Jesus said that we can know the credibility of a ministry by their 'fruit', not by their 'gifts' (see Matthew 7:15-23). Gifts of the Spirit, as well as natural talent, are important but they are no evidence of a holy life. In fact, gifts can deceive us as to the true nature of a person. That's why character is to … Continue reading Fruit and Gifts
Disappointment and Grace
A guest post from my wife, Nicole Conner ... Today I wept. Disappointment is a hard emotion to handle. I am so disappointed to hear about another brother fallen. So disappointed for the hundreds of people hurt, confused, betrayed. So disappointed at another tarnish to the name and body of Christ. So disappointed for … Continue reading Disappointment and Grace
The Next American President
Within a few short months, a new president will be elected in the United States of America. Will it be John McCain or Barack Obama? It's been a long campaign and there are lots of opinions about who is the best candidate for the 44th American president. What do you think? Here are a few additional links … Continue reading The Next American President
Old Age
A great quote I overheard today ... "You're only old when you start to think more about your regrets from the past than your dreams for the future."
Go Cats!
For those living in Australia, our Australian Rules Football season has only a few weeks left, with finals coming our way in September, culminating in the big Grand Final on September 27th. My favourite team is the Geelong Cats and they are playing really well at the moment, looking strong, and in a good place to repeat their … Continue reading Go Cats!
2008 Beijing Olympics
I'm sure that many of you saw the spectular opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. I found it incredibly inspiring to see people from over 200 nations gathering together in one place for a common purpose. It made me think of the church that Jesus is building, made up of people from every nation … Continue reading 2008 Beijing Olympics
Top 10 Life Changes that Cause Young People to Drop Out of Church
Here is another post borrowed from Steve Murrell's blog on a similar theme as yesterday's post ... This list is similar, but a bit different. Over 90% of drop outs happen during a “life change” season. Many of the top 10 “life change” moments that fueled the drop out seem mundane. But, when a person … Continue reading Top 10 Life Changes that Cause Young People to Drop Out of Church
Top 10 Reasons People Quit Church
Here's an interesting post taken from Steve Murrell's blog. Steve is the co-founder of Every Nation, a thriving network of churches around the world, with its headquarters in Manilla, Philippines ... The American church loses 70% of its 18 and 22 year olds. That’s scary. Think about your youth group, the teens in your church … Continue reading Top 10 Reasons People Quit Church
Refuel (Pt.8)
God has a purpose and a plan for each one of our lives. He wants us to fully understand it then pursue it with great passion. He wants us to live life to the full – enthusiastically and joyfully. For that to happen, we need to engage in regular times of refuelling – activities designed … Continue reading Refuel (Pt.8)