Millennials and mission
Gareth Russell offers a millennial take on the future of missions.
5 ways to teach your children to hate the ministry
This is such an important one. ‘To put it bluntly, a lot of pastors’ children hate the ministry. A few years back, my research team interviewed 20 pastors’ kids who are adults now. They provided some insights that were both inspiring and disturbing. Children with a pastor-parent can grow to hate the ministry for many reasons, but there are five guaranteed ways you can make sure they hate being a pastor’s kid (PK).’
Communion and corona
This was interesting, in light of the current Corona pandemic, on whether this should impact our approach to communion. I’m not sure there are any answers in this one, but it helpfully talks through the issues re communion (that are by no means new).
The root of our leadership problems
This is a good one from Al Gooderham. ‘There is a lack of leaders in evangelical churches in general. I was at a conference last week which had a healthy focus on training the next generation of leaders. And absolutely that is part of a pastor’s role, it is essential we are doing that. But I wonder if the real problem goes deeper than that.’
Spiritual abuse definition debated by UK Christians
I was at a conference earlier this week where this very topic was discussed and there was, indeed, some debate over definitions.
If God is sovereign, are my prayers pointless?
I think this is a great answer to a common question. John Piper offers his take, which I think is right.
From the archive: Friends or brothers?
‘These differences mean we can happily consider the Muslims meeting with us to be our friends – and they most certainly are our friends – but we cannot call them brother or sister. I am always struck, however, by the fraternal language used by our Muslim friends in referring to us. They – for good or ill – are happy to call us brothers and sisters (whether just in the formal meetings together for the sake of good PR or from a genuine sense of fraternity, I don’t know). We, however, cannot consider the relationship fraternal but can happily view it as amicable.’