One question that keeps coming up during lockdown is whether we can preach the same length of sermons during lockdown or whether we need to shorten them. At a recent FIEC webinar, research by educationalists was referenced suggesting that our attention span when viewing online content is about half that of when listening to or… Continue reading Preaching shorter sermons (Do we need to in lockdown online?)
Tag: Coronavirus
Leaders Repent First
One of my concerns during Coronavirus has been the speed with which some were quick to announce God’s discipline and judgement on various countries, communities and on the church in those places. As I have previously explained, it is correct to say that we continuously experience God’s loving discipline as believers and that this fallen… Continue reading Leaders Repent First
The crucial difference between “at the earliest” and “at the latest”
“Don’t build up expectations, don’t get hopes up” “You will do better to air on the side of caution and pessimism” “Be realistic” These are the key messages that have been coming through from national church leaders involved in consultation with the Government over the past few weeks. It can be very frustrating if you… Continue reading The crucial difference between “at the earliest” and “at the latest”
Living through a lengthy lockdown -facing the emotional challenges
Below is our latest Afternoon Tea conversation. The key points from the discussion were Our experience of lockdown may feel very similar to a grieving process The following 7 stages of grieving have been identified SHOCK & DENIAL- You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. … PAIN & GUILT- …… Continue reading Living through a lengthy lockdown -facing the emotional challenges
Food from around the world wide web
Leadership in a lengthy lockdown The FIEC have been providing some helpful resources for churches in lockdown. Here’s their most recent webinar. We are realising that elements of the lockdown are likely to be around for a long time and it will be quite some time before church is anywhere near back to normal 10… Continue reading Food from around the world wide web
Assumptions, Lockdown and the urban church
A lot of the assumptions I hear made about Coronavirus, the lockdown and life ahead assume a middle-class, suburban perspective on things. Those might sound like provocative words but let me explain why I am saying this. First of all, there is a tendency to talk about the virus not discriminating. I understand the sentiments… Continue reading Assumptions, Lockdown and the urban church
Church in long term lockdown
Here’s the recording of today’s #AfternoonTea as we talked through the implications of a long term lockdown for church. Here are my notes from the FIEC’s very helpful webinar with John Stephens on this subject. 1. He opened with Daniel 9 -not identical but some analogies esp the sense of being in a situation longer… Continue reading Church in long term lockdown
Coronavirus in our care homes – why does sorry seem to be the hardest word?
Special Agent Gibbs is the hero of NCIS. A man of few words with his own traumatic past, he leads a team of agents with a passionate commitment to justice. One of the unique things about Gibbs is that he has a rule for everything, a code to live by. One of his best known… Continue reading Coronavirus in our care homes – why does sorry seem to be the hardest word?
Don’t forget about children during Coronavirus Church
This is an appeal to all those leading churches and preparing for Zoom, Youtube and Facebook services. It is also an appeal to parents. I appreciate there are so many reasons why we might put that a long way down the list. Putting together an online service can be complex for those of us not… Continue reading Don’t forget about children during Coronavirus Church
The Care home scandal we cannot ignore
For a little while, I have been arguing that the one true scandal of the Coronavirus pandemic is that we allowed the virus to get into our care homes. The one place where you did not want the virus to run riot was also the one place we could have protected. I think that in… Continue reading The Care home scandal we cannot ignore
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