John 11v35 is not only the shortest verse of the New Testament, but also one of the most remarkable. There is no clearer testimony to Jesus’ humanity, as He enters into a scene of death and mourning and responds with grief and tears.
But it also provides a window into His divine attitude to sin and the effects of sin, especially to death. There is no indifference, no simplistic assurance that “all will be right in the end”, but lament at what has become of His world.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was once a war hero; he is now about to be an exile living out his days comfortably on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. He is in disgrace, but England’s past kings would wonder what all the fuss is about, as our kings have behaved disgracefully for most of our history. So here’s a thought, might the world be a better place if we did away with kings altogether?
Christians may reach for their Bibles at this point and open them at Romans 13v1-2, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities … for those that exist have been instituted by God”. From this we deduce the scurrilous doctrine of “The Divine Right of Kings” which has caused nothing but trouble for 20 centuries.
On the day of its release, Friday 21 November, I went to see Wicked: For Good, with my sister, at our local cinema. The film got me thinking about, well, wickedness (amongst other things).
First off, let's get one thing clear: the Bible condemns witchcraft. And so we come to the seemingly age-old debate of whether Christians "should" watch Harry Potter - or, in this case, Wicked. That's not what I'm discussing in this piece.
Remembrance earlier this month is more than a ritual; it is a sacred covenant that binds generations. For the British people, the annually recited fourth verse of Laurence Binyon’s immortal poem, For the Fallen, has become far more than fine poetry.
That is because it expresses the enduring covenant by which generation upon generation of British people continue to honour their war dead.
"Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. [1]
"Don’t worry, everything’s fine, carry on as you are" – even a cursory reading of the Biblical prophets reveals this to be the very epitome of false prophecy. Yet this is precisely the counsel Paul Mills’ article, published earlier this year, offers us.
There are many thoughts that might initially come to mind in relation to the “Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer” (see this article), now under construction after a £40 million fundraising target was met.
We might, quite apart from anything else, naturally feel somewhat cynical about the whole idea – an understandable reaction, perhaps, given the cynicism-soaked era in which we live. We are all marinaded in a media-enhanced weary distrust of most things at the moment.
In the heart of London, 600 people – me included – gathered for Speak Life’s Responding to the Rebirth conference on Saturday.
The venue was All Souls Langham Place. And it saw an eclectic mix of evangelicals - from across denominations - gather, along with seekers as well, to discuss a phenomenon you might be familiar with: the "Quiet Revival". Or, as co-host Justin Brierley, of the Think Faith newsletter, coined it with the title of his 2023 book: The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God.
I’ve been reflecting on a moment in Luke 7. A woman comes to Jesus with an alabaster jar of costly perfume. She breaks it and pours it all at His feet. The disciples complain about the “waste,” but she holds nothing back. She doesn’t compartmentalise Jesus; He is everything.
That story has been on my mind as the UK wrestles with a heated immigration debate once again.
Pornocracy (2025), by Jo Bartosch and Robert Jessel, is a clarion call for a legislative and cultural revolution, one in which the depravity of pornography is recognised, its façade of respectability is pulled down, and the entire industry which profits from it is overthrown.
Their provocative title refers to the "system where our minds, relationships and laws are shaped by global-scale sexual exploitation." It is this which they seek to expose (which Pornocracy does comprehensively) and then dismantle (here, the results are more mixed).
I suspect there is some confusion about trigger warnings. A confusion that exists in Christian circles as well as in wider society.
Increasingly, trigger warnings are being described – and used – as if they were a kind of worldwide version of film certification: "Today’s Old Testament reading is Certificate 12A, but the New Testament reading has a U certificate and is suitable for all." Now, if that is what we were dealing with – and if the basis for a higher certification was simply because the content was contrary to liberal Western thinking – then it’s not hard to see the problem.
I need to be challenged, regularly. And so do you. At least, that’s what the Bible tells me.
There are various ways this can happen, but it’s through the Word that we can expect it to happen. Preachers should clearly and prayerfully explain the Word, and apply it to people’s lives.
The Lord Jesus has told us what to do and where to begin. “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24v47).
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1v8).
So, we have finally come to the end of our wander through the letter of James, spotting our respectable sins – those insidious ones that reveal our spiritual double-mindedness.
Well – I thought we’d come to an end then I spotted one we’d missed from James 5v12 which is a bit ironic because he starts with the words “Above all else…”.
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka and former men’s Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios have agreed to tennis’s latest iteration of the Battle of the Sexes.
The event, which will take place in late December in Dubai, will be the latest such contest to take place, following Billie Jean King’s high-profile victory over 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in 1973, which is widely considered a watershed moment for the women’s game in its bid to gain greater recognition and funding.
When top BBC journalist and Christian Robin Aitken put together a dossier of what he felt were glaring examples of biased broadcasts, and sent it to the then Director General and Board of the BBC in 2007, he knew his career was on the line. What he had not expected – as a BBC executive and flagship Today Programme reporter - was to be ignored completely.
Instead of addressing the message, they pensioned him off.
Today I want to talk about service. This word is baked into the public institutions which our society is built upon: the Civil Service, the National Health Service, the Crown Prosecution Service...
The first words King Charles III said in Westminster Abbey at his Coronation summed up his new role as sovereign: “I come not to be served, but to serve.”
Is it yet another “should I stay or should I go” moment for evangelicals in the Church of England?
It feels like an interminable dilemma, especially with the process around the blessing of same-sex unions in recent years. With each significant development, the question re-emerges with a more negative tone. Yet, in the last two months, there have been announcements that push both ways.
David Yeghnazar has served with Elam Ministries (elam.com) for nearly 25 years and currently serves as the Executive Director. Elam’s mission is to strengthen and expand the church in the Iran region and beyond by: training Persian-speaking leaders for fruitful, effective ministry; equipping the Persian-speaking church with Bibles and resources for evangelism and discipleship; and sending the gospel through trained evangelists, church planters and the media into the Persian-speaking world. David was born in Iran, and his family has been serving the Iranian church for three generations.
How did you become a Christian? I was born into a faithful Christian family in Iran, so Jesus was always part of my life. When I was nine, my family was living in Lebanon for my dad’s work but we were preparing to relocate to the UK. On our last Sunday before leaving, during a small group prayer time at church, I was with my older brother and his friend when they asked what I wanted prayer for. My only desire was for Jesus to be in my heart. In that moment, I clearly sensed God saying, “David, you belong to me”. It was a profound, grace-filled encounter that anchored me before such a monumental life change.
What lessons have you learnt since thatyou would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself? Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take Jesus seriously, but not yourself.
How would you describe your prayer life? I enjoy my prayer life and have been blessed to see faithful prayer modelled throughout my life – especially by my parents and grandparents. In the 1950s, they hosted a nightly prayer meeting in their Tehran home for four years, crying out for the salvation of Iran. I believe those fervent gatherings planted the seeds for the great turning to Christ we are seeing in these days in Iran. While I certainly haven’t “mastered” prayer and still have much room to grow, seeing God’s work in Iran continually reinforces for me the power and joy found in prayer.
Which two or three Christian books apart from the Bible have most influenced your faith? I have been deeply impacted by Discipleshipon the Edge by Darrell Johnson and EveryBeliever a Disciple by David Bjork. Our vision for the Iranian church is that every new believer receives effective discipleship to grow in faith and live fully for Christ. With many Iranians coming to faith every day amid intense persecution, discipleship is both critical and challenging. These books have sharpened my understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and the importance of equipping every believer to disciple others.
Who or what have been your biggest Christian influences? Many men and women have impacted my life, but my grandfather’s walk with the Lord has marked me significantly. He came to faith in Iran in the 1930s, and everyone he met he would simply ask: “Do you love Jesus?” As a child, I wondered when he’d move on to a more “important” question, but as I grew, I realised it was the most important one of all. Seeing that genuine love for Christ was beautiful, attractive, and made me want to know Him more.
What are the main challenges you believe Christians face today? I think it comes back to discipleship. We know we ought to both be disciples and disciple others, yet so many of us don’t really know how to actually do that. Yet the more we prioritise deep discipleship, the richer in Christ we will become and the brighter the church will shine as a witness to the world.
What encourages and what discourages you? I’m privileged to hear daily stories from the Iranian church of Christ transforming broken lives, healing relationships, and bringing hope into hopeless situations. God is moving – that continually encourages me. As for discouragement, the last few seasons as a Manchester United supporter have been tough! More seriously, I feel most discouraged when I fail as a parent.
What makes you laugh? My children say I laugh at my own jokes. Maybe that’s bad, but I see it as a gift– at least I can keep myself entertained!
What would you want to say to the wider evangelical world? We must remember that God is writing the story. This truth anchors us at Elam: amid the persecution of the Iranian church, we hold fast to the reality that God is in charge, even when we can’t see the whole picture. Another core value is that “everyone gets to play” – every believer has a role in God’s kingdom, regardless of skillset or credentials. I believe Christian leaders should focus more on equipping the whole church to do the work of ministry, as Ephesians 4v12 commands.
Which Biblical person (other than Jesus) do you most look forward to meeting in glory and why? It’s a hard choice, but I’d really like to ask James what it was like growing up with Jesus as his older brother.
Spoiler alert: last night, comedian Alan Carr won The Celebrity Traitors. It was some top-quality TV, and two moments can be of particular interest to us as evangelicals.
The burden of deceit
Now, if you're unfamiliar with the concept of The Traitors (as I was until this year when I, admittedly, became hooked), contestants bunk-up in a Scottish castle with some getting branded as "Faithfuls" and others, as "Traitors." The goal of a Traitor is to remain undetected by the Faithfuls, thereby not getting voted out (or "banished"), make it to the end, and nab the prize money.
Comment
Jesus wept
John 11v35 is not only the shortest verse of the New Testament, but also one of the most remarkable. There is no clearer testimony to Jesus’ humanity, as He enters into a scene of death and mourning and responds with grief and tears.
But it also provides a window into His divine attitude to sin and the effects of sin, especially to death. There is no indifference, no simplistic assurance that “all will be right in the end”, but lament at what has become of His world.
Monarchy in the Bible – and in Britain today
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was once a war hero; he is now about to be an exile living out his days comfortably on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. He is in disgrace, but England’s past kings would wonder what all the fuss is about, as our kings have behaved disgracefully for most of our history. So here’s a thought, might the world be a better place if we did away with kings altogether?
Christians may reach for their Bibles at this point and open them at Romans 13v1-2, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities … for those that exist have been instituted by God”. From this we deduce the scurrilous doctrine of “The Divine Right of Kings” which has caused nothing but trouble for 20 centuries.
'Wicked: For Good' - a Christian's review
On the day of its release, Friday 21 November, I went to see Wicked: For Good, with my sister, at our local cinema. The film got me thinking about, well, wickedness (amongst other things).
First off, let's get one thing clear: the Bible condemns witchcraft. And so we come to the seemingly age-old debate of whether Christians "should" watch Harry Potter - or, in this case, Wicked. That's not what I'm discussing in this piece.
Pretend patriots versus true patriotism
Remembrance earlier this month is more than a ritual; it is a sacred covenant that binds generations. For the British people, the annually recited fourth verse of Laurence Binyon’s immortal poem, For the Fallen, has become far more than fine poetry.
That is because it expresses the enduring covenant by which generation upon generation of British people continue to honour their war dead.
Setting the record straight on climate 'alarmism'
"Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. [1]
"Don’t worry, everything’s fine, carry on as you are" – even a cursory reading of the Biblical prophets reveals this to be the very epitome of false prophecy. Yet this is precisely the counsel Paul Mills’ article, published earlier this year, offers us.
Eternal what?
There are many thoughts that might initially come to mind in relation to the “Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer” (see this article), now under construction after a £40 million fundraising target was met.
We might, quite apart from anything else, naturally feel somewhat cynical about the whole idea – an understandable reaction, perhaps, given the cynicism-soaked era in which we live. We are all marinaded in a media-enhanced weary distrust of most things at the moment.
'Responding to the Rebirth': Revival? Really?
In the heart of London, 600 people – me included – gathered for Speak Life’s Responding to the Rebirth conference on Saturday.
The venue was All Souls Langham Place. And it saw an eclectic mix of evangelicals - from across denominations - gather, along with seekers as well, to discuss a phenomenon you might be familiar with: the "Quiet Revival". Or, as co-host Justin Brierley, of the Think Faith newsletter, coined it with the title of his 2023 book: The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God.
Immigration: Who is shaping our response?
I’ve been reflecting on a moment in Luke 7. A woman comes to Jesus with an alabaster jar of costly perfume. She breaks it and pours it all at His feet. The disciples complain about the “waste,” but she holds nothing back. She doesn’t compartmentalise Jesus; He is everything.
That story has been on my mind as the UK wrestles with a heated immigration debate once again.
Can secular thinking solve porn's evils?
Pornocracy (2025), by Jo Bartosch and Robert Jessel, is a clarion call for a legislative and cultural revolution, one in which the depravity of pornography is recognised, its façade of respectability is pulled down, and the entire industry which profits from it is overthrown.
Their provocative title refers to the "system where our minds, relationships and laws are shaped by global-scale sexual exploitation." It is this which they seek to expose (which Pornocracy does comprehensively) and then dismantle (here, the results are more mixed).
When trigger warnings are necessary
I suspect there is some confusion about trigger warnings. A confusion that exists in Christian circles as well as in wider society.
Increasingly, trigger warnings are being described – and used – as if they were a kind of worldwide version of film certification: "Today’s Old Testament reading is Certificate 12A, but the New Testament reading has a U certificate and is suitable for all." Now, if that is what we were dealing with – and if the basis for a higher certification was simply because the content was contrary to liberal Western thinking – then it’s not hard to see the problem.
Is your preaching merely teaching?
I need to be challenged, regularly. And so do you. At least, that’s what the Bible tells me.
There are various ways this can happen, but it’s through the Word that we can expect it to happen. Preachers should clearly and prayerfully explain the Word, and apply it to people’s lives.
Christ's words to weary pastors in hard places
The Lord Jesus has told us what to do and where to begin. “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24v47).
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1v8).
Does the Bible need trigger warnings?
The University of Sheffield recently issued trigger warnings for English Literature students studying Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
It advised that these texts contained graphic bodily injury and sexual violence.
Let your 'yes' be 'yes': The final challenge from James
So, we have finally come to the end of our wander through the letter of James, spotting our respectable sins – those insidious ones that reveal our spiritual double-mindedness.
Well – I thought we’d come to an end then I spotted one we’d missed from James 5v12 which is a bit ironic because he starts with the words “Above all else…”.
‘Battle of the Sexes’ – compelling or concerning?
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka and former men’s Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios have agreed to tennis’s latest iteration of the Battle of the Sexes.
The event, which will take place in late December in Dubai, will be the latest such contest to take place, following Billie Jean King’s high-profile victory over 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in 1973, which is widely considered a watershed moment for the women’s game in its bid to gain greater recognition and funding.
The BBC: What's wrong, and how it might be fixed
When top BBC journalist and Christian Robin Aitken put together a dossier of what he felt were glaring examples of biased broadcasts, and sent it to the then Director General and Board of the BBC in 2007, he knew his career was on the line. What he had not expected – as a BBC executive and flagship Today Programme reporter - was to be ignored completely.
Instead of addressing the message, they pensioned him off.
Called to serve: The heart of leadership
Today I want to talk about service. This word is baked into the public institutions which our society is built upon: the Civil Service, the National Health Service, the Crown Prosecution Service...
The first words King Charles III said in Westminster Abbey at his Coronation summed up his new role as sovereign: “I come not to be served, but to serve.”
CofE: Should we stay, or should we go?
Is it yet another “should I stay or should I go” moment for evangelicals in the Church of England?
It feels like an interminable dilemma, especially with the process around the blessing of same-sex unions in recent years. With each significant development, the question re-emerges with a more negative tone. Yet, in the last two months, there have been announcements that push both ways.
Ten questions with David Yeghnazar
David Yeghnazar has served with Elam Ministries (elam.com) for nearly 25 years and currently serves as the Executive Director. Elam’s mission is to strengthen and expand the church in the Iran region and beyond by: training Persian-speaking leaders for fruitful, effective ministry; equipping the Persian-speaking church with Bibles and resources for evangelism and discipleship; and sending the gospel through trained evangelists, church planters and the media into the Persian-speaking world. David was born in Iran, and his family has been serving the Iranian church for three generations.
I was born into a faithful Christian family in Iran, so Jesus was always part of my life. When I was nine, my family was living in Lebanon for my dad’s work but we were preparing to relocate to the UK. On our last Sunday before leaving, during a small group prayer time at church, I was with my older brother and his friend when they asked what I wanted prayer for. My only desire was for Jesus to be in my heart. In that moment, I clearly sensed God saying, “David, you belong to me”. It was a profound, grace-filled encounter that anchored me before such a monumental life change.
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take Jesus seriously, but not yourself.
I enjoy my prayer life and have been blessed to see faithful prayer modelled throughout my life – especially by my parents and grandparents. In the 1950s, they hosted a nightly prayer meeting in their Tehran home for four years, crying out for the salvation of Iran. I believe those fervent gatherings planted the seeds for the great turning to Christ we are seeing in these days in Iran. While I certainly haven’t “mastered” prayer and still have much room to grow, seeing God’s work in Iran continually reinforces for me the power and joy found in prayer.
I have been deeply impacted by Discipleship on the Edge by Darrell Johnson and Every Believer a Disciple by David Bjork. Our vision for the Iranian church is that every new believer receives effective discipleship to grow in faith and live fully for Christ. With many Iranians coming to faith every day amid intense persecution, discipleship is both critical and challenging. These books have sharpened my understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and the importance of equipping every believer to disciple others.
Many men and women have impacted my life, but my grandfather’s walk with the Lord has marked me significantly. He came to faith in Iran in the 1930s, and everyone he met he would simply ask: “Do you love Jesus?” As a child, I wondered when he’d move on to a more “important” question, but as I grew, I realised it was the most important one of all. Seeing that genuine love for Christ was beautiful, attractive, and made me want to know Him more.
I think it comes back to discipleship. We know we ought to both be disciples and disciple others, yet so many of us don’t really know how to actually do that. Yet the more we prioritise deep discipleship, the richer in Christ we will become and the brighter the church will shine as a witness to the world.
I’m privileged to hear daily stories from the Iranian church of Christ transforming broken lives, healing relationships, and bringing hope into hopeless situations. God is moving – that continually encourages me. As for discouragement, the last few seasons as a Manchester United supporter have been tough! More seriously, I feel most discouraged when I fail as a parent.
My children say I laugh at my own jokes. Maybe that’s bad, but I see it as a gift– at least I can keep myself entertained!
We must remember that God is writing the story. This truth anchors us at Elam: amid the persecution of the Iranian church, we hold fast to the reality that God is in charge, even when we can’t see the whole picture. Another core value is that “everyone gets to play” – every believer has a role in God’s kingdom, regardless of skillset or credentials. I believe Christian leaders should focus more on equipping the whole church to do the work of ministry, as Ephesians 4v12 commands.
It’s a hard choice, but I’d really like to ask James what it was like growing up with Jesus as his older brother.
Betrayal, deceit & the freedom of forgiveness
Spoiler alert: last night, comedian Alan Carr won The Celebrity Traitors. It was some top-quality TV, and two moments can be of particular interest to us as evangelicals.
The burden of deceit
Now, if you're unfamiliar with the concept of The Traitors (as I was until this year when I, admittedly, became hooked), contestants bunk-up in a Scottish castle with some getting branded as "Faithfuls" and others, as "Traitors." The goal of a Traitor is to remain undetected by the Faithfuls, thereby not getting voted out (or "banished"), make it to the end, and nab the prize money.