A recent report by the Barna Group highlights six mega-themes in the church that have emerged in 2010. Click here to read the full report. Here they are: 1. The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate. 2. Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented. 3. Growing numbers of people are less interested in … Continue reading Six Mega Themes for the Church in 2010 (Barna Update)
The Paradox of our Time
The Paradox of our Time, by George Carlin The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time; we have … Continue reading The Paradox of our Time
Avatar
A few weeks ago, I went with my family to see Avatar, James Cameron's sci-fi epic - in 3D. What a cinema experience it was. The graphics and special effects are amazing. No doubt this is a huge step forward in movie-making, similar to what happened when The Matrix was releasedback in 1999, with its … Continue reading Avatar
The Story of Stuff
Click here to visit an interesting web site called The Story of Stuff. Click play, then sit back and watch a 20-minute engaging, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our world's production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls … Continue reading The Story of Stuff
When Being Cool Hinders Ministry
Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor of lifechurch.tv in the USA. I had the privilege of speaking at a conference with him in Chicago a few years ago. I love his heart and spirit. His church is setting an example in the free sharing of resources for the wider church. Craig's recent article entitled 'Cool is No Longer … Continue reading When Being Cool Hinders Ministry
How Sceptical are Aussies?
What do non-Christian Aussies believe and how sceptical are they about Jesus? This was the focus of a recent survey and the results were quite surprising. Read the article here. No doubt there are far more Australians who would be categorised as 'apathetic' towards spiritual things than there are those who would be 'antognostic'. This … Continue reading How Sceptical are Aussies?
The Extreme Future
In his book The Extreme Future, James Canton shares the top trends that he believes will reshape the world in the next 20 years. Canton is a renowned global futurist, social scientist, keynote presenter, author, and visionary business adviser. He is also the CEO and Chairman of the Institute for Global Futures, a think tank … Continue reading The Extreme Future
Global Trends
The last two days, we've had a look at a prophetic forecast for 2008 and some microtrends. While we're speaking of trends, here are a number of resources that you might find helpful when thinking about and contemplating the future ... The Barna Group, an organisation led by George Barna, dedicated to pulsing the culture … Continue reading Global Trends
Should a Christian Get a Tattoo?
If you want to amuse yourself, type the question 'Should a Christian have a tattoo?' into an internet search engine and watch the sparks fly! Some people see tattoos as okay while others see them as 'evil' and inappropriate for a Christian. The Bible teaches that God is holy and that he has called us … Continue reading Should a Christian Get a Tattoo?
Should Christians Gamble?
Tomorrow is Melbourne Cup Day, a public holiday held on the first Tuesday of each November here in our local State of Victoria. The day is built around the Melbourne Cup horse race held at the Flemington Racecourse - billed as 'the race that stops a nation'. Without a doubt, Aussies love to gamble - … Continue reading Should Christians Gamble?
Dinner with a Skeptic
Last week at the 500+ Pastors Conference in New Zealand (see separate post for further details), there was an evening debate on the topic: 'Is God a Delusion?' Pastor Allan Meyer from Careforce Church presented the Christian viewpoint, looking at some of the most common evidences for the existence of God. Dr. Bill Cooke, a … Continue reading Dinner with a Skeptic
A Night at the Movies
Going out to see a movie or hiring a DVD can be a fun way to spend an evening, especially with family and friends. However, choosing a good movie is quite another thing. To save the 'hit and miss' approach, it pays to check out as much as you can about a movie beforehand. One … Continue reading A Night at the Movies
What Would Jesus Say
In the early 1990s, Lee Strobel, teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church at the time, shared a series of messages entitled "What Would Jesus Say." His goal was to help people see well-known personalities as Jesus might see them. Through people such as Bill Clinton, Michael Jordan, Donald Trump and even Madonna, Lee endeavoured … Continue reading What Would Jesus Say