Articles from our weekly newsletter
Tools, Technology and Attention In 1976, at the dawn of the computer age, the Canadian philosopher George Grant wrote an essay entitled: “The Computer Does Not Impose On Us The Ways It Should Be Used”. The title was a quotation of a claim made by someone seeking to calm anxieties about this unfamiliar new technology. Yet Grant went on to argue that…
How to talk to strangers – part 3 (Part 1 & 2 are on our web site) Bring it back to Jesus It’s tricky in an initial conversation, but try to discern whether your new acquaintance is a Christian or not. In a church setting this topic arises more naturally than if you’re meeting in a park or a school’s parents night,…
How to talk to strangers – part 2 The art of conversation Now that we’ve dealt with the principles, let’s talk about practicalities. Make the most of small talk Small talk can be boring, but it’s a necessary step in the relationship-building process. It helps the other person feel more comfortable with you, and it gradually opens the doors that lead to…
How to talk to strangers – Part 1 Karen Beilharz is a Sydney-based writer, editor and comics creator best known for her work on ‘Kinds of Blue: An anthology of short comics about depression’ and ‘Eternal Life’, a science fiction graphic novel with Paul Wong-Pan. (Find more of her work at hivemindedness.com.) She is a former editor of ‘The Briefing’ and attends…
How to cope with going back to work after holidays Do you enjoy a summer break after a busy year of work? At the beginning of their summer holidays most Australians are preparing for Christmas, and thoughts might occasionally stray back to work and the to-do list which didn’t quite get done. But after lunch on Christmas Day we can finally breathe…
The age of exposure is exposed – Part 2 This is the second part of a two part series that looks at the confused sexual ethic of our society and why God’s way works. Part 1 can also be found on the church web site. Dead Men Walking Anyone who held a traditional view on marriage, for example, was rejected as a…
The age of exposure is exposed – Part 1 Each week another high profile person is accused of inappropriate sexual advances. No doubt many an actor in Hollywood or powerful CEO is looking down the barrel of the end of their career now, waiting in trepidation for the email, Tweet, blog post that pulls the trigger. Hollywood ran at the head of…
Putting the ‘Christ’ into ‘Christmas’ Over recent years Australians have been pressured to be politically correct and tolerant. Often it is the squeakiest wheel that gets the most media attention and results in the most rapid change in our pluralistic society. Pluralism is the belief that all ideas are equally valid and true (unless of course your idea is that there’s…
Standing firm as a follower of Jesus In our ever-changing society here are some thoughts I recently came across on how we should live as followers of Jesus. 1) Recognise what has changed We’re increasingly a despised minority. Mainstream culture has officially left us and our (so-called) ‘bigoted’ views behind. And so, we need to learn how to live as a despised…
The Problem With Atheism According To A Secular Psychologist – Part 2 This is part 2 of a series by Akos Balogh. He is the Executive Director of The Gospel Coalition Australia. You can reach him on twitter via @akosbaloghcom, or at his blog akosbalogh.com 3) When Acts of Virtue are Irrational A striking historical example. There are many possible situations where…
