"Strangers and pilgrims" (Heb. xi. 13).

If you have ever tried to plough a straight furrow in the country--we are sorry for the man that does not know how to plough and more sorry for the man that is too proud to want to know--you have found it necessary to have two stakes in a line and to drive your horses by these stakes.

Lent is a time for repentance, for acknowledging that our bodies and this earth are suffering under the curse of sin, and for confessing our need for Christ to save and redeem by dying on the cross. Moving through Lent is a strategic time for pastors and worship leaders to provide for their congregations context for Easter and make the celebration of Christ's resurrection all the more joyful.

Below is an excerpt from Chris  Webb's new book, The Fire of the Word.

Dear Friend,

What are we to make of the Bible?

By any standards we choose to apply it is an astounding and magnificent book.The sweep of history is breathtaking and the depth of insight profound. Its poetry enlarges the heart, its philosophy soars into the heavens, and its prophecies rattle the soul. Through the centuries Scripture has comforted, inspired, guided and challenged millions.