South Featherstone Gospel Hall

  I was puzzled as I was thinking about today’s topic in Philippians 4, because it just said, “The Lord is near”. Whilst that is a word of encouragement in itself, knowing we always have His presence and care, it seemed to be out of context with the rest of the passage, which concerned with very practical Christian living. But then I read on to the next instruction that Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing”. The two statements then fit together, why should we be anxious when the Lord is near because He can calm any fear. His presence removes any need for fear or worry because He has us in His hand. The psalmist in Psalm 23 could say, ‘I will fear no evil’ because if our heart is totally given to God and all our trust is in Him, then whatever happens in our life, we know that we need not worry. Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church 

  Genuine Love in Action – Romans 12:9–21 Dear Friends, Romans 12 turns from the great truths of the gospel to the practical shape of a life that has been transformed by mercy. After calling us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, Paul now shows what that looks like in the cut and thrust of ordinary relationships. Verses 9 to 21 are not a loose collection of slogans. They are a portrait of love that is genuine, costly, and Christlike. Paul begins with a searching command: “Let love be genuine.” The word means without pretence. Love that is only words, only Sunday smiles, or only affection for those who like us, is not the love God requires. Genuine love hates what is evil and clings to what is good. It is not sentimental. It has moral backbone. That love then works itself out among the family of God. We are to love one another with brotherly affection and to outdo one another in showing honour. The church is not a club of equals competing for status, but a family in which w...

  Continuing thinking about Paul’s closing exhortations in Philippians 4, the next challenge Paul issues as he writes, “Let your gentleness be evident to all”. This is not an exhortation that we expected to find as it seems to have little spiritual content, but we are wrong in every respect if we think that. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the meek’. Meekness and gentleness are very related, and our Saviour never exhibited a harsh spirit despite much temptation and enmity from some of the Jews. We only read of Him exhibiting righteous anger once when he cleared the Temple of the traders. Even at His trial, He did not lash out at His accusers and perfectly fulfilled Isaiah 53.  I feel I am particularly deficient in gentleness, and sadly, we have seen over the years many examples of harshness within the church and such an attitude, even if only momentarily exhibited, does not glorify God and has a deeply negative effect upon our Christian testimony. Even whe...

  The passage we will be looking at over the next few days is Philippians 4 and it contains the most spiritual advice in the shortest number of verses. It commences with a challenge and builds on from there. The next challenge Paul issues as he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord, again I say, rejoice”. Whenever an instruction is repeated, it is an indication that it has extra importance. Here the word is ‘rejoice’. When the Lord was ministering on earth, if he began some teaching with ‘Verily, verily… ‘ it indicated that it had double importance, and here also when ‘rejoice’ is repeated, then we should sit up and take notice. The first time I read this passage, I misread it because I thought it said, ‘Rejoice, again I say, rejoice’ and I couldn’t see how, with all life’s problems pressing in upon us, we could be asked to constantly rejoice. But the key words as in yesterday’s message are ‘In the Lord’. Without those words, we could never comply but with those words, the instruction takes...

  The passage we will be looking at over the next few days is Philippians 4 and it contains the most spiritual advice in the shortest number of verses. It commences with a challenge and builds on from there. The challenge Paul issues as he writes, “Stand firm in the Lord”. The word ‘Standing’ in the Bible can on many occasions be linked to inactivity, almost a reprimand. However, bearing in mind the teaching Paul has passed on to the church, and the warnings that he has given to all the young churches about false teachers and false doctrines, the definite thought here is not inactivity but rather resistance to anything not taught by Paul.  I have been watching pictures of flash floods in Nepal and the sheer rush of water was beyond belief and no-one could have withstood the rush which swept away everything in its path. However that is exceptional and we will never be called upon to withstand such force spiritually. Note that Paul doesn’t just say, ‘Stand firm’ but gives us the...

  The passage we will be looking at over the next few days is Philippians 4 and it contains the most spiritual advice in the shortest number of verses. It commences with a challenge and builds on from there. Paul refers to the members of the church at Philippi as “my joy and my crown”! Many of us were saved under the ministry of a preacher. Something he said was backed home mightily by the Holy Spirit and we realised our position and what Jesus had done for us and gave our hearts and lives to the Lord. The immediate aftermath was incredible joy and peace, which is still there after many years although some of the shine might have worn of due to our humanity and failure to follow the lord as he would have us to do. Sadly, many of the preachers who were instrumental in our salvation have gone to be with the Lord. But, we need to ask ourselves, if they were to come back to earth today to where we live and work, would they be able to call us, their ‘joy and crown’? How much joy to we b...

  In all of Paul’s letters to the young churches, many of which he had helped to form by his preaching, there is a broad format, which I suppose we too adopt when writing a letter. Again, broadly speaking, the letters start with greetings, then comes the main reason(s) why he is writing the letter, which may be more than one and his solution to any problems that have arisen and then a closing section, always including farewell messages, but sometimes containing more guidance and personal Christian growth advice/requirements, always as part of the last chapter. We use those letters today as the basis of governance and practices within our churches because Paul’s ‘advice’ is timeless. One of the responsibilities of elders within the local church is to take a spiritual view of any changes to practices to ensure they are in accordance with what God, through Paul, has defined, including the reasons for change.  Having been pretty much ‘thrust’ into eldership many years ago, we had ...

  With the advent of new technology, it seems possible for someone to know where another person is by the use of a ‘Tracker’. In many ways, as far a physical life is concerned, this could be called an invasion of privacy. It may even be possible to know where someone is just because their mobile phone is on. Whilst that sort of technology could be lifesaving, like AI, it needs to be used with great caution. Imagine someone wanting to break into your house and by knowing your mobile number, they can tell whether you are in or not. As I said, it could be lifesaving if someone has an accident on a walking tour or any journey and it is necessary to locate them. As far as God is concerned we are always on His tracking service. Back in the Old Testament, Job said about God, “For He knows the way I take”. God is concerned about us because He loves us and He wants to protect us and then lead us in His way. That is the good side, but we need to be careful about what we do in our lives and c...

  Nearly all of Jesus Disciples were actually martyred, many of those who were early converts were also made to suffer and were executed. Throughout history, there has been persecution of those Christians who stood up for their faith, yet Christianity, or more correctly, followers of Jesus, those who have accepted Him as their Saviour continues to grow, in many cases in those countries and regions that would seek to wipe it out . God’s purposes and the reality of belief in Jesus bringing peace to the soul is a blessing no other belief can give. It sometimes begs the question: if adversity and hostility to the Gospel and our Saviour come to those Christians who are currently suffering for the Gospel’s sake, what is our witness for Him and are we experiencing hostility and suffering because of our beliefs? If we do not experience opposition and possibly ridicule – are we really standing up for our Saviour as we ought? The letter of the Apostle Peter in the Bible has some encouraging ...

  When I was a young boy, we always took a family holiday in the first 2 weeks in August, because those were the weeks when Ackton Hall Colliery closed and my Dad as a deputy there had to take holiday. Mum and Dad were quite adventurous for Featherstone people and holidays were always spent in the south and west of England and always involved a long train journey. Frequently, within the vicinity of the holiday location there would be a stately home and many times, while we were there, we visited and joined the escorted tour of the house. It was not unusual for Dad to somehow go missing on these tours and we would find him out of bounds having a cup of tea with the servants. He had somehow found an open door which wasn’t part of the tour and disappeared through it. Sadly, for my family, it is a trait that I too have inherited! In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John passes on messages from Jesus to 7 churches located in Asia Minor. And to one church Jesus says, “Behold, I have s...

  From Bethlehem Comes the Ruler – Micah 5:2–end Dear Friends, Micah 5:2 is one of the great messianic promises of the Old Testament. Out of Bethlehem Ephrathah, “too little to be among the clans of Judah,” shall come forth one who is to be ruler in Israel, “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” The little town that seemed insignificant is the place God chooses for the birth of the One who has always been. The verses that follow describe both the waiting and the work of this ruler. Israel will be given up until the time when she who is in labour has given birth. Then the rest of his brothers shall return, and he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord. He shall be great to the ends of the earth, and “he shall be their peace.” Micah then turns to what this coming King will do among the nations and among his own people. He will deliver from the Assyrian. The remnant of Jacob will be like dew from the Lord, like a lion among the beasts. Yet the ...

  Cultivating Spiritual Formation in the Local Church Based on a Logos article written by Steve Auld. Introduction: The Growth That Really Matters When we talk about church growth, it is natural to think about numbers. We might consider how many people attend our services each Sunday, how many new people have joined the church, how many baptisms have taken place, or how many people are involved in the various ministries and activities of the congregation. These things can certainly be encouraging, and numerical growth can be a genuine blessing from God. However, there is another kind of growth that should matter even more to the local church: spiritual growth. The deepest desire of a healthy church should not simply be to see more people sitting in its seats, but to see those people becoming increasingly hungry and thirsty for God. We should long to see Christians growing in their knowledge of Christ, walking more closely with Him, becoming increasingly like Him and bearing the fru...

  I’m sure we all believe that justice is a good principle. For people to be treated fairly and equally regardless of status, race, sex, beliefs and financial circumstances. Up until 1215AD in England, justice could be very arbitrary and depended upon what the local lord of the area decided, so the Magna Carta was written and became the basis of our legislation system. Our system of laws may not be absolutely perfect because people will always look for and find loopholes because that is our nature, but generally justice comes out of our legislative and judiciary system. We may believe strongly in justice within our earthly society, but we could never want justice spiritually, to have to answer to a perfectly righteous and holy God, because our sinful nature would condemn us completely to eternal separation from God and eternal punishment. This is where God stepped in and provided His own plan to give us hope. Back in the book of Jeremiah, God says, “I am merciful”. But it is imposs...

  When we read Paul’s letters to the churches, they all have a similar format, which varies in sequence depending upon the message Paul actually wants to deliver to each church. But there is always an introduction which is well worth looking at and meditating on, as the first few verses of each letter. The letter to the church in Galatia was one of the early letters and it was written because false teachers were propagating doctrines which were corrupting the church and Paul reiterates the message that faith in Jesus Christ is all that is needed for salvation. And right at the beginning, in the introduction, he reminds the church about why faith in Jesus was all that was needed. “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins.” Here he uses the full title of our Saviour which defines all His character, mission and status. Paul then confirms that He was willing to surrender His majesty, His dignity, even His eternal relationship with His Father for those 3 hours of darkness on...

  When Leaders Love Darkness – Micah 3 Dear Friends, Micah 3 is a hard chapter. It is addressed first to the heads of Jacob and the rulers of the house of Israel — those who should have known justice. Instead the prophet asks a piercing question: “Is it not for you to know justice?” Then he describes what they actually do: they hate the good and love the evil. They tear the skin from the people and break their bones, as if they were butchers preparing a meal. The priests and prophets are no better. They cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against anyone who does not put food in their mouths. They claim the Lord’s presence — “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us” — while they take bribes, give oracles for money, and build Zion with blood. The result is devastating. Because of this, Micah says, Zion shall be ploughed as a field, Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height. More immediatel...

  When Jesus came to earth and was born as a baby, there would have been barely a ripple in the local news. Yes, there were occasions when His parents realised He was what God had promised to His people through the prophets, but they could never foresee the actual mission He was going to fulfil. Even after His mission started, they of all people could never have foreseen its outcome, otherwise they, as loving parents, would surely have sought to prevent it happening.  When His mission started people must have seen a superb preacher and a healer and a worker of miracles. And His fame quickly spread and also the animosity at the radical nature of His message, which we now look back on and admire and seek to follow His teaching as being totally good for the whole nature of mankind. But there were also deep challenges in His teaching, which we believe absolutely, but find so hard to put into consistent practice. The one which I have read so many times but suddenly hit me with ev...

  Do you remember the days when if we wanted to know how someone was or just to talk to them, we walked or got on a bus, or a bike, if we were young, and went to see them, instead of now texting or sending a Facebook message? It was pot luck whether they were in or not, but apart from work and maybe going out socialising once a week, normally weekends, people were generally at home. But we visited, we knocked on the door and hoped. Many times, because people needed to be less security conscious in those days, you might knock and then try the door and if it was open, just shout to them to tell them you were there. But the initial step when you got there was to knock on the door. In the book of Revelation, there is a verse which has also been the subject of a famous picture, which I believe hangs in one of the cathedrals of this country. The verse is “Behold, I stand at the door and knock”. The context of the verse is Jesus comment on one of the messages to the seven churches. But th...

  Running from the Presence of the Lord – Jonah 1 Dear Friends, Jonah 1 opens with a clear word from the Lord: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it.” Yet the very next verse shows Jonah doing the opposite. He rises, but only to flee. He boards a ship bound for Tarshish, “away from the presence of the Lord.” What follows is a vivid picture of divine pursuit. The Lord hurls a great wind upon the sea. The ship threatens to break up. Pagan sailors cry out to their gods and lighten the vessel while Jonah sleeps below deck. When the lot falls on him, he confesses the truth: “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Still he chooses the sea over obedience. Thrown overboard, he is swallowed by a great fish prepared by the Lord. The chapter is full of downward movement — down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the hold, down into the sea, and finally down into the belly of the fish. Every step is an attempt to...

  This morning, as on most Sunday mornings, we will be gathering to remember the life, death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Unlike most meetings at church, there is no speaker because we rely on the Holy Spirit to move in our gathering. Some people, as moved by Him, will contribute verbally and worship in prayer, give out a song or read, and perhaps comment, on God’s Word. If that is ALL we experience and listen to then we have seriously failed the purpose of our gathering together! The speaking etc. should be like the tip of an iceberg, the only part that is visible, but the vast majority is unseen. Each one of us should come prepared to GIVE and not just to receive. And to give, we must also be prepared. Our hearts and minds should be cleared before we come of all that would concern us on and everyday basis. Our hearts should not just be cleared but also be tuned and have an appreciation of Jesus by at least spending some time with Him before we com...

I am not good at DIY. Many DIY jobs require a destructive phase, where the preparation and cleaning work is done, to make ready for the constructive phase and I am OK at that, for example stripping wallpaper or sanding some woodwork. But ask me to build something from a flatpack of pieces and it would probably end up with 3 legs instead of 4 or be lopsided and unstable. I have little intuition as how a collection of pieces should be assembled. Though some people can clearly see the construction route because they are intuitive. So, I have to resort to the assembly instruction manual, which I have to read through at least twice to have any idea of where to start. Sadly, many of these manuals have been written by people who are either foreign, and translated roughly into English, or actually do have intuition, or frequently both. This for me makes a 15 minute task stretch into hours.  We have no such difficulty if we want to be successful spiritually, because we have God’s Word, the ...

  If you have ever been walking on the moors or in rough country, you literally don’t see much of the scenery, unless you stop. You would think that being surrounded by beautiful but wild countryside would be impossible to miss. So why is it that a walker in this type of country does not see the scenery around him/her? Well, the answer is simple: you have to concentrate on where your feet are going, otherwise you will definitely trip up or worse, get stuck in a bog! Only when you come to a halt can you safely look around you and admire God’s creation. The writer of the book of Proverbs probably had this physical experience and restriction in mind when he wrote, “Ponder the path of your feet and let your ways be established”. However, as we should be fully aware, Proverbs is largely about practical spiritual life not just physical actions and he uses physical similes to express spiritual truths, a bit like parables in the New Testament. In general, our feet and other physical movem...

  Ananias, Sapphira and the Fatal Flaw of Pretend Piety Based on an article by Chase Krug, published on the Logos blog (13 August 2026) In the early chapters of Acts, Luke paints a remarkable picture of the young Jerusalem church. Awe rested on every soul. Believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They shared their possessions freely so that no one among them was in need, and the Lord added daily to their number those who were being saved (Acts 2:42–47; 4:32–37). By any ordinary measure the church was healthy, vibrant and growing. Yet right in the middle of this encouraging account Luke records a shocking episode of sin and sudden judgement. Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, brought a portion of the proceeds to the apostles and presented it as if it were the full amount. They kept back some of the money for themselves while claiming total generosity. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, expose...

  We are officially in a drought situation and as yet there is no sign of significant rain. Even deep-rooted trees are either dying or shutting down and shedding leaves. More than ever, we are realising that water sustains life and that we can no longer take rain and moisture for granted. Today is scheduled to be hotter than yesterday, which means there will be even more precious moisture sucked up into the atmosphere, effectively to disappear. In the Bible, the significance of water has been well-recognised and used in many parables and other teaching scenarios which are always associated with life, and frequently, spiritual life, a refreshing relationship with God, starting with that initial step of faith as we come to Jesus in our sin and receive His forgiveness. What a refreshment that was to our souls! Can you recall the sheer joy of knowing we are part of God’s family? Never let that feeling go, keep thinking back to the time when Jesus became your Saviour. But God never inte...

  Eyes That Do Not See – Ezekiel 12:1-12 Dear Friends, in Ezekiel 12 the Lord speaks again to His prophet about a people who have eyes but do not see and ears but do not hear. They are a rebellious house. So the Lord gives Ezekiel a living message — not just words, but an acted sign that the people cannot ignore. Ezekiel is told to pack his bags as if for exile, dig through the wall of his house in full view of everyone, and carry his baggage out at dusk with his face covered so that he cannot see the land. This strange behaviour is a sign. It points to the prince in Jerusalem and to all the people still living there. They too will go into exile. The prince will dig through the wall, leave under cover of darkness with his face covered, and be taken to Babylon — yet he will not see the land (a detail later fulfilled when King Zedekiah’s eyes are put out). The passage is both warning and explanation. The people have refused to see what God is doing and refused to hear what God is say...