Anti-climax? 1 Nov 09

Anti-climax?

The so called “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem has become a famous story – re-enacted each Palm Sunday with much noise and celebration. But it has also become self-contained. A kind of isolated episode not really connected with anything.

One of the reasons is that it appears to be a kind of anti-climax. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem after all the fanfare, and then looks around and goes back to Bethany. He doesn’t do anything when he gets there. And even the next day there is no great event. He has a little demo in the Temple and stops proceedings for a while, but nothing changes and then he goes back to Bethany again.

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Growing Churches & Multiplying Disciples in the Mega-City

Growing Churches & Multiplying Disciples in the Mega-City:  Are we up to it?

One of the questions I have often pondered is how the church can grow in a mega-city?  There are plenty of people for sure. In some ways the modern city is like the first city of refuge, Babel, in that it is a place where people congregate for their security and livelihood. But mega-cities are at the same time scattered places. Distance, the tyranny of traffic, the isolation of high rise apartments, and the ubiquitous security defences tend to separate rather then bring people together.

How could the church grow in such an environment? With difficulty, is the short answer. The external and internal constraints are great. But before I get too far ahead of myself, some will ask why does the church need to grow? And which church are we talking about?

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Helping the poor 25 Oct 09

Helping the poor

How does one help a beggar? Bartimaeus for example, or Lazarus who lay at the rich man’s gate? Lazarus (Lk16) could have been easy to help – he just wanted some food. And maybe some medicines. Usually beggars want money – to buy food to keep alive.

Those of us who have never been a beggar or had much to do with beggars can have a romantic picture of them. The modern picture is not very nice. Protection rackets, gang organised begging, turf wars, quite apart from the intervention of any authorities,  are part of the reality in the developing world.

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John Rowell: To Give or not to Give?

Book Review:

To Give or not to Give? Rethinking dependency, Restoring generosity, & Redefining Sustainability

by John Rowell, published by Authentic Publishing, Atlanta.  2006. 253 pages of text plus Bibliography.  ISBN 978 1 932805 86 4

At one level this book challenges the "three-self" paradigm of modern mission practice (self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating). But it does so in a global context in which the author describes the rich western churches deciding not give generously to new churches in poorer countries in case they become dependent. At another level it is about giving and generosity. The discussion is set in a mission context. The author has been working together with Bosnian Christians to see churches planted in that war-torn country.

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Look up and Look out 18 Oct 2009

Look up and Look out

18 Oct 2009

Did you know that Church Council has been contributing 10 percent of our giving to seven mission groups?  ABM, CMS, BCA, CCE, Indian Inland Mission, Kokstad, and Sonshine FM. Since the beginning of May we have sent more than $3,000 to these groups.

Is it worth while contributing to such groups? They always say they appreciate our donations of course, but is it helpful to us?: Would we be better off using the money here in Willetton? Are we giving just because we ought to?

I suppose one of the reasons for giving to groups like these is because we think they are doing something that the Lord has his hand in – and we want to have a share in it (like the Macedonians mentioned in 2 Cor 8).

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Hope for the Church 11 Oct 2009

Hope for the Church?

11 Oct 2009

One of the continuing questions is whether Christianity has a future. Some hope it will die out, but those who predict future trends think that both Islam and Christianity will continue to grow.

An associated question is whether the Anglican church has a future. The answer to this is much less certain given the continuing aging of the membership.  But there are signs of hope – at least in some parts of the Anglican world. Unfortunately for us these parts tend to be in Africa, South America and South East Asia.

Is there hope that the Anglican Church in Willetton and Canning Vale will survive and even grow? It depends doesn’t it?  On...

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