A couple of months ago, Mark Pierson (pastor, worship curator, writer, and generally lovely person) wrote this travel reflection on Facebook. I’m sharing it with his permission because it starts with everyday nuisances and ends with profound insights. Read till the end if you are interested in work/not-work balance, the state of the Christian Church, […]
Sure, kids donât belong everywhere. Theyâre not a symphony orchestraâs target audience (except when they are). The tense whispers of snooker commentators suggest that toddlers wouldnât be welcome at tournament finals. But babies and children are legally entitled to be all sorts of places that aren’t always built with them in mind, including, say, courthouses […]
With friends and family scattered all over the globe, I’d love to have a huge map of the world in our house. When we move to Thailand later this year, it’ll be a priority purchase. The only reason we don’t have one already is my West Wing addiction. What a marvellous show. I rewatched all […]
This is the final post from guest writer Chris Chamberlain. See the whole series list here. We must be careful how we read Scripture What I would call a âZionistâ reading of Scripture seems to take a verse with no regard for its context, and apply it to the modern State of Israel. This is […]
Religious tensions and friendships The Holy Land is, of course, a coming together of at least three major religions. The Muslim call to prayer that was broadcast through loudspeakers at many times of the day and night was a new sensation for me. I admit to finding it unpleasant at times. Once or twice I […]
Rest like an All Black: take a sabbatical Richie McCaw, the All Black captain some call the best rugby player ever, has a plan for winning the next World Cup. It has included a long holiday from rugby. What a wise and counter-cultural choice. In a society that is not only getting busier, but feeling prouder of […]
A very warm welcome to guest poster Chris Chamberlain. Chris grew up in Timaru and West Auckland. Â He has been in Baptist church pastoral leadership roles for over 20 years in exciting places like the South Islandâs West Coast and central Christchurch. Â Experiencing the destructive forces of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes has introduced him to […]
A very warm welcome to guest poster Chris Chamberlain. Chris grew up in Timaru and West Auckland. Â He has been in Baptist church pastoral leadership roles for over 20 years in exciting places like the South Islandâs West Coast and central Christchurch. Â Experiencing the destructive forces of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes has introduced him to […]
A very warm welcome to guest poster Chris Chamberlain. Chris grew up in Timaru and West Auckland. Â He has been in Baptist church pastoral leadership roles for over 20 years in exciting places like the South Islandâs West Coast and central Christchurch. Â Experiencing the destructive forces of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes has introduced him to […]
A friend of mine is preaching her first sermon tomorrow morning. Woo hoo! Tonight I wanted to wish her well, in words of encouragement that caught both the weight of responsibility that comes with this calling, and the lightness you can access when you remember you’re part of something so much bigger than your own […]