I recently saw this video from Lutheran satire. Here are some reflections. First the video may play into a stereotype of Charismatic prophecy, people talking to their experience and with it the status of their ideas, with a “thus says the Lord”. Now, it is fair to say that I have encountered people who either… Continue reading Jeff the low stakes prophet
Category: Church life
Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Reflecting not just on the Quiet Revival report but on anecdotal responses, one of the leaders in our group of churches commented recently that it feels as though something is happening, that summer is here.[1] He was talking about knowing the times and seasons. If we are in the summer time, then the kinds of… Continue reading Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Pastoring the grieving: The funeral
An important part of looking after people through grieving is the funeral which offers some form of closure. Although it is not the end of grieving, it does provide a marker, enabling the bereaved to move on with the next phase of their life. There isn’t really a right or wrong way to hold a… Continue reading Pastoring the grieving: The funeral
A little proposal, what if we got rid of the distinction between elders conpletely?
My friend Steve Kneale recently wrote in praise of unpaid elders. He began by talking. about the problems with different descriptions for paid and unpaid elders. I agree 100 percent with him. In fact the one thing I’d want to do is make explicitly clear that there is no Biblical foundation for the presbyterian distinction… Continue reading A little proposal, what if we got rid of the distinction between elders conpletely?
Talk of a Quiet Revival – how is it affecting Bible reading?
Most of the focus on the Quiet Revival report has been on the figures concerning Church attendance. However, the report also asked people about perceptions of the Bible and their own Bible reading habits. According to the report, 44% of adults own a Bible at home, however, 79% either hardly ever or never read it. … Continue reading Talk of a Quiet Revival – how is it affecting Bible reading?
Is having children the best long term strategy for church growth?
Ian Paul writes that “the best long-term strategy for church growth” .. is child birth. Now, as John Stevens has said when commenting on the article, yes, encouraging people to get married and have children is a good thing to be doing and very counter cultural. However, it is not by any stretch, a strategy… Continue reading Is having children the best long term strategy for church growth?
Ask me in 40 years
I must admit to being rather baffled by an article I’ve just read in Evangelicals Now. Church historial Michale Haykin describes how he has spent the last 40 years researching and writing about the Particular Baptists of the 1800s. Her suggests that it has taken him this long to get to properly know his subject… Continue reading Ask me in 40 years
We don’t have to celebrate Easter but there is a good reason for those who do
My friend, Steve Kneale has written here about why you don’t need to celebrate Easter. His crucial point is that there is nothing in the Bible that requires us to celebrate any of the key festivals. We might add that it would be silly to be legalistic about Christmas and Easter, possibly in some places… Continue reading We don’t have to celebrate Easter but there is a good reason for those who do
Training for all?
An anonymous person writes to Evangelicals Now: Dear Editor, I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general. What do I mean? I cannot remember ever seeing a course on how to read the Bible well, that is open to everyone. There are many courses out there and they all… Continue reading Training for all?
The real mythology about contending in the Church of England
The level of denial within Evangelical Anglicanism is deeply distressing for all who are concerned for Christ’s bride and particulary those who respect and treasure this particular expression of the church. Sadly, one such example is offered by George Crowder’s article in Evangelicals Now “Four myths about contending for truth in the CofE”[1] The first… Continue reading The real mythology about contending in the Church of England
Faithroots 