Mars Hill Global
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Interview with AB
Sandy interviews Andrew Barry. I don't want to embarrass him, but he is a great guy. The folk at Jannali are very blessed.
Faithfulness and Flexibility in Gospel Proclamation
This sermon from Don Carson looks interesting. It's certainly a hot topic at the moment.
The Shadow of Giants
Rach suggested that some of our leaders are being treated as "yesterday's men". It's not a nice label. I think we are all called to live in the now rather than the past or the future. And there are different seasons of life - one day you are doing this thing, the next day you find yourself doing something else. That is just how life works.
But there is no denying that we are approaching a time of leadership transition in our diocese. Anglican law requires a number of our senior clerics to formally retire in the next 3-5 years. Rach rightly asks - where is next generation of inspirational leaders? Who is putting their hand up? It's a hard business. One friend called GenX in the diocese (my generation) the "Prince Charles Generation" - always in waiting. They have been living in the shadow of giants and are about to emerge. Interesting times ahead...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Mars Hill Church, Sydney
There's been some buzz in the blogosphere lately about Mars Hill Church's plans to expand to 100 campuses, all over the world. Each campus would have a local pastor, but most of the teaching would be delivered by Driscoll via a video screen. I'm certain that Sydney is one of the cities Mars Hill have in mind.
Like most commentators, I feel a bit uneasy about this scheme. It does feel a bit ego centric. On the other hand, I am very curious to see how Mars Hill go about local mission in Sydney. If they have some success, we may have something to learn from them. If they just sit there and soak up transfer growth and don't convert anyone, well the whole thing will be a waste of time.
Are you Elijah? Nup
Was reading John 1 this morning and came across a passage that always puzzled me. The Pharisees asked John the Baptist if he was Elijah, he says no. But in the Synoptics Jesus says that John was Elijah. Seems to me that either John was lying, or he didn't know. Other alternatives?
All I Ever Wanted - Kelly Clarkson
My latest review for SydAng. It was a fun piece to write, I must admit.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sydney Anglicans - Popular Articles
The SA site has a list of their most popular articles/downloads since the new site went live. My article on hell made the top 10.
Gospel Tongue Tie
Nice piece from Jean. Will be interested in the seeing the comments. Don't know when they'll be let through though. I hate comment moderation.
Themelios
Themelios is an international evangelical theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. It was formerly a print journal operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008.
More here
Monday, April 27, 2009
Eyebrow Pierced
No, not mine - J's. He asked me on the weekend if he could get it done. I'm pretty casual about that sort of thing, it just doesn't seem a big deal to me.
Moore College confronts massive challenges
John Woodhouse comments on these. It's encouraging to see such an honest analysis. It will be exciting to see how the college rises to meet these challenges.
Update: What changes should Moore college make? There are plenty of past and present students reading this blog, and a handful of lecturers as well. I'm sure you all have some strong opinions on the subject. Go anonymous if you wish...
More SolaPanel
The SolaPanel have added a read more link and also published a few shorter articles. Kudos to them for soliciting feedback and then putting it into action.
The Real Cause of the GFC
Outside proponents of big and interfering government and whatever else social democracy could be held to stand for, it is widely accepted that the real cause of the present world economic crisis was due to an excess of American government interference with the normal workings of the marketplace rather than the reverse.
The clearest and most complete exposition on this subject I have encountered thus far is provided by Claudio Veliz and graces the April edition of Quadrant. This article should be made available to every household in Australia so that a gross distortion of history is prevented from forming.
I cannot aspire to paraphrase such an elegant writer as Veliz but what his basic thesis does more than suggest is that the true genesis of the present crisis is the powerful pressures placed by successive American governments on financial institutions to provide housing loans to the sort of people least able to service or repay them. Banks unwilling to succumb to such sanctimonious pressures were then subjected to damaging sanctions in the event of non-compliance.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Johnson's Sunday
Had a busy Sunday? Here is an extract from a letter Johnson wrote to the governor, explaining why he did not walk back to Sydney after performing his duties at Parramatta one Sunday -
Having heard, since I came up to Parramatta, that a number of the Irish convicts are now in the woods & that there have been seen in different places, besides the danger of meeting with the natives, I have judged it unsafe to come down alone & on foot. Having also last Sunday to walk up to Toongabbe, & from there to Prospect Hill, having duty to do at both the above places, & then having to continue home to Parramatta, where I had to perform divine service in the afternoon and having yesterday to go to the Ponds to perform divine service amongst the settlers (w'ch I have lately engaged & promised to do from time to time owing to the situation & the impossibility of my being amongst them on the Sunday) owing to these exertions, together with the heat of the weather (I have been unwell & had but little rest through the night) and lastly, as I had engaged & promised to call this morning at the eastern farms on my way to Sydney to baptize a child, on all this account I have seen it necessary & judged it proper to alter my purpose & to take the liberty of requesting that you will have the goodness to send up, or otherwise to order & provide a Boat for me as soon as conveniant.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
1788
Finished David Hill's 1788. It's as good a summary of the First Fleet and early colony as I've read. Not as well written as Keneally's Commonwealth of Thieves, but a little broader in it's scope, and including many more quotations of the primary sources. Check it out. I've just started reading Watkin Tench's journals - they are superb...
Thou shalt not covet
The grumpy bishop quotes PJ Rourke. How true it is. The whole idea behind the liberal redistribution of wealth is based on coveting. It almost embodies it as a political virtue. "Your neighbour has x? Well, he's no better than you. You deserve x as well." We are a nation of coveters. Greed is epidemic.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Straight bats and church growth
We were talking below about the decline of evangelicalism in Australia, and wondering if there were any lessons we could learn from the expansion of pentecostalism. Haysey made the following comment, which I thought was worth reprinting -
But I don't know that it's necessarily for entirely pragmatic reasons that more charismatic churches have had more success recently.
Could there be spiritual reasons too?
A question I struggle with is why would God bless churches with dodgy theology - surely we'd expect those with better theology to show more fruit... right?
I listened to these 2 excellent sermons (Part 1), in which Piper quotes an English person who says (my paraphrase) 'A person will hit truer with a straight bat than with a crooked bat. But an excellent batsman will hit better with a crooked bat than will a poor batsman with a straight bat.'
Which means that yes, dodgy theology is a crooked bat... but at least they're out there using it! And God can use a crooked bat to hit straight... while if the people with the straight bat are stale, disobedient, nit-picking, and quenching the spirit rather than out trying to live their theology and win converts... then the straight bat is unused.
The challenge, then, is to straighten the bats of Pentecostals (without killing their zeal) and get the cold calvinists to use their bats (without making them crooked).
So I'd say there probably are spiritual reasons behind the tremendous success of charismatic churches... and if so we should pay attention!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Rethinking Refugees
Karin Sowada's piece on SA got me thinking about refugees. Like many people, I used to feel quite hostile toward refugees. But I was challenged in my thinking by the Scripture, especially the OT where God continually voices his concern for the "alien and stranger" in the land. God has a particular care for refugees, and as Christians, we should too.
Australia is a wealthy country and hence we should be generous to refugees. For this reason I support the changes the government has recently made to refugee handling. But we can't be naive about that either. It is plain that this more generous approach has led to an increase in people smuggling. There are a couple of problems with people smuggling. For a start it is very dangerous, as we saw last week.
Perhaps more importantly, it favours the wealthy and strong over the poor and weak. Only those refugees with significant resources can afford to be smuggled. Since Australia has a finite capacity to handle refugees, it means that those refugees with means will get priority. From the point of view of our national interest, this is probably a good thing - it means that we get the most wealthy, capable and resourceful refugees. But that also means that some of the neediest will miss out.
I don't see an easy way out of this dilemna. Regardless, we need to pray for and support those very unfortunate people who are seeking refuge in a foreign land...
Look, I know the debate is over...
...but Ian Plimer just released a new book called Heaven and Earth: Global Warming the Missing Science.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Baptists are shrinking
Murray discusses a report about Baptist attendance in Australia. It is not good news. Overall, evangelical Christianity seems to be going backwards. There are a few bright exceptions, but the trend is downward. We need to change. We need to honour the past, but we need to make changes. Otherwise there will be no one left to honour those who have gone before us.
Reading the Bible with your ears open
Good piece by Peter Bolt. Most profound line was this - "Bible reading takes place in a Bible-reading community". Some evangelicals are terribly naive about the assumptions they bring to the text.
New Church Plant
AB's church is planting a new church - a Saturday night congregation in Jannali. Good job guys - I pray that God will bless it tremendously.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
St Marks, Pennant Hills
Craig Schafer has got this gig these days. He is a good guy who I've corresponded with occasionally, please pray for his ministry. Check out the new church website. It is a great example of how a church with minimal resources can use a blog to create a really functional website.
Hillsong Takeovers?
Interesting article about Hillsong taking over a church in Brisbane. They seem to be doing more and more locations these days. They started a church in Campbelltown a few years back, and I've heard rumours they are going to take control of an existing pentecostal church in Narellan. They actually have about 15 sites all over Sydney now. It has really become a denomination in it's own right, and one that may well swallow up the many smaller struggling pentecostal churches around the Sydney. The day may come when they rival SydAng for number of locations across the city.
Refugees
Karin Sowada blogs about refugees. It seems likely we will see increasing numbers over the next few years. It is going to be a hot political topic again...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Evangelism and Flying Solo
Sam reflects on Total Church, especially the way they approach evangelism. I think he is 100% correct...
Holidays
I've got this week off work, and I'm looking forward to the break. My eldest, J, has gone to Qld to spend the week with one of his grandmothers. The younger 2, M & H, are spending the week with me. We'll go to the PowerHouse Museum, see a movie, go to the markets and also relax a bit at home. Good times.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
AB's Blog
AB is blogging again. Always worth listening to. Seems to be a blogging renaissance going on...
Jenolan Caves
Did a family trip to Jenolan Caves today with the boys and the girl. Was a big day, but we had a great time, all went well...
Friday, April 17, 2009
Australian Church Record
Latest edition now online. Interesting article mentioning Johnson by Peter Bolt. Was a little disappointed in the editorial...
The Common Room
MJ has started a new podcast called The Common Room, in which he will interview lecturers from the college about stuff. Will be very cool, listen in...
Johnson Update
I haven't said much about Johnson recently. My enthusiasm hasn't dimmed, I just haven't had much to report. I'm still transcribing his memoirs - I haven't posted anything up recently because it hasn't been that exciting. I'm also continuing to do background research, especially about the First Fleet. Is going to take some time! I'm starting to wonder if my first project shouldn't be to publish a new book of his writings, including the previously unpublished material? That may be of more value to posterity than the new bio would be. Will give it some thought...
Piper interviews Matt Chandler
Looks interesting. Matt Chandler is one of the leaders of the "New Calvinism" in the US. He's a bit of an enigma. He's grown a church that's larger than Driscoll's in less time, yet he has none of Driscoll's grunge rock cool and attitude. Chandler looks and sounds a little like George McFly from Back to the Future. Yet his preaching is utterly compelling, and he is completely committed to the gospel of grace. He's coming out to Engage this year - will be worth checking out.
Top Gear Australia
Went to the taping of Top Gear Australia last night with a few mates. Was tiring, but also very interesting. The episodes are taped in a large hanger in Bankstown, and it takes about 3 hours of filming for the 43 minute show. You are on your feet the whole time.
There is a central stage (where they do interviews), then a number of vehicles positioned around the outer walls. The various segments are shot around the different vehicles, so between segments the cameras have to be moved, the lights have to be adjusted, and the crowd positioned. Oh yeah, they do position the crowd for effect - they especially position younger women in the front row. The whole set up is time consuming.
The whole thing is scripted too, though they improv a little bit on the lines. That natural dialog you think they are all having about some car - all written. That's fine of course, it leads to a good TV show. But it did dispel some of the magic. Several times we had to reshoot a segment because someone muffed their lines. They asked us to remember to laugh at the jokes the second time around. Once they reshot a scene because we didn't laugh loudly enough!
Very interesting, and lots of fun too. The episode we taped will air on the 1st June.
Strunk and White
This man is not celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Elements of Style -
...It took off like a rocket (in 1959) and has sold millions. This was most unfortunate for the field of English grammar, because both authors were grammatical incompetents. Strunk had very little analytical understanding of syntax, White even less. Certainly White was a fine writer, but he was not qualified as a grammarian. Despite the post-1957 explosion of theoretical linguistics, Elements settled in as the primary vehicle through which grammar was taught to college students and presented to the general public, and the subject was stuck in the doldrums for the rest of the 20th century.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
AN Wilson becomes a believer (again)
He describes his journey in New Statesmen. Back in the 80s, Wilson was a fairly high profile Christian within literary circles, very well read, very smart, and an excellent writer. He produced a superb biography on CS Lewis, and some people even saw him as potentially a kind of "heir" to Lewis. But then he suddenly denounced his faith and embraced atheism. He produce a pamphlet called "Against Religion", and wrote a well-publicised book on Jesus that sought to show that Christianity was all an enormous mistake.
There's some personal significance for me in this. I was a big fan of Wilson back then and had read several of his books. I was crushed to discover he had rejected Christianity. His Jesus book caused a genuine crisis of faith for me (which was resolved when I read NT Wright's superb Who Was Jesus? I can never get too down on Wright for that reason, don't ask me to join the lynch mob, sorry).
I haven't thought about Wilson very much for the last 15 years or so. Still, it is a peculiar feeling to hear him renounce the atheism he embraced with such gusto 20 years ago. I needed heroes in the faith back then, but I don't need them now. Human convictions are often so frail, they are not enough to build a faith upon, or to bolster a faith. Christ alone is my rock.
But I am very pleased for Wilson, and I hope God grants him the grace to stick with it. Wilson discovered a great truth in his journey - you can become an atheist, but you cannot remain a human being at the same time. Here are some quotes from his article -
For a few years, I resisted the admission that my atheist-conversion experience had been a bit of middle-aged madness. I do not find it easy to articulate thoughts about religion. I remain the sort of person who turns off Thought for the Day when it comes on the radio. I am shy to admit that I have followed the advice given all those years ago by a wise archbishop to a bewildered young man: that moments of unbelief "don't matter", that if you return to a practice of the faith, faith will return.
When I think about atheist friends, including my father, they seem to me like people who have no ear for music, or who have never been in love. It is not that (as they believe) they have rumbled the tremendous fraud of religion – prophets do that in every generation. Rather, these unbelievers are simply missing out on something that is not difficult to grasp. Perhaps it is too obvious to understand; obvious, as lovers feel it was obvious that they should have come together, or obvious as the final resolution of a fugue.
...
My departure from the Faith was like a conversion on the road to Damascus. My return was slow, hesitant, doubting. So it will always be; but I know I shall never make the same mistake again. Gilbert Ryle, with donnish absurdity, called God "a category mistake". Yet the real category mistake made by atheists is not about God, but about human beings. Turn to the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor Coleridge – "Read the first chapter of Genesis without prejudice and you will be convinced at once . . . 'The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life'." And then Coleridge adds: "'And man became a living soul.' Materialism will never explain those last words."
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
New Moore College Journal!
Michael is starting a new Moore College Journal, to be published online quarterly. He's looking for some ideas for the name, so hop on over and help out. This is a great initiative. Was blessed to meet MJ for lunch today - first time we'd met in the flesh after years of corresponding online. Was good times. He has some more ideas in the pipeline as well, looking forward to those...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Rectors who Blog
Justin can only find 6 SydAng rectors who blog. I think it's a generational thing. Judging from MJs list, pastors who don't blog will almost be the exception. For what it's worth, I think Justin himself does an excellent job of creating a blog that integrates with and supports his ministry, without just being advertising.
Marcus Loane has died
SA has story here. I know very little about his achievements as archbishop, but I *was* blessed by his historical writings.
Top Gear Oz
Going to the recording of Top Gear Australia on Thursday evening, will be interesting...
Monday, April 13, 2009
More on phillipjensen.com
Just been cruising around the site. There are a whole heap of audio and video sermons there for download, as well as a stack of articles. Really good stuff, I'm sure this will be a great resource for people around the world.
It's God's Work
More on flexibility, church planting etc etc. When the need for reform is put forward, I occasionally hear folk say things along the lines of, "Well, growth and conversions are all in God's hands." These are used as an argument to maintain the status quo, the suggestion being that perhaps you are distrusting God a little bit if you get worked up and agitate for change a bit too strenuously.
God will indeed grow his church in Sydney. But isn't it possible that these new church networks (like Acts 29 and Oz 29), these new church presences (like Mars Hill and Sovereign Grace - both still only proposed) are actually evidence of God's work in Sydney, his desire to bring people into His kingdom?
I don't want to represent these new entities as panaceas. I don't know if they will be effective or not. If all they do is skim off Christians from existing churches, well that will be fairly pointless. But if they are able to effectively proclaim the gospel, and they do see people come to Christ, then they should be supported, God should be praised for them.
It seems to me that we should be putting our time and money into ministries that are seeing souls won. Is that wrong thinking?
Wooden Ships and College Degrees
Peter Bolt continues his defence of current theological training methods. He makes a good point - we don't want to encourage a generation of "instant coffee" church planters. And he offers a practical way forward - "If it really is an issue that 'theological education takes too long', then we should apply 'flexibility' to the things that are of lesser importance (the pre-college university course; the pre-college apprenticeship; the post-college assistantship)." Yep - fair call.
As I said below, I believe the 3-4 year theological degree will continue to be the primary method of training our pastors. What I am uncomfortable with is "flexibility" being set up as the troublesome value that needs to be undermined. Because I believe we need to be flexible (that is, open to change) if we are to make a real impact on this city. Surely that's obvious.
Peter's own example told against him to an extent. He commends those early Australian's who planted oak trees that are only now mature enough to harvest. That is foresight. The problem is, these oak trees were planted for the purpose of building wooden warships! It was good they were thinking 100 years ahead - the problem was that they could not have possibly foreseen what naval warfare needs would be so far ahead. And imagine what would have happened if Australia had stuck to "wooden ship" thinking while the rest of the world was turning out steel battleships? Our naval fleet would consist of superb but useless antiques.
So lets keep 3-4 year theology degrees, that's fine - but lets not give up on flexibility, innovation and the ability to change and reform.
Toilet Block Tuesday is getting full
Good to see Mikey's little tuesday night church plant is flourishing
KEC
Went up to KEC yesterday and had a good time. Heard Frank Retief give a good sermon on Hell (my column for SA this week will be on the same subject). And heard Kirk Patson give a really excellent sermon on Ecclesiastes, so good I'll probably buy the rest of the series (and, as a rule, I never purchase sermons). Also bought a couple of books (from Matthias' Guidebooks series, which I like a lot), had lunch with some friends, spent a couple of hours wandering through antique shops in Mt Victoria, then had a really slow trip home. But, as Patson said, don't get impatient during delays but live in the moment. So the girl and I had a good chat and didn't worry about the parking lot traffic conditions. Anyway, all up a good day...
Saturday, April 11, 2009
John Safran Crucified?
There's a report that John Safran has had himself crucified in the Philippines. It would not totally surprise me...
Aussies embrace Supernatural Jesus
Good article from Jeremy. Dickson is getting a good run in the media too - the CPX has been very successful in bringing orthodox Christianity into the public consciousness, good job guys.
Obama and the Double Standard
After all, on all the big foreign policy questions, Obama has continued Bush's policies. The predator drones still fly over Pakistan, destroying any al-Qa'ida operative dumb enough to talk on the phone. The terrorists are still in Guantanamo as Obama's administration develops the Bush administration's decision to shut Guantanamo, as a necessity of global PR, while trying to stop the terrorists from going back to killing civilians. Like Bush, Obama is pursuing an attempt to engage the Iranian regime and even using the same official Bush did. He is withdrawing from Iraq very slowly, on a timetable approved by Republican senator John McCain. He acknowledges the success of the US troop surge in Iraq and wants to emulate it in Afghanistan. He stands four square behind Israel's security. And so on.
Yet while much of the world hated Bush with an irrational passion, allegedly for these policies, it loves Obama with at least a seemingly similar passion, notwithstanding these very same policies. This is a bit of a mystery, but so far at least it's a good mystery. More here
Friday, April 10, 2009
A Foot in Two Worlds
Looking forward to reading this. Great title, and great opening paragraph -
"I have been a Christian for 60 years. That's a long time to give something a try, and it puts me in a position to strongly recommend it. Over that time, two particular aspects of Christian living have surprised me. One is that it turned out to be so good; the other is that it turned out to be so hard."
A symbol of the noblest of traditions
John Dickson writes a superb piece for The Age. Dickson is a clever and gracious apologist.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Hell
When I was about 8, my older sister told me that Hell was wandering around in darkness forever and ever. That idea has haunted me ever since, though I've no idea if it's at all accurate. Was interested to see the Archbishop mention Hell in his Easter message, and in terms that emphasis it's isolation and lovelessness. I wonder if any of the media will pick up on this part of the message.
Theological Education
Peter Bolt defends the traditional approach to theological education, on The Sola Panel. Following are my thoughts -
An educated church leadership is enormously important. I've had friends recently return from Africa and Fiji, where the standard of theological education is very low. The teaching has generally been terrible, and the congregation ultimately suffer. We cannot diminish the importance of educating our teachers.
Original language training is important too. As Martin Luther said, "When we lost the languages, we lost the gospel".
I suspect that the vast majority of clergy and pastors will continue to train for ministry via 3+ years at a theological college. This wont change in the foreseeable future.
Having said all that...
It is always good to question the way we are currently doing things. In terms of theological training, we've inherited the English university system - lecture, tutorial, 3 years, etc. This may or may not be a good thing, but we must be free to question it.
And I think we will need to be more flexible in the future. That is the way the world is going with regards to education. Some people will do distance education, some will do part-time, perhaps some will do intensives. Moore doesn't have to participate in the "shift" of course - they can and will do whatever they wish. However, the market will create alternatives if they are not on board.
I think flexibility will be a good thing if it allows us to get as many players onto the field as possible. And surely that is a desirable thing...
Cross Country
Justyn came second in the Year 10 cross country yesterday. He was just a few inches behind the winner. They will both go to zone now. Last year he made it to Regional, and he's hoping maybe he could make it to state this year. With a bit of training, who knows?
Calvin Anniversary
This year is the 500th Anniversary of John Calvin's birth. Some Calvin conferences have been organised in the US, but I haven't heard of anything being done locally. Anyone know of anything? And who would be Australia's most knowledgeable Calvin scholar?
The Fatal Shore
Finally finished The Fatal Shore. Amazing book, deservedly famous. Might be a little sensationalist at points, but still excellent. It's pretty dense and not everyone will be able to read it. But I reckon any Australian who is capable of reading it should read it. It will teach you so much about our past...
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
The Goodness of Marriage
Long-term bachelor Sam de Britto has hooked up, and is all aglow about marriage
The Nehemiah Project
A couple of guys who are interning in the US in 2009, looking to plant an Acts 29 affiliated church in Sydney after that...
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Barack the Barbarian
Now he is a super-hero. Anyone else a bit nauseated by the G20 leaders fawning over him last week?
Practical Apologetics
Listened to MJ on the radio yesterday. I thought it was an excellent example of practical apologetics. He engaged intelligently and sympathetically with the concerns of the interviewer, but he was able to put some gospel spice in there as well.
Good Chair
My current office chair at home is killing my back. It was a bit cheap, and it's broken now anyway. Since I do a fair bit of writing at home, I need a new chair, and I need it to be decent. Anyone know anything about office chairs?
29 Acts of Mercy
At church yesterday, Mark Driscoll mentioned that Mayor Greg Nickels has asked Mars Hill to participate in addressing the homeless situation in Seattle. He needs 500 team member volunteers and 200 team leaders to help with the City of Seattle's upcoming survey on homelessness in Seattle.
I walked out of the downtown campus after the announcement and across the street to speak to a homeless man, Marco (pictured above). Marco was sitting in an area where men are normally picked up to do day labor. I asked Marco how things were going and he said that he was waiting for someone who needed work done but that it had been slower lately. Marco is willing to work. He said that he was getting by and had a sweet attitude. I told him I was one of the pastors at the church across the street and asked him how we could help him. He said, "Everything I have is in this paper bag and everything else is wet. The rains lately have made getting work harder and have soaked my bed. I need a sleeping bag." A sleeping bag?! That's all?
Read the rest here. I love stuff like this.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Well done, Castle Hill
I was talking below about lack of fruitfulness. Well, I've heard that something like 40 people came to Christ during the Moore mission to Castle Hill last week. Well done guys, top effort. (We should probably thank God, too)
The Fear of Man
Tony writes a perceptive post on the Fear of Man. There is also a very good CJ Mahaney sermon on this subject somewhere on the net.
Tivo
Bought a Tivo a couple of weeks ago. I think it's great - it makes television useful. The boys love it. I reckon it will pay for itself in about 10 months with DVD rental savings.
Weekend over
A good weekend, hanging out with the boys and the girl. Total lack of blog inspiration so sorry about that!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Fwd: engage
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Craig Schwarze <craig.schwarze@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 4, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Subject: engage
To: Craig Schwarze <craig.schwarze@gmail.com>
From: Craig Schwarze <craig.schwarze@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 4, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Subject: engage
To: Craig Schwarze <craig.schwarze@gmail.com>
Friday, April 03, 2009
Johnson's Memoirs #4
Johnson speaks a little about the spiritual needs of the convicts. He reveals a few of the social prejudices of his era -
I have thought proper to begin these papers by firstly stating the above circumstances, for the following reasons.
From my first learning that a colony was about to be established in this country, I always understood that it was the intention of government to see whether some reformation might not be affected amongst those unfortunate and abandoned People. Motives, merely politic to me, and I am persuaded to every one who will seriously think upon the subject, appear very strong and sufficient Reasons for the Convicts being carefully instructed in the various and important duties of Morality & Religion. But, when it is further considered, that Convicts, as well as others, are possessed of souls that are immortal & that they must 'ere long appear before the solemn Tribunal of God; There & then to answer for their actions. Whoever considers this, & does himself believe in a future state of reward or punishment, must at once, see & allow, that all possible means be made use of to reclaim them from their former wicked Course of life, & to beget in their minds (if any serious & religious Impressions may or can be wrought in minds so vitiated & depraved) a sense of their duty to God, to society & to themselves.
"I want you to...feel guilty"
Gavin suggests a new tactic in fund-raising. As Ian said in the meta, "Good luck with that".
Faithful or fruitful?
In our diocese, you are treated with a bit of suspicion if you focus too much on numbers. How many people are coming along each week? How many people were converted in the last year? Asking these sorts of questions is seen as a bit unsophisticated, a little worldly even. People will tell you to read "Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome". We need to worry about being faithful, not fruitful.
I'm all for being faithful. But unless someone out there is also being fruitful, the whole show will pass away in a generation or two. Our main target market has always been white anglo professionals (WAPs), and it's been pretty hard to shift away from that. But I know of no ministry that is having much joy in converting the WAPs of our city - you hear of a bit here, a bit there. But no-one is seeing the dozens or hundreds of conversions that will be needed just for us to keep pace with the population. I feel a bit pessimistic about the future of the diocese, to be honest.
I wonder if our "faithful not fruitful" attitude is partly to blame? Shane has had some good words to say on this. We celebrate those who persevere in ministries that are seeing no fruit, but perhaps we've gone too far. These are hard things to say, and will doubtless upset a few people. But we are at a time in the life of the diocese when some very hard questions need to be asked.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Johnson's Memoirs #3
Johnson has decided to accept the chaplaincy of the colony. He seeks confirmation from one final source -
I then, by the advice and directions of my friends, waited on His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury upon this affair, who was pleased, in a most respectful and condescending manner, not only to give me his sanction but also to wish me success equal to my wishes in so arduous, important and dangerous an undertaking.
Jay Smith lectures
Jay Smith is an experience missionary to Muslims. He is giving some lectures at Moore College soon.
About Hell
I think I'm gonna write about Hell in an upcoming SA column. It's a topic I've found pretty troubling my whole Christian life. How do you feel about it? Stumbling block? Keeps you awake at night? Never think about it? I want to know people's gut reactions. Go anon if you wish.
Johnson's Memoirs #2
Johnson has just been offered the chaplaincy of the new colony at Botany Bay. In this extract, he considers reasons for and against accepting -
The feelings which I had upon receiving this letter and for some time after, are easier felt than described. For several nights and days both my sleep and appetite were in a great measure taken away. I did little else but weep and sigh, whilst I trust both by fervered prayer and fasting, I implored divine direction what to do in an affair of so weighty moment. On the one hand, the idea of leaving my parents, relations, friends, and the respectful connections I had formed. The dangers of the sea. The description? of people I was going with, The place to which we were going, to the very ends of the earth, to a country wild and uncultivated, to be exposed to savages, and perhaps to various wild beasts of prey. Those and such like ideas so impressed? my mind with fear and terror that I sometimes was greatly ???, and almost resolved to decline the offer.
But then on the other hand, when I considered the ???, nay, the necessity of some person going out in that capacity. How the offer of the appointment was made to me. My situation at that time, having no charge of my own. The hopes and prospects of being rendered[?] useful in the reformation of those poor and abandoned people. The power and promises of God to protect me in any place or situation wherein, in the line of duty, I followed the leading of Providence and the prospect of a glorified reward hereafter, laid up in Heaven for all God's faithful servants and people. These considerations overbalanced and removed all my scruples and fears and induced me to give my free consent to enter upon this hazardous expedition.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Camp changes his mind on Driscoll
Steve Camp has been one of the most vocal and aggressive critics of Driscoll over the years. Yesterday, he publically repented for his lack of grace, charity and balance, and affirmed the good things he sees in Driscoll's ministry. Interesting read.
More on p/t study
Been thinking about this a little more. My feeling is that p/t study really will only be a solution for a small number of students. I've done p/t study before, and it's pretty hard to give a regular job 100% when you are hitting uni 3 nights a week. And a church plant surely requires 100%. A better option for those who are burning to plant that church Right Now (God bless them!) would be to do the one year diploma of Bible and Mission. If necessary, you could round out your education later on, perhaps with a Masters.
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