I’ve shared a few articles looking at the summer phenomena of St George’s flags appearing on lamposts and being painted on roundabouts and zebra crossings. Recently I picked up on the link between flag protests and class perceptions. There is a tendency in some quarters to sneer at anything seen as associated with working class… Continue reading The dark side of flags and the left behind
Tag: Urban mission
An important appeal for somewhere precious to me
I’m using today’s post to make an appeal on a church that is very precious to me. Sunbridge Road Mission is the church where I grew up. I spent most of my first 18 years there. It’s where I put my faith in Jesus as a five year old. It’s where I grew in my… Continue reading An important appeal for somewhere precious to me
Somewhere or anywhere?
The Road to Somewhere by David Goodhart identifies two groups of people,”Anywheres” and “Somewheres”. Anywheres are the minority, they reflect the idea that you could happily live anywhere in the world. If you are an anywhere person then you are likely to be socially and geographically mobile, you are also likely to be at ease… Continue reading Somewhere or anywhere?
Are you meant to be church planting?
Regular readers will know that my big concern is to see churches planted in the West Midlands, especially in urban priority areas (inner city and estates). I would love to hear from anyone who might be interested. I’m not asking for people to turn up with a definitive plan. Rather, what I’d love to see… Continue reading Are you meant to be church planting?
Is reaching urban Britain “cross cultural”?
In “Hope for the City”, I talk about reaching urban Britain as requiring “cross cultural mission”. But is it? I’ve also wanted to insist in recent blog posts that we shouldn’t be thinking in terms of a minority working class but rather about people who are simply normal ordinary members of the same society. So,… Continue reading Is reaching urban Britain “cross cultural”?
What can we really learn from Rochdale?
Last week, firebrand politician George Galloway was elected back to parliament in the Rochdale by-election. The election campaign had been marred by controversy with the Labour Party withdrawing support for their own candidate after he made antisemitic comments. My friend Steve Kneale has written here about the result and lessons that the church might want… Continue reading What can we really learn from Rochdale?
Could you be a church planter?
I’m consistently on the look out for potential church planters to come and join us here in the West Midlands. There is a particular need for people who are willing to go into inner city, council estate and multi-ethnic cross-cultural contexts. Whilst conventional church planting involves gathering together a significant sized core team, often from… Continue reading Could you be a church planter?
Birmingham’s bankruptcy is exactly why we need church planters
The recent announcement that Birmingham City Council is in effect bankrupt will not have done the city’s image much good. It may put off business from locating here and people from investing in the city. It is likely to make a lot of people reluctant to relocate here for work. This might affect your thinking… Continue reading Birmingham’s bankruptcy is exactly why we need church planters
Do we understand the middle classes?
There’s been a lot of discussion and debate in recent years about Britain’s class structure. Most of the focus has been on analysing and understanding the phenomenon of a working class in society. This is to some extent for two main reasons. First, that much of the discussion happens in academic circles, and by definition,… Continue reading Do we understand the middle classes?
Who will you send?
It’s been pointed out that the only way that you know if you’ve been called to pastoral ministry is not through an inner prompting, though some may experience this, it’s also not about having a few friends saying that they think you might be good at it. Rather, it’s about having a local church who… Continue reading Who will you send?
Faithroots 