Football’s coming home – or is it? The World Cup is in full swing; flags are flying, hopes are high, and discussions about controversial refereeing decisions dominate schools and workplaces. Then there are those penalty shootouts, the cruellest of endings to 120 minutes of effort, energy and endurance.
The night Arsenal lost their penalty shootout in the UEFA Champions League final, my baby grandson was asleep in his Arsenal pyjamas, oblivious to the tension around him. He was beginning his journey as a Gooner [a longstanding nickname for an Arsenal supporter]. The next day, the streets of North London were filled with an ethnically diverse crowd of over a million cheering fans, from children to the 94-year-old woman holding up her sign from her window – “I’ve been a Gunner all my life”. I couldn’t get to the Premier League victory parade, but my phone was pinging all day with photos and videos from family who did.
Some swords are double-edged; they can cut both ways, not just at those against whom they are wielded, but also those wielding them. And all who live by the sword (as Someone once said, Matthew 26v52) will die by the sword.
Last week’s by-election in Makerfield was a case in point. Sam Leith, writing in The Spectator, puts it well:
It felt inevitable and perhaps it was: Sir Keir Starmer has resigned and looks very likely to be replaced by Andy Burnham as Prime Minister.
Burnham won a decisive victory in last week’s Makerfield by-election, beating out Reform UK by 20 points, exceeding even the pollsters’ predictions. The unique nature of the contest has made it hard to draw any decisive conclusions about the result’s significance for British politics more broadly, but it has now all but guaranteed that Burnham will be PM by September.
Earlier this morning, Sir Keir Starmer gave his emotional resignation speech. At any time, this is big news. A few hours later, a newly elected member of parliament, Andy Burnham, was sworn in. Normally a low-key event that rarely makes the news, but today this was part of the breathless news coverage, as “our Andy” is highly likely to become the new leader of the Labour party and therefore the new Prime Minister of the UK.
Anyone watching today from a distance would find the whole thing rather baffling.
Political drama has roared back into Westminster today. Within five hours, Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister, and Andy Burnham was sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield. The assumption of course, is that Burnham will take over as Prime Minister in the coming weeks.
There may yet be a leadership contest, but primary challenger Wes Streeting has said that he will support Burnham, so it looks more likely to be a coronation for the former Manchester Mayor and so-called King of the North.
I remember, in an earlier phase of the internet, the sense of being part of a large, ongoing conversation. On Facebook and Twitter, one could be drawn (for better or for worse) into dialogue with all kinds of perceptive people one had never met in real life. Social media these days feels very different.
Between the whims of the algorithm, which seem never to promote the things I want to read or the things I write, and the sheer quantity of trolls, bots and malign presences drenching these platforms with tedium, one feels caught up in a crowd of people shouting at each other, never really feeling heard.
Generation Z has access to more information about Christianity than any other generation.
In my experience, serving among students in México for more than 15 years, and then more widely in Latin America and beyond with IFES, I see less resistance to Christianity today than when I was in university more than 20 years ago.
The 2026 World Cup has already generated a mixture of excellence, shock and national joy as the world’s best teams compete for the greatest trophy of them all in the Americas.
As someone who resides north of the border, it was an unusual joy to witness Scotland’s first win on this stage since 1990, which brought scenes of celebration across the country and a peak audience of over two million, despite the game kicking off at two o'clock in the morning (BST).
Okay, I had to put the disclaimer because it's true – this article does contain spoilers. However, this film is seven years old. But even though that's the case, you may be in the same boat that I was a mere few months ago, having never seen any of the Avengers films; so there's your warning. Stop reading if you don't want spoilers.
Steven Jones was working at a university in Siberia when his zest for life fell off a cliff. Everything he used to love had lost its flavour and his motivation had evaporated. A colourless mood descended on him, lasting for months.
Steven’s an expert on the late Middle Ages (1100 AD to 1500 AD). Stuck in a Siberian university in the middle of winter, an ancient pastoral tool came to his rescue.
John Stott advocated “double listening” – that is, listening to the Word of God (to believe and obey it), and listening to the world around us (to understand and engage with it). He also insisted that evangelism and social engagement are both integral parts of the church’s holistic mission – like two blades of a pair of scissors or two wings of a bird.
The trouble is that some churches are good at one or the other but not both. Some preach and teach the Word, but avoid too much involvement in social issues. Others invest heavily in addressing the needs they see in the world around them, but are not known for evangelism or Biblical preaching.
Editor's note, added 19 June 2026: Andy Burnham has won the by-election in Makerfield. Earlier this week, we published a piece by James Mildred in which he reflected on Burnham's stance on key issues and what he's said about Christianity – as well as another potential candidate for PM, Wes Streeting.
It seems clear that if Andy Burnham wins the by-election in Makerfield on 18 June, he will challenge Keir Starmer to be Prime Minister.
We’ve been studying Romans 14 at church recently, and the teaching has covered "disputable matters" – issues where Christians, in good faith, may disagree.
Politics, preferred Bible translations, and permitted leisure activities on a Sunday are all examples of what might fall into this category nowadays. But one such "disputable matter" is rapidly moving up the agenda for many Christian families: just what should we do about smartphones and children in the church?
Some of my most precious times as a father are when I get to share cultural moments that shaped me, with my children – blasts from the past. For example, when the radio plays an Oasis song and, to my surprise, my teenagers sing along to every word with me.
In these moments of shared cultural experience, our generational divide vanishes. To them, the song is “retro” – to me it is “nostalgic”. But we are united in that moment.
Every World Cup produces moments that capture global attention; a dramatic goal, a surprise result or an unforgettable individual performance can become part of football history within moments.
Alongside the football itself, there are often visible expressions of Christian faith: a player kneels in prayer before kick-off; a goal-scorer points heavenwards; an interview concludes with thanks to God. Such moments regularly spark discussion, admiration and sometimes criticism.
We have all been deeply moved by the dreadful murder of student Henry Nowak in Southampton. His murderer, a British Sikh, was jailed last week. He and his brother had falsely claimed that Henry had racially abused him, and police bodycam footage shows Henry being handcuffed and disbelieved when he repeatedly cried out he had been stabbed and couldn’t breathe.
This is a horrific, awful event. There is no doubt that it was a shocking example of poor policing, and all of us who have watched the footage or read the details should absolutely be angry about it.
At a recent event, I was accosted by a younger Christian who spoke to me of the challenge of being an ethnic minority in her church.
In our conversation, she mentioned that recently she had had a conversation with a fellow church member who'd said to her something to the effect that "social justice" was a product of people with a lasting sense of victimhood, and that they were glad of more recent developments in politics and culture.
I am a horror fan – I will admit it. I know Christians have mixed views on horror, but there it is, my confession.
Recently, I saw the film Obsession; the story of a shy young man, Bear, who wishes that his attractive, outgoing friend, Nikki, will love him "more than anyone else in the world". In classic horror fashion, she then becomes obsessed with him and increasingly disturbing mayhem follows.
Who is the first person you always look for in a group photo? The answer, perhaps predictably, is yourself. But the more profound question is: Why do we always scramble to find out what we look like as if it were a secret that had been hidden from us all our lives?
The simple answer is that we do not know ourselves, and what we don't know, we don't entirely trust.
Living in Belfast, the cultural response to a Sudanese suspect who allegedly stabbed a white person in June’s evening daylight was predictable: streets, buses and houses were ablaze in full technicolour hatred in time for the ten o'clock news, the self-justified expression of pent-up aggression against migrants.
One Pastor in North Belfast, Jack McKee, made the local news for speaking out against the violence and standing up for his parishioners: “They’re good Christian people and they’re getting put out just because they’re black... I’m doing my best to help them, it’s as simple as that". [1]
Comment
Football, faith & ‘a freezing, inhospitable landscape’
Football’s coming home – or is it? The World Cup is in full swing; flags are flying, hopes are high, and discussions about controversial refereeing decisions dominate schools and workplaces. Then there are those penalty shootouts, the cruellest of endings to 120 minutes of effort, energy and endurance.
The night Arsenal lost their penalty shootout in the UEFA Champions League final, my baby grandson was asleep in his Arsenal pyjamas, oblivious to the tension around him. He was beginning his journey as a Gooner [a longstanding nickname for an Arsenal supporter]. The next day, the streets of North London were filled with an ethnically diverse crowd of over a million cheering fans, from children to the 94-year-old woman holding up her sign from her window – “I’ve been a Gunner all my life”. I couldn’t get to the Premier League victory parade, but my phone was pinging all day with photos and videos from family who did.
Farage, Lowe, Polanski... pray for them
Some swords are double-edged; they can cut both ways, not just at those against whom they are wielded, but also those wielding them. And all who live by the sword (as Someone once said, Matthew 26v52) will die by the sword.
Last week’s by-election in Makerfield was a case in point. Sam Leith, writing in The Spectator, puts it well:
The UK's next PM: Being 'likeable' isn't enough...
It felt inevitable and perhaps it was: Sir Keir Starmer has resigned and looks very likely to be replaced by Andy Burnham as Prime Minister.
Burnham won a decisive victory in last week’s Makerfield by-election, beating out Reform UK by 20 points, exceeding even the pollsters’ predictions. The unique nature of the contest has made it hard to draw any decisive conclusions about the result’s significance for British politics more broadly, but it has now all but guaranteed that Burnham will be PM by September.
Political turbulence... How do we respond?
Earlier this morning, Sir Keir Starmer gave his emotional resignation speech. At any time, this is big news. A few hours later, a newly elected member of parliament, Andy Burnham, was sworn in. Normally a low-key event that rarely makes the news, but today this was part of the breathless news coverage, as “our Andy” is highly likely to become the new leader of the Labour party and therefore the new Prime Minister of the UK.
Anyone watching today from a distance would find the whole thing rather baffling.
Another PM resigns – how did we get here?
Political drama has roared back into Westminster today. Within five hours, Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister, and Andy Burnham was sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield. The assumption of course, is that Burnham will take over as Prime Minister in the coming weeks.
There may yet be a leadership contest, but primary challenger Wes Streeting has said that he will support Burnham, so it looks more likely to be a coronation for the former Manchester Mayor and so-called King of the North.
Is our anger ever righteous?
I remember, in an earlier phase of the internet, the sense of being part of a large, ongoing conversation. On Facebook and Twitter, one could be drawn (for better or for worse) into dialogue with all kinds of perceptive people one had never met in real life. Social media these days feels very different.
Between the whims of the algorithm, which seem never to promote the things I want to read or the things I write, and the sheer quantity of trolls, bots and malign presences drenching these platforms with tedium, one feels caught up in a crowd of people shouting at each other, never really feeling heard.
Gen Z: From information to encounter
Generation Z has access to more information about Christianity than any other generation.
In my experience, serving among students in México for more than 15 years, and then more widely in Latin America and beyond with IFES, I see less resistance to Christianity today than when I was in university more than 20 years ago.
Harmony, disunity, the World Cup & eternity
The 2026 World Cup has already generated a mixture of excellence, shock and national joy as the world’s best teams compete for the greatest trophy of them all in the Americas.
As someone who resides north of the border, it was an unusual joy to witness Scotland’s first win on this stage since 1990, which brought scenes of celebration across the country and a peak audience of over two million, despite the game kicking off at two o'clock in the morning (BST).
Why are we drawn to stories of self-sacrifice?
This article contains spoilers!
Okay, I had to put the disclaimer because it's true – this article does contain spoilers. However, this film is seven years old. But even though that's the case, you may be in the same boat that I was a mere few months ago, having never seen any of the Avengers films; so there's your warning. Stop reading if you don't want spoilers.
The Seven Deadly Sins: What, when and why?
Steven Jones was working at a university in Siberia when his zest for life fell off a cliff. Everything he used to love had lost its flavour and his motivation had evaporated. A colourless mood descended on him, lasting for months.
Steven’s an expert on the late Middle Ages (1100 AD to 1500 AD). Stuck in a Siberian university in the middle of winter, an ancient pastoral tool came to his rescue.
Why evangelism and social engagement go together
John Stott advocated “double listening” – that is, listening to the Word of God (to believe and obey it), and listening to the world around us (to understand and engage with it). He also insisted that evangelism and social engagement are both integral parts of the church’s holistic mission – like two blades of a pair of scissors or two wings of a bird.
The trouble is that some churches are good at one or the other but not both. Some preach and teach the Word, but avoid too much involvement in social issues. Others invest heavily in addressing the needs they see in the world around them, but are not known for evangelism or Biblical preaching.
Our next PM? Burnham, Streeting & faith
Editor's note, added 19 June 2026: Andy Burnham has won the by-election in Makerfield. Earlier this week, we published a piece by James Mildred in which he reflected on Burnham's stance on key issues and what he's said about Christianity – as well as another potential candidate for PM, Wes Streeting.
It seems clear that if Andy Burnham wins the by-election in Makerfield on 18 June, he will challenge Keir Starmer to be Prime Minister.
When the phone comes to church
We’ve been studying Romans 14 at church recently, and the teaching has covered "disputable matters" – issues where Christians, in good faith, may disagree.
Politics, preferred Bible translations, and permitted leisure activities on a Sunday are all examples of what might fall into this category nowadays. But one such "disputable matter" is rapidly moving up the agenda for many Christian families: just what should we do about smartphones and children in the church?
Is Artificial Intelligence a 'resounding gong'?
Some of my most precious times as a father are when I get to share cultural moments that shaped me, with my children – blasts from the past. For example, when the radio plays an Oasis song and, to my surprise, my teenagers sing along to every word with me.
In these moments of shared cultural experience, our generational divide vanishes. To them, the song is “retro” – to me it is “nostalgic”. But we are united in that moment.
Professional footballers need the church, too
Every World Cup produces moments that capture global attention; a dramatic goal, a surprise result or an unforgettable individual performance can become part of football history within moments.
Alongside the football itself, there are often visible expressions of Christian faith: a player kneels in prayer before kick-off; a goal-scorer points heavenwards; an interview concludes with thanks to God. Such moments regularly spark discussion, admiration and sometimes criticism.
Instead of politicising Henry Nowak's death ...
We have all been deeply moved by the dreadful murder of student Henry Nowak in Southampton. His murderer, a British Sikh, was jailed last week. He and his brother had falsely claimed that Henry had racially abused him, and police bodycam footage shows Henry being handcuffed and disbelieved when he repeatedly cried out he had been stabbed and couldn’t breathe.
This is a horrific, awful event. There is no doubt that it was a shocking example of poor policing, and all of us who have watched the footage or read the details should absolutely be angry about it.
Social justice, political differences & the church
At a recent event, I was accosted by a younger Christian who spoke to me of the challenge of being an ethnic minority in her church.
In our conversation, she mentioned that recently she had had a conversation with a fellow church member who'd said to her something to the effect that "social justice" was a product of people with a lasting sense of victimhood, and that they were glad of more recent developments in politics and culture.
Do you see others as a means for your own gain?
I am a horror fan – I will admit it. I know Christians have mixed views on horror, but there it is, my confession.
Recently, I saw the film Obsession; the story of a shy young man, Bear, who wishes that his attractive, outgoing friend, Nikki, will love him "more than anyone else in the world". In classic horror fashion, she then becomes obsessed with him and increasingly disturbing mayhem follows.
Leader, how strong is your emotional immune system?
Who is the first person you always look for in a group photo? The answer, perhaps predictably, is yourself. But the more profound question is: Why do we always scramble to find out what we look like as if it were a secret that had been hidden from us all our lives?
The simple answer is that we do not know ourselves, and what we don't know, we don't entirely trust.
What is needed in Northern Ireland now?
Living in Belfast, the cultural response to a Sudanese suspect who allegedly stabbed a white person in June’s evening daylight was predictable: streets, buses and houses were ablaze in full technicolour hatred in time for the ten o'clock news, the self-justified expression of pent-up aggression against migrants.
One Pastor in North Belfast, Jack McKee, made the local news for speaking out against the violence and standing up for his parishioners: “They’re good Christian people and they’re getting put out just because they’re black... I’m doing my best to help them, it’s as simple as that". [1]