The Eye of Peace

It is 46 years since Cyclone Tracy hit the northern Australian city of Darwin, on that fateful Christmas Eve in 1974. I always remember that event at Christmas time because it was that storm that brought us to Australia in the first place, to work on the reconstruction of Darwin. On that night, the Christmas … Continue reading The Eye of Peace

The Stealing of Christmas

 ‘He is stolen and it is not harmless!’ _____________   I entered the large shopping complex and there He was, front, centre and large, enthroned in his palace. There He was, ‘the reason for the season’. The One who is always encouraging the children to come to him, and woe betide anyone who want to … Continue reading The Stealing of Christmas

The Thread of Pain

‘Let me sing for my beloved, A love song concerning His vineyard,                         My beloved had a vineyard, On a very fertile hill,             He dug it and cleared it of stones,                     and planted it with the choicest of vines . . . . … Continue reading The Thread of Pain

The Easter Mirage and the Missional Malaise

So Easter has passed once more. The most important time in the Christian calendar as we rehearse what has been described as the ‘greatest story ever told, about the greatest offer ever made by the greatest person who ever lived’. The media reported thousands filling Easter services supported by pictures of crowded churches, as would … Continue reading The Easter Mirage and the Missional Malaise

A Paralysis of the New

Too early for a new Year’s resolution? I suggest not! God is a God of ‘New Things’. A mining of scripture tells us so- For “behold . . . new things I now declare”, “behold I am doing a new thing”, “the new heavens and the new earth which I will make”, “I will make … Continue reading A Paralysis of the New

‘The Forgetting of Light’

This post is substantially the same as an article I wrote several years ago but I think has even more relevance now. Especially so as we draw near to Christmas when there will be a lot of ‘lights’ festooning houses, buildings, streetscapes and Christmas trees. However, increasingly, rather than symbolizing the Light of Christ “which … Continue reading ‘The Forgetting of Light’

An Army With Amnesia

“Soldiers of Christ arise and put your armour on, . . . . From strength to strength go on: Wrestle and fight and pray; Tread all the powers of darkness down And win the well fought day”                                     … Continue reading An Army With Amnesia

The Day the Atheist Asked for Prayer

‘Coffee with Spirit’ started about two years ago in a Community Centre café where there are always many people present, there for a coffee or snack, or to participate in one of the regular schedule of events in the Centre. The group meets weekly, always at the same time and day. This is so clearly … Continue reading The Day the Atheist Asked for Prayer

The Square Wheel Obsession–A Heartfelt Plea for Sanity

I don’t like re-posting previous blogs, however while this is not a repeat of the original post, despair drives me to return to the subject of one, because it is an issue that plagues our missional efforts and it is showing very little sign of going away. Indeed, it is symptomatic of the now anachronistic … Continue reading The Square Wheel Obsession–A Heartfelt Plea for Sanity