Stephen Goddard

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

You want Christ back in Christmas
Yet you ignore his words
And live your life in selfishness
As if you’ve never heard
Of the Samaritan who stops to help
The stranger dressed in rags
You pay lip service to the Lord
While worshipping the flag

A flag won’t ask you what you’ve done
To help the poor survive
But Christ demands you cast away
The sin of national pride
Love they neighbour as thyself
And you will plainly see
That the true message of Christmas
Is one of empathy

Billy Bragg
https://t.co/RFx4pdGBKI

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

That verse from John 3:16 is the heart of the Christmas message we want everyone to hear this season.

We are standing here at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, a church with an extraordinary history of service. The current building dates from the 1720s, but there has been a church on this site since at least 1222, meaning this parish has been worshipping and caring for Londoners for almost 800 years.

Through that long history, St Martin’s has been a place of welcome and action. From its steps have grown conversations and movements for justice that changed the world. It was involved in the founding of organisations such as Amnesty International, Shelter, and The Big Issue—efforts born out of real compassion for vulnerable people.

Later today, a rally organised by Tommy Robinson will take place nearby. In promotional emails he has claimed that left-wing elites are waging a war on Christianity, that Christmas is being erased, and that Britain must fight to preserve a singular “Christian heritage.” His language links migration and cultural change to danger, and casts political leaders as enemies of faith.

The flyers say this rally is “not about immigration.” But the message in the emails to promote the event he has said this is

Far more than a simple performance, this is a rallying cry for our core principles – a shining light in the midst of turmoil caused by unchecked immigration and the fading of our cultural identity.

We want the world to know this clearly: the values driving that rhetoric are not the values of the Bible.

When we look to the true Christmas story, we see something very different.

Mary and Joseph were forced from their home by a dictator’s decree.

God invited humble shepherds and foreign visitors to honour the infant Jesus.

And soon after his birth, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus became refugees fleeing persecution.

The Christian story—from Bethlehem to Egypt—is about love, hospitality, vulnerability, and grace, not fear or exclusion.

God so loved the world—not one nation or one tribe, but the whole world.

That is the message of Christmas we proclaim today.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Reform-friendly media hype up unrest, but Farage’s message is the real danger: ‘Elect me or face chaos.’ That’s not democratic debate, it’s political blackmail.

Threatening civil disorder unless his policies are adopted is an attempt to hold the country to ransom.

[GB1 @GB1Racing_]

This is what it means. 🤜🤛 #ChallengeofaLifetime

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"

Some are quoting this text from the Hebrew scriptures with respect to the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The fuller quote helps us see why it might say more than they realise....

“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. '
Exodus 21

The context shows that actually this is a text about the rule of law and proportionality.

If there's a serious injury to someone you love then you are to settle this not through some personal vigilante violence but by involving the court.

Importantly the scripture makes sure the punishment is appropriate to the crime. If someone injures someone you love's eye the temptation is to rain down violence on them and their family but the eye for an eye concept is to limit punishment. It is all about proportionality.

The terror attacks on Israeli civilians were wicked, barbaric and inexcusable. Going after the perpetrators is entirely appropriate. But the mass displacement, blockading and bombing of civilians, especially children is not just.

[Glen Scrivener @glenscrivener]

Not enough people know this but God has joined himself to our humanity, taken our plight to himself and died for the world—taking away sin and shame. He then rose to pioneer immortal, embodied, feasting joy and a renewed cosmos forever.

More people should be talking about this.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

This is what #Easter means to me...
Happy Easter from my family to yours.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

"Christians believe Jesus understood the hazardous state of the world around him: the debris of disastrous choices, the rubble of wrecked lives, & the waste of war. We believe that in the Garden of Gethsemane he considered all of this & made the terrifying decision to sacrifice himself to save the world."
Lovely to speak with @GabyRoslin about life, fear and faith. @BBCRadio2

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

I am so sad about the inhumane rhetoric towards people fleeing war and terror. Here's a video about how I deal with sadness in my life. Hope it helps you.
For more videos like this sign up here https://t.co/e0cNHIDMVq

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Dear Home Secretary please retract your inaccurate claim that 100 million people could qualify to claim asylum in the UK.

[Glen Scrivener @glenscrivener]

What’s the World Cup got to do with Christmas? We’re so glad you asked…
#ChristmasComingHome

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Service in life
Hope in death
#QueenElizabeth

[Stephen Goddard @Goddard3Goddard]

Just been awhile since #Abba arrival. Ready for the voyage at #abbavoyage

[St Michael's Fulwell @StMichaelsFWL]

Incredibly exciting on Sunday to be back in our much-loved yet long-neglected building after a year of refurbishment! St Michael's resounded once more with thanks and praise to God for his goodness and grace! 🙌🎉

[Stephen Goddard @Goddard3Goddard]

The platers are a little late out on No 1 Court. About two years late! Been a wait but we are now ready to go #Wimbeldon

[Cosham-Nazarene @CoshNaz]

I cast my mind to Calvary

https://t.co/YoDW0zCE2v

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

This is what #easter means to me.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Christ is risen!
Death was defeated.
Life has a hope beyond death.
Happy Easter everyone.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

The Incredible Hospitality of Good Friday
Jesus’ death demonstrates God’s love for outsiders, enemies, and strangers.
https://t.co/uLYNPnPXGa

[Bryan Goddard @ThetrueUrlrik]

Twitter, we need more content like this.