Category: pastoral-care

A raw conversation about sex and theology

As the fall out continues from Josh Butler’s book, Beautiful Union, and that car crash TGC article, we are, I think beginning to see some helpful reflection and interaction. Issues around marriage, sex and intimacy are I think of importance to those of us who care about pastoring well and so whilst some of us… Continue reading A raw conversation about sex and theology

I’m not your Saviour

I recently wrote in response to a quote from John MacArthur where he suggested that husbands are in effect their wife’s saviour, rescuing them from loneliness, a lack of care and protection and unfulfilled potential in terms of children.  Of course, when MacArthur talked about husbands as saviours, he wasn’t intending us to think that… Continue reading I’m not your Saviour

Why it might be good to switch the TV off when the pastor visits

Jeremy Walker posted on twitter recently that a particular challenge with modern pastoral visiting is the phenomena of the TV being on continuously in the background.  Now, I presume that by “modern” he’s referring to the past 50 years or so because this isn’t a particularly new thing. Steve Kneale has written here about why… Continue reading Why it might be good to switch the TV off when the pastor visits

Is a husband his wife’s saviour?

Well the fire started the other day concerning sex, relationships and salvation doesn’t show any signs of dying down. Rachel Denhollander shared this from John MacArthur as another example of problematic teaching about marriage. Now, to be fair to Josh Butler whose TGC article kicked off this whole debate, I think that he might say… Continue reading Is a husband his wife’s saviour?

My sadness may commend the Gospel

Jesus is described in Isaiah 53:3 as a man of sorrows,[cand acquainted with[ grief;” We would do well to pay attention to this as it provides the starting point to the other side of the coin to Lloyd Jones’ comments about the failure of unhappy Christians to commend the Gospel.  Jesus himself experienced suffering, sorrow and… Continue reading My sadness may commend the Gospel

When my unhappiness does not commend the Gospel

Remember that Martyn Lloyd Jones quote I mentioned the other day? Unhappy Christians are a poor recommendation of the Christian faith.” I thought it might be worth digging a little deeper into it.  As I suggested in my previous article, it probably works best as one half of a proverbial provocation.  On the one hand,… Continue reading When my unhappiness does not commend the Gospel

Can you be an unhappy Christian?

Dane Ortlund, author of Gently and Lowly recently tweeted this quote from Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones. This has ironically left quite a few people unhappy. There is a risk with this kind of statement, especially without nuance and separated from context that it can give the impression that Christians are meant to walk around with… Continue reading Can you be an unhappy Christian?

Before you warn about danger first make sure there’s an ark ready

Noah was called by God to be a witness to the world around d him as the day of judgement drew near and the Flood was about to come.  It’s clear from the New Testament that Noah was preaching to the people, warning them of coming danger. This warning came through the fact that he… Continue reading Before you warn about danger first make sure there’s an ark ready

“I’m saying this in love”

It’s the phrase that I suspect most Christians dread to hear but it’s one that I suspect is most used among believers too.  Tim Wilson recently asked on twitter which particular Christian cliches irritate us the most and the phrase “I’m saying this in love”   and presumably variants on that theme came up. Why does… Continue reading “I’m saying this in love”