2021 Best of…

12 months ago I asked… How do you sum up the dumpster fire that was 2020?

Well, you could pose a similar query to 2021.

This year COVID put me in isolation for a fortnight and resulted in me prac teaching online for three weeks.

I finished my Education/Arts degree (majoring in Roman Antiquity, minoring in geography).

Now, with my studies completed, I’m officially unemployed (hopefully never to read another gas meter again!) and now navigating the waters of finding a teaching position.

This year, like the last few, blogging was down depending upon my study schedule, nonetheless here’s the Rambling highlights of 2021…

Why not reject one more?

Should you pair up dating leaders?

Should you review and rewrite the past?

Disunity starts with the convinced tribe

The danger of having to hit a sermon-time-limit

The secret which helps your points breathe

The secret hack of meeting new people at church

You have to be close enough to see the bones

Should a preacher wade into the waters of controversy?

How do you minister to those on the edges of the arguments?

Preaching should come at a cost for talented ministers

The message virgin converts need to hear

You’re not meant to BE Jesus at your work

What role should death play in modern evangelism?

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation about evangelism and, somehow we got onto the role of death.

I assume it was because, for the first time in living me,our, death is - again - a threat in the West due to COVID.

So, can Christians, once again, use the looming shadow of death as an evangelistic tool?

For decades, the idea of death being an imposing, threatening menace in the West has been somewhat removed by increased comfort and modern medicine.

Sure, death still existed. Obviously.

And death still occurred. Even in the young.

Death would still strike in moments of disaster and tragedy just as much in 2019 as it would in times gone by.

And yet… infant mortality is at its lowest. Life expectancy is at its highest.

So, what - if any - role should death play in evangelism?

Of course, if you’re going to speak about judgement, then death will be a part of the discussion.

If you’re going to press the importance of the resurrection, then pointing out that ever human has and will die may be an important launching point.

But, what of the sudden threat of death - one that can legitimately strike next month or year?

Is this message more powerful now, in a COVID world, than it has been since, say, the AIDS epidemic or the World Wars?

I suspect, in some places! The message may hit closer to home.

But, should death be our message?

Should our evangelism be punctuated by death?

I don’t think so.

Surely, even if the shadow of death is more impending than in generations, our primary message should still be about life.

Life to the full.

Eternal life.

Life over death.

Even in a COVID world.

Or a world with AIDS

Or with World Wars.

Or the Plague.

Christianity should always be, at the core, about life and hope. Not death and fear.

Does chronologically misaligned prayer still work?

Earlier this week I had a job interview for a teaching job.

At approximately the some time, someone else in my small group was also having a job interview.

The both of us mentioned this to the members of our small group, many whom passed on best wishes and prayer.

But, there were a few who passed on their well-wishes too late.

By the time they sent a message, the interviews had both already concluded.

This made me wonder, what did God do with that prayer?

In theory, prayer uttered out of time sequence shouldn’t be a great problem.

God exists outside of time.

He can honour a chronologically challenged prayer since He hears the heart, mind, motivations and words of the one praying.

Outside of the clock.

He can move in alignment with the prayer, despite the prayer not having left their lips yet.

But… if unchronological prayer works, how long is it effective?

A few hours?

The same day?

Up until the point that the prayer discovers the result?

Nonetheless, prayer - in part - is about transforming the one who up is lifting up the prayer.

It is a way to show support for a fellow believer.

This works at any time.

If you want to sing to Jesus, don’t point it here

My last post mentioned one of the differences between Catholics and Protestants - the former especially mark their first partaking in communion.

But, if you want a simple way to recognise a Catholic Church, you need look no further than the cross.

In the Catholic tradition, they have a crucifix, with a representation of Jesus still upon the crucifixion beams.

The difference was triggered in my mind last Sunday when someone mentioned that we should direct our singing to the cross.

The trouble with this, for Protestants, is that the cross is now empty.

As a symbol of the resurrection, the cross is vacant.

Ditto for the tomb.

So, singing to the cross would be singing to an, albeit significant, symbol.

The cross, now, two pieces of wood that point us to the sacrifice of Jesus.

If you want to direct your worship to Jesus, outside of the Catholic tradition, the cross is not the place to point it…

What do you gain by knowing the first time you had communion?

I never knew when my first communion was.

I can guess a location.

Probably.

Whilst communion is significant, as a Protestant, it's just not something that you mark as a memorable occasion.

Even for the first time.

The same thing will be true for my children.

They won't be able to say when they first had communion.

But their cousins can.

Or at least they will be able to find a certificate marking the occassion.

Do Catholics gain something by making such a big deal about their milestone sacraments?

Do Protestants lose something?

How does internal silence effect prayer?

For the last fortnight I've been walking the streets reading gas meters - a job I haven't done for the last five years.

Weirdly, this is very cyclic since it was a task like this that resulted in this blog.

Now I'm back walking the streets with nothing more than my thoughts.

As the hours pass your mind drifts to strange places. 

Lately my mind has laboured about those who have no internal dialogue. It's a genuine thing. For real.

I wonder what effect this has on prayer.

I ponder this because when I pray while meandering the suburbs, it can - frankly - sometimes feel like I'm talking to myself.

But, I know what that feels like.

I chat with myself.

I argue with myself.

I bicker with myself.

And, this is, apparently, normal.

But, how does prayer feel for those who are unfamiliar with the feeling of internal chatter?

Is prayer improved because they don't tune out of prayer as often?

Do they feel more connected because they only primarily communicate with those who are in attendance?

Is prayer more difficult because they are unfamiliar with nattering into the ether (which prayer can feel like)?

Just like my conundrum about evangelising believers with amnesia, I suspect I'll never find someone who fits the demographic to ask how the situation works.

But. I would be intrigued find out how it works and, more importantly, how prayer is different...

You’re not meant to BE Jesus at your work

It’s not uncommon to hear that you’re meant to BE Jesus.

In your home.

In your workplace.

Amongst your family and friends.

I have a few problems with this…

First of all, you don’t need to be Jesus. Christendom already has one. He is enough.

Jesus is enough Jesus for your home, work, school or social circles.

Second, I’m not convinced this is what the New Testament actually teaches.

Paul wanted to be like Christ. Not Christ.

We are to be Christ’s ambassadors. Not Christ.

We are to be His witnesses. Not Christ Himself.

Third, this BE Jesus theology can actually be quite dangerous.

Being Jesus is how cults start.

Being Jesus moves power and authority to a dangerous, man-centric, place.

Fourth, when you elevate yourself to BE Christ, then you set yourself, and those around you, up for failure

For, you will fail.

You will sin.

You will let others down.

The real Jesus won’t do that.

Finally, we already have a role.

In our homes.

In our workplaces.

Among our friends and family.

our role is to people to Jesus.

This is our job.

This is our ministry.

This is our part.

That is enough.

Because Jesus is enough.

Willingness > Expert

Now that churches are starting to open up in Sydney, once again, congregations are singing.

Last week I saw a few singers and they made me reminisce about the many people who have sung into the microphones at the churches I’ve attended.

Without fail, they have been vastly more talented than I am.

The less said about me leading the singing, the better.

But, every singer wasn’t equal.

Some vary greatly on the talented-willing scale.

A number have been, frankly, world class. They sing in bands. They have released albums. They have travelled internationally.

Others wouldn’t make it post the first round of the regional qualifying for Australian Idol.

But, I would rather the later than the former.

This is true for almost any ministry I was involved in.

I would rather willingness over sheer talent.

Why?

Because I could help develop those who are willing to become more competent.

And, usually, the distance they needed to improve to reach competent wasn’t a great deal.

They just needed a few tweaks.

They needed to reflect on what they did.

They needed to observe someone else do it well.

They needed more experience.

All of this can be managed alongside gracefulness and time.

And I would rather minister alongside a willing heart than a superstar.

Heaven is going to be amazing… unless…

The best, biggest, church service ever!

The greatest, closest, Christian camp ever!

These are two of our favourite images for heaven.

Worship and community.

And, for some, this sounds… heavenly.

They love to sing.

They love to hear the joint praise of a large group.

They love the intimacy generated from living in one another’s pockets.

They love the connection of sharing their lives with someone else and hearing their stories.

Some people love this.

Others, don’t.

For some, they will not love these things, they will just be indifferent.

Others will loathe them.

They put up with the singing, but draw little connection from it.

They will endure close contact with others, but will count down the hours until it has passed.

So, how do these believers connect with these heavenly images?

How do those, outside of the Christian bubble, connect with these images if they hear about them?

It may be callous for the worshipping loving camp devotees to hear… but some people will shirk away from these images. For the, this heaven would seem hellish.

So, is there an answer?

Should we abandon these images?

In short, no.

The bible, when speaking about the afterlife, does use these kinds of images. So we shouldn’t avoid them.

But, we should mine down into the significance of them.

What do they want to communicate about heaven?

At the core, it’s about connection.

Connection, uninhibited by sin.

As was intended.

Creator and created.

We will, no matter what form this specifically takes, be in the presence of God. Justice will completely reign. Evil and sun will have been completely defeated.

And yes, this could be associated with the heavenly tropes we trot out.

But, we can go slightly further.

We can connect other foretaste of heaven to those who don’t connect strongly with worship music or camping.

Heaven could have elements of a deep, thought-provoking sermon.

Heaven could have elements of an insightful book.

Heaven will encapsulate the grandest bush-walk.

But only to a point. 

For all and any analogy of heaven will fall short.

Form this side of eternity, we are only ever granted a foretaste of what is to come. We only ever catch a glimpse.

But if we dogmatically stick to our narrow tract of heavenly images, then we will, inevitability, be selling the greatest reward short. 

The message virgin converts need to hear

Those converting to Christianity in adulthood resemble bigfoot - heard about but rarely seen. 

But, the more I think about later converts - especially young adults - the more I’m convinced that the church must share a very counter cultural message.

If you are still a virgin, you are not a loser. You are lucky.

The reason the church needs to declare this message is because it is the exact opposite message they would have heard.

It’s not unusual, if you’re a virgin into your late teens or into your twenties, to heard, think and feel that you have missed out.

You are a loser.

You are unwanted.

No matter if these voices are from the media, from friends or from within, the longer you remain a virgin, the louder they can be. 

But, what if the church reversed this narrative?

What if, without prying into the sex lives of their congregants, the church spreads a positive message around virginity?

Now, to be clear, no one has the value or worth based upon who, if, or how many times someone has had sex.

For, by telling those in young adulthood that retaining their virginity was a good thing, may drastically transform a mindset that has plagued a person for the best part of a decade.

You may not grade on a curve, but you should definitely praise on one

Teachers do a lot of marking.

Lots and lots.

While I’ve been on teacher prac the last few weeks I’ve been doing a lot of written online classwork feedback.

One thing I’ve not been able to do is effectively differentiate effort from results.

The reason?

I don’t know the students really well.

I don’t know the students who can coast along and get the correct answers.

I don’t know the students who will need to put in a heap of effort to achieve a decent standard.

What does this mean?

You praise on a curve.

While marking can be rather black or white, made up of  the correct and incorrect answers, effort is not.

You encourage based upon what they are capable of and what you expect.

A struggling student should receive praise if they exceed your expectations. It may not matter if the only just achieved a pass grade.

For, encouragement is an issue of equity, not equality.

All students can and should deserve praise, but the level to achieve that doesn’t need to be identical.

And I think that church should run in a similar way.

For those who are in the middle of the struggle, you praise their ongoing efforts.

For those who have started a spiritual discipline, you encourage them to continue.

While you uphold the faithful saints, just like you still encourage the capable students, those who feel that they are lower on the spiritual-totem-pole will immensely benefit from being noticed for the effort they are putting in.

The high price of COVID we may not see coming

 COVID has taken a high toll.

People have died.

Others will have long term health consequences.

Businesses have gone under.

Mental health conditions have been exasperated.

Relationships have been strained.

Really, what I post about below may seem somewhat minor compared to the above. In many ways it is.

Nonetheless, the more I think about the cost of COVID on churches, youth ministries and schools, I suspect there is a hidden obstacle just waiting to emerge.

The loss of routine.

People are now used to not attending church services.

Teens are now used to not going to youth group.

Students are now used to not applying themselves at school.

So, attending church will become increasingly optional.

Teens will be more comfortable skipping youth group.

Students will struggle to work in the same way they did two short years ago.

All because of the break in routine.

How will it be overcome?

I’m not sure.

Do we just lower expectations for a while?

Do we just proceed in exactly the same way we did pre-COVID?

Do we employ incentives to draw people back to churches and schools?

For a while, I fear, the hangover from COVID will linger until we find the right balance while routines are re-established. 

But, what do we do with the large chunk of people who never reconnect in the same way?

When will I pull the pin?

This Friday I will record a video post to mark the ten-year anniversary of Tiny Bible Bits.

This blog, as of August, has just clicked over into its thirteenth year.

But, should they last forever?

Should they go for another decade?

If not, when should they fade into the abyss of the internet?

How should they be taken to the top paddock and out down like Old Yeller?

Frankly, I’m not sure.

I’m not sure, primarily, because the reasons for their beginnings have now passed.

I’m no longer driven to reach teens as a youth minister.

I’m no longer concerned about “my brand” in youth ministry.

So, should they be eliminated now?

Will this be my last post?

No.

For, I still enjoy posting on both.

And, while my circumstances have changed, I still like having a forum to post and share my musings.

And, particularly for Tiny Bible Bits, people still read them.

But, I very much doubt that I’ll still be posting when I’m in my retirement years.

Maybe neither will see out the end of the decade.

Probably not.

But, as long as I enjoy it, have time and have inspiration, I’ll go for a while longer.

Then they can join the graveyard of blogs and Facebook groups online…

We shouldn’t just pray for someone

A few weeks ago I recorded the prayer that was presented during church.

It was… ok.

Nothing too special. 

Just a few minutes in length.

This is how the prayers of the people are happening in my current church. I suspect we are not alone.

But, as I reflect upon my prayer and those I hear weekly, I feel that there’s a trap we keep falling into.

Praying FOR the person, not WHAT FOR the person.

Firefighters.

Doctors.

Nurses.

Teachers.

Missionaries.

Ministers.

Whoever…

We lift them up in prayer.

We rattle of a list starting with the phrase “We pray for (insert person or segment of the community).”

And then we move on…

The trouble is… I’m not sure this is an actual prayer.

It’s an acknowledgment.

What we should do - something I didn’t - is say what we pray FOR them.

Peace.

Endurance.

Strength.

Whatever…

This is an actual prayer.

This is an actual request. 

This is something that people can agree with.

Not just a vague prayer-thought into the spiritual ether.

Preaching should come at a cost for talented ministers

No one should do it all.

Which, surely, poses a problem for immensely talented ministers.

Of course, this means that I was never a threat of doing everything!

But, for ministers who can sing, act, preach, play music and are talented with technology - they could do it all - or at least everything or anything.

They could, in a single service, set up the sound, arrange what is to be displayed, lead worship, play a musical instrument, sing, lead the service and preach.

All on the one Sunday.

But, as I’ve previously written, they shouldn’t.

It would hurt the church they are called to serve.

It would hinder the congregation they are meant to empower.

It would, dangerously, create a culture of dependence.

So, what does the talented minister decide to set aside?

Do they, knowingly, lay aside their songwriting or guitar?

Does someone explain to them that they will, for the good of the church, need to restrict what they do in the future?

I’m sure, for some highly talented ministers, the desire to preach will result in the hibernation of something else they enjoy.

For, while some can do it all, they really shouldn’t. 

Jumping through the hoops

Technically, I could now teach in school.

Furthermore, as of around ten minutes ago, my application to be a full-time teacher as just submitted.

In my final (hopefully!) semester of my teaching degree, I’m within sight of my teaching journey actually beginning.

It’s exciting.

It’s nerve wracking.

It’s… unfamiliar.

For, I never went through this to get a job in ministry.

Sure, I had to apply.

And interview (way back in 2008 I already considered myself to be a ministry-interview pro).

But the hurdles to become a teacher, of which I still have many to go, are far longer and higher.

I wonder if the scrutiny for those in non-ordained ministry should be higher.

Sure, you don’t want to launch an inquisition when someone wants to help out with the crèche (and standards for working with young people have greatly ramped up over the last decade), but it’s curious that the rigours to teach an academic education are far greater than those expected to impart a spiritual/moral one…

Why the church must decide if they will advertise their vaccination statuses

I’ve got my first COVID vaccination and will get my second jab in a few weeks time.

When I got jabbed I wasn’t required to for my current job but, as a precaution, I got the shot in order to ensure that I could undertake my final teaching prac (which hopefully will include some face-to-face teaching).

If I still worked for the church nothing would change - I still would be vaccinated.

For me, backing up what I wrote on Tiny Bible Bits at the start of July, getting the shot is an act of goodwill and compliance for my family, neighbours, community and government.

If you want to label me a sheeple, knock yourself out.

But, as things reopen in Sydney and around the globe, will vaccination status become a church selling point?

Will churches advertise that every member of staff, or each volunteer leader within a ministry, has been double-jabbed?

Will this be something that people will look out for?

I imagine, for the vulnerable - the elderly or those with youngsters - the vaccination status of those in leadership will be a matter of concern.

But, what do you do if there is a holdout?

What If a staff member doesn’t get the shot?

What if a leader won’t get the shot?

Do they get stood down?

Frankly, I have no idea and, thankfully, it won’t be a problem I’ll need to juggle.

But, it is an impending situation that is arriving at the doorstep of every church and ministry. 

I genuinely hope that the institutional church will bring down mandates “from above,” otherwise, a lot of churches, ministries, ministers and leaders will be greatly out of their depth in navigating the situation - without a denominational safety net.

Should you preach 2 Chronicles just… because?

 The gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.

Acts.

James.

Ecclesiastes.

These are the regular wells we derive our sermons from.

If you walk into any five churches in Christendom, there will be a sermon on one of these books.

And it makes sense. They tell of the central truths of Christianity. They lay the foundations for the church. They touch on meaty issues.

They aren’t bad. By no means.

But, frankly, they can get tiresome.

There’s only so many sermons of James 3 you can handle over a decade…

So, what place is there for the minister to delve into the darker regions of the bible?

The minor prophets.

The book of Numbers.

The epistles to the Thessalonians.

The book of Jude.

In theory, the congregation should be taught from the entire counsel of God.

This includes the neglected sections.

But, should they be - inevitably - preached on… just because?

Because they are there…

Because God has, is and will speak through them…

Because they will be different…

Ideally, every sermon series is selected intentionally (I touched on how to do it here). 

Is a preaching challenge or interest a good enough reason?

I hate to say it, but no, it isn’t.

The pulpit shouldn’t be used as a device for the preacher to dive into dusty commentaries or research their next book.

The sermon should be a place of service towards the people. It is, by definition, a pastoral exercise. 

Does that mean that the sermon will never darken 2 Chronicles?

Maybe. 

Perhaps the minister just needs to realise they they are not the one to give them God’s message out of 2 Chronicles if they don’t need to hear it right now.

How do you minister to those on the edges of the arguments?

I don’t envy those currently in vocational ministry.

Of course, any time someone is in ministry is a difficult time.

Ministry is messy.

People go through seasons of need or trouble.

You also have your own sh!t to deal with.

Ministry is always a hard juggle of work, faith, church structures, people, expectations, highs, lows, friends and family.

But it must be especially difficult now.

COVID.

Vaccinations.

Isolation.

Uncertainty.

ZOOM everything…

All of these will ramp up the challenges.

And, on top of these, there’s a new tightrope to walk along… conspiracies.

How do you minister effectively to members of your congregation, who both love and want to follow Jesus, but hold opposite views on current issues?

Vaccinations.

Face masks.

Churches staying open.

How do you cater to both sides of the divide? Should you?

Should you let your personal feelings be known?

Should you, to some extent, entertain what you think are crackpot theories?

I would like to say that these tensions are balanced like any hot button issues of the past…

War.

Divorce.

Abortion.

Sexuality.

People in a church can, will and do hold differing opinions on these and a thousand other topics.

But, right now, there seems to be greater, louder and more public division and camp-creating.

If we choose, we can now live, work and listen to only those who are entrenched within our own echo chamber.

So, how do you minister to them?

I’ve actually already answered the question when describing those within the discussions…

If people love and want to follow Jesus, point them there.

Point them to Jesus.

Tell them to follow Jesus.

Ask them what they think Jesus would do.

Ask them how Jesus would treat others with a different viewpoint.

Walk with them through that conversation.

Practically, let the Holy Spirit work in them.

This is how we best minister to those on the edges of a debate and allows those at either end of a discussion to be reminded of the thing - the primary thing - they hold in common.

Am I a former youth minister or a beginner teacher?

Yes. I am.

I was in vocational youth ministry for over a decade.

But I’m also in my final semester of an education degree.

Now, I’m soon to be a newbie in the classroom.

So, what does this mean for this blog?

Does it become a teaching blog?

Does it continue to be a less-often-serviced church blog?

Does it become a thinking-back-to-the-good-old-days of youth ministry blog?

Yes. It does.

It becomes all of them.

Why?

Because, primarily, my blog is about… me.

And I’m a former youth minister…

And I’m about to be a teacher…

And I’m a church attendee…

And I’m a husband…

And I’m a father…

So, yes, the blog will probably mention teaching more and ministry less.

But, that is me now.

And I’m very different to the guy who started Rambling exactly 13 years ago…

Maybe we should cut down on telling people to love Jesus... Do they really have to?

Jesus asks Peter, at the end of the gospel of John, if he loves Jesus. Clearly, in this case, the question mattered.

But I can’t think of to many other parts of the New Testament that we are explicitly told to love Jesus.

Sure, lots of places in the bible tell us to love God throughout the entirety of the bible - with the incarnation obviously pointing this to including Jesus, but “loving Jesus” isn’t stressed to the degree that we do within the modern church.

We tell everyone to love Jesus.

This is what you need to do.

This is what will inspire you.

This is what will strengthen you.

This is what you aim for.

But, does it need to be?

Could we just follow Jesus, but not love Him?

Couldn’t you just obey Jesus, but not love Him?

Isn’t this what you do when you first convert? 

Sure, obeying and following may result in loving Jesus...

Appreciation for what God has done, through Christ, can result in loving Him...

But... do you HAVE to love Jesus?

Is this a nonnegotiable?

Does this make you a Christian?

Frankly, I don’t think so.

And yet... we stress it soo much.

And I wonder what effect this has upon those - especially men and younger people - who struggle with our primacy to “love Jesus.”

How much angst would be reduced if we withdrew the dependency on “loving Jesus”? (Plenty of people have Googled the question “I don’t know if I love Jesus enough”)

Should a preacher wade into the waters of controversy?

A few weeks ago I wrote something on Tiny Bible Bits about doing the right thing while I was stuck in a fortnight of COVID isolation.

It’s not the first time I’ve mentioned COVID over the last year-and-a-half. Usually I escape unscathed.

As I do periodically, I boosted the post, resulting in it being seen by over 1100 people (which is around ten times the usual).

If you’ve ever posted anything online, you know that you’re potentially setting yourself up for an internet grilling. Expectedly, I copped a small dose of pushback. 

Frankly, it wasn’t a lot and it wasn’t too bad. 

I got accused of spreading blackmail...

Using the bible to spread propaganda...

Using the bible to support lockdown extensions...

And... one “Oh ffs”

All in all, not too bad for over a thousand sets of eyes.

Any heat was well and truely cancelled out by the 80 likes and 12 shares.

But I did hesitate in mentioning my release from isolation and firmly avoided linking it to a passage about freedom.

Rightly so, this would have been pilloried.

In that case, I would have been “drawing a long bow” and applying my situation into a place in the bible it didn’t belong.

But I wonder, how many preachers are currently walking a tightrope like never before?

Will they avoid speaking anything into the current pandemic? How about vaccinations?

How about the government last year? Or voting? Or... Trump?

Really, there are dozens of hot button issues which might make a preacher hesitate to wade into - Same sex marriage, homosexual ordination, abuse by clergy, racial reconciliation, BLM, class or gender equality...

To what degree does the political makeup of your audience make a preacher hesitate?

Should it ever?

Do the current circumstances a preacher finds themselves in create increased anxiety that they may be more readily misinterpreted?

Should it matter?

Should any controversy be totally avoided?

Is this responsible? Aren’t these the exact situations that those in the pews want to - nay, need to - hear about? Shouldn’t they hear what the Bible says about the controversies unfolding around them?

Or, does wadding into areas of controversy just force the speaker to be clearer and even better in both their theology and exegesis?

The not-always-risky percentages behind “there’s somebody here tonight”

There’s always a risk behind boldly saying that your point will apply “to somebody here tonight.”

There’s always a risk in stopping to boldly state - “inspired” - that what you’re saying directly applies to a certain person.

But, your odds rise with the amount of people hearing you.

And they will rise the more generic your statement.

And they will continue to rise the more disclaimers you stack up.

To a crowd of three hundred, someone will definitely be struggling with habitual sin. Or feel distant from God.

To a group of fifteen, it will be a far greater risk to say that someone present is identifying directly with the conditions laid out in a passage.

I don’t think that I’ve ever “felt led” to make my points directly applicable to “someone” but I am increasingly wary once the odds improve and the amount of “inspiration” is reduced.

For, in a crowd, simple percentages say that “someone” will be struggling with watching porn.

And they will be liars.

And a fair slice of the crowd will have a trauma in the past that they are still wrestling with.

Or they have been hurt by the church in the past.

To pick them out requires little “inspiration.”

How expanding your strengths can shift a drifting church

There’s an old saying that says if you’re not moving forward then you’re going backward.

It’s probably one of those “quotes” by Waldo Emerson that are in Quote-A-Day Calendars.

Nonetheless, if this quote is accurate, I wonder how many churches are, by default, going backwards.

The pessimist inside me thinks that there a lot of - at minimal - drifting churches.

But, when it comes to looking for ways to advance, there are two avenues which churches usually explore.

Old and New.

Do the familiar or try something new.

Either can work.

Either can flop.

But, I suspect that the former option is looked down upon.

Who wants to do the old thing?

But, if the other option is decision paralysis because the options are too daunting, then why not double down on what you know? 

Why not investigate your strengths and seek to expand them?

Do them better.

Share your knowledge.

Join with others.

Your strength can be a new shoot of growth elsewhere.

If the other option is to do nothing... stay stagnant... go backwards... then why not use what you already have/already know/already do to remain active?

Who knows, when you link your strengths with others, then they may reveal areas where you yourselves could grow in fresh ways...

Why you should pay attention to the questions which set the platform

Last semester I went on my first six-week teaching prac for the year.

While I was on prac I marked my first set of assignments.

In doing so I quickly found out why teachers mark students work accompanied with a hearty dose of wine.

The buzz of marking quickly wore away.

But one important thing was exposed.

Always start with multiple choice questions.

Why?

Because they quickly reveal the level of knowledge of the student.

Of course, multiple choice questions are easier to mark, but once they are completed and ranked, then you have a fairly clear order of the best-through-worst students.

This helps further marking because, as you subsequently mark from the best-to-worst, then you’ll quickly be able to discern what a quality answer (at least for that class/year) looks like.

We should do a similar thing when it comes to bible studies.

It is tempting to dive right into the “deep” questions, but this can be problematic if we overlook the questions which lay the platform.

No only do introduction and comprehension questions warm the group up by opening up avenues to talk and actually delve into the nuts-and-bolts of a passage, but they expose the depth that the group may be willing or capable of going.

These are the equivalent of the multiple choice questions in a school exam.

They give a foretaste of what to expect.

So, if you have a group that struggles to share or is having trouble grasping the details of a passage, then you’d be amiss to dive into deeper topic prematurely.

We need the God of bush chapels and cathedrals

A few weeks ago I was sharing the story of the worst, and most influential, time of my life and faith - 2010 - the year my dad died and my ex and I had two miscarriages.

It was a rough year.

But, my then wife handled things far better than I did.

I saw God as a cosmic sadist. He has omnipotent. He has in control. He was distant.

My partner saw God is a heartbroken friend. He was close. He was sympathetic.

I saw God as transcendent - big, holy, far above.

She saw God is immanent - intimate, close, incarnate.

He is both.

Gods is both transcendent and immanent. 

He is both the God of the awe inspiring, overpowering cathedrals and the gentle, quiet bush chapels.

We need both.

We learn from both aspects.

It is when we get the balance between the two askew that we can harmfully respond to situations and negativity impact the relationships around us.

My inspired thoughts are the equivalent of my kids paintings

Having two children, with my youngest being five years old, I’ve seen a lot of kiddy artwork.

I’ve delighted in every drawing, painting and scribble.

But they won’t be hanging in an art gallery. Anywhere.

Why?

Because, frankly, they are of dubious quality.

Lots of stick figures.

Variable perspectives.

The colour palettes have been less than accurate.

But, again, I’ve shown delight in each one.

I guess this is how God views my “wise” thoughts.

For, I tend to think that I’m pretty clever.

I write things and think that I’m clever.

I speak in bible studies and think that I’m clever.

I look over the things I’ve pondered in the past and think that I’m clever.

In reality, I’m not.

But, when my Heavenly Father sees the “discoveries” that I’ve uncovered, He is glad for the progress and pride His child has made.

Not that I’ve a genius or biblical scholar. 

You have to be close enough to see the bones

Every church has skeletons.

Every. Church..

Having worked in four churches, every one of them had skeletons that most members of the congregation were unaware of.

I heard of many other skeletons elsewhere which never saw the light of day.

Now, most skeletons rattling around a church are not fit for the front page. Or barely a tweet.

But they are there.

Past hurts.

Past splits.

Past blunders.

Past mistakes.

Unless you get knee-deep in the church, you’ll never hear about them.

You’ll never stumble over the details.

You’ll never trip over the wreckage left behind.

This is the danger of becoming a member of a church.

This is the reality of getting involved in a ministry.

You will be close enough to see the skeletons.

And you will find skeletons.

But they are everywhere.

The most important question adult converts can answer

The vast majority of Christians were converted - if they recall a date at all - in their teenage years.

With this being the case, adult converts are like unicorns.

Valuable unicorns.

One of the most important questions a mature believer can be asked is this... What almost drove you away?

For we all know that church is odd.

So are Christians.

And many of the things we tend to do.

So... for those who have joint our communities - and stayed - what were the things which made this the most difficult?

If a church wants to genuinely investigate the way it does church and the manner in which they accommodate visitors, then they must honestly listen to the answer to this vital question...

How > Does God speak

I believe in God.

I believe that God is a living God.

I believe that God is still communicating.

For many Christians, if we asked them if God speaks to them then they may get a tad flustered.

This can be based upon the belief that God communicating is weird. Or must be supernatural. Or audible. Or miraculous.

More often, it isn’t.

It’s through reading the bible...

It’s through wise advise...

It’s through the words of a sermon...

It’s a thought while praying...

It’s a persistent thought that nags away at them...

It’s an opportunity to get involved at church...

It’s through seeing the creation around them...

I could give plenty more examples.

So, I wonder if we changed the question to “How do you best hear God speaking?” would the response be different?

For, this question assumes that God does communicate and, for each of us, there will be ways which we see and hear Him more than others. 

Yes... but how long are you willing to wait?

Patience.

I’ve asked for it.

Last week I was at church and someone asked for it.

If you’ve been waiting for a new blog post while I was on my latest teaching prac, you’d have needed it.

But, whenever someone is speaking about their desire for patience (usually having to do with a revelation of a next step) there should always be a probing follow-up question.

How long are you willing to wait?

Unfortunately, when it comes to patience... we want it now!

In order to reveal our heart behind the request for patience, we should probe for the expected timeline of the petitioner.

Do they want an answer on their timeline or on God’s?

The secret hack of meeting new people at church

 I’m pretty decent at small talk.

When I can be bothered, after years of forcing myself to meet new people at the churches I worked for, I can make oodles of chit-chat.

But... everyone is worried about the most awkward part of meeting someone new.

Silence.

After you’ve exhausted all your queries and niceties, you’re just left with silence.

What do you do then?

For some... most even... their strategy is to avoid getting themselves into this situation in the first place.

Don’t meet new people.

Don’t extend your hand.

Don’t introduce yourself.

How about if I told you that there’s a hack to cure your welcoming troubles?

What if there was a secret for avoiding the awkward silence?

Now, this advice begins by still walking across the room and introducing yourself. That part’s unavoidable.

But, once you’ve met the newcomer and are a nice human being, then you’re equipped to employ my meeting hack.

It’s simple.

Find something out about the person - a job, a hobby, an age range, a family status - and then use this information to introduce them to someone else who has the same thing in common.

This works for four reasons.

First, it introduces the visitor to more people.

Second, it opens an easy conversation for the two people to make.

Third, it shows the newbie that they won’t stand out.

Finally, while you can and should stick around once your conversation pair becomes a triplet, you’re able to - relatively guilt free - excuse yourself and not leave the newcomer on their lonesome.

Don’t ruin the story with your questions

The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favourite movies. Since it was on the other night I had to sit down and watch.

Then I saw something. Something the internet had mentioned, but I’d never deeply thought about.

The shoes.

Andy escapes wearing the warden’s shoes.

It makes less sense the more you think about it.

Despite what the narrator of the film - Red - says, you do actually notice the footwear someone is wearing! Try wearing a pair of slippers to work or school. People will catch on!

Nonetheless, the details of Andy’s escape are throughly confusing. 

If Andy leaves the warden’s office wearing shiny shoes - swapping them for his own crappy shoes - then we must assume that either a) Andy had a second pair which he actually escaped in, or b) Andy escaped through the sewer and the flooded countryside in the warden’s shoes, but these remained pristine enough to walk into the bank the next day.

Frankly, I find both scenarios unlikely.

Now, this patch of cinematic trouble doesn’t ruin the film for me. It’s still a great story. Well told. Superbly acted.

But, once you scratch below the surface into areas the filmmakers don’t intend for you to probe, then you can unearth further questions.

I think we can do a similar thing with the parables in the bible.

At the core, they are intended to be simple stories - earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.

They are designed to make you think and wonder about the point they are trying to make.

The danger is in probing too far below this context.

We can get distracted by our questions about the characters or setting.

Why were the men walking down the road past the Samaritan?

How old was the brother who stayed home with the Loving Father?

Who took care of the 99 sheep while the shepherd searched?

These, and a hundred questions more, can be interesting thought exercises. 

But nothing more.

For we will never know their answers.

Because there were no men taking a walk.

There was no disgruntled brother.

The flock of sheep are just an image.

We must fight the urge to bombard the text with questions it is never intending to answer.

Instead, we should enjoy the parables for what they are and wrestle with the points they do make. 

These are probing enough.

Is the height of your sacramental theology balanced?

Currently, I’m attending a baptist church (actually I’m attached to two since I also go to a different one with my daughters every alternate Sunday).

Unsurprisingly, they make a big deal out of baptism. It is kinda their thing.

But, I do wonder about the way churches can vary in the way they handle the fundamental Protestant sacraments - baptism & communion.

In theory, a church will fall somewhere within the range of high to low sacramental theology.

A high sacramental theology will deeply value the structure, meaning and tradition of the ritual.

A low sacramental theology will be more pragmatic and flexible in regards to structure, meaning and the tradition.

I find it interesting when churches mix their sacramental theology across the sacraments, for example, being quite high on baptism, but low on communion (or vice-versa).

Is this a result of churches seeing the central sacraments as completely distinct?

Is this a result of the minister or congregation’s preference?

Ideally, the sacramental theology of a church should align.

Why?

Because the height of a church’s practice will contribute to the appeal of the church.

For those who value liturgy, structure, predictability and tradition, varying the degree that this is employed through two important rituals may cause discontent or disconnect.

Those who are drawn in by the casual nature baptisms are performed may find the way communion is conducted jarring.

Those who are drawn in by the formal nature communion is performed may find themselves placing less significance upon baptism if they are too unstructured.

The secret which lets your points breathe

Introduction. Point one. Point two. Point three. Application. Conclusion.

When a sermon feels like a flood of words, the structure of the sermon mimics the one above.

But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, a sermon should never resemble a quality essay response.

The reason is simple, a sermon is not a thought monologue. A sermon should be thought provoking. A sermon should give you space to ponder.

The way this is achieved is by creating space in your sermon.

And, if you look closely at the following flow of a sermon, then you’ll spot the secret which will allow your points to breathe.

Introduction. Point one. Question. Point two. Question. Point three. Question. Application. Question. Conclusion.

Questions allow your points to land in the minds of the congregation. 

If you ask how your point will affect them at work tomorrow...

If you ask where they have seen your point play our in the lives of those around them...

If you ask the congregation to consider what the Holy Spirit may be saying to them currently...

Then you break up the deluge of words from the pulpit.

Then you make your points more applicable.

Then your points will be more memorable.

You just need to allow space and time to let your points breathe...

The two dimensions of a sermon

Sermons have both width and depth.

Sermons have a scope of the biblical text which they tread - width - and a degree in which they delve into a topic or passage - depth.

Congregations need to hear both.

Great sermons strike a healthy balance between both.

After a sermon I gave, something which should rightly be called two-sermons-in-one-dose, my ministry coworker asked me a significant question about the dimensions of the sermon.

The mechanics of the sermon broke down something like this... I preached for around 30 minutes. With fours points.

He asked, if I had a third less time, and only did half my points, would it have made for a better sermon?

My original sermon gave each point around 7 minutes.

But, if I only delivered my strongest, most relevant, two points, would they have been improved with 10 or 12 minutes each?

I highly suspect so.

The result would have been more pleasant to hear, easier to follow, more memorable and more applicable.

These are the results of a good balance between width and depth.

How long until our habits become unhealthy again?

If you’re lucky, like we are in Australia, then you’re church currently gets to meet in person.

But, things are still far from normal.

Only last week were congregation members allowed to sing aloud, before that, worship felt very concert-like.

Due to social distancing, even though people can now physically attend, they are scatted across the worship space.

This feels weird when you glacé around the sanctuary.

Pre-COVID-19, if you saw a congregation which consisted of isolated members, this would be a source of concern.

You would wonder about their sense of community.

You may question their welcoming or sense of inclusiveness.

Now, the pandemic makes us thankful that we can attend at all.

But, eventually, we need to consider how socially-distant-church is shaping our future.

Are we sowing habits which we will struggle to break?

Will church attendance be increasingly selective?

Will worship involve less participation?

Will congregations continue to gather at an arm’s distance?

Importantly, how long should we wait until, again, we identify the above habits as unhealthy?

How to set out your bible notebook

So, let’s say that you have a notebook of 100 pages and you want to use it for bible note taking - sermons, bible studies, whatever. 

How should you chop up your notebook?

Below is the system I just devised for my wife.

I know, it’s not world-changing, but as a bible nerd I am kinda proud.

If you want 200 pages, or 100 double-sided pages, then you give each book a single page, double all the single page books below and double everything else, aside from Genesis, Psalms and Revelation which go up to 5. That will give you the rough number you need.

Total 100 pages

Old Testament - 41 pages

Genesis 4

Exodus 1

Leviticus-Numbers 1

Deuteronomy 1

Joshua 1

Judges 1

Ruth 1

1 Samuel 1

2 Samuel 1

1 Kings 1

2 Kings 1

1 Chronicles-2 Chronicles 1

Ezra 1

Nehemiah 1

Esther 1

Job 1

Psalms 4

Proverbs 2

Ecclesiastes 1

Song of Songs 1

Isaiah 2

Jeremiah 2

Lamentations 1

Ezekiel 1

Daniel 1

Hosea 1

Joel 1

Amos 1

Obadiah-Jonah 1

Micah-Nahum 1

Habbukuk-Zephaniah-Haggai 1

Zechariah-Malachi 1

New Testament - 59 pages

Matthew 5

Mark 4

Luke 5

John 5

Acts 5

Romans 5

1 Corinthians 3

2 Corinthians 2

Galatians 2

Ephesians 2

Philippians 2

Colossians 1

1 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1

Titus-Philemon 1

Hebrews 2

James 2

1 Peter 2

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

2 John-3 John 1

Jude 1

Revelation 2

The danger of having to hit a sermon-time-limit

I’ve previously written that most sermons, due to the effectiveness of the preacher, shouldn’t exceed 30 minutes. Frankly, for most, 30 minutes is overly generous. 

20 minutes would be a better offering from the mouthpiece and a better fit for the congregation.

But, what happens if there is an expectation, written or unwritten, that the sermon must go for, say, 40 minutes?

Honestly, if you encounter a time expectation - and this isn’t your comfortable length - then you’ll, most probably, underperform and, at worst, totally bomb.

Why?

Because you’ll stretch. You’ll add more than is required. You’ll combine what should really be two sermons. 

Furthermore, your preparation will be impaired. You’ll be more concerned about the number of words you use than you should be and this will take the focus away from where it should be... a message faithful to what the bible says and an appropriate message to those you’re speaking to.

And these two pitfalls will, most directly, affect those who are inexperienced.

They will feel the time pressure.

But, they won’t have the tools or confidence to pull off a polished 40 minute sermon.

To do this takes years of practice. 

And hampering them with a lengthy time expectation will only add an unfair albatross around their neck.