Category: Thinking


Generation Y Conference

Filed Under: Culture, Sydney Anglican Diocese, Theology, Youth Ministry by Jodie — 7 Comments
20 March, 2007

Generation Y Conference

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.

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Porn Corrupting Young

Filed Under: Ethics, Internet, Youth Ministry by Jodie — Leave a comment
8 February, 2007

As a youth minister and a parent I continue to be disappointed and distressed at the ease of access to pornography available through the Internet (See SMH article ‘Porn, peer pressure corrupting young: MP.’)

Before the World Wide Web, the only way a teenager could view pornography was to steal a men’s magazine from a newsagency. Today, they view the equivalent of hard-core restricted material from the privacy of their own bedroom computer.

My ISP blocks SPAM and scans emails for viruses, but still does not offer server-based content filtering software. We are told by the vocal minority that this filtering technology is a restriction of our freedom of speech and a form of clandestine censorship. Others tell us that to run such software is resource-heavy, placing strain on the servers leading to reductions in performance.

Yet, if we viewed this pornography problem as the social horror it really is, then we would invest the resources and research needed into implementing such a system that protects our children from this distorted view of sexuality. Adults could choose ‘opt out’ of content-filtering censorship, but it is ludicrous to think that the current practice gives our children unfettered access to pornography by default.

It is our responsibility to protect the children from the corrupting harm of pornography. If we can put a man on the moon in 1969, then we can stop our kids downloading porn in 2007.

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Kite Live from Sydney

Filed Under: Music, Theology by Jodie — Leave a comment
21 January, 2007

As I sit at my desk, early on Sunday morning, putting the final touches on today’s sermon, I have just been taken back to an amazing night in November of last year. I just noticed on iTunes a new U2 track ‘Kite Live from Sydney’, and I immediately bought it because (amongst other reasons) it was recorded in Sydney on 11 November–the very night I heard it live with Mandy.

It brings memories back to me of an amazing night… an amazing experience! I’ve been a crazy U2 fan since my mate Dave Maegraith dragged me along to the movies to see ‘Rattle and Hum’ in 1988. I saw them live in the ‘Love comes to Town’ tour that followed in 1989.

Without taking anything away from the talent of Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam, it reminds me that the euphoria many people experience in religious contexts is not necessarily of divine origin. I’m not ruling it out, but I’m not saying that a powerful sense of emotion is guaranteed to be from God. I felt amazing that night in Nov 11, but it was from U2, not God. Although, God certainly did create Bono’s amazing voice and The Edge’s incredible guitar interpretation, and the driving bass of Adam, and the solid and powerful drums of Larry.

What a night! What a single. Grab it for yourselves from iTunes. And listen out for the tribute to Cate Blanchett… and the amazing digeridoo in the background…

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Year 13 ready to Moodle

Filed Under: Education, Internet, Year 13 by Jodie — 1 Comment
12 January, 2007

I’ve been sussing out a CMS (course management system) called Moodle. I was first introduced to this open source package during my recent study of a distance education M.A. (Theology) subject through Moore College. It looks to be a very promising tool for the Year 13 program this year, and it opens up many possibilities.

Basically, it is like a MySpace/ Yahoo Group for students, but also includes online quizzes, wikis, discussion boards, and full marking and administration capabilities.

What is most exciting is the potential to use this package to provide students with the opportunity to bring their Year 13 studies into the rest of their week in an even more structured way. Rather than ask students to just read a chapter before they come to class, we could give them a short quiz to enhance their comprehension and track their progress. Even the journals that we required students to complete last year could be done online through this package.

The biggest difficulty I see is making sure that we keep the value of our face-to-face contact. We need to be able to love/serve/cry/sing/listen/pray together in a real place at a real time. However, this tool may even prove as an enhancement for that very objective, since some of the course delivery could happen online from home, leaving more time for discussion and community of the real type when we meet each Thursday and Friday.

Perhaps Moodle is the ideal learning tool for Gen Y?

Have you had any experience with online/distance learning? Have you used Moodle before? Do you have any suggestions about how it might be best implemented?

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‘Praying to win’ feedback

Filed Under: Ministry, sydneyanglicans.net, Theology by Jodie — Leave a comment
21 June, 2006

Last month I wrote an article for sydneyanglicans.net called Praying to Win (see my ‘talks and writings page for details’.) It addressed the surprisingly controversial practice of praying in ‘evangelistic’ gathering.

It was nice to receive some positive feedback from some readers. One reader emailed me, and included the following in the body of his email:

“I have had many people tell me stuff that is going on in their lives, either on the train, at work etc, and the only people who have ever refused when asked if it was OK to pray with them about that, were Christians. Every time I have asked a non Christian about praying with them they have said yes. Whether it be on the train / station, bus,
work and even on the street. Some of those people I have never seen again, some of them I have prayed a few times with since and the door is open to share the gospel message more with them – but every time they have been touched, and said “thank you to me””

In response to this feedback, and at the request of the www.sydneyanglicans.net editor, I’ve written a follow up article further exploring the issue of public prayer as a form of promoting the gospel. Look out for the article in the next few days!

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