I can barely let the 17th October pass without some reflection on the anniversary of my conversion…or at least the beginning of my conversion!  I will never forget it and it is etched on my mind as a distinctive turning point, a decisive moment which has shifted the direction of my life more than once, … More Getting Saved!

What is firing you up at the moment? What moves you? What is giving your life purpose and meaning? Those are good questions, but also fundamentally challenging ones if you find yourself in a bit of a no-mans-land.  I’m certainly not running adrift, and I’m keeping quite healthy these days, but there are still large questions … More Passion

One of the more surprising thing for me that has arisen in recent years is the desire, and maybe even a bit of ability, to write poetry.  I know exactly when this happened – it is one of the fruits of attending the Men’s Rites of Passage event.  It introduced me to accessible poetry again, … More Poetically Speaking…

Summer is lingering here in St Albans, but very soon what seems to me to be the busiest season of life in church circles is about to begin.  For me, that means gently initiating some new things at the church I serve in and starting up some of the regulars that have had something of a … More Resetting Rhythms

A new geography and a new set of plans for the summer of 2016 gave opportunity for me to take advantage of the ‘first time leader’ concession ticket for the Greenbelt festival, held in Broughton estate outside Kettering.  I have to admit to being slightly uncomfortable at the idea of a justice-focussed event being held … More Greenbelt 2016 Review

As August wanes and September is about to appear, it seems that it has been something of a Golden Summer.  Admittedly, I’m a crabbit bugger when it comes to heat, but I do love the sunshine and the rest and the gentle pace and the literal recreation that happens in a good summer. We enjoyed … More A Golden Summer

It was Thomas Merton who said that most of us have reduced the gospel to a ‘personal salvation project’ – to something that bolsters our own views, opinions and, ultimately, our own ego position.  In actuality, the gospel calls us to a death before a completely different kind of life…resurrection life.  We lay down our … More Personal Salvation Project

Pardon the temporary blog silence, but as many of you may know, our move to Newcastle didn’t work out due to us not being able to secure a post for Tracy by the all-important deadline of her having to hand in her resignation at her current school. Let me just say that this: in many … More God’s plans…

‘God, I need to hear you on this.’ And yes, I think God seemed to know that I did.  I guess he brought me again to that point of having a desperate desire to listen.  When we get ourselves to that place, when we turn up, when we step into the deep place, God speaks … More God, I need to hear you on this

  Quite frankly, I’ve wanted to do anything but move to Newcastle this last couple of weeks.  Nothing against Newcastle at all, but a fear of taking the missional risk of pioneering a new work without a cosy denominational backing.  I’ve wanted to walk away and keep an easy life, one filled with nice stuff, … More Let this cup pass…