Author Archive
Let Your Lantana Shine
“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 Each month, volunteers from our church spend a Saturday morning working in bushland near Rouse Hill. We are part of the local council’s Bushcare program, which includes [...]
Doing Hard Things
Jessica Watson’s solo world voyage was a remarkable success, especially considering her young age. Sixteen year-old Jessica sailed non-stop for over 200 days and 20,000 nautical miles. Prior to this journey, she had already gained over 10,000 miles of sailing experience. Jessica’s ambition and abilities are unusual, compared to most teens. Still, her achievement has [...]
God Blesses Your Work For The Gospel
“He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.” I Corinthians chapter 3, verse 8 In church culture, it seems that the one who actually leads a person to Christ is the one who gets the most credit. In God’s eyes, the one who [...]
The Gospel At Work: City Bible Forum
Sydney tourists can see a 360-degree panorama of the city from Sydney Tower (also known as Centrepoint Tower). It’s a great way to visualise Sydney, home to four million residents. From that perspective, you can also sense the challenge of Jesus’ great commission. How can we reach more of the city — and our nation [...]
Apologetics Resources
I first realised the need for apologetics during a mission team trip in New York. I was 18 and enthusiastically witnessing to an elderly man in a park, when he challenged the Bible’s reliability with an issue I had not considered. We soon ended the conversation and I was left to wonder, “What should I [...]
Insights For Easter
This time of year is a great opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here are some insights gleaned from John Stott’s The Cross Of Christ: “In the Christian theology of history, the death of Christ is the central point of history; here all the roads of the past converge; hence all the roads of [...]
Church Music Training
Last weekend I attended a training seminar on church music, provided through a local Bible institute. Over fifty people attended from various independent churches, including a couple from Melbourne. The topics included the Bible’s emphases on music in the church, musicianship, audio / visual / technical support, and leading church music for congregation, choir, and [...]
Good Books
I once read a survey which listed top books recommended by evangelical leaders. It was fascinating to discover which books had influenced the minds of great pastors and leaders. Theological titles comprised most of the list, while some were biographical or fictional. Have you ever considered what books have impacted you? I browsed the bookshelves [...]
Chief exorcist: the Devil is in the Vatican
Interesting comments from the Vatican’s chief exorcist. Times Online
Influential Books
What books have influenced you? Most smart Christians would first answer, “The Bible.” But I’ve rarely heard Christians go on to explain why the Bible is their most influential book. Rather than assume the Bible is our most influential book (and move on to “more interesting” titles), we should stop and consider what parts of [...]
Churches Without Pastors
This week we attended a friend’s ordination and induction at the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (Sydney congregation in Riverstone). The church had been without a resident pastor for over 30 years, so you could definitely feel the weight of the occasion! It was appropriately solemn, yet also a joyous celebration. We marvelled at God’s [...]
Last Man Standing
I’m not a big fan of the Winter Olympics. I do respect the athletes’ skill. I’m also intrigued with this so-called sport: But I like this classic story from the 2002 games. Australian skater Steven Bradbury had toiled without success since 1994. Then in 2002 Bradbury made it to the semi-final of the 1000-meter short [...]
