Author: Pastor Chris

I am a servant of Jesus Christ. First thing. Last thing. Most important thing. I've been married to Katy since 1994, Father of Esther since 2000. It is my honour to serve as co-pastor of Folkestone Baptist Church since 2003. They are an amazing, open-hearted group of people who, like me, are captured by the love of Jesus Christ. I also dot around Kent encouraging Christians of all persuasions that the others aren't so bad after all. And I get paid fir doing it! I know? How great is that?! I am into: sci-fi & fantasy, board games, left of centre politics, oddities, changing the world. See all of this in my blogs.
Daily Musings

The God shaped hole

Pastor Chris

Before yesterday, the only thing I knew about Blaise Pascal was that he said each person has a God-shaped hole in our hearts. He meant that we are designed for worship, for a relationship with God. The other thing he said was that, if you like a gamble, it’s a fair bet to believe in God. If you follow him & you’re wrong you die like everyone else.  If you don’t follow him & Christian faith is all true, you miss out on eternal life.  I feel a lot of affinity with Pascal. He got sick and died young. Not … Continue reading The God shaped hole

Daily Musings

The Graceful Hippo

Pastor Chris

 A devout cowboy lost his favorite Bible while he was mending fences out on the savannah in Africa. Three weeks later, a Hippopotamus walked up to him carrying the Bible in its mouth. The cowboy couldn’t believe his eyes. He took the precious book out of the Hippo’s mouth, raised his eyes heavenward and exclaimed, “It’s a miracle!” “Not really,” said the Hippo. “Your name is written inside the cover.”  So why is my opener a joke about a hippo? Well, the chap who’s thoughts I’ve been looking at today is from a place called Hippo. Or at least that … Continue reading The Graceful Hippo

Daily Musings

All you need is love

Pastor Chris

It’s a great song by The Beatles, “All you need is love” but is it true? The song seems to be saying that the sum total of all that can be known about ourselves, others, the world, can be summed up by love. Is this just 60s hippy stuff or is there a deep truth here?   It reflects the teaching of many of the early Christian teachers. Origen of Alexandria said that life is about love. Specifically about seeking God, about knowing His love. It’s become a bit cliched these days, but he said almost 2000 years ago that life … Continue reading All you need is love

Daily Musings4 Comments

Ambition, Capacity and Calling

Pastor Chris

I have so many ideas for how to reach Folkestone. Great plans that, at the moment, I can do nothing about. I am hoping to return to work soon. I’m seeing the GP this morning and we will see… But then friends who have heart problems have talked about six months off. Others have talked about going back on light duties being 1 hour per day. I’m half way through series Six of the West Wing and, to be honest, I’m itching to get back & involved in my work. But I may not be able to just yet. See … Continue reading Ambition, Capacity and Calling

Daily Musings1 Comment

The Promise

Pastor Chris

While several of our church folk went off on an idyllic ramble to Canterbury today, Katy and I were a bit stuck for health reasons. So we went to the cinema instead. We saw a great film called The Promise.  It’s all about the Armenian minority in Turkey in 1914-16 and the genocide that happened in that country. The film tells the story of a young Armenian man who leaves his village to go to the capital city, Constantinople, to train to be a doctor. While there he falls in love with a beautiful and talented young teacher. It is … Continue reading The Promise