How might we talk to our children about Ukraine?

How should parents and Sunday School teachers talk to worried and anxious children about what is going on in the World around us It is many years since we’ve seen such horrific genocidal conflict so close to home and with a level of danger from nuclear conflict hanging oh too realistically in the air.  If… Continue reading How might we talk to our children about Ukraine?

The cost of living crisis: Poverty and politics

I want to return to our discussion about poverty and the cost of living crisis.  Over the past week, a lot of people will have been getting updates from their energy companies to tell them that prices are increasing, potentially doubling the cost of heating and lighting your home.  For some this will mean a… Continue reading The cost of living crisis: Poverty and politics

#PrayForUkraine

If you’ve not caught up with the latest #FaithrootsPodcast, here are the links to watch on YouTube or listen via Anchor and Spotify. In the conversation we discuss: Should pastors take sides and speak on political issues? 2. To what extent is the current situation about Spiritual conflict? 3. What is God doing in the… Continue reading #PrayForUkraine

In Christ alone

Every so often I pick up on a complaint/objection to Stuart Townend’s hymn “In Christ alone.”  Here is one such example. There are people who would be happy, they say, to sing the hymn but are deeply distressed by the line “Til on that Cross, as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied.” Now,… Continue reading In Christ alone

What if the nuclear missiles were to hit in 20 minutes?

Someone asked this question on Twitter the other day. Fortunately, before everyone panicked, it became clear that the question was intended as hypothetical. But what would you do if the warning message went out that you had twenty minutes before the missiles began to hit? In that context, if you live in an urban area… Continue reading What if the nuclear missiles were to hit in 20 minutes?

What if Putin really believes his own propaganda?

Over the past few days, western leaders have expressed concern that Vladimir Putin’s regime are making false claims about biological and chemical warfare labs in Ukraine which are allegedly being funded/supported by the US.  The fear is that this is paving the way for Putin to launch his own chemical weapons attack possibly as a… Continue reading What if Putin really believes his own propaganda?

Why we don’t want a nuclear conflict

I’m rather concerned at the number of people who seem rather gung-ho at the prospect of military intervention by NATO countries into Ukraine.  As I’ve mentioned before, it seems that those who are pushing the prospect seem either to assume that the gamble is worth it because either it would not lead to the use… Continue reading Why we don’t want a nuclear conflict

We urgently need to do more for Ukrainian refugees

On Sunday, it was reported that only 50 refugees from Ukraine had been granted visas to come to the UK.  A Guardian report on Monday suggested that it had risen to 300 with about 17700 applications in process so we should expect further visas to be granted, indeed the New York Times reports Priti Patel… Continue reading We urgently need to do more for Ukrainian refugees

Should I give up on seeing people coming back to church?

It varies from church to church but most churches even if they’ve experienced growth through new people joining appear to have lost some people from in person attendance during COVID. I was arguing back in the Autumn that those who had not begun to re-join your gatherings or at least make active preparation probably would… Continue reading Should I give up on seeing people coming back to church?

What about pacifism?

The situation in Ukraine is really stretching our hearts and our thinking.  On this week’s podcast, I talked with Ryan Burton King, a pastor in London who has family and church connections to the country.  As well as talking about prayer points, we also discussed whether or not pastors could and should take sides in… Continue reading What about pacifism?