Button PNG.png

Have you ever felt Theologically Challenged?

On this site, you can read about, comment on and contribute to my ongoing reflections as I wrestle with questions about God, Faith, Life, The Bible, Church and Theology.

- Subject -

- Collections -

Archive (Pre 2018)
Guest Posts (Written for others)

All in Devotional

On Temples and Tabernacles

Dec 7

Dec 7 On Temples and Tabernacles

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Theology, Church

John’s gospel doesn’t begin with the birth of Jesus. There are no stories of controversial conceptions, angelic messengers, or various unexpected visitors to be enjoyed. But he does give us a beautiful, poetic account of Jesus’ identity and the significance of his coming, describing Jesus as the God who chose to ’tabernacle amongst us’. I believe this brief and simple phase communicates the same essential message that the nativities of Matthew and Luke are trying to get across. I also believe that if we meditate on this line from John, we might appreciate those classic Christmas stories afresh…

Take a (Holy) Hike

Aug 13

Aug 13 Take a (Holy) Hike

Michael Wadsworth

Biblical Studies, Church, Devotional, Discipleship, Theology

We should approach the Bible like we we would exploring a new landscape… not looking to conquer but to soak it all in and enjoy it. Not trying to dictate what we will find there but open to discover all that is has to offer. Respecting that it is unfamiliar, unpredictable, strange, but seeking to grow in familiarity, confidence and awareness of how to navigate it well. Seeking to follow others and lead trips ourselves in the hope that those we journey with fall in love with landscape for themselves.

Learning to 'Lent' - Why you shouldn't (just) give things up...

Mar 2

Mar 2 Learning to 'Lent' - Why you shouldn't (just) give things up...

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Deconstruction, Discipleship, Suffering

The season of Lent remembers Jesus’ time in the wilderness. Christians often mark the season by giving up something as a means of recalling and identifying with the 40 day long fast that Jesus undertook whilst in the desert. But Lent itself isn’t actually about fasting…

Advent Devotions 4: Simeon's Satisfaction

Dec 20

Dec 20 Advent Devotions 4: Simeon's Satisfaction

Michael Wadsworth

Biblical Studies, Church, Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Prophetic Literature, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry, Theology

Simeon is awesome! He only makes a brief cameo in Luke’s gospel but he still manages to leave a big impression! For a start, he seems to have Yoda like levels of spirituality…

Advent Devotions 3: Zechariah's Zeal

Dec 18

Dec 18 Advent Devotions 3: Zechariah's Zeal

Michael Wadsworth

Church, Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry, Theology, Biblical Studies, Prophetic Literature

What Zechariah sings here is nothing short of the gospel itself. At long last Yahweh has come to redeem his people. The exile is completely over. Their shame is being rolled away. The prophecies spoken over the house of David about a future Messiah are being fulfilled…

Advent Devotions 2: Mary's Magnificat

Dec 11

Dec 11 Advent Devotions 2: Mary's Magnificat

Michael Wadsworth

Church, Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry, Prophetic Literature, Biblical Studies

The prophetic song that Luke attributes to Mary is nothing short of remarkable! It contains so much about the nature of God and His heart for mankind. It celebrates the salvation plan that has been unfolding for centuries. And it points towards the kind of Messiah Jesus will be…

Advent Devotions 1: Elizabeth's Encouragement

Dec 4

Dec 4 Advent Devotions 1: Elizabeth's Encouragement

Michael Wadsworth

Church, Devotional, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry, Discipleship, Biblical Studies, Prophetic Literature

I find this brief anecdote delightful and fascinating! Mary rocks up at Elizabeth’s house and before they’ve gotten further than “hello” John the not-yet-born-but-will-grow-up-to-be Baptist starts doing a joyful jig. As he does so Elizabeth, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, suddenly realises and starts shouting…

Holy Saturday: As Silent as the Grave

Mar 31

Mar 31 Holy Saturday: As Silent as the Grave

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Church, Deconstruction

How many times have you felt this way about your relationship with God. He’s just silent. Maybe you’ve sat there, watching, waiting, becoming increasingly desperate. Maybe you’ve reached the point of questioning if what you had hoped for were really true. Maybe you’ve felt completely alone, or have completely isolated yourself…

Maundy Thursday: The hardest thing Jesus asks of us...

Mar 29

Mar 29 Maundy Thursday: The hardest thing Jesus asks of us...

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Church, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

I generally think I’m quite good at serving people. But then I read this story and think, “no way!”. I’m not prepared to do that! I like my status, I like my dignity and I don’t like feet! Yet Jesus is desperately serious and completely clear about this…

Spy Wednesday: I'm more Judas than Jesus

Mar 28

Mar 28 Spy Wednesday: I'm more Judas than Jesus

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Church, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

Do you ever feel sorry for Judas? I do! I sometimes feel he gets a bit of a bad rap. All he really did was get tempted in the same way we all do… it’s just that when he gave into temptation there were earth shattering consequences...

Holy Tuesday: Sold Our or Selling Out?

Mar 27

Mar 27 Holy Tuesday: Sold Our or Selling Out?

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Church, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

Does my following Jesus look like the melee of other followers? If he observed me in the midst of a crowd of other Christians would he see just another one of the many, whom he loves and died for, but who is missing the fullness of the Kingdom. Or would he see in me something that would cause him to smile?

Holy Monday: Is it time your tables were turned?

Mar 26

Mar 26 Holy Monday: Is it time your tables were turned?

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

Many of us are familiar with the story of Jesus clearing the temple. Its common to use it as a challenge to whether our churches and Christianity as a whole has sold out to commercialism. But the cursing of the fig tree is a bit more bizarre. What was going on here?

Deserts, Discomfort and Discipleship

Mar 26

Mar 26 Deserts, Discomfort and Discipleship

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Suffering, Church

It turns out I like comfort. Actually I’ve always known that. I’m a creature of habit and routine. I like things the way I like them. And I wouldn’t describe myself as a particularly out-there or radical person. But I’ve discovered over lent my comfort loving runs deeper than that…

Living in Limbo

Dec 11

Dec 11 Living in Limbo

Michael Wadsworth

Discipleship, Devotional, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

Waiting for something which is entirely out of your control can be so hard. We like to control things, we like to make things happen. And when we’re powerless to change or affect our circumstances we can be quick to become disheartened and disillusioned…

Dreaming in the Midst of Danger

Dec 11

Dec 11 Dreaming in the Midst of Danger

Michael Wadsworth

Devotional, Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

It sometimes feels like this part of Matthew's nativity story plays out a little like the original Christmas pantomime: Herod, as the archetypal panto villain (minus the drag), is unwittingly told of Jesus’ birth by the Magi. In an attempt to preserve his evil reign he hatches a cunning plan to have the baby Jesus killed (boo hiss!).

Herald the Weirdos

Dec 11

Dec 11 Herald the Weirdos

Michael Wadsworth

Discipleship, Devotional, Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Guest Blogs

God didn’t want Jesus' birth to be a celebration reserved for the elite, the middle-classes, or the educated. Quite the opposite. The only people he chooses to publicly announce the moment too, via an enormous choir of angels no less, were the societal rejects.

A Father's Unflinching Faithfulness

Dec 11

Dec 11 A Father's Unflinching Faithfulness

Michael Wadsworth

Discipleship, Devotional, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

I find the little detail that “Joseph was a righteous man” one of the biggest understatements in the Bible! At the encouragement of God he puts himself in an unenviable situation! He marries Mary, a girl who is essentially pregnant with someone else's child, in a culture where such a union would be shrouded by rumour and shame.

A Virgin's Vision

Dec 11

Dec 11 A Virgin's Vision

Michael Wadsworth

Discipleship, Devotional, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry

I love how Mary reacts to her inclusion in God's story. This random, insignificant, mostly uneducated young girl responds to God's message that she would be put in the incredibly awkward position of a pre-marital pregnancy with the faith-filled words “I am the Lord’s servant…”

Shepherds, Stars and Student Ministry

Dec 11

Dec 11 Shepherds, Stars and Student Ministry

Michael Wadsworth

Discipleship, Guest Blogs, Student Ministry, Youth Ministry, Devotional

It's that magical time of year… you’re stressed up to your eyeballs with planning a million and one Christmas events. You’re desperately trying to find the festive cheer and end the term well but at the same time you can’t wait to just get the next couple of weeks out the way and start your own holiday…