Tag: family

Why you should get your pastor a work mobile

My friend Steve Kneale writes here about why pastors should have a burner phone.  I want to endorse his recommendation with two tweaks.  First, there is a simple solution to his concerns about how he might be perceived (I note he didn’t include ‘double agent’ as one of his possible professions), instead of talking about… Continue reading Why you should get your pastor a work mobile

Should we really stop calling the church “a family”?

Tim Suffield writes that we should “stop calling the church a family.”  There seem to be three aspects to his argument. First, he argues that the Bible doesn’t really talk about the church as a family.  Secondly, even where it does use familial language, it isn’t the kind of family that we would think of… Continue reading Should we really stop calling the church “a family”?

Who is in charge?

In response to my recent article on the different types of complementarianism, one stand out comment came back.  A reader suggested that both complementarians and egalitarians alike have the same problem, they are essentially arguing about “who is in charge?”  The result is that essentially the debate is about status, hierarchy and power.  This goes… Continue reading Who is in charge?

If you want to look after your pastor, just let him have a normal weekend off!

I’ve just read one of those Twitter threads which outlines how churches should look after the pastors.  This current one talks about things like using paying the pastor a decent wage, paying for any counselling they need, letting them have marriage enrichment weekends, praying for them, giving them sabbaticals and also giving then a “sabbath… Continue reading If you want to look after your pastor, just let him have a normal weekend off!

Saying goodbye to mum: Between joy and grief

On December 2nd at just around 4am in the morning, my mum went to be with her Lord and Saviour.  It has been a roller coaster 10 days prior to this.  Mum had gone into hospital the week previously for planned surgery knowing that at her age there were risks but confident in Jesus that… Continue reading Saying goodbye to mum: Between joy and grief

The big beautiful marriage story

One of my favourite Bible passages is Ephesians 5:21-33. It’s the passage which I looked at for my MTh dissertation and yet in many respects I’m frustrated by how it is treated by Christians. It has become the battle ground for tribal disputes and the result has been a narrowing of focus and a squeezing… Continue reading The big beautiful marriage story

Big Family of God?

I’ve written a few articles recently where I’ve talked about the importance of revisiting how we think about and talk about God if we are to see significant cultural change.  I’ve suggested that we need to try and get away from corporate/business imagery and start to talk about the church as body and as family.… Continue reading Big Family of God?

Family or politics?

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) I’ve been called a few names in the past year. I’ve bene told that… Continue reading Family or politics?