Given that the church in Sweden remains in significant decline what grounds do we have for hope? Well, the same reasons, as Paul and the other apostles had when they were in an even smaller minority than the one I find myself in. Hope, for the Christian, is not grounded in success and stats. They might be the fruit of that hope but they’re not the cause of it. That’s to be found somewhere else and somewhere far more significant.
At the end of September I found myself once again in the southern Spanish city of Malaga. It’s always nice to get a bit of bonus summer warmth. I was there for our annual Pioneer Europe Conference. I’ve been given the privilege of opening the conference for the last three conferences. Our themes over these conferences have been Glory; Joy and this year, Hope.
God is really glorious. The gospel causes us joy and there really is hope, despite the stats, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here’s my talk and I hope it encourages you.
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