24

Everyday Ministry, Resource Talk, Sola Panel

I am one of the few who doesn’t regularly follow the worldwide hit show 24. My days are certainly not as action-packed as Jack Bauer’s. But I know that Bauer’s work isn’t as important as what I’ve been involved in over the last 24 hours of my life. Here are just the climatic scenes:
(more…)

Diary of a ministry apprentice (Part 1): January 2008

Pastoral Ministry

Guan’s story so far, in four sentences: He is currently a writer for The Briefing—since, at least, the start of this paragraph. As of the time of writing (2008), he’s 26, looks about 13 (blame the Asian genes), is married to the amazing Mary,1 and is about to start MTS at the University of New South Wales (which, in keeping with Aussie colloquialisms, is referred to here as the ‘Uni’). Prior to this, he’s worked in web design, publishing and doing the most lonely job in the universe. He wanted to start MTS before, but a long up-and-down struggle with the black dog of depression prevented him from doing so—that is, until this year.

Something Grimmo said: “On MTS, failure is success. And success is failure.” Keep this in mind: it’ll be important later.
(more…)

A spot of gardening

Resource Talk

I want to be frank with you, so I’m just going to say it. I don’t want any argument, okay? There is nothing—repeat, nothing—more boring on television or radio than shows about gardening. If you disagree with me, then I’m sorry, but you just need to be corrected.

(more…)

Where to, Lord? An interview with Mark Charleston

Pastoral Ministry

Mark Charleston trains and encourages ministers as part of his work with the Sydney Anglican Department of Ministry Training and Development. He regularly talks to ministers at turning points in their ministry. Paul Grimmond spoke to him recently about his reflections on the issues involved in choosing to move from one ministry to another.

(more…)

Laying the foundations at Church by the Bridge

Pastoral Ministry

On the 6th February 2005, a small group of 42 people from St Thomas’s North Sydney met for the first time in the little church building on the main street of Kirribilli. According to their pastor, Paul Dale, the focus was to try and be a local church in the community, living out the gospel and trying to reach people in Kirribilli with the good news of Jesus. Just over four years later, Church by the Bridge has five congregations meeting in the building and about 400 people who are part of the church. Paul Grimmond spoke recently with Paul Dale about his role as pastor of this church plant and the place of one-to-one ministry in his busy life.

(more…)

Learning to read the Bible one to one

Everyday Ministry

Russell de Vries has known Jesus all his life. He grew up having been taught the gospel by his parents, and remembers car conversations about the sermon and Bible during the trip home from church each Sunday. The Bible was an integral part of church and home life. Yet in spite of all this, the idea of regularly meeting one to one with someone to read God’s word was a totally foreign concept to Russell. (more…)

The Briefing, to go

Resource Talk, Sola Panel

Back in the mists of time, before mobile phones, before the internet, even before Michael Jackson’s Thriller, there were ‘The SOCM Papers’. (more…)