Author Archive
Straight Talk about Gay Guys
He was massaging my scalp and crooning a love song, twirling just a little in his high heels. My hairdresser, that is. Hot numbers from the karaoke all-time favourites list are his specialty. To make conversation I asked if he had ever performed in public (I meant outside of the hair salon). He confessed that [...]
Anyone for Easter Eggs?
A reader of this blog has raised the question: “Do independent churches make too little of Easter?” On my way to church last Sunday I passed several children carrying palm branches to church for the Palm Sunday service. The sight of them was the first time I even thought of this special day in the [...]
Too Right
Too right! It’s Aussie slang for “I agree with you.” However, many Christians I’ve met are so “right” that they can’t agree with anyone. Backing themselves into a corner by their insistence on being right, the sharp point of their rightness keeps others well away and prevents them from meaningful fellowship with others who do [...]
A Bible in her Own Language
Last week I visited a friend in hospital. Before leaving, I asked if she had her Bible handy. Slipping her hand under her pillow, she produced the precious volume for me to read to her. But in spite of her eagerness to hear God’s word, I left the ward sad. Was I sad because [...]
Sing your Children to Excellent Theology
For many of us, the burden of teaching our children about God leads quickly to a guilt trip. We search Christian catalogues for the right devotional material, written especially for children. We start off with good intentions only to fizzle out after a few weeks or even days. We salve our consciences by making sure [...]
Other Fields; Other Sheep
Brown-black eyes smiled warmly across the table from us. Newly arrived in town, the young pastor and his wife shared a little of their personal history. “People say to our pastor, ‘You’ve sent all your best people away to Bible school and seminary and now they’re not even coming back to help you!” Julie was answering a [...]
When Tragedy Strikes
Thanks for yesterday’s post on the earthquake, Ben. It was timely and well-written. My thoughts take a slightly different angle, but come to similar conclusions. Her swollen face disappeared between her knees as she retched once again. Sitting on the cement curb near the outpatients at Vila Central Hospital, Shelley and her mum were waiting [...]
More on Public Bible Reading
Have you been exercised in your spirit about why we as a church do not participate in more public Bible reading? After I posted my blog on this topic a couple of weeks ago, I received my e-copy of The Briefing, the evangelical magazine published by Matthias Media. The feature article, depicted in bold letters [...]
The Beginning of Sorrows
At our ladies’ Bible study, we recently had a stimulating discussion about why God sends natural disasters. The text for the morning was from Psalm 39 where the troubled Psalmist pleads desperately, “I am mute; I do not open my mouth for it is you who have done it.” The implication here is that God [...]
A Cure for Mental Enslavement
I’ve been going to church since I was eight years old. Almost every church I have attended has been a self-proclaimed Bible-centred church. But what I have observed in churches is a lot of Bible preaching, a lot of Bible studies, Bible stories and Bible songs, but very little actual Bible reading. By simple comparison [...]
Happy Birthday to Me
Forty-five years ago I was born. On the day we celebrated that auspicious occasion, my brother asked me one of his favourite birthday questions: “How has your life changed in the past ten years?” Stimulated to meditation by his thought-provoking question and not wanting to brush it off with a half-baked response, my answer has [...]
Of Mice and Dogs
It’s an old adage in our family: when dad’s away, the rodents play. Without exaggeration, since Steve began going on ministry trips years ago leaving us to hold the fort, the rats and mice have always used the opportunity to their advantage at home. They must know that I don’t have my husband’s skill with [...]
