At the back end of last year I offered a brief response to an article in Evangelical Times called “Why I escaped the so called Calvinistic charismatics”. The article seemed primarily to be focused on New Frontiers, the family of churches which our church is part of. I wrote to the newspaper asking for permission… Continue reading In defence of the Reformed Charismatics
Category: Church life
Blue Christmas … What I need for Christmas
Some people have started a tradition of using the shortest day and longest night to specifically mark the occasion for those who for various reasons will find Christmas especially hard. I wrote this article two years ago in the face of raw grief. I am reposting it today hoping it will be of help to… Continue reading Blue Christmas … What I need for Christmas
Leaving and cleaving: Reflections on questions that don’t seem to get as much attention in the current debate about Anglican futures.
I posted this question on Facebook the other day Why is the case for evangelicals in the Church of England always put in terms of why they shouldn’t (or even sometimes, should) leave the Church of England and not why they should/shouldn’t join with other Evangelicals? I’m planning to write a bit more about this… Continue reading Leaving and cleaving: Reflections on questions that don’t seem to get as much attention in the current debate about Anglican futures.
Why the next Archbishop of Canterbury shouldn’t matter anymore to Evangelicals
The debate and speculation has now moved on to who the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be. I think the one rule of thumb is that they will probably not be one of the people who have been identified as a potential successor, especially if they are seen to have been maneuvering for the role.… Continue reading Why the next Archbishop of Canterbury shouldn’t matter anymore to Evangelicals
Do you have an anchor?
I hope that the immediate answer is that “yes, Jesus is my anchor.”. However, I’m thinking of something slightly different here. Most good football teams have a player whose position is “anchor midfield” or sometimes “holding midfield.” Their job is to sit in front of the defence, protecting the back four. They anticipate danger, break… Continue reading Do you have an anchor?
The numbers game: The Good, the bad and the ugly
How many people are in your church? How many conversions have you seen? What are your finances like? How many baptisms, small groups,staff members, church plants? How long have you been a pastor? One way or another, we often find ourselves talking numbers. We often do so nervously because we see the pitfalls and dangers… Continue reading The numbers game: The Good, the bad and the ugly
People in your church that you should be talking about at elders/leaders meetings
I recently saw a post from Steve Kneale about who you should talk about at elders’ meetings. I did not disagree with the post but rather I thought it might be helpful to show another way of cutting things. Those moving in These are people who are new to the church or not yet members. … Continue reading People in your church that you should be talking about at elders/leaders meetings
Must there be divisions amongst us?
Following a recent debate, my attention was drawn to an intriguing interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:18-19. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,[e] 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may… Continue reading Must there be divisions amongst us?
What if anything does the Bible have to say about class?
When I recently posted some articles concerning class, the church and the Gospel, I opened up comments for discussion. Here is one comment that was posted. “What does the scriptures say about the class system that you are talking about? In which “class” would you put say Peter, Paul, Moses etc. What “class” would you… Continue reading What if anything does the Bible have to say about class?
A job interview or a doctor’s waiting room? How should we think about the church
Steve Midgely asks in Evangelicals Now whether our churches are more like “a group of people waiting for a job interview or those waiting in a doctor’s surgery.” He reminds us of Jesus’ statement that: ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous,… Continue reading A job interview or a doctor’s waiting room? How should we think about the church
Faithroots 