She was blessed- Good home, parents loved her, provided for all her needs. A good school doing well, headed for uni for sure, life looked set. Then Oh fateful day! A party, A ‘cool’ guy, A relationship, first of a long line of very bad choices. Oh choices. What they do to us! He was … Continue reading Choices
The More the Lights the More Darkness Deepens
While driving through the suburbs of our cities in the weeks leading up to Christmas one cannot but help notice the relatively recent but increasing phenomenon of the decorating of houses with lights. These are often highly ornate, creative (and expensive) displays, such that they become tourist attractions creating traffic jams in narrow suburban streets … Continue reading The More the Lights the More Darkness Deepens
A True Post Modernist
Intriguing statement by the the leader of the Australian opposition Bill Shorten in his speech to the Australian Christian Lobby today. He claimed to believe in God and marriage equality. A weird paradox really for while Mr Shorten believes in 'marriage equality (i.e same sex marriage) the God he claims to believe in doesn't! Now … Continue reading A True Post Modernist
When Church Gets in the Way of the Kingdom
It comes as a great shock to many church members that Jesus rarely used the word ‘Church’, basically only twice. Once when referring to the ‘Rock’ (himself) on which he would build the spiritual eternal community of those who become disciples (Matt. 16:18). A second time when giving guidelines on how to deal with discipline … Continue reading When Church Gets in the Way of the Kingdom
Maturity is Not About Knowledge but About Obedience
Evangelicals have an emphasis on learning the bible, and quite rightly so. However, this can also be accompanied by an amnesia as to why we should learn the bible-which is to do it! Great bible learning, sermon listening and Christian conference attending is not a measure of spiritual maturity, That is measured by obedience to … Continue reading Maturity is Not About Knowledge but About Obedience
Could It Be That Jesus Got It Wrong?
Occasionally the attitudes of some churchgoing people can seem to imply that maybe Jesus got a few things wrong. What you might say? Well, you know all the stuff we associate with ‘doing church’ properly. For example it is noted that Jesus didn’t start or belong to any ‘church’, or denomination, build a ‘proper’ church … Continue reading Could It Be That Jesus Got It Wrong?
Our Box Our Coffin
God will not be put in a box constructed by us and if we insist on doing so that box will become the coffin of the church. Jesus, showed a great flexibility as to where He went, and with whom He met. This often made Him very unpopular with the ‘religious’ people, maybe that is … Continue reading Our Box Our Coffin
God Moments
"God moments" are those instances in life when we have a sudden but real awareness of God's presence, that God is communicating with us in a specific way. Maybe through a new illumination in scripture speaking to a current issue in life. Or perhaps a sense of conviction about an action God is calling us … Continue reading God Moments
Unbounded Church and the Prior Question
The Unbounded Church and the Prior Question The proceedings of a church conference I recently attended were often ponderously slow, however one benefit the ponderous intervals did provide were spaces for reflection. In one such ‘space’, in the midst of debates regarding the various structural changes being made to governance, funding proposals, and a paper … Continue reading Unbounded Church and the Prior Question
