Opinions/reflections - January - June 2017
| How can we use the web, social media and our smartphones in a way that’s aligned with our faith? |
| It is right and good to pray for ourselves; but those prayers should not be selfish. How that can be? |
| The term leadership can split opinion among Baptists, but wholesome leadership is both biblical and vital in enabling others to thrive - Nigel Wright |
| How do we break into the hollowed-out lives of those in the hidden places of our communities, whose only company is the television? |
| When leading a church becomes principally about numerical growth and legacy, it’s no wonder church leaders struggle. There is another road |
| Donald Trump will need the prayers of the church if he is going to have any measure of success in leading the nation |
| God has demonstrated that His Gospel brings an end to whatever divides us - multi-ethnic churches are essential in a post-Brexit world |
| Jesus offers really only one strategy for mission... and it is this |
| There are many encouragements amid the challenges of leading smaller churches, including growing network support |
| By what right does any Christian presume to pass serious judgement on someone else? |
| The enabling leader: giving people the tools to face their problems is a leadership that encourages congregations to develop their giftings |
| Is prayer the same as prayerfulness? As mindfulness? Or … do you pray like the Simpsons? |
| Amid rising racism and hate mongering in a turbulent world, the Church needs to rise up and confess Christ |
| Understanding the four areas where misunderstandings can occur when people of differing cultural backgrounds work together |
| Increasing the number of Black and minority ethnic (BME) ministers and leaders remains a challenge for Baptists |
| Comparing our spiritual lives to a boat - where are you on the sea of life? |
| What if we all get to heaven and realise disabled people were healed all along? Rachel Wright shares a modern day parable |
| How smaller churches can open a door to leadership opportunities (even in partnership with larger ones) |
| Why does an Old Testament in church reading always stop JUST before it gets gruesome? |
| And what lessons can we learn from them? Lessons from the thieves in the crucifixion narrative |
| 'The hate of this man will not die with him if it still lives within us.' |
| A minister whose church is exploring housing a refugee family reflects |
| Churches are more vulnerable to conflict than any other group or organisation. Why is that the case? |
| I wouldn’t be going anywhere without my pills - but alone, they're not enough. What keeps you going? |
| Fake news? In a world awash with lies and half-truths, Jesus followers are called to be people of total integrity |
| What does it mean to be Beacons of Hope in a world where hope is so often in short supply? By Lynn Green |
| Brexit is likely to dominate the next seven weeks, pushing back other matters of genuine priority. Let's not forget them |
| A new project to help Baptist churches explore a multi-congregational future is being launched |
| No-one can confess Jesus as Lord with integrity and exclude politics from that confession, says Baptist minister |
| Our emotions are important – but must always be subordinate to that day-by-day desire to know God and trust him |
| Making sense of the more difficult passages of the Old Testament - and their relevance for Christians today |
| How do we confront the structural challenges that break people, rather than offer sticking plaster solutions? |
| New President Dianne Tidball calls on Baptists to 'to wake up, seek God, share good news and punch holes in the darkness' |
| A Baptist minister was overwhelmed with questions about prayer. What happened next? |
| Refugees remain in Calais, despite last year's clearing of the camp there, writes Simon Jones |
| Jesus offers perfect leadership – and here’s why we need to rediscover it, writes Baptist minister Karl Martin |
| 'As last cry shattered the chatter of onlookers, and the cries of the watching women, mixed with his...' |
| To remove our vulnerability would be to remove our humanity – a minister's reflection on the London terror |
| The way in which we engage across the political divide after 8 June is as important as how we deal with the campaign |
| Former Baptist Union President John Weaver examines the environmental policies of the main parties |
| Where does Tim Farron’s resignation leave us? A reflection by Baptist blogger Chris Goswami |
| Ours is the task to provide the space where the groans of a shattered creation can be heard. By Phil Jump |
| Each one of us is gifted by God, for the common good. How are we ensuring we are using those gifts? |
| God invites us to share in his work, even allowing us, through prayer, to shape the manner in which that task is achieved |
| Music, arts, faith, justice - there is nothing else like it in terms of Christian festivals in the UK, says a Baptist minister |
| – and church buildings are back in fashion! What does your building say about who you are as a church? |