Author: faithrootsdw

“Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament

I mentioned the other day the conversation I had with Dan James about Haggai 2.  One of the things I’ve been challenged about increasingly is the importance of preaching to the affections.  This is an old puritan phrase meaning that our preaching should speak to the whole person not just to the intellect. We don’t… Continue reading “Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament

Out of lockdown – a further update and more thoughts on masks and contact tracing

I’m trying to include a regular update on Faithroots regarding the COVID-19 situation and the move towards ending all restrictions here in England and the wider UK. My aim is to try and help church leaders stay abreast of what might be happening and plan accordingly.  Obviously, I’m not an epidemiologist or an immunologist, just… Continue reading Out of lockdown – a further update and more thoughts on masks and contact tracing

Gay Conversion Therapy: You can’t use already criminalised behaviour to justify criminalising legitimate behaviour

The I newspaper recently reported a very distressing case of a woman claiming that her pastor raped her in order to “cure” her of her Lesbianism.  If true, then this is another horrendous example of abuse in the church.  It may not be possible now to establish the truth concerning the allegations about he pastor… Continue reading Gay Conversion Therapy: You can’t use already criminalised behaviour to justify criminalising legitimate behaviour

COVID Reopening – brace yourselves and hold your nerve!

I’ve been trying to give a regular update for church leaders on how things are looking regarding final reopening on the 19th July.  So first of all, the not so good news.  You’ll be fairly well aware of this by now.  Over the past few weeks we’ve seen COVID-19 cases increasing rapidly. The increase seemed… Continue reading COVID Reopening – brace yourselves and hold your nerve!

In the Darkest Hour (1 Peter 3:8-22)

“In the darkest hour, when I cannot breatheFear is on my chest, the weight of the world on meEverything is crashing down, everything I had knownWhen I wonder if I’m all alone” These are the opening lines of Lauren Daigle’s song “Remember.”  What do we do when we face “the darkest hours” of our lives?… Continue reading In the Darkest Hour (1 Peter 3:8-22)

If marriage is a public matter then so too is adultery

Yesterday I wrote about the breaking news concerning the then Health Secretary, Matt Hancock and an alleged affair.  Hancock has now resigned from the government but as I wrote in the article, the focus was primarily no breach of COVID rules. People have tried to play down the moral side of things by insisting that… Continue reading If marriage is a public matter then so too is adultery

Adultery is not just about having a messy personal life

Newspapers broke a rumour on Friday that the Health Secretary Matt Hancock was having an affair with his aide.  One journalist has attempted to play this down with the headline “So Matt Hancock has a messy personal life: who doesn’t?” The headline is part of a narrative that we should not be obsessing about politician’s… Continue reading Adultery is not just about having a messy personal life

Our responsibility when there are accusations of abuse and bullying

Today I’m attending an online conference organised by Church As Refuge.  The organisers want to encourage pastors and church leaders to think about how we make churches safe and welcoming refuges for victims of abuse. However, the context is also that sadly we have seen too many cases of abuse within the church. We’ve seen… Continue reading Our responsibility when there are accusations of abuse and bullying

Blessing from nowhere

I was talking with my friend Dan James about sermon he was preparing for his church on Haggai 2 the other day and was struck by something fascinating. Have a look at Haggai 2:10-19.  What stood out to me was verse 19: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree,… Continue reading Blessing from nowhere