History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce. Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire From the BUV policy on Ordination: “Persons who engage in homosexual practice will not be ordained.“ I’m confused. The leadership of the denomination and it’s theological college do not have a problem with Baptist clergy or theological professors who are advocates [...]
Category Archives: 4. Decline
Defending the gospel of grace and truth
8 December, 2011 – 6:00 AM
Gary Lockyer was the senior pastor at Lilydale Baptist (1988-2002). This is an full version of his comment posted today providing background to the turmoil at his former church. Steve, I was the Senior Pastor of the Lilydale Baptist Church for 14 years. It had already grown out of its ancient (1881?) but very small [...]
Yes we can
6 December, 2011 – 4:40 AM
On Saturday the ruling Labor conference committed the Party to a policy of support for same-sex marriage. The move was supported by a rainbow coalition of activists including member of the clergy. History teaches us that this is not the end of a long battle, just a pause before the next push begins. What was [...]
How denominations fall
5 December, 2011 – 3:39 AM
The governing Australian Labor Party will introduce a private members bill to legalise marriage between same sex couples. The move is largely symbolic. The bill will most probably be defeated—this time. Meanwhile some Australian denominations are tripping over themselves on this issue. A number of pastors and leaders within my own denomination, the Baptist Union [...]
You foolish Lilydalians
30 November, 2011 – 1:35 AM
Matt Glover, freelance cartoonist and pastor, is an advocate for same-sex unions. His church, Lilydale Baptist, is in turmoil. They’ve only just found out via this gay website or maybe this one? A church meeting to deal with the issue was cancelled a few days ago. A newspaper report states confidently that Pastor Matt has [...]
A monument to lost causes and missed opportunities
2 September, 2011 – 9:29 PM
When Saffie the Wonderdog and I take our morning walk, we head out along the creek at the bottom of our street that leads to Blackburn Lake. Along the way there’s a gum tree whose fortunes we have been following for the last few years. The tree fell on hard times. Literally. It began with [...]
Catholic church sacks Father Kennedy. Father Kennedy sacks Jesus.
28 July, 2011 – 11:47 PM
At the end of a long dispute the Catholic church has finally decided to excommunicate Father Kennedy. Two years ago the Socialist Alliance posters outside St Mary’s Catholic Church in Brisbane said it all. “Dump Intolerance, not Father Kennedy.” “Who would Jesus sack?” The father in question is Peter Kennedy, the 70-year-old Catholic priest who [...]
Bell’s hell
18 April, 2011 – 8:05 PM
A great deal of what is being published by writers in the religious tradition is a scandal and is actually turning people away from the church. The liberal writers who are continually accommodating and whittling down the truth of the Gospel are responsible. I cannot understand how a man can appear in print claiming to [...]
The shifting sands of Western mission
9 December, 2010 – 1:34 PM
It comes as no surprise that Western evangelicals are redefining mission for the “postmodern context.” We’re moving from spreading Christianity to living it. From “hard-core proselytizing” (al Qaeda in Christian wineskins) to social justice and humanitarian work. Missionaries have become “vacationaries,” going abroad short-term to serve others, rather than share the gospel. Mission means “we [...]
How Missionaries Lost Their Chariots of Fire
2 December, 2010 – 11:42 PM
Western Christianity has been on a century long journey to redefine what “mission” is. Earlier this year, Brad Greenberg reflected in an article for the WSJ on the changing nature of Christian mission since Edinburgh 1910. Here are a few edited points and quotes from the article. I’ll have more to say later. The 1910 [...]
