backyardmissionary

On Christmas eve these three structures appeared at the front of our local cafe.
What are they for?
What do they mean?
Any ideas?…

Over the last few years I have made it a priority to try and develop a ‘personal growth plan’ at the start of each year.
I use that phrase because I see it as more than simple goal setting. (Interestingly it is a phrase I picked up from John Maxwell!)
For me it is about spending time […]

1. Yesterday I called HP for help on my computer. I spoke to a foreign voice - Indian sounding? After half an hour he had given me some solutions.
They didn’t work so I called back. Again an Indian sounding voice but a woman. She began to talk me thru some possible solutions one of […]

“Train up a child…”

This is a useful diagrammatic representation of how the emerging missional church and the institutional church may interact. It helps make sense of how things grow and morph and what types of connections they have. The link is via Johnny Baker

Sound like a strange question? Maybe you should read this article by the founder of xxx church.

Despite my best intentions (of going out to see a movie with Danelle) I sat at home and watched World Idol. Actually I am watching it as I write this”
Having succumbed, I must admit that Guy Sebastian was pretty awesome. We all agreed that he needed to sing something funky and he really […]

Chips and wine, chocolate and coffee, dips and biscuits for dinner - 38.5 degrees today - two trips to the beach - afternoon naps - people overload - yep its Christmas!

For the last few days my laptop has been playing up. It’s mainly the backspace key that either stops working, or sometimes goes psycho deleting everything I type. It is also running slow and doing weird stuff. Apparently its not a virus.Thankfully we are off on holidays on Jan 3rd so I can drop it […]

Hope it was both fun and meaningful for you!
I imagine it will be a quiet couple of days or so around this page as we enjoy the holiday break.

In keeping with the new advanced risk management policies, ‘carols by candlelight’ seems to be slowly going the way of ‘monkey bars’ in kids playgrounds and candles are being replaced with glow sticks or torches.
Lame
Somehow it just isn’t the same if you can’t set fire to your program or drip hot wax on the bare […]

If you can’t read this blog then it might be because I have exceeded my allocated ‘bandwidth allotment’. I am up to 97% for this month and chances are it’ll exceed that…
I’m not sure all of what it means.
Any other typepad users able to fill me in?
Update:
Response from Typepad
Thanks for the note. We […]

Most days I love having my finger in about 5 pies at once!
Today I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the different hats I wear. I must confess to not feeling like I am in control like I should be.
My primary roles outside of home are:
Brighton team leader - I think we are doing ok
Forge […]

Today I was unusually apprehensive about preaching - probably because I knew that the message I had was going to really ruffle a few feathers. I felt I needed to speak about the fact that the church must change or die - but country folks are by and large much more change resistant than others. […]

From Darryl
On the final day of the Adelaide Test match, they showed a digital thermometer with 39c on one line and 103F on the second line. Upon seeing that, the great man - Richie Benaud - made the following classic comment (say it out loud in your best Richie Benaud voice):
‘Some of you out there […]

Looks like an interesting art exhibit at the Bread Box Gallery in Perth, exploring the connection between consumerism and art.
The ‘gallery’ is set up like a shop with the exhibits the products. Sounds like people have been walking in unawares and trying to buy the stuff!
You can check it out at 233 James St in […]

Not bad for 34…

We are here in Katanning staying with Danelle’s parents until Monday. It’s a little town of 4000 people about 3 hours south east of Perth. I’m here to speak with the local church leaders about one of their pastors doing a Forge internship next year.
Hopefully they will agree that the experience will be valuable for […]

The previous 4 posts have contained the nuts and bolts of what we discussed on Saturday and I share them with you because I m believer in ‘open source’ learning. If we share our stuff then we all grow and we might even develop ideas that help us better do mission and church in this […]

Al Hirsch & Mike Frost (of Shaping of Things to Come fame) are in the process of writing a new book but this time telling the stories of emerging missional churches in the land of Oz.
I got an email this morning asking if Id like to write a chapter about our adventures as backyard […]