earth watch
Remembering Jesus is the Gardener-King
Paul Kunert
Date posted: 30 Apr 2026
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener…” (John 20v15). Many of us in the last few weeks will have heard or read these words. But how many will have paused to ponder this significance of Mary’s supposition?
What is it about Jesus’ resurrection body that the first witness takes Him for “the gardener”? Why not the caretaker or security guard or a passerby? One might speculate. Perhaps Jesus had been tending a budding vine. Or, His hands in the soil, a sprouting mustard seed. Or, among the trees, a fruiting orange. Perhaps, perhaps not.
culture watch
Pilgrimage’s progress
Rebecca Chapman
Date posted: 30 Apr 2026
Pilgrimage is having a moment. Everyone seems to be doing one. From our new Archbishop’s pre-enthronement six-day walk from St Paul’s to Canterbury Cathedral, to the 14,000 people registered in the first 24 hours that applications opened for the annual Pentecost Paris–Chartres Catholic pilgrimage on Palm Sunday, the ancient tradition of journeying to a place of special spiritual significance is going through a renaissance. And the BBC is running with it.
This spring we have the eighth series of its Pilgrimage show, this time sending semi-celebrities off to trace the footprint of legendary Celtic Christian saints from the seventh century, learning about Oswald, Bede and Cuthbert. From Whitby’s cliff-top Abbey to Durham Cathedral and then onto their final destination, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. There is one Anglican-evangelical Christian, one observant Muslim and an agnostic Jew, along with an “à la carte Catholic” as well as an atheist, who moves to become agnostic over the course of the pilgrimage – although there are no dramatic conversions to be seen. This show is about the slow burn – and slowing down, taking time to walk, to talk, to think deeply, away from the hurry and busyness of modern life. Sweeping northern landscapes draw in the pilgrims, and us as viewers.
Spiritual gifts: A nuanced position worth learning from?
Adam Ramsey
Date posted: 22 Apr 2026
This is the third in a series of articles written by Adam Ramsey of Liberti Church, Gold Coast, Australia, exploring what we can learn from Martyn Lloyd-Jones today in relation to the Reformed faith and a Scriptural understanding of spiritual experience. The essays, of which there are five in total, need to be taken together. They are taken from original, yet-to-be published research undertaken by Ramsey for his Doctor of Philosophy thesis. They also, we hope, represent something of the generous-hearted, thoughtful, Biblical approach that en was founded 40 years ago in 1986 to embody. Read Ramsey's first article here and his second article here. Next month: “Why Martyn Lloyd-Jones was not a charismatic.”
How can we know what God is doing in afflictions?
Pooyan Mehrshahi
Date posted: 21 Apr 2026
When inward trials and painful providences press upon the soul, how is a Christian to discern whether he is under fatherly chastening, spiritual assault, bodily weakness, or the ordinary sorrows of a fallen world?
There are times when a true Christian is brought very low and begins to ask, “What is this that is happening to me? Is the Lord chastening me, or am I simply passing through temptation, bodily weakness, mental strain, or the ordinary sorrows of this fallen world?” That question must be handled carefully. If answered badly, the bruised reed may be crushed. If ignored, the careless soul may remain hard.
EN at Rising Lights: Should the term 'evangelical' be ditched?
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 16 Apr 2026
At the Livermead House Hotel in Torquay, Devon, a panel of well-known Bible-based Christians were posed a question: "Is the term 'evangelical' an 'outdated' title?..."
From 6-10 April 2026, around 2,000 Christians gathered in the South of England for the first "Rising Lights" event - an Eastertime gathering organised by the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
Pesach Seder, embodied stories and evangelism
Daniel McIlhiney
Date posted: 16 Apr 2026
Last week, Jews around the world sat down to what is called a Pesach Seder. It is a meal that we have at Passover that invites every generation of Jews into the story of God’s redemption of our people from Egypt.
We sat and told the story of our redemption as though we were there. We ate bitter herbs dipped in salt water to remind us of the bitter tears we experienced in slavery. We wept as we ate the pungent fresh horseradish and savoured the sweetness of the Charoset that reminds us that even the darkest moments are sweetened by the promise of redemption. We drank and we feasted, and we celebrated our freedom as we have done for thousands of years.
Respect and seeking to understand: A husband’s calling in 1 Peter 3v7
Tim Vasby-Burnie
Date posted: 16 Apr 2026
How should husbands live if they are members of God’s chosen people, and living stones in His spiritual temple-house? This is the question Peter turns to in 1 Peter 3v7: "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers" (NIV)
The phrase "be considerate" sounds a bit tame. "Being considerate" is often viewed as a matter of a few nice manners. But Peter wants husbands to consider their wives and understand them. The ESV has Peter telling husbands to "live with your wives in an understanding way".
Pastor, have you hit 'rock bottom'?
Dave Burke
Date posted: 15 Apr 2026
The Daily Telegraph recently featured a ten-year-long study of 500 Anglican clergy revealing that 41 per cent felt demoralised, 40 per cent felt isolated, and 35 per cent showed signs of possible mild clinical depression[1].
It should be no surprise; Christian ministry is psychologically demanding.
faith and life
The challenge of diversity
Debbie Dickson
Date posted: 15 Apr 2026
One of the joys of arriving for our Sunday morning service is seeing who is on the welcome team. It is, I think, a feeling which reflects the growing cultural and ethnic diversity in our churches; for sure, there will be a mix, but where might the welcomers be from? Hong Kong? The UK? Nigeria? Iran? India?
Firstly, this growing diversity means we have the potential to reach a wider variety of people unfamiliar with the church or the Christian faith. This is reflected in my own experience when, a few years back, some Hong Kong Christians invited a neighbour – who was not a Christian – to a Chinese New Year party organised by my church. Though not a believer, he was an excellent calligrapher and kindly made decorations for the party – red banners of Bible verses in Chinese characters. Many others have found a warm welcome which has been instrumental in their wanting to know about Christ.
Reflections on life, possessions and eternal significance
Andrew Drury
Date posted: 14 Apr 2026
There is a somewhat apocryphal tale of two men talking at a reception after a funeral. One man asks the other, “What did our friend leave?” The reply was: “Everything”.
We can be so eager to acquire transitory things – money, possessions, reputation, status and the list is endless – that we forget that this planet is only temporary in the light of eternity. It is easy to fall into the mentality once expressed in a bumper sticker: “The person with all the toys wins”.
updates from the mission field
The power of 'welcome'
WEC International
Date posted: 14 Apr 2026
Baptisms are always a special time in any church but on this occasion my wife and I had special reason to rejoice. As Min shared her testimony before the congregation we found out that we had been a very small part of her journey to Christ.
Min (not her real name) came to the UK as a student with her young family and moved into some apartments near our inner city church. She comes from a country where there is no religious freedom and had never encountered Christianity before.
Digital discipleship: Following Christ in an age of screens
Alistair Chalmers
Date posted: 13 Apr 2026
We are the first generation in history to carry a portal to the world in our pockets at all times.
With a swipe, we can access news, entertainment, theological debate, and the curated lives of thousands. The digital age has not merely changed how we communicate – it has reshaped how we think, desire, worship, and relate.
An interview with Christian drill producer Scotty C
Jake Owen
Date posted: 13 Apr 2026
Often described as the UK’s leading Christian drill producer, Scotty C here chats with Jake Owen about starting out in the Christian music scene, collaborating with other artists, and the recently launched Official UK Christian and Gospel Singles Chart. For the uninitiated among us, including the en editor, drill music is, according to this explanation, "a type of contemporary rap from Chicago. It came to the UK in 2012 and has spread from Brixton to all areas of the country. It's characterised by ominous beats, haunting melodies and dark lyrics. With roots in disadvantaged inner city London, it appeals to young people who grow up in deprived areas. It is a form of expression for otherwise voiceless communities."
imperfect parenting
Do we trust our generous Heavenly Father?
Katie Holloway
Date posted: 8 Apr 2026
At the time of writing, we are in the short period between our two children’s birthdays. My husband and I have been chatting about the fact that choosing and giving gifts to our kids is one of our favourite parts of being parents. It gives us the chance to consider each child and their likes, their skills, their personalities, and the people they are becoming as they turn another year older.
I genuinely think that I love seeing my kids’ faces when they open a gift I’ve chosen for them more than I love receiving presents myself. (That said, I may have shed a tear when presented with the finger-knitted snake my son had lovingly made for me this Christmas.) But even though I know God is my Father, I don’t often think of Him in this way: the Father who loves to give good gifts to His children, who delights in them receiving good things from Him. And as such, I’m missing out.
Sex, gender & sport: Clarity and compassion
Jonny Reid
Date posted: 7 Apr 2026
In a landmark decision the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Olympic women’s sport will be limited to biological females.
It follows nearly 20 years of debate since the rise of athletes with DSD (differences in sexual development) winning World and Olympic medals. There will now be a one-off sex test, which will prevent any athletes with a Y chromosome, including transgender women and DSD athletes, except in extremely rare cases where they do not benefit from the performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, from competing in women’s categories. This slightly wordy description shows us some of the complexities in this case that we sometimes miss.
evangelicals & catholics
Ecumenical or evangelical?
Leonardo de Chirico
Date posted: 6 Apr 2026
As expected, the highlight of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea was the ecumenical prayer presided over by Pope Leo XIV at the ruins of the church of St Neophytus in Nicaea (today the name of the town is Isnik), where the Council meetings were held in 325 AD.
The Pope was symbolically at the centre of the scene, the point of connection between everyone, flanked by the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew and other ecclesiastical dignitaries seated behind him in lesser roles.
pastoral care
Why do people leave churches?
Helen Thorne-Allenson
Date posted: 5 Apr 2026
In recent months, there seems to have been an exciting increase in the number of people coming through the front doors of our churches.
It’s so encouraging to see new faces, hear new questions, and see new people becoming regular members of the congregation. But, at the same time, I am hearing an increasing number of stories of people leaving by the back door. Not storming out – not moving away – not finding themselves unable to get to church – but people quietly slipping off to “do church alone”.
‘Tender mercy and rich love’ – surprising encounters with the risen Lord Jesus
Daniel Johnson
Date posted: 5 Apr 2026
Tucked away in Paul’s glorious description of the saving grace of Christ in Ephesians 2 is a phrase that appears only this once in all of his letters: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
The “great love” of God for us. Polys Agape. That word “great” is used four times in John’s Gospel to describe the vast crowds that Jesus encountered. At Easter, we often associate the love of God with the death of Christ (rightly so), but rarely speak of the resurrection – and our resurrection with Christ – as being evidence of God’s love. But the risen Jesus, resplendent in power, majesty and authority, is the radiant glory of the great love of God.
