If you’ve been in Christian community for any length of time, you probably know at least one or two people who’ve walked away from the church. When a loved friend or family member rejects faith, what should we say or do? How can we continue to be their friend? Should we try to “win them back to God”? In this episode Clare and David suggest a helpful approach.

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“My Friend has Walked Away From Faith. Should I Try to ‘Win Them Back’?” (Ep 90)

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the church has been vast, large scale, and a mixture of both good and bad. Do the positives outweigh the negatives? How will this change church as we know it? And how can I revive my faith when I’ve lost interest in just tuning into live-streamed services?

“Is The Pandemic Good for the Church? And How Do I Revive My Iso-Affected Faith?” (Ep 89)

The Bible teaches us to be content with our situation in life. Does this mean it's wrong for Christians to feel frustrated or desire for growth and change?

“If I’m Supposed to Be Content, Does That Mean I Shouldn’t Wish for Anything to Change?” (Ep 88)

Every believer has ups and downs in their faith. Can God answer our prayers when we’re not feeling confident? What do we do when our faith feels weak?

"I Want to Pray, But I Don't Think My Faith is Strong Enough..." (Ep 87)

We all have times when we have to make big decisions that could determine the direction of our life. In this episode, David and Clare chat about how to discern God’s will, and how to move forwards in a healthy way in decision making.

“I’ve Got a Big Decision to Make. How Do I Know God’s Will?” (Ep 86)

COVID-19 has disrupted much of the world, killed thousands, sparked a torrent of conspiracy theories—and got many people questioning God: “If he can do anything, why doesn’t he end the Pandemic?” In this episode David Reay and Clare Bruce ponder some possible answers.

“If God Can Do Anything… Why Won’t He Just Step In And Stop This Pandemic?” [Ep 85]

In a world of political, religious and ideological tensions, it’s not hard to get caught in a heated debate: especially on social media! How can we share our point of view, without burning bridges? David Reay and Clare Bruce talk through some helpful pointers.

“Debates are Getting So Nasty! How Can Share my Opinion, Without Ruining Friendships?” [Ep 84]

We all have blind spots and character flaws, and sometimes it takes a friend to point it out to us. But when is it right to correct someone, and when is it wrong? Didn’t Jesus say “judge not, lest you also be judged”? David Reay suggests some answers from a Biblical and pastoral perspective.

83 – "My Friend is Behaving Badly - But Jesus Said, ‘Judge Not’. Should I Confront Them, or Ignore It?"

Anger is an emotion we all deal with – but it’s easy to mishandle. Sometimes we let our anger get out of hand; other times we try and suppress it. In this episode David Reay and Clare Bruce explore the different kinds of anger, and how to handle it well.

82 - “Is it Bad That I'm Angry? When is Anger Wrong, and When is it Right?”

Prayer can be a mysterious thing. Sometimes we may feel God’s presence when we pray, other times we don’t. Sometimes we may see amazing answers to prayer, other times we may feel like we’re praying into thin air. You may at times ask, “If I’ve been praying for something and it’s not being answered, why should I even bother?” David Reay and Clare Bruce explore the topic in this episode.

81 - Why Don't I Always Get What I Ask For in Prayer? Why Bother Praying?

Nobody goes through life without being hurt, wronged or offended in some way. When we are, we may find ourselves in a wrestle with the idea of forgiveness. So what is forgiveness, and what is it not? If we forgive, do we have to restore the relationship with the wrong-doer? Do we have to trust them again? And what’s more, if we forgive the offending party, doesn’t that let them “off the hook”? In this episode of Lifewords, David Reay chats with Clare Bruce about some of the answers to these questions.

80: “If I Forgive, Doesn’t That Let Them Off the Hook?”

In a world full of bad news, there’s an age-old question that many people ask: why does a good God let bad things happen? With the world in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s a timely one. David Reay discusses some of the possible answers.

79: “Why Does a Good God, Let Bad Things - Like Pandemics - Happen?”

When church leaders have a public fall from grace, it can put Christians in a difficult position, feeling like they have to defend the validity of their church or their faith. What can we say in response to criticisms of our flawed leaders?

78: “When Church Leaders Fall, How Can I Defend My Faith?”

It’s a point commonly made by people either exploring faith, or critiquing it from a distance: ‘Doesn’t Jesus sound pretty arrogant when he says, “I am the way, the truth and the life; No one comes to the Father except through me”?’ Other faiths obviously disagree with this statement. So how do we as Christians, relate to people of other faiths without sounding like we are being arrogant, or making an exclusive claim to a relationship with God? David explores some of the answers to this question.

77: “Jesus – The Only Way to God? Doesn’t That Sound Arrogant?”

When we speak up publicly on an issue of faith, we risk sounding arrogant or judgmental. How can we make our speech truthful, but also gracious? David talks about the importance of knowing your audience, knowing the media you are communicating with, being sensitive to peoples' life experience and point of view, and listening before you speak.

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LifeWords Q&A

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