Pastor after pastor says they are struggling to hold a church together in unity. Just as responses to the pandemic divide society deeply, so they divide churches, sometimes bitterly, with some really keen to be braver and more adventurous (within the government rules) and others desperately cautious.... continue reading
Most of us would like to take a break from the stream of negative voices in our minds. My friend and millions of others claim that they’re able to do that by practising mindfulness. In recent years there’s been an explosion of books, apps, colouring books and even recipe kits claiming to help people become more mindful. So what exactly is this trend, and where has it come from?... continue reading
Change really happens as we articulate one truth that we’ve learned, and store up the truth in our hearts. We’re quick to put in the effort to help our kids learn maths equations to pass exams. Exams that in the end got cancelled, but do we ever invest even a fraction of that effort into learning treasure that is of eternal value?... continue reading
A brief scan of the comments section of a Christian website or a YouTube video will give you abundant proof that believing right doctrine— in this case, that God is sovereign over human affairs—is no guarantee of love. Knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8 v 1), especially knowledge about God. Anyone who increases in knowledge risks arrogance—a risk multiplied when the subject is God.... continue reading
If, like me, you often feel tempted to take sides, take heart. In a world of complexity, we all long for simple answers to hard questions. Like me, you probably feel a lot of pressure to choose your team—to be either this or that— and it’s difficult to resist the herd impulse. Resisting that urge to take sides is difficult, and downright humbling. But that’s part of the point.... continue reading
Miscarriage, like many types of loss and suffering, brings us face to face with our limits. Perhaps you’ve experienced your physical limitations as you suffer weakness from blood loss or the woozy effects of anesthesia. Maybe it’s been presented in the pain of cramping as your uterus shrinks back to normal size.... continue reading
Suffering, like miscarriage, finds us in that space of ungranted petitions, where cynicism tempts us to cease to pray altogether, whispering that God doesn’t care or that praying doesn’t make a difference. But in the example of our Savior we see that prayer is anything but pointless.... continue reading
The suffering of mental-health disorders presents a very particular challenge to anyone considering the question of suffering alongside questions of faith since, if we are afflicted personally with a mental-health condition, our very perceptions, thoughts and feelings are affected directly.... continue reading
When a family in your community experiences pregnancy loss, you and your church have a powerful opportunity to minister to and care for them. A great way to express your care is a “miscarriage care package.” It enables you to validate the grief and the life of their child, practically serve and meet the physical needs of this family, help them apply the good news of the gospel and the truth of God’s word to their hardship, and comfort them.
Here are a few ideas of what to include in a care package for families grieving the loss of an unborn child.... continue reading
I knew when I began this journey that I’d likely hear stories from other survivors too. What I didn’t expect was that over half of them would be male.... continue reading