Cultural Stories
Each person has a context in which they live and contribute to the world. This context is like the water a fish swims in. ‘Culture’ is a notoriously difficult ‘thing’ to define, particularly because it is a term which has so many facets to it—such that debates have raged over the very meaning of “culture”. […]
Scoundrels of the Old Testament
We just finished the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, and there the apostle makes a couple of really important points about the Bible, and in his context, specifically the Old Testament. Like it is ‘the word of truth’ (2 Tim 2:15); “…the Holy Scriptures, … are able to make you wise for salvation through […]
Passing on the Gospel
When things are difficult for you and the end seems near what do you do? The apostle Paul wrote a beautiful letter of encouragement, exhortation and affection to his son in the faith of Jesus–Timothy. As difficult as things are for Paul, his mind remains focused on the spread of the gospel. It’s often easy […]
Arguing with Jesus
Ever feel like you are stuck in the same old arguments? It’s not uncommon… And many of the things we argue (or lets say: ‘discuss’!) about are the same as generations before. There isn’t much new under the sun! Jesus too, was a participant in many of the arguments as well… so what can we […]
Formation by Resurrection
Life after death… the resurrection is what we celebrate and, Jesus’ experience of this, makes Easter Sunday one of the holiest day of the Christian year. But resurrection, sounds like it’s not practical until after death right, what good is it for now? Like a book that sits on the shelf at home, never being […]
Lamentations
Lent is the time when we especially reflect on the Cross of Christ. It’s a period of preparation for the Easter week, where Jesus enters Jerusalem to much fan-fair, and then is killed on Friday, and then dramatically returns from the dead!! As we particularly consider the Jesus’ shameful death, that day would have raised […]
From Shame to Salvation
Ever done some of your family history and found a skeleton in the closet? An event or person that isn’t talked about much because of something shameful? I’ve got them too, and so does Jesus! In the lead up to Christmas we are going to focus on the five women that are highlighted in Matthew’s […]
Targeting Maturity
Sometime ago I came across a very troubling large survey of churchgoers and church leaders that showed 81% of self-identified Christians equated spiritual maturity as “trying hard to follow the rules described in the Bible”. This, four out of five(!) stat, is particularly troubling because it comes from people who acknowledge that salvation is not […]
Character of Jesus
It can seem in our Western culture there is an obsession with self-identity, so we can be often prompted to think allot about “Who am I?”. Yet the Christian faith is centrally about the “who” of another, someone other than ourselves: Jesus! So who is he? What defines him? What bible verses would you go […]
Towards Easter …
It’s almost Lent… which starts on Ash Wednesday, Feb 22nd this year. Lent is the season of preparation for Easter and during which, the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, repentance, giving, simple living and self-denial are typically emphasised. The purpose is to prepare ourselves for the horror and jubilation of Easter: Jesus’ death and resurrection. […]
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