One thing about these cold winter mornings is that the spider-webs in the garden look very pretty. The droplets of dew make them seem like tiny strands of sparkly diamonds glistening in the early morning sun. When the weather is warmer you don't notice the spider webs until you walk into them but the droplets of winter dew make them highly visible. Examining one of them last week made me do a little thinking about what we call "fellowship" among us as God's people. That network of relationships that we enjoy in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is somewhat...

It's with reluctance that I write this week's blog. That reluctance was motivated by some serious questions. Why drag up unpleasant things that have caused lots of people much pain? And why focus on someone else's sin when we've all got our own faults and foibles? And yet... there are some important lessons to be learnt. I'm talking about the iconic Aussie entertainer, Rolf Harris. Like many of you I watched the unfolding saga of the famous and now elderly entertainer being brought before the UK courts to answer to some twelve counts of indecent assault. Since his conviction on July...

Sometimes when I listen to news and current affairs programs I get the feeling that our Western culture is moving, at a great rate of knots, away from its Judaeo-Christian roots. The list of concerns is endless: from gratuitous violence in movies to the sexualising of children and from same-sex marriage to corporal punishment. Already forty years ago, when I was at our theological college we talked about the coming of a post-Christian era. Well, I don't want to be a "chicken little" who complains that the sky is falling in but we could be forgiven for claiming that we are...

Some folk may think that God calling for someone to serve as a pastor is a mystical and mysterious thing. The Lord certainly doesn't send you an email saying, "I want you to become a pastor." In some ways it is a mystical and mysterious thing. In other ways it is very ordinary as the Lord uses other people to guide us and steer us in that direction. There were two men in particular who helped steer me in that direction. Both of them died last week. And – if I understand correctly – they died on the same day. When...

You don't have to scratch hard to find someone's fears and insecurities. Okay, some of us have become good at covering up those anxieties. We put a brave face on it. We may even be under the illusion that we're in control – as William Ernest Henley's poem "INVICTUS" claims: Out of the night that covers me,Black as the pit from pole to pole,I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul. Through the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloudBut under the bludgeonings of chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms...

Two older women came to the door and after greeting me, asked whether I was concerned about the state of the present-day world. Well, who wouldn't be? I cottoned on quickly that these ladies were doorknocking for a sect, so I politely told them that I too looked forward to the new creation that is coming when Jesus returns. But I made clear that I didn't accept their views about who Jesus is. The leading lady was quite aggressive so I politely told them that I didn't wish to continue the conversation. She then asked if they might leave some literature...

No, I'm not talking about you getting stuck in peak hour on the Ipswich Motorway. Trafficking is a term that is often used for those caught up in the drug trade as dealers. It is also used for those who arrange for illegal immigrants to get to our shores. However the kind of trafficking that particularly bothers me at the moment is the trafficking that takes place in what is often referred to as the "sex industry". Last week the ABC had a program on that kind of trafficking. One of their reporters participated in a police raid, somewhere in England,...

Last night I accompanied one of our members, Mae Bennetts, to an event at the Queensland University. It was a thanksgiving service in honour of those who had donated their bodies to science. When her husband Sid died last October he had willed his body to medical science. Last night the university wanted to thank the families of the 262 other people who had similarly made the ultimate donation in during 2012 and 2013. I didn't go with high expectations. On the way to Brisbane Mae and I talked about the trends in our politically correct and multi faith community to...

I've never written anything (as far as I can remember) about retirement. Come to think of it, I've not referred to it much in my preaching either. Stone the crows... talking about retirement would be a kind of admission that I've passed my use-by-date, wouldn't it? Well, the sobering reality is that in another five weeks' time I'll have a year of retirement under my belt. That should just about qualify me to do a blog on the subject, surely? Seriously, over the years I've often reflected on retirement life. Not in the sense of hankering after it the way some...

I was reading an article in The New Zealand Herald (dated Tuesday April 15) which mentioned that the latest NZ census figures show a further decline in numbers and influence of Christianity. In that context the writer lamented that unbelievers are "ignoring the evidence of Jesus". The article was a well-reasoned defence of the resurrection of Jesus – which is the heart of the Easter story. However, in the process the author made a mistake that so many people have made over the years and that British writer, C.S. Lewis, warned against already many years ago in his booklet, "Mere Christianity"....

The media has recently reported the abduction of more than 270 school-girls in Nigeria in mid-April. The girls, mostly between 16 and 18 were sitting for a final science exam when they were abducted by terrorists. Some of the girls later managed to escape but some 190 of them are still missing. What most news reports did mention was that the radical Muslim terrorist organisation, Boko Haram, had claimed responsibility. What they did not mention was that the girls were Christians from a Christian enclave in a Muslim part of Nigeria. This is rather typical of many news reports that tell...

Living with regret As happens periodically, a few days ago my past caught up with me again. I had some interaction with a lady I hadn't seen for a very long time. Last week our paths crossed and our meeting was not as amicable as I would have liked it to be. In fact, I felt decidedly uncomfortable and she, for her part, didn't seem very relaxed either. Let me share my problem with you. Many years ago I had assisted this lady in working through some issues that she was struggling with. It was tough going. We were not making...

Last week I had opportunity to visit the Reformed Theological College in my capacity as NSW Classis representative for the Candidacy Committee. As part of that task, I was able to sit in on some lectures, meet with faculty and speak with various students. I should add it also gave us time to spend with family and friends, which is always a bonus. At the RTC, we have some of the best lecturers in the various disciplines of theology, as well as the more practical disciplines of preaching and pastoral care, complimented with by a great administration staff. At the RTC,...

We moved into our new house a little over a month ago. The roof gutters had several years' of accumulated rubbish – mainly rotting gum-tree leaves. The result was that water couldn't drain away and the roof gutters became a breeding place for mosquitoes. Presently our dog is the worst victim of these pesky little predators. She sleeps outside at night and for the mozzies that meant 'party time' as they feasted nightly on dog's blood. It has left our poor dog with red-raw snout from these insect bites. One of the grandchildren put it well. "Why did God create mosquitoes?"...

Yep...! I'm sure you've heard all about it: there's another "Biblical" blockbuster showing at the movies. This time it's the Aussie actor, Russell Crowe, starring as Noah in a movie by the same name. I've heard from some who have already seen it that it's good entertainment, good cinematography and that it has a good story line. Some people have asked me whether I'm planning to go and see it. The answer is: no! Let me give you two personal reasons why I won't be watching the movie and then share some observations that others have made about this movie. First,...

Early last week World Vision headquarters in the U.S. made news headlines when they announced an important employment policy change. They indicated that from now on they would approve hiring people who lived in a same-sex marriage relationship. They still objected to people cohabiting but as long as they were legally married then homosexuals too could now be employed by World Vision. Predictably there was a huge backlash from evangelical Christians in the U.S. with thousands of people withdrawing their support from this, one of the largest Christian charities in the world. The head of the Assemblies of God Church encouraged...

We've just had the experience that within one week two friends were called out of this life into the next. Maybe that's a sign of aging. I recall that some twenty years ago the monthly letters from my mother often contained a list of friends and fellow church members who had died. In one letter she remarked that one of the down-sides of living to a ripe old age was that you get to go to so many funerals of friends. The deaths of these past days has caused me to reflect on two issues that both relate to our Christian...

"What's wrong with heaven?" Not withstanding all things being equal, our life here, this side of glory is particularly sweet. In our western societies we are especially blessed. The Lord has provided us with so many blessings, not least our daily provisions and some. We have food, clothing, shelter, and can live in relative peace and worship without fear of persecution. Not only is this so, we also have modern medical facilities, various medicines, both prescribed and natural, that help us with our illnesses and make our daily lives relatively comfortable. Having said all that, I wonder sometimes whether we have...

I recall an older parishioner talking to me about some family issues that had been troubling her.  She became rather teary so I passed her the box of tissues that I kept handy for such occasions.  She thanked me and then, as she dried her tears, soberly apologised with the words: “Sorry!  But I’m afraid that as I’ve got older my eyes have moved closer to my bladder!”  We had a good laugh at her explanation of why tears often come more readily to older people. Emotions are strange things aren’t they?  A recent family wedding that I attended was very...

You may have picked up from the news this past week that controversial Dutch right-wing politician, Geert Wilders, has been on a lecture tour of Australia, speaking in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.   In Melbourne there were scuffles between protestors and those wishing to attend.   In Perth his talk was cancelled when the venue pulled the plug on the event. Wilders has expressed concern claiming that his own country is less free and less safe as a result of Muslim immigration.   He acknowledges that there are many lovely Muslim people who desire to fit into the culture of the...