When was the last time you read a book? Yes, a book. Not a magazine or newspaper, not a social media post, not the latest news headlines, but a book. I fear that for many, especially in Perth, the answer tends to be “I can’t remember.” Social media has become where many spend the time …
Every now and again, a newspaper will remind us that Australians are very poor at saving. Compared to the rest of the world, Australians tend to spend what they earn, with very little set apart for later. Younger people, in particular, don’t want to invest money for the future but would prefer to make the …
Rest is a wonderful gift from God, as the previous blog post explained. God has been so gracious to his people to set up our lives with a rhythm that includes rest as well as work. It is a reminder of his goodness and our limitations and helps prevent us relying on ourselves too heavily. …
Holiday time for most people in Perth has now come to an end, with school officially starting this week. I have also had the privilege to have a holiday for a couple of weeks. It is relaxing to break the normal routine, to be away from responsibilities and have a mental rest. God set up …
It’s that time of year where so many start to consider starting good habits in their lives: the time of new year’s resolutions, the upsurge in gym memberships, and the start of many Bible reading plans for Christians. The problem is that life is quieter right now and doing these things is easier. When real …
The Christian church is called a family, a household and a congregation at various points in the New Testament. The church is not a building or a service but a people. And it is a people who should function quite differently to how usual families and groups of people function. Usually, we are attracted to …
I notice the same thing every Christmas: the people who do not trust in Jesus are the ones who get most excited about the decorations, the music, the craft, the food and the whole circus that comes around this time of year. Christmas is big business. People are wearing Christmas-themed T-shirts (which means Santa/elves/tinsel/green and …
In our church, the entire congregation is in the main hall together for the first half of the service. This means that we sing and pray together with older people, young children, and everyone in between all together. There is something wonderfully encouraging about this! And then, when the time for the Bible reading and …
Singleness doesn’t often get talked up in churches. There is a lot of focus on families, on Biblical teaching on marriage, on ministries aimed at covenant children, and on pre-marriage counselling. If you are unmarried in the church, you can sometimes feel that you are a second-class citizen of some type. Add to that the …
There is something wonderful about being reminded of God’s goodness to us in Jesus. We should be told about it in sermons and sing about it in songs. The gospel is an objective truth that all Christians are built up by. However, there is something special about hearing how God has worked in the life …