The Apology That Came 40 Years Later
When I was 13, I had my first girlfriend. We held hands behind the teacher’s back and went roller skating on weekends—until she dropped me for my friend. I was heartbroken. Two weeks ago, a message landed in my inbox—from her.
When You’re Lost in the Wilderness, Remember this
Much of my work is public speaking—a job transformed by the pandemic from one of hotels and conference stages to loungerooms and laptops. Recently I Zoomed in to speak at Walsall Community Church. My topic was going to be joy, but that all changed when a few days before I was to speak, one of
After the Burning of Notre Dame, Let’s Look at the Cross
Last year, on a visit to Antwerp’s Cathedral in Belgium, I was struck by one of its artworks. Struck, because it seemed so out of place with the rest of the cathedral’s pieces. Struck, because I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or even sacrilegious. But as we head towards Easter while the world
The Day Jesus Messed Up His Nice-Guy Image
In his famous painting ’The Light of the World’, Holman Hunt depicted Jesus in a white robe holding a lantern, knocking gently on a door that represents our heart. With blond beard, flowing hair and serene face, the Saviour is presented as a meek, mild soother of souls. Nice image—but the Holy Week of Easter
064 A Miracle Story I Can Believe: Sean George Raised From the Dead
Miracles can be hard for the modern mind to accept. And I can be sceptical myself about 'miracle' stories. I've heard too many that proved to be bogus or didn't last. But Dr Sean George's story is remarkable. Medically documented and verified, it's one miracle I can believe. And it happened through the power of
Everything in This Cafe is Free—Just Like God’s Gifts
Imagine walking into a cafe, ordering a flat white and a piece of cake, sitting down at a table while they're brought to you, and then, after enjoying your morning tea, you go to pay the bil
036 The Problem with Kitsch Jesus
You’ll find him in Christian bookstores, on ‘Christian art’ sites and all over Facebook. He may hang on your friend's lounge room wall, or even on your own. He is kitsch Jesus. But while he may remind us of how sweet and gentle he is, kitsch Jesus has a problem. Here he is in pictorial
A Lesson on Courage
Each week 16 million people listen to BBC Radio 2. Now, not all of them were listening when I joined early morning host Alex Lester on Easter Monday to present the long-running Pause for Thought segment, but a few were! I was asked to talk about courage. Here's what I came up with.
Look Beyond the Pain to the Victory
In the crumbling medieval church of North Yorkshire's Mount Grace Priory stands a striking piece of artwork – the Madonna Of The Cross. Crafted by the sculptor Malcolm Brocklesby in 1996, the piece invites us to ask some hard questions about our lives and callings.
The God of Surprises
How do you get the attention of a world that thinks it knows what Jesus is all about, when it is often only familiar with misconceptions? You do what Jesus did—you tell surprising, beguiling, captivating stories. A piece written for the #BigRead13 Lent event, with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.