The birth of hope and death of death…
I always enjoy preaching at my home church, Carey, and this morning got to speak at the Easter service. I spoke on the theme of “Easter as invitation” and this is roughly what I said… Invitations. Have you ever had a discussion with friends about who has had the most impressive invite in your group? I took part in that discussion once and quickly realised I was completely outclassed when two British friends started to argue amongst themselves as to whether his invitation to have dinner with the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair was more impressive than her invitation...
Read MoreLove So Amazing… Good Friday Questions
Here is a reflection for Good Friday from my book, Could this be God? Don’t know if you have ever been face to face with a little child in the three to five year age range who insists on asking “Why?” No matter what answer you give, it is immediately followed by yet another “Why?” I feel a little like that when it comes to Easter. You can’t but scratch your head and ask in amazed bewilderment, “So why did Jesus love me so much that he would die for me?“ No matter how good a theologian you are, it is a question that can’t really be answered. Another “Why?” quickly follows. True, we can make a...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Thomas Aquinas – Take 2
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) is regarded as one of the most significant shapers of Christian theology. He followed the tradition of scholasticism, and was a champion of reason and natural theology. His “necessary first cause” argument for the existence of God is still widely used – albeit a source of much debate. The Catholic Church continues to view him as a model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. While this selection from his insights cannot possibly do justice to his work, they can perhaps act as a tiny taster – and this is of course take 2. Nothing so...
Read MoreWill Kindness Win the World? Insights from the Early Church…
Recently I had the priviledge of opening the “Insight” conference for Grace Christian School in Bunbury. This is a slight rework of some of the main points I made on the day… By pretty much anyone’s calculations, 2017 was a tough year for the church – or certainly that is true for the church in Australia. There was the release of the findings of the Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It makes sobering reading – no, more than sobering – it is heartbreaking, heart wrenching stuff. Perhaps the most damning comment comes in Vol 16.3 on page 265:...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) is regarded as one of the most significant shapers of Christian theology. He followed the tradition of scholasticism, and was a champion of reason and natural theology. His “necessary first cause” argument for the existence of God is still widely used – albeit a source of much debate. The Catholic Church continues to view him as a model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. While a selection of a few of his insights cannot possibly do justice to his thoughts, they can perhaps act as a tiny taster… To one who has faith, no...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Billy Graham – Take 2
With tributes to Billy Graham (1918-2018) still pouring in, I thought it appropriate to dedicate Managing Monday to a few of his quotes. The most successful evangelist of the 20th century, Graham’s ministry was truly remarkable, and his legacy continues in the lives of the estimated 3.2million people who responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour at his many crusades. To this should be added many million more who responded to his televised broadcasts – estimated to have been seen by over 2.5 billion people. Here is a second selection of some...
Read MoreFollowing Jesus or the Pharisees? A 10 Point Check
In Christian circles it is usually considered a significant insult to suggest that someone is a Pharisee. Knowing the hard time these religious leaders gave to Jesus, and the harsh words he said about them in Matthew 23 – well, who would want to be a Pharisee? Yet if the essence of being a Pharisee is being legalistic and harshly zealous about faith, quick to dismiss others as beyond the pale and even quicker to declare oneself righteous, many would suggest that there are more than a fair few Christians who fall into this category. Now obviously they couldn’t mean either you or me, but...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Billy Graham
With tributes to Billy Graham (1918-2018) still pouring in, I thought it appropriate to dedicate Managing Monday to a few of his quotes. The most successful evangelist of the 20th century, Graham’s ministry was truly remarkable, and his legacy continues in the lives of the estimated 3.2million people who responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour at his many crusades. To this should be added many million more who responded to his televised broadcasts – estimated to have been seen by over 2.5 billion people. Here are some classic Graham...
Read MoreWhy Christianity is Probably True… My next book
British Publisher BRF recently confirmed that they will be releasing my latest book Why Christianity is Probably True in October – the 19th October to be exact (and ISBN number 9780857466549). Here is a taster from the book – the opening chapter to be precise. It gives a feel of the territory to be covered. Hope you enjoy it – and I’ll give some updates as the publication date draws closer… Chapter 1: About Probability… Perhaps you have come across the bus campaign run by the New Atheists. The little slogan blazoned across the exterior of many buses runs...
Read MoreA blog update…
Perhaps you have noticed, but there have not been any new posts on my blog lately, and you might have wondered why. Some of you have been kind enough to check if poor health has been the reason – be assured, that is not the case (but thanks for your concern). A few weeks ago the site ran into a technical hitch which meant that while all posts could be accessed, no new ones could be added. It has taken the immense skills of the wonderful Ben O’Reilly to sort this out – and sort it out he has. Huge thanks to you Ben. So posting will begin again soon… Indeed, tomorrow I...
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