June 2025
Re: 'Their responses... were completely unexpected and often deeply moving'
What a brilliant idea
Jenny (via Facebook)
Excellent. Wonderful variety also 👌
Leonie (via Facebook)
They are amazing.
Jane (via Facebook)
Re: 'Does this serve Jesus and his kingdom first?'
I guess I want to take issue with the seemingly dismissive use of the phrase "service delivery" in the question: "How do we move from a church model of ‘service delivery’ to one of disciple-making?"
For me the distinguishing feature of discipleship is serving, so I would not want to move from a model of service. Rather I think we should seek to make disciples for whom service is the main thing.
Mark Thompson, Sandbach Baptist Church
As an evangelist (and someone who is excited about church transformation), I often wonder why we aren't encouraging people to think about what their spiritual gifts are. I'm not a pastor myself but I would think to myself, how can I help people to see what gifts God has given them? How can I grow preachers and teachers, evangelists and pioneers, within the church that I pastor?
These things aren't a monopoly for ministers, guest preachers and visiting evangelists - if we truly want to see the church on fire for Jesus, we need to open up space for young adults and others with these gifts to serve and to grow in them.
I preached my first sermon at 15 years old, and that was very formative for me in the nearly four years since then. If you're a pastor, when was the last time you sat down with someone and asked them what they feel their gifts are?
We can't pray that we would have more people serve and lead, but not make room for them to exercise their God-given gifts. May we be a movement where we share in these spaces, making room for others to serve and lead, as the Spirit leads.
Matt Davies, Selsdon Baptist Church
Re: New Brian Haymes book launched
Good to see this publication out so that even after his passing we can still benefit more from the rare combination of intellectual clarity, personal gentleness and spiritual humility that Brian Haymes brought to the Church and the world.
Paul Weller, via X
Re: Baptism and Body
This was a really interesting article.
Ozzy Road Church, via Facebook