Welcome to That Good Fight! I started this blog because I believe some things need to be said. I hope to get around to saying them sometime. For why I chose this title/theme, see the post, On Fighting Good Fights.
Things I do
I am a Christian theologian, author, academic, and preacher. I am currently planning towards fresh reforms in theological education in light of the increasing challenges to Christian free speech in the west. Formerly I was a lecturer in Christian theology, preaching, and mission at Cliff College, UK, where I also ran the Master’s programme in Mission. Prior to this, I was a Teaching Fellow in practical theology at the University of Aberdeen, where I had previously been a part-time tutor in historical theology. I’m also an enthusiast for evangelism, among various other things.
I’ve written various academic publications on Christian theology, mission, and culture, including the Gospel and secular apathy, the theology of preaching, the philosophy of paradox, the urgency of theological education, the theology of Kierkegaard, the frustrations of academic bureaucracy, and numerous others.
I contribute regularly to various theology, mission, and ministry-based publications, blogs, podcasts, and other occasional media bits and bobs. I also co-host a weekly podcast on church and culture called Pod of the Gaps alongside Andy Bannister, which is great fun!
Things I think
Theologically, I’m a Reformed charismatic, meaning that it’s all about the glory of God, but sometimes He lets us in on some of what He’s up to. I believe the greatest danger facing the Church today is the capitulation to culture and the subtle degrading of Biblical authority. Many very bad things flow from this broken cistern.
I believe God’s eclectic creation should always astonish us. I love good words on a paper page and good arguments on big hills. I love playing football to feet. I love (and loathe) the existential drama of supporting Liverpool FC. I love English fry-ups and half-time oranges and brotherhood. I love Scrabble, Risk, rib-eyes, pianos, and Inklings. I love the snooker world championships. I love loud hymns sung like we mean it. I love peppermint tea with proper Scottish shortbread. I love morning sunshine, birdsong, rivers, nostalgia, and coffee. I love Middle Earth. I love that God must love music even more than we do. I love the full immersion of good films and great novels. I believe that “all good gifts around us are sent from heaven above”. I believe the trick to life is wondrous gratitude.
I have a wonderful wife who is more than I could possibly have asked for. I have five lovely children who are a riotous bushel of shouts and smiles and songs. Having a socially inappropriate volume of children can certainly be a challenge, but it’s far outweighed by the sheer abundance of delight (cf. Ps. 127). Life doesn’t always look like the sunny photos below. Families are always worth fighting for. Blessings are always worth counting.
I have an incurable habit of talking about Jesus. I believe that, as odd as it may sound to the vast majority of people in my country, the fact that that man is alive today changes absolutely everything about absolutely everything.
