Everyone doing ministry in your church needs a three-month break every seven years or so.
This includes your minister, elders or PCC, ministry leaders, youth team and Sunday School teachers. Why? Because the Bible commends it, and it is good for us.
In the ever-deepening crisis over blessings for same-sex couples – Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) – it is understandable why some vibrant and healthy churches have already left the Church of England and joined other Anglican structures.
Yet there are many who are determined to stay in the denomination and stay faithful to its true doctrine. But how do we express that faithfulness? Across the variety of responses there is a consistent thread of deep affection and concern for this historic communion.
It’s not often we get asked to write something together, so this is newish territory for us. 'You write it,' said one of us, 'and I’ll correct it afterwards.' To which the other could easily have said, 'You write it… and I’ll make it readable afterwards.' But as one is in the pub watching the Rugby and the other is at home writing, I’ll leave you to guess which is which.
So, the commission was for joint authorship; the topic, what evangelicals need to learn post-Makin. Immediately, we encounter our second challenge. One of us has always (since conversion aged 13, anyway) been an evangelical: more precisely a 'Prayer Book Evangelical.' The other never has.
Justin Welby’s resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury is truly unprecedented. No archbishop has ever, in the history of the Church of England, resigned - not even in 1621 when the primate of all England shot and killed a gamekeeper with a crossbow while hunting.
Some are still defending him, either praising the good aspects of his ministry, or even (like Charles Moore in the Spectator) saying that he should not have resigned.
The fertility rate across the UK is now the lowest on record, with 1.44 children being born per woman of childbearing age.
There are many theories as to why: the cost of living crisis, the lack of affordable housing and the expense of childcare. Many dream of being able to one day afford a home in the suburbs, close to a good school, with a nice garden for their children to play in, but for now, they are stuck in the rut of long working hours and ready meals and can barely pay the rent for their apartment. Not ideal for family life.
Just over 12 years ago, on 9 November 2012, I walked down the wooden stairs from the Archbishop's flat, towards Lambeth Palace’s largest function room, the wood-panelled Guard Room, which was heaving with journalists. We were about to announce who would be the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.
With me walked Justin and Caroline Welby. Justin made his oft-repeated joke, that he felt like the eyes of the figures in the paintings on the Palace walls were somehow watching him. He was full of energy, enthusiastic, almost tigger-ish at the task ahead of him. And he was evangelical.
There is a false version of faith that lurks around our churches. Let us call it the 'Everything is fine' version. 'Everything is fine' faith puts the pressure on people to be happy and ignore the hurting; it suggests that tears and trust cannot go together. 'Everything is fine' faith is horrible.
Like the worst of lies, it contains elements of truth. The bereaved widow is told that Jesus has won the victory over death (TRUE) and therefore grieving is a lack of faith (FALSE). The young man with chronic pain is told that our 'light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all' (TRUE) so he should not struggle with his suffering (FALSE).
There is a malady which affects the souls, bodies and lives of many men and women, but is barely spoken about. Few understand it, while many subconsciously deny it, whether through ignorance or fear or shame. It may affect someone you know personally, and almost certainly affects people who have had an influence on your life.
What is it and how is it caused?
This malady is called 'Boarding School Syndrome' (BSS). I call it 'Prep School Pain'.
How often do you hear the conversation happening around you, and wish that you could think of the perfect riposte? Not spiteful or cutting, not designed to trip the other person up, but to have the words to make your point in a way that feels modest yet memorable.
Towards the end of October, the Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan appeared on the BBC’s Graham Norton show, on the sofa alongside fellow actors Eddie Redmayne, Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, each promoting various new projects. So far, so Friday night chat-show – some good-natured banter between colleagues and friends. Conversation turned to training for the preparation Redmayne had been taken through for his recently released remake of The Day of the Jackal, including being taught how to use his phone as a weapon if he was attacked.
If I asked you to name one of the great cultural idols of the secular Western world, what would you say? Materialism? Ease and comfort? Or what about autonomy?
It is the belief in autonomy that has fuelled the more than 10 million abortions that have taken place since 1967 when Parliament passed the legislation. In fact, the creed of the ‘pro-choice’ movement has as its chief article of faith a statement of autonomy: 'my body, my choice.'
‘Just preach the word brother’, said the older preacher to his young apprentice. The younger man had expressed a desire to mature in the craft of communicating. The older man gently but firmly implied this was a waste of time – perhaps even an ungodly way to think about preaching.
The older man’s concerns are not unfounded. Preachers are not called to be stand-up comedians, slick rhetoricians or uber-charismatic vision-casters.
Donald Trump has become the only person – other than Grover Cleveland (president 1885–89 and 1893–97) – to serve non-consecutive presidential terms in the USA.
This has occurred less than four years since the apparent collapse of his political fortunes in the aftermath of January 6th, when it looked like the Republican Party might turn its back on the Trump years and reinstate a more familiar kind of conservative politics. But the reliance on the Make America Great Again (MAGA) base (whose support for Trump remained strong) proved too valuable to risk alienating. So, they were reconciled to Trump.
In what was expected to be a narrowly won election, former US President Donald Trump declared victory Wednesday morning after securing crucial ground in the states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
Speaking from Florida, the 47th US president addressed supporters promising to deliver the golden age of America over his next term in office. 'Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness, and now we are going to fulfil that mission together,' the President said.
In an age of progress and increasing gender equality, one movement might strike us as profoundly counter-cultural: Trad Wives. It’s a modern movement that claims to go back to basics - but does it go back far enough?
If you have been at all aware of popular thinking about wealth over the past 20 years or so, you have probably come across the phenomenon of manifesting. Apparently it’s very popular on TikTok at the moment; it was beloved of the New Age teachers long before that.
'To manifest something means to make your dreams, goals, and aspirations a reality by believing you can achieve them' says one popular website. It is based on a so-called 'law of attraction', positing that if you think about something often enough, hard enough and positively enough, you can make it happen by the power of your thought alone. It focuses your 'energy' to affect future events out there in the universe.
A lecturer was discussing time management with his students. He brought out a large glass jar and placed it on the table, before filling it with large stones. He then asked his students if they thought the jar was full.
One replied: ‘Yes.’ He then added a number of small stones to the jar, which slipped between the gaps of the larger stones, and then repeated the question.
I was interested to see the demographic breakdown of our church's YouTube channel.
Scrolling through the various analytics, I was surprised to find that a majority are males - 55%, watching our content. This trend is being recognised across many other theologically based YouTube channels with some reporting up to an 86% male audience.
I’m not a lawyer but, as a Christian, I am fascinated by the relationship between the principles enshrined in our legal system and ancient principles of justice and equality that can be traced back to Scripture.
There are four key principles that derive from our Judaeo-Christian tradition, viz. separation of powers, objective justice, eye-witness corroboration, and due process.
Keir Starmer’s political honeymoon didn’t survive the summer. His new government started with a gloomy message of ‘buckle up, this is going to hurt’, while floating tax rises to tackle the public finances.
Then it was revealed that he and some of his colleagues received gifts worth large sums of money in the form of clothing and hospitality. They did not break the rules, but neither did they help to restore the trust in politicians that has been seeping away in recent years.
Bishops are supposed to be pastors and guardians of the Christian faith, teaching truth and refuting error, winsomely and compellingly if possible; by applying discipline if necessary.
They should be examples of godly character, leading people in worship and mission, selecting, training and ordaining clergy, promoting unity, and managing essential administration for a group of churches over a wide area.
Comment
How can ‘rhythms of seven’ help your church?
Everyone doing ministry in your church needs a three-month break every seven years or so.
This includes your minister, elders or PCC, ministry leaders, youth team and Sunday School teachers. Why? Because the Bible commends it, and it is good for us.
Church of England: Revitalisation instead of retreat
In the ever-deepening crisis over blessings for same-sex couples – Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) – it is understandable why some vibrant and healthy churches have already left the Church of England and joined other Anglican structures.
Yet there are many who are determined to stay in the denomination and stay faithful to its true doctrine. But how do we express that faithfulness? Across the variety of responses there is a consistent thread of deep affection and concern for this historic communion.
After Makin: what might evangelicals learn?
It’s not often we get asked to write something together, so this is newish territory for us. 'You write it,' said one of us, 'and I’ll correct it afterwards.' To which the other could easily have said, 'You write it… and I’ll make it readable afterwards.' But as one is in the pub watching the Rugby and the other is at home writing, I’ll leave you to guess which is which.
So, the commission was for joint authorship; the topic, what evangelicals need to learn post-Makin. Immediately, we encounter our second challenge. One of us has always (since conversion aged 13, anyway) been an evangelical: more precisely a 'Prayer Book Evangelical.' The other never has.
Ian Paul: What now for evangelicals in the chaotic CofE?
Justin Welby’s resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury is truly unprecedented. No archbishop has ever, in the history of the Church of England, resigned - not even in 1621 when the primate of all England shot and killed a gamekeeper with a crossbow while hunting.
Some are still defending him, either praising the good aspects of his ministry, or even (like Charles Moore in the Spectator) saying that he should not have resigned.
A gospel solution to the drop in fertility rates
The fertility rate across the UK is now the lowest on record, with 1.44 children being born per woman of childbearing age.
There are many theories as to why: the cost of living crisis, the lack of affordable housing and the expense of childcare. Many dream of being able to one day afford a home in the suburbs, close to a good school, with a nice garden for their children to play in, but for now, they are stuck in the rut of long working hours and ready meals and can barely pay the rent for their apartment. Not ideal for family life.
How did it come to this? Welby in retrospect
Just over 12 years ago, on 9 November 2012, I walked down the wooden stairs from the Archbishop's flat, towards Lambeth Palace’s largest function room, the wood-panelled Guard Room, which was heaving with journalists. We were about to announce who would be the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.
With me walked Justin and Caroline Welby. Justin made his oft-repeated joke, that he felt like the eyes of the figures in the paintings on the Palace walls were somehow watching him. He was full of energy, enthusiastic, almost tigger-ish at the task ahead of him. And he was evangelical.
The danger of an 'everything is fine' faith
There is a false version of faith that lurks around our churches. Let us call it the 'Everything is fine' version. 'Everything is fine' faith puts the pressure on people to be happy and ignore the hurting; it suggests that tears and trust cannot go together. 'Everything is fine' faith is horrible.
Like the worst of lies, it contains elements of truth. The bereaved widow is told that Jesus has won the victory over death (TRUE) and therefore grieving is a lack of faith (FALSE). The young man with chronic pain is told that our 'light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all' (TRUE) so he should not struggle with his suffering (FALSE).
The unseen cost of boarding school: pain, healing, and the gospel
There is a malady which affects the souls, bodies and lives of many men and women, but is barely spoken about. Few understand it, while many subconsciously deny it, whether through ignorance or fear or shame. It may affect someone you know personally, and almost certainly affects people who have had an influence on your life.
What is it and how is it caused?
This malady is called 'Boarding School Syndrome' (BSS). I call it 'Prep School Pain'.
Saoirse, Spurgeon and soundbites
How often do you hear the conversation happening around you, and wish that you could think of the perfect riposte? Not spiteful or cutting, not designed to trip the other person up, but to have the words to make your point in a way that feels modest yet memorable.
Towards the end of October, the Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan appeared on the BBC’s Graham Norton show, on the sofa alongside fellow actors Eddie Redmayne, Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, each promoting various new projects. So far, so Friday night chat-show – some good-natured banter between colleagues and friends. Conversation turned to training for the preparation Redmayne had been taken through for his recently released remake of The Day of the Jackal, including being taught how to use his phone as a weapon if he was attacked.
The idol of autonomy in the West
If I asked you to name one of the great cultural idols of the secular Western world, what would you say? Materialism? Ease and comfort? Or what about autonomy?
It is the belief in autonomy that has fuelled the more than 10 million abortions that have taken place since 1967 when Parliament passed the legislation. In fact, the creed of the ‘pro-choice’ movement has as its chief article of faith a statement of autonomy: 'my body, my choice.'
Is it ungodly to work on your sermon delivery?
‘Just preach the word brother’, said the older preacher to his young apprentice. The younger man had expressed a desire to mature in the craft of communicating. The older man gently but firmly implied this was a waste of time – perhaps even an ungodly way to think about preaching.
The older man’s concerns are not unfounded. Preachers are not called to be stand-up comedians, slick rhetoricians or uber-charismatic vision-casters.
Why has Donald Trump triumphed?
Donald Trump has become the only person – other than Grover Cleveland (president 1885–89 and 1893–97) – to serve non-consecutive presidential terms in the USA.
This has occurred less than four years since the apparent collapse of his political fortunes in the aftermath of January 6th, when it looked like the Republican Party might turn its back on the Trump years and reinstate a more familiar kind of conservative politics. But the reliance on the Make America Great Again (MAGA) base (whose support for Trump remained strong) proved too valuable to risk alienating. So, they were reconciled to Trump.
'Trust God to work, no matter who is in office'
In what was expected to be a narrowly won election, former US President Donald Trump declared victory Wednesday morning after securing crucial ground in the states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
Speaking from Florida, the 47th US president addressed supporters promising to deliver the golden age of America over his next term in office. 'Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness, and now we are going to fulfil that mission together,' the President said.
Trad Wives: solution or symptom?
In an age of progress and increasing gender equality, one movement might strike us as profoundly counter-cultural: Trad Wives. It’s a modern movement that claims to go back to basics - but does it go back far enough?
Let’s start with a definition.
The dark side of manifesting your dreams
If you have been at all aware of popular thinking about wealth over the past 20 years or so, you have probably come across the phenomenon of manifesting. Apparently it’s very popular on TikTok at the moment; it was beloved of the New Age teachers long before that.
'To manifest something means to make your dreams, goals, and aspirations a reality by believing you can achieve them' says one popular website. It is based on a so-called 'law of attraction', positing that if you think about something often enough, hard enough and positively enough, you can make it happen by the power of your thought alone. It focuses your 'energy' to affect future events out there in the universe.
Getting the large stones in the jar first: Ministry priorities
A lecturer was discussing time management with his students. He brought out a large glass jar and placed it on the table, before filling it with large stones. He then asked his students if they thought the jar was full.
One replied: ‘Yes.’ He then added a number of small stones to the jar, which slipped between the gaps of the larger stones, and then repeated the question.
The online gender gap: hope for church growth among men
I was interested to see the demographic breakdown of our church's YouTube channel.
Scrolling through the various analytics, I was surprised to find that a majority are males - 55%, watching our content. This trend is being recognised across many other theologically based YouTube channels with some reporting up to an 86% male audience.
How do Christian legal principles help us navigate scandals?
I’m not a lawyer but, as a Christian, I am fascinated by the relationship between the principles enshrined in our legal system and ancient principles of justice and equality that can be traced back to Scripture.
There are four key principles that derive from our Judaeo-Christian tradition, viz. separation of powers, objective justice, eye-witness corroboration, and due process.
Polluted politicians?
Keir Starmer’s political honeymoon didn’t survive the summer. His new government started with a gloomy message of ‘buckle up, this is going to hurt’, while floating tax rises to tackle the public finances.
Then it was revealed that he and some of his colleagues received gifts worth large sums of money in the form of clothing and hospitality. They did not break the rules, but neither did they help to restore the trust in politicians that has been seeping away in recent years.
Anglican bishops in 21st-century Europe
Bishops are supposed to be pastors and guardians of the Christian faith, teaching truth and refuting error, winsomely and compellingly if possible; by applying discipline if necessary.
They should be examples of godly character, leading people in worship and mission, selecting, training and ordaining clergy, promoting unity, and managing essential administration for a group of churches over a wide area.