Let's reflect on the mystery of healing today. There is a close connection between love, forgiveness, healing and peace. God revives the humble and contrite … leading them to comfort. Only five of Jesus' healing events in the Gospels involve people dying. The main stories are for the blind, deaf, dumb, paralysed and possessed. In many ways, these can be … Continue reading The Mystery of Healing
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered. I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand. And when I wake up, you are still with me. Psalm 139:17-18.
NAIDOC Week is a celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s one of the most important events in the Indigenous calendar, and you might be surprised to hear that it all began with a letter to the churches of Australia. The letter was sent by William Cooper, a … Continue reading NAIDOC Week
God's world.The power of the sea.Endless motion. Seasons come and go.The sands of time. Vast humanity.Creation care. Human achievements are but castles in the sand.Erosion. Shaped by relentless movement and motion. His love never fails. His faithfulness reaches beyond - from generation to generation. Mercy un-ending. The finite meets the infinite.
Most followers of Christ understand the need to pursue truth and avoid error. Some take it upon themselves to find error and point it out to others. Most churches I know have a statement of faith and their teaching teams speak from this foundation. They believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is … Continue reading Discerning Truth and Error
Today is the 1st July and the first half of 2015 is history! Like a halftime at a sports game, mid year is a good time to stop ... or at least pause ... and reflect. Ask yourself some questions: What has gone well and needs affirming? What isn't going so well and needs adjusting? … Continue reading It’s Halftime!
Elisabeth Elliot pass away a few weeks back (June 15th, 2015). She was one of the most influential Christian women of our time. For a half century, her best selling books, timeless teachings and courageous faith have influenced believers and seekers of Jesus Christ throughout the world. She used her experiences as a daughter, wife, mother, widow, … Continue reading Remembering Elisabeth Elliot
Here are my own favourite confidence builders, gleaned from years of life and ministry experience: Confidence Builders 1. SEE yourself as God sees you. Your words and actions are a reflection of how you see yourself. Therefore, you cannot constantly live and/or minister in a manner that is inconsistent with the way you see yourself. If … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.5)
Confidence Builders Your confidence can grow. What from? Here's a list that I collected from our recent staff meeting: Faith in God. Encouragement and affirmation from other people. Success. Good preparation. Self-belief. Someone believing in you. Forgiveness. The company we keep. Experience. Being empowered by others. Training. God's Word. An encounter with God. Using your … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.4)
Confidence Knockers Your confidence will come under attack. What from? Here's a list that I collected from a recent staff meeting as we all brain-stormed around our life and leadership experiences: Doubt. Mistakes or failure. Fear. Criticism or negative words from other people. Disappointment. Intimidation. Negative 'self-talk'. Unmet expectations. Lack of knowledge. Poor physical health. Tiredness. … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.3)
The quality of confidence can be defined as: faith, belief, trust, assurance, certitude, being sure, undisturbed calm. It is a spirit of faith that is certain of success, yet not afraid of failure. Every person used by God reaches their potential through confidence in God - despite difficulties, challenges and obstacles. Encounters with God Think of … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.2)
This week, we want to reflect on the area of confidence. Let's start by reading and meditating on these statements from the pages of Scripture. Ephesians 1:18. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy … Continue reading Developing Confidence (Pt.1)
Ten tips for supporting someone who is grieving: • Offer practical support such as meals, shopping, gardening, errands, lifts, etc. especially in the early days. • Accept that everyone grieves differently. Grief is a normal and natural response to loss but everyone grieves differently. • Don't judge. There is no right or wrong way to … Continue reading Grief
Right now, our vision as a church is to see over 10,000 stories of transformation. Recently, we have had a number of moving stories about individuals coming out of domesitc violence situations. These are people who once felt isolated, hopeless, and helpless. Now they feel cared for and looked after. These stories provide hope for anyone affected by domestic … Continue reading Responding to Domestic Violence
Life left to itself tends to become more and more complex and cluttered. It takes a concerted effort to reverse the trend - to simplify, to become a minimalist. Some thoughts worth reflecting on: Could the best way to organise your stuff be to get rid of the heap of it? How might your life … Continue reading Minimalism – the Power of Simplicity
