Restoring the Beauty of Fatherhood[1] 1. Our problem The presenting problem is siloing i.e. pastors, businesspeople, artists, scientists, lawyers, media folk etc. are isolated from one another. The seeds of the kingdom are shut up in the individual silos. These … Continue reading
Transparent Yarloop Christian Fellowship 30.4.17 Introduction I’m part of a group that organises weekly testimonies in Perth and we had a very unusual one the other week. A mature aged woman shared all about the downs and ups of her … Continue reading
Glorious Ambition https://youtu.be/iBlDzAH39d8 Personal Matters Why is it that despite the clear admonitions of scripture so many believers “set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches” and not “on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Tim … Continue reading
Rebuilding the Church 1. Seeing it as it Is City Church of Christ 23.4.17 Key Text: Hebrews 12:18-29 Introduction Humanly speaking no one could be optimistic about the future of the Australian Church. Older established denominations are ageing whilst many … Continue reading
Wall of Fire from 5.4.17 https://youtu.be/lz4TkbaAcHQ Personal Matters Adultery, pornography, divorce are no longer scandalous or rare amongst the people of God (Matt 5:27-28). In an age whose motto is; “Surely God wants me to be happy!”, this is hardly … Continue reading
Resurrection Fear 2 Sam 7:12-16;Ps 16; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Mark 16:1-8 St Marks Easter Day 2017 (The church has been working through Mark’s Gospel Sunday by Sunday) Introduction Mark has the most surprising testimony to the resurrection of Christ of … Continue reading
Divide the Image https://youtu.be/VrNRoSxiZ5g Personal Matters We are already separated over prosperity, baptism, the Sabbath, the Pope etc., now Satan is using same sex marriage to divide the Church. To a fractured Corinthian congregation Paul appeals, “Is Christ divided?” (1 … Continue reading
The Rejected Stone Isa 5:1-7; Ps 118:19-29; 1 Cor 15:12-28; Mark 12:1-12 St Mark’s 2.4.17 Introduction Having arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus is bringing to a climax the great controversy between God and a system that perverted the temple from a … Continue reading
Mirror from 3.3.17 https://youtu.be/Z-FjlJriZuI Personal Matters Christians easily forget their true identity in Christ; “have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?”; “whoever (godly) lacks these qualities…is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former … Continue reading
See me Up, Speak me Up Introduction Whilst there is an unusual amount of prayer going on for revival at the moment in Australia this is not something I can join in on without raising some foundational concerns (2 Chron … Continue reading
Fruit for God This teaching is available on video Personal Matters Every human being must bear spiritual and moral fruit, either “fruit for God” or “fruit for … Continue reading
Spiritual Covering from 10.2.17 … Continue reading
Firstborn … Continue reading
The Fear of a Son Marketplace 98% 3.2.17 Introduction Naturally speaking no one wants to experience fear, and I personally understand why. As a young man I suffered dreadfully from a terrible irrational dread of people to the point … Continue reading
Apocalypse in You Zion Fellowship 29.1.17 Introduction Having recently returned from Myanmar (Burma) I have been asking (again) why God’s presence is often more powerful in places outside Australia. One of the culture shocks I encountered on my … Continue reading
Family First Isa 49:22-26; Ps 121; Col 1:13-23; Mark 3:7-35 St Mark’s 22.1.17 Introduction The Gospel reading for today should embarrass us because it reveals two spheres of conflict we would rather deny. The larger sphere is Christ’s ongoing conflict … Continue reading
Introduction This teaching, “The Father of Families and Nations”, has a missions orientation which derives from the very nature of God as a Father. It is based on an understanding of the interaction between the visible earthly realm and the … Continue reading
Introduction I have often said to people that the ultimate question about the universe is, “Is God a Father, and if so what sort of Father is he?” The Bible clearly says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). … Continue reading
Introduction The working assumption behind this series of addresses is that all human beings live with a corrupt image of who God is as a Father. This problem of idolatry has not only been true of my own personal experience … Continue reading
Introduction Some years ago I realised that I was in fact mentoring and providing spiritual direction for people from every continent. Since this is certainly not my natural disposition I can only explain this in terms of the words of … Continue reading
Introduction A Problem All of us have been profoundly shaped by patterns of fathering which are spiritual and more common than not spiritually destructive. Let me list some examples. Here are a couple of Old Testament scriptures pointing out the … Continue reading
Transparent Imagination from 16.12.16 Personal Matters An old joke about the influence of prosperity theology misquotes 1Timothy 6:5, “godliness with great gain is contentment”. At the heart of the issue Paul is tackling is folk “imagining that godliness is … Continue reading
Immanuel Isa 7:10-16; Ps 82; Rev 21:1-8; Matt 1:18-25 St Mark’s 18.12.16 Introduction Christmas is that time of the year when people are most likely to feel lonely, but there can be lots of other times too. Such experiences … Continue reading
Beasts and Sheep from 2.12.16 Personal matters As Jesus’ last commission to the founding apostle, Peter, was to “feed my lambs/sheep”, and Christian leaders are by nature shepherds, we should expect the Body of Christ to lead an essentially … Continue reading
Understanding Nothing from 25.11.17 Personal matters Whilst Western churches decline their output of sermons, seminars and books on “how to” Christianity flows on. Our claims to understand the ways of God are limitless. However some of the things Jesus … Continue reading
Seeing Nothing from 18.11.16 Personal Matters How is it possible for most of us who know Jesus to walk past those considered nothing in the eyes of the world, the strangers, naked, homeless and imprisoned and not “see” the “Lord” … Continue reading
The Love of Gifts St Mark’s 20.11.16 Ezek 34: 11-16; Ps 119:25-32; 1 Cor 14:1-19; Luke 22:31-34 + John 21:15-17 Introduction In the roster for our series on 1 Corinthians Dale called this week’s sermon “The Main Game”. My guess … Continue reading
Angry Spirits from 11.11.16 Personal Matters Brexit, then the swing to independents at our elections, finally Donald Trump; everywhere angry voters are protesting against their powerlessness at the hands of an elite. Whether in political causes, or … Continue reading
Only Natural from 4.11.16 Personal Matters How many Perth congregations will join in the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted Church this week? This is not an attempt to publicise an event, but a warning that our failure … Continue reading
Church on Fire from 28.10.16 Personal Matters The contemporary Western Church fulfils the prophetic warning of Isaiah; “Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by … Continue reading