backyardmissionary

Thanks for the thoughts on the previous post - it is a question I discussed today with our breakfast group.
We meet each month to read and discuss a chapter of Al Hirsch’s book - ‘Shaping of Things to Come’. There was no great answer forthcoming from the group, but I have a theory gestating.
Someone […]

Come on all you emerging church thinkers… what is it?
Its a serious question that arose after a conversation with a good mate today.
What is the opposite of incarnational?…

If you missed it today then you missed one of the great days in surfing history!!
Go here West Oz time for daily live coverage of the big one. Today was ‘brown underpants’ day and only for the experienced - described as the biggest and most challenging waves ever surfed in a contest in Australia - […]

Are like no others!
When you are surfing the primary focus is on catching waves or not getting killed by them. The rule is this: No matter what is being spoken about if a decent wave appears on the horizon all conversation ends until one surfer has caught the wave and paddled back out.
Imagine this…
“Hamo my […]

Daddy I love you in the whole world…
Can we go to McDonalds?

The only way Ian Thorpe can overcome his disqualification from the 400m freestyle is if Craig Stevens voluntarily removes himself as a competitor - or ‘gets ill’.
So we have been told repeatedly by our media.
I feel for Ian Thorpe - I think the rule is a stupid one - and performance over a calendar year […]

So goes the cheesy slogan promoting Brighton as a development you might want to live in.
I think yesterday we went some way toward making that bear some truth. A team of about 25 of us - 13 or so adults and the same number of kids spent the day doing a blitz on the backyard […]

Today I was preaching at East Fremantle Baptist Church where a mate is doing a great job of leading the people in mission.
As I drove down the coast and saw the offshore breezes feathering the large swell I must admit to wondering what I was doing preaching on a morning like this!
I had planned to […]

Today I spent the day teaching my students at the Christian school I am employed by - where only kids with at least one Christian parent can attend. What of non-Christians?…
Well they can go to… the school down the street of course! (You weren’t thinking ‘hell’ were you?!)
From there I made my way home […]

Its not often that I experience self doubt in relation to what we are doing here in Brighton, but I have had a little the last few days.
At the Baptist Pastors Conference we were hearing about how the American Churches of the West have seen phenomenal growth in their movement as they have adopted an […]

Our annual Baptist Pastor’s conference was a hoot!
Since moving it from Serpentine Baptist Campsite to Mandurah Quays Resort it has improved about 9000%. We get decent beds, air conditioned conference rooms and units and sensational food.
The speaker was a guy called John Kaiser from the US, a kind of ‘2IC’ to a bloke called Paul […]

I have always felt that Easter Sunday is the big day on the Christian calendar - kind of like AFL Grand final day, but knowing that every year you come from behind to snatch victory.
This year we are looking to have a local celebration for our own church community and our neighbours - probably in […]

‘They make nice neighbours but are people you wouldn’t want to spend any length of time with…’
G K Chesterton in Yancey’s Soul Survivor (yes I am just reading it now!)

Whatever else I am these days, I am still eligible to attend the annual Baptist Pastor’ Conference!
It will be an interesting time - especially when ‘the question’ comes up… The question? Of course its ’so how’s your church going?’
I’m still pondering how to answer that one.
So from Monday morning to Wed afternoon we get […]

In coming to Brighton we have always been very keen for the Christian community we are shaping to be open and inclusive.
By that, I mean everyone is welcome and everyone is accepted - wherever they are at.
Now follow me on this, because sometimes when our beliefs and values are tested we discover that we […]

Tonight in our primary community we looked at Luke ch 2.
As I read it thru I found myself suffering from familiarity fatigue - yawn yawn - Christmas story yawn yawn…
But the discussion was actually very fruitful as we looked at Luke’s christology taking shape and how his approach differs from the other gospel writers.
We asked […]

After 6 weeks of teaching Phys Ed to primary school students my level of enjoyment was averaging around 2-3/10 - very very low and I must admit I have been wondering if I have made a terrible mistake thinking I could get back into teaching.
I have asked our prayer team to pray for me on […]

I still haven’t seen ‘The Passion’.
I missed the free preview because I was running the Forge Intensive - I had intended to go with one of my neighbours but he was flat out busy last week - and now I’m not sure I’ll bother…
I’m already fairly familiar with the story line.
Why the change?…
I guess I’ve […]

I Stand by the Door
by Sam Shoemaker
I stand by the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,
The door is the most important door in the world-
It is the door through which people walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are […]

Over the last year or so I have met a number people who when I ask about the church community they are involved with tell me ‘Oh I just attend Impressive & Funky Baptist Church. We don’t actually get involved - we just go on Sundays. Its very good’.
I’m getting close to asking someone ’so […]