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Reasons to Trust the Bible: And Why Trusting it Matters: Introduction.

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In a World of Fake News

In today's world, we face an inundation of information and, unfortunately, misinformation. With the rise of fake news on the internet, it has become increasingly difficult to discern what is true from what is false. We live in an age where scepticism towards authority and claims to truth is encouraged, making it no surprise that this scepticism extends to the Bible.

Should We Trust the Bible?

If you're a Christian, you may have thought yourself, or had someone ask you: why you trust the Bible? How can you explain to someone who doesn't believe in the Bible why you trust it? This new series aims to equip you with answers to these questions, not just to win an argument, but to engage in meaningful conversations. As Christians, we are encouraged to be prepared to defend our faith, and this includes addressing the fundamental question of why we trust the Bible.

Christianity as History

Christianity is not merely a set of teachings or philosophical musings—it's also a claim rooted in history. At its core, Christianity asserts that something extraordinary occurred in the course of time—something real, concrete, and historical. To explore the reliability of the Bible, we must approach it as a historical document, rather than just assuming it is the Word of God from the outset. This approach invites scrutiny, allowing the documents to stand on their own merits in the court of historical opinion. Can the historical documents we believe are God’s Words stand up to this kind of scrutiny? Through this series we aim to show that they undoubtedly do!

A Chain of Reliability

To establish the reliability of the Bible, particularly the four Gospels, we must address a series of five critical questions. This process can be likened to examining a chain of reliability that extends from ourselves to the events in question:

1: Translation: Can we be confident in the translations? Can we be confident that the translation of the Bible from its original language into our language accurately reflects the original, or is it saying things the original never did?

2: Transmission: Are the manuscripts accurate? Can we be confident that copyists accurately transmitted the original writing to us, or did they (deliberately or not) alter it significantly?

3: Testaments: Do we have the right books? Can we be confident that we're looking at the correct set of books, or is there a possibility that we've missed equally reliable perspectives on Jesus?

4: Trustworthy: Are the authors reliable sources? Can we be confident that the original authors genuinely intended to provide an accurate account of events, or did they have other motives, such as writing fiction or deceiving us?

5: True: Were they telling the truth? Can we establish that the authors indeed intended to provide an accurate account? Can we be confident that what they described genuinely took place, or do we have better reasons to believe they were mistaken?

By addressing each of these questions, we can build a robust chain of reliability that connects us to the historical events described in the Bible.

Conclusion

In a world where trust in information is at a premium, it's crucial for Christians to have a well-founded basis for trusting the Bible. This series will delve into these critical questions and offer insights into why, as Christians, we can confidently place our trust in the Bible as a historically reliable source. To further your exploration, we will provide an information sheet listing recommended books and websites for those eager to delve deeper into this topic.

Warm Welcome Space

The Warm Welcome Space is open at Cale Green Life Centre every Thursday, from 10am to 12 noon

Lots to do

Newspapers, board games and craft activities are available free.

Café open

Open for cake, hot drinks and a light lunch. All free.

Toddlers

Toddlers takes place every Friday morning during school term times, from 9:30am to 11:30am, at Cale Green Life Centre, 71 Adswood Rd, Stockport, SK3 8HR.

Who is Toddlers for?

Toddlers is for children aged from birth through to 4 years old, together with their parents and carers.

What does it cost?

It costs just £2.00 for one adult with one child, plus an extra 50p for each additional child or adult.

What's included in the price?

The charge includes a drink, fruit and toast, and all craft materials.

Coming along for the first time

Just turn up!

We have to limit numbers to 30 children, so it's advisable to arrive soon after we open since Toddlers is a popular group. Once we reach 30 children we are unable to admit anyone else.

A monthly event at Cale Green Life Centre - usually held on a Saturday from 10:30am to 2:30pm.

Come and go as you wish. Stay for as long as you want. Choose how to pray.

The Prayer Space provides creative "zones" for you to pray and reflect, either on your own or with others.

Kintsugi Hope Well-being Groups

The stress and demands of modern living are taking their toll on our mental health and well-being. A Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group is a safe and supportive space for people who feel or have felt overwhelmed, providing tools for self-management in a facilitated peer-mentoring-style setting.

Groups

Well-being groups run for 12 weeks, each week looking at a different theme of mental or emotional health such as anxiety, disappointment, loss and resilience. Groups are free to attend.

Watch this space for news of when the next group is running.

Aims

The aim of these groups is to equip individuals with self-management tools at the same time as providing space to develop relationships with others.

Sessions

Sessions include group and individual activities designed to help participants to accept themselves, to understand their value and worth, and grow towards a more resilient and hopeful future.

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A chance to meet and chat with other Dads

Who Let The Dads Out takes place at Cale Green Life Centre on the third Saturday of every month from 9:30am to 11:30am.

Who Let The Dads Out? offers a place for you and your children to spend time together having fun while mixing with other dads and their children.

You’ll find a relaxed and warm welcome, tea & coffee & juice, a free breakfast barm and plenty of toys and activities.

Neighbourhood Chaplains

An estimated one-fifth of the UK population (9 million people) are lonely. Charity research says that the UK culture leaves many completely isolated, in what the press is calling “the UK’s loneliness epidemic”.

In response to this, our Neighbourhood Chaplains team aim to help tackle loneliness through befriending. We offer a listening ear and practical help towards meeting our neighbours’ physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

  • 360Life Church's Neighbourhood Chaplains began operating in the first half of 2022.

  • Help available includes “helping hands” for simple daily tasks which those in need may not be coping with. There is also an opportunity for regular phone calls or visits for those on their own who would like someone to chat to. Volunteers can also offer prayer and signposting to other helpful local agencies and events.

Keep In Touch

Sign-up for our news emails

We won’t bombard you with emails. Emails only go out when we post new updates - rarely more often than once a week.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the Unsubscribe link provided in every email.

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  • Cale Green Life Centre
  • 71 Adswood Road
  • Stockport
  • SK3 8HR
  • 0161 850 8360

The Life Centre car park has disabled parking spaces.

The building has wheelchair access and an accessible toilet.

Wheelchair access is not available to the upper floor, which is used for some children's groups during Sunday services.

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