Missional Mathematics and the Pagan Challenge

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

For a quarter of a century at least, survey after survey, data release after data release, census after census, have shouted out the developing crisis in terms of the Church’s dismal missional effectiveness. Yet with a deafness (deliberate or otherwise) to the few voices calling out the nakedness of the missional Emperor, and a blindness to the reality of an ever-rotating kaleidoscope of cultural tribes undergoing tectonic change, we have continued along the same now decades-long road, strewn with ‘Square Wheel’ missional failures.

Isn’t There More to Being a Christian Than This?

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

Even in the face of the well-documented chronic, decades long, serious decline of Christianity in Australia (the West) the experience has been that only a miniscule number of church members will take up opportunities for 'coal face'. local mission.

The Future Lies in Going Back to It!

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

Although not all, the vast majority of western Christians today have the cemented-in mindset that ‘church’ is largely what happens in certain, mostly bespoke, buildings, generally on Sundays. Further, the main Christian activity of most (when measured by time) is something called ‘going to church’, again generally on Sunday. This is because centuries of living … Continue reading The Future Lies in Going Back to It!

‘I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel’ – Or Am I?

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

The phenomenon of the ‘Embarrassed-Christian’ syndrome, is in line with recent congregational surveys that show that when asked to select from a list of 14 priorities that they thought their congregation should invest in, ’starting a new missional venture’ came in a dismal 13th, or 2 percent of those surveyed.

The Amputated Soul

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

For two hundred years we had sawed and sawed and sawed at the branch we were sitting on. And in the end, much more suddenly than anyone had foreseen, our efforts were rewarded, and down we came. But unfortunately, there had been a little mistake: The thing at the bottom was not a bed of roses after all; it was a cesspool full of barbed wire . . .It appears that an amputation of the soul isn’t just a simple surgical job, like having your appendix out. The wound has a tendency to go septic.’

Mission – Playing the Long Game

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

So how do we think about mission to our local community? Are we still we relying on ‘invitation to special church services’; one off ‘event evangelism’ activities (e.g., men’s breakfasts, women’s dinners etc); infrequent local doorknocking; strategies that have been very low fruit for a long time? Or is it time to establish ‘long game’ strategies,

Gospel Ripples

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

Most of us at times have had a bit of fun throwing a stone into a pond and seeing the ripples spreading outwards. It has often seemed to me that this, what we might call the ‘Ripple Effect’, is a very good analogy for Jesus’ instruction to his followers in Acts 1:8 where he says- … Continue reading Gospel Ripples

Outside the Walls

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

How have you acted as a Kingdom Agent since we last met? That is engaged in conversations or actions, whether great or small, that might point somebody to God.

The Tearing and the Death of God

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

The life of Jesus, the most pivotal figure in the history of Western culture, is virtually forgotten today, as is the meaning of Easter. One of the many consequences of this new ignorance is an uncoupling of morality from its traditional moorings ‘

Time to Give Away Hot Fish Buns Again!

Posted on by Dr. Martin J. Bragger

Many Christians find it difficult to get into a conversation about their faith with a non-believer. One way that is almost certain to start a conversation at Easter time is to give them a packet of what I call 'Hot Fish Buns'. The general loss of the Christian story in society and the fact that … Continue reading Time to Give Away Hot Fish Buns Again!