As we enter the fading Twilight of 2017, all indicators are that the gospel influence on Australian society similarly fades as a rising tide of godless darkness consumes the erstwhile Christianized landscape. The metrics of this tide are well documented: the now well entrenched missional failure and the consequential decades-long chronic trend of decline in … Continue reading A New Babylonian Captivity
It was after dinner on a Hong Kong evening many years ago now, just before Christmas. I was sitting on the balcony of our apartment in the Mid-Levels of the main island, and looking down over the central business district of Hong Kong below me, known as Central, with the harbour beyond and further beyond … Continue reading The Atheist and the Sledgehammer
I do quite a lot of driving, both in Australia and overseas. Often the journey is to places where I have never been before, and so I am unfamiliar with the route, the types of roads I will be travelling on or what traffic conditions, accidents or roadwork delays I might face. So on these … Continue reading Real Time Guidance on Mission Highway
Regrettably, despite several decades of increased missional endeavour the result has been continuing decline in the numbers of those being won for Christ in Australian society, with a consequent decline in the standard church. It is evident that we urgently need to develop 'Another way' of doing church and mission for the sake of the … Continue reading Unbounded Church Gathering
Small, pale not best fed of face, long, plain, cheap blue dress. 'The Violinist of Vigo' stood playing in the shopping mall. Such sublime talent, exquisite, heart melting music. Open violin case at foot, inviting coin, few were thrown. Why? What story did she have to tell? Why was one so gifted reduced to this? … Continue reading The Violinist of Vigo
While certainly being no expert I’ve always been interested in astronomy and the awesome panoply of the star-spattered night sky. With this interest has come some knowledge of the constellations one of which I always look for is the Hunter, Orion. One of the stars comprising Orion, Betelgeuse, is in the class of stars called … Continue reading Red Giants Fading
One of the constant problems I have is trying to explain that the ’Unbounded Church’ is a ‘Concept’ not a model. To really grasp this means understanding that the principles for Christian Community found in the New Testament can be expressed in a multitude of different ways. This means that a wide variety of designer Missional Communities … Continue reading A Beautiful Spectrum
There is a well-known saying that ‘Small is beautiful’. This is certainly true in the context of mission to our 21st century society retreating as it is at an increasing rate from its Christian heritage. The process of de-Christianization, the evacuation of the gospel from the fabric of culture is clearly indicated in the recent … Continue reading Small Is Beautiful
We had rain the other day, real rain, weighty drops falling as tears from heaven. In the rain a picture of God weeping formed. For surely He must be, weeping that is over this not sun-baked but sin-baked, spiritually dried out land, this erstwhile gospel-shaped country that has been given all the promises of God … Continue reading God Is Weeping
It is not uncommon to be told about a particular church which is very ‘successful’. The story usually contains accounts of growing attendances, thriving youth groups, new families etc, and also sometimes a charismatic leader. Such churches often then become the ‘model’ we are all to copy. Where such a story is true we should … Continue reading True ‘Success’ Can Be Replicated
