Why Independent Baptist mission is failing… and some thoughts on fixing it
Recently, an American pastor, Jeremy Wallace, got a lot of attention when he addressed the topic Why Independent Baptist Missions is Failing. I encourage you to read the whole post. An excerpt follows: Something must change with how we do Independent Baptist Missions. The current process is a colossal failure... We must be good stewards in the area of missions. Currently, we are not. The process of deputation is simply too long and too costly.
My take on “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
One week ago, I had never heard of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I decided to read the book while in transit and I finished it in two sittings. As you’ll probably be hearing a lot more about it over the next few days as it opened as the number one movie in Australia. Here are my thoughts on it. The Hunger Games is a dystopia set in North America and told from the
Idolatry
Idolatry is frequently spoken of in the Bible. Idols of the Old Testament and idols of today (in many non-Western nations) are typically statues to which people ascribed great allegiance. These idols had a strong behavioural influence of the people who worshipped them. In fact, what made them idols was not their material composition, but the hold which they had over the hearts and minds of those who revered them. Looking at the allegiance of
My approach to reading
I've been meaning to get in the habit of reviewing books after I've read them. Problem is, I don't read the sorts of books most people review. So I wanted to explain my approach to reading. Cutting edge is good? My approach to reading is based on the premise that newer does not equal better. In fact, I assume the opposite. I assume that of the thousands of books that are published in 2012, hundreds
Greed is good
Gordon Gekko's famous slogan from the movie Wall Street came to encapsulate the euphoria of the economic growth of the 1980s. Fast forward to 2010 and his line in Wall Street 2 is "Greed is not only good, it is legal." The corporation The growth of investment banks, private equity firms, and the financial industry in general has reached the point where 40% of US GDP comes from banks. It seems that everyone is an
When it rains…
It's that time of year. For some that might mean perpetual darkness. Or perpetual cold and snow. Or perpetual heat. In the Far North, it means perpetual rain. Of course up here we don't flood. Or where we do, it's little surprise and about as much drama. Not all of Australia is so blessed. "That time of year" is often associated with discouragement. Incidence of depression increases during the long night at the poles, during
Tony Payne on church programs
My brother sent me an article from Tony Payne (publishing editor for Matthias Media) that went off like a bomb in my mind. Take five minutes and read it here. Here's a quote to wet your appetite: But what if our mental image of the congregation was not a network of departments or structures or ‘ministries’, but a list of people. That’s all. Just a list of people. And next to everyone’s name on the
Thirsting after God
Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV) As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. What is the ultimate difference between duty and delight within the realm of Christianity? How is it that there are times in our Christian experiences where maintaining a prayer life is burdensome, reading the Bible is onerous and exemplifying Christ in all we do seems like an obligation
The Gideons
Last Saturday night, I had the privilege of attending a Gideons support dinner to raise funds for Bible distribution in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Prior to the evening, my perception of Gideons had been positive yet limited. I knew they had a focus on placing Bibles in hotel rooms, but not how they were unashamedly presenting the clear concise gospel in "blitzes" across the globe. God has used and is using this ministry in a way
Should I pursue prosecution of crimes against me?
So you are the victim of a crime. It may be publicly known or it may be unknown to most. It may be recent or it may be the silent horror of a broken childhood. The perpetrator may be someone you know well or someone you never met before the crime took place. The crime may have been theft, physical abuse, sexual in nature, or any number of other issues. And now you're facing the