Despite the imposition of “special measures”, “urgent notifications”, “improvement plans”, and “change agendas” in our prisons, something we mortals are doing is not “quite” working there. This is despite some very good humans doing their absolute best, with all their human strength and might!
We as Christians are called to care deeply about the state of our prisons. There are many references in the Bible to prison and imprisonment (both actual and metaphorical). And we are given a very clear instruction in the book of Hebrews (13v3): “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”
For the last few years, my sister and I have been sewing reusable wrapping. We buy lovely cotton cloth in Christmas prints, hem the material, tie with ribbon, and reuse the fabrics every year. They look beautiful under the tree — and it feels good to celebrate Christmas in a way that doesn’t add to the planet’s waste.
But did you know that Christmas itself is the ultimate reason to care for the earth? Not the commercial one, with glitter and excess, but the real one... “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1v14).
Despite not really liking Ferrero Rocher chocolates, I have spent a lot of time over the last five years with ambassadors – first as the former Prime Minister’s Deputy Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, and now as I finish my time as Adviser to the Chair of the Article 18 Alliance of religious freedom envoys.
Ambassadors can be seen in public but rarely heard. Like the best referees or umpires, whom you don’t really notice until after the match that they have done a good job (although the old cricket umpire legend the late Dicky Bird was of course an exception). It is why the recent public criticism around former US Ambassador Peter Mandelson proved fatal to his career.
I love words. Not only are some of them inherently beautiful, but I’m fascinated by the way we create sounds that contain meanings.
Sure, the Book of Proverbs does warn that “when words are many, sin is not absent”, but it balances the assertion by also pointing out that “a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” which, although probably bad for the teeth, presumably represents something good.
We aren't used to good news, so much so that back in 1993, the BBC newsreader Martin Lewis complained that there wasn't enough good news being reported. I understand that the BBC responded by setting up a team dedicated to solution-focused news - whatever that means!
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.
Comment
Why our prisons aren’t working, and what’s needed
Despite the imposition of “special measures”, “urgent notifications”, “improvement plans”, and “change agendas” in our prisons, something we mortals are doing is not “quite” working there. This is despite some very good humans doing their absolute best, with all their human strength and might!
We as Christians are called to care deeply about the state of our prisons. There are many references in the Bible to prison and imprisonment (both actual and metaphorical). And we are given a very clear instruction in the book of Hebrews (13v3): “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”
The Biblical support for a greener Christmas
For the last few years, my sister and I have been sewing reusable wrapping. We buy lovely cotton cloth in Christmas prints, hem the material, tie with ribbon, and reuse the fabrics every year. They look beautiful under the tree — and it feels good to celebrate Christmas in a way that doesn’t add to the planet’s waste.
But did you know that Christmas itself is the ultimate reason to care for the earth? Not the commercial one, with glitter and excess, but the real one... “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1v14).
Christ's ambassadors, united by faith across nations
Despite not really liking Ferrero Rocher chocolates, I have spent a lot of time over the last five years with ambassadors – first as the former Prime Minister’s Deputy Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, and now as I finish my time as Adviser to the Chair of the Article 18 Alliance of religious freedom envoys.
Ambassadors can be seen in public but rarely heard. Like the best referees or umpires, whom you don’t really notice until after the match that they have done a good job (although the old cricket umpire legend the late Dicky Bird was of course an exception). It is why the recent public criticism around former US Ambassador Peter Mandelson proved fatal to his career.
What’s in a word?
I love words. Not only are some of them inherently beautiful, but I’m fascinated by the way we create sounds that contain meanings.
Sure, the Book of Proverbs does warn that “when words are many, sin is not absent”, but it balances the assertion by also pointing out that “a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” which, although probably bad for the teeth, presumably represents something good.
How should we respond to good news?
I bring you good news!
We aren't used to good news, so much so that back in 1993, the BBC newsreader Martin Lewis complained that there wasn't enough good news being reported. I understand that the BBC responded by setting up a team dedicated to solution-focused news - whatever that means!
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.