Meet the Teen Wolves

It’s post goth, it’s post emo, it’s post vampire, it’s post Michael J Fox. Meet the teen wolves.

Second Last Instalment of Bordertown! The Egyptian Army

Things are now getting to the pointy end. Jack is in trouble, Bordertown is in trouble, heck we all are in trouble.

Catch up with the latest installment here.

Free Book

There is an interesting free ebook floating around which analyses the preaching styles of Mark Driscoll, Dan Kimball, Brian McLaren and Doug Paggitt. The book takes examines the philosophy and the theology behind each of their preaching approaches. Get it here.

The Organic Church Debate

Passionate discussions happening over at the Christianity Today site over the mode of Organic Church. Brian Hofmeister opened the can of worms with his article The Dirt on Organic. In which discussed how although the Organic movement sounds right theoretically it is much messier in practice. Organic Church advocate Neil Cole has responded with this article – Long Live the Organic Church. Looks like an interesting debate worth watching.

Escape Bordertown: A Piece of Lettuce

Where has Maychick gone? Who is waiting for Jack in the Alcove? Why is it funny to die with a bit of lettuce stuck to your face? Find out all of this and more in the latest instalment of Bordertown.

The Art of Reading

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” Walt Disney

“Beware of the man of one book.” Thomas Aquinas

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” Ray Bradbury

Nothing grows our outlook like books. Our culture lauds us to shape our bodies, but we have neglected the gymnasiums of the mind. If you are a leader, you must read, it opens not just your brain to new ideas, but it allows you to be mentored by the greatest leaders, thinkers and creatives of history. Each book is a container filled with thoughts to be chewed upon. Reading is a discipline that must be mastered, one that will deliver you treasures for the rest of your life.

1. Pick a time each day to read, it could be on the train or bus, before bed. Make it a habit and stick to it.
2. Push yourself, don’t just read what is easy. Reading is like exercise, the more your stretch yourself the greater your stamina will be. Work those brain muscles, they will build up over time.
3. It is no shame to read with a dictionary nearby, not only will it help you to understand challenging books, it will expand your vocabulary.
4. Read on the toilet. Yes, you heard right, have a book ready to read whilst you are in..ahem…’the closet of learning’. Those micro moments on the loo will enable you to read a couple of more books a year.
5. Read widely, read novels, non-fiction, read poetry, read biographies, find what you like.
6. If you find an author your like, try and read their catalogue. Watch their development, get to know them. Read biographies about them.
7. Read people you disagree with.
8. Always carry a book with you. You never know when you will get a chance to read.
9. When you feel the compulsion to check facebook, or your phone to see if anyone has texted you, reach for your book instead.
10. Join a book group
11. Read reviews online, be picky with what you read, don’t waste your time on junk.
12. Join a library – its like Borders but everything is free, and there is no buyers remorse.

The Justice People vs The Justification People

Everywhere you go today in the ‘Jesus followin’ scene people seem to fall into two camps, the Justification people who are all about the cross and individual sin, and the Justice people who are all about the kingdom and corporate sin. Tim Keller has some wise comments on where it is best to stand.

Going Weird: Latest Instalment of Bordertown

Why has Maychick gone weird? Why is it getting hot in Bordertown? Will Jack ever speak to Cambreau again?

Catch up with the latest installment here.

Discipling the New Humans

Just a short video about the event that we have coming up on June 3rd entitled Discipling the New Humans, an event for leaders and teams who are doing ministry with Young Adults. There are more details here.

It’s an all Danish post today

My good friend and co-conspiritor in hyperreal deconstruction Ben Catford is part of an interesting art event being held in Copenhagen tonight around the issues of sexual trafficking check out more here. In July I will be in Denmark speaking at various events such as this and this ( I won’t even try writing out the names in Danish.) Should be interesting checking out what is happening in Scandinavia!

Video Podcast: The Temptation of Excarnation: Futher Thoughts On Incarnational Ministry

In this video I discuss some further thoughts on how our context affects our mission. The Christianity Today article that I refer to is here, read it after you watch the video.

Things Are Getting Sticky in Bordertown

Well more and more people are getting lost in the mystery of Bordertown. Things are certainly getting stickier for Jack, and for all of the citizens of the strange in-between world that is Bordertown. Find out what happens next here.

Robot Ministers

Fellow Ministers, Pastors and Priests, we knew it would happen sooner or later, soon we will be made redundant by Japanese Robot Fairy Priests. The Times Reports

Yesterday, under the soft morning sun in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park, Japan’s obsession with robots took another giant leap into the absurd as a mechanised priestess joined two people in matrimony. It was both a romantic and static affair, possibly the first wedding where the official had self-illuminating eyeballs and required a supply of 100V DC to stay upright.

Conducting the ceremony in a white breastplate, plastic pigtails and floral tiara, I-Fairy charmed her way through proceedings with a voice somewhere between Minnie Mouse and the extermination-threat of a Dalek.

Read Full Story Here

City Soul

My old mate Tim Hein’s Citysoul church got a run on the ABC news the other night check out the vid here.

New Instalment of Bordertown: The Crypt

What is the strange room under Bordertown Cathedral? How do you get under Jack’s skin. Find out all this and more in the latest instalment of Bordertown.

Queensland This Weekend

This Friday and Saturday I will be leaving behind Melbourne’s cold snap and heading up to the sunshine state to do a bunch of stuff. On the Friday I will be involved in some organised conversations with the postcard radio guys. Then on Saturday morning I will be doing some workshops at the Queensland Baptist  Convention, then in the afternoon I will speaking at the Neo-Leader event on the Gold Coast. It will be short, sweet, hectic and a lot of fun. Might see you there.

A New Kind of Church

Edgy young transition guy, graphic tee, cool glasses, Hebrew tattoo? Is this the best Christian satire ever or people chucking stones? You watch and decide. (H.T. Matt B)

New Bordertown Update!

Will Jack get the girl? Will the girl get Jack? And what on earth is Jack’s problem with band t-shirts? Find out  the answers to these questions and more in the latest episode of Bordertown here.

Video Post: The Missional Mobius Strip

For years I believed that for Church to work all I had to do was put mission first and then everything would fall into place. However this theory ran into the reality of actual ministry, and I learnt that there was a far more subtle lesson at play.

Getting Your Teeth into The Vertical Self

There have been a few indepth reviews of The Vertical Self lately as people get their teeth into the book, here is a small selection of some good ones.

CrossWalk The Ashram John Mark Ministries