August 2008

As I sit down to one of the most stimulating and challenging tasks of the week, sermon preparation, I try to remember our time together on Sunday mornings needs to be about transformation. It must be about “next steps” in the process by which God transforms us into the likeness of Jesus (2 Cor 3:18). I am reminded of a couple of things I read recently about sermons ….. Ajith Fernando the director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka is in great demand as a speaker. When on preaching visits to the West he observes that the most ...

The world of blogging has opened up a whole new range od insights into the lives of tothersand I was thinking recently there a number of people whose blogs I would love to have read! St Augustine I am fascinated by this man who once prayed “Lord make me pure but not yet!” Brothet Lawrence , His little book “The Practicie of the Presence of God” is one of the most challenging things you will ever read. He set out to do the simplest task directly for God. He makes no secret that this was not easy and I would love to ...

During our prayer time at church on Sunday I picked on two people and asked them to share with us what God had called them to do as a job and how we could particularly pray for them as they seek to live out their Christian lives in often challenging circumstances. (Thank you Paula and Harley for sharing with us so willingly!!) Why did I do that and why did I not give them any warning*! It’s all about becoming a family of God that recognizes His hand in each of our lives. It’s about becoming consistent and faithful in prayer for ...

When I sat down for my devotion this morning I have to confess I was frustrated with God! I have been asking Him for some time now what exactly he wanted to teach us when we finished the Messed Up World series. I pointed out to Him that the series finished this week (as if He did not know!). I wondered if He had noticed that I had been fumbling around with a number of ideas but as yet had no clarity. I reassured Him (good of me huh!) that I did know He always came through and I was not expecting this time to be any different. However right ...

If you were in church on Sunday you will know that the trip to collect TYG from camp out did itself this year. We arrived to all the excitement of the final meeting and it is amazing to be packed in the same room as hundreds of young people a large number of whom you can feel have encountered Jesus in new ways during the week and will never be the same. To celebrate with them as they learned that they had given more than $6000 to missions and then the tradition is that they leave the chapel and go down to the side of the lake that is the ...

We often assume that our non-Christian friends don’t want to hear about our faith. Well I was reading Discipleship Journal yesterday when I came upon some interesting statistics that indicate that perhaps we are wrong in that thought! Lifeway have done some research amongst people who do not go to church aged 30 and above and they discovered: 75% would be willing to listen to someone talk about his or her Christian beliefs 78% would enjoy an honest conversation with a friend about religious and spiritual beliefs even if they disagreed ...

For the past five years one Monday of the year has been taken up taking a group of our young people to camp at Jenness Park. This is always one of the funnest days of the year for me and yesterday was no exception. And once again I thought how much I love our church!! Here are just a few of the things that made the day so great…….. Firstly those who “stepped up to the plate” to help . … David and Karen for arriving at 6;30 am to prepare an amazing breakfast for 20+ hungry teenagers and their drivers....