A personal theological library is a vital tool for anyone serious about serving the gospel. It is important to invest in good Christian books. But have you ever considered the importance of investing in good Christian bookshops? (more…)
Archives: life
VJ
Life
Pre-dawn-destination
Life
I woke up a bit earlier than usual the other day. Why? I don’t know. But sitting there at the kitchen bench was Isabella, my 8-year-old daughter. Despite the darkness, the fatigue and the time (5:30 a.m.), we had the most wonderful conversation. (more…)
Lies, damned lies, and … (#3)
Life
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…)
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…)
No use crying
Life, Sola Panel
I have a reputation both at home and at work for being affable—imperturbable—phlegmatic, even. However, like most people of serene disposition, there are some events guaranteed to perturb my phlegm—three-putting from ten feet, for example, or spillages at the dinner table, particularly those involving milk. (more…)
Do not judge!
Life
What do you think is the best known verse in the Bible? Without a second thought, most of us would say John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. Almost every Christian knows this verse. There are organizations named after it. In the 1980s, there was a man named Rollen Stewart (aka Rainbow Man) who donned a rainbow wig, wrote the verse on a sign and held it up at various prominent American sporting events. (more…)
Worldly passions, holy affections: How to cultivate a discerning mind
Life
In Briefing #366’s first feature article “Do not judge”, Stephen Liggins points out that while judging others is condemned in the Bible, discernment is encouraged. But how do we go about gaining it, and how can we encourage our fellow Christians to grow in it too? With a little help from Jonathan Edwards, Archie Poulos investigates. (more…)
Fiery and sharp images of hell
Life
The Bible is full of horrifying and lurid images of what divine judgement will be like. So Psalm 21, for example, begins innocuously enough. If, like me, you are a Psalm skimmer-overer, you will have skimmed this one many times without noticing it properly, lying as it does in the rainshadow of the majestic Psalm 22 and the world-famous Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my Shepherd”). The Psalmist writes:
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The comfort of fear
Life, Sola Panel
I find myself drawn back to 1 Corinthians 4 like a moth to flame. I’m like a small child watching the scary parts of the movie from behind his mother’s skirts, afraid to look, but unable to look away. (more…)
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…)
Responding to the fires
Life, Sola Panel
Every morning I wake up and it’s okay—until, with a dull thud, it comes back to me: image after image of people who died in the fires; rows of army tents with homeless people staying in them; entire communities that have been wiped out; my friend whose parents lost their house; a family known to me who died in their car in their driveway; a 12-year-old girl, badly burned, whose parents and sister died. (more…)
Love and the cost of change
Life
There’s a saying in corporate life that goes “change will only happen if the perceived benefit is greater than the perceived cost”. Like most sayings, it makes sense; you’ll only do something new if you think the effort is worth it. (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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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…)