Summer’s sun beats down, January days slip by, schools’ return looms near and down in the forest of parish-land there is the faint rustling of ministers stirring from their summer slumbers. First musings on sermon series seep into the consciousness, music leaders are planning their selections, Sunday school programs call for attention. A seemingly endless … Continue reading Planning to Fail In An Uberized Netflix World
The Eye of the Storm
It is 41 years since Cyclone Tracy hit the northern Australian city of Darwin, on that momentous Christmas Eve in 1974. The Christmas festivities were well underway as that massive hurricane moved over the Arafura Sea and then in the darkness made its final and unnoticed turn, and with 300 kph winds churned its way … Continue reading The Eye of the Storm
The Fear
“God is our refuge and strength” I still remember ‘the Fear’, the knot in the stomach that came with the drone of Vulcan bombers flying over the school yard, bombers that we knew were loaded with primed nuclear bombs just waiting for the order. It didn’t matter from whom it would come, American J F … Continue reading The Fear
The 5th Dimension-How the West Was Lost
The 5th Dimension-How the West Was Lost The second half of the biblical Book of Daniel (of Lions’ Den fame) paints an apocalyptic view of middle-eastern history through the period of the successive Persian, Greek and Roman empires. This, what might be called ‘the series of the collapse of the empires’ (Chapters 7-12), should be … Continue reading The 5th Dimension-How the West Was Lost
What’s Not in the Bible
Now and again one hears people quoting things that are allegedly in the Bible but are actually not and which they allow to shape their attitude to life. Perhaps the most notorious ‘not in the Bible’ alleged quote is “God helps those who help themselves”. In actual fact what the Bible teaches is the very … Continue reading What’s Not in the Bible
‘Cogito, Ergo Sum’ – Or Maybe I Am Not?
‘Cogito, Ergo Sum’ – But Maybe I Am Not? “Cogito, Ergo Sum”. “I think therefore I am”, is a famous and profound statement made by the 17th Century French philosopher Rene Descartes. His point was that the evidence that he really exists is the fact that he can actually think about his existence! This is … Continue reading ‘Cogito, Ergo Sum’ – Or Maybe I Am Not?
Cross-Less ‘Christians’
"The only man who has the right to say he is justified by Grace alone, is the man who has left all to follow Christ” Dietrich Bonhoeffer It would be an unusual person who has never asked in some way or other the question ‘Why am I here?’ The answer to that question is however central … Continue reading Cross-Less ‘Christians’
When It Hurts There is God
One of God's great promises in the Bible is that of a life to come, a life of perfection, joy, peace, no pain, no death, no suffering or bereavement. This promise is one that Christians particularly at certain times need to hang on to, because our current life of course is not always like that. The reality … Continue reading When It Hurts There is God
Trees
Among the many pieces of sheet music in the collection handed down for generations in my family is a song called “Trees”. It is a song I’ve rarely heard anyone play or sing, nor do I know if it has ever been recorded but I do know it contains some beautiful lines— “I think that … Continue reading Trees
Where is the Salt?
We are often told that we have too much salt in our diet, that it is bad for our health, leading to increased rates of high blood pressure, strokes etc. However, while this may be true in the terms of our physical health it can equally be argued that, rather than too much, our society … Continue reading Where is the Salt?
