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Praying for strangers: good news people in one-off encounters
It all started with a dream. A friend texted to tell me he had a dream in which I was sharing faith with strangers. Up to that point, these encounters had been few, but this encouragement felt like God nudging me to step out in a new way. I regularly run and walk around my community, and one…
Phil Knox
God's call for innovators in the kitchen
This summer promises to contain opportunities galore for many of us to meet up with friends and family again. The upcoming tidal wave of social events will be a unique time to gather safely with others as the appetite (pardon the pun) for social interaction, and particularly to eat together, will…
Dayalan Mahesan
Are you training for the mission field?
American sports broadcaster Bob Costas once said, “The best thing about sports is the sense of community and shared emotion it can create.” We can see the truth of that statement in many ways, whether it’s about following a team, watching a sports game, or even participating in it. There’s no…
Carolyn Skinner
Euro 2020: A chance to unite after a tough season
After a strong start some people suddenly seem full of something that has been lacking for well over a year: hope. It was Aristotle who said that “hope is a waking dream”; it seems that some are daring to dream again. I fully fell in love with the beautiful game as a boy way back in the summer of…
Gavin Calver
Churches muted by government inconsistency and intransigence
When churches were allowed to resume meeting in July last year a number of restrictions were put in place through both law and guidance to ensure they could operate safely and limit the spread of coronavirus. Churches have diligently followed these rules and advice, from limiting numbers, tracking…
Danny Webster
Salt and light in a mental health crisis
In the Queen’s speech, which marked the opening of a new session of parliament, the issue was addressed as the Government set out its Mental Health Recovery Action Plan. There will be a one-off targeted investment of £500 million to ensure that support is in place over the coming year for everyone…
Jo Evans
Why 'Freedom Day' misses the point of freedom
Throughout out the coronavirus crisis I have been broadly supportive of the Government taking action to suppress the virus and restrict its spread. I’m no epidemiologist but it has seemed necessary medically, unless we were willing to pay a scandalously high price in loss of life when we could have…
Danny Webster
NI 100: “We can and must build a new society”
Our history is painful, bloody and contested, and yet our people are generous and welcoming. Our problems are the same as many other places – our healthcare system is stretched by unrealistic demands and our education system is failing far too many. There is no such thing as a unionist or…
Peter Lynas
The consequence of false worship
The problem of idolatry is a creativity malfunction. God isn't anti-creativity—He gave us part of His own creative nature. He isn't anti-gold or anti-silver, either. While our art-making and book-making and wealth-making are perfectly fine as human vocation, these creations make lousy gods. Notice…
Ryan Shelton
The gospel: true and good but rejected
There are generally two elements in people’s responses: first, the gospel centres around an event in history and it is good news; second, the gospel is both true and good. For a long time, apologetics focused on the question of whether the gospel is true: did Jesus live, die and rise again from the…
Peter Lynas
Speaking the truth in love
For me, one of the strangest shifts during this season of lockdown has been the move from preaching in person to preaching into a device. I can clearly remember my first time. I thought, what on earth am I doing? How will this have an impact? Yes, I’ve been on camera before, but this was different:…
Gavin Calver
Remember the persecuted
Wurmbrand’s graphic illustration draws from Apostle Paul’s description of the church as the body of Christ. “If one member suffers, all suffer together,” wrote Paul (1 Corinthians 12:26a). Once labelled the ‘Voice of the Underground Church’, Wurmbrand was imprisoned by the then communist regime…
Kenneth Harrod
Domestic violence: Is your church doing enough?
When I imagine that scene, the people of God coming together in holy horror and grief, I can see similarities between the scenes we witnessed after the murder of George Floyd and during the vigil on Clapham Common, London, following the murder of Sarah Everard: a collective outpouring of grief and…
Bekah Legg
Rev Dr Joel Edwards CBE: his lasting legacy
Joel Edwards leaves behind an inspiring legacy of unity in diversity, social engagement and Christ-centred service. A unifier across evangelical constituencies, he confidently promoted his evangelical faith and values in the public square, as general director of the Evangelical Alliance and in…
Evangelical Alliance
Job Creation Project: a ministry for the local church
“I love the idea that helping young people get back into work could be seen as part of the ministry of the local church,” he says. Mike shares different ways the local church can help connect the dots between work and the Christian faith. Through serving the local community as people seek…
Jo Evans
