Author: faithrootsdw

If Twitter were to die tonight, would your tweets get into heaven?

Yesterday, the internet was caught up in rumours and gossip suggesting that Twitter, one of the main social media platforms people communicate on could be about to completely collapse.  Elon Musk appears to have picked up the Liz Truss playbook at the same time as taking over Twitter leading to complete chaos with many key… Continue reading If Twitter were to die tonight, would your tweets get into heaven?

Dwelling is more than contextualisation

The other day, I was discussing with a group of potential church planters what it means to plant a “missional church”.  Now, I guess that every church should be missional so, when we use the phrase we are suggesting that a church is not resting on its laurels as an established entity in the community… Continue reading Dwelling is more than contextualisation

Good news for the unsettled, uprooted and home sick

The strapline of Faithroots is “What we believe affects how we live.”  This is because Faithroots is first of all, a theological website. One of my aims is to introduce readers to good, solid, rich and challenging theology.  But Faithroots is also meant to be a practical, pastoral site and I don’t think those two… Continue reading Good news for the unsettled, uprooted and home sick

Why we fire fight … There’s little gratitude for prevented problems

Allegedly, Twitter is going to implode and collapse. Already, I’m seeing the predictable comments about how “this feels just like the Y2K bug all over again.” Similar comments were made during the pandemic The implication is that we are dealing with a hysterical, over inflated scare story or even a hoax. This is because back… Continue reading Why we fire fight … There’s little gratitude for prevented problems

Exiles and strangers

When Peter opens his first letter with the words, “o those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”[1] It could be seen as just a literal and physical description of those Jewish believers who had been dispersed and scattered from their homeland. However, when you get to 1 Peter… Continue reading Exiles and strangers

Is narcissism the problem?

The Gospel Coalition have just published this article offering further engagement with Chuck De Groat’s book “When narcissism comes to church.”  The writer, Dan Doriani, is positive towards Chuck’s work but has some concerns, particularly with the thesis that: narcissism is especially common among pastors because they often enjoy a high profile. Narcissists crave power,… Continue reading Is narcissism the problem?

Out of Egypt I have called my son – Jesus as exile

In Matthew 2::14 -15, we are told that Mary and Joseph fleeing from Herod with the baby Jesus to Egypt and then returning from there to Nazareth, when Herod died fulfilled the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Hosea 11 retells the story of the Exodus. It is God’s… Continue reading Out of Egypt I have called my son – Jesus as exile

What’s worse: consumer Christianity or self-reliant Christianity?

A friend of mine asked this question recently. I think it’s a really good question to consider.   He later gave a bit more of an explanation about what he meant by self-reliant Christianity. He was describing those who become so buy in church life and ministry that they forget our ongoing dependence on Christ’s grace… Continue reading What’s worse: consumer Christianity or self-reliant Christianity?

It’s not banishment when God sends

In the first 11 chapters of Genesis, we see several examples of exile when people are banished from the place of God’s manifest presence.  Adam and Eve are banished from Eden. Cain, their son is literally banished from the ground meaning that he can no longer live off of its produce as he has done… Continue reading It’s not banishment when God sends