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This article challenges us to move beyond surface-level interpretation by examining not just what Scripture says, but what it does -using Jesus's approach to the divorce law in Deuteronomy as a compelling example of how reading within the broader biblical narrative and understanding authorial intent transforms our understanding. We discover how asking "what is the author doing?" rather than simply "what does this permit?" can radically reshape your interpretation of difficult passages and help you apply Scripture with wisdom and theological integrity.

This article explores how words function as active forces that accomplish purposes beyond merely conveying information, drawing on speech-act theory and Scripture's description of God's word as inherently powerful and generative. We are challenged to reconsider their approach to biblical interpretation and preaching, recognizing that when we speak God's word, we participate in its transformative work rather than simply transferring content.

Jesus' critique of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 reveals a pattern of spiritually abusive leadership that mirrors Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites - imposing heavy demands while withholding the support needed to meet them. We are challenged to examine whether their own leadership practices create unsustainable expectations around time, resources, and change, and to consider how they might instead become leaders who help rather than burden those in their care.

This article explores how Palm Sunday's triumphant scenes actually reveal Jesus making a deliberate, prophetic claim about his identity through symbolic performance rather than military might. We are challenged to see past the familiar pageantry of the story and recognise how Jesus subversively redefined power itself -fulfilling messianic expectations not through conquest, but through a carefully orchestrated act of humble obedience that his opponents understood all too well.

This article explores how church leaders must distinguish between genuine believers (the sheep) and false teachers and prophets who infiltrate communities disguised as trustworthy members. We are challenged to examine our vigilance as leaders, understanding that protecting your flock requires discernment not just of obvious threats, but of those who hide destructive intentions beneath an appearance of belonging.

Jesus addressed toxic leadership in his own day, and Matthew 23 reveals patterns that remain strikingly relevant to contemporary church culture - hypocrisy, harshness toward followers, performative spirituality, and the pursuit of celebrity status. This exploration challenges us to examine whether their our leadership reflects Jesus' model of an easy yoke and light burden, or whether they've subtly adopted the very practices he condemned in the religious leaders around him.

This article presents a selection of carefully chosen books that will challenge church leaders to deepen their pastoral calling, engage thoughtfully with cultural conversations, and build genuine relationships within their faith communities. These books examine how evangelical culture shapes them, confront complex issues like gender with both biblical conviction and pastoral kindness, and recognise the vital connection between meaningful relationships and church growth.

This article examines the practical considerations behind choosing a Bible translation, particularly the tension between readability and linguistic precision, and the important question of how gendered language in the original texts should be handled in modern English. We are challenged to think carefully about their own translation choices and what trade-offs they're willing to make in pursuit of either word-for-word accuracy or inclusive language that reflects the original intent.

This article examines the strongest theological arguments supporting complementarian positions on gender roles in church and marriage, presenting three biblically-grounded cases that deserve serious consideration in the ongoing debate. The article helps us gain clarity on how complementarians understand creation design, scriptural directives, and practical church function - and may find themselves challenged to engage more thoughtfully with this perspective, even if they ultimately disagree.

This article examines the strongest scriptural and theological foundations supporting egalitarian views on gender roles in church and marriage, including arguments about the image of God in both men and women, the trajectory of biblical liberation, and the practical outworking of Galatians 3:28. We look at how egalitarians interpret key biblical passages and will be challenged to think carefully about how creation theology, redemptive history, and Paul's vision for Christian community shape our understanding of gender and leadership.

This article explores how a young leader can develop an authentic voice within an established leadership structure, particularly when joining an elder team for the first time. You'll discover practical wisdom about balancing confidence in your calling with genuine respect for those with more experience, and be challenged to consider how your character and humility shape your influence among peers.

To date as a result of this model of leadership development we’ve recognised three people and successfully invited them onto the team. Now we currently have five influencers we get together with as a group. This process has also lent itself to helping us diversify our level of input, with the voice of men and women, different cultures, and various ages being listened to. Giving us that broader understanding has helped filter that inclusion into our congregation.                  

To date as a result of this model of leadership development we’ve recognised three people and successfully invited them onto the team. Now we currently have five influencers we get together with as a group. This process has also lent itself to helping us diversify our level of input, with the voice of men and women, different cultures, and various ages being listened to. Giving us that broader understanding has helped filter that inclusion into our congregation.                  

To date as a result of this model of leadership development we’ve recognised three people and successfully invited them onto the team. Now we currently have five influencers we get together with as a group. This process has also lent itself to helping us diversify our level of input, with the voice of men and women, different cultures, and various ages being listened to. Giving us that broader understanding has helped filter that inclusion into our congregation.                  

To date as a result of this model of leadership development we’ve recognised three people and successfully invited them onto the team. Now we currently have five influencers we get together with as a group. This process has also lent itself to helping us diversify our level of input, with the voice of men and women, different cultures, and various ages being listened to. Giving us that broader understanding has helped filter that inclusion into our congregation.                  

In today's fragmented information landscape, church members arrive with theological convictions shaped by countless sources beyond the pulpit - making doctrinal consensus nearly impossible and demanding something more than confrontational correction. This article explores how leaders can shepherd their congregations toward theological understanding through the principles Paul modelled with Timothy: prioritising patience and grace while addressing genuine doctrinal threats, recognising that faith formation is gradual, and remembering that the ultimate aim of correction is love, not uniformity.

I found it important to not be controlling. Instead I wanted to cultivate a releasing attitude. We own no one. Loyalty is desirable, but control is destructive. I had to learn that the Lord’s call on people’s lives is not at my mercy. I don’t decide who stays or goes. Rather, I want to be a facilitator of God’s leading in people, and support them as they pursue that.

When establishing a core team…personal, clear and sensitive communication was vital.

A lot has happened since I last wrote for Broadcast. In fact, my previous blog series, Learning Lessons as a Developing Leader, was almost two years ago. Since then the church I serve has gone through a lot of changes, and so have I. The biggest change being my transition to a congregation leader. So this next series is a brief reflection on that, which I hope will be encouraging.

This is part of a series of blogs exploring what the Bible teaches about communion.

This is part of a series of blogs exploring what the Bible teaches about communion.

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 5 - Consumerism and 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 5 - Consumerism and 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 5 - Consumerism and 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 5 - Consumerism and 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 5 - Consumerism and 'Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 4 - Self-Assertion and 'Your Will Be Done'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 3 - Globalism & Nationalism and 'Your Kingdom Come'

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 2 - Narcissism and 'Hallowed Be Your Name'

I have aspired to be a leader within God’s church since I was sixteen years old. Aspiration needs to be managed well. It can be something that is misinterpreted as cockiness or misunderstood as arrogance. In this post I share are a few tips I would like to share to help those of us who aspire to wider leadership do so well.    

Over the course of this short series I would like to share several lessons I have learnt, and even some I am presently learning, that I hope will encourage anyone who feels they have further development and aspires to serve Jesus’ Church in greater measures through leadership. Next in this series is recognising the importance of putting family first.

This is part of a series on the Lord's prayer, culture and spiritual warfare in which we look at the subversive prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples and how that prayer engages in the war of ideas with the philosophies that pervade our age. Part 1 - Identity and 'Our Father In Heaven'

We present to you Joy To The World, an international reading of the Nativity Story. We asked Christian brothers and sisters from 24 different countries to read Luke chapter 2 with us, a verse a day, from 1st to 24th December. From Jamaica to Rwanda, and Montenegro to Japan, each day during Advent we will receive season’s greetings, a Scripture reading, and a little cultural insight by video.

Over the course of this short series I would like to share several lessons I have learnt, and even some I am presently learning, that I hope will encourage anyone who feels they have further development and aspires to serve Jesus’ Church in greater measures through leadership. In this post, I look at some of the tools of becoming teachable.

As we gathered at church on the first Sunday of November, there was an atmosphere of nervous anticipation. We all had heard the night before that England would be going into a second lockdown for at least 4 weeks. Now we face the uncertainty of when we will be able to meet together in person again. Hopefully it will be just 4 weeks, but we have already been told not to count on it. At times like this it is more important than ever to remember why exactly it is that we meet together as church. For what purpose and for what end?

Jesus taught his disciples an incredibly subversive prayer. Every line of the short prayer that he taught does battle with a different ideological stronghold of our day and carries power in culture creation and in spiritual warfare.

When you are starting new churches or sites there can be a cost borne by those left behind. Friends, resources and vision poured into the new initiative can leave a gap when they have gone. This is the 'Rip Effect'.

Preaching is a critical area of church life, and one that it is important to be constantly growing in. We have identified seven areas of the preaching craft that we look to develop in our up and coming preachers.

One of the things that you learn before long in church leadership is that often decisions are made that affect people, and yet those people themselves had no say in the decision. Sometimes you will be the one tasked with representing that decision to them. Sometimes you will be the one who the decision affects. Walking these situations well requires deep convictions, pastoral skill and lots of humility.

Fairy stories aren't simply an underlying reality pointing to Jesus, but Jesus and the gospel is the underlying reality to which fairy stories point.

In the churches that we lead, Word and Spirit belong together. As we continue planting new churches, we shouldn't assume that this convergence will happen on its own. It is a key value that we should build in from the start.

Believers in Christ have heard the good news of what Jesus has done and cannot help but tell others. The church is God's messenger. Regardless of whether people believe it or not, Jesus has died and risen again in order to redeem His creation, and that is something the church cannot keep to itself.

In this article I want to answer the question that pops into all of our minds at some stage, 'why should I give my money away?' I want to sober us to what money really is and also, with our permission, what power it can have over us.

The early stages of a church plant can be one of the most challenging seasons of a planter's life. In this article, we will be looking at what you can do to manage the pressures that come financially.

Depending on what stage of the plant you are at, planting a church with no money is either very easy or very hard. Money should never be the be all and end all, but it would be foolish to pretend that it is not an important element of the church planting process. In this article, we suggest three things you should be thinking about when you want to plant a church but have no money.

One of the ways we can evangelise our cities is through the long, hard and yet intimate friendships we have with those who do not yet know God. It is through friendships that we will see people set free and brought into the truth. Friendships are a powerful yet simple way to evangelise, and if ever the world has needed true and honest friendships it's now.

Everyone is responsible for evangelising in some form. It is one of the main objectives of the Church. It is the Great Commission. It is our mission as local churches. This begs the question; how do we evangelise as a small church plant?

It feels slightly strange to be writing about branding on a website that has a primary focus on church planting. Chances are there are a good bunch of people, both in corporate marketing and in church-planting world, who would object that branding and church do not belong together. I beg to differ, for I believe every church already has a brand - whether or not they know it or helped to create it.

It is through your identity that the world relates to you, and you to the world. The former through outward characteristics that set you apart from the multitude, the latter is entirely inward and relates to your experiences, choices and desires. This second aspect of identity is what this post is discussing. Who you are, your sense of self and value that impacts your daily choices and life trajectory.

Who am I? This is one of humanity’s primary questions. From the dawn of time to the present mankind has asked this pivotal question. This question has spread itself into different elements of life including theology, philosophy, biology, culture, sexuality and others. It is a question that can have many answers from these various spheres. It is also a question we ask when planting churches. A church plant's identity is crucial. There are many avenues we could wind down in pursuit of our plant’s identity. I just want to highlight key areas that I believe may help you create and then establish your identity.

Ever since humanity rebelled against God and sin entered creation, there have been two different kingdoms at work in the world. The weeds and the wheat have been growing together, and will continue to do so right until the end of the age, and so those who find their identity in God have been faced with the challenge of living out that identity in a world that has fundamentally different values.

Getting a Sunday meeting right in a church plant is a combination of oodles of tiny factors. Here are 25 easy hacks for a better Sunday meeting:

The beauty of how our Sunday meeting reflects the wider family of believers is in how no one new should feel like they aren't immediately part of it – but as if they always have been. Church family is at once both intimate and open, familiar yet ever expanding.

I believe that Sundays matter and there is a philosophy behind everything we do every Sunday. I want to give a few brief summaries of the high bar we are aiming for.

When you are church planting, you are usually starting with nothing. You typically have few people, probably no money and it is very unlikely that you have a building to call your own. In this article we will think about how to find an ideal venue for a church plant to meet in.

The first line of prayer that Jesus spoke to the disciples was, 'Our father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.' At once Jesus provides our basis to approach God, that He is our intimate Father, and also what His name is due: honour. What Jesus said here immediately is highlighting what our hearts and minds need to know as we enter into prayer. Importantly, note how at this point 'I' isn't in the picture.

Have you ever noticed that Jesus didn't seem all that bothered about inconveniencing other people? Given that he lived the perfect life it can be surprising to see him do things that put other people out, but this is exactly what we see - particularly when it comes to dealing with something that is far more significant than the convenience of his friends - prayer. 

Prayer is of absolute necessity in a church plant. I feel confident enough to say as planters, if you’re not praying than your plant is not and will not be growing. Prayer in a church plant is like water from a watering can on a garden, it’s essential. If prayer isn’t at the core of your plant than your core will crumble. However, if prayer is pursued and applied your plant can produce great fruit according to God’s will. I’d like to share five practicalities I’ve learnt and applied to my own prayers in the hope that they will help propel your plant to where God wants it to go

One of the worst kept secrets in church planting is prayer.  Pretty much every church planter has a instinctive awareness that prayer plays a big part in what they are trying to do, and they devote their time and effort to praying (or if they don't, they probably have a sense deep down that they should).  Put simply, we can make a few key statements about prayer that outline the experiences of many planters in this area. Prayer works. Prayer is crucial. Prayer is hard.

By working as part of a team it means you are striving together to give something glory, or the more apt Hebrew translation of 'weight'; this is no different in the secular world. It is therefore tempting to shift the dynamic of such a group so that much of our concern is in fact the glorification of the self. How do we look? Are we being appreciated? Are we getting the thanks we deserve? It is therefore an environment where the 'self' can be heavily projected. Since there is no greater catalyst for decaying a team than pride, in this article I want to talk about humility. Rather than the projection and upholding of the self, humility is thinking of yourself less. Only through humility can we truly serve and honour the church, and reveal the beauty of God to others.

People are your most precious commodity in a church plant, and at this stage we need to work hard for each and every person we are able to gather to the cause. It would be neither strategic nor godly to be too discriminating about our team. Part of the challenge of church planting is figuring out how to build something using what we have in front of us.  Nevertheless, there are certain types of people who are absolute dynamite in a church planting setting. Where possible you should be looking to add these kinds of people to your team, and you should do what you can to foster these qualities both in yourself and in those alongside you.

The concept of team is universal, broad and multi-faceted. The practice and fruit of team can be applied to many domains and in a variety of contexts. The context in which I want to briefly apply the idea of team is in a church plant and my prayer is that you find it helpful, applicable and translatable to your unique environment. Please take away the Biblical principles I put forward and I’ll leave you to apply them to your contexts, whether that be planting, employment, family or other kingdom work.  

ou may have heard it said that church planting is a lonely business. You may have also heard that the people who start with you won't be the people that finish with you. Both of these comments have an element of truth to them (though by no means are they true in every case), and they speak to the reality that developing a team in a church plant should be one of the key priorities for a planter. What this team looks like will vary depending on the phase of your church planting journey that you are in.

There are few things that drain the faith of the people quicker than inertia, particularly when it seems like even the leaders have no compelling faith or narrative of what God may be doing. When you are stuck, the number one priority must be to somehow get unstuck. 

The church in Antioch was based in one of the most influential cities of its time, and yet its outlook went way beyond simply reaching its own city (they could surely have a got a great thing going there). Instead, they were ready and eager to release people in their callings to see God's kingdom spread across the known world - and they were even willing to send their superstars to see it happen. Often when we talk about calling, our minds instantly gravitate to the question "What does God want me to do with my life?". This is, of course, a very important question, but equally important is to understand the callings that God has given to others (particularly those in our churches) and to think through how we can support them in living out those callings. 

Church planting is one of the very best ways of spreading the Gospel and seeing God's kingdom grow, and so it makes sense that as we are looking at what God might want for us in our lives, we consider church planting.

Mark Landreth-Smith is currently planting Bridge Church in Newbury, West Berkshire. He is ably assissted by his wife Beverley and daughter Phoebe. Before that, Mark was involved in planting churches in Chertsey, Farnham and Cambeley in the UK. In this diary, Mark recorded some of the significant highs and lows of the year of planting the Bridge Church.

The Bible has a lot to say about calling, and it isn't always talking about exactly the same thing. When we speak of being 'called to plant a church', it is important to know the different types of calling the Bible refers to and exactly what each of them is all about in order to know what to do with any callings that we may or may not have.

One of the very first decisions that every church planter will need to make is choosing a name for their church plant. Just like when choosing a name for a child, personal taste plays a big role in the name that you choose. Nevertheless, it is worth giving careful thought to this decision because changing a name later in life is not an easy process, and it is likely that you will need to live with your choice for a long time.

Mark Landreth-Smith is currently planting  Bridge Church in Newbury, West Berkshire. He is ably assissted by his wife Beverley and daughter Phoebe. Before that, Mark was involved in planting churches in Chertsey, Farnham and Cambeley in the UK. This guide is designed to help those thinking about church planting or who are on the adventure of starting a new church think through some of the practical issues.

As we read the Bible, we find that revelation is not the only role that words play. Time and again throughout the scriptural story, it would seem that words are also God's chosen mechanism for shaping reality in a more direct way. 

Prophecy is one of the most powerful gifts that God has given to his church, and many of us will be able to recall times when prophetic words have been shared that have lifted people's heads, inspired faith and helped people to worship God.  This can be particularly true in a church planting situation. At such a crucial stage in the formation of the church, the positive impact of hearing a word from God can be multiplied. However, it also the case that the impact of unhelpful, cringey or just plain weird words can also be greater in a church plant. It is part of the role of the church plant leader to create an atmosphere where prophecy can flourish without getting weird. Here are a few 'do's and 'dont's that we have found helpful.

This article explores what it means for Christians to live as "elect exiles" - citizens of heaven living faithfully within earthly cultures that are not truly home. It challenges us to consider how they we authentically influence their communities without being assimilated into worldly values, drawing insight from the Old Testament account of Jewish exiles in Babylon who faced the same tension between maintaining their identity and engaging their context.

For church planters, going in knowing all of 'the answers' is a temptation. The desire to have a go often comes with a catalogue of things that you want to do differently from the place you came from. Besides, you have seen what worked for Keller/Pilavachi/some other big dog. That's bound to work for you too, right? Thurber's observation is an astute one. The comparative value of the 'answers' that you have figured out before you hit the ground is low compared to the value of knowing what questions to ask when you get there.

In Exodus 18, we read an account of a conversation that Moses had with his father-in-law, Jethro, where Jethro gives Moses some important advice. This exchange holds some important leadership lessons for us all. 

The approach that Jesus took to developing these leaders was very intentional, and it was rather different to the approach that many of us employ in our churches. Jesus did not enrol his followers in a Bible college, nor did he follow a guided reading plan with them. There is no record of weekly 'Bible study and accountability' meetings. Rather, Jesus drew these men into the things that he was doing. Most of the three years of Jesus' ministry were spent together. They saw first hand the things that he was doing. They had lots of unhurried behind-the-scenes time to ask their questions and understand what was really driving Jesus. They were given opportunities to go out themselves and do the same things that they had seen Jesus doing, and then were able to gather back and reflect on their experiences. 

Christmas is a bit of a weird one when you are church planting. It can feel like it ought to be one of the key moments of your year, and yet it is often unclear exactly what you can do to make the most of the season.  Here are three suggestions to consider as you plan for Christmas in your church plant.

When you consider how to pace a church plant, one of the key questions that you need to consider is whether or not the church should employ the lead planter. Depending on the decision you make, you could have the opportunity to grow the church much more quickly, but also the pressure for that growth to come in order to remain sustainable.

Most of us who have been around the church scene for long enough have encountered more than a few former church planters who have hit the ministry scrap heap because of burnout. Sometimes this burnout takes the form of a spectacular explosion and other times it is the culmination of a gradual process, but either way it is destructive to the planter, to their family and to the whole church, and we should avoid it like the plague. Here are 10 of the most common factors that lead to burnout:​

A church plant has many more gears than just neutral and fifth. It is by going through each of the gears, building appropriately at each stage and then when the moment arrives gradually increasing the intensity that a new church plant can be birthed in a way that is natural and strong, that minimises the risk of the planter or their team burning out, and that means that the investment from a sending church can be made in a much more manageable way.

At Christ Church Manchester, we are unapologetic in our desire to reach the whole of Greater Manchester. Building one church in Manchester (even a very good church) can't come close to achieving this, so we are trying to multiply across the region and start new churches in every community of our city (and we also get very excited when we hear of other people planting churches here too - three million is a lot of people to reach!)

Growth by addition is both safe and attractive because it can stay in the realm of the specialists. If most people in your church do nothing, and a few gifted evangelists win some souls, then you will grow a bit. If most churches do nothing, but one or two apostolic leaders get a little bit of church planting going then the number of churches in your movement will grow a bit. But multiplication is different. For a congregation to be doubled, tripled or increased ten-fold requires more than just a handful of evangelists at work. It will take everyone.

In a recent hangout on the call to pioneer, Colin Baron picked out some prominent Biblical pioneers and drew lessons from their lives. In this article, we continue the theme and look at the qualities of ten more Biblical pioneers.

The book of Proverbs is a collection of nuggets of wisdom that was compiled around 3000 years ago. In our age, where talk is cheap and social media trolls abound, it is more relevant than ever before. Here are 29 of our faves...

In the case of the resurrection of Jesus, the evidence is clear. There are historical facts that do not lend themselves to any other interpretation (and over the centuries, people have tried all sorts of explanations). When the impossible is eliminated, that which remains, however improbable, must be the truth – Christ is risen indeed.

Often the life of Jesus is ignored. The ancient creeds say that he ‘was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate’, as though the thirty years in between aren’t worth mentioning (so because you and I were neither born of a virgin nor suffered for the sins of the world, would that make us irrelevant too?). More modern theologians explain that the reason Jesus’ humanity matters is so that he was qualified to die for us. There is truth in this, but the life and humanity of Jesus also matters in its own right.

If Jesus were not divine, he would not be qualified as a saviour (what creature could bear the weight of the sin of the world?). This is well documented, and is often presented as the central consequence of Jesus’ divinity. It is not, however, the only consequence. Here are three more reasons that Jesus’ divinity matters.

The events of Good Friday can be viewed as the darkest and most hopeless day in human history, or they can be seen as the greatest and most glorious thing to have ever happened.

When we think of mission, we can tend to think in a very human-centred way: mission is all about us, as humans, doing God a favour by telling people about him, and by going to other countries to share the gospel. If, however, we understand that the Bible sees this task as part of God’s bigger mission, the way we understand and do mission will change.

Acts is the earliest account we have of the activities of the early Church. It is mainly a description of the missionary activities of the apostles (and particularly Paul from chapter 13 onwards). Looking through the story of Acts will help us understand God’s mission in the early Church.

So far in the Biblical narrative, God’s mission has reached the point where the Messiah of Israel has died for the world’s sins, been raised from the dead, and sent off his followers to be witnesses to these events all the way to the ends of the earth. God’s ultimate mission is to see the world filled with his glory. At the moment, that mission is being accomplished by Christians proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples. As disciples are made, people who have the destiny of being “conformed to the image of [God’s] son” (Romans 8:29) are appearing. The more the image of Christ is seen in believers and the more widespread that image is, the closer the moment when God says: ‘mission accomplished.’ That moment will ultimately be when God recreates or renews heaven and earth and the whole of new creation is saturated with God’s presence (Revelation 21-22 – see below). So what does the New Testament tell us the final steps in God’s mission becoming accomplished will look like?

The story of God’s mission is one continuous story. In the Old Testament, the New Testament and Church History, the mission remains the same – bringing together all of creation with a global community of worshippers under Jesus, to the glory of God the Father. Whilst the mission is unchanged, at different times in history, the way the mission was to be fulfilled has varied. Before the fall, it was through Adam and Eve filling and subduing the earth, with no reference to the redemption of sinners or need for reconciliation with God. For much of the Old Testament, it was through God’s interactions with the nation of Israel, and though there were prophetic exhortations to be a light to the Gentiles, the majority of this season of salvation history was focussed around this one nation. For three years, it focussed around the personal ministry of Christ and his disciples as he preached the kingdom, healed the sick, and freed the oppressed. It was following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ that the mission of the church to the Gentiles took centre stage. The last thing that Jesus said to his disciples before he ascended to heaven re-iterated the mandate for their mission. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Persecution is normal for Christians. It is easy to be blinded to this reality. In Western nations, Christianity has tended to dominate the cultural agenda since the reformation. This experience can divert our focus from the global, historical, and Biblical reality that persecution is a part of the normal Christian life.

As the church has fought to hold fast to the truth over the last 2,000 years, disagreements about that truth have been commonplace. There are very few theological questions that have not become the subject of debate. Many of these debates arise around secondary issues and are conducted in a gracious and loving fashion, but sometimes battle has raged around key theological issues.

Many of us reading these notes will be Christians with no Jewish background at all, and we easily accept the idea that we are loved by God and accepted solely because of Jesus, with no reference to our cultural or ethnic heritage. However, the idea that non-Jews could become part of God’s people without first becoming Jews was highly controversial for the first Christians, and many of the struggled to understand or believe it. In fact, a fair amount of the New Testament is written to address this exact subject. In this article, we will see why this required such a big change in thinking, and how it has always been God’s intention to have an ethnically and culturally diverse people as his own.

As the sun began to go down over Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples were preparing to eat the traditional Passover meal. Only Jesus knew that this would be the last time all thirteen of them would eat together, and that this Last Supper would mark a decisive break with everything that had gone before, both for their tight-knit discipleship unit, and for the whole world.

Abraham was originally a childless, city-dwelling idol worshipper named Abram in what is now Iraq, yet God chose him to be the father of the Jewish nation, and the defining Old Testament example of faith. God made a covenant (a binding agreement) with him, which went on to shape the whole of the Biblical Story. This covenant was reaffirmed, clarified and expanded on a number of occasions when God met with Abraham. It is often referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant, and is one of the central themes of the whole Bible.

Adam and Jesus had much in common. Neither had a biological father, but rather were the result of the direct action of God. Both came into the world without a sinful nature, and both endured testing and temptation. Both were given authority by God to rule and both had a mission to complete. If the similarities between Adam and Jesus appear stark, the differences are even starker. Adam yielded to the temptation, whereas Jesus overcame it. Adam decided to disobey God in the Garden of Eden, whereas Jesus resolved to obey in the Garden of Gethsemane. Adam went to the tree to sin. Jesus bore sin on the tree. Though their performances were different and the outcomes were polar opposites, Adam and Jesus were the most significant men to ever live because they both occupied the same role – head of humanity.

It is impossible to understand what it means for a Christian to be ‘in Christ’ without first understanding the Trinity. When these truths are discussed in the Bible, there is frequently a link drawn between the relationship that Christ has with a believer and the relation that the Father has with the Son.

A relationship made to last is that of Christ with believers. Christians are described as ‘in Christ’ and it is on this basis that we receive every spiritual blessing that is found in the gospel. It is in Christ that we are blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed (see Ephesians 1:3-14). It is in Christ that we are a new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We have died with Christ and we have risen again with him.

In a number of different New Testament passages (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Peter 4:7-11), the church is described as a body with Christ as the head. In each case, the point is made that individual members have different gifts and make different contributions, yet the whole church holds together as one.

World peace is God’s idea. God created a world that was ‘very good’. Humanity was given the role of filling the world and subduing it. The idea was to create a global community, living in harmonious relationships akin to those seen in the Trinity (see the article on ‘The Trinity Goes Viral’ for more on this). The world was made for peace, and God has set in motion his purpose to once again bring about a world of peace, promising a day when the nations will, "beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)

The church is more than a gathering assembled in a public place. Anybody could do that, but it would not make them the church. What defines the church is its relationship to God. Among the metaphors used are a ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:22), the ‘body of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:27), the ‘bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7-9), and the ‘people of God’ (Titus 2:14).

The Trinity is important because God is important. God is Trinity, and so to know God as he is, we must know him as Trinity. Historically, the idea of God being Trinity has been defined by saying that he is ‘One God in Three Persons.’ The Father is a person. The Son is a person. The Spirit is a person. Together they are one God.

One of the most important statements about God in the whole of the Bible is only three words long. “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) This verse doesn’t simply say that God loves or that God is loving, although these things are true. Such a statement would stop short of the point that is being made. Love is not simply something that God does, but something that he is. Love is an intrinsic part of who God is. This is a difficult claim. Indeed, the way many people perceive God, it would be impossible. How could God be love if he had existed for eternity past without anybody to love? Of course, God could begin to love once he had created the world, but this is merely to say that God is loving - when there is an appropriate object, he will show love. It leaves God dependant on his creation in order for him to be a loving God. And yet the Bible says that God is, by definition, love. The answer is, of course, the Trinity. God is three persons who are united together in perfect relationships. ‘God is love’ means that for all eternity past the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have been loving one another with beautiful, holy, sacrificial love and will continue to do so for all eternity to come. ‘God is love’ is another way of saying ‘God is Trinity’.

God exists as a plurality of persons in loving relationships. He made humanity in his image. By creating people to be ‘male’ and ‘female’, he made distinct persons who could be united in relationship. Humanity was truly made to be like God.

When the angel announced to Mary that, despite being a virgin, she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, he affirmed God’s sovereignty, and Mary responded by gladly submitting to God’s will. “'…For nothing will be impossible with God.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’” (Luke 1:37-38) The idea that nothing is impossible for God is right at the heart of God’s sovereignty. He is able to do anything he desires. Nothing is too difficult or impossible for him.

The topic of free will is one that polarises many Bible-believing Christians. Often a subject of late-night theological debate and speculation, two different viewpoints have emerged (with minor variations in each). At the heart of the different views are different understandings of how God’s sovereignty inter-relates with human free will and responsibility. Most people, on both sides of the debate, would affirm that God is sovereign, and that humans are responsible for our actions, and the divergence of views concerns how these two truths hold together, particularly on the issue of salvation.

God is absolutely sovereign. Not a single sparrow falls from the sky nor an electron orbits a nucleus without his knowledge and his providence. He upholds all things. He is in control of all things. When challenging the idolatry of Israel, God pointed out that what differentiates him from their idols is that before anything started, God has already declared how it would end. “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done.” (Isaiah 46:9-10) God knows the future, surely and certainly. He is already there and He is already at work. The consequence of this is that whenever God says something about the future, he is right and is telling the truth. We can’t know everything about the future, but whatever God has said about the future we can believe with certainty.

Whilst we cannot know God fully, we can know Him truly. That is, all that Scripture tells us about God is true: He is Love (1 John 4:8), He is light (1 John 1:5), He is just (Rom 3:26), and so on. But to claim such things does not mean that we can grasp the full extent of his love, light, or justice.

Deuteronomy 6:4 is arguably one of the most important verses in the Old Testament. It is known as the Shema or Shema Yisrael, named after its opening words in Hebrew. It is the first prayer Jewish children are taught to pray, and is typically the last utterance a Jewish person would want on their lips as they depart from this world. In many ways it sums up the heart of Jewish Monotheism: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) This prayer is simple but devastating, insomuch as it posed a significant challenge to many of the dominant views in the Ancient World.

According to A.W. Tozer,  “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us... The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshipper entertains high or low thoughts of God." (A.W. Tozer) This claim is not overstated. Our understanding and experience of God’s character shapes every area of our lives. It is not an isolated belief, but rather the central axiom on which our own character, our worship, our prayer, our decision making, our relationships, and every other area of our lives are built.

In Psalm 27, David provides his answer to both of these questions. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4) David’s ‘one thing’ would not come as a surprise to many of us. Above all else, he wants God. What may be more surprising is the way that David has linked this desire to his ‘one place’: The Temple. It seems like David wants to be in God’s presence, and he sees being in the Temple as the way to accomplish this.

God is omnipresent. This means that he is always present in every place. Omnipresence is part of what it means for God to be God. God’s omnipresence is affirmed in Psalm 139, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139: 7-10) and in Jeremiah, “'Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?' declares the Lord. 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24) God’s omnipresence raises a question about what we mean when we talk about the presence of God. How can we talk about being in the presence of God when we are all in God’s presence all the time?

There are many different ways that people respond to the presence of God, Foremost amongst them is joy. According to Psalm 16, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11).

It has been said that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but I don’t think that is true. Over the years, I have been asked some excellent questions about my faith in Jesus. But I have also been asked questions that have been designed more to provoke than to enquire, more to trap than to seek. For many Christians, the way we engage with difficult questions is one of the biggest challenges we face as we represent Jesus in the world. I believe that we can learn a lot from Jesus himself in this regard.

On a recent Theology Broadcast, I was asked this question: “Why did Jesus say that when men blaspheme against him they will be forgiven but when they do so against the Holy Spirit they are not?” My answer had two parts to it. I don't know. (Even if I say so myself, this was a great answer and one that we could all do with using a bit more). I will find out.​ Having read around the subject a bit, this is what I have learned.

Sometimes, all it takes for a struggling church plant to become a thriving, growing church plant is a little bit of momentum. And sometimes all it takes to gain that momentum is one big win.

This is the first of a few posts in which I want to highlight some of the models of church planting found in the book of Acts – particularly those models that diverge from what is often seen today.

There a moments when church planting isn’t an option, a strategy or a vision. It’s a necessity. There are moments when God is doing something and you have no choice but to roll with it and let it play out. They are good moments.

Honestly, I could never understand church leaders and church planters who look super confident! You all know the type. They pray huge prayers, they look slick and their church is growing. I am not sure I should own up to that but it never works like that for me. For me, faith doesn’t exist alongside confidence. Faith walks hand in hand with fear.

When people ask me what my job is, I am not sure what to tell them. They are probably just making polite conversation and don’t really want me to explain to them that I actually have 4 jobs and then talk them through in detail what I do in each.

I recently read an article about funding a church plant that suggested a starting budget of £100,000. I have nothing against well-funded church plants (and if any donors are reading, a cheque for £100,000 would be pretty sweet), but if we only plant churches when we have a spare £100k knocking around, then we are not going to get very much done at all. The truth is, church planting is not as expensive as some people suggest. Here are a few things you can cut from your budget.

In the first few years, the church planter is the face of the church. Our family was the first point of contact with CCM:City that most people had. So, meeting up with people who might join us would quickly become an assessment of me! To start with, I didn’t quite realise what was happening, but after a while, I twigged that most people weren’t interested in our theology, vision or the quality of our meetings. They were assessing whether, in their eyes, I was a credible church leader, and did they actually “like” me.

The other day, someone asked me what my leadership style was. I drew a complete blank. I do have a style. I am sure I do. I just cannot tell you what it is.

In his book, “Church Planting Movements”, David Garrison talks about the Yanyin Church Planting Movement, working in a region of China. Over a ten year period, this movement grew from 3 churches to more than 900, totalling almost 100,000 believers. Garrison shares twelve important lessons learned by the leaders of that movement.

CCM:City is a Manchester church, and it exists right in the heart of Manchester's student population. This means that sometime in mid-September, tens of thousands of freshers pour into the city. They are noisy, messy, obnoxious and I love them. The constant injection of fresh blood into a city keeps it from going stale. New people mean new ideas, new creativity and new opportunities.

The more skills you have, the more skills you can use to grow your church plant and build God’s kingdom. What skills do you have?

Planting new churches brings the presence of the Gospel into new communities. We want to see people reached from all nations, tribes and sub-cultures. It is not enough to wait for this to happen before we think about establishing churches to gather the people into.

Pioneers need to be those who are submitted to apostolic authority, and in turn can receive authority and anointing to plant churches. Some people are scared of giving someone authority to speak into their lives.

Plan A, Plan B & Plan Z.

To start with, the kids work at CCM:City was just my kids. So, me and the girls had to discuss church planting strategy! Trying to explain the importance of early adopter to a 5 and 3 year old is harder than it sounds! We prayed together that families would join, and that children become Christians. Honestly, this is a new one on me. I felt a certain amount of pressure because I wanted my kids to be an important part of church life (as all kids should be), and at that moment we were the only parents with young kids!

Not many people want to be in second place. A good church planter does. It’s called devotion. It means Jesus is first and we are second.

Discouragement is part of the gig, and if you take it to heart it will kill you. To survive and to thrive as a church planter, you need skin as thick as a warthog.

There are lots of advantages to multiplying churches rather than simply trying to grow one big church. Here we look at 11 of them.

So it turns out that moving city, church, and job with an 8 week old baby, a two year old toddler and a husband who's very focussed on a church plant may not be quite as simple as I thought. It's also worth noting that after 18 months in Manchester, we bought a house that required a lot of DIY (DIY for me involves shouting swear words at wall paper as it peels back off the wall). I was out most evenings, and when I was home I wasn't exactly present.

Jesus lived out his ministry in community. Jesus sends us to pioneer and plant churches in community too.

You can try to learn everything you need up front. You can set aside years to study and learn, and develop a bank of knowledge that can equip you for whatever eventuality arises. You can try to learn everything just in case. Or you can learn as you go.

There are some things that are essential for a church planter. Top of the list is faith.

Not the gospel itself, nor even the word ‘gospel’, but the way people use it as a prefix for everything these days.

David and Goliath is not the story of an underdog overcoming impossible odds. Everybody knew David was going to win. Or at least they should have done.

Leg days are hard work. It is unglamorous and takes a long time to see the impact.

I once heard a church planter say that he never worried about his church and always slept well because God is sovereign. I cannot identify with that at any level at all. If you want to plant churches, you need to know that it kinda hurts. At times, church planting is thrilling. At other times, it's utterly mundane, and most of the time it's neither. But it's always deeply personal!

People can go to great lengths to keep the promises that we make. What promises has God given you?

Because of Jesus' death and resurrection...

In Numbers 13, a group of 12 spies are given a mission to infiltrate an enemy land. The mission parameters are very precise. They are to bring back some fruit and answer a list of specific questions:

So, we are meant to sow seed and expect that some of it will land on good soil and produce a harvest, right? We are meant to plant and water and then wait for God to give growth, right? Only what if he doesn't?

There were 3 farmers. The first prayed that he would get a good harvest. The second scattered tons of seed...

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. But that's not the point.

There is a parable in Matthew 13 about a man who finds treasure in a field, and sells all that he has to buy it. We are often told that Jesus is the treasure.

The best time to plant a new church or start a new site is yesterday.

Church planting is one of the most demanding tasks we can undertake. It involves playing the role of an all-rounder and juggling many different tasks. We have found the following apps invaluable in helping us get things done.

Some people spend their lives waiting for their dreams to be handed to them. Other people hustle.

The more skills you have, the more options are open to you. This is never truer than for church leaders.

Often, accountability groups do more harm than good. I have some very good experiences of them. I also have bad experiences.

Wanting to reach a city is a great thing. It’s important to think about your distribution system.

We all know what it is like to have a heart to please God, but to find ourselves consistently doing the opposite. The question we must ask is whether it has to be that way. I believe the answer is no.

Nehemiah didn’t rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (at least not most of them). Joshua didn’t conquer the land (at least not most of it). Paul didn’t evangelise mainland Europe (at least not most of it). You get the idea.

The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most famous passages in the Bible. A sinful young man comes home to a merciful Father.

At Broadcast, we are pragmatists. This is nothing to apologise for. To be effective in church planting, pragmatism is a must.

My sin no longer defines me. For sure, there are still struggles and still temptations, but the gospel assures me that when I give in to temptation, the sin I commit doesn’t define me; it is not a label I wear. I am no longer a sinner.

For an organisation or church to have a noticeable impact and leave a lasting legacy, developing new leaders is crucial. It is not an option to rely on recruiting ready-made leaders. For some, leadership development can seem an intimidating task. The best place to begin is by looking at how Jesus developed leaders around him.

You have decided to plant a church. Maybe you have moved to a new place or perhaps you decided to stayed put. Either way you want to put your church plant on the Internet. Excellent move.

Have you ever wondered how much can be done without the Holy Spirit? The answer is more than you would expect.

In each of us is dirt and in each of us is gold. The first word God spoke over mankind is 'it is very good'. We have fallen and tarnished that goodness with sin. We are in God's image. The image is broken. There is gold. There is dirt. The bottom line is that whichever of these things we look for, we will find.

Have you ever noticed that leaders are not evenly distributed across businesses and churches? Have you wondered why some organisations are full of leaders whilst others are struggling to find them? Have you ever heard a pastor or business executive say that what their church or business needs to succeed is for some established leaders to join them?

Vision is a fascinating issue in church planting. I have met people who think vision is ridiculous because the mission we have is laid out fairly clearly in the Bible. It's a hard argument to disagree with. Jesus was fairly clear with what he wanted his people to do (disciples, nations, etc.). It's a compelling call to action that, 2000 years later, is still astounding in its simplicity and magnificently difficult in application.

You're nobody (isn't this encouraging!?) When you start planting, you are a nobody. You're unknown and you're unproven. Nobody wants to join your church except for people who love startups. Don't expect people to rally to your ministry because you don't have one! I remember sitting in a gathering of church leaders and feeling like a total fraud. I decided that being a nobody meant I had nothing to lose! When you have nothing to lose, it's easier to give it everything you've got!

If I could start this journey all over again, there are a few things I would do differently. I would definitely pray more and I would worry less, but there's one thing that really bothers me. I talked too much. Specifically, I talked too much about vision and what Manchester needed.

Being able to keep a Godward perspective is perhaps the hardest but most valuable lesson I've had to learn. When times are good, bad or largely indifferent I do my best to not get too carried away.

Church planters now have to exist online as well as in person. How you behave on Twitter is possibly as important as your preaching in terms of influence and growing your church plant.

Honestly, it felt like everything changed on one evening in March 2010. Up until this point, we had been battling our way from zero people to slightly more than zero people. It was getting very close to the point of sacking it off. Before Christmas, we had see a little bit of growth but really nothing to write home about and that growth was beginning to evaporate.

By the end of our first year of church planting, I had worked out what I needed to do. I also worked out what I needed to be. I had some ways of thinking that I needed to keep dragging myself back to.

Momentum. The big Mo. How do you get momentum into a church plant? Honestly, in that first 6 months I had no earthly idea.

As church planting attempts go, it was a mixed bag. A few people had joined us, a few more had laughed at the idea of joining us and even more people had just backed away slowly desperately trying to change the subject. To be honest, I was close to sacking off the whole thing. We had very little community to speak of, and those that we had wouldn't have minded too much if we had quietly shut it down.

When you start a church plant, you find yourself looking around at what other church planters have done before. I certainly did this. I read books, visited successful planters and hit the blogs. What I found was hundreds of different ways to skin the church planting cat.

The things I thought were important for church planting turned out to be not very important at all. My beautiful rose tinted view of planting evaporated quicker than you can say "systematic theology".

In many ways, starting CCM:City was the hardest thing I have ever done. However, there are a few things about the way that Christ Church Manchester is led that made it much easier than planting a church on my own.

As I look back on this time I wonder what I would do differently at this stage. It's a tough question because it was four years ago, I had no experience of church planting and I had an ego the size of Belgium. So we just did what seemed best at the time.

We joined Christ Church Manchester, which at the time was based in Hyde on the east side of Manchester. They wanted to see something planted in the South of the city, that could gather a different demographic, which is exactly what we wanted to do. CCM, very graciously, gave me a job for a year to assist the church leader and to try to start a meeting.

So the issue had been forced and God had answered some prayers! What followed was a year of trying to sell the house, finding a job, having another baby and then being offered a job with Christ Church Manchester.

I was sat in my room and I was a bit desperate. Incidentally, my desperation will become a common theme in this blog. I am not deliberately self-deprecating just to look humble. I have genuinely found over the last four years that when I am desperate, God tends to step in.

I hold my hands up and say that I ain't perfect! Thankfully, human perfection is not an important factor in church planting. We can always be holier or have more experience or whatever. In 2008, I was just a guy. I had a job I quite liked, a brilliant family, and some great friends. I also had an unshakeable desire to do something.

I wasn't in great shape when we decided to move to Manchester, but I was beginning to realise. However, being in great shape isn't a prerequisite for a church planter. You need a strong desire to have a go and innovate. People don't start things because they are happy with the world around them. Motives aren't always wonderfully clear and holy!

It was 2008. 2008 is a year I remember with fondness and vague embarrassment. To explain 2008, I need to be a bit honest with you dear reader. I had big dreams, high hopes and very little self awareness.