Year: 2011

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Sharing Your Faith in a Dangerous Place

I’m so encouraged by the work of Thirteen Three. They’re the youth arm of Voice of the Martyrs Australia. (You can see some of my previous posts related to 13:3 under the ‘persecution’ tag). Brad Konemann is doing an amazing job at encouraging youth ministries to stand with and be encouraged by our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. I’m personally looking forward to working closely with Brad on some upcoming projects. More info coming soon.

In the meantime, I want to encourage any youth ministers within an achievable distance of Western Sydney or Sutherland Shire to take your group along to Thirteen Three’s two upcoming June events. I’m guessing you’re finalising your term 2 program now – so make sure you leave some room for this event!! I believe that under God it will have a profound impact on your youth community.

Here’s some deets:

Thirteen Three is bringing out Pastor Victor, an international youth speaker and frontline evangelist with a dangerous, covert ministry to Muslims in Malaysia!

Are you nervous about sharing your faith?

This event is for you! Thirteen Three is helping to equip Australian youth to share their faith in their local communities. Learn from ordinary Christians who speak up for Jesus even if it means being beaten or going to jail and be BOUND WITH THEM as an everyday part of following Jesus.

Save these dates now!

Western Sydney
7PM Friday 17 June 2011
MBM Rooty Hill
20 Westminster Street
Rooty Hill NSW

The Shire
7PM Friday 24 June 2011
Menai Anglican Church
Broughton Place
Barden Ridge NSW

You don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to meet a persecuted Christian firsthand and to be challenged to live out Hebrews 13:3!

Check out the website for more details and some resources to help you promote the event.

Also, see below the jump for highlights vid from last year’s event:

Continue reading “Sharing Your Faith in a Dangerous Place”

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The Genesis of Everything

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Sometimes I think we complicate things by focusing on the wrong things when it comes to reading the rest of Genesis 1. I don’t think the purpose of Genesis 1 is to describe the mechanics of how God created the heavens and the earth. God could have created in 6 literal 24 hour days, but I think to make that the centre of my gospel is to miss the point of Genesis 1 and the point of the gospel! I think that’s reading Genesis contrary to its historical context.

I recently read a brilliant paper by John Dickson, The Genesis of Everything: An historical account of the Bible’s opening chapter, where he deals with this very issue.

Check out the Abstract:

The paper seeks to plot a path through the controversy surrounding the Bible’s opening chapter by examining Genesis 1 in historical context. The author assumes and endorses no particular view of human origins but argues for a literal interpretation of the text, as opposed to what may be called ‘literalistic’. The former reading gives due weight to both the literary genre of Genesis 1 and the cultural milieu of the original writer, whereas the latter gives sufficient attention to neither.

Various pre-scientific interpretations of Genesis 1 are described, including those of the first century Jewish intellectual Philo and the great Christian theologian Augustine. In particular, comparisons are drawn with the Babylonian creation epic, Enuma Elish, and it is suggested that Genesis 1 is a piece of ‘subversive theology’, making significant theological points in the light of contemporaneous creation ideas. The questions raised (and answered) by the Bible’s opening chapter concern the nature of the Creator, the value of creation and the place of humanity within the creational scheme. Modern questions concerning the mechanics and chronology of creation may not be appropriately put to the ancient text.

Read the whole thing here.

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I will wait for you

Check this amazing poem by Janette…Ikz. The Resurgence recommend it “for all single people”, but I think it’s valuable for married people too. Here it is:

Here’s 3 things I like about it:

  1. it’s real about the struggles single people may face
  2. it encourages all people (single or married) to trust in the sufficiency of Jesus
  3. the audience clicks/snaps instead of clapping. cool.
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Jesus Hates Religion – Campus Posters

The Jesus Hates Religion mission at Sydney Uni has kicked off well. I appreciate the many who have partnered in prayer. Keep praying! This post isn’t actually about the mission. I wanted to share the posters they have on the notice boards around the campus:

Here’s 4 things I like about them.

  1. They look good. Striking.
  2. I like the font
  3. The important information is massive. The rest of the content is minimal, but sufficient.
  4. They’ve got 4 posters displayed together, the 3 colours used in the arrangements are good. 4 would have been too many, 2 not enough.

I haven’t really written anything profound here. But hopefully it might provide some design inspiration.

The pic originally appeared here and this is the app that grunged it up.

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Simply Sing – Fresh Songs for Churches

When my friend Matt Mulready contacted me and said I should check out his new music project, I knew it would be good. But let me be honest, it’s much better than I was expecting!! Let me explain. Simply Sing is seeking “to equip God’s family with fresh songs that teach and respond to the saving work of Jesus.” Cool aim. I knew that the songs would do that. They do. The music is great, and the lyrics are really encouraging.

After I downloaded the tracks I prepared myself to listen to some basic demo’s. This is when I was blown away (not literally, I’m pretty heavy and the wind would need to be pretty strong). The tracks that they’ve produced aren’t basic demo’s. They are really tight, well produced and recorded songs. Sweet!

Simply Sing have released 5 songs with the launch of the website. For a limited time it includes a free download of See the Man. The other tracks are priced cheaper than tracks on iTunes. Win. I really enjoy the new music to the old hymn There is a Green Hill. It’s a tough call, but of the 5 tracks my favourite is At your Feet. Check out these great lyrics from verse 1 and the chorus:

Continue reading “Simply Sing – Fresh Songs for Churches”

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Jesus Hates Religion – SUEU Campus 2011

I’ll be joining Steve Chong and Andy Judd preaching at the Sydney University Evangelical Union over the next 3 weeks. I’ll be speaking on 3 consecutive Tuesdays about the topic: Jesus Hates Religion. Here’s a promo vid, yes, I’m smelling Sam’s teddy bear:

Here’s a blurby thing:

At EU Public Meetings in weeks 6, 7 and 8, we’re going to have guest speakers talking on the topic of ‘Jesus Hates Religion”. Come along and invite your friends!

Tuesday: Dave Miers @ New Law LT 1-2pm
Wednesday: Andy Judd @ Quad General LT 1-2pm
Thursday: Steve Chong @ Eastern Ave LT 1-2pm (upstairs)

I’m praying that peeps will start following Jesus. Amen! See you there.