I was worried the BBC wouldn't be kind to Christians Against Poverty. Thankfully I was wrong

I was excited but also nervous as I sat down to watch The Debt Saviours, on BBC Two last Friday night.

On the one hand I was delighted to see CAP’s tremendous work broadcast on national television. On the other hand I was concerned that the secular lens of the BBC would present the charity in an unfair light, overlooking their good intentions because of their Christian identity.

However, as the documentary got into its stride what struck me was how the pictures and words were being allowed, for the most part, to speak for themselves. There was no running commentary, and while questions could be heard from behind the camera (some more pointed than others, which is to be expected), the impression was that viewers were being left to draw their own conclusions as to the motivation and sincerity behind CAP’s work…

This article appeared on the Premier Christianity Blog in October 2018. To read the full piece please click here.

'The Church is not a business, it’s a flipping family!' - 5 challenging quotes from Mike Pilavachi

“I am going to be honest with you…”

Words that tend to fill us with dread and curiosity.

When Mike Pilavachi uttered them during a talk at this summer’s Naturally Supernatural festival, I wondered what would follow.

What came was a revelation of his frustration at the way he felt the business world was creeping into parts of the Church. And so with urgency and passion - and not without the odd gem of humour - Mike offered a simple challenge: Let’s not lose our identity as the family of God. Here are five highlights from his message…

This article appeared on the Premier Christianity Blog in September 2018. To read the full piece please click here.

We’ve learned to be realistic about England’s chances. It's a good attitude for us to adopt

I can remember the feeling of deflation. The effervescent Ronaldinho of Brazil lifts a free kick into the England box during the summer of 2002. It evades everyone including our goalkeeper David Seaman and nestles in the back of the net. The nation’s hopes of a first title since 1966 again in tatters.

Four years later it was Portugal. Wayne Rooney was sent off for a silly kick and Cristiano Ronaldo winked. The game finished 0-0 after extra time and England lost on penalties. Same old story.

As for the 2010 World Cup, the Germans stuffed us. We can’t even hold onto the fact that we had a perfectly good goal disallowed. The Germans still stuffed us…

This article appeared on the Premier Christianity Blog in June 2018. To read the full piece please click here.

Witness (Day 35 of 40acts)

The morning spring air was fresh and the streets a gentle hum of activity: students making their way to lectures, shops and stalls opening, commuters striding to work, tourists warming up their cameras.

Another day in Cambridge had begun.

I am not from the area so I had arrived early to explore the city before meeting with friends later. Walking around looking for somewhere to have breakfast, I prayed. ‘Lord, use me as you wish today,’ I offered (with more than a hint of trepidation), ‘and may there be opportunities to share your love with others’…

This piece was the written reflection for Day 35 of 40acts, an initiative that encourages people to be generous during the 40 days of lent. You can read the full piece here.

Why we should welcome Benny Hinn's stunning admission about the Prosperity Gospel

As a young, eager, immature Christian, I ate it all up.

For some months, before heading off to school each morning, I spent 30 minutes intently tuned into the GOD Channel for Benny Hinn’s ‘This is Your Day.’ Like countless others, I was drawn to the miraculous stories, triumphant prayers and prophetic calls to healing.

But before long I kept hearing the name Benny Hinn from the pulpit and in conversations - and not in pleasant terms. He was a false teacher whose extravagant lifestyle was a reflection of an erroneous gospel - that a happy, abundant, healthy life is promised to those who give generously to God and have enough faith…

This article appeared in Premier Christianity Magazine in March 2017. To read the full piece please click here.

Elon Musk: what the tech genius is teaching the church

There is a scene in Iron Man 2 where Elon Musk makes a brief appearance alongside Robert Downey Jr’s superhero character, Tony Stark. “I’ve got an idea for an electric jet,” Musk 16 casually informs Stark, who replies, “You do? Then we’ll make it work.” And they probably would.

The cameo is a nod to the inspiration Musk was to the creation of Tony Stark in the popular Marvel films. Writing for TIME magazine’s ‘100’ issue in 2010, director Jon Favreau stated, “Elon Musk makes no sense — and that’s the reason I know him. When I was trying to bring the character of genius billionaire Tony Stark to the big screen in Iron Man, I had no idea how to make him seem real. Robert Downey Jr said, ‘We need to sit down with Elon Musk.’ He was right.” Favreau continues, “Elon is a paragon of enthusiasm, good humour and curiosity – a Renaissance man in an era that needs them.”

This article appeared in Premier Christianity Magazine in March 2017. To read the full piece please click here.