Churching again: Why it was great to meet on Sunday

Two days ago we met in person for Sunday services for the first time since the Covid lockdown began. There were lots of ways it was not ideal: large gaps between families, no singing and some rather odd features of the Lord’s Supper were all unwelcome features of the day! And yet it was something …

Cancelling life for fear of death (4): Worship, the purpose of life

This is the fourth and final post in a series on the crippling fear of death exposed by Covid-19, and how it has led to the cancelling of some key ways Christianity offers hope and life in the face of death. You can read the earlier posts here, here and here.   But you have …

Cancelling Life for Fear of Death (3): Baptism and the Defeat of Death

This is the third in a series of posts on the crippling fear of death exposed by Covid-19, and how it has led to the cancelling of some key ways Christianity offers hope and life in the face of death. You can read the first and second posts here and here.   ‘… our Saviour …

Cancelling life for fear of death (2): Marriages

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32) Yesterday I wrote about how the Covid-19 lockdown has exposed an intense fear of death …

Cancelling life for fear of death (Part 1)

This is the first in a series looking at how the Covid-19 lockdown has exposed a crippling fear of death in British society. Christianity is all about the defeat of death and the giving and celebrating of life - though ironically the principal ways in which this is celebrated in the church have been cancelled …

Making a difference?

On Sunday I preached about the contrast between Jesus’ resurrection and the ‘Progressive Dream’, the idea that we can sort the world out ourselves without returning to the living God. I tried to explain how all human attempts to make the world better are doomed to failure, because the problem is with ourselves; but there …

Who rules Britain (4): Christ’s unshakeable Kingdom

The fourth and final post in a series for General Election week in the United Kingdom. You can find the previous posts here, here and here. By this time tomorrow we will most probably know who will form our next government; and one which, barring a miracle, will be very far from what a government …

Who rules Britain (3): Voting under Christ the King

My previous two posts have looked at the fundamental political fact, which is the rule of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ; and the light that shines on why our political choices seem so terrible in this election. But what are we supposed to do with our votes tomorrow? If there is no option to …

Who rules Britain? (2): Non-Christian rulers and the Rule of Christ

  This is the second article in a series 'Who rules Britain?'. You can find the first here. What has gone wrong with politics in Britain? Why are we faced with such a terrible choice at this election? How did we get to a situation where mainstream parties on all sides are led by such …

Who rules Britain (1): Jesus is Lord, and still will be on Friday

This is the first of a series of four posts for this election week, asking the question ‘Who rules Britain?’ The enthronement of Jesus Christ, and God's universal call to acknowledge him, is the foundational political fact. Who will be ruling Britain on December 13th? The Christian answer is unambiguous. There will be no ultimate …