Developing a personal plan: Reeb’s From Success to Significance
It’s the marking time of the year – oh joy. Actually sometimes it is a joyous occasion, when a student greatly exceeds my expectations or highlights something I have not thought about before. True, it can take a fair few essays before I read one in that category, but it happens just often enough to keep me hopeful… perhaps this time. Today I was marking the personal formation plans that students in my ministry formation class have drawn up, and I’ve gotta say, there were a fair few heartening moments. Some of them used Lloyd Reeb’s book From Success to...
Read MoreFaith, Forgetting and Fruitfulness: Reflections on Genesis 41
I was preaching on Genesis 41 yesterday. As I don’t expect you to be able to rattle off what that chapter is about, let me refresh your memory. Genesis 37 tells us that a 17 year old Joseph had a dream in which he saw his brothers bowing down to him. Offended by the arrogance of this dream, and by Joseph’s status as his father Jacob’s favourite son, his brothers have him sold into slavery in Egypt. Purchased By Potiphar, he impresses in his new status and is left in charge of Potiphar’s household. For a while things turn out not too badly for Joseph, but then...
Read MoreThe Numbers Game…
It’s that time of the year. The budget for the next financial year is being finalised, marking is getting done and I’m monitoring student enrolments for semester 2. My life for the last few weeks has revolved around numbers. Astonishing how a small number can make a large difference. An extra zero added at the end of a donation and the year’s budget can be met! In my role as moderator I have to visit the scripts of all borderline students. A decision to add a mark or shave a few off makes the difference between euphoria and despair. In fairness to students I try to remember to moderate...
Read MoreEvangelism and attentiveness…
On the weekend I led a seminar on evangelism for the good folk at Kingsway Methodist Church. It has been a little while since I have led a seminar on this topic, and I decided to think through some issues in a slightly different way. After reflecting on the importance of pre evangelism, and the many obstacles that prevent people from making a meaningful response to Jesus, I asked those present to think of 5 people they knew who haven’t yet said ‘yes’ to Jesus, and to write their names down. I thought this was important, as it is so easy to lapse into theories that have...
Read MoreRetirement musings…
No, I don’t have plans to retire any time soon (how could you even think it?), but I recently attended a function to celebrate the retirement of two colleagues. One, Peter Lu, had worked for the Baptist Union of Western Australia for over 20 years, and the other, Terry Hicks, for 17 years. A lot of intellectual capital was finishing up that day, and there were naturally mixed emotions in the room. Both men have served the denomination with great loyalty and enthusiasm and leave it in a significantly stronger position than it was when they arrived. As they enter retirement, they can do...
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