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A Meal of Vegetables

Vegetarianism is in vogue and its supporters are frequently militant. Among them are some Christians who claim that there is a biblical basis for adopting the veggie lifestyle. They would advise that before you pop down to Macdonalds for your next quarter-pounder, you should ask yourself, 'Should I have a slice of nut-loaf instead?’

Apostolic Authority

The ministry of 'apostles' has been newly recognised in the last 30 years. After initial scepticism, large sections of the church at large now accept their validity. But there is argument about the nature of their authority. Is it executive (overruling local church leaders) or merely advisory?

Breaking Covenant

We all deplore 'church-hopping' because some degree of commitment to a local church is essential if it is to be 'church' at all by biblical definition and if it is to make real progress. But some people who have moved on for what they regard as good reasons have been accused of 'breaking covenant'. Where do they stand? Is this a fair accusation?

Brown Shins

Are you supporting the latest alleged revival, with its goose-bumps, falling over and other exciting phenomena? Or are you a diehard biblicist with no time for such things? Too many Christians polarise on this issue. Does it have to be one or the other in every case?

Catching Men

In charismatic churches, especially since the 'Toronto blessing’ of the mid-1990s, it is now common for people to fall over when prayed for and end up stretched out on the floor. To prevent them from hurting themselves, 'catchers' are commonly deployed to ease them to the floor. Surely this is not what Christianity is really about?

Charles’s Off-Day

Charles Wesley was one of the most prolific hymnwriters ever. He lived at the height of the great 18th-century revival that produced the Methodist Church. We still sing many of his hymns, including Love divine, all loves excelling. It’s a hard one to understand, lacking the doctrinal solidity and precise use of words typical of this writer. Did he pen this one on an off-day?

Fatties and Flagellants

In medieval times serious Christians took a tough line with their own bodies. They fasted to extreme limits; they wore hair shirts; they embraced celibacy; they beat themselves till they bled. Today, many believers are, by contrast, self-indulgent—even libertarian. Where should we settle on the sliding scale between the two extremes?

Holy Gobbledygook

Speaking in tongues is a controversial subject. People are enthusiastically in favour or doggedly opposed to it. Some argue that the gift no longer exists. But millions of Christians practise it; are they deceived by a psychological or demonic substitute? And what about the notion that tongues plus interpretation equals prophecy? Here are a few thoughts to add to the mix.

Left Behind?
Yes Please!

When Jesus returns, some will be taken and others left behind. But who are taken, and who are left? Before we assume, as many do, that it’s the goodies who are taken, we would do well to look again at what the New Testament actually teaches. You’ve guessed it: it’s the goodies who are left behind!

Miserable Sinners

Is it true that, even though we are God's redeemed people, we are still (in the words of the Prayer Book) 'miserable sinners'? How do we square that with the Bible's teaching that we are the children of God, already seated with Christ on his heavenly throne?

Mother of Jesus

Poor old Mary! She would be upset if she knew how much controversy she had stirred up among Christians. Catholics elevate her to such a high position that she comes close to divinity, while Protestants react to this so strongly that they neglect her altogether. How should we view her?

No Revival,
So What Now?

For many years it was the prospect of imminent revival that kept  many of the 'new churches' going. Revival, however, hasn't come and many disillusioned believers are now looking for something else to inspire them. What church-trends are apparent as they search? More important, what kind of church should we be aspiring to be?

Organs and Harps

In traditional churches, the organ still reigns supreme. In others it has been replaced by a 'worship band'. In both cases the music tends to dominate, rather than accompany, the singing. What is the ideal role of music in praise and worship? Should we, as some insist, have no music at all, just voices?

Ought For My Comfort?

The 'health and wealth' teaching so popular today reflects the lifestyle of the rich western nations. What are we to make of the fact that the majority of God's people live in desperate poverty? And how true is it that authentic Christianity is a guarantee of material comforts?

Red Herring in Galilee

Israel is one of the world's trouble-spots, with violence and political conflict never far away. Should this be more significant for Christians worldwide than, say, conflict in Burma or the Balkans? And was the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 a fulfilment of Bible prophecy? Does the answer even matter?

Sailcloth and Stones

Word-based churches emphasise the steady exposition of the Bible. Many newer churches, by contrast, tend to focus on the prophetic—what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church at any given time. But surely the two aren't mutually exclusive? How can we best draw from both?

Shifting Ground

Someone has warned, 'It is dangerous to loosen foundation stones'—meaning we should not tinker with fundamental Christian doctrines. But there are secondary issues where a change of views may well prove desirable. Here I list some of the areas of doctrinal understanding where I myself have shifted ground over the years—without loosening foundation stones.

The Oil Business

There's much talk these days about 'anointing'. We have anointed music, anointed preaching and anointed testimonies. But we use the word too loosely. Often it denotes little more than a contribution that is loud and enthusiastic. So what exactly does 'anointed' really mean?

The Pastor The Problem

It has come to be taken for granted that a local church will have one man at the top: the pastor (minister, vicar or priest). But in New Testament times there was a very different arrangement. Is there a case for reviewing the current situation and reverting to the original pattern? Or does it simply not really matter?

The Right Coins

Some popular preachers would have us believe that physical healing is consistently available to believers, provided they have the requisite faith and quote the right scriptures. It's just a case of having the right coins for the slot machine that is God. Insert them, and that chocolate bar is yours!

The Rod That Thudded

Christianity has its fads and fashions. Today it may be miraculously-provided gold dental fillings; yesterday it was 'prayer sticks', gold dust falling from the ceiling, or angels singing. How are we to view these changing fashions?

The Same But Different

God has his own unique way of changing 'old' to 'new': he doesn't zap the old into non-existence and replace it from scratch; instead, he remodels the old into the new. See how this applies to the old and new earth, your old and new body, the old and new covenants—and more.

Wart Treatment

The history of Christianity shows it to be strong on 'isms': Calvinism, Arminianism, Dispensationalism, Amillennialism, Reconstructionism and a host of others. By definition, every 'ism' is something less than full-blooded Christianity.