John Stevens
National Director
John Stevens is the FIEC National Director, a role he has held since September 2010. Alongside his FIEC responsibilities, he is one of the pastors of Christchurch Harborough and a member of the Affinity Council.
John teaches on courses at Oak Hill Theological College, Edinburgh Theological Seminary, Union School of Theology and the Cornhill Training Course. He is the editor of Independent Church: Bible-Shaped and Gospel-Driven and the author of How Can I Be Sure?: And Other Questions About Doubt, Assurance and the Bible.
Born and raised in Birmingham, John studied Law at Cambridge University where he became a Christian in his final year. He then taught Law for sixteen years and served as the Deputy Head of the Law Faculty at the University of Birmingham.
John is married to Ursula and they have four children. He writes regularly for his blog Dissenting Opinion at john-stevens.com.
Author Content
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Conversion Therapy Ban, Opposing War, and Public Image
Conversion Therapy Ban, Opposing War, and Public Image
Phil Topham , Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
What can church leaders learn from the confusion over the conversion therapy ban, and how can they pastor people who are being impacted?
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Zelensky's Leadership, Rising Living Costs, and Gender Identity
Zelensky's Leadership, Rising Living Costs, and Gender Identity
Phil Topham , Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
How has President Zelensky shown good leadership? How can we lead our churches through rising living costs and in response to gender identity issues?
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Praying for Ukraine, Leadership at Boeing, and John Bercow
Praying for Ukraine, Leadership at Boeing, and John Bercow
Phil Topham , Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
How have churches responded to the war in Ukraine? What can we learn from the leadership culture at Boeing and John Bercow's time in Parliament?
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Preventing Abuse in Local Church Leadership
Preventing Abuse in Local Church Leadership
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
What sorts of issues should church leaderships be thinking about to guard against false shepherds? How should they plan to protect the flock?
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Russian Invasion, the Post-Covid World, and Curling Gold
Russian Invasion, the Post-Covid World, and Curling Gold
Phil Topham , Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
How should churches respond to the invasion of and conflict in Ukraine? What should we bear in mind now that Covid restrictions have all been relaxed?
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Boris Johnson's Leadership, Jimmy Carr's Comedy, and the Winter Olympics
Boris Johnson's Leadership, Jimmy Carr's Comedy, and the Winter Olympics
John Stevens , Phil Topham
What should we make of the leadership in Number 10? Is there a right to freedom of speech in all circumstances? What can we learn from curling?
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Does Independency Enable Abuse?
Does Independency Enable Abuse?
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
Does Independency have a weakness when it comes to dealing with abuse? Does it allow abusers to thrive through a lack of external accountability?
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Is Complementarianism Abusive?
Is Complementarianism Abusive?
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
What is complementarianism? Is it inherently abusive?
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The Answer to the Loneliness Epidemic
The Answer to the Loneliness Epidemic
John Stevens
The birth of Jesus is a foretaste and anticipation of God’s dwelling with his people. God is with us: then, now, and forever.
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The Glorious Normal
John Stevens
We may need to contextualise the gospel but the heart of the message does not change. John Stevens preaches from 2 Timothy 3 and 4.
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Christianity and the Church in 2021 Britain
Christianity and the Church in 2021 Britain
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
How has the church fared in 2021 as the United Kingdom moves out of lockdown? What is the church's state of play going into 2022?
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Caring for Victims in the Local Church
Caring for Victims in the Local Church
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
How do we listen to and care for victims of abuse, especially from within the local church?
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When Use of Power Becomes Abuse of Power
When Use of Power Becomes Abuse of Power
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
Are evangelical churches like ours particularly prone to abusive leaders? What are some of the warning signs that abuse may be happening?
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Care, Power, and Abuse in the Local Church
Care, Power, and Abuse in the Local Church
Adrian Reynolds , John Stevens
What do we mean when we talk about spiritual abuse? It is a useful term or unhelpful?
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Lifting Your Horizons with FIEC
Lifting Your Horizons with FIEC
Adrian Reynolds , Phil Topham , John Stevens
Why should a church join FIEC? What even is FIEC? How can a church "lift its horizons" by affiliation?
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What Exactly is Independency?
What Exactly is Independency?
Adrian Reynolds , Phil Topham , John Stevens
What is Independent church ministry? Is it biblical? What does it look like in practice?
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Conversion Therapy: A Biblical Response
Conversion Therapy: A Biblical Response
John Stevens
Though there are many "conversion therapy" practices Christians should reject as abhorrent, a ban poses a real threat to ordinary gospel ministry.
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What is Independent Church Ministry?
What is Independent Church Ministry?
John Stevens
What does it mean to be an Independent church, who should be involved in such ministry, and what are the advantages and dangers of Independency?
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Assurance, Hope, and Boasting at Easter
Assurance, Hope, and Boasting at Easter
John Stevens
A message of encouragement for FIEC churches and church leaders this Easter.
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Affirming Women in Ministry
Affirming Women in Ministry
John Stevens
How should complementarian churches enable gifted women to serve in ministry?
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Welcome to the Family (February 2021)
John Stevens
Five churches and five church plants have joined FIEC as independent churches working together to reach Britain for Christ.
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Responding to the Ethics of the Covid Vaccine
Responding to the Ethics of the Covid Vaccine
John Stevens
As church leaders we want to encourage people to consider the Covid vaccine on the basis of truth and to have a robust theology of God’s common grace.
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When We Disagree with Lockdown
When We Disagree with Lockdown
John Stevens
In answer to a question about the closure of churches due to the coronavirus pandemic, how should we respond when we disagree about lockdown?
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More Than a Return to Normal
More Than a Return to Normal
John Stevens
Christmas 2020 will be far from normal. Yet the message of Christmas promises not a return to normality, but a glory that is to come.
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