The Third Doctor

When asked to find a replacement for Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who, producer Peter Bryant considered Jon Pertwee (1919-1996) to be a strong candidate. In fact, Jon had already asked his agent to apply for the role and was surprised to find he was already short-listed! 

Jon was a well-established comedy actor, with a long-running role in the radio series The Navy Lark (another of my personal favourites!). However, Jon played the Time Lord relatively straight, as an action hero with a love of gadgets and flamboyant clothes. The show's format was also changed a little - for much of his time as the Doctor, the character was exiled on Earth and serving with UNIT (a convenient plot device, used to keep the show's budget down). During this period he had regular battles with another Time Lord, the Master (Roger Delgado), and formed a strong friendship with UNIT's leader, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney). 

Jon eventually stepped down from the role in 1974 in order to resume his stage career, although the death of his good friend Roger Delgado was a major factor. He handed the role over to Tom Baker.

More to come...

Parables

One of the benefits that I have experienced through having agreed to the New Testament Bible Challenge is a renewed interest in rereading a number of the parables of Jesus. This method of teaching (used when talking to large crowds) takes considerable thought and effort on the part of the reader/listener to try and understand what exactly He is getting at. Some listeners simply didn't 'get it'. The disciples did ask Jesus why He taught this way on one occasion.

He said: "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.." (Matthew 10:11-13, NIV)

Dig deep into His parables - there's plenty of food for thought there.

Are You Up To The Challenge?

Along with many other Salvationists throughout the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, I'm getting involved with a Bible Challenge over the next twelve months. Are you up to it? Will you join us?


I'm going to be reading the New Testament from beginning to end in one year, one chapter each weekday (Monday to Friday) between now and next February. And even if you miss a day that's not a problem; you have the weekend to catch up! And who knows what God may say to you if you spend time to listen to Him...

Find out more about the challenge here.