Neil Hudson, Author at Salford Elim Church

Midweek Musings – Singing In The Dark

14 Oct 20

Friday night is music night. At least it is in our house. Fuelled by BBC4 and Sky Arts it’s part nostalgia, part education in stuff we missed the first time around. This week we watched Soundtracks: Songs that Defined History, an episode about the Civil Rights era in the US. Watching the footage of unarmed, ordinary black Americans singing hymns and gospel songs as protest songs while facing water cannons, police ready to beat people and white folks with guns was awe-inspiring.

But why did they sing?

Uncomfortable Mission – When It’s Unclear

11 Oct 20

A mixed race man, a group unsure why their plans had been disrupted, a meeting with a woman outside a city.

Luke paints a series of small portraits of people making sense of life as God opens up something that none of them could have anticipated.

God does lead us, but sometimes we need to train ourselves to make sense of what He is opening up for us…

Midweek Musings – The Blessing of Being Mixed-Race

7 Oct 20

We live in our different cultural contexts as teachers, volunteers in the community, hands-on grandparents, NHS workers, office workers, warehouse operators but we are there as Jesus-followers. We know these situations. We speak their language, share the culture, know what matters there. But we are also Christians…

The Threat Of Loss – Taking A Risk Of Trust

4 Oct 20

With each step forward that the mission took, it feels as though there were forces pushing back. Sometimes the opposition was obvious, things were threatened because of internal relationships. Paul and Barnabas had a massive, full on shouting row about a young man, John Mark who had left them. Barnabas wanted to give him a second chance, Paul thought that would be unwise.

How do we make sense of the moments where we know we have really messed up and need to be given another chance? How do we know when to give people a chance?

Midweek Musings – Rescued by a Second Chance

30 Sep 20

You might have let people down, but there’s a second chance for you…

The Threat Of Loss – Opening Doors To Others

27 Sep 20

Acts 15 is the story of the early church’s challenge.

Their challenge is not ours, but it does shed light on how we might be able to learn from them so that we can face our challenges well…

Midweek Musings – You Don’t Need That Hat

23 Sep 20

Some people in our church remember the old days. The days when keen churches, sincere churches, enthusiastic churches sure of the story of salvation and the offer that was open to all, had a row of hats resting on pegs in the church foyer…

The Threat Of Loss – The Only Way To New Life

20 Sep 20

Every breakthrough costs you something. Every situation that changes happens because someone has paid a price. It costs time, strength, emotions investment, money. Nothing is changed without the threat of loss…

Midweek Musings – Ready To Take The Hits

16 Sep 20

It’s not always easy standing apart from the existing culture. It can feel very uneasy. But it’s vital because Christians have to stay attached to a radically different story otherwise you will end up with a confused faith cut off from the power of the Spirit…

The Widening Story – Telling Our Story Well

13 Sep 20

We need security and we need leaders that we can trust. Especially when we face crises. Without these where do we turn?

People protest, they break laws, or simply put their heads down and do their best. But in the meantime, community crumbles.

We need more…

Midweek Musings – Old Certainties and New Possibilities

9 Sep 20

We may not be in the same physical space with others as much as we might have been in the past, but we must be ready to go to those who are different from ourselves.

Otherwise we will miss out on God’s great adventure…

The Power Encounter – Dark Spiritual Powers

6 Sep 20

God wants us to be led by His Spirit – but it doesn’t mean you can’t make logical plans.

God wants you to be good news – but it doesn’t mean that you won’t find yourself in moments of confrontation…

Author: Neil Hudson