Author: faithrootsdw

Idolatry and Abuse

I am republishing this article from 2016 in the light of recent challenging news stories How can we be alert to the risk of abuse, manipulation and control in church life?  Sometime back, I  preached on 1 Corinthians 12:1-3. I talked about how the devil wants us to stop hearing God and instead turn to… Continue reading Idolatry and Abuse

Come with me – simple discipleship

I have often been struck by John’s description of the first disciples being called. I would sum up his description of discipleship being that it is people following Jesus to be in his presence and inviting others to come with them and follow Jesus. That’s discipleship in a nutshell. I was reminded of this again… Continue reading Come with me – simple discipleship

Has COVID exposed our problem with legalism?

I remember a conversation with someone who came from a fairly strict church background about when it was permissible to not say grace. They explained how church leaders in the past had gone to great lengths to talk about the size of the meal. It was a bit like the gymnastics the government went through… Continue reading Has COVID exposed our problem with legalism?

If RZIM is truly repentant then they need to disband

No parachurch organisation can presume that it will be permanently around. Indeed, even local churches cannot make that assumption according to the first few chapters of Revelation.  Too often, institutions have focused on protecting their own reputation over and above the priorities of The honour and glory of Christ The Gospel Those who have been… Continue reading If RZIM is truly repentant then they need to disband

When the situation is complex, keep the Comms simple

I remember someone at the start of the pandemic who was in the know (genuinely in the know, not someone who knew a friend of a friend), sharing at a briefing to church leaders that when the Government said it was following the science, this included behavioural scientists. My initial reaction to that was “uh… Continue reading When the situation is complex, keep the Comms simple

Anchors Up!

I grew up in the Boys Brigade singing the song “Will your anchor hold.” So don’t hear me wrong. I don’t want to take away from the imagery of our anchor grounded firm and deep as we are rooted in Christ. However, I want to use the metaphor in another context. It is right that… Continue reading Anchors Up!

The Beginning of the Story (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

The story of Creation starts right at the beginning of the Bible. The stage is set, the main characters introduced and we begin to read about who God is and what he is doing in time and space.  In Genesis 1, we are told that God creates the world over a 7 day time frame.… Continue reading The Beginning of the Story (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

Is a 10 year jail term proportionate for lying about quarantine?

My friend Steve has opened up this question and indicated a reluctance to enter into the specific debate although eventually he did give his opinion. I on the other hand am happy to wade in to the specific debate and to say that I think a ten year prison sentence is perfectly reasonable and proportionate… Continue reading Is a 10 year jail term proportionate for lying about quarantine?

Grace and Peace (Romans 1: 1-7)

I have spent the bulk of my life living in three of the UK’s biggest conurbations.  I grew up in West Yorkshire, spent 4 years in London and then we moved to the West Midlands. This has given me a huge concern for the city. I am keen to see churches rooted and established on… Continue reading Grace and Peace (Romans 1: 1-7)