrey County Councillor – but please do so graciously. (And please note: this is nothing to do with Woking Borough Council , or our local MP who has actually been very supportive)
Our Motivation
Ultimately, this project isn’t about funding or fairness, it’s about Jesus’ call to love and serve those in need.
And when the Community Grocery opens, when families are fed, and when lives are changed, the glory won’t go to us – and it certainly won’t go to YFS or the council – it will go to Jesus, the One who is worthy of it all.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
This is my first week back in the Church Office after an unexpected absence, and my first blog post for a while too. Sadly, Jo and I have walked through a very difficult summer due to the death of our first grandchild, a little girl called Viola.
An Unexpected Loss
Jo and I were looking forward with great joy to becoming grandparents for the first time this summer. Our daughter Phoebe and her husband Nathan were awaiting the arrival of their first child – a baby girl they had already named Viola.
Phoebe’s pregnancy was full term and completely healthy, but on July 15th things went tragically wrong during delivery. Viola was born via emergency C-section with no heartbeat. It took more than 20 minutes to resuscitate her and, although she survived for a short while, there was severe damage to her brain and other organs.
Viola was with us for just seven precious days. Phoebe and Nathan held her, praying and singing over her as she went to be with Jesus. It has been a heartbreaking summer for us all. Even though we believe with certainty that we will see her again, the pain of her absence is deep and real.
Phoebe and Nathan have shown remarkable strength and grace throughout this ordeal and continue to do so. We were able to walk closely with them, firstly in the hospital and then afterwards as they stayed with us for four weeks after Viola died. Still, this loss has left a hole in our hearts and our family that words cannot fully capture.
“How Can We Help?”
We are deeply grateful for everyone’s prayers and support—it has meant so much. We especially want to thank our friends at Life Church Southampton. While we were far from our Welcome Church family, Life Church welcomed us with practical love: a place to park, a place to sleep, meals when we needed them, washing our clothes, a lot of prayer and so much care. Si and Chris also led a beautiful, though desperately sad, funeral service for Viola. We are so thankful.
Many people have asked:
“Other than praying, is there anything we can do to help?”
The answer is yes – there are two things:
1. Please don’t ask us “How are you?” Unless you are very close friends, family, or one of our pastors, we’d be grateful if you avoided this question. Anyone who has walked through grief will know how hard it is to answer. Honestly, we don’t even know ourselves how we are most of the time. That doesn’t mean we don’t want friendship or warmth, we need that more than ever, just please don’t put us in the position of trying to answer the unanswerable.
2. Consider donating in Viola’s memory. Phoebe and Nathan have set up a fundraiser for Ickle Pickles, a charity that provides essential equipment for premature and sick babies. Viola wasn’t premature – she was a full-term, 8lb 6oz baby – but she received care in the NICU alongside premature babies. Supporting this charity felt right to us all, and is a wonderful way to honour her memory. If you’d like to give, please click here and select “Southampton” from the drop-down menu.
Coming Back Into Worship
One of the hardest things for me since losing Viola has been worship. Some lyrics hit me with such force that I struggle to sing them, even though I still believe they are true.
Recently I struggled with this line, from a song we use at Welcome Church (and it’s a great song):
“I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. That’s why I trust him! That’s why I trust Him!”
Here’s the problem: if that’s the reason we trust Him, what about when we seek the Lord and He doesn’t answer – at least not in the way we hoped? What about when His answer feels like silence, or when His answer is no? Do we still trust Him then?
Of course, there are times when God answers our prayers in wonderful, faith-building ways, and in those moments, that lyric rings true. But if our faith is based only on God doing what we ask, it will not survive in a world where tragedies happen; a world where children sometimes get sick and die, and where brokenness touches us all. There’s a weakness in a faith that’s built on God answering our prayers in ways that we want, and shielding us from loss and tragedy.
It reminds me of the Psalms: not every Psalm is for every moment. Some are full of joy and praise, others are cries of lament. In fact, more Psalms are about pain and trouble than about victory. In the same way, not every worship song is right for every season, and that’s okay.
Here’s what I’ve realised: although God has answered my prayers many times in the past, those moments are not the ultimate reason I trust Him. The real foundation of my trust is what we remember at communion.
I trust God because He entered our world in Jesus Christ – fully man and fully God. He experienced suffering, grief, and loss. I trust Him because He bore our sin on the cross, and because He rose from the grave, giving us the promise of eternal life beyond the grave – a resurrection hope.
And that is my only hope for Viola in this moment of loss: that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, she is with Him now, and one day we will see her again. I will see her again.
It all comes back to the cross, the empty tomb, and the Saviour who’s gone before us. That’s why, even in grief, we can say with Paul: “We grieve, but not like those who have no hope.”
“That’s why I trust him! That’s why I trust him!”
Thank you for reading, and please don’t forget to consider giving in Viola’s memory.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
Last Sunday, we looked together at the rich and deeply challenging words of Romans 8 (if you missed it you can click here to watch or listen). My focus was on suffering, and the amazing hope we have as children of God, but as I studied the passage I was struck again by something else woven through Paul’s words: creation itself is caught up in this great drama of redemption.
Paul writes that “creation was subjected to frustration…in hope that it will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20–21).
Creation is groaning. Waiting. Longing. Just like us.
Romans 8 includes a powerful reminder that the gospel is not only about our personal salvation; God’s plan is to redeem all things. He made the world and called it very good (Genesis 1:31). Psalm 104 is a beautiful song of praise that lingers over the wonder and detail of God’s handiwork in nature. And yet, because of human sin, creation too has been broken, frustrated, and subjected to decay.
We see this brokenness all around us – in news of droughts, floods, pollution, species loss, or even just in the exhaustion of land and sea. And sadly, the people who suffer most from environmental damage are often the poorest and most vulnerable.
This isn’t just a political or scientific issue; it’s a gospel one. This is about loving what God loves, caring for our neighbour, and longing for the full redemption of all things.
This is really a worship issue.
So what can we do as a church?
One simple step is to pray! Here are a few ideas you could use personally or in your Life Group:
Praise God for His amazing creation – maybe take a moment to read Psalm 104 and thank Him
Pray for those most vulnerable to environmental damage, especially in parts of the world where many in our church family have their roots
Pray for governments and leaders making key decisions about the environment – for wisdom, courage, and justice. This includes policies here in the UK, as well as global agreements like the UN Biodiversity Convention (supported by The World Evangelical Alliance and also by Tearfund)
Thank God that one day, creation itself will be set free and made new; it means that we live in hope of the future restoration and renewal of all things
An Eco Church
As a church, we’re taking some small but deliberate steps to live this out too. Thanks to the hard work of Helen and others, we’ve already received a Bronze Eco Church Award—and we’re now well on the way towards Silver. If you’d like to be part of this or just want to learn bit more, please do get in touch with Helen directly.
Romans 8 reminds us that creation groans, but it also reminds us that this groaning is not the end of the story. One day, the whole world will be renewed. It will be liberated into the glory of God’s coming kingdom. Until then, we wait, we pray, and we care – for creation, for one another, and for the world around us.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
At the beginning of May, children from School Years 4, 5 and 6 gathered at Walton Firs for our annual Welcome Kids Weekend Away.
Harriet wrote an encouraging update for us:
“The weekend away is always a wonderful occasion, where children spend time getting to know each other, getting to know the leaders and, most importantly, getting to know God. All the children left on Sunday very tired, but excited to share with their families the wonderful time they’d had.
“This year our learning focused on Psalm 23, and the characteristics of God. Inspired by these words, the children were encouraged to write their own Psalms which not only moved the leaders but also encouraged other children. Many of these Psalms were shared during our worship time which was truly wonderful.
“As well as our meetings, we also had a time each morning where we would gather as a group and delve into God’s Word. Our ‘Start the Day with Jesus’ session is one way we try to encourage our children to learn about spending time with God, equipping them for their own walk with Jesus.
Activities
“At Walton Firs, we are incredibly lucky to have a wide range of activities that the children can take part in. This year, we saw them climbing high ropes, stacking crates, completing obstacle courses (blindfolded!) and for the first time ever competing against each other to build structures that can withstand the weight of their team. On our first evening, we had a campfire, sang songs and toasted marshmallows. On our second evening the children danced the night away at our silent disco.
“As always, the children behaved brilliantly, and fully immersed themselves in all the different activities on offer. One of the best things for me was seeing them fully engaging in worship and coming up to share their own prayers.
It Takes a Team
“The Kids Weekend Away wouldn’t happen without an amazing team of servers who volunteer their time and encourage the children in developing friendships, sleeping away from home, pushing themselves in activities, and worshipping God & reading His Word. As a church we’re blessed to have such a wonderful group of servers who give up their time for this annual weekend. (And by the way, if you’d like to get involved in serving Welcome Kids, do let us know!)
“Finally, a huge thank you to all the parents and carers who brought delicious cakes for us to share across the weekend—these are definitely a highlight, not just for the children but for the leaders as well!“
A Big Thank You
On behalf of the whole Welcome Church team I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who put in their time and effort to make the event happen. What a blessing to have this event available for our kids.
I’ve added some photos of the event to give you a feel for what went on:
Save the date
Our Kids Weekend Away happens every year, so if your child will be in School Years 4, 5 or 6 in September 2025, make sure you save the date. Next year’s dates are: 22nd–24th May 2026. Booking details will be available nearer the time.
Feel Like You Missed Out?
If you feel like you missed out, or just wish you were young enough (or old enough) to go yourself, don’t forget that our Welcome Church Big Weekend Away takes place in August this year, at Braggers Wood in the New Forest, and that’s an event for all ages. All the details you need for booking can be found by clicking here. We still have a few places left, but don’t leave it too late to book!
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
Spring is in the air, daffodils and crocuses are appearing in the garden, and it will be March on Saturday. As we come to the end of February, here are a few Welcome Church Updates and prayer requests to keep you in the picture:
Grant Applications – some good news
Our grant application to Your Fund Surrey, who we are applying to for funding towards launching our new Community Grocery, went in last week. We received over 1000 positive comments on the Your Fund Surrey website, which we were very pleased with.
Here is a word cloud we received from Your Fund Surrey about the comments people made:
And here is a Pie Chart showing how positive people felt:
The application is for just under £500,000, and we will hear back about it in June. Please pray for a positive outcome.
In the meantime we also applied to an organisation called The Benefact Trust, who are a Christian grant funder. They replied very quickly with a “YES”, and we received a cheque from them this week for £80,000. This is a wonderful encouragement and a sign of God’s provision for us as a church.
We are looking at some other grant funders now too, and would love to raise £800,000 in total from grants, so do pray for this whole process.
Big Weekend Away
This month we opened the booking for our Welcome Church Big Weekend Away which takes place on the Bank Holiday weekend in August – Friday 22nd to Monday 25th August 2025.
Roughly half of the available places have been booked so far, so don’t delay booking – you could miss out. When it’s full it’s full!
The weekend away takes place at Braggers WoodCamp Site in the New Forest. We have the whole place to ourselves this year.
You’ll get to enjoy connecting with others from Welcome Church over delicious meals (all included), fun activities, day trips, or simply relaxing in our marquee. We will also seek God together as a church family, enjoying times of worship and teaching, and looking at what it means to belong to His family. We’d love to see you there; there is something for everyone!
This Sunday morning, 2nd March, we will be baptising people at our 9am and 11am meetings. We’ll be baptising a total of 8 people, 4 in each of our meetings.
Baptisms are always a great moment to celebrate what God is doing in our church and a great opportunity to invite friends to church too.
Please be praying for all those getting baptised this weekend.
We have had some interesting contacts so far, but please don’t hesitate to share this opportunity far and wide. In the mean time we would really value your prayers that God leads us to the right person to fill this key vacancy.
Some other employment opportunities will follow as the year goes by, so watch this space for those too.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
Chris here – Steve has kindly allowed me to take the Christmas reins of his blog this week in order to follow up my talk on Sunday about Jesus as the Word of God. If you didn’t hear the message you can catch up here.
Colossians 3:16 says,“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God”. We want to be a church in which the word of Christ dwells in us richly, and I’m sure many of you individually would want to aim to make 2025 a year where God’s Word takes greater prominence in your life.
However, given that there are so many resources available, it can be difficult to know where to start, or difficult to know where to go next. So I’ve put some recommendations together to resource you in making plans for being in God’s Word more in 2025. This is in no way an exhaustive list, but hopefully a helpful starting place.
“But I’m not much of a reader…”
You’re in good company. Engaging with God’s Word and building your life upon it is not reliant on you being bookish, academic or studious. The Bible was predominantly heard, not read, for much of the church’s history. So if you’re not a big reader, don’t write yourself off, there are loads of resources that can help you, including an increasing number of audiobook versions of the Bible. It’s also important to remember that feeding on God’s Word is not all about the reading, just as eating involves more than just shoving food in your mouth! Memorising, reflecting, discussing with others, and most importantly, applying God’s Word to our lives are key to feeding on “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).
Something for everyone
Whether you’re someone who is new to reading the Bible, or you’ve never had a regular practice of reading the Bible, or you’re a seasoned reader looking for a restart or a fresh challenge, these resources might be a great place to start…
Bible-in-a-Year & other reading plans
A structured programme of reading can be an invaluable help to get going with the Bible. Reading the Bible in one year will take you roughly 10-15 minutes of reading per day, which is manageable for almost everyone. The most famous plan is the Robert Murray M’Cheyne reading plan, developed by the 19th Century Scottish Pastor. You can print the plan and use your own Bible, simples! You’ll read sections from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs, which helps when reading through trickier sections of the Bible (hello Leviticus!).
However, if you want a ‘one-stop-shop’ reading plan in a book, you can buy a Bible split up into the reading plan for each day of the year. The One Year Bible makes this very easy to follow, and it comes in various translations – more on that below!
However, my personal preference is for a 5-day reading plan, rather than a 7-day reading plan. I’ve found it helpful to have the weekends to catch up any readings I’ve missed without feeling guilty or worried that I am ‘getting behind’! Five-Day Bible Reading is a free resource that structures this for you, and is one of the most popular plans around.
If you know you can commit to reading for a bit longer, I thoroughly recommend a long-form reading plan. These lead you through the Bible in shorter timeframes, meaning you’ll read for between 30 mins – 1 hour a day. On a 5-day reading plan, 12 chapters a day will get you through the Old Testament in 90 days, and 6 chapters a day will get you through the New Testament in 60 days. The benefit with this approach is that you make rapid progress (which is encouraging!), but also that you read the Bible in bigger narrative units, enjoying the full scope of each book, and enabling you to pick up on the big picture themes of each book. You can find various plans online that take this approach, like this New Testament one here.
Finally, if you fancy reading in your own time at your own speed, but would really like to track your progress through the Bible, this is a great resource to print out and keep inside your Bible cover.
Which Bible translation is the right one?
There is no one translation of the Bible that is ‘right’. The Bible was not written in English, and so we rely on Bible translators to be able to understand God’s Word in our mother tongue. However, translation is not straight forward, as anyone in our church who speaks multiple languages will tell you, especially when it comes to idioms, phrases, sayings, poetry and prophecy!!
So what’s the difference? Mainly it’s in the approach each translation takes and what they are hoping to achieve. Some Bibles aim translate the original text on a word-for-word basis, like the English Standard Version (ESV). These are better if you are doing a close reading of a passage or book, but do tend to be harder to read, as they are aiming for a literal translation rather than a text that reads intuitively.
Other Bibles aim to translate the meaning of the text on a thought-for-thought basis, like the New Living Translation (NLT). These sacrifice some accuracy on the individual words, but are much more fluent to read and are generally easier to understand, because the emphasis is on capturing the meaning of the text.
Right in the middle of these two approaches sits the New International Version (NIV), which is the version we tend to use on a Sunday, as if offers you the best of both worlds. If you don’t know which one to read, just read the NIV!
Everyone loves Eugene Peterson’s ‘The Message’, which I highly recommend, and consider a work of genius by a highly esteemed pastor and artist – but just remember that it’s not a ‘Bible translation’ in the strict sense, as Peterson allows himself a lot of freedom in communicating each text he transliterates.
Devotionals
A different way of engaging with the Bible is to use a devotional, which gives you a Bible verse each day, as well as a short reflection written by a pastor or author, that helps you reflect on the verse. A devotional resource is really a ‘jumping off point’, that helps you get going before the coffee has hit your bloodstream!
Me and Sarah have enjoyed dipping in and out of The Way of Wisdom by Tim & Kathy Keller, which is a highly insightful way to read, discuss and pray through the Wisdom writings. The Kellers also wrote a devotional called My Rock, My Refuge which walks through the Psalms. A classic devotional is My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, as is The Promises of God by Charles Spurgeon, or you could look at Everyday Gospel, by Paul David Tripp, which tracks alongside a Bible-in-a-Year reading plan. The very talented and inspiring Jackie Hill Perry has recently published a 60-day devotional called Upon Waking. I’m sure there are hundreds more that others could recommend, so please don’t be offended that I haven’t mentioned them all!
A devotional is no substitute for reading the Bible yourself (don’t outsource – you can do it!), but it can be a really helpful tool for reflection and applying the Bible to your life. God wants us to live by his Word, and to grow closer to him through his Word, not just become more knowledgeable of his Word.
Bible Studies
If you’re looking go deeper into one book of the Bible (rather than further through the scope of the Bible), you’ll probably want to pick a book and read a more in-depth commentary on it, to help you see beneath the surface. We should not expect the Bible to be simple to understand all the time – it is the most profound book ever written! Many of its riches are buried beyond what first meets the eye and a skilled pastor or author can help you see what you’re not already seeing.
I’ve found these two series of study books enjoyable, readable and helpful in going deeper, as well as applying the Bible to everyday life.
If you’re looking for a different global perspective on the Bible, I would highly recommend Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, who brings together Middle Eastern interpretation and insights that are eye-opening.
Memorisation, Q&A and AudioBibles
I have found memorising Scripture to be a game-changer for how God’s Word comes alive in me. I first came across the Topical Memory System many years ago, which I inherited from someone, somewhere, in a tatty old version of the book. The idea is simple: you are given 2 verses each week that are connected thematically (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 2:20), and you are helped to memorise those verses with tear-out cue cards.
Once memorised, you can then spend time reflecting on the verses, and gradually over the weeks you build up your own internal library of Bible verses. Here’s the irony: I’ve never got very far into the weekly plan! Maybe 2025 will be my year?! However, what I can confidently say is that all of the verses that I memorised years ago I can still remember now, and they are still benefitting my walk with God. Once you’ve really learnt a verse, you’ve got it for life. There are other versions of this book, and other books about the science of memorisation, but if you want to keep it simple, stick a verse on your fridge/bathroom mirror/child’s forehead, and try to memorise it through the week!
Alternatively… There is a different kind of memorisation approach that the church has used historically to teach Bible beliefs, (rather than Bible verses), called ‘catechesis’, an odd word which simply means ‘question and answer’ teaching. A ‘catechesis’ is a set of 50-150 questions and answers that cover the key teachings of the Bible as a whole. Here’s an example from the very famous Westminster Shorter Catechism:
Q:What is man’s chief end in life?
A:Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever
You learn the question, and the answer, and then reflect/discuss the content.
Because these catechisms come from a different era, their language can be an obstacle for a lot of people, but there has been a renaissance of this memorisation approach recently and this year I’ve dipped into the New City Catechism Devotional, which is highly accessible and superbly put together, with a Q&A for each day, and some devotional writings, ancient and modern, alongside. Lovely stuff!
Finally there are an increasing number of superbly produced audiobook versions of the Bible. The ESV online platform is truly impressive, offering not just one audiobook, but your choice of a range of different readers, including Michael Reeves, Ray Ortland, Kristyn Getty and Jackie Hill Perry. It’s like the old days of sat nav where you could choose your voice! David Suchet has done a version of the NIV on audio, which comes as both a whole bible, or in the Bible-in-a-Year format. You can access this on Audible, Spotify, Apple Music or buy it hard copy online.
Mobile-Bible or Phoning it in?
On Sunday I was a bit disparaging of Bible resources that are available on your smart phone! I’m aware that for some people they really enjoy and rely on excellent resources that they access on their phone. The YouVersion Bible App is completely free and has been downloaded by a bazillion people, and has all kinds of reading plans to help you make progress. Personally, I use the Logos Bible App, because it syncs well with other digital study resources that I use.
However, my pastoral concern about smart phone resources is a fairly obvious one. Smart Phones are distraction centres and highly addictive, and our society is gradually waking up to this reality, especially in managing young people’s use and access. Wisdom therefore should tell us that if we want to spend more quality time with God in his Word, we will put the phone out of reach and pick up a hard copy Bible that will not notify us of anything else that is going on in the world!
Research has shown that to stop your brain thinking about your phone it needs to be put away, in a drawer or a bag. It’s insights like this that make me highly skeptical of a Bible reading plan that relies on me using my phone a lot. I just don’t trust myself! That’s not to set any kind of rule for anyone else – perhaps you’re a commuter and you find using your phone the best way to remember your reading for the day – crack on I say! But let’s be wise and remember our aim is not simply convenience or ticking a box, it’s communing with the Living God!
Reading with Kids
Lastly, I just wanted to add a section here for those who are raising children and might want to think about doing something new as a family, or 1-on-1 with a child.
Kids Bibles come in different forms. Some are Bibles i.e. they are fully translated versions of the whole Bible. Others are Storybooks, where they tell the stories of the Bible in contemporary English that is child-friendly. Both of these approaches are excellent resource for young readers.
For a Kids Bible, I would highly recommend the NIrV version, where the ‘r’ stands for ‘readers’. It’s the NIV translation, but rendered in such a way for young readers or those for whom English is a second language. It’s highly readable for children, and comes in various forms. You can buy the plain text like this, or a far more exciting illustrated version like this.
For a Storybook Bible, I love the Jesus Storybook Bible, which is also available on audiobook, read by the marvellous David Suchet – a ‘classic’ in my house, find it on Spotify, Audible etc. Then there’s Kevin DeYoung & Don Clark’s The Biggest Story which is stunningly written and illustrated, and I’ve heard people enjoy the Action Storybook Bible which is laid out like a comic strip.
For memorisation and Q&A, there is the Topical Memory System for Kids, and there is also a New City Catechism for Kids, which comes in a tiny little book and is about £2! These would definitely require more parental involvement, but that can be a great source of fun and a challenge to do together.
May God bless you as you read his Word in 2025, and remember that God really wants to speak to you – you don’t need to twist his arm! God has spoken to us through Jesus, let’s be eager to listen to him this year.
Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox
Steve Petch's Blog 