Category: Church life

Having to walk to church would not be persecution!

I can’t believe that I’ve found myself writing that headline – but you’d be surprised at the number of times that the obvious needs spelling out.  For context, the IEA have been setting out some recommendations about how to tackle the current energy crisis which is expected to get worse as a result of the… Continue reading Having to walk to church would not be persecution!

Relentless Spiritual Warfare (4) I am tempted to disregard the body of Christ

Whilst Joab has been settling scores with Amasa, Sheba flees to a city called Abel. Joab pursues him there and lays siege to the city. A wise woman challenges him.  She reminds him that the city is part of Israel, part of the Lord’s inheritance. Will Joab seek to destroy the city. He assures her… Continue reading Relentless Spiritual Warfare (4) I am tempted to disregard the body of Christ

What can we do for Ukraine?

As we watch on the situation in Ukraine, no doubt like me you feel completely helpless. There seems to be nothing we can do.  We can use hashtags to say that we #StandWithUkraine and we can change our profile pictures to incorporate the Ukrainian flag on our social media but what good does that do? … Continue reading What can we do for Ukraine?

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?

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?

Confrontation in church life

The other day, I wrote about the risks of getting a response to trouble and confrontation wrong. I wrote specifically about the challenges facing the West in responding to Vladimir Putin. However, most of us are not involved in major geo-political issues and hold little power over politicians or big business so on one level,… Continue reading Confrontation in church life

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

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

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?