MANDATORY VACCINES AND RAPID ANTIGEN TESTING: A WAY FORWARD?
The lockdowns associated with COVID-19 have had the effect of straining relationships in a number of places, and the church has not escaped. The threat that worshippers in NSW churches […]
Predestined to Life
The doctrine of predestination will always be accompanied with controversy, disagreement and possibly even the covering of ears, the raising of arm hair and the chilling of spines. Let me […]
A Narrow Definition of Conscience Is Dangerous
There is a concerning attempt by some leaders in the church to limit the definition of freedom of conscience to solely religious beliefs (as long as these do not directly […]
Living for Eternity
‘All that is not eternal is eternally out of date,’ said C. S. Lewis. It is one of those fresh and startling comments that Lewis was prone to make. We […]
The Jesus People Met
In the first chapter of John’s gospel the disciples of Jesus, with one exception, come to him via another person. Andrew comes via John the Baptist, Peter comes via Andrew […]
“Father, I’m scared”
Australia is in the grip of fear. It’s palpable. Some cities and states may be feeling it more than others, but no one can doubt that our nation is afraid. […]
The Subtle Art of Deception – C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters (Part 3)
One of the devil’s most subtle temptations is dealt with in Letter 7 where Screwtape instructs Wormwood concealing the presence of devils. Moderns mostly regard devils as comic figures in red tights. […]
ETHICS BY OURSELVES
Before he died of cancer in 2011, Christopher Hitchens spoke for many a modern atheist – and ancient one for that matter – when he declared: ‘We believe with certainty […]
The Subtle Art of Deception: C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters (Part 2)
In Letter 4 Screwtape covers the subject of prayer and instructs Wormwood how to tie his ‘patient’ up in knots. He does this by trying to get him to conjure […]
The Subtle Art of Deception: C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters (Part 1)
C. S. Lewis published his much acclaimed Screwtape Letters in 1942. Drawing on his own long experience of conversion from atheism to Christianity, he constructed a story of a senior Devil named […]
Surviving a Terrorist Attack: Part 2
Luke stirred in his sleep, but thankfully showed no signs of distress. I relished the warmth of his hand, grateful again that the terrorists hadn’t taken him out, nor the […]
Surviving a Terrorist Attack
We moved his mattress into our room to lay him down for the night next to our bed. Luke, our 11-year-old, had good reason to fear sleeping alone in his room. […]
Unspeakable Pain, Unimaginable Pleasure
“Suddenly…,” laments Paul McCartney in his song Yesterday, “I’m not half the man I used to be.” This is not only The Beatles’ most popular ballad, but it has been repeatedly […]
Oh for a Haircut!
Today is day 50 of the lockdown in NSW with no end in sight. Coincidentally I am preparing a series of sermons on the book of Judges and at the […]
Men and Women Together
Men and women working together. It’s been God’s good order since the beginning. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them […]
Today’s Quick Word: August 5th
Psalm 4:2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah My copy of Tim & Kathy Keller’s […]