Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture (Chapter 7)

In this chapter, entitled "Exiles At The Table", Michael Frost talks about hospitality in the community of exiles. ...

Mass Insanity on Australian Roads

Paulette Reed: "NO MORE DOUBLE TROUBLE!--GOD IS OPENING DOORS TO PROVIDE A WAY OUT"

Paulette Reed: "NO MORE DOUBLE TROUBLE!--GOD IS OPENING DOORS TO PROVIDE A WAY OUT"

Walk Out of the Past

It seems many in the church are going through a sifting. But, Alleluia! Their trials have made them 100% God-dependent, which of course was the intent. What satan meant for harm, Jesus will use for His glory. He has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Each person is given a measure of faith and God promises we will never be tempted beyond what we can bear. God also promises to show His people a way out. Most frequently we think of open doors from the Lord as walking into something, but often He opens them so we can walk out of something.

We are now moving into a season where God will say, "Here's your way out, here's the open door--walk through it." Beloved, we must walk out of the past to walk into the future. ...

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Christmas- Grace or Religion

Prophetic Acts In Christmas Traditions- Terry Sommerville

Terry Sommerville writes:

Amazing as it seems, our celebrations of Christmas may actually be keeping the nation from slipping into total darkness. In his book The Twilight Labrynth , George Otis Jr. says that cultures throughout the world reinforce their spiritual darkness, through seasonal festivals. Covenants are maintained with the powers and principalities by annual observances. Can it be possible that our celebration of Christmas reinforces the spiritual light in our nation? Charismatic Christians frequently ignore church traditions in favor of spontaneus actions. But recently prophets have recovered the whole idea of "prophetic action" to establish things in the heavenly places. Could Christmas observances be "prophetic actions"? Can it happen even when most of the "actors" don't know why they are doing it? Here are some of my thoughts on prophetic actions in the traditions of Christmas. ...

Friday, December 22, 2006

Demographics and the Church Growth Movement

Alan Hirch has posted a very compelling article on church growth and the modern (as in not post-modern) church ...

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

New ecological threat to Christmas

If Jesus was born today, the three wise men might have had to substitute frankincense for another gift, according to new research suggesting that production of the fragrant substance is in trouble.

Frankincense, an aromatic hardened wood resin obtained by tapping Boswellia trees, has been an ingredient in perfumes and incense for thousands of years.

The Bible says that at Christmas, the magi brought gifts to Jesus of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Now ecologists from the Netherlands and Eritrea warn that current rates of tapping frankincense from Boswellia trees are endangering sustained production of the aromatic resin. ...

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Al Thomas: "I AM ABOUT TO REMOVE THE STONE OF UNBELIEF AND POUR OUT MY GIFT OF FAITH ON MULTITUDES"

Al Thomas: "I AM ABOUT TO REMOVE THE STONE OF UNBELIEF AND POUR OUT MY GIFT OF FAITH ON MULTITUDES"

I SAW A VISION OF PEOPLE TRYING TO MOVE A HUGE STONE

In a vision, I saw people trying to move a huge stone. Behind the stone were the answers to prayer requests that have piled up for years.

The stone was over one hundred feet high and weighed many tons. In spite of its massive size, I could see crowds of people pushing with all of their might to move the stone. It was a fruitless effort. Many grew weary, became discouraged, and walked away. ...

Clash of Civlisations?

Exiles- Living missionally in a Post-Christian Culture (Chapter 5)

In this chapter Michael Frost looks at the development of true community or communitas. ...

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Christmas Eve Children's Service

Sermon for Sunday December 10th 2006

Post-modern worship on the theme of "Getting Ready for the King."

There was no sermon as such, but we entered a series of stages of experiential worship. ...

Thursday, December 7, 2006

The Queen's English Threatened By Global Warming

Apparently the Queen is less posh these days and more suburban.

Crikey!

From abc.net.au ...

Monday, December 4, 2006

A Day Off!

Science and Religion

The hypocrisy of scientists is sometimes unbelievable.

There is always a huge uproar when christians try to introduce Bible-based scientific theories such as creation science. "Religion should stay out of science", they say.

But apparently it's OK for science to interfere in religion. ...