Phil Whittall

A colorful breakfast plate includes toasted bread slices, fried egg, black pudding, sausages, hash browns, baked beans, tomato slices, and steamed broccoli. A packet of Lurpak butter is placed on the edge of the plate.

Is this some kind of sick joke?

This is by far one of the craziest bus journeys ever!

Remember the wondrous works : The Simple Pastor I have trouble remembering things that happened earlier in the year. Now before you quickly put this down to my age, which I guess it could be, I think there are other things at work.  One reason coul...

New post: thesimplepastor.co.uk/remember-the...

The Curiosity Index 2025

Most weeks, but not quite every week, I make a miscellany on my blog sharing a mixture of articles, photos, songs and videos. Here's a playlist of the songs I chose in 2025. It's a mix of whatever caught my fancy so best to use the randomizer

open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ke...

Creation Is Talking. We’ve Forgotten How to Listen. ‘The Language of Rivers and Stars’ reminds Christians to open our eyes to the wonders around us and join with creation in praising the God who made it all.

@haddenturner.bsky.social Great to see this in the wild!

www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/lang...

Entertaining or engaging? : The Simple Pastor Are the services at your church boring? Is it yes, no or sometimes? Are the sermons? In our church kids over 12 are in the service and so listen to the sermon along with everyone else. I’m the main pr...

‘The greatest commandment is amongst other things a commandment to full engagement in the act of worship’
Thought-provoking, NOT boring from the @simplepastor.bsky.social
thesimplepastor.co.uk/entertaining...

this is mesmerizing

Goodbye Budapest

Table showing the countries with the 10 largest Muslim populations.

Table showing the countries with the largest Christian populations.

Nigeria has the world’s fifth-largest Muslim population and its sixth-largest Christian population. It is the only country that ranks among both the 10 largest Muslim populations and the 10 largest Christian populations.

Generosity towards others was, and is, as essential mark of the New Testament way of life.

Libraries are amazing & we shouldn't ever let them disappear. What a society where you could read thousands of books over a lifetime for FREE!

kottke.org/25/08/004732...

Almost none of the songs I sing in church are drawn from the life of Jesus. There are very few based on what I read in the Gospels BEFORE the cross. Or at least I can't think of many

Give me your best hymns & songs that draw on the life/teachings of Jesus as we read in the Gospels BEFORE the cross

thesimplepastor.co.uk/tis-mercy-all/

The Curiosity Index: Week 31 : The Simple Pastor My kids went to Newday so my better half and I had a belated 50th + 21st anniversary few days away. The place was glorious, the weather less so. But no complaints! You Should Read These You Should Loo...

Better late than never. Probably.

thesimplepastor.co.uk/the-curiosit...

Entertaining or engaging? : The Simple Pastor Are the services at your church boring? Is it yes, no or sometimes? Are the sermons? In our church kids over 12 are in the service and so listen to the sermon along with everyone else. I’m the main pr...

‘The greatest commandment is amongst other things a commandment to full engagement in the act of worship’
Thought-provoking, NOT boring from ‘the Simple Pastor!
thesimplepastor.co.uk/entertaining...

Not shocked to see where Sweden comes on this list

Two of the most brutal sentences in the Bible:

"Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord." (1 Sam 2:12).

God save us from religious leaders like that.

While the summer was probably nice in Poland or Denmark this is yet another reminder that Europe must adapt to higher temperatures quickly.

God is pro-joy : The Simple Pastor Christians are to be joyful people. As much as we are to be loving and kind we are to be joyful. It is one of the signs, outcomes, blessings that life in the Spirit produces. We are a people who echo ...

I take time to read this blog whenever I remember. A shame it’s not on Substack as X is not somewhere I like to spend much time thesimplepastor.co.uk/god-is-pro-j... Thanks @simplepastor.bsky.social

Thanks Virginia - much appreciated! I've been running a personal blog for about 20 years so I didn't want to migrate it to Substack after all this time. But you can subscribe to the feed or sign up to get content by email if that helps?

Just added & refreshed, if you check that post again!

When the time is right : The Simple Pastor My parents write a family newsletter each Christmas and Dad sticks in a reflection before getting to the family news. This year’s struck me so I thought I’d share it (with permission) here. So this is...

We've just passed the 1st anniversary of my father's death. This was, it turns out, his last annual Christmas newsletter reflection. Poignant to say the least.

thesimplepastor.co.uk/when-the-tim...

"O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in his grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next."

#dailyhymn

Why AI should never write your sermon : The Simple Pastor Since the interview released and I gave it another listen I’ve been reflecting further on trust & the output of AI, especially in relation to sermons. If you’re using it for research for all sorts of ...

thesimplepastor.co.uk/why-ai-shoul...

AI in ministry: Trust, truth & kindness : The Simple Pastor Yesterday I included AI in my list of trends to shape the rest of the decade (and beyond) which is not exactly a revelation but we do need to be clear about it and not just respond to it but think the...

I was recently interviewed for the New Ground Leadership podcast. Fascinating to reflect that we're having this topic whereas five to ten years ago we wouldn't!

thesimplepastor.co.uk/ai-in-minist...

Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2020 Find how many people identify with each religious group and what percent each made up in 201 countries and territories, and by region, in 2010 and 2020.

UPDATED: Our interactive table shows the religious makeup of 201 countries and territories. pewrsr.ch/43usV6q?ut...

You can explore our new estimates of the religious composition of every country, by count and share here: www.pewresearch.org/religion/fea...

For example, here's a clip showing countries with the highest unaffiliated shares in 2020:

Trends that will shape the rest of the decade : The Simple Pastor That’s an ambitious headline isn’t it? Yet I think the question is a helpful one. I’m sure Donald Trump and Taylor Swift will have their moments in the headlights. There will be World Cups & another O...

thesimplepastor.co.uk/trends-that-...

Peak global population and other key findings from the 2024 UN World Population Prospects Falling fertility rates, migration movements, and China’s population decline.

The UN pojects it will peak at 10.3 billion in the 2080s but they are constantly revising that. Some think it will peak at 9 billion in 2050s and then fall dramatically.

ourworldindata.org/un-populatio...

"Finish then thy new creation,
Pure and sinless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in thee:
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heav'n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!"

#dailyhymn

A graphic showing hyper-extremes of how “church” is experienced - working on next book which addresses how wrong understandings of church drastically can impact our spiritual growth. - Any feedback appreciated.