Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
From Hostility to Hospitality: A Necessary Journey
Last week I looked at the journey from Loneliness to Solitude, the first of the three movements towards spiritual growth outlined in Henri Nouwen’s inspiring book, Reaching Out. Today we look at the second transformation – a journey described by Nouwen as being from hostility to hospitality. Perhaps like me, your first response to this invitation is a defensive, “No, I don’t think this one has anything in it for me. I’m not an aggressive person, and what’s more, I like a wide range of people (I genuinely...
read moreRefresh: Is Grey the New Green?
Since this post originally appeared in 2016 I’ve entered the grey brigade, so read with some interest what I wrote when I was still in my fifties! Is Grey the New Green? On a recent flight back from New Zealand I got to watch The Intern. To be honest it is largely forgettable, but in my opinion it did have one memorable line – ‘grey is the new green’ – that in explanation of the companies decision to employ elderly interns as a gesture of social responsibility and as a way of recycling former abilities. What do...
read moreFrom Loneliness to Solitude: Practicing the Presence of God
In his wonderful book, Reaching Out, Henri Nouwen suggests there are three key movements in the spiritual life. There is the movement from loneliness to solitude; from hostility to hospitality; and from illusion to prayer. Nouwen views each as an important part of our journey of spiritual ascent, the goal of which is union with God. The first explores our relationship with our own self, the second our relationship with others and the third our relationship with God. I recently preached on the first movement, and have been thinking about it...
read moreRefresh: And Every Step an Arrival – The Gift of the Present Moment
Today’s Refresh post, originally published on 12 Jan 2016, explores the thought provoking Rilke line, “and every step an arrival” which serves as an important reminder to note the present moment and embrace it as a God inhabited space. Refresh: And Every Step an Arrival – The Gift of the Present Moment I am presently reading Eugene Peterson’s wonderful biography The Pastor which has on its front cover Rilke’s memorable line ‘every step an arrival’. It reflects Peterson’s own conviction that when all is...
read moreTo Tend and to Keep: The Joy of Nurturing and Protecting
I’m part of AVENIR Leadership Institute and was recently in Brisbane helping a client devise their strategic plan for the next 5 years. Their CEO, Matt Vandepeer, started one of our days with a beautiful devotion based on Genesis 2:15, “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” The two key words struck me as deeply significant. To “tend” and to “keep”. There is both a nurturing and a protective part. Even in paradise there was work to be done (or is it...
read moreRefresh: Adam Raised a Cain – When our Children Break our Heart.
Today’s Refresh post will touch a raw nerve for some. Nothing impacts us like our family and children. When things go wrong, it is more than heart breaking. I hope that this post from February 2016 is of some small help. Refresh: Adam Raised a Cain – When our Children Break our Heart Don’t know if you are familiar with the Bruce Springsteen classic, Adam Raised a Cain, with its haunting closing lines, ‘Lost but not forgotten, from the dark heart of a dream, Adam raised a Cain.’ For those less familiar with the...
read moreOn proceeding as the way opens…
You might know the lovely Quaker saying, “Proceed as the way opens.” In a risk averse era, one where we want absolute clarity and know that we are liable if we forget to read the small print, this is a gentle prompt to accept the ambiguity of life, and to remember that everything isn’t known in advance, but that we must trust the process, or better still, trust the steady hand of God, and proceed as the way opens. Trouble is, this often requires patience. The way doesn’t always open as quickly or as obviously as we...
read moreRefresh: About Church Buildings…
Todays Refresh post originally appeared in November 2015 after a holiday Rosemary and I had just completed in Europe. I think it is well worth a re-read. Refresh: About Church Buildings… A common question of tourists is ‘So what did you see today?’ If they are touring Europe (as Rosemary and I have just done), you are likely to hear the reply, ‘abc’. Lest you have not heard the quip, abc stands for ‘another bloody church’. It is a little ironic that the worlds most secular continent is...
read moreOn Bringing Little Bits of Happiness: The Value of Micro-Encounters
I was listening to a podcast to pass the 15 minutes that lay ahead on the elliptical trainer. The sentiment expressed was simple, but I thought it worth developing. Whoever the podcaster was (being on the trainer is my excuse for not knowing) said we often think that we only make a difference when we do profound and life changing things. She went on to cite research suggesting that pleasant micro encounters can make a major difference to the happiness of those who experience them. Perhaps that sounds just a touch too theoretical, but she was...
read moreRefresh: To Strive for Great Things. Is Ambition OK?
Ambition… It’s such a vexed question. This longish Refresh post from 9 Oct 2015 raises some important questions and outlines helpful principles to guide us. Hope you find it helpful… To Strive for Great Things. Is Ambition OK? J. Oswald Sanders starts his classic book Spiritual Leadership by contrasting 1 Tim 3:1 To aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition with Jeremiah 45:5 Are you seeking great things for yourself? Seek them not. There is a creative tension between the two sentiments. Is there a place in the life of...
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