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I’m speaking at the ‘Why care about Y?’ conference on 31 March on the topic of ‘Reaching Gen Y.’ As I’ve been researching the topic, I’ve been trying to work out the difference between culture and generation. We like to say that Gen Y are all technologically savvy, but so am I (and others older than me) who are Gen X (or even Boomers.)

It’s interesting researching the range of opinions on the topic across the Internet. However, it reminds me again of the fact that ministry to God’s people must be prepared to change style, but never substance; language, but never message.

Further details about the conference can be found at www.mac.edu.au It goes from 9.30am to 1pm, and costs $25. Greg Clarke will also be speaking.

This year the Australian Cricket Board took a gamble. They broke tradition and decided to telecast cricket games in the same city as the game was being played–even if all the seats weren’t sold.

The result was stunning. As was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald, the first day of the Sydney Test was a record highest attendance.

But why? Why didn’t people stay at home in air conditioned comfort and enjoy the stunning technology of a modern telecast, complete with Snicko, Hawkeye, and Slo-mo?

The answer is that there is something more to being at an event than just the content. You can see that on TV at home. But being in the crowd–getting sunburnt, participating in passive drinking (getting splashed with beer), and paying-out the Members as they refuse to rise for the Mexican Wave–you just can’t get that on a telecast. And when those cricket milestones happen–Ponting’s double tonnes in his 100th match, for example–it’s worth its weight in gold to say “I was there!”

The same is true of church or Christian conferences. In this age of free MP3 sermon downloads/podcasts, there must be a reason that people still pay the admission fee to attend a conference (plus the travel and accommodation fees). The reason is that there is something ‘more’ to the event than just the Bible talks.

When people are asked why they enjoyed a conference, many say that their highlight was “the teaching”. I disagree. I think it is the experience of hearing the teaching with this gathering of people. People go to experience the gatherning as it taught, not just to ‘download’ the talks. It’s what one of my former Doctrine lecturers, Robert Doyle, used to call “propinquity” (from the Latin ‘near’). It’s the nearness of time and space that we enjoy when we are face-to-face. And it’s the reason why people will continue to pay to hear great teaching live and in the company of others–even if it’s offered elsewhere as a free download.

This should come as no surprise. Heaven is all about relationships: with God and with others. All those who are ‘in Christ’ are already gathered in heaven now (Heb 12:22 - you HAVE come to Mount Zion). When Christians gather on Earth it’s for more than just teaching. It’s to do what we are already doing in heaven–being gathered around God and enjoying the fruit of our unity with other believers.

Sermon podcasting is great… but there’s no substitute for community!

You’ve got to feel sorry for NSW Opposition Leader, John Brogden with this latest controversy. He lets his hair down for one night, and now risks losing his job.

But when a person is a leader, they must expect to be judged more harshly. If some anonymous ‘drunk’ made the same racial comments then it might be ignored, but when a leader makes inappropriate comments, then it is right for them to be subject to public scrutiny and outrage.

This is especially true of Christian leaders. As James said in his letter, “Not many of you should presume to be leaders, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).

Christian teachers must be careful when letting their hair down, or having a night “off”. It is far too easy to bring the name of Jesus into disrepute.

Here is my letter to the editor in the Sydney Morning Herald:

“So sex is about mutual pleasure, unselfishness, desire, intimacy, consent and even romance (”Porn everywhere, what’s a child to think?”, Herald, May 21-22). If only our sexperts started promoting marriage as the proper place for sex, then our children might have a true chance to experience the intimacy so undermined by pornography.

Reverend Jodie McNeill Anglican Youthworks, Sydney”

Read it online at http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2005/05/22/1116700591106.html

Read the original article at http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/Porn-everywhere/2005/05/20/1116533538023.html

One of the funniest television commercials to appear for some time is the so-called Toyota ‘bugger’ ad, receiving almost universal praise for its humour. In this assignment, I intend to analyse this ad, and try to discern what makes it so funny. Then, I will try to establish what this tells us of Australian culture, and consider the implications of this reflection upon the ministry of teaching God’s word.

Read the full theological paper here