Search results for Phil Knox
"I think I’ve just seen my sister for the last time."
When standing alongside bereaved friends, we feel helpless and often don’t feel like we are doing the right thing. Here is some useful advice on how to be a good friend during their time of grief: The power of presence. At times of deep sadness, sometimes we want to be alone. But often we want our…
Phil Knox
The power of hello
The smallest gestures can have the biggest impacts. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it feels like the world is creaking at the moment. We have lurched from a pandemic, to the threat of World War III, to a cost of living crisis. The Collins Dictionary word of the year is ‘permacrisis’, an…
Phil Knox
Three ways to be a better friend this Christmas
Reconnect There is a phenomenon in friendship called 'relational decay', based on the notion that the sands of time and miles of geography do to our connections, what the failure of brushing and lack of dental hygiene do to our teeth. Our diaries resemble peak commuter trains, with little space to…
Phil Knox
Building friendships with introverts: An extrovert's guide
World Introvert Day falls on 2 January. I love two things about this, firstly, that there is an international day for introverts. Secondly, that it takes place immediately after New Year, in an under-the-radar and subtle way that would be deeply appreciated by those it is celebrating.
Phil Knox
Why is friendship good for me?
In 1950s America, there was a mystery in the small Pennsylvanian town of Roseto. Mortality rates were a third lower than in the rest of the United States. Heart disease was almost non-existent in otherwise high-risk groups. No one could work out why. Water sources were analysed, lifestyles were…
Phil Knox
How to be a great friend: look at the Easter story
I have two sons. Each week they attend Sunday school at our local church. Occasionally, their enthusiasm and tendency to talk too much (no idea where they get that from) means they miss the question the teacher asks. I have instructed them in this instance to simply put your hand in the air and…
Phil Knox
Friendship Jesus' Way: Why friendship is part of the God story
“I’m joined today by Phil Knox” he introed, “who thinks that we need to talk more about friendship, and that the example of Jesus might have some things to teach us…” I took a deep sigh, bracing myself for an attack on the whole premise of the book, but was pleasantly surprised, when he continued,…
Phil Knox
I didn’t think churches would talk about loneliness – but I’ve been blown away
At the end of last year, the World Health Organisation declared that loneliness is a ‘global public health concern.’ For many in our world, this is a matter of life and death. The global phenomenon of loneliness is everywhere – even in our churches. At their best, churches are glorious crucibles of…
Phil Knox
No ordinary church service: teens take their stand in Jesus
But every so often, there are those that leave us knowing that things will not be the same again, where we have encountered God in such a compelling and authentic way that our lives are profoundly and irreversibly changed. I went to one of these services last Sunday. The service filled me with such…
Phil Knox
Christmas: The proximity of Emmanuel
Proximity. Noun. Nearness in space, time or relationship. Immanuel. Noun. God is with us. As human beings we are made with an inbuilt awareness of how close is too close. We ideally like to keep strangers at least three metres away. We feel comfortable with acquaintances coming as close as one…
Phil Knox
Angels on our streets
It all started in a stuffy church meeting. We were discussing plans for our church’s 50th birthday. I was 25 years old, idealistic and not particularly designed to sit still in church meetings. Frustrated by the predictable plans for a church birthday celebration involving quiche, a quiz and a few…
Phil Knox
Why me? Your story is worth sharing
"I’m outside." Two terrible words to receive in a text message if you're just out of the shower, frantically throwing on clothes (you don’t even care if they're yours at this stage), toothbrush hanging out of your mouth, wishing you'd packed your bag the night before and set your alarm half an hour…
Phil Knox
Three practical ideas for evangelism during lockdown
But 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…
Phil Knox
Sharing your faith with your friends during coronavirus
The most significant person in helping someone becoming a Christian is a friend. We all play a part in sharing good news.
Phil Knox
Five inescapable tensions of COVID-19
All 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…
Phil Knox
