Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
Towards a Theology of Personal Development (2): Watching our Thoughts
Ever been lost in thought and had someone ask, “A penny for your thoughts”? Ok, realistically anyone under 60 is not likely to express it this way, but they might well ask, “You look lost in thought. What’s on your mind?” It can be a confronting question. After all, our thoughts are private, and even if we answer the query, we’re likely to edit it a little. I remember once reading that someone was working on a gadget that would give you the ability to know exactly what others are thinking, and my response...
read moreRefresh: Blending Amish and the 21st Century
With AI racing away and already impacting our lives more than we likely imagined, today’s Refresh from January 2022 has a fresh pertinency. As I re-read it I thought, “Oh yes, this is genuinely important.” So here is a repeat of some thoughts on blending Amish and the 21st century… Refresh: Blending Amish and the 21st century… OK, so I accept some will think this is one of my sillier blog posts, but I recently wondered if it might be possible to navigate life part Amish, part 21st century. Of course a whole lot...
read moreDeveloping a Theology of Personal Development (1): Inner Work First
I’m about to start an ambitious project – mapping out a theology of personal development. Now some may scoff that it’s impossible, and that the focus on us each developing to be the best version of our self is a reflection of Western individualism, and that it has little to do with the world of the Bible. In that world, commitment to the communal good quickly transcends individual good. The African concept of ubuntu (I am because we are – or we cannot decide our actions until we have stood in the shoes of the other) is...
read moreRefresh: Four Flavours of Regret
I’ve sat in many postmortems, dissecting meetings or events to learn from what went wrong, and to consider repeating what went right. More recently I have been part of a few pre-mortems, predictive meetings where we answer the question, “if something goes wrong, what is it likely to be, and what should we do now to make sure it doesn’t happen?” I now consider it part of responsible planning – thinking ahead of the likely blockers of desired outcomes. I think a pre-mortem is especially important when it comes to...
read moreLooking Inward – Listening Outward: The role of feedback, and it not being all about us…
How do you react when someone gives you some negative feedback? Do you swing into self justification? “Well thank you very much, but actually, this is what you don’t understand…” Or perhaps you go in the opposite direction, taking everything said on board, and then amplifying it, making it far more critical than was ever intended. “Oh I know, I’m really terrible at that. I’m sorry about it. I hope I haven’t made things too difficult for you. I feel awful about it.” Or do you sit with it,...
read moreRefresh: Redeeming Work – Job, Career or Calling
As AI gallops forward, many are wondering about the future of work, and there are many unknowns. This Refresh post originally appeared in Aug 2016, and explores the difference between job, career and calling through a biblical lens. I think it remains relevant in the important conversation which is starting to emerge. Refresh: Redeeming Work – Job, Career or Calling A significant portion of our life is engaged in ensuring that we have a roof over our head and food on the table. Some of us are able to work in such a way that life’s...
read moreWhen Life is Like an Egg… and When it Isn’t.
Not all images work. I wasn’t at all sure that this one would. The speaker was likening life to an egg – not a hard boiled one, long dead and simply waiting to be eaten, but one of those with a fledgling chick inside. As the young bird attempts to come out, it pecks away at the shell from the inside. Recognising how tough the task is, you might well be tempted to lend a hand and give the shell a little tap to break it open and hasten the birds release. Apparently that’s a big no no. If you do, you have almost certainly...
read moreRefresh: When Faith is Aspirational…
The old quip goes, “When all is said and done, far more is said than done.” It’s true. sometimes it works that way in faith as well. We claim huge things… we are set to change the world. But back at the ranch things are a little different. Sometimes faith is more about our aspirations than the reality. What happens then? This refresh post from August 2022 explores this dilemma. Refresh: When Faith is Aspirational… Have you ever asked if we do what we believe, believe what we do, or sit in an uncomfortable space...
read moreOn Turning 68: A bit of an Update…
If you are reading this on the date of its first appearance, 13 July 2025, it’s my birthday. Happy birthday me – all 68 years of me! While 68 is in many ways an annoying age, marking no special milestone (it’s not a zero birthday nor even a “last year in your 60’s” birthday) it feels a little bit special if only because of some recent changes in my life. “What are they?” you ask, while perhaps assuming I will announce the big ‘R’ word. No, it’s not retire, but here are some of...
read moreRefresh: Can Good Come from Conflict? Listening for the Spirit’s voice
Today’s Refresh is a lightly edited version of a sermon I have often preached. I wish the topic had faded into irrelevance, but it hasn’t. How do we find what God is saying to us when we are in battle with one another. Though times and examples change (and this first appeared in 2015), I hope some of the principles are helpful. Refresh: Can Good Come from Conflict? Listening for the Spirit’s Voice. Most of my sermons only get preached once. They serve a particular purpose, and while I file them away, hopeful that they will...
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