Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
Managing Monday with Ravi Zacharias – take 2
Last week we looked at some insights from noted Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. Here are a few more… Having the answers is not essential to living. What is essential is the sense of God’s presence during dark seasons of questioning – Ravi Zacharias We must learn to find the back door to people’s hearts because the front door is heavily guarded – Ravi Zacharias You’ll never get to a person’s soul until you understand their hurts – Ravi Zacharias Beginning well is a momentary thing: finishing...
read moreThree challenges facing Christians…
Those of us who are embedded in healthy church communities sometimes wonder why there are so many who are not. Put differently, at a time when it is so easy to track down information about Jesus and to learn about his teaching, why are so many deciding that following him has little appeal. A fair amount of the negative response can probably be put down to the negative publicity surrounding the church, with people thinking, ‘well, if that’s the community he founded, count me out.’ But it is not just that. If you ask me what I think the three...
read moreTruth, Kevin Rudd and the UN…
Those who keep up with Australian politics will know of the debate surrounding the government’s decisions not to formally nominate former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to be appointed as the secretary-general of the United Nations. There are those who see it as sheer vindictiveness (‘petty, partisan, vindictive’ to use the words of a former Labor foreign minister Gareth Jones)- the current government unwilling to back a fellow Australian simply because he has been on the other side of politics. They also see it as a serious...
read moreManaging Monday with Ravi Zacharias
I’m currently teaching a unit in apologetics at Vose, and naturally that brings me into a fair amount of contact with the thought of noted Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias. This Monday and next, we will focus on some of his insights… We have a right to believe whatever we want, but not everything we believe is right – Ravi Zacharias Before the truth can set you free you need to recognize which lie is holding you hostage – Ravi Zacharias I am absolutely convinced that meaninglessness does not come from being weary of...
read moreFaith and mental health…
One of the issues explored in my latest book When Faith Turns Ugly: Understanding Toxic Faith and How to Avoid It is the impact of faith on mental health. Predictably it’s a discussion where nuance is needed, and sweeping generalizations are best avoided. Some forms are faith are linked to positive mental health, others are likely to negatively impact it – and it is important to differentiate between them. Chapter 4 of the book asks the question if, as Freud alleges, faith is essentially an illusion, adopted to help us avoid some...
read moreWhy do we preach? And should we…
My home church is Carey Baptist in Perth, and at present our night time service is asking some questions about basic church practices – like why we preach, take communion, worship, and others. I got to kick the series off by trying to answer the question, “why do we preach?” and it did feel a little strange to give a sermon about giving sermons. But overall it was a good experience and even seemed to mean something to some, so here the notes are. Hope it answers some of your questions, and if not, do post them… It is...
read moreManaging Monday with Mother Teresa – take 3
A final set of quotes from Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997). Founder of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation working amongst the poorest of the poor, her life continues to inspire. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer. Mother Teresa Every time you smile at someone it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Mother Teresa The problem with our world is...
read moreBecoming whole and holy…
I am currently enjoying reading a book on spiritual formation published under the title Becoming Whole and Holy: An Integrative Conversation about Christian Formation. It is essentially a gentle conversation between the three authors (Jeannine K. Brown, Carla M.Dahl and Wendy Corbin Reuschling) on questions of human being and becoming (or formation). They each bring a different field of specialization to the discussion (biblical hermeneutics, the social sciences and ethics) – which leads to a refreshingly broad and integrative...
read moreWhen God writes straight with crooked lines…
Ever heard someone’s story, scratched your head and thought – ‘that doesn’t make sense. Surely this story is not over yet’? Sometimes you get to hear the sequel, sometimes not. When it’s not, you simply have to trust that God is fully competent, and makes God sized decisions based on significantly fuller knowledge than you or I will ever have access to. But on those occasions when you do get a glimpse into the next chapter, it helps you to trust a little more. In my recently released book When Faith Turns...
read moreManaging Monday with Mother Teresa – take 2
Last week we started reflecting on some of the wisdom of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. A champion of the poor, here are a few more of her profound insights. If you judge people, you have no time to love them. Mother Teresa I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. Mother Teresa Poverty is not made by God, it is created by you and I when we don’t share what we have. Mother Teresa Hope this is a special week for you…
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