Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com By Tony Anthony I was listening to BBC Radio 2 earlier today, with Tina Daheley sitting in for Jeremy Vine, and the conversation turned to the experience of losing faith (starting at 1.05). The phone lines were open, and one by one, people shared stories. These weren’t shallow grievances. They… Continue reading Losing faith in a silent God
Mental health, faith & grief: Remembering Graham Thorpe – by Andrew Ryland
Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com Please be aware that this article covers themes of suicide. The second day of the England versus India Test match at the Oval was designated A Day for Thorpey in honour of Graham Thorpe, who died a year ago at the age of 55. Initiated by his family, this… Continue reading Mental health, faith & grief: Remembering Graham Thorpe – by Andrew Ryland
The path less travelled (& what we can learn from younger people)
Ethan Malcolm is a 22 year old student who decided earlier this year to take up the challenge to walk the entire length of the country, from Land’s End to John O’Groats. He doing it to raise funds for Hope into Action and is aiming to cover the 12oo miles in 60 days. Hope into… Continue reading The path less travelled (& what we can learn from younger people)
“I Hate God” (But I Met Jesus)
A poem by Rev'd Jon Swales It was raining. Sideways rain. Hard, mean, Leeds rain. The kind that says: You’re not welcome anywhere. She stood outside, soaked, smoking the last of her rollies, muttering curses like liturgies for the lost. Then she saw the collar— white, stupid, clean. And that was it. “You lot make… Continue reading “I Hate God” (But I Met Jesus)
The heavy burden of self-justification
Photo by lalesh aldarwish on Pexels.com When I was manager of an emergency shelter for rough sleepers in central London, I led a team which was constantly in danger of arguing and falling out. Many difficult decisions had to made every day and it was hard to avoid the chaos of our resident's lives infecting… Continue reading The heavy burden of self-justification
The daddy of social problems: grace, truth & fatherhood
Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano on Pexels.com Every year, Father’s Day produces a dilemma for public conversations: how do you acknowledge the importance of fathers, without causing upset or distress to those who have had negative experiences? It’s a balance that churches grapple with every year on Father’s Day. We need to be both sensitive… Continue reading The daddy of social problems: grace, truth & fatherhood
“If good people don’t grip difficult issues, bad people do”
Over the last 25 years, Louise Casey has made a name for tackling the most difficult social issues. A succession of governments, Labour and Conservative, have turned to her to address the challenges of rough sleeping, anti-social behaviour, troubled families, football violence and and police conduct. This week she published her ‘audit’ into how gangs… Continue reading “If good people don’t grip difficult issues, bad people do”
Let’s get the flock out of here
Photo by Pille Kirsi on Pexels.com I went to a seminar a few years ago led by Mike Frost where he outlined four functions of church: Discipleship: learning and growing in following Jesus Worship: praise and prayer to God, participating in the sacraments Fellowship: building relationships within the church Mission: going out to share the gospel in words and actions The… Continue reading Let’s get the flock out of here
How our church grew by shrinking
Photo by Nita on Pexels.com Over recent decades, my church in south London has been one of the largest churches in our local community. We have been perceived as a vibrant, charismatic, multi-cultural and large congregation. And during these decades, God has done many great things through our church: helping people find faith and be… Continue reading How our church grew by shrinking
What does a ‘quiet revival’ mean for social action?
The Bible Society's recent report The Quiet Revival gives evidence of a significant rise in church-going in the last 6 years, most notably among younger people, 'Gen Z' aged 18-24. The research provides solid data of changing behaviour which supports the anecdotal, intellectual and media-driven indicators we have seen in recent years. It backs up… Continue reading What does a ‘quiet revival’ mean for social action?
Grace + Truth 