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Just found that SMBC recently published its new website. I designed the previous one in 2005 and I am glad that it had served the college well and it is the time to have a fresh looking. One thing I found from the site is that now you can download the principal’s hour. Many in my time suggested that, and now finally it is the reality. This is a great move! I always enjoyed the principal’s hour every Wednesday morning, it was the highlight of the week.
The big idea of the book “Total Church” is stated on p.18 – “We have called this book Total Church. Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter. It is an identity that is ours in Christ. It is an identity that shapes the whole of life so tht life and mission become ‘total church’.
I guess this is a pretty obvious thing. The question is “what this ‘total church’ looks like. The rest of the book will expand on that in areas of evangelism, social involvement, church planting, world mission, discipleship, pastoral care, spirituality, theology, apologetics, children and youth, and success.
On the same page, one thing stands out, that is a quote from John Stott, “Our static, inflexible, self-centred structure are ‘heretical structures‘ because they embody a heretical doctrine of the church. If our structure has become an end in itself, not a means of saving the world, it is a heretical structure.”
“heretical structure” comes from a heretical doctrine. This is a strong wake-up call. We are a proud bunch as we believe in the Reformed faith. Therefore, can we assume that our belief in the Reformed doctrine will never lead us to a heretical structure? How can we be so sure?
Sermon notes (.pdf) sermon_acts_intro
Last Sunday I mentioned from my sermon that there is not a lot of people out there still believe in the resurrection. However, here is an article from Sydney Morning Herald shows that still a high percentage of people in a secular world believe in Jesus’ resurrection.
The survey, to be published today, found that out of the 85 per cent who did not identify as born again – including those of other religions – 45 per believed in the resurrection.
The survey surprised John Dickson, and he said,
“We are staggered. We thought the survey would show the profound scepticism of Australians. Instead it shows there is a base-level assumption among the Australian public that accepts the Jesus story even if it has no relevance to their lives.”
Mark at the end of his gospel doesn’t try to approve whether of not the ressurection is true. The power of the Spirit and the Truth is working in its own way. It is irresistible. Praise God for this!
Our friend Clem is a talented photographer as well as a midwife trainer. She is of course the best person to do new born photos for our son. C.J. is so privileged.
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/3.2 1/40 ISO800 EF 24-70mm at 30mm)
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/2.2 1/30 ISO200 50mm f/1.4USM)
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/1.4 1/30 ISO200 50mm f/1.4USM)
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/2 1/30 ISO200 50mm f/1.4USM)
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/2 1/30 ISO200 50mm f/1.4USM)
(Canon 50D 06/04/09 f/2 1/30 ISO200 50mm f/1.4USM)
Susan Boyle shocked the judges.
More about this new star: http://www.susan-boyle.com/
Sermon notes (.pdf) sermon_mark-1516
I am writing this sermon for this Easter Sunday, and it is a reflection about the idea of hope – the theme the media adopted to make some news out of Easter this year. Read this article from Sydney Morning Herald.
Sermon notes (.pdf) sermon_mark-14
