When can you speak with ‘authority’ on a subject? I’ve always been secretly sceptical of parents of toddlers who give lectures on parenting, and couples who have been married for two years taking marriage classes! How long do you have to have been a leader before you can give leadership advice? I’m not sure! Is … Continue reading 25 Lessons from 25 Years of Leadership
Kenya
Earlier this week I, along with four other Elim pastors from the UK, returned from a twelve-day trip to Kenya visiting some of the 350 Elim churches and church plants there. As well as visiting churches in Nairobi, we travelled south to Malindi to play a part in training leaders and supporting the launch of … Continue reading Kenya
Willpower or Want-power?
Willpower is not enough. In our efforts to change, willpower only takes us so far. I’ve found that willpower diminishes throughout the day. I start the day with good intentions. I employ my willpower in the morning and I eat muesli with fruit. By the end of the day my willpower-tank empties and I’m eating … Continue reading Willpower or Want-power?
The Silence of Christmas
The Christmas story starts with silence. An awkward silence. Before the cattle are lowing and the baby awakes, there is silence. A very long silence. From Malachi to Matthew God isn’t speaking (or at least, people weren’t listening!). Four hundred years without His voice being clearly heard. When great orators speak they will create a … Continue reading The Silence of Christmas
Home
The shepherds returned home. The heavens had opened. The sounds of the sky had revealed the choir of jubilant angels. The Messiah had come. Born in humility. The shepherds were the first to be told. And then they returned home. No speaking tour of the surrounding regions to explain their unique supernatural revelation. No grasping … Continue reading Home
The whole earth…
In a secular age, where the sacred is pushed to the margins, to place the holy at the centre of our lives is an act of rebellion. We are resisting the cultural conspiracy that treats casually that which is divine. As Advent approaches, our celebration of sacred days becomes a way of resisting the attractions … Continue reading The whole earth…
The Disordered Heart
Over the years I’ve spoken and written much about the human heart because I’ve become convinced that everything we do and say is a result of the heart’s overflow. I usually describe what it takes to form a healthy heart, and I’ve rarely focused on the signs of a disordered heart. But in the same … Continue reading The Disordered Heart