If we believe in the reconciliation of ALL things, we’ve got to participate in the reconciliation and renewal of the SMALL things. Choosing to demonstrate love in each possible moment.
Is It Right?
Jesus offers us, over and over, the chance to join with him in renewal. And I suppose that’s what gives me hope.
Don’t you forget about me!
Sam – 16th August Meeting Jesus in desperate times… “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Changed My Life
I want to tell you of the dramatic transformation Jesus has made in my life. A change not for me to be personally blessed and renewed, or so that I can have an enjoyable life. Not for the sake of gaining a happy clappy church-going life, not so I can be the best prayer, best bible reader or best theological student, but so that my life can be a reflection of Jesus. A life marked by radical generosity, authentic community, deep spirituality and selfless servanthood. And as I tell you part of my own journey, I want you to reflect on your own.
Tables and Shame
Religious spaces can sometimes be places where people come in need and are given a burden of shame, where all Jesus did was invite people to a table where shame is taken away.
Awakenings
It felt more like an explosion of my inner world and everything I once knew, but this was in fact the beginning of another awakening. As I started to look closer into the Biblical story I began to see that it is not a story of destination and absolutes, but a story of journey. A slow reveal. A story not of escapism, but one of embrace. The Jesus of the scripture was not one of sin avoidance, someone who stays in the safe, clean space of heaven, but someone who hangs out with sinners at their dirty houses and provides the grog at weddings.
Journeying through Social Justice
One thing I notice when I look at the way Jesus interacted with people is that he quite often takes this approach of meeting people where they are at and then helping them take a small, achievable step in their journey.
The Trajectory of Love
The stubbornly insistent cry of Christianity is that love always begets more love
Losing my Religion
There’s often something about the culture and structure of religion that’s comforting, something you can be certain about. But sometimes, the certainties of religion can get in the way. The challenge for us is, what is it about our religion that we need to let go of. Because when you let go of it, there’s only love on the others side…
Religion sux, ok!
Religious people love binary thinking. Good and bad. Black and white. In and out. Accepted and rejected. Saved and unsaved. Right and wrong. Spiritual practices and social justice activism. Theology and praxis. Christian and non-Christian. Church and secular. Religious people want to teach you what the truth is so that you know things and then do things. Thank fully, what we see in Jesus is that he was all about dismantling all of that.
