Opinions/reflections - July - Dec 2021

People who are grieving need the Holy Spirit, not Spiritualism

People whose loved ones died during the pandemic are often suffering complicated, unresolved grief - but turning to Spiritualism isn't the answer. By Louise Morse

Attentive to the rhythms

Colin Pye channels his 80s synth rock background to introduce a new song that explores the presidential theme of his friend and colleague Geoff Colmer

Joel Edwards: friend, senior colleague and mentor

Baptist minister Israel Olofinjana, director of the Evangelical Alliance's One People Commission, pays tribute

Assisted dying - three questions for Christians

Anyone wishing to seriously engage with the subject must first wrestle with, and come to a view on, three fundamental questions, writes John Elliston

Assisted dying - time for change?

There is a Christian case to be made for supporting a change in the law, writes Simon Woodman

White working class

Is the church failing the white working class? By Michael Shaw

A prophetic moment? Developing a rhythm of resilience

Let us allow our devotional roots to grow deeper, to gain the strength of Christ, through His Spirit - and in taking His yoke upon us, become a pastoral presence within our communities and the gospel voice that our context so desperately needs to hear

The Nobody who became a Somebody

A reflection on being competitive in the Kingdom of God. By Colin Sedgwick

Incel culture, churches and marriage

Churches understandably place a high value on marriage - but what does that communicate to those who are single? Following the shootings in his city, this is a reflection by Michael Shaw, minister of Devonport Community Baptist Church, Plymouth

Help for the Post-Covid Church

Former Baptist Union President Stephen Gaukroger has created a course to equip the church as we emerge from lockdown. In this interview he shares advice for congregations asking “What next?”

Paying attention to our emotional lives - through the tears we shed

Baptist minister and Spurgeon’s College tutor Jeannie Kendall introduces her new book Held in Your Bottle, which explores the value of tears in the Bible and in our lives today

Off the beaten track

Are you off to university this year? Maybe consider a different type of church, writes Michael Shaw

A rise in the currency of grievance

Exacerbated by the instability of the pandemic, the currency of grievance has become a dominant force circulating in many churches, as well as wider society, suggests Shaun Lambert. How do we effect change?

10 life-changing habits from our Covid world

Habits we latched onto over the last 18 months, which we should perhaps not let go. By Chris Goswami

Reflecting on the power of prayer

A testimony of answered prayer and the goodness of our God, by Vicki Miller, Scheme Manager at independent housing scheme Royd Court, West Yorkshire

Kim Kardashian, selfies and the cult of physical perfection

A reflection on the dangers of idealising physical perfection, by Mark Roques

Modern slavery and why we should care?

Many victims / survivors of exploitation access services from churches, writes Dan Pratt, editor of a new book exploring faith responses to modern slavery

The Christmas gift for people living with dementia

Dementia affects the brain and cognition, but it doesn’t touch the soul and the spirit of a person, and at Christmas time, especially, the Holy Spirit can be released through our worship and spiritual songs. By Louise Morse

COP26 - what can Christians and churches do?

We could make a game-changing contribution by acting together, writes Andy Atkins, CEO of Christian nature conservation organisation A Rocha UK

COP26 - how can we respond?

It is not a matter of debate as to whether (or why) the climate is changing, but how much it will change - and what we can do now to prevent the worst impacts of that change. By Michael Shaw

Faith Always Works: the death of a believer

Baptist minister David Meseg has terminal cancer. He has written a book exploring faith

Theology through the lens of the marginalised

Does our theology, as well as our missiology, alienate the working class? By Michael Shaw

'The difference between noise and influence is relationship'

We can refine our message until it’s perfect - but if we don’t connect with any real people who are willing to listen, it may not bear the fruit it could. Andy Flannagan introduces the Influence Course from Christians in Politics

Keep me out of your way

My daily prayer as I encounter polite society, marginal society and those beyond the edge and, as I pray, I trust that, somehow, God will be at work and I will not hinder him. By Sean Fountain

Approaching death with faith

Death is never easy. But if we belong to Christ, the crucified and risen one, how can we not approach it with faith, however faltering, and with hope, however fragile? By Colin Sedgwick

Slaying the giant of loneliness in God’s presence

Christian minister, counsellor, mentor and lecturer Julie Porter introduces her book Loneliness versus Being Alone, which delves into the juxtaposition of loneliness and solitude

Reaching a neglected demographic

I am extremely grateful to have been used by God to reach white, working-class people, writes Baptist minister William Wade. Here are some observations about interacting with this often disaffected group

This is what the jumper is telling the world, we all BELIEVE!

Bren Brundritt is one of a number of Baptist ministers who is wearing the Marks and Spencer 'believe' jumper this Christmas (and beyond). She explains why

Echoing God's big story

Author Chick Yuill explains why he started writing novels that could be read by people of all faiths and of none - and introduces his latest work

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