Church families are returning to their buildings once again in the UK and Ireland, after a break of almost four … More
Tag: Ministry
Preaching under the smile and the smiting rod
As I write these words, our home has descended into the silence of sleep on a Saturday night, and I … More
Some implications of an empty pulpit
Whether your cup is half empty or half full in the current global crisis, whether you credit or descry online … More
A Certain Sound through Preaching
How are we to answer the exigencies and anxieties of the hour? What tone of voice and approach should we … More
Before Philippi
In approaching the narrative sections of Scripture, there is always the danger of foreclosure, of assuming the conclusion, and missing … More
‘I long to see you’ – the glory of contingency
A measure of our new sense of normality is that the decision whether or not to run church services has … More
St. Patrick and the work of ministry
In the eyes of many Patrick is the patron saint of excess, a figurehead for beer-fuelled parades and parties. Nothing, … More
Ministry and Meltdown
One of the mirages of our modern lives is that we are stable and secure in terms of our most … More
Pastoral Repentance and Resolution
There is much that is notional and fleeting in the approach of a New Year, and there is a great … More
A Pastor in Therapy
In February of this year I burned out. It was a surprising, disconcerting, and ultimately enlightening experience. The full account … More
