St Francis, photo by Ngu1ecdc on Pexels.com Over the last 30 years in countless conferences, gatherings and meetings, I have heard the following quote shared more times than I can remember: "Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary." It's usually attributed to St Francis of Assisi, and it often gets sage nods… Continue reading Preach the gospel. Use words. They’re necessary.
Category: Social action
Standing at the Crossroads: Rethinking Christian Social Action – by Rachel Arnold
"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it." Jeremiah 6:16 Something remarkable has happened in Britain over the past generation. Across the country, Christians have responded to poverty with an extraordinary growth in social action. Food banks, debt centres, night shelters, housing projects,… Continue reading Standing at the Crossroads: Rethinking Christian Social Action – by Rachel Arnold
‘But you’re good at this sort of thing’. Engaging with poverty is for the whole church – by Gavin Howard
Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com Over 25 years ago, our church started doing an extraordinary thing. Every Saturday, it opened its doors to the people who lived alone, lived out on the streets or hung out in the vicinity of the church. Many of them would gather early outside the doors - along with… Continue reading ‘But you’re good at this sort of thing’. Engaging with poverty is for the whole church – by Gavin Howard
Community, commitment & conviction (and cake). A week I’ll never forget…
Over the last 18 summers, being a part of the Lee Abbey Youth Camp in Devon has been a great blessing to our whole family. However, last year I had a clear sense that it should be my last one, partly because of a growing idea to be involved in something more local. A vision… Continue reading Community, commitment & conviction (and cake). A week I’ll never forget…
‘Counter Christianity’: transaction or community? – by Jon Swales
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com These reflections were stirred afresh at the Hope into Action annual conference, Rooted: Homelessness Ends in Community and in particular during the seminar Rethinking Poverty and Our Response facilitated by Jon Kuhrt and Rachel Arnold. There is a kind of Christianity that excels at projects. The foodbank is… Continue reading ‘Counter Christianity’: transaction or community? – by Jon Swales
Walking the way of love with those on the margins – by Debs Green
Photo by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto on Pexels.com I've had the privilege of working for Hope into Action for the past seven years. We provide supported housing for people experiencing homelessness, but we are passionate about offering far more than just accommodation. By partnering with local churches, we address not only the poverty of resources, but… Continue reading Walking the way of love with those on the margins – by Debs Green
Resisting the secularising drift of social action
This article was recently published in the magazine Baptists Together. At Streatham Baptist Church, we host a community meal on Wednesday evenings called The Vine. A wide variety of guests come along – some are sleeping rough and struggling with addictions but most are facing the challenges associated with isolation and basic poverty. The purpose of The Vine… Continue reading Resisting the secularising drift of social action
Inclusive fruits. Exclusive roots.
Recently, I re-published an article by Ian Paul titled The problem with the ‘inclusive’ Jesus which had originally appeared on his Psephizo website. I wanted to share it on G+T as I felt it was an article which took the Jesus of the biblical gospels seriously and grappled fairly with the inescapable tension between Jesus’… Continue reading Inclusive fruits. Exclusive roots.
If churches don’t help people with their spiritual needs, then who will?
Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels.com A few years ago, I was on the south bank in London, near Waterloo station, and I got talking with a homeless man called Richard who had approached me asking for money. He was in a bad state. As we spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and trousers to… Continue reading If churches don’t help people with their spiritual needs, then who will?
Homelessness Ends in Community: relationships are vital to recovery
Homelessness and relationships Four years ago, my friend and former colleague Simon Dwight wrote a powerful article for Grace+Truth titled Homelessness Ends in Community. He shared a moving example of helping a man called James move from long-term street homelessness into accommodation. It sounds like a success story but actually it had a tragic outcome.… Continue reading Homelessness Ends in Community: relationships are vital to recovery
