Nick Cave – Man or Myth?
Following the disintegration of The Birthday Party in 1983, but prior to the formation of The Bad Seeds, Nick Cave briefly performed under the stage name ‘Nick Cave – Man or Myth?‘ Two… Continue reading
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Five Ethical Principles to Guide Putting Together a Church Planting Team
Church planting at its best may be the most strategic dimension of mission. At its worst it can be an expression of selfish ambition and turf war. The energy and excitement of a new… Continue reading
An Australian Republic? Facts and Sentiment
In considering the question of whether Australia should move to become a republic, I think its helpful to consider both fact and sentiment. Currently, in the Commonwealth of Australia, executive power is constitutionally vested in the Queen of… Continue reading
Beyond Sunday: Intro to Faith, Life & Work
I’ve just finished lecturing through a new topic Beyond Sunday: Introduction to Faith, Life and Work. The unit was introduced in response to reflection on how much of ministry is focused on the gathered church;… Continue reading
Don’t Underestimate the Impact of Christian Biography on Young People
This week I picked up Eric Metaxas’ latest book 7 Women and the Secrets of their Greatness, which provides an introductory overview of the lives of Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Saint… Continue reading
Talk: ‘Let Us Go Over To The Other Side’
A talk I gave in Atlanta on the radical call of Jesus to go to ‘the other side of the lake’.
The Wonder of Weeping
I’ve been reflecting lately on the mysterious wonder of crying. It started a few weeks back when a book arrived with the ingenious title “Poems that make Grown Men Cry. It’s a selection by a… Continue reading
Flying the Rainbow Flag at Mitcham Council: How I Voted & Why
I’m an Elected Councillor on the City of Mitcham, in South Australia. On last night’s agenda, Council was presented for decision a request by the organisers of the FEAST Queer Cultural Festival to fly the rainbow… Continue reading
Is this what Mad Men was actually about?
Three years ago I wrote of my fascination with Mad Men. Tomorrow the series comes to an end. It’s been a masterpiece of television, a set piece of sharp cultural analysis. Various plots are climaxing. Last… Continue reading
The Lie of the Luxury Cruise (according to David Foster Wallace)
The current fanaticism for luxury cruises invites some analysis. I considered some thoughts on this strange aquatic holiday hyperreality, because it’s quite obviously – perhaps too obviously – a meaty motif through which to make… Continue reading
Debra Hirsch’s new book: Redeeming Sex
I must recommend Debra Hirsch’s new book Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations about Sexuality & Spirituality. This is the book Debra was destined to write, drawing on decades of ministry in this area. Typical of Debra’s… Continue reading
The History of ANZAC Day
I was intrigued to read a paper by Rev. Prof. John A. Moses, Professorial Associate in History, Charles Sturt University, on the history of this annual commemoration. Moses, along with George Davis, is the author… Continue reading
Essential Reading: Charles Taylor on Secularism
The influence of Charles Taylor’s magisterial book A Secular Age continues to permeate. For those uninitiated, this important (and huge) text seeks to explain how exclusive humanism came to be, to answer the question “Why was… Continue reading
The Truth about True & Romantic Love
Over the years I have intermittently given a talk on the true nature of LOVE, and told the story of how Priscilla and I got together. It’s a story that people seem to find compelling… Continue reading
Seeking: Money, Status & Life Overflowing
I was recently in the US speaking at a few churches. The talk below is Seeking: Money, Status & Life Overflowing from Grace Snellville in Atlanta. It’s about how Jesus confronts the modern quest for identity through… Continue reading
Best & Worst Books on Political Campaigns
I’ve just finished Double Down: The Explosive Inside Account of the 2012 Presidential Election by John Helleman and Mark Halperin. It’s the sequel to their magnificent Game Change: Obama & the Clintons, McCain… Continue reading
‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’ by Richard Flanagan
I must recommend Richard Flanagan’s newest novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. It’s a staggeringly good novel, incredibly moving and compelling. I found myself aching to get back to it. It tells… Continue reading
Recent Sermons: Living Simply, Fasting, & the Purpose of Church
I recently preached a short series on some Spiritual Disciples at Malvern Uniting Church. Here are links to the recordings, if they’re of interest: Living Simply The Mysterious Practice of Fasting The Purpose… Continue reading
Uniting College Induction Service
Last Friday night was my formal induction service onto the Faculty at Uniting College. The service was led by the Moderator, Dr Deidre Palmer along with Principal, Rev Dr Steve Taylor. The liturgy… Continue reading
Governance Principles for Church Councils
I was recently asked to give a presentation on how general governance principles might assist Church Councils. The forum was the Urban Mission Network, focusing quite specifically on Congregations of the Uniting Church.… Continue reading
Uniting Church in SA Strategic Plan
For several months last year I had the privilege of convening a committee which steered the development of the Strategic Plan process for the South Australian Synod of my denomination, the Uniting Church in… Continue reading
Springsteen, Steinbeck & The Grapes of Wrath
Bruce Springsteen has been in Australia this month, playing epic shows around the country, all the while his latest album High Hopes, hit No 1 in the US and several other countries. At… Continue reading
Tim Keller in Australia
The reach of Tim Keller continues. In March he’s in Sydney for a conference for Church Planters and Pastors, in a week that also involved events for Young Adult Ministry, Women’s Ministry, and… Continue reading
Hein of a Thousand Faces
Had to share this. It’s a photoshop collection by Craig Mitchell. Craig is a former colleague and (current) friend, recently appointed the National Director for Formation, Education and Discipleship. He’s also a photoshop proficient,… Continue reading
3 Rules for Heralds of the Gospel
A while ago I posted on Paul’s use of the term ‘herald‘ to describing his ministry: “For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher…” (2 Timothy 1:11)… Continue reading
Bono on the death of Lou Reed
I was planning to post something on the recent death of Lou Reed. A friend at school, Honi, first introduced me to the Velvet Underground, but don’t think I really knew Lou until… Continue reading
Radiohead & the Crucifixion of Jesus
The penultimate song on Radiohead’s last album, The King of Limbs, is entitled ‘Give up the Ghost’. It’s a tender song, a sparse hymn atop a simply strummed guitar riff, undergirded by a sampled… Continue reading
Radical Axioms for Modern Life
I’ve been reflecting recently on each of the quite radical statements of Jesus at the beginning of the famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5: 1-12, which read like radical axioms for… Continue reading
Talk Recording: The Spirit & Evangelism
A few months back I gave an address at a Uniting Church Charismata Day on The Spirit & Evangelism. It’s essentially a mini-lecture theological overview of the Spirit and evangelism, and has just been… Continue reading
Documentary Film about Rev John Smith
There’s growing support for grass-roots funding towards the making of a documentary film about the life of Rev John Smith. John is one of the defining figures of Christian mission and ministry in… Continue reading
Do Entrepreneurs Feel Closer To God?
This from Harvard Business Review: A new study by academics at Baylor University found that entrepreneurs prayed more frequently than other people and were more likely to believe that God was personally responsive to… Continue reading
Why People Read Serious Novels
Posting on novelist Jonathan Franzen yesterday prompted me to re-read his famous ‘Harper’s Article‘ on the increasing irrelevance of the great novel in contemporary society. After sparking significant debate, he slightly revised the… Continue reading
Jonathan Franzen on Modern Life
Novelist Jonathan Franzen writes an interesting article in today’s Guardian on several elements of increased technoconsumerism in modern life. It focuses on German author Karl Krauss, whose soon-to-be published essays he has recently translated. I’m not… Continue reading
Sermon: Radical Generosity
A few weeks back I preached at Activate Church here in Adelaide on Money and Radical Generosity. Despite my voice sounding a bit crook on the day, I always love being with this very… Continue reading
Tim Keller’s New City Catechism
Last year, Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC launched the New City Catechism, with its own free accessible app. For those not familiar, catechisms are uniquely structured clear set of teachings on Christian doctrine. They are… Continue reading
Who is Your Macedonian Man? from Atlanta (Video)
I’ve just gotten back from a great 10 days in the US, preaching at a couple of churches, Grace Midtown and Grace Snellville, and three days of teaching with a big bunch of college students… Continue reading
The Australian (economic) Moment
Those interested in how the economy has reflected and shaped the Australian psyche should check out George Megalogenis’s latest, The Australian Moment: How We Were Made for these Times. Megalogenis is one of my… Continue reading
Atlanta in July
In July I’m looking forward to speaking at a couple of churches in Atlanta for the first time. On 20th I’m at Grace Midtown, then over the next three days teaching with an… Continue reading
Facts on the Separation of Church & State
I am an ordained Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia. I am also the elected member for The Park Ward on Mitcham Council. I was asked recently how I… Continue reading
New Book on the Struggle to Have Children
On Friday I read a new book well worth recommending to those struggling to have children. It’s Resurrection Year by Sheridan Voysey. My wife and I having walked part of this journey, I found… Continue reading
Sil on Ordinariness
On Sunday, my wife Priscilla preached on a fascinating topic: Ordinariness. Drawing from some ‘incidental’ moments from Jesus’ encounters with people in the Gospel of Luke, she spoke about the fact so much… Continue reading
Dad’s Green Mission Tin
We’ve been unpacking in our new place, and this week my wife stumbled upon this old green tin. I recognised it straight away – it had belonged to my Dad, who coincidently passed… Continue reading
ANZAC Day & How we Hope for Meaning
I’ve just returned from the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Blackwood Soldiers Memorial. In Australia, this annual ritual commemorates those soldiers who lost their lives in war. It was, as usual, a… Continue reading
A Tribute to Adrian Mole
UPDATE: I’ve just heard the news that author Sue Townsend has passed away. Coincidentally, it was the death of Margaret Thatcher almost exactly one year ago that prompted me to think of Townsend greatest… Continue reading
A Short & Helpful Ecclesiology
Recent conversations with Christian leaders (from various denominations) highlights a desire for a way of articulating the nature and purpose of the church, with a greater emphasis of the broader context of the… Continue reading
Darth Vader reads the Bible
A friend recently requested a recommended audio version of the Bible. I actually love listening to scripture, being swept into the whole grand narrative; and hearing verses afresh brings thoughts to mind which… Continue reading
A Few Thoughts on Paul’s Overlooked Ministry as ‘Herald’
A while ago, a friend text me a verse: 2 Timothy 1:11, For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I… Continue reading
What Gen Y Say They Need To Live Life More Fully.
Last week in preparation for a talk with a non-profit, I conducted an online survey with questions related to values, life-pressures, identity, regrets and hopes. I was keen to see if it confirmed… Continue reading
Sermon at Activate Church
The folks at Activate Church have podcasted my recent sermon on the The Spirit, Authority & Mission. It’s a more concise version of a talk I’ve been asked to do several times now… Continue reading
Davis McCaughey
I’ve just finished Sarah Martin’s recent biography on Davis McCaughey. For those unfamiliar, McCaughey was a defining figure in the formation of the Uniting Church, personally drafting much of the Uniting Church’s foundational… Continue reading