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Jesus for Today

“Come, follow me,” said Jesus. An invitation? A challenge? It made a world of difference to those who followed the Way of Jesus then. And it still does today. Jesus opened up a way of life to follow. At its heart, it was a way of love. Love for God, love for neighbour, love for enemy too. Jesus opened up a window on to God. Follow Jesus and discover the God who comes alongside us in our weakness at the point at which we are most vulnerable, and stays with us every step of the way.

 

Making Connections

Jesus for Today brings together a number of blogs and web pages that I have put together since creating my first web site in 1999. The most recent is a set of resources to go with my recently published book, Imagining Luke-Acts in Roman Britain. One of the earliest tells the story of Jesus through the Cheltenham Passion Play as we took the story of Jesus on to the streets of our town. In Questioning Jesus and Mapping the Church of Tomorrow I offer a 21st Century reading of Luke and of Acts.


After reading Theology in Jesus College Oxford and training for the Ministry in Coleg Bala-Bangor, I ministered in Churches of the Congregational Federation in Harden (near Bradford), Minsterley and Pontesbury (near Shrewsbury) and Cheltenham (Gloucestershire).


Throughout my ministry I taught New Testament with the Congregational Institute for Practical Theology.


Since retiring I continue to preach (mainly in Welsh), teach, and do pastoral work in hospital chaplaincy.


Two visits to Palestine and Israel have brought home to me how vital it is to read Biblical texts in the context of the social, cultural and political world of their time. When you do that the text comes alive in new and exciting ways.


Since Gloucester's 1997 celebration of its foundation as a colonia of the Roman empire, I have researched the world of the New Testament in Roman Britain. Thanks to the Kirby Laing Foundation and the support of Professor Philip Esler I undertook a (second) PhD as a retirement project. The fruits of that work are being published in my forthcoming book with Wipf and Stock, Imagining Luke-Acts in Roman Britain.


Due to be published on 1 July 2026, it is available via www.lukeactsinromanbritain with a 40% discount on presentation of the voucher that is available by following the link to the website below.