21 Nov 2025, 10:15Blandine DamtseGlasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland, United Kingdom
Dr Les Ackie Empowers Glasgow Church with Tools for Happiness and Wellbeing
Transforming perspectives, Dr Les Ackie led Glasgow members in discovering inner peace, fostering positive habits, and living in lasting joy through Christ.
A powerful message of hope, peace, and joy in Christ uplifted the Glasgow church community on 8 November 2025 during a Family Ministries Seminar led by Dr Les Ackie, Director of Family Ministries and Children’s Ministries at the BUC. Through a series of interactive sessions and an inspiring sermon, members learned how caring for their emotional wellbeing can strengthen their relationship with God, deepen their connection with others, and lead to a happier, more abundant life in Christ, the Prince of Peace.
The day began with a presentation entitled “Be Encouraged.” Children, young people, and adults explored how to choose joy and overcome obstacles that hinder happiness. Drawing on the story of David fleeing from Saul, Dr Ackie emphasised that David made a deliberate choice to encourage himself in the Lord despite overwhelming hardship.
“Joy is a choice,” he said. “We cannot control our initial emotions, but we can choose our reaction once we have processed them.”
He reminded the congregation that each individual is responsible for their own emotional wellbeing and encouraged practical habits that nurture inner peace, such as singing, praising God, reading Scripture, practising self-care, setting healthy boundaries, resting well, exercising, and laughing. Citing Proverbs 18:21, he highlighted the power of positive speech: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” He explained that journaling and speaking kindly to oneself promote healing and resilience. Research, he noted, shows that people who cultivate positive emotions and forgiveness recover more quickly — an insight echoed in Proverbs 17:22: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
During the divine service, Dr Ackie delivered a thought-provoking sermon entitled “Are You Not Yet Entertained?” He observed that, although society offers more entertainment than at any point in history, it is simultaneously facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. True happiness, he emphasised, does not come from screens or social media but from cultivating healthy relationships, serving meaningful causes, practising gratitude, and, above all, deepening one’s relationship with God. Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Dr Ackie exhorted attendees to practise daily gratitude by listing three blessings each day for three weeks to significantly boost wellbeing. The happiest people, he added, are those who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, finding lasting fulfilment by delighting in Him.
Dr Ackie also cautioned parents against giving children unrestricted access to the internet, referencing 1 Corinthians 10:23: “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” Redefining entertainment as anything that captures attention, he invited the church to “re-create worship” and make it more engaging for everyone.
The afternoon session began with a reflective group discussion, during which members shared key lessons from the day: relationships form the foundation of a blessed life; inner peace influences outward peace; gratitude is essential to happiness; and joy is a deliberate choice. These reflections demonstrated how deeply the teachings had resonated with the church.
Dr Ackie then continued with a presentation entitled “Change Your Mind,” explaining how believers can overcome negative thought patterns, or “cognitive distortions.” By rewiring the brain through healthy habits such as adequate sleep, uplifting reading, and continual learning, individuals can strengthen their emotional resilience. “Where we focus our attention will shape our character,” he said, quoting Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White: “…God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise.” He recommended cognitive reframing, pre-framing of the mind, and the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to transform thought patterns.
He concluded by highlighting additional keys to wellbeing, such as internalising God’s truth as described in Psalm 51:6, declaring faith through Philippians 4:13, and practising forgiveness. He also urged the church to live a life of prayer, stating, “Prayer is not preparation for the battle; it is the battle.”
Members were reported to have left feeling inspired and grateful, having learned to encourage themselves in the Lord, reconsider their approach to entertainment, renew their minds, and choose the enduring joy found in Jesus Christ.
Transforming perspectives, Dr Les Ackie led Glasgow members in discovering inner peace, fostering positive habits, and living in lasting joy through Christ.
A powerful message of hope, peace, and joy in Christ uplifted the Glasgow church community on 8 November 2025 during a Family Ministries Seminar led by Dr Les Ackie, Director of Family Ministries and Children’s Ministries at the BUC. Through a series of interactive sessions and an inspiring sermon, members learned how caring for their emotional wellbeing can strengthen their relationship with God, deepen their connection with others, and lead to a happier, more abundant life in Christ, the Prince of Peace.
The day began with a presentation entitled “Be Encouraged.” Children, young people, and adults explored how to choose joy and overcome obstacles that hinder happiness. Drawing on the story of David fleeing from Saul, Dr Ackie emphasised that David made a deliberate choice to encourage himself in the Lord despite overwhelming hardship.
“Joy is a choice,” he said. “We cannot control our initial emotions, but we can choose our reaction once we have processed them.”
He reminded the congregation that each individual is responsible for their own emotional wellbeing and encouraged practical habits that nurture inner peace, such as singing, praising God, reading Scripture, practising self-care, setting healthy boundaries, resting well, exercising, and laughing. Citing Proverbs 18:21, he highlighted the power of positive speech: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” He explained that journaling and speaking kindly to oneself promote healing and resilience. Research, he noted, shows that people who cultivate positive emotions and forgiveness recover more quickly — an insight echoed in Proverbs 17:22: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
During the divine service, Dr Ackie delivered a thought-provoking sermon entitled “Are You Not Yet Entertained?” He observed that, although society offers more entertainment than at any point in history, it is simultaneously facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. True happiness, he emphasised, does not come from screens or social media but from cultivating healthy relationships, serving meaningful causes, practising gratitude, and, above all, deepening one’s relationship with God. Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Dr Ackie exhorted attendees to practise daily gratitude by listing three blessings each day for three weeks to significantly boost wellbeing. The happiest people, he added, are those who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, finding lasting fulfilment by delighting in Him.
Dr Ackie also cautioned parents against giving children unrestricted access to the internet, referencing 1 Corinthians 10:23: “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.” Redefining entertainment as anything that captures attention, he invited the church to “re-create worship” and make it more engaging for everyone.
The afternoon session began with a reflective group discussion, during which members shared key lessons from the day: relationships form the foundation of a blessed life; inner peace influences outward peace; gratitude is essential to happiness; and joy is a deliberate choice. These reflections demonstrated how deeply the teachings had resonated with the church.
Dr Ackie then continued with a presentation entitled “Change Your Mind,” explaining how believers can overcome negative thought patterns, or “cognitive distortions.” By rewiring the brain through healthy habits such as adequate sleep, uplifting reading, and continual learning, individuals can strengthen their emotional resilience. “Where we focus our attention will shape our character,” he said, quoting Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White: “…God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise.” He recommended cognitive reframing, pre-framing of the mind, and the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to transform thought patterns.
He concluded by highlighting additional keys to wellbeing, such as internalising God’s truth as described in Psalm 51:6, declaring faith through Philippians 4:13, and practising forgiveness. He also urged the church to live a life of prayer, stating, “Prayer is not preparation for the battle; it is the battle.”
Members were reported to have left feeling inspired and grateful, having learned to encourage themselves in the Lord, reconsider their approach to entertainment, renew their minds, and choose the enduring joy found in Jesus Christ.
