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The Baptist Union > The Baptist Times > Archive > Opinions / Reflections > Opinions/Reflections - January - June 2015
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Opinions/Reflections January - June 2015 

Simeon: a believer who welcomed the future 
There is much to learn from Simeon and how he lived a verse often recalled at the start of a new year
Is this really a happy New Year…?
As the chimes of Big Ben fade away, Heather Skull reflects on the point of marking the New Year
God is great... your methods are not 
Reflecting on the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the hijacking of faith
So many causes – so little time 
Many wrongs demand our attention, so where do we devote our time and energy?
Is God’s justice different from ours? 
It is not just that God’s justice is different from ours; our justice is different from ours, writes Stephen Holmes
Learning from Rotherham.... 
What does it mean to place the needs and well-being of children at the very heart of our shared life?
Empire - or kingdom - building?
The approach of Ecuadorian Baptists to church planting sets Michael Shaw thinking about how we go about it in the UK
The Mechanics of Grace
How a battered and broken car is a reminder that love and grace can transform a sorry mess into something special
Depression as a sign of faith?
Could depression be a sign of a deeper connection to God?
Going to where the church isn't
Conversations in a pub, an arts cafe - Chris Duffett shares two examples of pioneering that are making a difference
Libby Lane - celebrating a great day
Historic decision to allow women bishops a vital step in realigining church practices with scriptural teachings
Learning the Leadership Pyramid
In order to be an effective leader there is a vital lesson we must learn about where we build our leadership from
Finding faith in times of fear
Whatever our anxieties, we are called to bring them before Jesus, writes Chris Willis
Lent: The wilderness experience 
With Lent approaching John Rackley wonders about the significance of wild places for our spirituality and faith
Some thoughts on church numbers
Why do we allow ourselves to be dazzled and awestruck by numerical success - and discouraged by lack of it?
How Genesis Keeps Me Awake At Night 
Paul Poulton explains how he couldn't get the first book of the Bible out of his head - and how it all ended up in print
But What Exactly Do I DO?
Concluding his series on leadership, Darren Blaney looks at what a leader does
Curious distractions, glorious risks
As someone who is easily distracted, Heather Skull looks at the positive side to going off the beaten track
Substituting guilt and forgiveness for shame
We have become adept at holding people to account. But is there too much focus after the horse has bolted?
Hunting for the light in people
Shut-up evangelism: seeking out what God is already doing in someone’s life, rather than dispensing booklets and tracts
What should preaching be for?
I think it boils down to three things, writes Colin Sedgwick
Opportunity amid the politics 
Politicians on all sides want to hear from us as the General Election approaches. What should we be saying?
Politics, and the disruption of the temple
Engagement in the political narratives of our day is not a distraction from our Gospel identity, but an expression of it
Conversations - Simon of Cyrene 
New series: John Rackley imagines a possible response of people intimately involved in the hours before Jesus' death
Conversations - the Nameless Lover
Continuing the series of reflections involving people intimately involved in the hours before Jesus' death
Conversations - Mary Magdalene
An unnecessary death - we would see it to its bitter end, and then wait to receive his body
Christ is Risen . . . . He is risen indeed! 
A reflection on the political consequences of Jesus' life alongside our response to the current electioneering
Conversations - The Centurion  
How bizarre that I of all people should see a son of God on that cross – when no one else could.
Conversations - Joseph of Arimathea
Why could he go boldly to Pilate for the body of Jesus but not be equally courageous among his fellow believers?
The Israeli election and the church's mission
The events of the last Israeli election are a wake-up call to the church, argues Azar Ajaj
What is truth? Who can we believe?
Heather Skull looks at lies, spin and exaggeration. Where do we find truth?
Conversations - Nicodemus
He made it difficult for others; especially people like me. I tried to be a voice of calm in stormy times; but it was not easy.
Chaplaincy - is it pioneering mission? 
Andrea Campanale reflects on a recent study of chaplaincy in the UK
The Church has left the building
Reflecting on when an area learns to live without a church. By Michael Shaw
Endangered species in Church 
Young people are not in church in the numbers they used to be, and atheism is growing. What can we do?
Redefining the UK's religious landscape  
Black majority churches are growing significantly. Why? And how can other churches learn from them? By listening and reconnecting
What matters to your church? 
Taking time out to reflect on why we do what we do as a church can be a challenging prospect. Three questions that might help us
Human Resources and Christian Values
Can Christian values help HR influence culture and make organisations good places to work in? By Dr Clive Morton OBE
A journey through eastern Ukraine
European Baptist Federation General Secretary Tony Peck's thoughts on his visit to eastern Ukraine in April
What does Mindfulness offer the Christian? 
Shaun Lambert offers a compelling explanation why Mindfulness should matter to Christians
Time for a coffee with a head teacher 
Fruitful involvement with your local school stems from understanding its ethos and how you can help
The start, not the end: election reflection
The election results are not the final word, they are only the beginning: we need to remain engaged in the political situation of our country
Thirteen days... of the church year
They are theologically just as important - so why don't we invest as much energy into days such as Pentecost as we do Christmas and Easter?
A reflection for Pentecost Sunday 
The wind was getting up. By John Rackley
The times when God is silent
When our prayer life is going well it’s amazing. But what about when God seems silent?
How true worship should hurt
Have we lost the concept of sacrifice in the context of worship?
Nothing is ever wasted...
Life in all its fullness matters. Heather Skull reflects on why everything happens for a purpose...
Prayer Spaces in Schools 
Prayer spaces enable children to explore life questions - and have had a greater impact than I could ever have imagined
A reflection for Fathers' Day
Where, in the tussle between faith and family, do our ultimate priorities lie?
Baptist Collaboration: what next? 
The Baptist Collaboration Facebook Group is three years old. Founder Peter Dominey reflects on its impact, and future online collaboration
Pope: 'biblical mandate to care for creation'
The Papal encyclical is a most welcome contribution to the climate debate, writes John Weaver
Benefit sanctions, foodbanks and the Bible
The Bible has quite a lot to say about food, who has it and who hasn't. Its prophets would have been brilliant in our House of Commons
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