Sharing the good news of Jesus with others

In his book, What is Happening to Religion in Australia? Understanding the Trends, social researcher Philip Hughes observes a fundamental change in Australian values in the past century. He charts a shift from duty to family life to personal fulfilment.  Perhaps the most notable example of this is changing attitude towards same sex marriage, with two-thirds of all …

The ministry of witness

We sometimes think of the Book of Revelation as a mysterious puzzle or a terrifying forecast of the end of the world. But if we read it thoughtfully, this last book of the Bible is a spiritual treasure and a source of deep joy.  Itโ€™s not the easiest book to read, but it also has …

What is the church? Part 2: Its purpose

A sermon by Rod Benson What is the purpose of the church? What is its reason for being? Paul says in Ephesians 3:10-11, โ€œ[Godโ€™s] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that …

Praying when church is boring

A sermon by Rod Benson Matthew 6:9-13 What do you do when church is boring? What do you do when participating in worship with others no longer satisfies? There are times when each of us grows bored or dissatisfied with the way things are. We may yearn for the good old days, and those old …

Things worth fighting for

A sermon by Rod Benson American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski once said, โ€œPeople are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice.โ€ We might, in our weaker moments, be tempted to criticize the Apostle Paul for several apparent faults …