Jonathan Fletcher was the vicar of Emmanuel Church Wimbledon (ECW) and enjoyed a high-profile and influential ministry. But in recent years, his bullying, coercive and abusive behaviour has been exposed. A report by the Safeguarding Agency thirtyone:eight catalogued Fletcher’s long-running pattern of sexual and spiritual abuse. Much of the fall-out from this scandal has… Continue reading A tale of two vicars: one exploiting the status quo, the other challenging it
Author: Jon Kuhrt
Jon Kuhrt has worked with people affected by homelessness for over 30 years. He is a former government adviser on how faith groups address rough sleeping and is now CEO of Hope into Action. He lives with his wife in Streatham, south London and they have 3 children. He likes football....but loves cricket.
Marrying grace and truth
In summer 2001, my wife and I left church together as a newly married couple. This picture of us walking into bright sunlight is my favourite photo from that day. In the months before the wedding, to help us get ready for life together, we enrolled on a Marriage Preparation Course. Two aspects of the course made a… Continue reading Marrying grace and truth
‘I am kind of a Big Deal’: insecure pride and confident humility
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 confident humility
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
Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com 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… Continue reading Pride, prejudice & organisational humility
Whistleblow and the sheep-guarders: a parable
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com Once upon a time in the district 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… 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]
Grace + Truth 