Author: faithrootsdw

The barren and the outcast

The impact of Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf is meant to be life transforming and community transforming. Read Isaiah 54-56 Isaiah pictures an infertile woman, seemingly deserted with it seeming impossible for her to have children.  However, the barren one is blessed and now able to sing, she will have children and so… Continue reading The barren and the outcast

What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about sex, marriage and abstinence?

My social media timeline has been dominated recently by controversies about what Christians believe and the Bible teaches about sex and relationships.  In the context of those controversies, 1 Corinthians 7 crops up frequently.  The three particular contexts in which it has come up have been: I think that in fact, all three debates are… Continue reading What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about sex, marriage and abstinence?

How do you know? – Training Course

One of the aims of Faithroots is to provide accessible and practical training for Gospel work. You can find out the different options for training with us on our training pages here. I’m currently working on developing and updating our online training materials. The first tranche of materials are available with workbooks and videos. These… Continue reading How do you know? – Training Course

The Suffering Servant

What is it that draws you to Jesus? Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12 God promises that his servant will lead wisely and will be exalted, raised up so that people will look to him. However, how this will happen is deeply shocking.  People will not be attracted to him because of beauty, glory and majesty, instead, something… Continue reading The Suffering Servant

Credible sources and Christian culture

If you read a newspaper story, especially in this day and age of investigative journalism and the pressure to be the first to break a story, you will frequently read about credible or reliable sources. It’s also about protecting anonymity.  Increasingly, I’m hearing and reading such language in Christian circles, especially when it comes to… Continue reading Credible sources and Christian culture

A raw conversation about sex and theology

As the fall out continues from Josh Butler’s book, Beautiful Union, and that car crash TGC article, we are, I think beginning to see some helpful reflection and interaction. Issues around marriage, sex and intimacy are I think of importance to those of us who care about pastoring well and so whilst some of us… Continue reading A raw conversation about sex and theology

Church Growth or a battle for market share?

Over the years I’ve come across a lot of material, books, seminars, blogs, podcasts talking about how to guarantee that your church will grow.  Some of the advise sounds to me like practical wisdom, for example if you have a building that is 80% full then you have reached capacity.  Some of it is good… Continue reading Church Growth or a battle for market share?

Guns, rights and exegesis

Sadly, there has been another horrific shooting at a US school. Far too frequently we hear of such terrible and tragic events in the United States and this prompts debate about gun controls.  One of the arguments frequently made for not bringing in tighter controls is that Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms. … Continue reading Guns, rights and exegesis

How not to talk about marriage and women

Take a look at this tweet. It sums up in one revolting little paragraph everything that is wrong with a certain outlook on life, a certain distortion of what God’s Word teaches. I suspect that it arises out of a couple of misunderstandings of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7. First, in v7, Paul… Continue reading How not to talk about marriage and women