When your schemes fall apart at the seams May 28, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Humour.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger
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I’ve had a finely planned and brilliantly devised scheme in place for some months now. The victim of the scheme has been groomed patiently and painstakingly over months with constant exposure to the probability of what I have in mind. I have been slowly shepherding my prey into the trap. Not dissimilar to a police sting where a target is groomed and slowly led towards the culmination of the operation.
But it all fell part yesterday, 3 weeks premature. It fell apart with the unexpected arrival of a baby. Well when I say baby, its not quite a baby, but in mnay ways it has the same effect. (more…)
Playing It Safe May 27, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Missional.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, short term mission
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Leadership throws up plenty of decisions we have to make between keeping it simple and playing it safe, or taking calculated risks. For some reason I am wired against the safe option, although at times I would prefer for life to be alot more simple than it is. Playing it safe would grant me that kind of life.
For the past 2 months I have been agonising over whether to go ahead with a short term missions trip to Zimbabwe, or play it safe and pull the whole thing. I am taking 8 other people over with me, and we are due to arrive 6 days before the next run off election. I could potentially be taking 8 of my congregants into danger, or I could be taking them on a venture that bring much needed encouragement to the body of Christ in Zimbabwe and a host of other blessings. (more…)
Comforting the dying May 26, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Pastor's Stuff.Tags: Pastoral Care, Baptist blogger. baptist blog
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At any moment pastors can get a phone call or a knock on the door which changes not only your day but the course of your life [and possibly that of your church] for a considerable period of time. I got one of those unexpected visits on Friday. It was from a prominent carer in our church, a woman of great standing, dearly loved and highly regarded. She may well be gone within six months. Those moments come without warning, and how you respond cannot be learned in theological college. (more…)
How long should a funeral be? May 23, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Pastor's Stuff.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, funeral service, funerals
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I had to go to a funeral yesterday. It was a Brethren funeral. It was long. I clocked it at 2hrs23min. It was the closest I’ve ever got to giving a speaker the wind up sign. Everyone’s body language was awful. The life story of the person being farewelled was inspirational, but those trying to remember her nearly ran the risk of the service being more memorable for how long it was rather than her life. (more…)
Female Elders rethink May 20, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Leadership.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, female elders
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After watching this video I am having second thoughts about Female Elders. In fact, I’m terrified! (more…)
Ramsay’s Church May 20, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Pastor's Stuff.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, church consulting, Gordon Ramsay
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The bete noir of the moral crusaders for t.v. has to be Gordon Ramsey, he of Ramsay’s Kitchen and Hell’s Kitchen fame. He has created headlines around the world for the frequency with which he drops the f-bomb.
I must confess I find Ramsay’s Kitchen gripping, and indeed probably the best documentary series on leadership I can recall. It’s so good I’d love to write to him and propose he do a Ramsay’s Church, starting with mine! (more…)
Bullhorn Evangelist predicts God will kill Sabbath breakers May 19, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, bullhorn believer, Comrades Marathon, sabbath breaking
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In my recent post entitled ‘Bullhorn Believer’ I talked about the victory of grace over legalism in South Africa with regards to how Christians react to a national road running event [Comrades Marathon] being held on a Sunday.
Right on cue a world class Bullhorn Believer has weighed in suggesting that God killed two runners last years and runners this year need to beware: running on a sunday may get you killed by God. (more…)
Female Elders May 19, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Baptist issues.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, elders, female elders
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I did one of those lemming things this Sunday I seem to be predisposed towards doing: taking red hot issues to church meetings that could get me horribly burned. (more…)
The Discipleship Debate May 14, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Missional.Tags: Agape, Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Campus crusade for Christ, discipleship, growing healthy churches, Queensland Baptists
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What is more important for us to be doing: discipling new believers or building functional churches? There seems to be an increasing debate about whether the egg does actually come before the chicken, or even without the chicken. The emergence of the ‘emergent’ has given added strength to the ‘discipleship only’ camp. (more…)
Bullhorn Evangelism May 12, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Theology.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Comrades Marathon, grace, judgemental Christians, Pharisees
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Every now and then I have encounters with judgmental Christians which leave me traumatized and at a loss to explain the visceral hatred they display. Sometimes the encounters are less traumatic and simply baffling. I marvel at the capacity for misdirected believers to contradict themselves and the faith they claim to be promoting.
Every now and then I am embarrassed on behalf of Christendom to the point of wanting to run as far away as I can, as fast as I can. I am currently preparing myself and girding my loins for another certain encounter. (more…)
