Category: Ministry


When I recently attended a Senior First Aid certificate refresher course I noticed that it had become far simpler.

More than ever before it seemed the message was that first aid was about helping the casualty stay alive so that the ambulance could take over. Nothing more.

Funnily enough, because I need to know less it means I feel more equipped for first aid than before.

This got me thinking about the way we do our evangelistic training.

Perhaps we need to be providing the everyday evangelists in our congregation with a few super-simple things to say that will help keep the enquiry ‘alive’ until they can get ‘professional’ help.

Read all my thoughts and join in the discussion at today’s post on www.sydneyanglicans.net

If you’ve been going to a Sydney Anglican church, or maybe been influenced by someone who studied at Moore College, then it’s likely you’ve been impacted by a view of church known as ‘Knox Robinson’, after two key figures at Moore.

My training and lecturing in youth ministry has been strongly influenced by this understanding of the church, especially in terms of what we ‘do’ when we gather.

The latest edition of ‘The Briefing’ has an excellent summary of this doctrine, and I think it’s an important read for anyone who is responsible for shaping the content and context of a Christian gathering.

Read the article in full here at The Briefing online.

Ever heard of Nature Deficit Disorder? It’s a term coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book ‘Last Child in the Woods’.

For a powerful explanation of the effects of this disorder on our society, check out this great Youtube video:

All the more reason to get outdoors!

 

In my mind, what makes a great church band is one that both understands the idiosyncrasies of playing in a band with fluid membership, and short and frequently-under-cooked rehearsals, yet also recognises the need to share the common vision of serving the congregation as they join together in one voice to praise their great God in the assembly of his people.

For this reason, I want to TWIST the arm of the congregational leaders in our churches. I want to TWIST the arm of the rectors, assistant ministers, wardens, and anyone who has a key role in our churches.

I want to TWIST your arm to encourage your church musicians to be a part of one of the TWIST (‘The Word in Song Together’) music events this year run by Emu Music and Youthworks.

To read the full sydneyanglicans.net article, click here.

For more details about TWIST, click here!

As we deal with the disaster fatigue that comes from our 24-hour exposure to news coverage, we tend to seek refuge from this through finding fun. The pagans seek to “eat, drink and be merry”, and we in youth ministry are often tempted to follow a similar strategy.

Yet, the right thing for us to do in our youth groups right now is to lead our kids through a sober reflection on the global crises facing us, and to show the students how to respond appropriately to these events.

So what is your youth group going to do this weekend in the light of the Japanese disaster?

Read my further thoughts (and contribute your comments) in my latest article at sydneyanglicans.net