Category: pastoral-care

Faith, hope and children (What Kevin DeYoung could have said)

Here’s an extra article this afternoon instead of sharing afternoon tea. The Kevin DeYoung article about having lots of children has certainly stirred emotions. Some people have taken this to mean that there are obstacles to pastors talking about discipleship issues that affect women. I don’t think so. I don’t think that the problem was… Continue reading Faith, hope and children (What Kevin DeYoung could have said)

Families, Children and Childlessness (Responding to Kevin DeYoung)

The other day, Kevin DeYoung penned these words in an article for the Gospel Coalition “Here’s a culture war strategy conservative Christians should get behind: have more children and disciple them like crazy. Strongly consider having more children than you think you can handle.”[1] Kevin was writing primarily for a US audience. The concept of… Continue reading Families, Children and Childlessness (Responding to Kevin DeYoung)

Leaders set the tone – sometimes it is about us

In a previous article I said that we set the tone by recognising that things are not always about us. However, sometimes they are.  One of the things that concerned me about early comments during coronavirus was the speed with which some church leaders and prominent speakers and writers were quick to suggest that the… Continue reading Leaders set the tone – sometimes it is about us

Leaders set the tone – it isn’t always about us

If you live in a multi-ethnic context then over time you get to hear the thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears of people from different ethnic backgrounds to your own. I have the privilege of living in a community and being part of a church where people come from so many different backgrounds, Afro Caribbean, Nigerian,… Continue reading Leaders set the tone – it isn’t always about us

Should we sympathise with Dominic Cummings?

On Saturday May 23rd news broke that Dominic Cummings (Boris Johnson’s chief of staff) had allegedly broke the lockdown rules to visit his parents in Durham.   Over the day, the story changed several times. The explanation was given that he went because he and his wife were beginning o show symptoms of COVID-19 and that… Continue reading Should we sympathise with Dominic Cummings?

Good news for the childless

Every morning we’ve been working through a Psalm. We recently read these words in Psalm 113 He raises the poor from the dust    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,8 to make them sit with princes,    with the princes of his people.9 He gives the barren woman a home,    making her the joyous mother of children.Praise the Lord![1] These… Continue reading Good news for the childless

Facing our fear

Here’s our latest #AfternoonTea discussion. Today we were talking about how we face our fears. Here are the main points: Fear is not just about our own well-being but about our desire to protect others. A big factor is our inability to be in control of things. There is a healthy desire for control and… Continue reading Facing our fear

What I want for my enemies (reflections on Psalm 110 part 1)

How do we respond when people falsely accuse us, slander and gossip about us behind our backs, isolate us and attack our characters?  Psalm 109, helps us to give voice to the way that this makes us feel. There is the desperate cry for justice. David utters these words against his tormenters Appoint a wicked… Continue reading What I want for my enemies (reflections on Psalm 110 part 1)