Gospel Saturated is a passion project to help Christians and seekers know the gospel, become fully immersed in its truth, and be transformed by its living water.
We don’t just dip our toes, or take a quick wash. We step in, we submerge our entire selves – until every part of our life is saturated by the good news of Jesus Christ.
In my last article, I said there was no such thing as a bad Bible translation, with one exception: The Passion Translation. Which, frankly, isn’t really a translation at all and, when it comes down to it, isn’t even a very good paraphrase.
If you have anything else to choose
A recent debate, “Jesus Is Not God In The New Testament”, between Michael Bird, New Testament Scholar, and Dale Tuggy, Analytic Philosopher of Religion, is very revealing. It does more than present two positions, Unitarian or Trinitarian; it exposes how those positions are formed and how the framework we bring
As Christians, do we believe the good news we have to offer the world is truly good news? And are we convinced that it’s good news not just for tomorrow, but also for today? Do we realise that we can make a difference – for good – in the world?
Much has been said about biblical womanhood – not all of it necessarily biblical.
Not unlike the woman of Mr Darcy’s estimation, who must possess “a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and all the modern languages”, the so-called “biblical woman” of many Evangelical circles is often expected to
Two theological truths about Jesus were recognised and held together as essential in the early church: that Jesus is truly human and truly divine.
However, two major heresies arose that challenged these truths: Docetism and Arianism.
You probably heard the same origin story I did – John Thomas, on his way to America in 1832, caught in a violent storm in the middle of the Atlantic. He thought he was going to die and prayed to God to save him, committing to search out the truth
If you’ve been around Progressive Christianity for a while, you’ll know which words and phrases to look for. When they begin to cluster together, it’s usually a warning sign that something other than biblical Christianity is being offered. Here are 7 red flags of Progressive Christianity.
They say the best translation is the one you’re reading.
Well, at least some people do. Others insist that every translation except for the KJV (King James Version, for those not in the know) is suspect, accusing versions like the NIV, ESV or CSB of playing fast and loose with
I used to think that grief only belonged in moments of obvious or immediate loss.
Death. Divorce. Illness. Clear endings with clear causes.
Situations where everyone agrees that something has happened and something has been lost. Where I assumed that it’s in these moments that grief shows up, is acknowledged,
For most of us, the Christmas story plays out in our imagination in a lonely stable on the edge of the little town of Bethlehem. We think of a cold night, a weary couple, and “no room in the inn” – only a rough shelter left as the place for
Recent events on our own shores further dispel any notion that peace through tolerance and diversity can restrain evil; it cannot. On Sunday, 14 December 2025, a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney left fifteen people dead and many more wounded.
A recent post by Craig Ireland on Facebook (one of many that have popped up in response to Kirk Cameron’s recent shift from eternal conscious torment to annihilation) claimed that “the move to annihilation(ism) is not a random theological glitch. Nor is it an evangelical detour. It is where you
Eternal conscious torment is having a moment.
Well-known Christians are loudly defending it. Others are denounced as dangerous or apostate for daring to question it. Social media is full of clips insisting that unless you believe in never-ending torture, you do not really believe in the Bible, or in the
Over the past three years, I’ve had the absolute privilege and pleasure of meeting once a week with a group of Christians, for dinner, chats, wine, and Bible study. There is something about eating together that connects people. Sharing food is one of the simplest, most human ways we open
The religious community I grew up in did not (and still doesn’t) believe the Holy Spirit is active today. They would agree that, certainly, the early years of the Christian church were marked by the miraculous, but argue that sometime in the first or second century, it – the Holy
One of the most serious ways grace is misunderstood is what can be called gap theology: the idea that when Scripture talks about grace, it means Jesus steps in when we’ve done all we can, making up the shortfall.
Discovering grace – real, freeing, Christ-centred grace – is like stepping into sunlight after years of shadow. It’s realising that God’s love isn’t something you chase; it’s something that has already found you.
That is a really great question!
I’m so glad you asked (let’s be real, I’m frothing). I loooove church history and I’m a bit of an info nerd, so I could definitely get wordy on this one.
But, I get that it could get overly complicated and confusing, and that
Have you ever wondered: what is the Bible about anyway?
Like, what’s with all that Old Testament stuff, the strange stories, weird laws; no mixed garments, no shellfish, no pork? (and I do love me a good pork burrito).
This FAQ offers concise, biblical answers to the common objections to or questions about the egalitarian Christianity – the conviction that men and women share equal authority and calling in God’s kingdom.
It seems every man and his dog is deconstructing right now. Deconstruction has become one of the words of our age, a sign of intellectual honesty and spiritual bravery, signalling a new and enlightened sense of self and a greater understanding of the world in which one lives. Where doubt
I want to make the case for an egalitarian framework. My appeal is not only to those who already accept this framework – I’d love to connect personally with you, if so – but also to the sincere, Bible-believing Christians who don’t – I’d love to change your mind!
This is a conversation that has been rattling around in my head for a while. I already wrote a little about progressive Christianity back in 2022, specifically in response to a YouTube video I had watched by Brandan Robertson, “noted author, pastor, and public theologian at the forefront of the
The Confessing Church Today: Learning From Bonhoeffer In The Age Of Progressive Christianity The Church has always faced the challenge of compromise. In the Constantinian era, pagan practices and political power began to blur the distinctiveness of Christian faith. Centuries later, the authority of kings such as Henry VIII pressured
Should Christians vote? Or be involved in politics? It’s an interesting question, perhaps even an unnecessary one for some of you, and you may be wondering why I’m asking. I grew up in a religious community that taught emphatically that Christians shouldn’t be involved in politics or have any degree
Among the many doctrines that shape Christian belief about the end of all things, few are more misunderstood than conditional immortality (sometimes also called annihilationism).
The term simply names what Scripture has long taught: that immortality is not something human beings possess by nature but a gift God gives
This article is on a topic I have long wanted to write about — the pro-life debate. I have hesitated many times, being acutely aware of the sensitivity of the subject and the strong emotions it stirs. My hope is that what follows will be received in the spirit of
There is no doubt we are more than just a body and a mind. There is something else, something that sets one person apart from another, even in the case of twins, who may outwardly appear identical in every way. Despite our shared genetics or family resemblances, each person is
As someone pointed out to me recently, and quite rightly so, the word theology can sound somewhat academic. Something relegated to dry and dusty libraries, for men with stiff upper lips and starched upper collars.
A video I saw recently on social media – I’ll get to that in a bit – got me thinking about feelings, faith built on feelings, and the distorted framework we can inadvertently create when we allow experience to trump Scripture. But first, what are feelings? We all have them,
Deathbed conversions. What do we make of them? Perhaps not unreasonably, we maybe feel a bit of tension around deathbed conversions, wondering how genuine they might be. On the one hand, they feel just a bit too convenient, too last minute. Is a person truly repentant, fully cognisant of their
Anyone who knows me well will know I’m a bit of a sucker for TV shows that trace long lost family, connect up missing relatives, follow the trail of family ancestries, or discover biological connections through DNA. To say I could watch them all day long is probably not an
One of my favourite themes in the Bible is that of the two kingdoms. There’s so much happening across the Bible’s pages that it can be easy to miss this theme at first glance. Understandably, we often spend more time on what seems more central – the ministry of Jesus
A recent video published by a Christadelphian teacher tackles a question at the very heart of the Christian faith: Is Jesus truly divine? Or, more specifically, Is he only the ‘Son of God’ in a way that rules out him being ‘God the Son’? For many Christadelphians (and Jehovah’s Witnesses
“The church isn’t for unbelievers.” Sounds pretty unfriendly and exclusive, right? But, before you get all hot under the collar, hear me out… An increasingly popular (and quietly risky) shift happening in some Christian circles is the idea that church must be made as comfortable and as unthreatening as possible
Historical Christianity: The Creeds – Part 2 There is no real argument from scholars that the man known as Jesus Christ existed. The reality of the historical Jesus has been well attested by friend and foe alike. Take, for example, a Roman historian called Tactitus, who lived between 56AD –
What Is Love? “Love is love” is one of the most common phrases of our time, meant to end debate and silence opposition. It suggests that love, in any form, must be accepted as good and true simply because it is love. But the question we should be asking, particularly
Historical Christianity: The Creeds – Part 1 The Creeds: Defining Christianity It is not, I think, an entirely unreasonable expectation that when we talk about Christianity today, what we describe should closely resemble – if not match – what it was when first established. That is to say, what originally
The cross of Christ is not just the centre of Christian faith; it is the place where heaven’s deepest truths are made visible. If we want to understand what Christianity truly teaches about God, sin, love, and salvation, we need to come face to face with the cross. This is
A Long Shadow Over The Holy Land This article isn’t intended to be a political piece, though I acknowledge it may be perceived as such. I also acknowledge that the situation in the Middle East is undeniably sensitive, and so I’m doing my best to approach this subject with care. Emotions
At the beginning of this year, I had the incredible privilege of baptising my brother, Brett, into the Christian faith. I stood beside him in the water as he confessed the same truth the Church has proclaimed for centuries: “I believe in God the Father,in Jesus Christ, His Son, who
What is Pride Month? Pride Month is an annual event held in June that celebrates and affirms the identities and experiences of people who identify as LGBTQ+. It began as a way to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 1969 in New York City, which were a key moment in
This article is a response to Costi Hinn’s teaching on submissive wives from Ephesians 5, published on the For the Gospel YouTube channel. Watch the full video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxsvjuJNsqQ No, Wives Don’t “Submit” Like That: A Response To Costi Hinn’s Teaching On Ephesians 5 In a recent episode of the
Women were active in the early church – prophesying, praying, teaching, and serving. Luke tells us of Anna the prophet (Luke 2:36) and Philip’s daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9). Paul acknowledges that “every woman who prays or prophesies” should do so appropriately (1 Corinthians 11:5), not that she must not
“We are wounded in community and we are healed in community. No way around it. Healing might not come from the community where the wounding took place, but community is needed for healing nonetheless.” | Rich Villodas A Quick Recap About Spiritual Abuse In my last article, I talked a
The Spark That Lit The Flame One of the contentious sparks that finally lit the flame we now know as the Reformation was the idea that the common person didn’t need priests to mediate between them and God. At the time, the Church (the catholic Church — still the only
Mike Winger has released a 13-video, 40+ hour series arguing that women cannot hold positions of leadership or teach within the church.
A Post-Truth Truth (If There Even Is One) In a post-truth world, what isn’t up for debate? We’ve inherited a culture shaped by the catchcry “you do you” – where truth is subjective, identity is fluid, and even morality is open to reinterpretation. Right and wrong have become personal preferences.
The entire Christian faith rests on this foundation—first and foremost, the resurrection of Jesus himself, and then the promised resurrection of those who belong to him. Paul calls Jesus “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), meaning his resurrection is the beginning and guarantee of what
I was born and raised in New Zealand, the land of the long white cloud and a ratio of nearly six sheep for every one person. I often remember as a child watching the sun in summer sink below the horizon late at night, and, in winter, layering up as
“And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised, and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” – Acts 22 Before Jesus came preaching ‘the good news’ and proclaiming that the kingdom was near, the gospels…
Part 3: Women Must Keep Silent | Examining The Troubling Texts – 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 14, and 1 Corinthians 11 (You can read Part 2 here). Despite the strong evidence for women’s involvement in the life and ministry of the early church, there are three specific New Testament
Maybe you’ve been thinking you want to follow Jesus and become a Christian, but just aren’t sure how to take that step. You think you might know what it means to follow Jesus, but it’d be good to get some clarity and direction – what’s next? Or maybe you’ve never
Truth #1: ‘before’ “In the beginning, the earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.“ In the beginning, there was nothing. A vast, endless emptiness. Deep, restless waters, devoid of life, and overshadowed by a darkness as complete and as final as death itself. It is over this dim,
Christmas is a unique time of year. Traditionally, it’s seen as a season of joy, hope, celebration, and family—a chance for many to unwind and find rest as the year draws to a close. Yet, for others, the story is different. Christmas can be a lonely and isolating season, marked
“You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour.” | James 3:18, MSG Loving the church can be hard.. Frankly, at times, she
A New Heaven And A New Earth – What Comes After the End? Inarguably, it’s the end of the story that holds the greatest weight. While the beginning provides context and setting, and the middle gives shape and drama, it’s the ending that brings meaning and resolution. It’s the ending that
There was a time, not so long ago, when my world was very dark. Have you ever stood outside, on a moonless night, with the thick, velvety air pressed all around you and the inky black sky above, and realised that you could see precisely nothing? That’s the kind of
If you’re an orthodox Christian, already familiar with the doctrine of the Trinity, you might like to head somewhere else right now. This article will probably be, as they say, preaching to the converted. But if that’s not you, and the idea of the Trinity is new, challenging, confronting, downright
Every time Paul talks about the husband being the head, it seems to me the point is not hierarchy but unity.
The ongoing conversation about the ‘role’ of women in the church, in marriage, and in society is not new. Nor is it unique to our time. Early Christians also had to navigate and reevaluate this issue, particularly in the light of the gospel story.
New Testament holiness is a joyous privilege, not a heavy burden and duty.
There are many crossings a human will make in a lifetime. Our introduction to life is just the first.
In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.
Right from the beginning the church was flawed, as Jesus always knew she would be, and she has been flawed ever since; a living, breathing contradiction.
Derived from the Latin word fidēlis, fidelity is the quality of being faithful, loyal, accurate, or true. And it’s a quality essential to all authentic, interpersonal relationships.
The goal of being more like God doesn’t come naturally or happen randomly, it requires purposeful choice in a specific direction.
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) I recently wrote an article which I called ‘Beneath The Skin‘; a critique of sorts of modern Christianity and the Western church. The article focused primarily on the collective Christian identity; The Church, not on any one particular denomination or way of
When God Moved Into The Neighbourhood, Everything Changed. This article invites us to reflect on the astonishing reality that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us – not distant, but near. When Jesus stepped into our streets and stories, heaven touched earth in the most extraordinary way. Here,
Are you a Christian teen struggling with or feeling confused by LGBTQ+ and gender identity issues? Then this is a conversation we need to have… First of all, know this. You are loved. The God of all the Universe, the One in whose image you’re made loves you. He knows
The world is not the same place it once was. Certainty has given way to subjective reality. Truth can no longer be pinned down. Common sense doesn’t seem quite so common after all. At times, it feels like the whole world has gone mad. And perhaps we have… One of
The Bible is saturated with the theme of the kingdom, a great unfolding reality that reaches its fulfilment in Jesus Christ. From the first pages of Genesis to the strange and magnificent visions of Revelation, the kingdom of God is not a side topic but the thread that holds the
God is all about new beginnings. We see the story of humanity starting out in Genesis with a new beginning; light and order being formed out of darkness and chaos. And we see this theme of light and order echoed in the new beginning that Christians find in Jesus. In
“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” | Romans 8:11, ESV “…This is my…
“Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” | 2 Corinthians 4:16, NIV There can be a tendency to reduce the work of the gospel to simply to a culture of ‘making us nice’. That is to say, that being a Christian equates to
This article is dedicated to two good men in my life, my father, Ken, and my husband, Luke. My father has always supported me, encouraged me, believed in me, loved me, and has never made me feel lesser. I wish there were more fathers like him. My husband’s love and
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Let me tell you a tale. It starts in a garden, long, long ago. And what a garden it was – literally, a paradise on earth. A place of grandeur and beauty, filled with trees of every description and with leaves in
It seems to me that it has become increasingly difficult to speak into many issues or situations that the church faces today; not because the Bible is silent, not because the church doesn’t have or hasn’t held a historical position on a matter, and not because we, as Christians, don’t
I really love talking about church. Not, as in, my church or your church. Not, as in, what flavour of church, in a denominational sort of way. And not, as in, which kind of church; mega church, home church, missional church, or cell-group church (and, oh boy, I wish whoever had
The Weft And Warp Of Scripture The word of God is like a vast tapestry, its main theme interwoven with many sub-plots and side stories that run like golden threads through an intricate design. Each of these threads complements the complete telling of God’s story and narrates again and again
There is no standard scholarly agreement on what exactly is meant by the word religion, so defining religion (from the Latin religiō) can be a bit tricky. In fact, prior to the 16th and 17th centuries, the concept of religion, as a distinct set of beliefs or doctrines, didn’t really exist.
“He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” | George Herbert They say, ‘write about what you know’. Well, here’s what I know: forgiveness is hard. Like, really hard. Forgiveness coexists in the same universe as injustice, loss, and the pain of deep physical,
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) “By the 14th century, the Norman invasion of Ireland was struggling. Too many Normans had “gone native”, assimilated into Irish life. The remaining settlers had retreated to just four eastern counties: Louth, Meath, Dublin, and Kildare. These four “obedient shires” were the
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) I don’t know about you but sometimes I feel bad for not knowing then what I know now. Bad, as in, I wish I’d known better, I wish I had known more, I wish I had known sooner or responded better
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind for a while. Some time ago, I watched a commentary by a ‘Christian pastor’ that totally shocked me. In fact, I haven’t really stopped thinking about it since. I found it
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that
Acceptance By Grace Through Faith Alone The simple truth that we find acceptance with God by grace through faith alone is the Bible’s most beautiful theme. Grace began long ago when God set in motion the means for humanity to find their way back to Him, to find their way
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Leaving is never because of just one thing. Not really. It’s the result of a thousand, inconsequential one things that all converge in a single moment of sudden, irreconcilable difference. For me, the eventual leaving of the religious community I grew up
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Emmanuel” (which means, “God with us”)” | Matthew 1:23, BRB Scripture tells of a crowded family home in a bustling ancestral town,
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Come walk with Me. Imagine we are once again in Eden, walking together in the cool shade of the trees. Listen to the sound of the great river, flowing through My garden paradise. Hear the rush of its distributaries, flowing north, east,
Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) I like the Apostle Paul. I like his ability to ‘call a spade a spade’, the unrelenting pursuit of his faith, and his bold assertion to “preach nothing but the cross of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:2). No doubt he ruffled more than
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) The appearance of Jesus on the Jewish scene was a dramatic collision between grace and spiritual performance. Jesus came preaching repentance and forgiveness for all people; not on the basis of their social status, their ethnicity, or their gender, but on the
The subject of hell has popped up in a few different conversations recently, and, while I tend to try to avoid speaking from a position of a negative (‘what I don’t believe…’), this doctrine is one that’s never rung true for me. I genuinely doubt the validity of the doctrine
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Christianity in the first century was a spiritual explosion, fueled by the reality of the resurrection of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the Jewish community, who lived and worshipped largely by themselves, Christians were active evangelists, eager
“If I find in myself desires nothing in this world will satisfy. I can only conclude that I was not made for here.” | C S Lewis Searching For Identity I want to confess, at the outset, that as I was attempting to put down some of the thoughts I
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) There’s a troubling trend arising in our postmodern age, an era that has also given rise to ‘post-truth’. New information platforms, social upheaval and the overabundance of global communication networks are giving this idea traction and we’re seeing it take root and
“Injustice: unfairness, unjust act, Unfair: not equitable or honest, not impartial or according to rules, society: organised and interdependent community, system and organisation of this” – The Australian Oxford Dictionary, Third Edition The issue of social injustice* has always been one that is close to my heart. It’s something that
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) What’s beneath the skin of our collective Christian identity? Has Christianity lost touch with its original radical and beating heart? Are we so enamored with the power and prestige of this present world that we have forgotten our own history? Are we,
David, the shepherd boy-turned-king and famous author of the Psalms, is perhaps one of the most complex characters in the Bible. At times, he displays examples of great faith, leadership and spirituality. Yet, these admirable qualities are often starkly contrasted against the deplorable choices and wicked actions for which he
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Jesus looked around the table at the closest of his disciples gathered with him, their faces reflected in the warmth of the candlelight. It was early spring, and the nights were still cool; the disciple whom he loved leaned in a little
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) “He has told you, O human, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” | Micah 6:8 NAS 1977 Knowing And Being Known At
“Walking, stumbling, on these shadow feet; toward home, a land that I’ve never seen. I am changing: less and less asleep, made of different stuff than when I began and I have sensed it all along, fast approaching is the day.” | Brooke Fraser These lyrics are from a song
The last six months have been an unsettling and disruptive time for millions of people around the globe. The impact of COVID-19 on our ordinary routines and daily habits has been, in many cases, bewildering. The ways in which we would usually connect have had to adapt to these new
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) This article is dedicated to the memory of William Tyndale (c 1490-1536), an active and passionate Christian writer and translator, whose historical influence on the translation of the Bible into English cannot be overstated. Tyndale was convinced that the Bible alone should
While our salvation is part of the gospel, the good news preached in the first century was rooted in a far older and larger story – the story of the long-promised King and Saviour of the world. The power of Jesus’ sacrifice and the wonder of his resurrection form the
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will inherit the earth.” | Matthew 5:9 (ESV) The Spiritual Warrior In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul gives a striking description of a person known as the spiritual warrior, a follower of Jesus who has been powerfully equipped for warfare by the armour of
How we, as Christians, respond in times of crisis is not just vitally important for our own faith and for our witness of the gospel, it’s important for the wellbeing of those around us, who may be struggling with doubts and fears in what is a very distressing and anxious
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the
When considering the ideas and thoughts surrounding Church burnout, it became apparent that there is another serious issue facing many Christians today – in both their personal and church lives. The issue is a lack of spiritual and emotional maturity, leading to the cultivation of a ‘false self’ and a
We’re called to a radical life. This is a life in which we’re called to follow someone we’ve never seen. We’ve heard about him but we’ve never seen him with our own eyes. We’ve ‘believed the report’, the good message about who Jesus is and why he came, and our
“It’s impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” | Peter Scazzero, Emotional Healthy Spirituality Emotions Make Us Human Do you have emotionally healthy spirituality? Are you emotionally mature? Or are you, perhaps, deeply uncomfortable being intimate with your emotions? Did you realise that emotional maturity and spiritual health
The final pages of the Old Testament come to a close with the prophetic words of Malachi, written around 460-430 BC. We find the people of Israel have returned from nearly 130 years of exile and are back in the land of their ancestors. Yet the nation is vastly diminished.
The word disciple occurs frequently throughout the Bible and ‘discipleship’ is something that the Bible references often. But what does the word disciple actually mean? And what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What Is A Disciple? Our English language Bibles were translated from manuscripts written primarily
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) It seems hard to believe that people who have answered Jesus’ call to a life of freedom could so easily lose the sense of joy and relief they first felt. It’s difficult to understand why Christians who have been made free and
Despite Christianity still being Australia’s largest religion (61.1% compared with 7.3% of all other religions combined), the proportion of Australians identifying as Christian has been steadily declining over the past century. Compared to 1911, when 96% of people identified as Christian, the 2001 census recorded the figure of 68% and
One of the most startling pieces of information that we are given in relation to Jesus is the fact that he was made like us. Jesus’ redemptive work on behalf of humanity was deeply connected to his own humanity. Although he was born “the Son of God“, and radiant with His
The Bible describes the act of receiving God’s grace as repentance. At its core, repentance means to turn back, to change one’s mind. But Scripture shows that true repentance is more than a change in thinking – it also results in a change in behaviour.
The subject of God’s grace permeates every aspect of the Gospel, giving it weight and power. The saving acts of God, due to the work of Jesus on the cross and Jesus’ resurrection from the dead bring reconciliation (“atonement”) between people and God. This is why the Gospel is described as
That Jesus existed, there is no doubt. There is a great deal of written historical evidence, both from Christian and non-Christian writers, supporting the fact that Jesus was a genuine historical figure, living at the beginning of the first century AD. When applying the standard criteria of historical investigation, virtually
One of my favourite movies is Ever After with Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston. It has all the right ingredients for a great story – humour, romance, drama and a feel-good ending. When I think of this movie, I have a few favourite scenes that top my list, but the
Religion is defined as “a cultural system of designated behaviours and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organisations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements.“ Yet, there is no actual consensus among scholars as to what precisely constitutes a religion. Nearly 85% of the world’s population
Resilience can sometimes be mistaken for indifference, unaccountability or emotional disconnection but in reality, resilience is the complete opposite of these things. It is the ability to truly face reality, to be responsible for our actions and to be emotionally vulnerable, if necessary. It is the inner strength that enables
It’s easy to think of the gospel as something that started with Jesus—something new that sprang up in the New Testament and was carried across the world by his followers.
But look a little deeper, and you’ll find that this good news has been unfolding since the very beginning.
(Not a reader? Take a listen instead ⇓) Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands, whether real or perceived. Eventually, you find you literally have nothing left to give, either emotionally or physically. This
Abraham demonstrated the kind of faith that was worth commentary in the letter to the Hebrews. But why? What was it that was remarkable about Abraham. And why was he called ‘the friend of God’?
