One of the issues that emerged from the Jonathan Fletcher review was the prevalence of fear amongst those affected by the case. The review comments: A further factor which is of great importance is fear. As has been explained, the level of fear some participants held was palpable in interviews and email correspondence. Repeated reassurances… Continue reading The fear factor
Posts
Book update – The Pastor with a thorn in his side
Some of you will know that I recently contributed a chapter to a book coming out in May about pastors facing depression. The aim of the book is not only to help fellow pastors cope with depression and their churches to support them but to encourage a wider conversation about mental health and the church.… Continue reading Book update – The Pastor with a thorn in his side
Spiritual Warfare
#TheDailyDose – Ephesians 6:10-20
The problem with Sin (Romans 3:9-20)
For Starters Why do we have laws? E.g. Speed limits, criminal law, charity laws etc. A Look at the Text Who is Paul writing about here? (v9) Who is affected by sin? (v9-10) Sin is …. The failure to ……………. God and to …………….. God (v11) deliberate decision to …………………………… from God (v12) Sin means… Continue reading The problem with Sin (Romans 3:9-20)
Little leopards …
The reports have come out on the Jonathan Fletcher case and they make for sober reading. Fletcher was the pastor of a church in London and over the past few yers, in an alarming similarity to the accusations against John Smyth, it emerged that he had introduced an abusive regime of punishment beatings with vulnerable… Continue reading Little leopards …
Slaves and Masters
Today’s #DailyDose is a look at Ephesians 6:5-9. In it I argue that whilst the teaching has analogous implications for employer relations in the workplace, we shouldn’t rush there without thinking first about the original household context. I also wrote in greater depth on the abolition of slavery in this pdf e-book which “Wesley and… Continue reading Slaves and Masters
Going with the grain of how Scripture talks about God
I want to say a little bit more about the recent controversy concerning Gently and Lowly. If we have discomfort about the language in the book, then it seems to be because we struggle with the language we find in Scripture. Let me pick up on one example. In Hosea 11:8-9 God says to Israel:… Continue reading Going with the grain of how Scripture talks about God
Expository Worship
In his book “Nine Marks of a healthy Church” Mark Dever makes Expositional Preaching his first and most important mark of healthy church life.[1] I want to suggest that Dever is right to give expositional preaching such a central position but that he does not go far enough. Why is Expositional Preaching so important? Dever… Continue reading Expository Worship
Fathers and Mothers/Sons and Daughters
#TheDailyDose … a look at Ephesians 6:1-4. Key take aways We obey our earthly fathers because we have a heavenly father … and because it is the right thing to do. The promises concerning parents and children are based on the parental responsibility to teach God’s word and bring the Gospel to children. There is… Continue reading Fathers and Mothers/Sons and Daughters
Gently and lowly?
This is a book review with a bit of a difference. Normally you would expect me to be reviewing a new book that few people have heard of yet in order to let you know why you should buy it and read it. In this case, there’s a good chance that you’ve already heard about,… Continue reading Gently and lowly?
