Rev Craig Olliffe

Dear brothers and sisters, In popular culture we hear talk of the importance of faith. Faith in exactly what is not clear, but the concept of believing in something is touted as important. A phrase I feel like I have heard a lot in recent years is the need to believe in yourself. “If you believe in yourself”, we are told, “you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to”. I’m not sure what you think of that phrase, but it seems to be the vain rallying call of a world that needs something to...

Dear brothers and sisters,` A man presented himself before Jesus, confident that he deserved a place in heaven. “What must I do to have eternal life?” he boldly asked. You may have read the account of Jesus and this rich young man (or rich young ruler as he is also known). By all earthly accounts this guy is legendary, a ruler of some sort; rich and well off – but not only that, a nice guy to boot! Not a murderer, liar, or adulterer, in fact he even respects his parents and loves his...

Dear brothers and sisters,` I trust we are all enjoying the New Year, the ample sunshine, and finding some time to relax and seek God’s goodness to us in Christ Jesus. Psalm 96 calls us to “worship the Lord”, and this idea is found in many of the Psalms. But what does it mean to truly worship God? This extract from an article provides some illumination: Worship means “worthship” and basically signifies not anything that entertains or uplifts us, but something that is directed to God. It is...