A Personal Update

Reflections on a Somewhat Tumultuous Year

Well, that was quite the year! Thankyou so much to those of you who have prayed, supported, and encouraged my family and I over the last ten months. It is so appreciated, and I’ve been amazed at God’s provision and blessing in various ways amidst what has certainly been the most challenging year of our lives.

Every New Year I sit down with my family to thank God for the year that’s just passed and to pray, plan, and dream about the year ahead. In early January 2023 I preached a sermon at my church where I spoke about how challenging the previous year had been, beginning with my mother’s condition unexpectedly worsening leading to her death in early February 2022.

Reflecting on this in my sermon, I challenged the church to be ready to adapt to whatever may be thrown at them in 2023, especially in light of the persecution ramping up against Christians in our culture. I mentioned the famous case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, among others, and referred to those stories you often hear about Christians “who may be fired for saying the wrong thing” (c.22mins).

Little did I know that just a few weeks later I myself would soon be one of these “cases”! I was soon being reported on in the mainstream media, and (like Vaughan-Spruce) being supported by Christian Concern. It’s worth noting that I did not intend for any of this to happen, and in many respects what I said on Twitter which caused my dismissal was simply a continuation of the kinds of things I had already felt called to talk about online over the previous couple of years on social media, blogs, and podcasts.