How do you present and share the Gospel?

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Dean Roberts Posted in Evangelism, Salvation, Theology | 6 Comments

I’ve just noticed that a new video is coming into the limelight and is facing speculation, comment and critique. You may remember the “Why I hate religion, but love Jesus” video that I commented on. You can watch the video and read my views on that here. Over the last 24 hours though, a video has gone viral entitled ‘The Gospel Message’. It’s sparked discussion and thought. And now, I’m adding to that discussion. But where the gospel is concerned, it is important for us to think through things, and especially consider how we can communicate the gospel to others in a comprehensive way. Read more

Cross Centred Life, OR Jesus Centred Life?

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Dean Roberts Posted in Jesus, Salvation, Theology | Leave a comment

I was having a chat with a couple of my friends at Uni this week about atonement. We were discussing the various things that happen on the cross as Jesus hangs on it, and the implications of those things on our lives. Then the subject came up about the terminology we use and whether or not our focus is sometimes on the wrong thing when thinking about our lives in relation to Christ, the Cross and how we are to follow Jesus in discipleship. This got me thinking. Read more

Why do so many Evangelicals only preach half the Gospel?

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Jesus, Salvation, Theology | 7 Comments

For a twenty year old, I’ve had a lot of experience of church. I’ve seen many of its failings, many of its successes, and I’ve been involved and listened to a lot of its politics. I’ve also been in a range of different denominations, from liberal Methodist, to conservative-nearly fundamental evangelical Calvinistic Methodist chapel. What I’ve observed of the more conservative brand of Christianity is that quite often, only half the gospel is preached. Read more

The Iranian Hunger for God

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Current Affairs, Mission, Salvation | Leave a comment

God is doing some amazing things in our church. And one of those things is that he’s bringing a lot of Iranians to our church through the witness of our friend Read more

Bygone or Bad? Judging whether someone is a Christian or not.

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Salvation | 1 Comment

As I’ve been reading round the blogosphere recently, and as I’ve been doing some of my theological reading, I’ve come across the whole predicament of how to really know whether someone is a Christian or not. The definition that I would use for a Christian is someone who believes in Jesus as the Son of God who made a perfect sacrifice for the sins that we commit in order for us to be right with God and to enter eternal relationship with him. So, you may Read more

Blinding Light

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Jesus, Salvation | Leave a comment

Something that’s been on my mind recently is the sheer brightness that Jesus is to the world.

We all know the ‘I am’ saying of Jesus “I am the Light of the World”, but I don’t think we always understand what that means in its entirety.

Jesus is the light of the world that exposes darkness, and draws Read more

Cheap Grace

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Salvation | 44 Comments

I’m so glad that I follow the blogs of Atheists and Humanists… and those of different religions to be honest. It’s really interesting to know the misconceptions of Christianity that these sort of people harbor. I have

Life through the Spirit

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Devotional, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Salvation, Theology | Leave a comment

Last week I had an exam, and for this exam I had to memorise the main themes, theological points and unique features of nearly every New Testament Epistle. One of the letters that I focussed on was Romans.

Romans is argued to be Read more

What or who is your all in all?

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Devotional, Jesus, Salvation | Leave a comment

Everyone has someone or something that is their everything. Whoever or whatever you make the Number 1 priority in your life is, in effect, your everything.

Have you ever thought of that?

The thing is, Christians believe that we all tend to fail to see what or who our everything is. Because usually, it’s ourselves.

In the Bible, Jesus is the everything who provides all our needs, and most importantly is the one who can supply our never ending need; redemption and salvation. And he’s not exclusive. He’s inclusive.

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. – Colossians 3:11

A few things to note here:

What is the ‘here’? The here is Jesus and the Cross.
What is the babble about Greeks, Jews blah blah blah? It’s basically saying that anyone and everyone can have Jesus. No one is barred. He’s for all. Even for atheists!
What does Christ being all and in all mean? It means that Jesus is the one to be praised and loved, just as he loves us.

Never feel that you’re excluded from a God who loves you and gave himself for you. Similarly, never feel as if you’re not good enough for God; there is no one good enough nor too good to receive God.

Everyone is on level ground when it comes to Jesus and His cross.

What is Baptism? : Ben James’ Baptism @ Cardiff Vineyard

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Dean Roberts Posted in Church, Salvation, Theology | 2 Comments

Ben's Baptism @ Vineyard Cardiff This is my friend Ben. Today, I went to Vineyard Church in Cardiff to watch him get baptised!

Ben has been a Christian for a while now, but has recently decided that he should do the strange thing of being dunked in the water by two men in a paddling pool. But why?!

Baptism, to put a definition on it, is a sign. It is an outward sign of something that has changed within.

This change that has happened to Ben is the fact that he has become a Christian. By trusting in Jesus, Ben has had all his sin forgiven, and has had the slate wiped clean. He is now righteous before God, made acceptable because of Jesus and has been raised to new life.

The water symbolises the grave. As the two men in the picture dunk Ben under the water, the water covers Ben’s whole body. This is saying that Ben is leaving his past life behind him in the grave; a life which was ruled by darkness, a life which didn’t have a hope. When he rises out of the water again, it symbolises the new life that he now has in Christ. A life that is full of him, new and ready to serve him.

It’s such a powerful picture. It’s the public declaration which cries ‘I’m a Christian!’. Ben loves Jesus, and therefore he follows Jesus’ command to be baptised.

I wish you all the best for the future, Ben. God has amazing things in store for you!

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