Published on: 28/04/2026
“18,000 steps!” My dad half-grinned as we made our way up Fargate, which in the space of a couple of days had become a familiar route for me. He’s one of those people who counts these things and studies them, and as much as they interest him, I’ve never paid much attention!
It was only half a grin because we were both still feeling the burn: the grooves which bags had cut into our hands, the groaning weariness that endless boxes and disassembled furniture had inflicted on the bases of our spines. I half-grinned back, “And we’re not even done yet.”
I’ve gotten into the habit of moving to new places where I don’t know anyone or anything. What I like about a blank slate is the sense of opportunity, the chance to apply the things that I’ve learned somewhere new. The less enjoyable part is carrying everything I own up to the fifth floor in the centre of Sheffield, with the constant, nagging question of whether we were, in fact, allowed to park the rented van there.
This move is an exciting one, as it brings me on board with the Diocese of Sheffield’s Resourcing Mission and Ministry team. I’ll be playing my part in helping local Christian leaders, in the many forms they take under the Church of England umbrella, to glorify God in the ways and work that He’s calling them to do so. I’ll be working alongside Hannah Sandoval on Lights for Christ.
Thinking back to my dad’s 18,000 steps, I realise how big a number that is and how easy it was to get to that number without thinking too much about it. Each step is a decision; we choose where to put our feet, to keep on the track we’re on or to head in a new direction. How many steps do you make in a day? How many decisions do you make? What a mighty miracle and generous gift our autonomy is! I always enjoy films like Run Lola Run or songs like Joshua Idehen’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, which explore the big impact of our small choices.
Jesus and his disciples were walking people; following Jesus as his disciples today is a walking matter. So many paragraphs of the Gospel narratives begin by saying that Jesus went somewhere, crossing a lake or travelling to a town. Each of the thousands of steps that the disciples’ dusty feet took on the dusty paths of Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem was a decision. They chose to follow the way of Jesus, to go where he led them. With each of the thousands of steps taken by Simon, Matthew, John, and the rest throughout Jesus’ three-year preaching and ministry journey, they chose to follow him…
…until, of course, when it seemed like the path came to an end. The crucifixion narrative is fresh in the mind right now as we leave the Easter season, and in the Synoptic Gospels Jesus is alone throughout that narrative. Peter followed at a distance before denying Christ; the rest of the disciples ran off in other directions, choosing to follow their feet and their fears elsewhere. But in Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were reconciled and in step with him once more, commissioned to continue doing as their Lord had done.
When we in the Church talk about decisions, we often refer to conversion, the day, or event, or process in which we chose to start following Jesus. We talk about the baptism, the first step, when Jesus called us from our fishing boat and our tax-collection booth, or our addictions and our insecurities, and into his divine kingdom. It’s good to do this, as it glorifies our Saviour! But every single step, every single decision, carries a similar significance. Discipleship, then, is about being mindful of your steps, making decisions which lead you after and alongside Jesus Christ. In working with the Diocese on Lights for Christ, I hope to help people think about the steps they take and where their journey as a follower of Jesus is taking them.
This week’s blog post has been written by Joe Goodchild, Assistant Lights for Christ Enabler