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The Baptist Union > The Baptist Times > Archive > Opinions / Reflections > Opinions/Reflections - January - June 2016
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Opinions/reflections January - June 2016 

What happened next? Mary
Our celebrations of Christmas may be over but the story of our Lord’s arrival and life continue
You need never walk alone 
What does it mean to "walk with God?" Here are five suggestions
Some thoughts on Covenant 
Covenant isn’t easy, but an important mark of our commitment to walk together, with God, writes Catriona Gorton
Baptists relating as one team
Have we at times prized our independence over our commitment to relating to each other, asks Lynn Green?
Becoming trendy for the Gospel?
Doesn't actually work, because that's not what Jesus said. The call to sacrifice just might
Is consumerism killing your faith? 
“I choose a church where they play the songs I like, worship the way I want, where I do what I choose”
What happened next? Herod the Great 
Our celebrations of Christmas may be over but the story of our Lord’s arrival and life continue
'A new scheme to make churches green'
Introducing Eco Church, Christian charity A Rocha's new scheme to help churches become eco-friendly
From Blest Be to Bind us together 
The future of our witness as Baptist people depends on our shared life together, writes Andy Goodliff
Three facts to know about 'church decline'
Mainstream church attendance is in the news again: it has declined over the past 100 years or so, but consider these three points
On the edge: No King but God 
Voices and lessons from the margins need to be heard by all of us, for they shape our mission and discipleship, and are actually at the heart of faith
Regrets - and how to deal with them 
A couple of things we shouldn't do, and a couple we should
Barbie, and reaching the missing generation
The famous doll has evolved to reflect millennial concerns for social justice. That's a language the church knows – and needs to rediscover
Your faith is changing - here's why 
As we grow God shows us more of himself, and more of ourselves - why it's OK for our relationships with God to change
Salvation songs - hymns and their stories
Knowing the backgrounds to the hymns which fed our ancestors adds a rich layer of understanding to our spiritual lives, writes Mark Woods
Baptist life and its European context
Tony Peck invites British Baptists to reflect on aspects of our Baptist story and identity that might inform our vote in the EU referendum
Why Brexit is the solution
The decision is a 'purely political one', writes a Baptist minister who highlights three key areas why he will vote to leave
Being grounded in your faith
When all around are losing it and causing panic, Heather Skull looks at why a field of sheep can teach a lesson about standing firm...
Be an answer to prayer  
It’s good to pray - every Christian knows that. But it’s a real joy too to be the answer to someone else’s prayer
Finding hope in disability and child loss
In telling her story Chizor Akisanya is openly vulnerable in the hope that it will inspire and encourage those struggling with life’s challenges
The day I nearly died laughing 
Is there a specifically Christian view of laughter, asks Colin Sedgwick?
Shaping missional church life
The way we picture God will direct church identity and our missional effectiveness, writes Andrew Hardy
Confidence in the gospel
Our calling from Christ to go and make disciples must begin and continue in prayer, writes Lynn Green
Some Good News About Goodnewsing 
Evangelism is getting on with life in such a way that people have a chance to discover Jesus for themselves
A call to pray for the steel industry
The potential closure of the Port Talbot steelworks has far reaching consequences for all involved: here are ways we can pray into the situation
Human sexuality and identity
As Baptists, can we live in the tension of our differences, bound together in our common love of the Risen Christ?
And a little child shall lead them...
There's a good reason why children have a special place in the heart of God - and, as Heather Skull reflects, they have much to teach us
Putting on the Wakeful One
How can we perceive, with heightened awareness, God’s perspective on the world and other people?
Your smartphone is changing you
Technology gives – and takes away. What impact is it having, and how can we recalibrate our lives in this new and complex culture?
Hillsborough: mercy must accompany justice
Reflection from Liverpool fan and Regional Minister after an inquest concludes the fans who died in the 1989 disaster were unlawfully killed
All the lonely people, where do they all...
God sets the lonely in families - here are the people to be looking out for in our churches and beyond
The role of community song 
There is power in communally creating a song, our song - and it's something we might consider giving more time to
Find the hymnbooks! Technology and church
The way we communicate our culture has altered completely, but key elements of communication haven't
How passionate are you? 
Being told I should be passionate about the Holy Spirit slightly jarred
Migrants are people, too 
Phil Palmer ponders whether alternative language should be used in the reporting of people on the move
The EU debate and the gospel
The EU referendum debate is about relationships and that is why it is a matter on which we need to seek insights from our faith, writes Keith Clements
'Bring to you all affected by Orlando' 
Prayers in the wake of the weekend's atrocities at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida
'A salve to my weary soul'
Chaplain Anna Spiegel was among those to share her reflections on the recent Yorkshire Baptist Association Assembly
For is not life more than bread? 
Christian faith is about truly encountering God and other people, on a human level – as Jesus did
Refugees: the stories behind the headlines
Dave Smith, the founder of a Christian organisation serving destitute asylum seekers, explains why he was compelled to tell their stories
The mum who tried to change the world  
… three things Jo Cox taught us
The rebuilding of a nation 
In post-EU Referendum United Kingdom, churches are well-placed to demonstrate the mutual benefits of being part of diverse communities
Wilderness wanderings, or the Promised Land? 
With so many refugees trapped in Europe, the Exodus story is being re-enacted: the situation calls Christians to a dual response
How can we put Britain back together? 
Chris Goswami reflects on how Christians might engage constructively in the politics currently unfolding
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