Category: Resources

Linux Mint

May 1, 2026

About 10 years ago I swapped my home computers to Linux. My first go was with Ubuntu which worked well. It was a big learning curve as I had only ever used Windows products.

After about a year I found Linux Mint. This is built on Ubuntu but has a much friendlier layout and it looks a bit more like Windows. It has a “start” button in the bottom left hand corner and everything flows from that.

So for the last 9 years I have been using Linux Mint on my laptop. I use this for all of my preaching preparation and for building and maintaining my websites. It has worked really well. So much so that I installed it on my new refurbished laptop I bought this week!

One of the things I was concerned about when I switched over to Linux was how would I replace my programmes I used. In a short time I realised Linux Mint comes with many products similar to what I already used.

For Microsoft Office programmes like Word, Excel and Powerpoint you have Libre Office already included. It opens all the Microsoft programmes and you can save them as .doc, .xls or .ppt after editing. They even have a built in PDF creator which is handy.

For surfing the web it comes with Mozilla Firefox included. For email it has Mozilla Thunderbird. Both of these are preinstalled and easy to use. For website building and maintenance you can install Mozilla SeaMonkey for free.

Another cool feature of Linux Mint is the “app store” called the software manager. This has over 30,000 of free apps for all your needs. I found I could replace all of my Windows based programmes from there and they cost me nothing. No more yearly fees for using products I already own!

Computer experts say that Linux is generally more secure than other operating systems. Mint has a built in firewall called UFW. UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a user-friendly interface for managing firewall rules in Linux. You can also install ClamAV for free from the app store which takes care of viruses and malware.

One of the best features of Linux (apart from being free!) is that it does not have a lot of bloatware that slows down your system. It often brings an old computer back to life as the system requirements are much lower than other operating systems.

If you are interested you can visit the Linux Mint website here. Or if you want to watch an introduction video, I found this just now on YouTube.

Watch the Jesus film this Easter

April 3, 2026

This film is a perfect introduction to Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. Jesus constantly surprises and confounds people, from His miraculous birth to His rise from the grave. Follow His life through excerpts from the Book of Luke, all the miracles, the teachings, and the passion.

God creates everything and loves mankind. But mankind disobeys God. God and mankind are separated, but God loves mankind so much, He arranges redemption for mankind. He sends his Son Jesus to be a perfect sacrifice to make amends for us. Before Jesus arrives, God prepares mankind. Prophets speak of the birth, the life, and the death of Jesus.

Jesus attracts attention. He teaches in parables no one really understands, gives sight to the blind, and helps those who no one sees as worth helping. He scares the Jewish leaders, they see him as a threat. So they arrange, through Judas the traitor and their Roman oppressors, for the crucifixion of Jesus.

They think the matter is settled. But the women who serve Jesus discover an empty tomb. The disciples panic. When Jesus appears, they doubt He’s real. But it’s what He proclaimed all along: He is their perfect sacrifice, their Savior, victor over death. He ascends to heaven, telling His followers to tell others about Him and His teachings.

You can find the full Jesus Film here for free.

The 21 church councils explained

February 14, 2026

I just watched a really good overview of the church councils over the past 2000 years. These councils were called to make decisions on doctrine, heresy, church life and leadership and responding to an ever changing world. The 15 minute video below gives a really good explanation of them all and why they were called.

If you are interested you can find it here on YouTube.

Refiner’s fire song

February 10, 2026

When I first became a Christian the Refiner’s Fire song was just released. It quickly became a favourite and a prayer of my heart.

I have not heard it for years, but I started singing it during my devotions this morning. Many years later it still speaks to my heart. It is still a prayer for me.

Looking back I can see how it shaped my life. In church I could hardly get through it without crying. Even now it is hard to fully sing it through.

If you are interested you can find it here on YouTube.