After posting twice recently about the nature of ‘facts’ and ethical argument (see #1 and #2) and in particular about the difficulty in moving from ‘is’ to ‘ought’, I noticed an article in Friday’s paper that underlines the importance of these issues again. ‘Straight and narrow’ by Katrina Fox is about an openly and proudly gay woman attending a Christian conference on dealing with sexual sin. In particular, she talks about a workshop she attended on dealing with homosexuality. (more…)
Archives: paul-grimmond
Eating and drinking to the glory of God
Life
The weekend before last I had the great privilege of spending a weekend away with a group of students from Cumberland College thinking about God’s mission for the world and looking at 1Corinthians 8-10. (I also spent the weekend with possibly the largest mosquito population that I have ever seen, but that’s a story for another time). Preaching through those chapters from Corinthians has left me breathless and challenged once again by the example of Jesus and his apostle. (more…)
When life’s Donne
Up front
These famous words reflect life in another time. Death was announced to all by the clanging of the local church bell. Without knowing who had died, you were reminded that you belonged to the race of Adam—the inheritors of death. (more…)
What is a leader? (Factotum #7)
Pastoral Ministry
First published some 14 years ago, this article reminds me that there are some things that never change. What makes a good leader? Hopefully this will get you thinking.
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Lies, damned lies, and … (#2)
Thought
At the end of my previous piece about empiricism and ethics, I suggested that there were a number of implications that needed to be drawn out—the most important of which, for my money, involving the way we present the truth of the gospel (both inside and outside of Christian circles). (more…)
Lies, damned lies, and … (#1)
Thought
Okay, so I wanted to write about statistics, and I’m hopelessly unoriginal (I’m sure some people will be able to suggest a better title). This is one of those posts that started out as a rant inspired by one of my pet peeves, but hopefully it ends with some helpful reflections. We shall see!
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Appreciating access
Life
Last year Cathy and I had the opportunity to go and see Australian Idol filmed live. (To tell you the truth, I’m not into the whole thing, but she is.) But whether you’re into it or not, I have to admit that it was kind of fun. We didn’t just go as part of the crowd, but as VIPs. We have a friend who works for one of the corporate sponsors of the series, and she got us the tickets. When we arrived, there were two lines to gain access to the studio—the long line for the plebs and the short line for the corporate sponsors. So while hundreds of people stood lined up behind the barricades, we ambled leisurely along the red carpet and were ushered straight to our seats while everyone else was kept standing outside. It’s funny how the human heart works: we weren’t special—there was no particular reason for us to be there, except we had a friend; but I could really get used to being treated like that. It’s fun to feel important. (more…)
The power of example
Life
My old mentor and colleague Col Marshall, who was instrumental in forming the Ministry Training Strategy, taught me more about the importance of personal ministry than anyone I know. He sent me this little piece recently about the way Puritan minister Richard Baxter trained people in ministering the gospel of Jesus. It was a great reminder of the importance of the gospel and the significance of sharing your life. I hope it will encourage you to keep reflecting on the power of personal example. Who are you sharing your life with in order to encourage them on in their faith?
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Training for frustration
January has been a somewhat hilarious month in the Grimmond household, although I use the word ‘hilarious’ loosely. It was one of those bizarre chains of events.
Change and the Spirit of the living God
In light of the conversation I’ve been having with Jean and others about a previous post, and also in light of thinking a little recently about change (sparked, in particular, by reviewing a course dealing with porn addiction, and also by reading Tim Chester’s You can change), I feel a strong desire to write again about defensiveness and the work of the Holy Spirit.
How do you unmask depravity?
We recently tackled the important but somewhat unfashionable doctrine of total depravity in The Briefing, and, in response, received a letter asking about the place of preaching the law with regards to revealing sin. Let me post the letter in full and then open up the discussion:
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The best defence is a good offence
You’re sitting in church feeling a little more nervous than normal. If you had known that the sermon was going to be about that, you might have decided to stay in bed this morning. But there it is, front and centre on the service outline. What should you do? Thinking at a speed that would normally startle you, you hit upon the perfect strategy: talk to others about ‘it’ before they talk to you. If you start the conversation and talk about how you struggle with ‘it’ before they raise the topic, you’re home free! People will think you’re godly and open, and you’ll be able to walk away feeling good about yourself without having to change a thing. The best defence is a good offence.
Who are you listening to?
Welcome back to The Sola Panel for 2009. As Australia slowly begins to wake up from its self-induced summer coma, The Sola Panel are trying desperately to restore their IQs and start writing again. (more…)
The gospel and the quiet time
Life
Many years ago now I heard a sermon on Matthew 6—the section where Jesus tells his disciples to pray behind locked doors to ensure that they pray to God and not to men. It was, in many ways, an unremarkable sermon. It was clear, faithful and challenging, like much of the preaching that, in God’s kindness, I get to hear. But, like most sermons, it was destined for the dustbin of my mind. Except for one thing: it was the first time I had ever heard a preacher ask, “Have your deeds of righteousness become so secret that not even God can see them?” The question stopped me in my tracks. (more…)
Merry Christmas from the Sola Panel
For those overseas, it may seem a bit strange, but, in Australia, Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year. It’s traditionally a time when people take time off work and celebrate. (For our US readers, think something like Thanksgiving.) Sadly, the celebrations often have little to do with the birth of our Saviour; please pray for our nation.