Preaching is not intended to be a virtuoso solo performance. All sermons should be well populated. I was reminded of this last weekend as a took part in the graduation and 30th Anniversary celebrations at the Latvian Biblical Centre. …

Preachers operate at a number of levels in every sermon. We connect the following worlds: The world of unbelief or indifference. This is a climate of hostility, suspicion and boredom. Such a world, if it notices preachers at all, will dismiss them with a cruel putdown or an undisguised yawn. …

We live quite near to the Wiston Estate where the Big Church Day Out, renamed Big Church Festival, has become an annual fixture since 2009. Apart of course for 2020 and 2021. It was good to be there over the past weekend which was a combination of the Queen’s Platinum…

Yes, the book is being published this week. The day before publication felt a little bit like waiting for a baby to be born. If you had asked me two years ago if I would like to write a book on preaching, I would have said, “Yes.” …

The person who edits this blog helps to tidy up bad grammar and iron out inelegant phrases. He also introduced my wife and me to Wordle, a game invented during lockdown by British software engineer Josh Wardle for his girlfriend. …

This week I have listened to fifteen sermons. No, I have not been at a very long church service, nor have I been glued to online services. Rather, I have been listening to student preachers give their brief final term sermons. …

Over the weekend I was speaking at the Beech Hill Church, Otley’s weekend away. There were four sessions based on the first ten chapters of Acts. It was interesting to explore some of the vital signs of life that feature in Luke’s dramatic narrative. Prayer I have always been impressed…

Thinking about the forty years since I was ordained in 1982, I was wondering about how the pastor’s work ethic has changed over that time. I write at a time when there is lots of talk about the value, or otherwise, of working from home. …

Not sure if you noticed, but there has been a two-week break in the blog. This is not because I ran out of ideas or merely forgot; I have been on holiday. This has been my longest holiday since starting to work for the School of Preachers. …