Author Archive
Church History & the independent churches in Australia
I would like to discuss church history within the context of the independent church movement from a historian’s perspective. Independent churches (by nature of their definition) are not connected to formal denominations. What this means is that the pastoral emphasis is usually on historical personalities or thematic developments correlated to the Bible. Without association, independent [...]
Historical Sources – What are they? Where to start.
Thanks for your comments on the previous post. I would like to expand on the discussion for those of you who would like to know more: A REALLY SIMPLE INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCES Primary sources are bits and pieces of your life that are accessible to other people. Your driver’s license and the [...]
Well Calvin burned a man at the stake…
The year is 2100 and one of your descendants is doing some research into your life. Because you are not someone of great significance, your descendant will probably find a birthday, time of death, property records, and one or two anecdotes depending on how well you store your digital information and/or how well you are [...]
Learning from Luther
Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) was one the most colourful and passionate characters in church history. As a principle reformer, Luther took complex issues and unravelled them into the common vernacular – allowing theologians and farmers alike to respond with childlike simplicity to the Gospel. We know and love the narrative. The lawyer turned Catholic [...]
Thinking about Possessions
One of my prized childhood possessions was a helicopter toy with moving rotors. You could place two figures into the helicopter and it had spring-loaded missiles. One day after church, we had some visitors come over and my helicopter went missing. I found it the next day with both rotors snapped off the main body. [...]
Three Errors in Establishing Church Ministries
A good friend and mentor taught this personal life lesson to me. NO VISION, NO ABILITY TO EXECUTE “We’ve tried it before.” “That won’t work here.” “I’m too busy.” It can be very disheartening to meet people who have no vision for God’s work and no heart to see it accomplished. The Ephesians were partly [...]
iPads.. in a ministry context
Chances are (if you’re reading this blog) you know about the launch of the Apple iPad. Perhaps you’re curious about its potential for use in a ministry context? Perhaps you have a strong opinion (for or against) based on your technological preference? I own one. Here are my initial thoughts: The iPad makes your research [...]
Influence
The British tabloid News of the World recently exposed Sarah Ferguson accepting a bribe in return for trade influence with her former husband. Their “investigative journalism” or entrapment did not ingratiate the former royal family member to the common man. Perhaps your dinnertime conversation included something like this: “that’s what you have to expect from [...]
Talking with God
I enjoy personal and corporate prayer. I enjoy reading prayers in the Scriptures and the prayers of men and women who love God. I pray before meals and when I’m in the car. I try to follow the Biblical pattern of adoration, confession, and intercession. Something most unusual happened today. I was worried about a [...]
That’s just the end of my introduction…
The first time I had the opportunity to “teach” Bible in a public setting was at the age of fourteen. I had 10 minutes in a children’s Sunday School class to talk about David & Goliath. As a lifelong church attendee, I drew on a wealth of pulpit rhetoric to deliver a passionate talk with [...]
Designer Furniture & Monks
I recently read an article about designer furniture on a domestic flight in China. In summary: 1) The wealthy in China have property and technology, 2) Furniture will be the next status symbol, and 3) Buying furniture from China is unacceptable (this is ironic considering where the rest of the world buys its furniture…). The [...]
100% Truth
(this post was written from a public internet terminal in China) Do you know how to tell the difference between fake pearls and real pearls? Rub them together. Real pearls sound like sandpaper and they will leave a fine grain on your fingers without affecting the colour. What’s the true price of a Rolex watch? [...]
