Phil Knox
Phil Knox is an evangelism and missiology senior specialist at the Evangelical Alliance and is trying to be a good friend. His book on the subject, The Best of Friends, was published on 16 February 2023. You can read his first book, Story Bearer at www.storybearer.com
Snowflakes, pressure cookers and Captain Tom
22 February 2021What is happening in us is as important as what is happening to us during this relentless season of pain and loss. We can emerge from the pandemic with greater endurance and less fragility if we recognise and embrace the work it is doing in us. There’s a video on YouTube that has been viewed more than 12 million times in which author Simon Sinek describes the conditions in society that have led to today’s young adults being labelled as entitled, narcissistic, unfocussed and lazy. These…
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Your connection is unstable: why our friendships need nurturing and treasuring more than ever
1 February 2021During that time there had rarely been a day when it had not adorned my finger and, having lost it, I genuinely felt its absence on an almost hourly basis. I would wring my hands longingly, my eyes scanning every shelf and surface for a glimpse of burnished jewellery. I must have searched under the sofas over 20 times. Just in case it had fallen into the bin, I trawled through the rubbish and searched through week-old chicken carcasses and nappies in vain. There is something that happens within…
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We go again: why persevering in mission still matters in this season
18 January 2021With the infection rate still high and many families struggling to educate and even feed their children, the feeling across the country at the moment is one of struggle and lament. This week we wade through ‘Blue Monday’, the so-called most depressing day of the year. Christmas cheer is fast disappearing in the rear-view mirror and it feels too early and uncertain to joyfully anticipate the effects of the vaccine. A rallying call to persevere would be natural in a blog like this. Don’t get me…
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In this together – a call for generational unity
28 September 2020In the last few weeks young people and young adults have been specifically addressed by government and media and warned to behave responsibly. The warnings may be valid and appropriate but all to easily slide into blame and accusation. Jesus’ prayer for His church was that we would be one (John 17:23). When we think of unity, we often think across denominational lines or geographical regions. In recent years we have seen beautiful and timely expressions of unity with Christians coming together…
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“Be great friends”: a renewed call to deepen friendships amid COVID-19
8 September 2020One of these was highlighted by a BBC article that was published last week. It explained that our new rhythms and patterns “could have some long-term effects on some friendships”. As a result of lockdown, less office working, limited physical gatherings in churches and bans on mass gatherings, it is likely that friendships that previously had been significant to us can deteriorate in a relatively short amount of time. It is an interesting piece, and whilst we may not agree with Professor Robin…
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Five inescapable tensions of COVID-19
17 July 2020All of us are getting used to new ways of doing things, new habits and new ways of seeing the world. Let’s begin with the superficial changes. Before COVID, I had never elbow-bumped anyone; now, extending my arm joint seems as natural as a handshake. Before COVID, coughs used to be background noise; now, they are enough to send whole rooms reaching for their facemasks in hypervigilant panics. Before COVID, I had participated in one Zoom call; now, I sometimes think about whether I have to…
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Sharing your faith with your friends during coronavirus
5 May 2020The most significant person in helping someone becoming a Christian is a friend. We all play a part in sharing good news.
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Three practical ideas for evangelism during lockdown
30 April 2020But it is also hard. Many churches are grieving and comforting one another through grief and bereavement. Most churches’ income has been impacted by an absence of hall lettings, conference bookings and the fact you can’t pass around a virtual Sunday collection plate. We do need to continue to look inwards and look after those in our church families. But we must not stop looking outwards even though the landscape upon which our eyes fall has dramatically changed. These are times when, perhaps…
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Three reasons why right now is the best time to share your faith
25 March 2020First, the extremity of the change it’s made to my life. My days and weeks used to have tangible, recognisable markers, familiar rhythms and reassuring milestones. School runs, work routines, takeaway on Friday, football on Saturday, church on Sunday; these are the sort of landmarks that have become imbedded in so many of our lives. And now most of us are rightly confined to our postcodes, clutching at any kind of structure to find a new normal. Second is the uncertainty of wondering how long…
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The contagiousness of hope
10 March 2020The conversation in coffee shops, colleges, corner shops and the corridors of power is how to stop it spreading – because powerful things spread. And they do so most potently and quickly through networks of relational connection. 2014 saw an outbreak of the Ebola virus that tragically killed many people, especially in West Africa. The BBC reported the potential threat to the UK at the time and stated that, “The Department of Health said a man had been tested for Ebola in Birmingham but tests…
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Reaching young adults: a journey of hope, not despair
11 September 2019Growing up at a time of global instability in the wake of a digital revolution was always going to make sociological and cultural waves. The effect of these are identified and analysed in a huge piece of research released on Tuesday by Barna Group and World Vision. Faith for the Future surveyed more than 15,000 respondents across 25 countries to better understand their values and their relationship to faith. The research does identify a number of challenges. But there are also some very good…
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