Do you remember science classes in high school? Other than Bunsen burners and the Van der Graff Generator, me neither! One thing that you learn in biology is about life. All living things apparently have 7 life processes that indicate that they are in fact living. Perhaps you recall MRS NERG... (Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Nuitrition, … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Journeying
People
A Vision for Church: Listening
My wife and I enjoy making up stories about people. We might be out for coffee, sitting on a train or walking through town. Just based on what someone is wearing or how they present themselves we imagine a whole back story to their life, relationships they have or don't have, and what they are … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Listening
A Vision for Church: Creative
'In the beginning God created...' (Genesis 1:1) How did the church become so bland? Look at historic church buildings and they are incredibly intricate, ornate and beautiful. People will travel for miles simply to visit a church building because the architecture and the art are incredible. Over the years the church has influenced music, not … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Creative
A Vision for Church: Hopeful
When I sat down to write about the church being hopeful and offering hope I had in mind to write about being a resurrected people, living with the faith that despite the darkest of times we face we live in the hope that resurrected life is just around the corner. I come to this but … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Hopeful
A Vision for Church: Liberating
About six months after my wife and I married I was diagnosed with depression. I have been known to make the rather obvious joke about the cause of my depression being married life, in reality this couldn't be further from the truth. I likely suffered with depression for years before I ever met my wife. … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Liberating
A Vision for Church: Repentant
Part of my training to become a pastor involved completing a theology degree. In addition to those elements of the course that focussed on academic study and essay writing we would also complete sessions to help us consider and prepare for the more practical aspects of ministry. There would be sessions looking at funerals and … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Repentant
A Vision for Church: Prophetic
I will admit I can find it somewhat pretentious to talk about the prophetic. I think it comes from the experience of preachers claiming to be prophetic, having prophecies or claiming a title of Prophet and making bold claims that God is speaking to them about specific issues of the future. Frequently these claims are … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Prophetic
A Vision for Church: Inclusive
A few years ago I was doing some research about the eucharist or communion for my own understanding of the different beliefs people have about what happens. The different beliefs lead to a variety of ways of sharing the bread and wine, who is authorised to serve the elements and who is permitted receive them. … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Inclusive
A Vision for Church: Body
Gifted, Diverse, Fragile, Disabled and Scarred Gifted Body It is fairly common to refer to the church as a body. This stems from the writing in the New Testament attributed to Paul which refers to the church as the 'body of Christ' (Ephesians 4:12). Paul's use of the body as analogy for the church refers … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Body
A Vision for Church: Family
I have spent the majority of my life attending and being involved in different church communities. Over the years I've served in Anglican, Baptist, Elim, Methodist, United Methodist as well as non-denominational or 'free' churches. Regardless of the denomination or the location the members of any particular local church will often describe their worshipping community … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Family
The Broken Church 