2010 brings some new challenges for me, both as far as ministry is concerned and blogging. In the next few days Neobaptist will go off air. I will reappear in February with a new presence on the web. In this final post, I’d like to reflect on what I have learned from my first blogging experience. read more…
Everyday Greatness by Stephen Covey is like Chicken Soup for the Soul on steriods. It’s not a book to be read in one sitting, bu rather a resource book of stories and quotes that would suit someone who speaks regularly. read more…
Every now and then something comes to you out of the blue that proves to be a rich treasure. Recently a book entitled the Divine Commodity arrived from the publisher addressed to me, although I did not order it. They say never judge a book by its cover but this one is an exception to the rule. The colourful hardback book invited further inspection. The blurb caught my eye:
“Does today’s church lack imagination? A growing number of people are disturbed by the values exhibited by the contemporary church. worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become a consumable product. Through Scripture, history, engaging narrative, and the inspiring art of Vincent van Gogh, the Divine Commodity explored spiritual practises that liberate our imaginations to live as Christ’s people in a consumer culture opposed to the value’s of his kingdom.”
I was hooked. This is one book I will never lend out, it’s a keeper, and here’s why:
For a while after a spate of John Eldridge books came out I felt like the church cultural landscape may change to accomodate my manliness, and address my discomfort with the more effeminate aspects of church life, worship and culture. The brief dalliance with a more muscular spirituality has not lasted, and I have slipped back into a state of limbo, halfway between my true manliness and my public face of pastel shades and joining hands with the person next to me.
However, a new movement has taken root in my city that potentially provides a place where I can gather with other manly men without joining hands and singing “Shine Jesus Shine!”. Shed Night is taking off and it has the men of my church taking notice, and buying their T-shirts. This Sunday saw a number of men raising eyebrows (and temperatures) donning their brand new ‘Shed Happens” Tees. The emails of horror have started. The question I have is if this a new movement that will recalibrate our culture to be more accommodating to men or is it another Christian fad? read more…
My blogging activities have been sidelined by pastoral needs such as funerals and academic needs such as multiple assignment deadlines. Once I’m done early next week I’ll hit the keyboards again with some overdue posts, including:
- Review of The Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani.
- Tech Update for Churches.
- A new Pearl of The Christian Blogosphere.
- Review of Everyday Greatness by Covey.
- Using online surveys for feedback from your people.
In the meantime, the clock is ticking and my last deadline is looming…
As depicted by asbojesus
Finally, not only can we wear our faith on our sleeves, we can wear it on our face – thanks to ‘Disciple Shades’.
The new new logo for Queensland Baptists has been released after the ditching of the new one. The new old one was scrapped because “having trouble with our new logo with some forms of printing and, in particular, engraving on a plaque”. (I am doing my best not to comment here…) The new one is a lot more simple, and will appeal to many because of the prominence of the cross. In keeping with the predilection for Baptists to have a de rigueur byline, the words ‘following Jesus’ are added the logo. The old new logo that has been scrapped after a few months life is below for your viewing pleasure: read more…
We don’t really have a theology of dying in evangelical and charismatic churches. We don’t accept intrusions like illness or much worse terminal illness. Our spirituality is built around the God of Comforts, a cosmic butler who makes sure us middle class affluent followers have every fine detail of life looked after, even down to car parking spaces on our way to the temples of Mammon we frequent.
The reality is that people actually die. Many of those people are our own, within our churches. We don’t seem to be able to walk with them to heavens door, because we are too busy praying against that happening. Accepting the inevitability of death is to us a breach of faith and a lack of trust. Subsequently, we potentially deny people in their most needy hours, the pastoral care and preparation for death that they need. Instead we live in denial until the final moment hoping for that last chance miracle. Do we need to embrace a theology of death? read more…
