You've most likely read or heard about the quiet UK revival, namely the rising interest in Christianity among younger generations as explored in the Bible Society's latest report.
I remember when my husband and I ran Whizz Kids groups for kids at large events. We prayed that if children became Christians, it would be an obvious work of the Spirit. As a result, we have heard many stories of children saying they felt they were woken by Jesus, or He spoke to them in the shower. One even felt God's call when on a funfair ride! A call to faith that only God could take the glory for.
Several years ago, I attended a truly uplifting worship session at a mega-church in Leatherhead. Yet, at the conclusion of that session, I was disappointed to hear the Senior Pastor trot out the usual shop-worn arguments for the continuance of tithing in the New Testament.
Of course, I can understand churches’ attraction to having a substantial and predictable source of church funds. However, stretching the applicability of an Old Testament regulation to our New Testament era is not the way to do it.
Most people born in the 1980s will be familiar with the character Thomas the Tank Engine. First published in a book in 1945, his adventures were later adapted into a TV show Thomas and Friends which ran from 1984 until 2021.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of this British classic, an unseen version of the pilot episode, discovered in the Mattel archives, filmed back in 1983, has been made available on YouTube.[1]
I still remember the weight of that brown envelope in my hands. My entire future seemed contained within those folded A-level results. With trembling fingers, I opened it, and my heart sank. The grades weren't enough for medical school.
In that moment, I hadn't broken any moral code. There were even mitigating circumstances that had affected my performance. Yet what overwhelmed me wasn't guilt - it was shame.
I came across an interesting statistic the other day: only about 2.5% of any given population are considered true “innovators.”
These are the folks who instinctively think outside the box - the pioneers, the ones who approach problems from unexpected angles and aren’t afraid to take risks on ideas others might dismiss. They're the trailblazers.
Certain images slip by our attention until we discover their depth. One such image might be the parable of the hen and her chickens in the Gospel of Matthew – but only until we realise the extraordinary nature of the hen’s care for her brood.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)
If anyone else was glued to this year's World Snooker Championship, they might have been confronted by a nagging question: just what should we make of Zhao Xintong?
The 28 year-old became China’s first snooker world champion by beating class-of-ninety-two legend Mark Williams in a one-sided final. Xintong wrapped his native flag around himself as he lifted The Silver Lady, the sport’s most coveted trophy.
We've recently had a bunch of local elections, and I was reminded of the famous quote of Tip O’Neill, then US House of Representatives Speaker, that “all politics is local."
A good case though can be made for the prosecution that politics is far from being local but rather national even international as we are now in an era of globalisation, where events in countries like China, Russia and the US have have a big impact on our economics and politics.
Jeremy Clarkson continues to have his usual column in The Sunday Times. His theme was internet scammers, and his message was if you want to scam, "Go big." It was written with his usually waspish irony.
He ended his column with this finale: "Go big. That's my message if you are considering becoming a celebrated conman. Take a lesson from the biggest fraudster of them all: Jesus. 'I can walk on water. My mum was a virgin and my dad's God. And I'm going to start an industry selling this guff that will last for 2,000 years.' Top man."
In 2018, back pain ceased to be the main reason people were taking days off work. The number one spot is now occupied by the stress-anxiety-depression family of mental health problems.
Some used to say that people with back pain were malingering; now, we reserve that accusation for people with mental health issues.
In a recent book I wrote with Jonny Reid called Spiritual Game Plan, we included a chapter about godly conduct as a Christian fan.
We draw attention to James 3:9-10, which says: "With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."
The shooting of 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai on a Pakistani school bus in 2012 was a shocking reminder that not everyone supports the idea of female education. While few modern Christians would oppose the general idea, some believe it should have limits.
Transformed Wife blogger Lori Alexander argues that women should not attend seminary and Christian author Aimee Byrd’s contribution to a debate over the Trinity drew significant fire from some who thought she, as a woman, should steer clear of theological judgments.
If you’ve ever looked around at the chaos of the current moment and wondered, "Who could have seen this coming?" I have an answer: Walker Percy.
Percy, an American writer, died 35 years ago this week—long before Trump, Twitter, TikTok, or transgender sports debates. But more than half a century ago, he eerily foresaw something like 2025, in which technology, tribalism, and spiritual emptiness converge. If we’re to find our way through the madness, maybe we should listen to what he had to say.
We are drawing close to crucial debates and votes on Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
The aim of the legislation is to give terminally ill adults over 18 in England the right to an assisted suicide if their prognosis is six months or less to live. If the Bill passes, members of the Welsh Parliament will then vote on whether to apply the same law in Wales.
The media I read has been awash lately in articles that, in various ways, demonstrate the failure of feminism.
At one end, older women are lamenting that their lives, influenced by feminist thought, have led to singleness and childlessness, and they are realising the sadness of this. In the end, a successful career – however much enjoyed – did not make up for the loneliness of being without these basic life relationships.
I am nothing by myself. That’s not a very cheery opener, is it?
I wonder if you sometimes feel like nothing. Nothing in comparison to others. Nothing left to give. Those of us in the caring profession can easily feel like there’s nothing left in the tank - exhausted and at the end of our resources is a common and difficult feeling.
Among the big news headlines recently was the Supreme Court ruling that decided a woman is defined by their biological sex, in accordance with the 2010 Equality Act. The Court also deliberated the meaning of “man,” “woman” and “sex”.
Justices Lord Hodge, Lady Rose and Lady Simler, along with other justices, unanimously agreed that “woman” can only be defined biologically. And therefore this ruling protects women from biological men trespassing into boundaries reserved exclusively for women – for example girls toilets, changing rooms etc.
The Roman Catholic Church has its new Pope - the 267th according to its official list.
The number is less than obvious because it assumes that Peter was the first Pope (he was not) and that there were monarchical Popes thereafter (the practice became standard only at the end of the second century).
Comment
A quiet revival - for all?
You've most likely read or heard about the quiet UK revival, namely the rising interest in Christianity among younger generations as explored in the Bible Society's latest report.
I remember when my husband and I ran Whizz Kids groups for kids at large events. We prayed that if children became Christians, it would be an obvious work of the Spirit. As a result, we have heard many stories of children saying they felt they were woken by Jesus, or He spoke to them in the shower. One even felt God's call when on a funfair ride! A call to faith that only God could take the glory for.
Defending the Youth and Children's Worker: taking on the gospel teaching
In my article last month, we started looking at whether there was a place for a Youth and Children's worker in today's church.
We began to do so by establishing that while the family has a role in bringing up children to follow Jesus, the church also has a key role to play.
Should we continue tithing today?
Several years ago, I attended a truly uplifting worship session at a mega-church in Leatherhead. Yet, at the conclusion of that session, I was disappointed to hear the Senior Pastor trot out the usual shop-worn arguments for the continuance of tithing in the New Testament.
Of course, I can understand churches’ attraction to having a substantial and predictable source of church funds. However, stretching the applicability of an Old Testament regulation to our New Testament era is not the way to do it.
80 years of Thomas the Tank Engine - and simpler times...
Most people born in the 1980s will be familiar with the character Thomas the Tank Engine. First published in a book in 1945, his adventures were later adapted into a TV show Thomas and Friends which ran from 1984 until 2021.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of this British classic, an unseen version of the pilot episode, discovered in the Mattel archives, filmed back in 1983, has been made available on YouTube.[1]
How to apply the gospel across cultures? Talk about shame
I still remember the weight of that brown envelope in my hands. My entire future seemed contained within those folded A-level results. With trembling fingers, I opened it, and my heart sank. The grades weren't enough for medical school.
In that moment, I hadn't broken any moral code. There were even mitigating circumstances that had affected my performance. Yet what overwhelmed me wasn't guilt - it was shame.
Should you copy and paste from other church plants?
I came across an interesting statistic the other day: only about 2.5% of any given population are considered true “innovators.”
These are the folks who instinctively think outside the box - the pioneers, the ones who approach problems from unexpected angles and aren’t afraid to take risks on ideas others might dismiss. They're the trailblazers.
The hen and her chicks: an image of God's tender love
Certain images slip by our attention until we discover their depth. One such image might be the parable of the hen and her chickens in the Gospel of Matthew – but only until we realise the extraordinary nature of the hen’s care for her brood.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)
How should we respond to snooker champion Zhao Xintong?
If anyone else was glued to this year's World Snooker Championship, they might have been confronted by a nagging question: just what should we make of Zhao Xintong?
The 28 year-old became China’s first snooker world champion by beating class-of-ninety-two legend Mark Williams in a one-sided final. Xintong wrapped his native flag around himself as he lifted The Silver Lady, the sport’s most coveted trophy.
Does the Bible agree that 'politics is local?'
We've recently had a bunch of local elections, and I was reminded of the famous quote of Tip O’Neill, then US House of Representatives Speaker, that “all politics is local."
A good case though can be made for the prosecution that politics is far from being local but rather national even international as we are now in an era of globalisation, where events in countries like China, Russia and the US have have a big impact on our economics and politics.
Responding to Jeremy Clarkson: Is Jesus a 'fraudster'?
Jeremy Clarkson continues to have his usual column in The Sunday Times. His theme was internet scammers, and his message was if you want to scam, "Go big." It was written with his usually waspish irony.
He ended his column with this finale: "Go big. That's my message if you are considering becoming a celebrated conman. Take a lesson from the biggest fraudster of them all: Jesus. 'I can walk on water. My mum was a virgin and my dad's God. And I'm going to start an industry selling this guff that will last for 2,000 years.' Top man."
Are doctors ‘over-diagnosing’ mental health problems?
In 2018, back pain ceased to be the main reason people were taking days off work. The number one spot is now occupied by the stress-anxiety-depression family of mental health problems.
Some used to say that people with back pain were malingering; now, we reserve that accusation for people with mental health issues.
Watching our conduct in the transfer window
In a recent book I wrote with Jonny Reid called Spiritual Game Plan, we included a chapter about godly conduct as a Christian fan.
We draw attention to James 3:9-10, which says: "With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."
Should a Christian woman engage with theology?
The shooting of 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai on a Pakistani school bus in 2012 was a shocking reminder that not everyone supports the idea of female education. While few modern Christians would oppose the general idea, some believe it should have limits.
Transformed Wife blogger Lori Alexander argues that women should not attend seminary and Christian author Aimee Byrd’s contribution to a debate over the Trinity drew significant fire from some who thought she, as a woman, should steer clear of theological judgments.
The end of the world will be livestreamed
If you’ve ever looked around at the chaos of the current moment and wondered, "Who could have seen this coming?" I have an answer: Walker Percy.
Percy, an American writer, died 35 years ago this week—long before Trump, Twitter, TikTok, or transgender sports debates. But more than half a century ago, he eerily foresaw something like 2025, in which technology, tribalism, and spiritual emptiness converge. If we’re to find our way through the madness, maybe we should listen to what he had to say.
The last best chance to stop assisted suicide Bill is here
We are drawing close to crucial debates and votes on Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
The aim of the legislation is to give terminally ill adults over 18 in England the right to an assisted suicide if their prognosis is six months or less to live. If the Bill passes, members of the Welsh Parliament will then vote on whether to apply the same law in Wales.
Feminism has failed women
The media I read has been awash lately in articles that, in various ways, demonstrate the failure of feminism.
At one end, older women are lamenting that their lives, influenced by feminist thought, have led to singleness and childlessness, and they are realising the sadness of this. In the end, a successful career – however much enjoyed – did not make up for the loneliness of being without these basic life relationships.
Learning to embrace our 'nothingness'
I am nothing by myself. That’s not a very cheery opener, is it?
I wonder if you sometimes feel like nothing. Nothing in comparison to others. Nothing left to give. Those of us in the caring profession can easily feel like there’s nothing left in the tank - exhausted and at the end of our resources is a common and difficult feeling.
At a standstill? Embrace it
Seasons of stagnancy come to us all: in our work, in our relationships, in our personal goals, and in our spiritual lives.
We can all be prone to feeling apathy, dissatisfaction, and a sense of standstill. Can you remember a time when you felt stuck in a rut?
How should we relate to the transgender community?
Among the big news headlines recently was the Supreme Court ruling that decided a woman is defined by their biological sex, in accordance with the 2010 Equality Act. The Court also deliberated the meaning of “man,” “woman” and “sex”.
Justices Lord Hodge, Lady Rose and Lady Simler, along with other justices, unanimously agreed that “woman” can only be defined biologically. And therefore this ruling protects women from biological men trespassing into boundaries reserved exclusively for women – for example girls toilets, changing rooms etc.
Pope Leo XIV: An evangelical view
The Roman Catholic Church has its new Pope - the 267th according to its official list.
The number is less than obvious because it assumes that Peter was the first Pope (he was not) and that there were monarchical Popes thereafter (the practice became standard only at the end of the second century).