Having looked back at 900 pages of magazine articles in 2024, our editor Sam Hailes shares his favourite articles from the past twelve months
1. ‘It’s bonkers’, ‘God is blowing my mind’: Is something special happening among Gen Z?
As stories of God working miracles among young people in the UK began to reach us, our deputy editor Emma Fowle gathered four ministry leaders together to get the full lowdown.
2. Secret believers: The disciple-making movement that’s sweeping the Middle East
I’d heard many times before that Christianity is spreading like wildfire across the Middle East. But until Phil Moore got in touch, I hadn’t realised that leaders in the persecuted Church are now training Western church leaders in evangelism. Phil’s article details this “quiet revolution” and it makes for both encouraging and challenging reading for anyone involved in church leadership.
3. Why your smartphone might be stopping you from following Jesus
Jonathan Haidt’s much discussed book The Anxious Generation has sounded the alarm and the evidence now seems clear: mobile phones are bad for you and your children’s mental health. But could they also be hampering your discipleship?
4. How the Asbury Outpouring changed our church for good
One year on from an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Kentucky which caught the world’s attention, London-based church leader Al Gordon tells the story of what God did, how it changed his life and why he believes revival is not just possible, but imperative.
5. Is there any point in going to church?
Let’s be honest, some church meetings don’t exactly feel like the Asbury revival. Even the most committed Christian has contemplated stepping away from Sunday gatherings at some point. Here at Premier Christianity, we are unashamedly pro-church, but we also know it can be a struggle. This was a sensitive and compassionate look at the reasons people are moving away from traditional forms of Sunday worship, and importantly, what they’re doing instead.
6. How to root out narcissism from our churches
There were plenty of church-related scandals in 2024. We take no pleasure in reporting negative news stories about fellow Christians. But part of our role is to provide commentary and analysis on what might be going wrong on both a local and global level. Carrie Lloyd’s piece proposes we take a closer look at the issue of narcissism. It’s a beautifully written and thought-provoking piece.
7. The inside story of the UK’s fastest growing church
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has a vision to plant a church within five minutes’ walking or driving distance of every home worldwide. As part of our Black History Month coverage, George Luke looked at the church’s Nigerian origins, and reported on how it is experiencing significant growth in the UK
8. Sport vs Sabbath: What should you do when football clashes with church?
With most youth sport now taking place on a Sunday, Christian parents are having to grapple with whether to prioritise their children’s sports clubs, or church attendance. These pointers from Jonny Reid on how to think through the issues biblically are enormously helpful.
9. Bored with your small group? Here’s how to make it brilliant
Sometimes the best features are the practical ones! Joe Warton has spent far longer than anyone else I know thinking about discipleship. This article combines some of his best research and wisdom into one place. A must-read for anyone who cares about making home groups great again…
10. How diverse friendships help bring God’s kingdom to earth
People often ask me where ideas for magazine features come from. The honest answer is “anywhere and everywhere”. This particular article was formed during my conversation with Matt Bird when I discovered he was a leader in a Black majority church. With the greatest of respect to Matt, he didn’t look the part! Matt’s thesis - that building relationships across difference take more work, but ultimately bring greater reward - immediately made sense to me. His provocation to make friends with people who think and look different to you has stayed with me ever since.
11. Before the night comes: My mission to rescue Brazil’s forgotten girls
When Matt Roper stumbled across an 11 year-old girl selling her body for sex on a Brazilian motorway, it changed his life forever. He tells the shocking story of the road where child exploitation is considered ‘normal’ and his journey to change hearts and minds
12. Pulled out of the rabbit hole: Meet the conspiracy theorists who are turning to Christ
Kate Orson speaks to the converts who are leaving the truther and new age movements behind.
13. Your body is a temple. So should you join the war on Ultra Processed Food?
Chris Van Tullekan’s number one bestseller Ultra Processed People is one of the most influential books of recent years. I’m largely convinced by his argument that a lot of what we eat isn’t really food, but industrially produced chemical nastiness, and we’d all be better off if we stopped eating it. Our resident culture columnist Martin Saunders takes a closer look at the vital issues the book raises.
14. The significance of now: How to find God in every season
Whether you’re a newlywed, empty-nester or busy building a business, God is with you in every stage of your life. Joe Warton explains how to make the most of right now
15. Islam: Navigating the choppy waters of interfaith relations
There are few subjects as fraught and difficult as the challenge of Islam for Christians in the UK today. That’s why we commissioned a lengthy feature on it, then placed it on the cover of the magazine! Heather Tomlinson does an excellent job at representing the various views that exist, and pointing us toward a response full of both grace and truth.
There’s plenty more to come…Join our community of subscribers to enjoy many more brilliant articles coming in 2025
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