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Do we really want everyone to become like Jesus?
Many years ago, I worked as a teaching assistant in a primary school. To try and gain experience I was running an after-school club that gave pupils a chance to explore the Christian faith. During one session we were discussing what it means to become more like Jesus. I thought I’d done quite a…
Richard Powney
What we’ve learnt about welcoming young adults
Equipping People began as a church plant of the New Covenant Church UK in 2015. Our vision is to raise a generation, mostly of young adults, who are passionate about life-transformation, directed in their discipleship and feel equipped as leaders to serve their communities. As people join our…
Akinola Abiona
Dare to have the difficult conversations
Watching our words is a principle many of us take seriously, and with good reason. When it comes to difficult conversations, however, it can become something of an excuse to avoid speaking out or a shield to protect us from being misheard. This has been especially true when it comes to having…
Jo Frost
Three top tips for encouraging interactivity
As a young person, I hated it when this happened in a church service. In fact, I would actively avoid it. You’d most likely have found my eyes up at the ceiling, pretending I didn’t hear until the person sat next to me had found a new conversation partner. But now, as a young adult, I really…
Praying for strangers: good news people in one-off encounters
It all started with a dream. A friend texted to tell me he had a dream in which I was sharing faith with strangers. Up to that point, these encounters had been few, but this encouragement felt like God nudging me to step out in a new way. I regularly run and walk around my community, and one…
Phil Knox
God's call for innovators in the kitchen
This summer promises to contain opportunities galore for many of us to meet up with friends and family again. The upcoming tidal wave of social events will be a unique time to gather safely with others as the appetite (pardon the pun) for social interaction, and particularly to eat together, will…
Dayalan Mahesan
Job Creation Project: Tackling start-ups and self-employment
Like many entrepreneurs, Jerry has faced setbacks but hasn’t let these deter him. After being made redundant twice, Jerry became self-employed. He went on to set up a number of enterprises including a tech company, a social enterprise and a call centre in Palestine. With all this experience, Jerry…
Jo Evans
Are you training for the mission field?
American sports broadcaster Bob Costas once said, “The best thing about sports is the sense of community and shared emotion it can create.” We can see the truth of that statement in many ways, whether it’s about following a team, watching a sports game, or even participating in it. There’s no…
Carolyn Skinner
Euro 2020: A chance to unite after a tough season
After a strong start some people suddenly seem full of something that has been lacking for well over a year: hope. It was Aristotle who said that “hope is a waking dream”; it seems that some are daring to dream again. I fully fell in love with the beautiful game as a boy way back in the summer of…
Gavin Calver
Churches muted by government inconsistency and intransigence
When churches were allowed to resume meeting in July last year a number of restrictions were put in place through both law and guidance to ensure they could operate safely and limit the spread of coronavirus. Churches have diligently followed these rules and advice, from limiting numbers, tracking…
Danny Webster
Three ways your church can support mental health amid the unlocking
“Kate (not her real name) is a member of my church. She’s been a Christian for many years and has also suffered with her mental health all that time. A lifeline for her during the pandemic has been the Renew Wellbeing group that has run on Monday mornings, either on Zoom or in person, according to…
Helen Locke
Salt and light in a mental health crisis
In the Queen’s speech, which marked the opening of a new session of parliament, the issue was addressed as the Government set out its Mental Health Recovery Action Plan. There will be a one-off targeted investment of £500 million to ensure that support is in place over the coming year for everyone…
Jo Evans
Why 'Freedom Day' misses the point of freedom
Throughout out the coronavirus crisis I have been broadly supportive of the Government taking action to suppress the virus and restrict its spread. I’m no epidemiologist but it has seemed necessary medically, unless we were willing to pay a scandalously high price in loss of life when we could have…
Danny Webster
NI 100: “We can and must build a new society”
Our history is painful, bloody and contested, and yet our people are generous and welcoming. Our problems are the same as many other places – our healthcare system is stretched by unrealistic demands and our education system is failing far too many. There is no such thing as a unionist or…
Peter Lynas
The consequence of false worship
The problem of idolatry is a creativity malfunction. God isn't anti-creativity—He gave us part of His own creative nature. He isn't anti-gold or anti-silver, either. While our art-making and book-making and wealth-making are perfectly fine as human vocation, these creations make lousy gods. Notice…
Ryan Shelton
