Peter closes his first letter with an exhortation to elders to take their responsibility to provide godly leadership seriously (1 Peter 5:1-4) and for the church family to submit to the elders (1 Peter 5:5). Elsewhere, the Bible tells us to make it a joy and not a burden for our elders to lead and… Continue reading A message for elders, wannabe elders and those who are led by them (Acts 20:28-32)
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On banning Palestinian Action
The High Court has ruled that it was unlawful for the Government to proscribe Palestinian Action as a terrorist organisation last year. I agree with the ruling. I say that as someone who is not a fan of Palestinian Action. I’m broadly pro Israel. They may have taken some wrong actions over the past couple… Continue reading On banning Palestinian Action
Do AI worship songs count as worship?
Before Christmas there was some conversation among our life group about whether or not singing songs produced by AI counts as worship. To answer that question, I think we have to answer two further questions. The first is “What is an AI song?” The second is “What is worship?” What is an AI song? We… Continue reading Do AI worship songs count as worship?
Disconnected? A response to Matthew Roberts Evangelicals Now article on corporate worship
One of my pet frustrations at the moment is the propensity for Christian journals and magazines to produce articles where the author makes a pronouncement about the sins of the church at large. We are told about what the churches are lacking. There are two problems here. First that the author is quick to presume… Continue reading Disconnected? A response to Matthew Roberts Evangelicals Now article on corporate worship
The forgotten objective of preaching and why it matters
I recently shared some notes setting out what I’m looking for from a preacher.. I suggested that we are looking for, in terms of content: I would suggest that in recent years, the emphasis has tended to be more and more on the first of these with a nod to the second. That to some… Continue reading The forgotten objective of preaching and why it matters
Home and adoption
It’s one of those moments we will always remember as though yesterday . In the middle of a sermon, pretty much out of nowhere, the preacher suddenly said Some of you have been thinking about adoption. God wants you to get on with it .” Well we had been thinking and talking about that. In… Continue reading Home and adoption
Dividing lines: A poignant reminder about why I keep talking about Christian Nationism
Do you ever want to ask me why I keep talking about Christian Nationalism? It’s a question I keep asking myself at times. Well, this post shared by Christopher Wickland provides a strong reminder about why we need to keep talking about this. I respond in detail in this video which I’d encourage you to… Continue reading Dividing lines: A poignant reminder about why I keep talking about Christian Nationism
The time will come
Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the Temple is one of the significant events from the last week of his earthly life and finds its way into all the Synoptic Gospels.[1] In fact, some have seen that as a crucial part of our ability to date the writing of the New Testament.[2] If these events… Continue reading The time will come
Is it an answer to prayer that Donald Trump says he will sue the BBC?
A few people have responded to Donald Trump’s announcement that he will sue the BBC for up to £5 billion as a wonderful answer to prayer. I want to suggest that it isn’t and here is why. First of all, let me emphasise that I have consistently argued that the BBC is in the wrong,… Continue reading Is it an answer to prayer that Donald Trump says he will sue the BBC?
Was it really not worth it?
It is desperately sad to hear a 100 year old say he does not think that World War 2 was worth it. It’s important to think carefully about our responses. He should be listened to and not just ignored for his age. We have an unhealthy tendency to write off the elderly in our society.… Continue reading Was it really not worth it?