Delight
How would you label the expression on the face of that Ugandan boy? When my granddaughter started up her new bubble-making machine, the fifty or so noisy Sunday School children stopped suddenly with their mouths open. They’d never seen bubbles and were afraid of them! After being shown that they do not hurt, the children were delighted. Ecstatic, some were still afraid to touch the bubbles and used small branches to pop them. When is
Child protection at church
I was recently involved in preparing a child protection policy for our church. We were given a template by our insurer which was really great as it prompted us to put a policy in place early. Even though our children's ministries are still small, we're now prepared to offer a safe environment and our people are trained so that in the case of a bad situation arising, our people know who to talk to and
What Christians must require of Malcolm Turnbull
When Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull took to the podium to speak on the night of the Federal election, there are a number of things he could have said that wouldn't have been surprising at all. What he did say was very surprising. I can report that based on the advice I have from the party officials we can have every confidence that we will form a Coalition majority government in the next parliament (source). This
Return to your rest
"Where is God? Where is he in my suffering? Where is his goodness he promised me? Why has he forsaken me?" This week has not been an easy one for me. I've been stressed out, depressed, and struggling with several key questions in my life. In the midst of it all, I cried out "Where is God?!" In my desperation, I opened my Bible and flipped to Psalms and started reading. One verse almost immediately
An elegant acquiescence: The Fault in Our Stars
The weight of a simple human emotion Weighs me down more than the tank ever did. Don't give it up just yet; Stay grand for one more minute. –Troye Sivan Star-crossed young lovers in an ill-fated battle with deadly forces. It's a story that has resonated with hundreds of generations over dozens of centuries, but is written for this generation particularly, as the best stories must be. I watched the movie recently and have been
The abuser’s arsenal
“Why does she stay? It doesn't make sense!” An abusive husband with a Bible-believing wife has an advantage—a secret weapon. The Bible, used in a twisted way, enables him to habitually control his wife and children and get that to which he feels entitled. There are a variety of verses in his arsenal, but his Tsar Cannon is God telling wives to submit to their husbands. If a self-serving husband can twist the meaning of
How can we help the sexual abuse victim?
With society's current focus on the Duggars, maybe it'd be a good idea to look into general principles of how to help the victims of sexual abuse. What does a victim deal with? The abuse paradigm is a unique issue in which we need to educate ourselves. “She feels more shunned and rejected than the criminal,”1 explains Dr Dan B Allender in his book The Wounded Heart: Hope For Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse.
Ten things every person should be able to affirm in the face of the Duggar family tragedy
I wanted to ignore this story. I really did. But it seems I'm the only one. For some reason, this story is resonating with people. Particularly Christians. Particularly conservative Christians. And the resulting public discourse has left me grieved, disturbed, and embarrassed. I don't know much about the details of the Josh Duggar case. I've picked up bits and pieces from here and there, much of it contradictory, and all of it third-hand, fourth-hand, fifth-hand,
The church’s response to abuse
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer She comes to her pastor trembling, testing his reaction to her tip-of-the-iceberg disclosure of the cruelty that persists behind the closed doors of her home. Not sure she will even be believed, she has forced herself into this vulnerable position because she is desperate. Inwardly, she
The Jesus who was and is
"Resurrection! Life! He is risen!" These are the joyous exclamations of the season. The realities we celebrate during holy week are truly glorious. Stunning. Even staggering. So staggering, in fact, that we can easily sail straight past such stupendous outcrops without taking the mental energy to notice their sheer magnitude and grandeur. If you'll allow me, I'd like to point out a few of these landmarks we know so well we sometimes forget to see.