Opinions/reflections July - December 2016
| Amid the increased racism unleashed by the EU referendum, Baptists are called to be truly multicultural and radically hospitable |
| 'May every word we speak bring peace into being and may every action take us further from the Somme' |
| Political preaching, befriending a Baptist church in Europe - suggestions for how churches could face the challenges of the Referendum |
| In just one full month from mid-June to mid-July many major violent and terror related episodes have devastated our world. |
| Jesus tells his disciples to be among the poor, yet 2,000 years later all too often we are not. Some lateral thinking may help |
| Wherever we look in our world today we may find men and women of good will – we should thank God for them, and pray for them |
| Those in the refugee camps of Greece and elsewhere are made in the image of God: we are all one in Christ, called to give and receive |
| How much “agnosticism” should a Christian be happy to live with? |
| Church planting in Nigeria and challenged by climate change – General Secretary Lynn Green reports from the BWA Annual Gathering |
| The refugee crisis requires greater advocacy on the part of Baptists Together to ensure the protection of the refugees |
| Is God calling you to something new? |
| There are 750 unaccompanied children in the Calais Jungle. Surely more can be done to help these most vulnerable of people |
| The story of Naomi and Ruth is being lived by many women today – but with an uncertain ending |
| How the qualities on show in the Games relate to our church life |
| Yes, but there is a but, writes Colin Sedgwick. In fact, there are three of them |
| How do you go about finding "the" church when moving to a new area, city or village? |
| Andrew Ginn realised that age shouldn’t be the most important factor when it comes to structuring youth ministry |
| It's not something reserved for professional specialists; we can all play our part in offering welcome to children and young people, writes Lynn Green |
| We really shouldn’t underestimate the pressures the children and young people in our churches face |
| Spending time talking and especially listening to our family is rarely easy, but it’s a vital investment for the future, says Rob Parsons |
| In April this year Baptist minister Ross Dilnot was involved in an accident that would shatter part of his body. He describes its impact |
| Mike Pears, director of Urban Life, reflects on being a faithful presence on the Knowle West Estate in Bristol with others |
| How a Baptist church in Australia created an online congregation around the world |
| Reflections on Baptist identity were offered on each day of the 2016 annual council of the European Baptist Federation |
| Do you put off until tomorrow the things you should do today? Well, the Bible has something to say about that |
| Does Jesus want us to help those who are destitute – or something more? |
| Is Christianity complementary with yoga, martial arts, Hallowe'en, mindfulness and other alternative practices? A new book seeks to explore |
| How should Christians respond to the growing epidemic of mental ill health? |
| Reading this could seriously enrich your faith |
| How author KA Hitchins faced a life threatening condition - just as she was writing a novel about one |
| It’s always helpful to review what we do: it matters how we come across to the outsider |
| What are Christians called to do in the face of so much bad news? |
| This campaign season has been a buildup of pressure, resulting in an upheaval of hostility. So what do we do now? |
| A Baptist minister's reflection on Donald Trump's US presidential victory |
| What do I as a Christian make of this year's great political upheavals? |
| Unqualified, unlikely and unholy - but we need to give Donald Trump a clean slate.
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| We are living through turbulent times - and I fear the next few years will be darker still, writes Roy Searle |
| Don't tell me as a Christian I can't be angry, and just to pray. I can do both |
| The chaos when the Calais camp was dismantled is down to a lack of planning on the part of both British and French governments |
| Scriptures for reflection and prayer from the Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland in light of the challenging global situation |
| As we walk through Advent, don’t let ourselves be robbed of its enormous value by viewing it simply as ‘getting ready for Christmas’ |
| The way some people treat me has made me more determined to talk about being HIV positive, writes a Baptist minister |
| The real Saint Nick was a wonderful man who loved Jesus and served him faithfully and bravely: we can and should redeem him |
| The whole business of gifts and talents can seem grossly unfair - but every Christian has received a gift from God. What are we doing with it?
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| Joy to the world? A reflection on making sense of this year's shocks |
| Why I belong to the Baptist Education Group - and why churches can engage with their local schools |
| Jo Cox, Brexit, Donald Trump, church decline - drawing lessons from an eventful year |