I want you to think about your friends for a moment. Who do you spend time with the most? What kind of people do you most easily call your friends? For most of us, our friends are actually quite similar to ourselves. University students tend to spend time with other university students. Mothers of young …
In Lancefield in Victoria last year, some people found a lost sheep. This sheep had once belonged to someone, but she had obviously been living by herself for several years. She looked like this: Those who found her called her Baarack. No-one knows how Baarack came to be the way she was, but it was …
Matthew 18 is a chapter with a theme: Jesus is speaking about what the Christian community should be like. And the fundamental thing we have to understand is that our stance should be one of humility. When we think of others in the Christian community, we are to realise that we are like little children. …
Many of the songs we sing in church are happy songs. We sing of Jesus being Joy to the World, of the wonder of Amazing Grace, and of how great our God is. And yes, of course, these are great things to sing about! But if that is all that we sing, we might be …
All Nations Presbyterian Church, the local church that I serve, is starting a second church service this coming Sunday. After having one service for many years, we have decided to start up an afternoon service. This is an intentional move that will stretch us but which we believe will be good for the spread of …
If you were to join a local football club, and you were relaxing with other football club members after the game, what do you think you would talk about? I have never been part of a football club, but I’ll hazard a guess: you would talk about football. It is what all of you have …
Like many people, I have a pile of bricks behind my shed in the backyard. They have been there as leftovers since the house was built over thirty years ago. At times, they come in handy. I have a few pot plants sitting on bricks and I have used them to weigh down the edges …
Most Christians are busy serving in their own local patch: their local church or maybe a parachurch organisation or mission field. We pour our hearts and souls into it, working to build others up, striving to see God honoured through the ministry we are part of. And that is a great thing! It is undoubtedly …
I have the privilege of serving in a church that is always talking about the gospel. You will hear Jesus talked about in every sermon. In all our Bible studies, our English class devotions, and in our sacraments, we love to talk about Jesus. For some people, that seems kind of odd. After all, the …
I am an introvert. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like people; I love people, and love talking to people. It does mean that I get drained by too much time with people and I much prefer quiet and calm environments to loud, noisy places. If you’re an introvert, the morning tea time at church …