Evangelism in the 21st century
Some alternative ways to do evangelism in the twenty-first century.
Category: Mission
Christians and climate change: don't be fooled again!
Studies show that christians in the US and Australia are more likely than average to be sceptical about climate change. It appears that they think the scientific consensus is split between those who believe human-induced climate change is a major threat and those who think we just don’t know, and many suspect the scientists have […]
The mission of God
Evangelical christianity in the 20th century tended to see its main task as making converts for Jesus. Sure, we ran mission hospitals and schools, but doing much of that at home smacked of the “social gospel”, which only ‘liberals’ did. There was little need to care for the environment because this world is only temporary, […]
Christians, non-violence and the Middle East – more food for thought
I posted a while back on this topic. I have just come across an excellent article on the same topic.
Test yourself: are you more like Jesus or more like the Pharisees?
It was done more than a year ago but I’ve only just seen it – a survey by the Barna Group about whether US christians more resembled Jesus or Pharisees. Like Hans Solo said: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” [Note: A reader has pointed out that using Pharisees as a point of comparison […]
Christians, non-violence and the Middle East – some random thoughts
The world seems to be beyond horrific at the moment. Civil wars in Nigeria, Sudan and Ukraine as well as fighting in the Middle East in Syria, Gaza and Iraq. Grossly inhumane treatment of ordinary people by militias, rebels, terrorists and governments. Surely there is something for christians to learn from all this?
Gender equity?
Two recent experiences led to this post, which takes up one of the issues I raised in The New Reformation. Two weeks ago I attended the TEAR Conference in Sydney. TEAR Australia is a movement of Christians responding to the needs of poor communities around the world. One of its major emphases is raising the […]
Asylum seekers: a long journey for many of us
Desperate people fleeing persecution in their home countries make long journeys, overland and by boat, to reach the safe haven of Australia, hoping to be granted refugee status and residency. They don’t receive a welcome. I have travelled a long journey in my thinking about asylum seekers, and it seems our country is on a […]
"An intangible narrative of unreachable worlds"
I was driving home tonight, listening to Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks, possibly for the hundredth time. It is probably my favourite album of all time. And it transported me – yet again. Approaching home and listening to the title fact, I was uplifted. And I started reminiscing.
Book review: The King Jesus Gospel
Last week (Close to understanding Jesus?) I outlined how I came to see that much of the evangelical teaching I had received about Jesus didn’t really explain Jesus and his ministry in accurate terms historically. It seems that many people are coming to similar conclusions, for example New Testament scholar NT Wright and the philosopher, […]