On Monday, the 26 of January, we celebrate 'Australia Day' - the official national day of Australia. I love Australia. I have travelled to around 30 countries in my short time on earth and I love different cultures and places ... but there is no place like home. Amidst the fireworks and BBQs we remember … Continue reading Should We Move Australia Day?
Asylum Seeker Treatment: A Response from Prime Minister Tony Abbott
A few weeks back I wrote a letter to the Australian Prime Minister expressing concern about how children are being treated in detention centres. This last week I received a response from him and I post it here. It feels like a "everyone has a right to their opinion but we're going to do … Continue reading Asylum Seeker Treatment: A Response from Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Christianity, Christmas and Consumerism
As we head towards the crazy Christmas season, it's a good thing to pause and think about consumerism and the follower of Christ. At CityLife, we have a social justice LifeGroup and they have put together a paper designed to be a thought provoking series of questions and comments exploring some key issues which confront … Continue reading Christianity, Christmas and Consumerism
An Open Letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbot re Treatment of Asylum Seekers
The inhumane treatment of asylum seekers here in Australia is extremely concerning. Thankfully, more and more people are speaking up about it. All year, Christian leaders have been peacefully protesting and writing letters. I encourage you to do the same. Here is a copy of an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbott I … Continue reading An Open Letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbot re Treatment of Asylum Seekers
The Exchange TV
Good friends of ours, Rob and Christie Buckingham (pastors of Bayside Church here in Melbourne), host The Exchange, an interactive TV program that engages with a variety of current issues, including parenting, technology, dealing with loss, the sexualisation of children, and domestic violence. The Exchange is like meeting with your friends in a coffee shop … Continue reading The Exchange TV
Halloween – Trick or Treat?
I remember attending my first Halloween party as a kid (not long after our family moved to the USA back in the 1970s), with its eerily lit pumpkins, freaky dress-up costumes and the scary dark room we were all dared to navigate ourselves through, kind of like a pseudo-haunted house. It was a lot of fun. … Continue reading Halloween – Trick or Treat?
I Will Take a Walk on Saturday … for Welcome to Australia
Australia is marked with the beauty of diversity. People from many backgrounds, ethnicities and beliefs call this land home. Over the last several years I have had reservations about the treatment of asylum seekers, especially children in detention. The current harsh treatment of destitute people, seeking safety on our shores for a variety of reasons, … Continue reading I Will Take a Walk on Saturday … for Welcome to Australia
Indigenous Awareness Trip (October 2013)
In October 2013, my wife and I participated with a number of other church pastors in an Indigenous Awareness Trip, sponsored by the Concilia organisation. We began by flying from Melbourne to Alice Springs. It was my first visit to this iconic Australian town. It was not as big as I thought it would be … Continue reading Indigenous Awareness Trip (October 2013)
Australians Together
Australians Together is taking a fresh approach to building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Their web site has some inspiring stories and helpful articles. Check it out. This coming weekend at CityLife Church, I will be sharing some of our experiences on an indigenous awareness trip we did with some Australian pastors last year, sponsored by … Continue reading Australians Together
Don’t Say ‘Suicide’!
I am sure we all heard the tragic news of actor Robin Williams death this last week. It is so sad when a person gets to the place where they think that ending their life is a better option than living it. Depression is a real challenge in our world today and many people battle with … Continue reading Don’t Say ‘Suicide’!
What do Protestants think of Pope Francis?
A recent article from the Barna Group: March 18, 2014 — He was the most talked-about person of 2013 and winner of TIME’s “Person of the Year” award. Google Translate coders have set his name to translate as “a better world.” Yet Pope Francis insists that he is “a normal person,” and has no desire to be … Continue reading What do Protestants think of Pope Francis?
Typhoon Haiyan
Let’s be in prayer for people in the Philippines recently affected by Typhoon Haiyan. Thankfully, many groups, including World Vision, are at work in the area. Pray for safety, food and water for all families in the region, for the quick set up of evacuation centres and child friendly spaces, for those who have lost loved ones, for relief workers, … Continue reading Typhoon Haiyan
A New Australian Prime Minister: Mr Tony Abbott
Congratulations to Mr Tony Abbott who was elected today as the next prime Minister of Australia. He succeeded Mr Kevin Rudd, who will not contest the leadership of the Labor Party. This election campaign has been somewhat of a circus, but in the end the Australian population voted, and the Coalition has taken government, with … Continue reading A New Australian Prime Minister: Mr Tony Abbott
Religion and Politics is like Ice-Cream and Manure: They Don’t Mix (Jarrod McKenna)
Here is a very thought-provoking article about tomorrow's election, by my good friend, Jarrod McKenna. "Mixing religion and politics is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn't do much to the manure but it sure does ruin the ice cream", my friend Tony Campolo likes to say. Yet this election, like many before, there … Continue reading Religion and Politics is like Ice-Cream and Manure: They Don’t Mix (Jarrod McKenna)
Federal Election Reflections
On Saturday, September 7th, Australia goes to the polls to vote and to choose their Prime Minister and who will govern them for this next season. As with any election, this is an important time in the life of our nation. This coming weekend, our church will pray for the election in all of our … Continue reading Federal Election Reflections