You must try the NeXt Bible web-based study tool. In my opinion the NeXt Bible is the best integrated online Bible study tool available today. Technically the web implementation is first class. I recommend downloading the fonts to make best use of the reverse interlinear translation and other study tools. Read on for more on the NET Bible incuding a link to a set of useful comparative translation reviews ...

Last night I listened to a talk by Steve Wilmshurst on the current atonement controversy. I appreciated Steve's clear explanation of the debate which has particularly erupted following Steve Chalke's repeated denial of penal substitution. Steve W. noted in passing that Affinity is in the process of clarifying its doctrinal basis by stating its belief in Jesus' penal substitutionary death. Whilst I do believe the Bible teaches the doctrine, I find the phrase penal substitutionary death grammatically awkward and therefore unclear. The main audience for the statement is probably those with significant theological education, but I'm sure that it will be read by others, if only when it gets posted on church noticeboards. Steve said that this was already the third draft and wonderered if I had a better suggestion. So far the best I can do is his death bearing the punishment for sin in the place of sinners. My purpose here isn't to debate penal substitution itself but please do comment if you can suggest clearer ways of phrasing this belief.

Thanks to all who prayed for my recent trip to Kenya. By and large I achieved what I went for and had quite a few other opportunities to help individual missionaries with their IT needs. My overall impression was that we in AIM have a long way to go in providing better IT support for ordinary missionaries who don't work in our office locations. Would you fancy a job travelling around Africa helping missionaries overcome their computer problems? Let me know if you are interested.

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Distinguishing between home and mission field no longer makes sense. - In a great article for Christianity today Chris Wright points out that we must turn much of our thinking about mission upside-down if we are going to be in line with what God has been doing in history from Genesis through to the present day.

We ask, "Where does God fit into the story of my life?" when the real question is, "Where does my little life fit into the great story of God's mission?"

We want to be driven by a purpose tailored for our individual lives, when we should be seeing the purpose of all life, including our own, wrapped up in the great mission of God for the whole of creation.