On the podcast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, a former staff member of the church recounts a time when he accompanied the pastor, Mark Driscoll, to a preaching engagement at the Royal Albert Hall in London. After the event, a few people were waiting outside to get Driscoll’s autograph and a photo with… Continue reading ‘I am kind of a Big Deal’: insecure pride and humble confidence
Author: Jon Kuhrt
Jon Kuhrt has worked with people affected by homelessness and poverty for 25 years. He is a former CEO of West London Mission and is now a government adviser focusing on how faith and community groups address rough sleeping. He lives with his wife and three children in Streatham, south London. He likes football...but loves cricket.
Charisma over character: life on Mars Hill
The podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill makes for compelling listening. For those who don’t know, it tells the story of the mega-church in Seattle founded by Mark Driscoll in the mid-1990s. The church grew rapidly, had an incredible online reach and exerted huge influence. But, when Driscoll resigned in 2014 following disciplinary… Continue reading Charisma over character: life on Mars Hill
‘Bullies and Saints: an honest look at the good and evil of Christian history’ by John Dickson [review]
This book begins with a chapter titled The Day I Lost Faith in the Church. The chapter focusses on the events of 15th July 1099, when Christian Crusaders mercilessly slaughtered thousands of Muslim men, women and children sheltering in a sacred precinct in Jerusalem. The next day the victorious Crusaders held a celebratory worship service… Continue reading ‘Bullies and Saints: an honest look at the good and evil of Christian history’ by John Dickson [review]
‘Daring greatly’ & the meaning of sport
On Sunday night I watched the final of the European Championship with my son and a group of intensely passionate 16 year olds. Other members of my family stayed in their rooms. They never watched a single kick. To the boys in my front room, the result left them distraught. To others upstairs, it meant… Continue reading ‘Daring greatly’ & the meaning of sport
Pride, prejudice & organisational humility
When it comes to addressing homelessness and the issues surrounding it, partnerships and joint work between organisations is absolutely vital. This is because no one comes off the streets into accommodation through the work of just one agency. Successful progress is almost always a team effort involving a host of different agencies. It is their… Continue reading Pride, prejudice & organisational humility
Whistleblow and the sheep-guarders: a parable
Once upon a time in the town of Northrun, there was a shepherd called Whistleblow. He was one of many shepherds who worked for Lord Northrun who owned most of the land in the area. Each shepherd had their own flock to look after. Whistleblow was loud and had strong opinions, but he was fair,… Continue reading Whistleblow and the sheep-guarders: a parable
The cross on the wall
For 8 years, I led a homelessness charity which was based in offices attached to a church. In these offices, there was a room that we frequently used for smaller meetings. On the end wall of this room there was a small cross. During the years I was in the job, many of the most… Continue reading The cross on the wall
‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
“The problem is not that we are different from each other; it is that we are distant from ‘the other’.” Jon Yates believes our country has a serious problem. It’s one which undermines our economy, democracy, security, well-being and health. Yates calls it the People Like Me syndrome (PLM for short). It is ‘the villain… Continue reading ‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
A day in the life of one church’s response to homelessness
In the last year, churches and faith groups have played a vital role in the Everyone In initiative which saw over 40,000 people affected by homelessness go into emergency accommodation in hotels and B&Bs. They helped their guests from communal night shelters into single-room accommodation and then continued to support those guests with food, support… Continue reading A day in the life of one church’s response to homelessness
The best book on poverty I have ever read
This book was given to me by a former colleague 3 years ago, but I must confess that I only read it in the last few weeks. Being honest, the delay was caused by a misjudged assumption that it would be a grim rant about structural inequality: long on problems and blame, short on hope… Continue reading The best book on poverty I have ever read
