The Cross ... through the eyes of ... Lenten Studies 2010
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Studies for Groups and Individuals
The Cross ... through the eyes of ... Lenten Studies 2010
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These Lenten Studies will help us understand more about the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ by looking at the cross from six different perspectives. We will look at Christ’s death from the point of view of Jesus himself, Isaiah, the writer to the Hebrews, Peter, John, and Paul. The sermons in Lent will follow the same themes and on Good Friday and Easter we will also look at the cross from our perspective, and from the point of view of God the Father.
Our aim is to understand better what the meaning of Christ’s death is, and to see how that applies to us and to our friends who don’t yet believe.
Who says? 31 Jan 10
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Who says?
What was the big issue in the Garden of Eden? It wasn’t so much about the fruit as about who was making the rules. The knowledge of good and evil was about who knows what is good and what is evil. It is a claim to knowledge, and therefore a claim to be able to decide what is right and wrong.
Looking back from our day, it seems obvious. That’s how most humans operate today. It seems as clear as day that humans are the ones who have the right and ability to decide right and wrong. At least that is the common practice, even if the theory is not always clear to everyone.
A British Social Attitudes Survey published this week reports that the British are becoming more conservative in some areas (such as finance) but going to church less and are more liberal socially on matters to do with personal lives and family matters. More acceptance of homosexuality and of living together - but less tolerant of cannabis.
Similar trends would be found in Australia no doubt. And why shouldn’t humans decide for themselves what is right and wrong?
Responding to human tragedy 24 Jan 10
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Responding to human tragedy
Human tragedies seem to pile one on top of another. Bushfires, floods, earthquakes, drowning, murders. Loss of life on huge scales and loss of life on very personal small scales. But not all human tragedies result in immediate death.
Many tragedies keep on going. The intensity varies from day to day but the pain, loss, despair are always there. All of us know someone who is affected by some great sadness and calamity. Sometimes it is of their own making, sometimes not. Sometimes a bit of both.
Sometimes the person we know is ourselves. And we recognise that tragedies are relative. But estimating the relativity is tricky. “Why me?” is one response. Thankfulness that it is not as bad as someone else is another.
Responding to the tragedy involves more than working out who is worse off. And it is not just the sufferer who has to respond. Friends, family, communities also respond to tragedies and are affected by them. But how best to respond, especially to large scale or chronic tragedies?
Which Old Testament God? 17 Jan10
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Which Old Testament God?
I was listening to a famous Australian novelist being interviewed on radio this week. In passing he referred to the God of the Old Testament as vengeful cruel kind of God that no one nowadays would approve of. It is a common idea, and not surprising that people repeat it, but it was surprising to hear an otherwise educated man repeat it.
It comes from a superficial reading of the stories, or perhaps a partial memory of certain stories. But it reveals a profound ignorance of the Old Testament.
Take the first stories for example. Read them closely and you will see a joyous God extremely happy with his creation and intent on establishing close and personal relationships with humans.
Take the stories of the Exodus, especially as summarised in Deuteronomy. Certainly there are harsh judgments and dire warnings. But more powerful is the repeated emphasis on love. God’s patient love towards his people. The expected love of his people for their God. And his mercy, or his loving-kindness, as the rich Hebrew word is sometimes translated.
Evangelism and Mission Resources and Ideas
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Evangelism & Mission Resources
Evangelism and Mission: Resources and Ideas
This is a changing list of resources that may provide ideas and resources for various aspects of evangelism and church growth. Feel free to let me know about other useful links.
Latest Additions:
Some resources from multi-site churches
Anglican Church Planting Initiatives
ACPI exists to “Serve tomorrow’s churches today” by encouraging and assisting the planting of healthy, missionary-minded churches.
Church Power Point: free images for worship and sermons
The Text This Week: a virtual study desk for students, teachers and preachers.
YouVersion is an online resource and a free mobile Bible application with over 5 million users. It allows people to read the Bible (a variety of versions) online by a variety of methods, keep their own journal and interact with other users - and more.
The Interests of Christ 10 Jan 10
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Weekly Reflections
The Interests of Christ
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” The foundations of the Anglican church at Willetton were solid and bold. They owed much to the inspiration that came from the renewal of the Church of the Redeemer in Houston, its amazing community life, the leadership of the Revd Graham Pulkingham, and the music of the Fisherfolk.
What was then the Leeming church began as an intentional Christian community with an attempt to provide an all-age Sunday meeting of the church. It aimed to reach out to the community with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – and did so very successfully. Later a church was planted in Willetton and built up by the preaching of the gospel of Christ.
Clearly God began the good work. Like most churches this one has had its up and downs. Some people have fallen away, others have been tested and become stronger. It is very encouraging that God who started the work will bring it to completion on the day of Christ. And he will do so by using ordinary people. But not all the ordinary people will keep on looking out for the interests of Christ.
The Bible and the Expansion of Christianity 3 Jan 10
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
- Category: Weekly Reflections
The Bible and the Expansion of Christianity
2010 marks the centenary of the famous Edinburgh Missionary Conference that gave rise to the modern ecumenical movement - and to various gloomy forecasts of the decline of Christianity. Africa, especially, was soon expected to be over-run by Islam.
Yet, strangely, it is the west that has been over-run by a post-Enlightenment secularism with a serious decline in Christian numbers. Denominations that have embraced Enlightenment views seem most at risk of extinction.
By contrast Christianity is booming in Africa, Asia and South America. The old colonial outposts have blossomed with Christians.
In 1900 Africa had 8.7 million Christians and 34.5 million Muslims in a total population of 108 million. In 1962 there were 60 million Christians and about 145 million Muslims. According to Lamin Sanneh*, a Professor at Yale, by 1985 there were about 16,500 conversions a day – about 6 million a year. Around the same time about 4,300 people were leaving the church each day in Europe.
Read more: The Bible and the Expansion of Christianity 3 Jan 10
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