Christmas Cartoon December 31, 2007
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Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
Hot stuff to spice up your sermons [Part 1] December 21, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.Tags: baptist, baptist church, church videos, pastor, sermon, sermon illustrations
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Now that we can be legit and show video clips [read the fine print mind], as reported below, we could do with some help to ensure we can spice up our sermons/teaching by using powerful movie based illustrations. Here’s two cracking good reads on the subjec, one of which will save you a lot of time and money!t: (more…)
Guilt Free DVD’s for Churches December 21, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.Tags: baptist church, pastors, church copyright, church video, preaching material, sermon illustrations
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Gettin’ legit!
Churches have been thinking for the past few decades that they are living in a grey margin when it comes to using movie clips for illustrations. Well they haven’t, technically and legally speaking they have been breaking the law. In my experience when someone asks they are encouraged not to… (more…)
Small Group Innovation December 20, 2007
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I’m thinking of creating a new staff position after watching this amazing innovation. This will get small group participation rates soaring!
Baptists and the Emerging church debate December 18, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Baptist issues.Tags: baptist church, australian baptists, baptists, emerging church
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Any consideration about the future of the Baptist church in Australia must take into account the challenges thrown up by the ‘Emerging Church’ debate. Your average Baptist suburban church is pretty much anathema to the typical ‘emergent type’.
One of the texts you can read to demonstrate the sometimes visceral rejection and intense dislike of the suburban church ‘institutionalized model’ is in the book ‘The Prodigal Project - journey into the emerging church. [Mike Riddell, Mark Pierson, Cathy Kirkpatrick]. (more…)
Christ follower vs Christian December 18, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Humour.Tags: Christ follower, Christian
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Community Christian Church runs a brilliant series of video’s, including a series of spoof Mac vs Pc ads.
The Unbearable Weight of Carrying Secrets December 17, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.Tags: baptist church, pastoral counselling, pastors, secrets
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I don’t know about you but I find the weight of carrying so many people’s secrets unbearable sometimes. I think pastors would make great spies - we can keep a lot of highly explosive information under wraps.
The first issue that secrets present to you is the danger of falling into cynicism. Knowing what lies under the surface of your congregations lives can potentially push you into a perpetual cynicism. Sometimes when I see people singing the victorious, mushy, triumphalistic lyrics of the songs that beset our churches these-days, I wonder how they can sing the words [knowing what I do about the contradiction of their lives]. (more…)
Chained to the Constitution [Part II] December 14, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Baptist issues.Tags: baptist, baptist church, church constitution, church meeting
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Rescuing The Church Meeting
I would like to formally move that the amendment to the motion be accepted and that that form the substantive motion what we put to the floor, which will read ‘that this article be read by all who visit this blog’.
You may have noticed that meetings in a Baptist church are run according to formal business meeting procedures. You may also have noticed that most people don’t fully understand the minutiae of business meeting procedure. You may not have noticed that many people stay away from church meetings because they are confused about how the procedure works. (more…)
Top Ten Things A Pastor Hates Hearing December 12, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Pastor's Stuff.Tags: baptist church, pastors, church
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10.” I have an old (whatever) .. can the Church use it ?”
9. (Sunday 2 minutes before the service) “Who’s doing the Announcements - can you read this out?”
8. “New car ? we must be paying you too much!”
7. “Your wife works ???”
6. “PK”
5. Can you write me a reference?
4. “The Lord told me to tell you..”
3. “The elders have met and want to meet with you..”
2. “Our old pastor used to ….”
AND NUMBER ONE …..
1. “I’m not the only one who is critical of this ..”
Celtic Benediction December 11, 2007
Posted by Gordon in Worship.1 comment so far
I recently picked up a book to add to my devotional resources, particularly those of a Celtic nature. Celtic Benediction is illustrated by the Lindisfarne Gospels [from an Abbey on Holy Island in the NE of England where Christianity arrived in England from Iona].
It has prayers, Scripture and reflections for morning and evening, for the 7 days of the week. I’m hoping that in time I can commit it all to memory. Here’s a taste, Monday morning prayer reflection: (more…)
