In a world seemingly full of pain and suffering, if we believe in the existence of God we might well ask: ‘What possible good reasons would God have for permitting these evils?’ At the risk of explaining away the question – and a very large question at that – it is, I think, helpful to look at what we mean …
A Christian Vision for Politics
The political landscapes of two countries I love greatly are currently swaying like a suspension bridge in an earthquake. On my side of The Pond a referendum on membership to the European Union is to be held this coming Thursday. The implications of this vote are potentially huge. Across the Atlantic and, 8 years on from then-Senator Obama’s first successful run …
Setting Camp in the Azores
I was excited from the moment I first heard about this project. It didn’t take much to grab my attention when I read the scope of the proposal: teaching Christian worldview and apologetics to teenagers, on an island, in a camp. This isn’t new to me. So the first thing I did was to reach for my globe. ‘Right, where are the Azores?’, …
A Year’s Worth of Writing
2015 was a good year for the Demolition Squad, the apologetics wing of Christian Vision for Men (CVM). Amongst other things, select highlights include: • The launch of our book ‘The Ultimate Survival Guide: How to talk about God, the Bible, and stuff‘ • The blog articles continuing to receive good attention • A good reception to our seminar at The Gathering (which in total saw …
Disfigured Dignity and her Clues
Shortly after Sgt Mehmet Ciplak picked up the toddler, snapshots from the moment – one that he’ll never forget – bombarded the world. The powerful photographs prompted a furious outcry. The boy was just a toddler. His family were searching for peace after their country had been torn apart. Their European future, awfully close, would never be. Through the politics, …
Apologetics for Men
In 2012 Carl Beech, Andy Kind, and I got together in a room in Chesterfield to talk about how we could help with the tough questions that are asked both of ourselves and of our faith. Carl – as the then head of Christian Vision for Men (CVM) – wanted to reach the men of the UK with the good news of …
9 Coffins
As I approached the roundabout I could see the helicopter through the top of my windscreen. It was hovering, purposefully, keeping a keen eye on something yet unseen by me. I next caught sight of the police bikes. Two of them, both with their riders with their hands in the air bringing the oncoming traffic to a halt. I sat …
Crossing Over
From the outside, they were just another group of men who would meet regularly at the pub. They met at the same place, most weeks, for a drink and a chat. They talked about all manner of things on their minds: what they were working on, what they were thinking about doing. This story becomes more interesting when the men …
Striking A Nerve
What is the one thing about you that is off-limits? Even your closest friends know not to talk to you about this. It’s personal and it’s private and it is not open for discussion. It’s not that you’re ‘closed off’. Just careful with certain parts of who you are. After all, it is wise to be careful, isn’t it? One …
Follow Me
Have you ever introduced a friend to a favourite sport of yours? I tried this with my wife (then fiancée) during the Six Nations last year. “It’ll only take one game and she’ll be hooked,” I mused. But which game would I choose? It couldn’t be Scotland v. England (I have split loyalties). Now, I love the way the French …