Author: faithrootsdw

It is not always right or possible to remain neutral

In a recent blogpost I wrote about what we might want to pray in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  I included this comment: We pray that God will bring peace, that the conflict will end. However, I don’t think we simply pray for peace at any cost. Our desire should be for… Continue reading It is not always right or possible to remain neutral

The end of The World is not in Putin’s hands

One of the things people are most afraid of concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the potential for this to be escalated into a conflict between world powers with NATO sucked in and then the possibility of nuclear weapons being unleashed. Over the weekend, Vladimir Putin escalated the language on this. First, he warned that… Continue reading The end of The World is not in Putin’s hands

Post pandemic pastoral conversations – don’t forget those who have returned

The parable of the Lost Sheep is a wonderful exposition of the Gospel. It points us to the God who passionately pursues the lost. It challenges the legalistic pride and insularity of the Pharisees and it convicts our hearts -do we have that same concern for those who are lost and wandering.  It’s not a… Continue reading Post pandemic pastoral conversations – don’t forget those who have returned

Post pandemic pastoral conversations – those who haven’t come back

As we return increasingly to normality following the pandemic, I suspect that the vast majority of people who are intending to return to in person church attendance will have done so by now.  If the majority of your church are not yet back in person then you may have to have some searching conversations together… Continue reading Post pandemic pastoral conversations – those who haven’t come back

The Faithroots Podcast – Jesus and Gender with Elyse Fitzpatrick

In this week’s episode I talk with Elyse Fitzpatrick about her latest book (co-authored with Eric Schumacher) as we discover how returning to the Gospel and the example of Christ in Philippians 2 is crucial if we are to get beyond infighting over gender. We talk about the temptation for power and the desire to… Continue reading The Faithroots Podcast – Jesus and Gender with Elyse Fitzpatrick

What if this is the end of days?

Some people have been asking over the past few days whether the conflict we are seeing in Ukraine is an end times battle, one of the events that will signal the end of the world.  There are understandable reasons for the question to be asked.  First, the conflict involves one of the main nuclear powers… Continue reading What if this is the end of days?

Ukraine War: What should we pray?

As Russia invades Ukraine, I’ve shared some opinion pieces talking more generally about the conflict and In this article, I want to talk specifically about how we as Christians respond to what is happening in Ukraine.  How specifically do we pray?  I want to suggest five specific things that we should pray: We pray specifically… Continue reading Ukraine War: What should we pray?

Pastoral care – hearing and listening well

An important part of offering pastoral care is the need to listen and hear well.  Here are a few further thoughts on this. Prepare well.  Prior to meeting up make sure you are aware of what the context and purpose of your time together is. It is often helpful to have thought through some specific… Continue reading Pastoral care – hearing and listening well