Author: faithrootsdw

How can you tell if your church planting is successful?

I think that’s helpful.  Being fruitful as individuals and churches seems good Biblical language.  Keller is right to caution against a shallow understanding of faithfulness.  In fact, the church claiming to be faithful may in fact be unfaithful if it has just dug a hole and buried its talent. So, what will it mean for… Continue reading How can you tell if your church planting is successful?

Church planting – is there a size not to aim for?

I sometimes get asked whether I think there’s an optimum church size to aim for.  My response is usually to the effect that there isn’t an optimum size.  Some people are happy in and with larger church gatherings.  There are benefits to this.  It means that a preacher can open God’s Word with a lot… Continue reading Church planting – is there a size not to aim for?

Could you be a church planter?

I’m consistently on the look out for potential church planters to come and join us here in the West Midlands.  There is a particular need for people who are willing to go into inner city, council estate and multi-ethnic cross-cultural contexts. Whilst conventional church planting involves gathering together a significant sized core team, often from… Continue reading Could you be a church planter?

Reading well – tips for young Christians

My friend, Alistair Chalmers, himself an avid reader, recently asked for thoughts and tips to encourage younger/newer readers to read well. So, here are a few thoughts from me.  So, there’s some starter tips for seven. What would you add? [1] Building Jerusalem – Among these dark Satanic mills  Alistair Chalmers – Chalmers’ Blog (achalmersblog.com) … Continue reading Reading well – tips for young Christians

Tested

How do we respond when we face trials and testing? This is particularly important when testing involves suffering.  We may at times be tempted to give up on seeking to do what is good and right.  This was certainly a temptation that the Psalmists faced when they looked around and saw the wicked prospering.  We… Continue reading Tested

Grieving the evil of war

I recently wrote that “war is an evil”. I wrote this to respond to and distinguish from Scott McKnight’s argument that war is itself a crime, it isn’t just about the committing of war crimes.  What this enables us to do is to recognise that sadly, in a fallen world, war is sometimes necessary and… Continue reading Grieving the evil of war

Evaluation

It may surprise us, given Scriptures warning about pride, arrogance and boasting that New Testament authors, including Paul as well as James do argue that there is a place for boasting. The surprising twists concern who can boast and the basis of their boast. A look at the text (Read James 1:9-11) James contrasts the… Continue reading Evaluation