Can Christians eat halal meat? It sounds like a fairly modern question. Walk into a supermarket, order food from a takeaway, or eat in certain restaurants in Britain and you may discover that the meat being served is halal. For some Christians that barely registers. For others it raises an immediate concern: Has this meat beenContinue reading “Should Christians Eat Halal Meat? What 1 Corinthians Teaches Us About Food, Freedom and Conscience”
Category Archives: Blog
Want to Preach Better? Learn to Write Better
Over the past year, I’ve received more positive feedback on my writing and, perhaps more significantly, on my preaching. That has made me wonder: what changed? I don’t think I suddenly became more theological. I don’t think I discovered some hidden preaching technique. I haven’t spent hours crafting clever sound bites or trying to manufactureContinue reading “Want to Preach Better? Learn to Write Better”
Will Christians Really Judge the World?
There are some verses in the Bible that we can read dozens of times without really stopping to think about what they mean. Then, suddenly, one phrase catches our attention and refuses to let us move on. For me, one of those phrases came up recently in a sermon I was listening to and itContinue reading “Will Christians Really Judge the World?”
Rebuilding Trust in Church Leadership: Biblical Models for Integrity and Transparency After a Season of Scandals
Trust is slowly earned and quickly lost. That is true in families, workplaces, friendships and churches. Yet when trust is broken by a Christian leader, the damage can feel especially deep. Pastors and elders preach the truth, call others to holiness, offer spiritual guidance and are often welcomed into the most vulnerable moments of people’sContinue reading “Rebuilding Trust in Church Leadership: Biblical Models for Integrity and Transparency After a Season of Scandals”
Chosen by Grace – Why Predestination Should Give You Confidence, Not Fear
Predestination. For some Christians, the very word brings comfort. For others, it brings confusion. And for many, it raises questions they have wrestled with for years. “Did God really choose people before the foundation of the world?” “If that’s true, do our choices matter?” “Can I know that I’m one of the elect?” And perhapsContinue reading “Chosen by Grace – Why Predestination Should Give You Confidence, Not Fear “
Could Your Devotional Material Be Hindering Your Spiritual Growth?
There is a quiet irony in much of modern Christian publishing. We have more devotional material available to us than almost any generation in church history, and yet many Christians know their Bibles less well than previous generations did. That is not because devotional books are bad. Far from it. Many are rich, faithful, Christ-centred,Continue reading “Could Your Devotional Material Be Hindering Your Spiritual Growth?”
Taught in the Valley: Why God Often Uses Suffering to Make Us Depend on Him
There are lessons God teaches us in the valley that we rarely learn on the mountain top. I wish that were not true. I wish there were easier ways to learn dependence, humility, endurance, compassion and prayer. I wish sanctification could happen without tears, weakness, sleepless nights, hospital appointments, unanswered questions and bodies that doContinue reading “Taught in the Valley: Why God Often Uses Suffering to Make Us Depend on Him”
The Quiet Crisis of Prayerless Orthodoxy
There is a danger that can creep into conservative evangelical churches quietly, almost respectably. It does not usually arrive with scandal. It does not always look like compromise. It can sit under faithful preaching, sing doctrinally rich hymns, affirm historic confessions, defend biblical truth online, and recommend excellent books. It is the danger of prayerlessContinue reading “The Quiet Crisis of Prayerless Orthodoxy”
Stop Apologising for Long Bible Readings; Recovering the Lost Art of Public Scripture Reading
“I’m sorry, it’s a rather long reading this morning.” If you have spent any time in evangelical churches, you have probably heard those words. Perhaps you have spoken them yourself. The Bible reader steps to the lectern, glances apologetically at the congregation, and warns them that what follows may test their patience. A chapter fromContinue reading “Stop Apologising for Long Bible Readings; Recovering the Lost Art of Public Scripture Reading”
Why Pastoral Ministry Can Be Difficult
I love being a pastor. I love opening the Bible week by week and helping people see the glory of Christ. I love sitting at kitchen tables, listening to stories, praying with people, rejoicing at baptisms, grieving at funerals, and watching Christians grow in holiness. Pastoral ministry is a privilege beyond measure. And yet, itContinue reading “Why Pastoral Ministry Can Be Difficult”
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