Movements

Yes I knowthe list of books to the right it looks a little bit ridiculous. But yes I am reading all of these books at different times.

We have just invited Steve Addison who wrote the book on Movements to speak at our staff conference in June. I heard him speak a few years back on what has fuelled missionary movements around the world. His book is study of this. He also blogs about it here.

It is really exciting stuff, about when things just take off and multiply. The sad thing is he claims that movements never ever take off from the centre of an organisation, and that's where I find myself most of the time. But maybe we can create an organisation at St Jude's, or even the Diocese of Melbourne, which is a good seed bed in which movements can grow.

I bought the book ages ago and skimmed it then. But I read 1/3 of it last night. Trouble is, it is so good it keeps me awake.

Idols

Beginning to think about next Sunday's sermon on "idolatry". Wonder what makes the difference between enjoying something like food, or a new car, or a job, and making it your idol. Well, not what "makes the difference" because that is clearly worship and the place the thing has in your heart. But more the question is: How do we stop good things that we enjoy, becoming idols in our lives? Any ideas?

10 Words

Preparing to preach on the Ten Commandments beginning this Sunday. I am stunned by how contemporary they are. They address so many issues that are live in our world today: (the links take you to the secular media)

· Atheism and Belief in God (#1 No other gods)
· Materialism, Workaholism, Environmentalism, ???ism (#2 On Idols)
· Swearing Oaths and the ubiquity of the phrase “Oh my God” on the TV (#3 on the Lord’s Name)
· Work-Life balance (#4 Sabbath keeping)
· The breakdown of the family (#5 Parents)
· Wars and Rumours of wars, capital punishment, street violence (#6 Murder)
· Marriage and Sexuality (#7 Adultery)
· Global Poverty and Western wealth (#8 Stealing)
· The main backdrop to every story on A Current Affair (#9 Lying)
· The darkness of the human heart (#10 Coveting)

I have called the series “Words of Life” because I think that, far from being restrictive, negative and outdated, these words give us a vision for the good life. The life as God intended. A life full of hope, security, confidence, work-life balance, strong families, peace, faithful relationships, generous care of the needy, truthfulness and purity of thought. Now THAT is a world I want to live in.