Faith and Culture: Cultural Sensitivity The history of Christian overseas mission is spotted with cultural inappropriateness but a few decades ago the Colleges and Universities responsible for missions training became serious about preparing future overseas missionaries for the importance of working within a receiving culture rather than acting like an invading cultural change agent. This …
Food For Thought 2021
Living with Disagreements: Reflections on 1 Corinthians 8:1-7 If social media has done one thing it is to highlight how much we differ from each other in both trivial matters (what we like on our pancakes), to more important things like how bad (or good) the umpires were at last week’s game, to what we …
Food for Thought 2021
Grace Misunderstood (2) The man stood before the Church congregation and told his story. He was only 36 years old but his appearance was that of a much older man. The years of doing it tough had taken their toll on him both physically and mentally. His story included tragic events that had torn at …
Food for Thought 2021
Grace Misunderstood (1) I think it was Charles Swindoll who said that if grace is not being misunderstood then it probably isn't grace. People receiving grace (unmerited kindness) usually are deeply appreciative of it but often times people looking on at grace being experienced criticise it and interpret it in various ways including injustice, weakness, …
Food for Thought 2021
Grace and Meritocracy. When I was teaching the subject "Christ in the City" at Kingsley College, one of the assignments I asked my students to do was to interview people on the streets of Melbourne about what various religious words meant to them. It was fascinating to get the reports back in and discuss how …
Food for Thought 2021
Reflections of an ageing Jesus freak, still living for a world of love, peace, and hope. I was driving home from dropping one of my grandsons off at his mate’s place and talking to God about what I need to be in 2021 and about what the Church needed most in the year ahead. I …
Daily Food for Thought
Jesus was offered power and he refused it. He was offered power by Satan in the wilderness, by people following him who wanted to make him King, and by people with full stomachs who wanted another free feed. He refused it every time. For centuries the people were looking for a political Messiah, one who …
Daily Food for Thought
Covid-19: 2020, The Year of Seeing Things Differently As we started into this crazy year a lot of us were inventing little ditties about 2020 vision and the year ahead of us. I came up with one similar to the others, ‘The year of seeing things differently and acting accordingly’. When I reminded Debbie of …
Daily Food for Thought
We love to be in control. Or at least, to feel as if we're in control. Then, when something comes along that shows how little we have control, we panic. Survival instincts take over and we do anything we can to regain that sense of control we have 'lost'. Apparently having a stockpile of toilet …
Daily Food for Thought
The Coronavirus Covid 19 is reminding us of a whole lot of things that we too often lose sight of, such as: One person can make a difference. Someone sneezes and Italy shuts down! Fear can be a killer and create panic that sends people into irrational and self-obsessed behaviour. The human race is really …
He cried. He knew Lazarus was dead before he got the news but still, he cried. He knew Lazarus would be alive again in moments but still, he cried. He knew death here is not forever. He knew eternity and the Kingdom better than anyone else could yet he wept because this world is full …
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Some thoughts on Power and Privilege “Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don't ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that's a picture …
Daily Food for Thought
The call to be bent trees, to be different, continues... From Sojourners 'Verse and Voice', Feb 4, 2020 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, …
Daily Food for Thought
Welcome back to Daily Food for Thought. First up, a quote from John Pavlovitz... I walked around today and I looked at people; those passing me in the grocery store, driving beside me on the highway, filling my newsfeed, walking by the house. I tried to really see them. I tried to look beneath the surface veneer …
Daily Food for Thought
"People sitting out their lives in the dark saw a huge light; Sitting in that dark, dark country of death, they watched the sun come up." Matt. 4:16 The Message As the sun rises on Australia to bring in a New Year, a New Decade, there are many who sit in the darkness of despair …
Daily Food for Thought
As I look back on the year that was 2019 these words from Walter Brueggemann ring loud and true as an exhortation to the church to be the church in 2020. In many ways we have not been truth tellers to a society that lives in illusion, nor have we been involved in grieving in …
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... and the revolution gets real in the neighbourhood...
Daily Food for Thought
Happy Birthday Jesus ... and the revolution begins...
Daily Food for Thought
What could be more Australian than that? Santa in his FJ Ute (Holden, not Ford, for obvious reasons!) being encouraged by Koalas and Kookas and Kangas and Cockies driving by the shop that sells meat pies with sauce and chocolate milkshakes... Yep, Christmas in Australia. Christmas looks different depending on where you live but the …
Daily Food for Thought
Bent trees: Two gems from the Nazarenes United for Peace Facebook page this morning, reminding us of the true nature of the Church as a political force in the world. We are called to be different. #bent trees. "The reality is that for many Christians, we’ve allowed our politics to inform our theology rather than …
Daily Food for Thought
Christmas. Jesus moves into the neighbourhood. Let's look at some of the things he said that that can turn the neighbourhood right side up... "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only …
Daily Food for Thought
Christmas. Jesus is moving into the neighbourhood. What can we expect? Love, generosity, forgiveness, hospitality, compassion, service, justice, non-violence, and simple living. Just what the neighbourhood needs. Yeah... let's put Christ back into Christmas. Immanuel... be God with skin on today...
Daily Food for Thought
One of the names for Jesus is Immanuel, meaning God is with us. Isaiah prophesied it and Matthew tells us it was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus told his disciples that he was sending them into the world as he had been sent and this mission has been passed on to …
Daily Food for Thought
#Bent Trees: The call to be different... "'Treat one another justly. Love your neighbors. Be compassionate with each other. Don't take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor. Don't plot and scheme against one another—that's evil.' Zech. 7:9-10 The Message. Just recently I was in a group of people who were doing it tough …
Daily Food for Thought
One of the key themes in the Old Testament passages that point ahead to the coming of the Messiah is justice. He will bring justice to the poor, the Kingdom he rules over will be a Kingdom of Justice, he will not rest until justice has been established over all the earth, and so …
Daily Food for Thought
As I'm reflecting through these days of Advent, with the help of Stephen Barrington, I am noticing how often the theme of light in darkness comes up. The world is pictured as lying in darkness and Jesus is seen as the Light, streaming into that darkness to make a difference. And the poor and vulnerable …
The Day Australia Lost Her Soul
Mark the date December 4th, 2019. If Australia hasn’t lost her soul over the last few years then it certainly did today. A secret deal between the Coalition Government and Independent Jacqui Lambie meant that the Medevac Law was repealed. (https://www.theguardian.com/australianews/2019/dec/04/medevac-repeal-bill-passes-after-jacqui-lambie-makes-secret-deal-with-coalition). To add to that human rights tragedy is the idea that the Government thinks …
Daily Food for Thought
Painting "Welcome the Stranger" by Michael Adams. “I don’t think we’ll understand Advent correctly until we understand it as a preparation for a revolution.” Robert Barron. "The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge …
Daily Food for Thought
My friend Stephen Barrington (Barro) writes an Advent reflection each year and distributes it on Facebook (Advent and Lent Prayer Calendar). This morning he was commenting on Isa. 9:2-7. Here's a part of what he said: "What a great picture of the Kingdom we have of the new world order, an alternative world in God’s …
Daily Food for Thought
"Some Pharisees and Sadducees were on him again, pressing him to prove himself to them. He told them, "You have a saying that goes, 'Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.' You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can't you read the signs of the times? (Matt. …
Daily Food for Thought
#Bent Trees 3. We are called to be different. When faced with overwhelming need we are more likely to get frustrated and dismissive than to see opportunity for kindness. In Matthew 15 it is recorded that Jesus sat in the middle of a crowd of people with deep physical needs, including hunger. His response was …
Daily Food for Thought
#Bent Trees 2: We are called to an ethic of difference... "A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so …
Daily Food for Thought
The fire and the smoke were threatening to overcome me. I felt like I was choking, finding it hard to breathe... and then the hand of the firefighter appeared through the haze... God with skin on! Thank God for our firefighters.
Daily Food for Thought
Artwork by my friend Heather Wright. Thanks Heather! #BentTrees: "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always …
Daily Food for Thought
In Matthew 13 it is recorded that Jesus told a parable about wheat and weeds. He says that there was a field where a lot of good wheat had been sown, but someone had come along later and put in a bunch of weeds. The farmers wanted to go out and get rid of the …
Daily Food for Thought
"The world is increasingly designed to depress us. Happiness isn't very good for the economy. If we were happy with what we had, why would we need more? How do you sell an anti-ageing moisturiser? You make someone worry about ageing. How do you get people to vote for a political party? You make them …
Daily Food for Thought
Lord, help me to live this day quietly, easily. Help me to lean upon Thy great strength trustfully, restfully, to wait for the unfolding of Thy will patiently, serenely, to meet others peacefully, joyously, to face tomorrow, confidently, courageously. Amen. —ANONYMOUS Gushee, David P. . A Morning and Evening Prayerbook (p. 334). Thomas Nelson. Kindle …
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Wisdom from Winnie "What day is it?" "It's today," squeaked Piglet. "My favourite day," said Pooh.
Daily Food for Thought
Daily Food for Thought
FOMO (the fear of missing out) is huge today. Always was really. Satan said to Eve 'you're gonna miss out if you follow what God is saying' and she believed him. In Matthew 12:38-42 Jesus tells the religious leaders that they are missing what God is doing (and it's bigger than Jonah and Solomon!) because …
Imagine… a reflection on Ash Barty
(www.theage.com.au) Here in Australia we all love Ash Barty. We love her tennis ability, we love the fact that she's #1 in Women's tennis at the moment, we love her Indigenous heritage... but most of all we love her character. She's humble in victory, gracious in defeat, and speaks well of her teammates and her …
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"Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others." Unknown author, found on Nazarenes United for Peace Facebook site.
Daily Food for Thought
Rejoice… Delight… Exclaim when the poor and needy are getting some justice in the form of rescue. "Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will delight in His deliverance. My very bones will exclaim, 'Lord, who is like You, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from …
Daily Food for Thought
My goal is to know Jesus deeply, to experience the power he gives to live life today and to live it faithfully no matter what, looking ahead with hope and expectation. (The Apostle Paul in Phil 3:10, paraphrased)
Daily Food for Thought
Just as Jim Wallis of Sojourners said 'Don't go left, don't go right, go deep' so the Prophet Isaiah said a few years before him 'Take root downward and bear fruit upward' (Isa. 37:31).
Imagine… Reality Based Hope
Introduction It started off as ‘positive thinking’ and more recently it has become ‘appreciative inquiry’ and is a major component of positive psychology and asset based community development. Although I am supportive of these approaches because I believe that an optimistic bias in life is much more conducive to individual and community health than is …
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Another Reflection on Matthew 8:1-4 It’s interesting how much of the Sermon on the Mount is being practiced by Jesus in this short story: he is salt and light in the neighbourhood as he brings compassion, grace, and healing into it; he is fulfilling the law as he gets the healed man to obey the …
Daily Food for Thought
A Reflection on Matthew 8:1-4 Jesus is in, of, and for the neighbourhood. He is coming back down from the mountain after delivering a sermon to the crowds and goes into a village where he meets a person in need of help. The actions he carries out are a wonderful example of neighbourly love and …
Daily Food for Thought
A Morning Prayer Dear God, for as long as it is called ‘today’, I submit myself to you to live well, in truth, grace, and faithful love. I submit my whole being to you, in self-denial, to live alternatively in the world, while deeply engaged with the world, through the enablement of your Spirit… …
Daily Food for Thought
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist”. Helder Camara.
Barnabas Connexion 