Total Church - Introduction

A little summary of the introduction to Total Church...

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis make it clear that they don't want church without the gospel and they don't want church without the fellowship of believers. They see that a church that is focused on the gospel and community is one where people can genuinely live out their lives as Christians and one where the gospel can be seen to be real in what is a post-Christian era.

They see Christian practice governed by the gospel and community. The fact it is governed by the gospel means it will be word centred and mission centred. The fact that it is governed by community means it will be real.

Some of the implications are drawn out:

1. that church is an identity and not a responsibility
2. that being Christian effects all of life as it is lived in relationship with others
3. that churches might run less 'events' and share our lives with others
4. new congregations might be more important than growing existing ones
5. the study of the Bible for preaching is done in fellowship with others
6. mission and pastoral care is a 24/7 part of life and not a 'program'
7. learning to disciple one another

For discussion:

1. What kind of church do you want to be part of?

2. What do you need to do to help it be that kind of place?

I found this little introduction from Tim on Youtube....

Burn your plastic Jesus

Everyone at church is invited to a special event at the Entertainment Centre on Wednesday 27th August called "Burn your Plastic Jesus". It sounds like a great night of thinking about what it means to follow the real Jesus. Mark Boyd is going to be organizing a group of us for dinner but you need to buy tickets for yourself at www.jesus.kcc.org.au and then let Mark know you are coming.

Check out the promo video below from our Bishop from the south...

Teaching and living being men and women...

Have a read of this article about not just teaching what the bible says but living it out....

Lamb spit after church - 29 June

We're all looking forward to lunch together after church this weekend. If you are visiting please stick around! Bring a donation to cover costs.

Polygamy to safeguard women????

I have no doubt that there is a lot of polygamy going on out there, but on the news last night I heard the idea of legalizing it so as to protect the women involved. What a joke! The best way to protect women is to preserve marriage as being between one man and one woman. Maybe more needs to be done so women don't end up in polygamy.

Reading 'Total Church' together

Over the next term and a bit we are going to read the book 'Total Church' together and begin an online discussion about the issues it raises. The idea is for us to read a chapter each week, with someone posting a brief summary on the blog and then discussing the issues using the comments facility on the blog. The intention is to print the blog summary and comments the following week for the whole congregation.

You can purchase the book from Koorong.

I'll post the first summary on Monday 30th June and then we will get stuck into the book after a two week break for the school holidays.

Free Audio Bibles

Check out www.faithcomesbyhearing.com for some cool audio bible resources.

Twins dead....news story

Just saw a news story on the TV about twins that had died at home from looks like lack of food. It just reminded me of the great need we have to live in communities were we are able to care for each other and help those in need. Obviously they should have looked after the kids but our communities need to help each other better and not think someone else will do it. What do you think?

Well done on live music!

A big thank you to Nathan and team for getting the band together on Sunday. Well done! It was also great to have Judy playing the organ and singing that hymn 'Guide me, O my great Redeemer'. As we look at the book of Numbers together we are reminded of the great promise of heaven! 

Listen to God, not yourself

Too often we listen to ourselves and not God. We are filled each day with our own thoughts, our own desires and not allowing them to be shaped by God's word. It is easy to feel overcome by sin, discouraged by the events around us or feel trapped in situations. We need to hear God's word to us loud and clear so that our thinking is transformed. As Paul says:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Sending email

Technology often causes us to stop relating to real people. The shell of a car often makes us forget that there are real people inside it. We relate to cars on the road as great hunks of metal, not people trying to share the same bit of bitumen. 

Email is the same. Check out this blog post on thinking through what and when to email stuff.

Article in Inner West Weekly

It's just a funny little article asking people to help us with our pigeon problem by not feeding them. Click on the image for a larger version. The article is online at Inner West Weekly.

Peter and Elizabeth's baby arrives!

Violet Annabel Lechlein was born at 11.58am last Sunday, 3.955kg - mum and baby are doing well! [Peter sent me a photo but I wasn't able to get it off my phone. We'll have to wait until we see her in person!] UPDATE - I got a photo, she's pretty cute!

A tale of two brains

This isn't from the Bible, but it did make me think of 1 Peter 3:7:

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."