Minister in the Making

Android Mobile Filtering

2011-05-07T14:01:00.008+10:00

Just got my new Samsung Galaxy S mobile which works great! So much faster than the old Windows Mobile and has almost everything I need for now (Evernote doesn't quite replace MS Onenote for me)

Wanted an internet filter on there and couldn't find one. So here was my solution:

Rooted the phone - Link
Installed SetDNS to set the Domain Name Servers - Link
Domain Name Servers (DNS) essentially provide a web browser with the address for the computer to retrieve the contents of the website (like a street directory without which it cannot find the site).
Installed ZDbox to lock the changing of SetDNS - Link (which is a great app for its other features as well)
Used the OpenDNS Family Shield DNS Servers (Primary:208.67.222.123|Secondary:208.67.220.123) - Link
Tested it working - Link and it works perfectly over 3G and wifi

All these steps require a bit of computer knowledge and the ability to follow some instructions, but it really wasn't that hard! The OpenDNS Family Shield cleans up the web nicely. If you were looking for more parental controls; applications like ZDBox can block the Android Market and any other application such as Youtube, Application Uninstallers (ZDbox) and so forth.

Hope this helps!

p.s. my Galaxy S is running Froyo
p.s. no guarantees this will work with your Mobile provider as some providers do things differently. I'm with TPG/Optus

The Advent of Humility by Tim Keller

2010-11-09T20:51:00.001+11:00

Jesus is the reason to stop concentrating on ourselves.

INNUMERABLE Christmas devotionals point out the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth--among shepherds, in a crude stable, with a feed trough for a bassinet. When Jesus himself tried to summarize why people should take up the yoke of following him, he said it was because he was meek and humble (Matt. 11:29). Seldom, however, do we explore the full implications of how Jesus' radical humility shapes the way we live our lives every day.

Humility is crucial for Christians. We can only receive Christ through meekness and humility (Matt. 5:3, 5; 18:3-4). Jesus humbled himself and was exalted by God (Phil. 2:8-9); therefore joy and power through humility is the very dynamic of the Christian life (Luke 14:11; 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:5).

The teaching seems simple and obvious. The problem is that it takes great humility to understand humility, and even more to resist the pride that comes so naturally with even a discussion of the subject.

We are on slippery ground because humility. cannot be attained directly. Once we become aware of the poison of pride, we begin to notice it all around us. We hear it in the sarcastic, snarky voices in newspaper columns and weblogs. We see it in civic, cultural, and business leaders who never admit weakness or failure. We see it in our neighbors and some friends with their jealousy, self-pity, and boasting.

And so we vow not to talk or act like that. If we then notice "a humble turn of mind" in ourselves, we immediately become smug--but that is pride in our humility. If we catch ourselves doing that we will be particularly impressed with how nuanced and subtle we have become.

Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about it, it leaves. To even ask the question, "Am I humble?" is to not be so. Examining your own heart, even for pride, often leads to being proud about your diligence and circumspection.

Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less, as C. S. Lewis so memorably said. It is to be no longer always noticing yourself and how you are doing and how you are being treated. It is "blessed self-forgetfulness."

Humility is a byproduct of belief in the gospel of Christ. In the gospel, we have a confidence not based in our performance but in the love of God in Christ (Rom. 3:22-24). This frees us from having to always be looking at ourselves. Our sin was so great, nothing less than the death of Jesus could save us. He had to die for us. But his love for us was so great, Jesus was glad to die for us.

GRACE, NOT GOODNESS

We are on slippery ground when we discuss humility, because religion and morality inhibit humility. It is common in the evangelical community to talk about one's worldview--a set of basic beliefs and commitments that shape the way we live in every particular. Others prefer the term "narrative identity." This is a set of answers to the questions, "Who am I? What is my life all about? What am I here for? What are the main barriers keeping me from fulfillment? How can I deal with those barriers?"

There are two basic narrative identifies at work among professing Christians. The first is what I will call the moral-performance narrative identity. These are people who in their heart of hearts say, I obey; therefore I am accepted by God. The second is what I will call the grace narrative identity. This basic operating principle is, I am accepted by God through Christ; therefore I obey.

People living their lives on the basis of these two different principles may superficially look alike. They may sit right beside one another in the church pew, both striving to obey the law of God, to pray, to give money generously, to be good family members. But they are doing so out of radically different motives, in radically different spirits, resulting in radically different personal characters.

When persons living in the moral-performance narrative are criticized, they are furious or devastated because they cannot tolerate threats to their self-image of being a "good person."

But in the gospel our identity is not built on such an image, and we have the emotional ballast to handle criticism without attacking back. When people living in the moral-performance narrative base their self-worth on being hard working or theologically sound, then they must look down on those whom they perceive to be lazy or theologically weak.

But those who understand the gospel cannot possibly look down on anyone, since they were saved by sheer grace, not by their perfect doctrine or strong moral character.

THE STENCH OF MORALISM

Another mark of the moral-performance narrative is a constant need to find fault, win arguments, and prove that all opponents are not just mistaken but dishonest sellouts. However, when the gospel is deeply grasped, our need to win arguments is removed, and our language becomes gracious. We don't have to ridicule our opponents, but instead we can engage them respectfully.

People who live in the moral-performance narrative use sarcastic, self-righteous putdown humor, or have no sense of humor at all. Lewis speaks of "the unsmiling concentration upon Self, which is the mark of hell." The gospel, however, creates a gentle sense of irony. We find a lot to laugh at, starting with our own weaknesses. They don't threaten us anymore because our ultimate worth is not based on our record or performance.

Martin Luther had the basic insight that moralism is the default mode of the human heart. Even Christians who believe the gospel of grace on one level can continue to operate as if they have been saved by their works. In "The Great Sin" in Mere Christianity, Lewis writes, "If we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good--above all, that we are better than someone else--I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the Devil."

Gracious, self-forgetful humility should be one of the primary things that distinguishes Christian believers from the many other types of moral, decent people in the world. But I think it is fair to say that humility, which is a key differentiating mark of the Christian, is largely missing in the church. Nonbelievers, detecting the stench of sanctimony, turn away.

Some will say, "Phariseeism and moralism are not our culture's big problems right now. Our problems are license and antinomianism. There is no need to talk about grace all the time to postmodern people." But postmodern people have been rejecting Christianity for years, thinking that it was indistinguishable from moralism. Only if you show them there's a difference--that what they rejected wasn't real Christianity--will they even begin to listen again.

GET YOUR FRESH HUMILITY HERE

This is the place where the author is supposed to come up with practical solutions. I don't have any. Here's why.

First, the problem is too big for practical solutions. The wing of the evangelical church that is most concerned about the loss of truth and about compromise is actually infamous in our culture for its self-righteousness and pride. However, there are many in our circles who, in reaction to what they perceive as arrogance, are backing away from many of the classic Protestant doctrines (such as Forensic Justification and Substitutionary Atonement) that are crucial and irreplaceable--as well as the best possible resources for humility.

Second, directly talking about practical ways to become humble, either as individuals or as communities, will always backfire. I have said that major wings of the evangelical church are wrong. So who is left? Me? Am I beginning to think only we few, we happy few, have achieved the balance that the church so needs? I think I hear Wormwood whispering in my ear, "Yes, only you can really see things clearly."

I do hope to clarify, or I wouldn't have written on the topic at all. But there is no way to begin telling people how to become humble without destroying what fragments of humility they may already possess.

Third, humility is only achieved as a byproduct of understanding, believing, and marveling in the gospel of grace. But the gospel doesn't change us in a mechanical way. Recently I heard a sociologist say that for the most part, the frameworks of meaning by which we navigate our lives are so deeply embedded in us that they operate "pre-reflectively." They don't exist only as a list of propositions, but also as themes, motives, and attitudes. When we listen to the gospel preached or meditate on it in the Scriptures, we are driving it so deeply into our hearts, imaginations, and thinking that we begin to instinctively "live out" the gospel.

So let us preach grace till humility just starts to grow in us.

Source: Christianity Today – December 2008

Of First Importance

2010-06-10T19:02:00.002+10:00

Sorry, I have been offline most of this year. As my space has disappeared I have put the blog on the back burner. I’ve got a lot of half finished posts to publish.

In the mean time here is a good gospel quote. I recommend you subscribe to the blog I got it from…. Of First Importance

“If we have regarded religion merely as a means of getting things — even lofty and unselfish things — then when the things that have been gotten are destroyed, our faith will fail. When loved ones are taken away, when disappointment comes and failure, when noble ambitions are set at naught, then we turn away from God. We have tried religion, we say, we have tried prayer, and it has failed. Of course it has failed! God is not content to be an instrument in our hand or a servant at our beck and call.

Has it never dawned on us that God is valuable for His own sake, that just as personal communion is the highest thing that we know on earth, so personal communion with God is the sublimest height of all? If we value God for His own sake, then the loss of other things will draw us all the closer to Him; we shall then have recourse to Him in time of trouble as to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. If here and now we have the one inestimable gift of God’s presence and favour, then all the rest can wait till God’s good time.”

—J. Gresham Machen, What Is Faith? (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1991), 73-74

Witnessing through service

2009-12-16T18:08:00.002+11:00

I’ve been thinking a bit about how useful Christians service (that is not overtly evangelistic) is and the importance of it. The trends are churches that focus too much on social justice and serving end up liberal on beliefs and strong on moralism. On the other hand churches that have neglected to offer opportunities to serve have ended up seeing their members disappear to the likes of Lions clubs and the Freemasons. The end result for the people that seek outside opportunities to serve can often be liberal beliefs and moralism as well.

I want to be part of a church that doesn’t turn a blind eye to these things, but where Jesus is proclaimed and worshipped at the centre. Where the people that are served come to faith in Jesus and the people that serve grow in their faith.

Has anyone any input on Christian service? I'd particularly like to focus on good models for church communities to take up? Any contributions about your experience would be great.

Some Positives of Christian Service

People experience God’s love and a seed of this is left
Good connections are made with people as genuine needs are served
Communities see the positive work of Christians and perceptions change
Some good conversations about why we’re doing it come up

Some Negatives of Christian Service

We never see most people again and the opportunity for gospel conversations are far and few between. Is this efficient casting of seeds?
If a gospel conversation isn’t had, what would make our service different from that of a Buddhist, Muslim or New Age person?

Edit: Updated to hopefully make my purpose a little clearer.

Logos 4… first look

2009-11-05T13:35:00.003+11:00

I came into uni to do some exam study yesterday and was greeted with an announcement that Logos 4 had just been released! Fortunately it took all day to download all the updated resources and index.

It was like Christmas early for me! I'm like a kid in a candy store with Logos 4. So many new features and eye candy!

Here is a preliminary look at what grabbed me:

It is so easy to study the Bible!
All these new ways to do things more efficiently.
Seeing more information, more easily. That new information windows is great! Easily showing definitions, parsing and translation… and more. When doing a passage search it quickly brought up related info from my resources on relevant topics for that passage. Amazing!
Easy data backup over the internet of all my user data.
Better window management including multiple monitor support.
Intuitive searching including auto-complete to help me with my bad spelling and speed.... this thing is FAST!
Great new resources at bargain basement prices in the upgrade
Resource prioritisation and tagging

It is waiting on a few new(old) features to be implemented, but getting it early is a great present! It will take a bit to get used to how things have changed though…

Thanks Logos for your great work in enabling me to immerse myself in the Bible that little bit more. I know the fruits will be seen in years to come wherever God takes me in ministry!

Checkout http://www.logos.com/4 and view the video / follow the learn more!

More to come once I've done some more exam study!

Freemasonry and the Anglican Church

2009-10-03T14:04:00.001+10:00

Posted due to popular request. This is a paper I put together while studying Anglican Identity at Ridley. I researched enough for 6000 words, but was limited to writing 1000 words (this is the slightly expanded edition). All footnotes have been converted to endnotes.

Introduction

Freemasonry has a place in the history of the Anglican Church. Whether we like it or not significant people within the church have been linked to Freemasonry even though there are fundamental incompatibilities between the two. Being a secret society, information on Freemasonry is not very forthcoming, however I have gathered what information is available to present a picture of Freemasonry and its links to the Anglican Church.[i]

The Origins of Freemasonry

The origins of Freemasonry are mystical and debated. Hamill points out that traditional views from the ceremonies are that the origins are found before the building of Solomon’s Temple.[ii] Hamill’s view is that Freemasonry originated in England in the late 17^th century and early 18^th century[iii] with enlightenment thinking being a driving force along with the trend towards secret societies at that time for non-conformists politically and religiously, or even to fill the gap of the need for charitable organisations.[iv] Freemasonry is mysterious and the secrecy can be dangerous and deceptive.

Continental Freemasonry traces its origins differently and is identified with liberalism and anticlericalism, whereas English Freemasonry is more commonly associated with conservatism and religious faith (not necessarily Christian).[v]

The Attractiveness of Freemasonry and its Incompatibility with Christianity

Freemasonry is seen as attractive for its social atmosphere; its ability to help people climb corporate ladders; its security and benevolence in times of need; its philanthropy in the community; its mystical spirituality; and the sense of identity or power that comes with some aspects of it.[vi]

While some of these aspects of Freemasonry are attractive to the Christian, the following dangers have been identified with membership for Christians[vii]:

· Swearing oaths whether symbolic or real can have spiritual implications, especially when the contents of the secrets to be revealed are unknown and the rituals are conducted with deep spirituality.[viii]

· Secrecy does not fit with biblical principles, especially when it divides husbands and wives.[ix]

· The Freemasons worship GAOTU[x] who does not fit with the Trinitarian God of the Bible. Especially given the religious syncretism of Freemasons.[xi] Its theology is incomplete and seriously lacking in the area of Christology![xii]

· Freemasonry promotes moralism and salvation by works.[xiii]

Freemasonry in Australia

Freemasonry escaped the Unlawful Societies Act of 1799[xiv] to continue its spread.[xv] Freemasonry was popular with those of military and naval backgrounds in NSW.[xvi] It sustained particular support from official[xvii] and wealthy classes to middle classes.[xviii] [xix] It was also successful in Victoria with 114 lodges opening between 1841-1889.[xx] No doubt with the Anglican Church trying to establish itself, the same wealthy and official people would have had strong involvement in the funding and membership of these churches.[xxi]

Significant Freemasons in the Anglican Church in England

The Catholic Church is clear on its position against Freemasonry with excommunication being the penalty for refusing to give up Lodge membership, although joining the English derived Lodges has more acceptance.[xxii] The Anglican Church in the past has been a lot less clear. Freemasonry is incompatible, but the Anglican Church has been unwilling to take a stand. Silence has been seen as consent.

This was a time when it was fashionable to be a Freemason. King George VI was an overt supporter and active member of the Craft^{^[xxiii]} and in 1953 sixteen Anglican Bishops were Freemasons.[xxiv] [xxv] Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher was a Freemason, including the Grand Chaplain for the Lodge in England and also the Archbishop of Canterbury (1945-1961). Freemasons give a glowing history of his involvement, but others see his contribution to Anglicanism as missing a grand opportunity.[xxvi]

More recently ABP Rowan Williams has stood against Freemasonry.[xxvii] He has refused to appoint Masons to senior posts.[xxviii] However, when his views were brought into question by the UGLE[xxix], he apologised and expressed that this was a “personal unease about Christian ministers subscribing” and that Freemasonry was “neither a disqualifier or advantage” for appointments so as not to cause a disruption of established relationships or legal ramifications from employment discrimination.[xxx]

Some Significant Freemasons in the Australian Anglican Church

Most information is sourced from the Australian Dictionary of Biography. There are still many more Freemasons who have held positions of power. This section was limited to information readily available. It is by no means a list that sits here to judge the character or contribution of these peoples lives. It merely is a show of Freemasons that have been Anglicans.

· John Wooley (1816 - 1866): Critic of Barker, shifted from broad church to deism, Vicar St Peter's, Cook's River. Chose to liberalise younger clergy.[xxxi]

· Charles Edward Camidge (1837-1911): Anglican Bishop. Enthroned Bathurst 1888. Grand chaplain of the UGL[xxxii] of NSW in 1888-89. Acted as primate in 1909-10.[xxxiii]

· George Merrick Long (1874-1930): Anglican Bishop. Situated around Bathurst and Dubbo. In 1920 he had become foundation president of the national council of the Church of England Men's Society and, a Freemason, was grand chaplain of United Grand Lodge in 1923-26. Sought independence of Anglicans in Australia from England. Bishop of Newcastle 1928-1930.[xxxiv]

· George William Hilliard (1887-1960): Anglican Bishop. Grand chaplain (1931-33) of UGL of NSW while a chaplain at Trinity Grammar. Appointed a canon of St Andrew's Cathedral (1932). See of Nelson, New Zealand (1934). Archbishop Mowll appointed to St John's, Parramatta (1940), and co-adjutor bishop.[xxxv]

· Harry Ctercteko (1918-2007): Missionary, Secretary of the BCA, rector of St Stephen’s Willoughby and active advocate for the acceptance of Freemasonry within the Anglican Church. Was the Grand Chaplain of the UGL of NSW.[xxxvi]

· Geoffrey Sambell (1914 – 1980): Curate at St John’s, Malvern (1940-41). Chaplain and general duties in Australian Imperial Force (1942-1946). Curate at St Mark’s, Camberwell (1946). Coadjutor Bishop of Melbourne (1962). Archbishop of Perth (1969)

· Dr George Bearham: House of Laity Chair at Synod and a key representative, Grand Master Mason, Executive Chair of Ridley College

· Richard Deodatus Poulett Harris (1817 - 1899): schoolmaster and Church of England clergyman, First Grand Master of Tasmanian Masons

· John Samuel Shearston (1853-1916): seamen's missionary, licensed lay reader (1878). Founder of the CoE Mission to the Seamen in 1881 at Sydney Harbour. Active Freemason and past master of Lodge Temperance and grand chaplain of United Grand Lodge of NSW (1897, 1915-16)

· John Reginald Harmer (1857-1944): Anglican Bishop. Grew up in England as son of Rev. George Harmer and was distinguished scholastically. Ordained and appointed domestic chaplain to Bishop J.B. Lightfood of Durham. Bishop of Adelaide (1895-1905). Initiated into Freemasonry while in Adelaide, he was master of Lodge St Alban (1903-04). Bishop of Rochester, Kent (1905-30).

· Harrington Clare Lees (1870-1929): Anglican Archbishop. Ordained Priest (1894). Vicar of three evangelical parishes in England. Refused the offer of bishopric in Bendigo, Victoria. Archbishop of Melbourne (1921-29). Remembered as attractive, keen sportsman, Christian man with a most real pastoral sense and uniformly affable. Foundation member of the Old Melburnians' Masonic Lodge. President of Melbourne College of Divinity (1922-24).

· Charles Owen Leaver Riley (1854-1929): Anglican Archbishop. Born in England to Rev. Lawrence Riley. Ordained in 1878. Recor of St Paul's, Preston (England - 1885). Bishop of Perth (1894-1914). Perth aquired three dioceses and thus became a province with Riley as Archbishop (1914-29). Established St John's theological college which closed (1899-1926). Established St George's College (1929). Grand Master of the Western Australian Grand Lodge (1904-17,1920-29) with 150 brances and 10,000 members. This is almost as many as the parish enrollment which never exceeded 12,000 in his episcopate. His son was Charles Lawrence Riley (1888-1971), Bishop of Bendigo.

· Frediric Slaney (1845-1936): Anglican clergyman. Born in Kent, England. Ordained in 1869 and incumbent of Robe. St John's, Halifax St (1874-94). He erected St Mary Magdalene's in Moore St. Pool was a popular preacher. Canon of Adelaide (1887-95, 1907-11). Vicar of St Peter's Church Ballarat, Victoria (1895-99). Conducted a school for choirboys at St John's, Adelaide. Priest at St Clement's, Enfield (1908-09). In 1872 he was one of South Australia's first clerical Freemasons and helped to establish the Grand Lodge of South Australia in 1884. He lectured in urban and country lodges emphasizing members' duty of benevolence, recruited many clergy to the craft and in 1918, having held many senior posts, was appointed past deputy grand master. His son Thomas Slaney Poole (b. 1873) was also a prominent advocate of Freemasonry and Anglican. He was a Grand Master of Grand Lodge of South Australia (1924), progressing to Grand Principal and building a new state headquarters.

Conflicts between Freemasonry and the Anglican Church in Sydney

Sydney is one diocese willing to take a stand on this issue (like other issues). The Synod affirmed the fundamental incompatibility of Christianity and Freemasonry in 1988 and reaffirmed it again in 2003 by Bill Winthrop (Lithgow Anglican Church) who encountered significant conflict with the Masons.[xxxvii] It urged Masons to demonstrate their commitment to Jesus by resigning and urged ministers not to ‘condone, promote or encourage adherence to Freemasonry’ as well as Anglican Schools to reconsider any associations they had.

The Rt Revd George Browning, Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, made a statement that these were Winthrop’s own opinions and he instead saw the merit of Freemasonry while advising Christians to be cautious.[xxxviii]

The controversy surrounding Winthrop was that he along with his Parish Council excommunicated Masons (both male and female) from attending or taking part in Lithgow Anglican Church if they would not renounce membership in late 2001. He also banned burials of Masons which resulted in Hoskins Uniting Church taking the funeral of Harry Coates, a 63 year member of Lithgow Anglican, and an ex-Grand Master of NSW. The funeral was taken by Harry Ctercteko. Apparently, most Masons left the church (all four). This was all as a result of a Freemason funeral service being conducted in the absence of Winthrop in Lithgow Anglican. This service was subversively promoting freemasonry and is also contrary to church law.[xxxix] Archbishop Peter Jensen is quoted as saying that Winthrop’s method was ‘not the way he would have handled the situation’.[xl]

Challenges that Freemasonry brings to the Church

Freemasonry is very evident still in the lives and in the histories of many people, even in the Anglican Church. The Parish of Gisborne (Melbourne) even includes an instruction about including Masonic rites in funerals.[xli] While Sydney has taken a stand, other dioceses still have to make these steps for themselves. However, this issue is probably not the most pressing for most Anglican Churches. The issue behind the issue is the general culture of therapeutic deism and anti-exclusivism that we encounter in our society and also in Freemasonry. This will provide an issue to leadership in the Anglican Church in how to deal sensitively, while holding to the truth. It provides an issue in how to confront something that has been silently accepted for most of its existence.

The second challenge is for us to examine how we can cultivate the kind of healthy fellowship within the church that meets the needs of men, and offers opportunities for men to serve and lead in ways that are satisfying and Christ glorifying. Behind this there is also the need for the church to support and sometimes initiate the kind of local community work the Freemasons popularised in a way that doesn’t let Jesus slip from the focus.[xlii]

Some Final Thoughts (an epilogue for the blog)

This topic can be very sensitive. Many people have/had parents, partners and grandparents that are/were Freemasons. Freemasons are taught how to defend Freemasonry against criticism and most know these defences well. In some cases these defences may be valid as I know of strong Christians who merely participate in Freemasonry as an angle for community involvement. Its hard given the diversity of Freemasonry chapters to speak specifically about someone's involvement unless you are aware of the nature of their involvement and the nature of their particular chapter.

The issue comes down to how Christ is represented. Can a Christian genuinely be part of an organisation that forbids them to pray or speak in the name of Christ? Can a Christian be part of an organisation that swears oaths with associated curses? Should a Christian elevate moralism over the grace of Jesus? Should Christians be part of a society that values secrecy and unity over Jesus? Should faith in Jesus be demoted from something that invades every area of our lives to just a "personal matter"? Looking at Freemasonry should cause us to look at how our lives as a whole represent Christ in every area. Do they?

I’ve been asked to join the Freemasons a number of times, but my answer remains no.

If you are a Freemasons and a Christian, have you sat down to read the Bible, pray and discern with an open mind what God thinks about your involvement?

Endnotes

[i] It is beyond the scope of this essay to provide a detailed outline of the tenets of Freemasonry. Useful books for studying this from a Christian point of view are ‘Freemasonry and Christianity’ commissioned by the Church of England; the Sydney Synod’s commissioned investigation; and for a point of view from the Freemasons is John Hamill’s ‘The Craft’.

[ii] John Hamill, The Craft : A History of English Freemasonry (191 p., [16] p.; Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire: Crucible, 1986), 15

[iii] Hamill, The Craft : A History of English Freemasonry, 27-40

[iv] General Synod Standing Committee of the Church of England, Freemasonry and Christianity : Are They Compatible? : A Contribution to Discussion (London: Church House Publishing, 1987), 6

[v] Dianne Kirby, 'Christianity and Freemasonry: The Compatibility Debate within the Church of England', JRH 29, no. 1 (2005): 45

[vi] G. G. Moate, Christianity and the Craft (Oxford: Latimer House, 1988), 35-37

[vii] Further discussions of these incompatibilities are available in various works from the bibliography. Freemasons will commonly assert that it is not a religion and that they do indeed worship the Trinitarian God. The reason that they don’t mention Jesus is only because their rituals come from the times of Solomon’s Temple building. In fact references to Jesus were removed in 1813 so as to not cause offense (CoE, Freemasonry:8). The link to Solomon is suspect and their story doesn’t match up. Their rituals also carry symbolism that is not fitting with Christianity but still are overtly religious. Some statistics taken from a Midwest American State are 32.2% of Freemasons see becoming a Mason as a rebirth. 54.1% see ceremonies within Lodge meetings as the most important part and 47% see it important that they are secret. 57.7% see increasing in knowledge of the teachings as very important! (John Wilson, 'Voluntary Associations and Civil Religion : The Case of Freemasonry', RRR 22, no. 2 (1980): 125-36). This stands in strong opposition to Freemasonry not being religious! It is interesting that lower degrees of Freemasonry are insignificant but higher degrees offer an extra secret knowledge.

[viii] Church of England, Freemasonry and Christianity : Are They Compatible? : A Contribution to Discussion, 18

[ix] Church of England, Freemasonry and Christianity : Are They Compatible? : A Contribution to Discussion, 7

[x] Grand Architect of the Universe

[xi] Moate, Christianity and the Craft, 37

[xii] Standing Committee of Diocese of Sydney, Freemasonry Examined (Sydney: Anglican Church - Diocese of Sydney, 1988)

[xiii] Church of England, Freemasonry and Christianity : Are They Compatible? : A Contribution to Discussion, 34

[xiv] This act was designed to suppress seditious activity.

[xv] Wikipedia, Suppression of Freemasonry (30/09/2008 [cited 10/05/2009); available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppression_of_Freemasonry

[xvi] It is ironic that the first official meeting was not widely accepted as it was done by a felon and “Freemasonry had not come to call sinners but the righteous”. (Rev. G.I. Fraser, ed., Christianity and Freemasonry - What Is the Conflict? (Melbourne: The Church and Nation Committee of the Presbyerian Church of Victoria, 1998), 46)

[xvii] Seven Governors and two Governor-General’s were Grand Masters between 1888-1955 (Freemasonry Examined, 3-4)

[xviii] Freemasonry Examined, 3-4

[xix] Fraser, ed., Christianity and Freemasonry, 47

[xx] Hamill, The Craft : A History of English Freemasonry, 92

[xxi] Further history can be found in the Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society

[xxii] Joel Schorn, 'What Is the Catholic View of Freemasonry?', USC 70, no. 5 (2005): 43

[xxiii] Yasha Beresiner, 'Archbishop Fisher - a Godly Man and a Brother', MQM July, no. 18 (2006): 7-10

[xxiv] Kirby, 'Christianity and Freemasonry', 48

[xxv] The compatibility of Freemasonry and the Church was challenged by Hannah in “Should a Christian be a Freemason?” published by SPCK in Theology issue 54 (Jan 1951). This resulted in a controversy between him and ABP Fisher. ABP Fisher’s defense was along the lines of senior clergy don’t have any issues with it. It should be noted that some churches removed crosses for Freemasons services! Hannah later renounced his Anglican orders and was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church. Fisher campaigned strongly to maintain a positive image of Freemasonry in the face of motions of heresy against it, saying that no non-Mason could understand it sufficiently (especially given George VI being a Grand Master). More of this conflict can be read in Kirby (‘Christianity and Freemasonry’, 43-66)

[xxvi] Beresiner, 'Archbishop Fisher', 7-10

[xxvii] Wikipedia, Freemasons (2009 [cited 10/05/2009); available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasons

[xxviii] Kirby, 'Christianity and Freemasonry', 44

[xxix] United Grand Lodge of England

[xxx] Kirby, 'Christianity and Freemasonry', 45

[xxxi] K. J. Cable, 'Woolley, John (1816 - 1866)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, Melbourne University Press, 1976, pp 435-437

[xxxii] United Grand Lodge

[xxxiii] Ruth Teale, 'Camidge, Charles Edward (1837 - 1911)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, pp 540-541.

[xxxiv] Ruth Teale, 'Long, George Merrick (1874 - 1930)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, Melbourne University Press, 1986, pp 134-135.

[xxxv] Janet West, 'Hilliard, William George (1887 - 1960)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, Melbourne University Press, 1996, pp 453-454.

[xxxvi] Frank Heimans, William Thompson Masonic School Interviews (Baulkham Hills Shire Council, 18/12/2006 2007 [cited 10/05/2009); available from http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/external/hillsvoices/masonic03.htm

[xxxvii] Diocese of Sydney, 2nd Ordinary Session of the 46th Synod of the Diocese of Sydney: October 2003 (Sydney: Anglican Church - Diocese of Sydney, 2003)

[xxxviii] ACNS, Freemasons and the Anglican Church (Anglican Communion News Service, 25/11/2003 2003 [cited 10/05/2009); available from http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2003/11/25/ACNS3685

[xxxix] Winthrop, Unpublished Email (03/2002 [cited 10/05/2009 from

http://www.light1998.com/ANGELICANS/CHALLENGE_TO_FREEMASONRY.htm

[xl] Len Ashworth, Church Row Left a Sour Taste (Lithgow Mercury, 21/03/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

Len Ashworth, Freemasons Should Be Welcome in Church (Lithgow Mercury, 21/03/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

Len Ashworth, A Lifetime of Dedication to the Community (Lithgow Mercury, 11/04/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

Len Ashworth, Local Church Accused of 'Fundamentalist Bigotry' (Lithgow Mercury, 9/03/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

Len Ashworth, No Intervention from Council (Lithgow Mercury, 18/04/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

Len Ashworth, Reconciliation Call by Masons (Lithgow Mercury, 15/01/2002 2002 [cited 10/05/2009)

[xli] Rev'd Bradly Billing, Information to Assist Those Planning a Funeral Conducted According to the Rites of the Anglican Church (Anglican Parish of Gisborne, 2007 [cited 10/05/2009); available from http://www.anglicanparishgisborne.org.au/uploads/media/Information_for_those_planning_a_Funeral.doc

[xlii] Moate, Christianity and the Craft, 38-39

Freemasonry, Fellowship and Football

2009-09-16T18:37:00.002+10:00

Earlier this year I wrote an essay on Freemasonry and the Anglican Church. As part of this I looked at its attractiveness (in days gone by) and its incompatibility with Christianity.

One of the things I identified was that as a church we are not good at doing the following things for men: discipling/mentoring; offering opportunities for them to use their leadership gifts within the church or directing them to healthy opportunities within the community; and doing fellowship that is meaningful/edifying. Freemasonry does all three well.

I think the beginning of creating a church that can do these things starts with creating good fellowship and recognising that most guys don’t orient well around “catching up”, but instead activities.

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed in the last months is my football (indoor soccer/futsall! I look forward to it every week! It has given me some of the recreational space I’ve been looking for and I come away each week feeling refreshed. My wife loves that I’ve got more to give her as a result of me getting some space and I love it! Win-win! We often head out for a cool beverage after the game – its all part of the deal. We’ll chat about life, talk about the game, talk about faith. All good fellowship and lots of fun!

I’ve realised how much I need this time and I think a lot of other guys do as well! You look at guys who do exercise together (cricket, cycling, running..etc): they’re generally very committed to the time and each other because they love it and the fellowship that occurs there.

Why aren’t more of our churches doing things like this that enable opportunities for guys to share life and faith in ways like this?

I could see this being the entry point leading to discipleship and then men stepping up in leadership… but in order to meaningfully connect we need to do these sorts of things regularly…I’m talking weekly! Not just a monthly card night!

Free John Piper Book for Libronix/Logos

2009-08-19T12:06:00.001+10:00

John Piper’s book “Finally Alive” is available for free for Libronix

Simply add it to you cart

http://www.logos.com/ebooks/details/FINALIVE

Then enter the coupon code BIBLESTUDYMAGAZINE

You’ll still need to enter your credit card, but it will cost you nothing :)

Three Lessons for Starting a Healthy Marriage – Part 3 – Spiritual Oneness

2009-08-09T19:56:00.001+10:00

I’ve been wrestling with this topic and that is why I’ve found it hard to post this final lesson; sharing our spirituality in marriage. Like the previous posts on contentment and space – I haven’t got this all figured out. Indeed I’ve come further in my thinking on those topics since both those posts.

If you don’t like long posts… skip to the end, as I want you to answer a question for me…

The Bible passage that comes to mind when thinking about how to relate to my wife spiritually is Ephesians 5:22-33 where it talks about loving my wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her as well as loving my wife as I love myself.

That’s a big task – loving like Christ! Six months into marriage I can tell you what I’ve realised how big the gap is between how much I love myself and how much I love my wife. I know it sounds bad, but it’s the truth shown in my actions even if I don’t think it is the case. Marriage has been great in revealing of my selfishness!

I think the loving like Christ contains a duty of spiritual care for my wife, but does that mean daily family devotionals? It most likely means openly talking face to face with the goal of a kind of one flesh, unashamed unity that we read of in Genesis (Gen 2:24-25). An open conversation where we both direct each other to keep God as our number one, a chance for each of us to learn how we can pray for each other. But what if we worship God, spend devotional times and pray in completely different ways. Lingering in my mind is the idea that the couple who prays together, stays together (interesting article from Journal of Theology and Psychology)! If only Paul got married, then I’m sure he would have something to say about it. But he didn’t!

Bob Lepine speaks of the Father of the household as ‘by God’s design, the priest of the family’ (The Christian Husband, 2005:94-95). He finds the roots of this explanation in the examples of Abraham and Noah which leads him to conclude that the father should lead his family into God’s presence for worship, remind them of the Gospel and intercede in prayer for them.

Is this what it means to love like Christ loved the Church, to perform a priestly function in the family? These are all good things a husband should be doing, but a wife also for her husband. However, the husband should take a leadership role in this if he is to be the head of the family (his wife). So what he says has some merit, despite the initial misgivings I have over the priestly language.

He adds to this further that the husband should take a prophetic role in the way he brings the truth of God to bear on the family, to lead it doctrinally and bring the family and its members to repentance when they fall aside from the Word of God (ibid. 124-125). Another good point. Perhaps this all aligns with Ephesians 5:26-28, and the sacramental nature of this language (‘washing of water, with the word’; ‘presenting as holy’). Husbands are to love ‘in this same way’, so it seems that with or without the priestly language – some of these ideas come to the surface.

Andreas J. Köstenberger (God, Marriage and the Family, 2004) doesn’t come to the same conclusions as Lepine on Ephesians, but instead looks to Daniel Block’s work Marriage and Family in Ancient Israel. He agrees with Block’s grounding in the historical model of Jewish fatherhood which held responsibilities such as: modelling faith; leading the family in traditions, festivals, history and Scripture (cf. Deut 6:4-9); and maintaining family members well being and harmonious operation of ‘the family unit’. This is a model of spiritual leadership, but unfortunately contains no guidance about devotionals with wives… Maybe this is all just a Puritan hangover?

Why am I stuck on this point? I find it hard to read the Bible with my wife – partly a result of my study at theological college. I find it easier to pray, but it is still hard. I don’t find it so hard to encourage my wife to invest spiritually. Maybe I’m taking the easy way out in not helping her to invest spiritually. Almost six months in, but many years to grow together. What I’m looking for now is your wisdom on how you do it?

skip to here

So, how does a married Christian couple encourage each other spiritually and walk spiritually together in a way that promotes spiritual unity? How can a husband lead his wife?

Tell me what you find helpful…

Advice for Transitioning from Theological College – Will Willimon

2009-06-01T21:09:00.001+10:00

Will Willimon offers some excellent advice on moving from a theological college to full time ministry. This is part of his contribution to the book “From Midterms to Ministry”.

http://willimon.blogspot.com/2009/05/between-two-worlds.html

http://willimon.blogspot.com/2009/05/advice-for-new-pastors-part-two.html

http://willimon.blogspot.com/2009/05/advice-for-new-pastors-part-three.html

Three Lessons for Starting a Healthy Marriage – Part 2 - Contentment

2009-06-01T20:30:00.001+10:00

Contentment is one of the most important things in marriage. Discontentment can lead to dissatisfaction, depression, bitterness, affairs (emotional & physical) and divorce.

If you want to live the path of discontentment then head for a defacto relationship that embraces this idea of one person not being able to satisfy you your whole life… it holds to the “so long as we both are satisfied” vow, as opposed to “so long as we both shall live”.

Having said that, I don’t really recommend defacto relationships to anyone as discontentment is like a seed that infects, grows and spreads. It doesn’t leave you once you’ve got the next thing or relationship. It just poisons that as well.

This dark side of discontentment comes from covetousness. Covetousness is nothing more than the craving for what we don’t have, the craving for what someone else has that we don’t and the craving for circumstances that are different from our own. It is always shortsighted in the way it seeks to satisfy immediate desires and needs. The result is always an unthankful and ungrateful life.

In Exodus 20:17 it says not to covet anything belonging to a neighbour. It recognises the poison contained in coveting. Instead I should be like Paul who has learnt to be content “whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11-13) – not through my own strength, but through the provision of Jesus. So that even when I am i need, I will not worry about what I have. What more, 1 Timothy 6:6-10 encourages me that I should be content with the basic things I have.

A healthy marriage is filled with contentment, thankfulness and joy. Don’t let the seed of discontentment in!

I know that I am terrible at being content – especially in the realm of technology. I always want more or the next big thing... I know this can also seep into other areas too! So to help me progress along this path of thankfulness and contentment I’m going to be reading Jeremiah Burroughs – The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (a 17th century puritan work) with Challies. I’d invite you to join in on the journey...

The future of reading

2009-05-22T13:32:00.001+10:00

So when I saw that the Kindle 2 was coming out, I thought to myself “Awesome, now I can give my eyes a rest and stop burning the back of my retina’s out. It looks like paper, but so much lighter than a stack of books”. Then I looked at it closer and read a few reviews… no touch screen – navigate by buttons, you can’t read on a plane during takeoff/landing… it still looks good, but it’s missing something else! The ability to read some of the 1000’s of books (896 actually) I’ve got sitting on my computer in Libronix format (Logos Bible Software).

Then I saw the iRex 1000SW Digital Reader and had a bit more technology lust! It was one step closer – finally I could print articles to it easily and there was a semi-touch screen…it also has wireless/bluetooth support! Then I thought to myself “Libronix doesn’t allow printing of whole books – I’m not going to print every time I want to read something!”

That’s when I thought – the first step is for someone to invent a external monitor that is a touch screen using the same technology (or just add support for using the iRex as an external monitor with usb DisplayLink technology or DisplayPort once it becomes popular or a combination of DisplayPort onboard and usb DisplayLink for backwards compatibility)! I’d snap one up in a second! I’d snap one up in half a second if it supported a wireless display technology as well (although this is cutting edge and high power consumption).

An easier first step would be for someone to implement a remote control software program that runs on the iRex/Kindle device which could be used over wireless-N or G to control a Windows PC! My HTC Touch Diamond does this easily through Windows Mobile!

Logos/Libronix – listen up and get on the back of companies to take the first steps then start developing your own software so I can use all my books without my computer turned on!

iRex developers – get to developing the Windows remote control software and then hurry up with the hardware updates!

Is your mobile phone a “conflict” mobile?

2009-05-09T13:40:00.002+10:00

“Almost two-thirds of the world's tantalum production ends up in high quality capacitors that are used in devices such as mobile phones and other electronic gadgets.

….For much of the past decade, cheap supplies of tantalum derived from mines under the control of various rebel groups based in the north-eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have flowed into a long and complex supply chain.

Among those groups profiting from this trade are Hutu militia associated with the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

….In the same way that the Taliban uses opium to fund its war in Afghanistan, or rebel groups in Colombia thrive off the proceeds of cocaine sales, the civil war in Congo is bankrolled by the sale of illegally mined "conflict resources" such as tantalum.

The International Rescue Committee refugee action group says the conflict has resulted in the death of over 5.4 million Congolese over the past decade.

….Robinson knows where the blame lies. He says it's the pressure being exerted by manufacturers in the electronic industry supply chain to keep prices low that encourages buyers to seek the cheapest possible sources.”

Read: Out of Africa – the blood tantalum in your mobile phone

This has challenged me to perhaps think twice about demanding lower prices when I buy technology! Except if it is a mac, because I think it is valid in that case…. not that I don't like macs, but I might if they were cheaper...

Three Lessons for Starting a Healthy Marriage – Part 1 - Space

2009-05-07T17:36:00.001+10:00

In the coming week or so I’m going to post my reflections on what I’ve learnt (and I am learning) are key things in starting a healthy marriage.

The first issue I will look at is having space. When we did our prepare course one of the areas we differed in was that Katie thought we had enough space together/apart and I didn’t. I worked out that the difference was that Katie got her space right beside me when I was tickling her back, while I didn’t get my space there. Trying to be smart I bought her a Shiatsu back massager (affectionately called Shitsy) for Christmas which could do the tickling and give me space. Wrong! It has sat in the box most of the time while my hands were still put to use tickling.

Space is a two edged problem for me. I need space with my maker and I need space to enjoy God’s finished creation (exercise or just hanging out with the guys).

I understand my need for Sabbath time as core to my space as I see Jesus taking time out (Mt 14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 4:42 cf. Heb 4:10; Lk 6:5). I won’t go into my theology of Sabbath, but I highly recommend listening to Tim Keller on the topic (Link). However, putting this understanding into practice has failed lately because someone whom I love spending time with is constantly available! The reality is that I’m depriving myself of being refreshed by having the same quality time I used to with my maker. Not to say that I’m not having some time, just not enough! I am also depriving my wife as I serve my own needs with her (which she can’t meet all of) and as a result I’m depriving my wife of being able to fully give to her out of how I’m being satisfied by my relationship with Jesus.

Now the other kind of space where I get space apart from my wife. I’m not sure how I look at this theologically… I understand the need for re-creation, but haven’t really figured out how the time apart fits in or how I get my space with her right there. I know I need this space so I can better serve my wife and God, but I’m still figuring out how it looks. I know it can’t be in my study/work as this is not a good hiding place. Maybe once I get my indoor soccer team up and running I’ll get my space…

Any wisdom would be appreciated…

P.S. as you can tell, this series won’t be about providing all the solutions, but instead working them out as I go along

Dubai – what happens when money & power are your gods

2009-04-24T16:46:00.002+10:00

I was shocked to read this article on Dubai… I guess I’ve never thought to question what lies behind the desert oasis…

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

Where have I been? Marriage, Study and all the rest

2009-04-24T16:44:00.001+10:00

Just a brief update to say that the blog will be receiving some new life in the coming weeks.

I’ve been distracted with getting married and figuring out how ministry and study fits into this.

Over the coming months I’ll be posting some of my reflections and thoughts on what I’ve been learning (or not learning) over the previous months since my last post!

Free Christian Music

2009-01-05T09:23:00.006+11:00

A free Kutless MP3 is being given away at Bible Study Magazine. They are also having a contest to win cool Kutless gear and Logos Bible Software. Go check it out!

Here are some websites for other free Christian music:

http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/downloads/freemusic.asp
http://www.timothymark.com/ (see free downloads)
http://www.freechristianresources.org/category/music/free-songs (Links to free songs)
http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/music (many original songs. Checkout Peace, Blessed are the forgiven, Mighty Power, O Holy Night, Redemption, Beatitudes, Suantrai, Rain
http://www.lifechurch.tv/feeds popular Christian music used for worship (checkout their worship podcasts)

Worldliness

2008-12-09T15:24:00.003+11:00

Okay, I'm back in the blog world after burning out post-exams. I'll return to this in a later post.

I've been considering the topic of worldliness over the last few days. I've been reading Worldliness by C.J. Mahaney as an inspiration. How appropriate! I picked it up for US$5 including shipping at crossway books (special until 15th Dec).

So, in case you're wondering what the deal is with this picture... I'm sitting in the Apple store at Chadstone blogging! What a perfect place to contemplate worldliness! Rows of brand new iPhones, iPod Touch mp3 players, Macbook Pro's just glistening and waiting for me to pick them up and love them. The staff are all dressed in the latest threads and wearing the same attractive Apple t-shirts. U2 plays in the background. If I was in buying mode... I would be buying right now. Dozens of other cool, beautiful people are playing with the machines and credit cards keep flashing out to purchase these ridiculously expensive computers! Then there is me, I'm just coveting one of each for my own pleasure. Surely if I have all of these then I will be happy, right?!

Wrong! That is the message they would like me to believe. That is the message I have been hearing as I have been filling out gifts on my wedding registry. That is the message that greets me when I sit down to relax and watch TV. That is the message that keeps getting thrown at me and you know what the issue is... the Holy Spirit keeps on catching up to me to remind me that however much I kid myself, I'm believing it...

The question that I'm going to continue to ponder over the next few days is.... If two reports were prepared of a non-Christian and me that detailed conversations, Internet activity, iPod playlists, television habits, hobbies, leisure time, financial transactions, thoughts, passions, and dreams... would my life look the same? Would yours?

Could I be unashamed without abandon...

2008-09-26T17:43:00.003+10:00

Could I claim that I am completely, 100%, part of this fellowship of the unashamed (see below)?
I wish I could say that I will always hold to this kind of statement, but I know my strength is not enough. I know that I'm a sinner who needs a Great Saviour. I try to remember this on my knees daily.

Do I stand tall in victory like this statement? or Do I remain on my knees in surrender?

I'd like to remain in surrender, always facing the write direction in humility, but ready like a sprinter to rise up and sprint in the direction the Lord calls me... all the time unashamed of the Gospel!

The Fellowship of the Unashamed (potentially by Dr. Bob Moorehead - unconfirmed/disputed)

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.My colors will be clear.

I am not ashamed of the gospel . . . Romans 1:16

Experiencing Renewal in the Local Church

2008-07-16T11:24:00.005+10:00

It has struck me through the reading of this article (below) that so often we ask Christians to sign up for the mission of our church without seeing them through the stages of personal and relational renewal...

Last night the same thing struck me when listening to Tim Keller speak on the Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in a Postmodern World. He mentioned how people have sought to skip the stages of belief he defined; Intelligibility (dealing with someones worldview issues), Credibility (killing defeater beliefs), Plausibility (connecting with peoples lives, hopes and hurts - contemporary relevance) and Intimacy.

It is like giving birth and then feeding the baby steak and three veg instead of going through the breastfeeding stage! We just love shortcuts too much!

The article below by Rick Warren is nice and straight about key things that need to happen for a church to see renewal.

The Five Stages of Renewal in the Local Church (Rick Warren over at Christian Post)

Every time a new reformation has come, five renewals have preceded it. The awakening and reformation of the global church will begin with churches like yours. The same five renewals will precede this movement in your church.

1. Personal Renewal: It starts with the heart. If God is going to renew your church, he’ll begin it with you – and then it has to continue with the rest of your church... Pastor, the bottom line is this – you need to fall in love with Jesus again...

2. Relational Renewal: After you get right with God, you’ve got to get right with others...When you have relational renewal in your church, the gossip goes down and the joy goes up...The church is more than content; it’s a community.

3. Missional Renewal: This is when a church discovers what God wants it to do. We have a kingdom assignment. We’re not here just to bless one another. God wants to bless the world through us. Specifically, God has given the church five purposes – worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. Missional renewal happens when we focus our churches on these purposes...

4. Cultural Renewal: In this stage, God renews the culture of the church. I’ve known pastors who have tried to change the culture of the church without going through the other three renewals. There’s a word for that – martyrdom. You cannot change the culture of the church. Only God can. But once the first three renewals have happened in the church, God will change the culture.

5. Structural Renewal: After your church has been through the first four renewals, it’s going to outgrow your current structure.... As your church begins to get healthier and healthier, the structure has to change.

There’s a sixth renewal, but it doesn’t happen in the local church. Institutional renewal happens when Christianity’s institutions change. Institutions like seminaries and denominations are always the last ones to change; they never start the change process. Change always happens first in the local church. Institutions are there to preserve the change of the previous generation. Take a look at a tree. The growth of a tree is never on the trunk. It’s always on the new branches. Institutions are like trunks. They provide stability not innovation.

Information Overload... Advice needed!

2008-07-14T17:45:00.003+10:00

I've just realised the potential for information overload. Advice needed!

I have 22 theology blogs I want to read
I have 7 technology blogs
I have 10 blogs by friends (who fortunately don't update content too frequently)

I've started a pattern of reading the information in these blogs with a quick scan of the title first, if the title warrants a second glance.. I'll read the first line (and possibly the last).. if the first line doesn't grab me.. I'll skip to the next article. The problem is I hit an article I want to read and I find it hard to devote my attention. All my reading becomes skimming and I fail to enjoy a good article unless I'm comfortably propped up on the couch with it!

How does one keep in touch with relevant information without feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information out there?

How do I organise the information I gather well? Ideally I'd like to mind map everything by topics, but something like evernote may be the best solution?

Sunday sermon in the boiler...

2008-06-24T16:15:00.003+10:00

I think I've procrastinated just about enough for this week! While my procrastination has been effective (I've created this blog which I did a bit of graphics work for; I cleaned up my bible software & did a few things to make it heaps more efficient to use; I sent a massive feature request list to logos; I subscribed to a dozen or so other blogs which will stimulate my thinking and inspire me; then I read them; and a then I've done lots of other thinking...)

I just read my cousins blog and he commented on firstly how when preaching we feel the pressure to fix up our lives before...and then the reminder to pray lots! I should do this, so I'll officially be delaying any future content until I've preached unless it directly contributes to the output of the sermon!

So, to the one reader out there - keep me accountable!

You might be a Calvinist if.....

2008-06-24T13:46:00.002+10:00

From - Tom in the Box
Atlanta, Georgia -- Note: TBNN is pleased to have Jeff Foxworthy as Saturday Morning's guest writer.

Jeff: I'm happy to fill in to today for Brother Slawson.

You know, between Lakewood and Lynchburg, there's over 30 million people who I'd call "my people." Many of these folks are Calvinists, they just don't know it. I've designed for today a few little test questions to help you determine if there is a large likelihood that you are a Calvinist. So, if sitting in a tub full of scissors sounds more appealing to you than listening to a Sunday School class share their personal gut feelings about a Bible verse, you are a good candidate.

If you have a Martin Luther Jell-O mold, you just might be a Calvinist.
If your child’s first word was “Westminster”, you just might be a Calvinist.
Or, if you send your mother tulips on Mother’s Day,
… you might be a Calvinist.

If you still remember the 8 speakers in order from the recent T4G conference, or
If a free Bible has ever arrived in the mail to you from John McArthur, or
If you have ever purchased 100 or more copies of the same John Piper book to hand out to random people you meet,
…you just might be a Calvinist.

If you purchased an MP3 player with the sole purpose of downloading sermons, or
If you were shocked to just discover that some people download MP3 files that are not sermons, or
If you have adjusted the default passage setting at www.biblegateway.org from “NIV” to “ESV”
… you might be a Calvinist.

If your preacher says to turn to Obadiah and you do not use the index, or
If you think a 50-minute sermon is too short, or
If you’ve ever heard a wave of groans sweep through Sunday School when you refer to Romans 9,
…you just might be a Calvinist.

If you find yourself talking to the Lord Jesus more than to your family, and
If you find yourself wanting to read your Bible instead of watching television, and
If quotes from Pink, Spurgeon, Luther, Piper, and McArthur pop into your head at random times during the day
…you might be a Calvinist.

If you are confused when someone uses the term “my Bible” as if they only have one, and
If your Bibles must be replaced in less than a year due to pages separating from the spine, and
If you smile, nod and hold your tongue with your teeth after a lively church service when someone says, “God showed up today”
…you might be a Calvinist.

If you’ve ever shouted “YES!” when the pastor says to turn to 1st Thessalonians, and
If you see 6:37 on a digital clock and think of the Lord Jesus’ words in John, and
If you’ve muted a Thanksgiving football game because it’s interfering with your family discussion of Ephesians 1
…you might be a Calvinist.

If you have bookmarked three or more preachers’ scripture index webpages, and
If you’ve ever been banned from a Sunday School class for quoting scripture, and
If you have ever purposefully sung a different word in a hymn to conform to scripture,
… you might be a Calvinist.

If your kids own more Bibles than televisions, and
If your children never ask you “Where are we going?” on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, and
If you’ve ever read parts of “The Bondage of the Will” to children under ten and prayed that it would change their lives
…you just might be a Calvinist.

If your child received detention at his Christian school after shouting, “But I am a Hedonist Pyromaniac!” or
If your children argue and you require them to listen to a Piper Sermon as punishment, or
If you visit pyromaniacs, tominthebox, spurgeon.org, desiringgod.org, and gty.org, more than once a day, yes…
You just might…. I say you just might…. Yes… you just might be a Calvinist

Logos/Libronix Improvements

2008-06-20T13:53:00.002+10:00

I love Logos! For those that don't know what it is... it's Bible software. I haven't regretted for a minute the big investment I had to make in order to get it. I also continue to make investments as the wallet allows! Here's what I recently sent to them... I churned it out using a bit of post exam momentum (which is still reverberating around in my body like a drug!)

I've come from an IT background to studying theology full time. Now, having used Logos for a period of about a year (and pushed most buttons), I think it’s time for some feedback. I have a lot of ideas how to get the most out of it and a few ideas of how I could get more out of it. To blow my own trumpet, I think some of them may revolutionise Libronix. Having now blown my trumpet it’s likely you’ve thought of a lot of this before and they could be horrible ideas. What’s in it for me? Better software and maybe a little credit! Let’s face it, my main reason is I want Libronix to be the number one platform always!

From a customer point of view the key things for this product to continue being successful are:

People want at least the perception things are running quickly. Having tips on how to improve search speeds within the software when a slow search happens would be useful for the non-technical. So would intuitive improvements to search speed.
The ability to easily use all my resources efficiently and effectively (and remember about them given how they can be buried deep inside my library). This is without a technology oriented brain!
The availability of key resources as they are released by publishers. I'm still waiting on the IVP's Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, Historical Books to be released electronically. It does not encourage people to choose the electronic option.

Here is how I would address these concerns with 68 features I think would be very useful. It is sorted by category, value and then difficulty.

Category: what it relates to
Difficulty: how hard it might be to implement
Value: how much of an impact this change would have and how useful it would be:

☺ – nice idea
☺☺ – convenient
☺☺☺ - very convenient feature
☺☺☺☺ - essential feature
☺☺☺☺☺ - essential feature that would improve the system out of sight!

Feature Requests for Logos/Libronix:

#	Category	Description & Example	Value	Difficulty
1	Bible/Copying	Ensure that when the Bible is copied it defaults to the last used template for copying the Bible rather than raw text. So if I use the shortcut Ctrl+C it would use the Bible template and not the raw Bible.	☺☺☺☺	Easy
2	Bible/Navigation	Ability to quick link to a preferred commentary when selecting Bible text (a particular collection or serial resource association)	☺☺☺☺	Easy
3	Bible/Navigation	Typing 3:2 into the Bible passage box should navigate to Acts 3:2 if I was already in Acts!	☺☺☺☺	Easy
4	Bible/Navigation	When a verse is selected, change the verse location to the selected verse. This enables easy switching between resources (i.e. Greek to English Bible which can be hard to navigate if using a inter-linear because the verses are not on the same page). In making this change the back/forward buttons should still refer to larger changes in location.	☺☺☺☺	Easy
5	Bible/Navigation Resource/Navigation	Improved intelligent dragging in the scroll bar for a resource. It needs to show the current position, the next few headings and previous few headings. In a Bible it would show Book/Chapter headings depending on scroll speed. In a resource it would show Chapter/Topic headings.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
6	Bible/Navigation Resource/Navigation Main Toolbar	In the quick navigate bar (main toolbar) it would be useful to have predictive input of some sort. So if I started typing Oxford Dict... it would bring up options to select. This predictive input would also be useful in the topic browser for dictionaries and the Bible. It would again be useful in search dialogs (for most recent entries).	☺☺☺☺	Medium
7	Bible/Navigation	One-click Bible book navigation. In a physical Bible tabs enable quick flicking to books and so does the ability to thumb pages. It would be useful to have these tabs on the side of a Bible so now keyboard is required. At the moment my friends can beat me with their physical Bibles between chapters! This could be linked with the scrolling feature. So when the scroll bar is selected in the Bible all the book tabs appear and it shows you how far to drag.	☺☺	Medium
8	Bible/Quick Search	Enable text commands to limit to Bible books in the Quick Search. i.e. “grace Book(Romans)” or “grace Book(Gal-Rev)…NT, OT etc…	☺☺☺☺	Medium
9	Info Window	Create a longer of customisable delay for the info window. I need to be able to look in the window by moving the mouse over there without it picking up other words as I quickly move the mouse over them. The problem is highlighted when looking up a lexicon in my Greek Bible.	☺☺☺☺	Easy
10	Info Window	The ability to hover over words in the English Bible and come up with a dictionary reference from my chosen dictionary like with the Greek Bible. It only displays English “text” for the English Bible and other resources.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
11	Info Window	Intelligent linking of information into the info window. Link selected text intelligently to the right resource. i.e. Linking of people names to dictionary, places to atlas… pericope background, historical customs, theological terms, Bible cross references. Multiple hover windows should come up with a preferred delay time for this.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
12	Key-link	Intelligent prioritising of resources for key-links. This would be useful for the less technical people who would never find this feature.	☺☺☺	Medium
13	Key-link/Dialog	More accessible Key-link dialog. The current one is small and tedious to use. At a minimum it needs re-sizing.	☺☺☺	Easy
14	Main Toolbar	Better use of book covers in icons for toolbars, etc. Improved button usage for the toolbar in general (only a few icon images are intuitive). Perhaps consider using the main toolbar like Word 2007 does with different tabs and also a quick-link tab in the Title bar. Common resources or most recently used resources could be displayed in a box like the style box in Word 2007.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
15	Main Toolbar	All toolbars have a more buttons dropdown which is a pointless waste of space unless there is actually more buttons in which case another arrow appears.	☺	Easy
16	Notes	A file tree for notes. This would be especially useful for Bible passages so that they could be summarised under a chapter or expanded to individual verses. It would be useful to be able to print sections in this file tree.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
17	Notes	Improve Capability of notes to be more like a word processor. Add support for tables and pictures, linking to word documents.	☺☺☺☺	Hard
18	Notes	Allow mouse-over effects should be applied to hyperlinks that are contained in a note file. Bible references should be automatically tagged.	☺☺☺	Easy
19	Notes	Right Click context menu availability in the notes page to improve usage both in the editor and with managing notes.	☺☺☺	Easy
20	Notes	The ability to select and move multiple notes by dragging and dropping.	☺☺☺	Medium
21	Notes	It would be helpful to be able to move notes between note files.	☺☺☺	Medium
22	Notes	Ability to export notes, summaries..etc in PDF format	☺☺	Easy
23	Notes	The ability to easily turn notes into a blog article	☺	Medium
24	Referencing	Integration with Endnote or other reference management technology or at least exporting footnotes in a format they recognise (e.g. {"Author", @"Page#"}.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
25	Resource	Commentary names should always display PNTC or BECNT in parallel resource lists and library listings to avoid long useless names (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament pushes everything else from the screen!).	☺☺☺☺	Easy
26	Resource	Ability to create a personal name for a resource or change the display name that appears in parallel resource lists, library listings...etc	☺☺☺	Easy
27	Resource	Book usage statistics (amount of time with resource open, amount of times searched, last used, usage count). These statistics could feed into a more practical application of automatically prioritising resources (I've heard this happens already, but I'm unconvinced).	☺☺☺	Medium
28	Resource/Bookmarks	Visual bookmarks that stick out the side of a resource as tabs. Similar to how someone puts bookmarks in a book, these tabs would stick out from a resource and enable easy switching between positions (intelligent bookmark naming by topic area or bible verse would be on tab). These tabs should be created by dragging a position to one side and dragging the tab away from side to discard/delete. These bookmarks could also be linked to certain visual mark-ups.	☺☺☺☺☺	Hard
29	Resource/Bookmarks	Improved bookmark management. A bookmark toolbar add-on with a drop list would be helpful. The ability to create bookmarks like in a web-browser with folders would also be helpful. Other features include drag and drop links into note pages. I like to manage a number of bookmarks in each resource at the same time.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
30	Resource/Browsing	A visual bookshelf sorted according to your choice of system with the ability to pull out (select) and display a book summary / contents page. It could include new books, most recently used books, frequently used books...etc This could be integrated with a better toolbar.	☺☺☺☺	Hard
31	Resource/Browsing	A main menu item that allows the browsing of collections through a folder tree.	☺	Easy
32	Resource/Browsing	Improve accuracy of browsing library by Subject. At the moment it is useless because of the unity of data on subjects between resources.	☺	Easy
33	Resource/Copying	Allow text that is selected from resources to be dragged and dropped between the notes files as well as to external resources.	☺☺☺	Medium
34	Resource/Footnotes	Inline viewing of the footnotes in different formatting with the ability to switch this feature on/off. As an alternative these footnotes could appear out the side of the resource as a speech bubble when scrolling past to avoid missing important footnotes (footnotes are easy to see in a physical resource but not electronic). This same feature could be used for user comments. So when you select a particular bible verse the comment appears while you remain in that verse without requiring exact hovering.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
35	Resource/Management	In configuration/collection dialogs that prioritise resources, multiple resources should be movable up and down at the same time. These resources should also be drag and drop.	☺☺	Medium
36	Resource/Navigation	Resources that remember where you last were when you closed them and bring you back there when you re-open.	☺☺	Easy
37	Resource/Search	At the moment the resource search is slow. Not because it is not processing lots of information, but because it doesn’t do this intelligently enough. Search results should have the option of being prioritised by relevance (instead of grouping by resource). This would assign first priority to topic headings then internally looking at resource articles for information that is next most relevant. It would prioritise preferred resources (whether this is intelligently configured or user configured – the intelligent option should take into account the search phrase category – people, place, history, theology…). It would also offer the option of maximum results per a page (like in a web search). Another option would be to sort results by date…etc It should also check the spelling of what has been entered and suggest correct spelling for words with the ability to re-search with the suggested word. If sorting searches by resource, then resource associations should affect the order items are searched or similarly achieved by giving the ability to order collections so that the items I want to look at first are searched first.	☺☺☺☺☺	Hard
38	Resource/Search	More user-friendly advanced graphical searching. It is annoying having to create a search document without being able to test it easily.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
39	Resource/Search	Ability to edit/refine a Search after it has stopped without having to perform a new search.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
40	Resource/Search	Ability to quick search a resource group when right clicking text in a resource (without selecting search first)	☺☺☺	Easy
41	Resource/Sharing	The ability to loan a Libronix book to another user for a set period of time.	☺☺	Hard
42	Resource/Specific	Addition of browsing by topics to Erickson's Christian Theology	☺☺☺☺	Easy
43	Resource/Tabs	Improved tabs that look prettier. Show resource icons (not Libronix). Enable tabs to be re-ordered by dragging and dropping.	☺☺☺	Medium
44	Resource/Toolbar	Context sensitive intelligent mini-toolbars (popup like in Office)	☺☺☺	Medium
45	Resource/Toolbar	Create collapsible toolbars for browsing the contents of a resource. At the moment you need to select the side pane from above. It would be easier to select an arrow on the left of a resource which would pop open this window pane. On this note it would be helpful to quickly zoom in and out on a resource using a sliding zoom toolbar or automatic zoom based on window size.	☺☺☺	Medium
46	Resource/Toolbar	Ability to customise certain resource toolbars as opposed to the main toolbar (like the Bible one - add parallel passages...etc)	☺☺	Medium
47	Sales	The ability to invest in individual commentaries for more than just WBC. The ability to invest in resources as soon as they are released.	☺☺☺☺	Hard
48	System	Resource windows that aren't boxed into the Libronix Window (like on Macintosh). Combine this with the ability for these windows to be marked 'Always on top' and you would have a winner. This would enable me to more easily examine multiple dictionaries / commentaries at the same time and also work in other documents while doing this (especially on two monitors). Tabbed browsing of resources layered on top of each other should be maintained. As part of this it would be useful to have a button that showed all open windows to enable easy switching (similar to an ALT+TAB feature or feature in an internet browser that shows thumbnail previews of all the open screens so you can select the one you want.	☺☺☺☺☺	Hard
49	System	Faster Startup Time (I want to be able to access a Bible / Bible Quick Search in under 5 seconds from clicking the Libronix icon. Perhaps a background initial load at system startup is an easy fix. Adobe Acrobat and others already use this.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
50	System	Faster opening and closing of workspaces.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
51	System/Addin	Portable Logos for Windows Mobile and iPhone. Features would include transfer of Bible notes/mark-ups between the portable device and main computer. Integration of Bible Reading Plans / Lectionaries / Prayer lists / Memory Verses. Ability for certain dictionaries to be used on the phone.	☺☺☺☺	Hard
52	System/Addin	Easy resource reader. A addin that looks like a book, enables full screen reading, has improved contrast to easy eye strain but still shows visual mark-ups, hover info..etc It would be like having the actual book. It would enable the viewing of resource pages side by side like in a book. It would be particularly useful for people who had larger monitors or a liking for the classic book format!	☺☺☺☺	Medium
53	System/Addin	Periodic Resource Cleanup Wizard. This would remove unused resources from the main (default) search group. As options you could select not to remove resources, remove certain resources you don’t want in this group and ignore resources in future cleanups.	☺☺☺	Medium
54	System/Addin	Memory Verse Tracker. Would work well with the verse list.	☺☺	Medium
55	System/Addin	Widget for Windows that enables a Quick Bible Search without having the full Libronix system open - although this could be covered by doing the resource window changes mentioned in point 49 and improving startup speed.	☺	Medium
56	System/Addin	Audio Bible Resource	☺	Medium
57	System/Addin	Text to Speech Resource Reader	☺	Medium
58	System/Config	Create one dialog for all configurations with the ability to show advanced information and select different sections. This could be done with a collapsible tree for navigation of options. At the moment you have to find it in the bottom of a menu tree and it is confusing where to look. This would be of great benefit to new users!	☺☺☺☺	Medium
59	System/Menu	A side toolbar (or overhead) that docks to a part of the screen and pops out when hovered over. This would have small boxes to start searches from (like the Logos homepage). It could display the search preview in a popout window.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
60	Visual Markup	Ability to print all mark-ups straight from the Greek Bible. Ability to copy a marked up passage as an image to another application (without using sentence diagramming).	☺☺☺☺	Medium
61	Visual Markup	The ability to summarise visual mark-ups by a certain category on target resource/s whether it be the Bible or another set of resources. This would enable me to go through a few resources and highlight with a certain colour. Then summarise what I’ve highlighted.	☺☺☺☺	Medium
62	Visual Markup	Create the ability to apply visual mark-ups from the Right Click Context Menu	☺☺☺	Easy
63	Visual Markup	Enable the Visual Markup feature to change the cursor and appear permanently when browsing a resource to enable speedy highlighting. Currently the text has to be selected, then the markup applied which is slow.	☺☺☺	Easy
64	Visual Markup	A button to switch on/switch off custom visual mark-ups easily.	☺☺☺	Easy
65	Visual Markup	In the Visual Markup menu, an example of the markup would be helpful.	☺☺☺	Medium
66	Visual Markup	The ability to apply global visual mark-ups on verses for at least English Bibles. I understand this would be difficult for parts of verses to be highlighted.	☺☺☺	Medium
67	Visual Markup	At the moment if I have a few windows open with visual mark-ups, Libronix runs slow. It would be useful to only update visual mark-ups on visible windows and disable background windows.	☺☺	Medium
68	Web	Share notes and web-links with a community of people. For a great example of the potential of this, have a look at http://www.youversion.com	☺☺	Hard

The First Post

2008-06-20T13:30:00.001+10:00

I have grand plans for what I could write, but we'll see how these turn out! My musings may only be interesting to myself, but we'll see...

For now I'll upload my first bit of completed content, but in the future expect posts on theology, technology, logos (bible software), life, study and other things that come across my path (but not necessarily in that order or with equal weighting)!