Tag: Discipleship

The Ethics of AI: A Pastoral Reflection

AI is no longer just a buzzword or a new toy for those tech enthusiasts, is it? It’s here, beginning to expand its tentacles into our lives. Whether it’s at home, at work, our life admin, our church, and even our habits of thought and prayer, AI is making an impact. It’s fast. It’s smart (-ish). And if we’re honest, it can become slightly addictive.

Beyond the speed and fascination I’ve found myself asking some of those deeper questions about AI. Not about what it can do, but what it’s doing to me, to us. I’ve moved on from the question about whether it is right or wrong, and beginning to think through the way it forms me and my faith. What kind of person am I being shaped into, and is this coherent with the way of Jesus?

This is certainly not a how-to article on AI. Nor is it a listicle full of tips about the best apps or top tips in ethical AI use. Rather, it’s a reflection, a pastoral reflection seeking to bring to the top that question of, “Who am I becoming as I use this tech?”

The reality is that tools don’t just serve us, they shape us. And AI, more than any other since the creation of the smartphone, is beginning to reach into parts of life where formation may already be fragile.

Worship Is Where Ethics Begins

The starting point for Christian ethics is worship.

Romans 12 doesn’t begin with behaviour. It begins with a posture drawn from the well of God. It says,

“In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices…”

In other words, ethics isn’t just about what we do. It’s about how we live before God and who we are becoming because of God. It’s not just doing the ‘right’ things, it’s about the ‘who’ things. And so perhaps the first questions to ask ourselves is, “Is this helping me to live and worship and trust in God”?

This is where the hammer hits the nail for me.

AI, in all its cleverness, doesn’t only help me perform tasks. It makes me more efficient. It removes uncomfortable thinking, and sometimes thinking all together! And if I’m not careful it pushes me forward into a way of life that looks like a worldly hustle rather than the unhurried pace of the Spirit of God.

I’m not here to cry foul of all of AI, nor even say it is inherently wrong. I use it regularly. But I am saying we need to stop and reflect on how we are using it. I’m saying it’s worth watching closely its impact in not just our lives but in our hearts. If I don’t walk in the mercy of God, and stay firm in that foundation and identity, then I will find myself using these AI tools to keep producing and performing more and more. And I know if I walk that path then I’ll slowly but surely become less present to God, to others, and to myself.

The Promise and the Pushback

A little while ago Kenny Jahng wrote an article called Beyond Binary Morality: How AI Challenges Traditional Christian Ethical Frameworks. It’s certainly worth your time to go and read. Kenny argues that AI reveals the limits of simple “right/wrong” categories. Algorithms, after all, aren’t choosing between good and evil by they’re weighing trade-offs, running probabilities, and calculating complexity.

And in many ways, I agree with him. Wisdom in our time requires nuance (as it always has, no doubt). Neat moral boxes are beginning to be stretched for us, there is complexity and complication when thinking through Christian ethics of AI.

Where I found myself gently pushing back on this article, however, was the idea that AI might be the solution to pastoral overwhelm. As Kenny writes, many pastors feel burdened by tasks that don’t require their spiritual gifts—like creating policy and guidelines, doing administration, or making decisions on future projects and ministries without experience. Some of these aren’t soul-shaping tasks but just the cost of managing and navigating church life in the modern day.

AI, he argues, can be a relief valve.

And he’s right, it can. It has been for me, in some areas of ministry. I’ve used it to help structure content, bring creativity to my thinking about ministry areas, and provide clearer communication to the church. This has meant I’ve had more time to focus on people, to be creative, and I’ve even found more time for prayer. But I do acknowledge there is another side to this.

That other side, the shadow side, is the fact that AI doesn’t remove the overwhelm, it can accelerate it.

If I don’t deal with what’s happening in my heart, the time I’ve saved won’t go to the priorities of prayer and preaching and other elements of what I call ‘Wordwork’, it’ll go to more output. More tasks. More tweaks. More production. More performance.

This is why I keep coming back to remember that ethics begins with worship. When my use of AI is grounded in worship of God then the posture I hold is one of submission, surrender, and obedience. When it flows out of a need to produce, to prove myself, or to perform in front of others then it becomes something else.

Something that promises rest but quietly feeds the restlessness.

Babel and the Illusion of Control

That story from Genesis 11 is one that lives rent free in my mind at the moment.

“Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…”

The Tower of Babel is a story about autonomy. It’s about humans using their creativity not in response to God, but in competition with him.

And I think it’s an image that speaks into our age of AI. Not because AI is evil, but because it tempts us to think like Babel: I can control more. I can create more. I can become more.

But we’re not created in God’s image to view our lives and all that it entails in this way. We’re not given such responsibility. We’re made to receive the mercy and grace of God. We’re made to live in communion with God, not as optimised beings.

As we explore AI’s possibilities it’s worth asking ourselves the question, “Are we building a life with God or are we building a life for ourselves?

The Way of Jesus

The more I use AI, the more I feel the invitation to slow down.

It’s one thing to use a tool. It’s another to let it use you. And I don’t want to become the person who outsources the very parts of life and ministry that form and shape me as a child of God.

Sermons aren’t just written, they’re lived.

Pastoral care isn’t just organised, it’s personal and relational.

Discipleship isn’t just explanation and knowledge, it’s years-long formation under God and his people.

The way of Jesus is still slow. It’s relational. It’s incarnational. It requires presence. And if AI helps me serve others better, I’ll use it. But if it pulls me away from the kind of person Jesus is shaping me to be then it might be time to put it down.

If you’re interested to explore this further you can also listen to our church podcast where we are beginning to explore AI in the church. You can grab the episodes here or on YouTube.

May 5, 2025
AI, Ministry, and the Shape of Discipleship

There’s something particularly human about opening the Bible and seeking to make sense of it for others. For pastors, that moment of sermon preparation isn’t just about information or knowledge transfer, it’s about formation, for the preacher and the people who hear it. Now, however, we need to deal with AI. It’s fast. It’s helpful. And, it’s kind of fun too!

But, it also raises deeper questions about our pastoral and ministerial calling, especially when it comes to the slow and patient work of preaching and shepherding others in the way of Jesus.

Recently, I’ve listened to two podcast episodes (here and here) from the team at the Expositors Collective (who I’d recommend you follow) and been reflecting on AI, sermon preparation, and its wider use in church ministry.

Tools or Crutches

Tools abound for pastors and ministry leaders of churches. Whether it’s Bible software, commentaries, whiteboards, Canva, or various books and study guides, there’s plenty out there. AI fits into this category. A tool. It can structure meetings, summarise transcripts, brainstorm sermon series, and tidy up emails. It’s like a digital intern who doesn’t need smoke-o.

But there is a tipping point. And for some that might be further down the track than others. Nevertheless, the tipping point is when the tool becomes a crutch, something that ends up doing the deep work that is part of the calling of gospel ministry–the exegesis, illustration, sermon outlining, the writing, even. This tipping point comes when we trade formation for efficiency. And it is a poor trade. We may well save time, but what we risk is the personal formation of our soul and a disservice to our people.

Sermons are lived, they are to be ‘in’ us, they are to be lifted up in prayer, and spoken through the Spirit by a person, not a prompt.

Presence Over Productivity

Of course, AI promises productivity. And it’s a performance trap for us too. In some areas, like admin, research, and note-making, it’s certainly very helpful. But ministry isn’t measured by these things, nor is it measured by performance and efficiency. It’s measured in faithfulness, presence, and love for others. Those in the church who are dealing with challenge, hardship, grief, health concerns, financial difficulty, or a dark night of the soul don’t need a TED Talk crafted message, they need a pastor who has sat with the text, prayed through the text, and then communicates through the work of the Spirit.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not some Luddite with anti-tech sensibilities. I’m engaging with AI tools in many areas of life, including church ministry. But we’ve got to remind ourselves that our calling is to shepherd not to massage content in ChatGPT.

I suppose, the danger isn’t really AI itself, it’s what it might slowly be doing to our hearts as we build faster content but remain less formed and wise in the process.

Discernment In Discipleship

My point is that we’re not here to create fear or hype about AI. Every generation is already using it to some degree, and those digital natives among us are well beyond this being ‘new’. Our job is more about wisdom and discernment than it is to give some moral judgement on these technologies. It’s to help people realise that following Jesus may not be the road of shortcuts and speed.

We need to help our churches, our people, see the difference between information and wisdom. To be able to sit in the deep with God, and let him do the work within us over a long period of time. Outsourcing formation won’t get us very far, but embracing slow discipleship, the unhurried way of Jesus will.

So, yes, we use these tools. But we realise that this is what they are. The question of challenge is whether I am shaping this tool or is it shaping me?

April 4, 2025
Book Review: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
Ask your pastor how they are going, and one of the words they’ll probably use is “busy.” Then again, ask anyone in your church that question, and the response is likely the same. We live in a fast-paced, hurried, always-on-the-go world. As has often been the case, this continues to be the pace of ministry too. If I’ve learned one thing recently, hurried ministry isn’t good ministry.

Whether it’s preparing sermons, meeting with leaders, counselling individuals, or attending another meeting, there’s always more to do. In the middle of all this activity, it can feel impossible to slow down. But perhaps the problem isn’t the amount of work itself, but the way we approach it.

Cal Newport’s book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, offers a helpful rethink into how we organise our work and, as a consequence, our ministry. Newport writes for a general audience, fitting into the productivity and business non-fiction genres. His approach to life and work, particularly knowledge work, isn’t about squeezing more out of the day. Instead, it’s about changing the relationship we have with work. His philosophy is captured in three short phrases:
- Do fewer things.
- Work at a natural pace.
- Obsess over quality.
These principles seem to be common sense. We can quickly affirm them. Of course, we want to do fewer things, we want to work at a natural pace, and we want to produce good quality work. We don’t want to burnout. As a pastor, I want to live and do ministry in a way that is aligned with God’s purposes, and I can see that these principles are a helpful way of aligning with that. It’s just, in practice this is often not the case and I’d really like it to be. Wouldn’t you?

Do Fewer Things

Newport’s first principle is simple: do fewer things, but do them well. He writes:

“Strive to reduce your obligations to the point where you can easily imagine accomplishing them with time to spare.” (p. 53)

In ministry, this is easier said than done. The list of demands can feel endless. There’s always more to do, or at least more to dream about. Saying “no” often feels like letting someone down.

It’s important to name and commit to core priorities. For me, these priorities are preaching and teaching, and leadership development and support. Everything else, whether pastoral care, communication, or administration, flows out of these two areas. They don’t come first. Clarifying these priorities has been helpful, particularly in recent times, as it refines my call and helps me work intentionally.

Scripture speaks into this idea. Jesus himself talks about what he came to do—to redeem and reach the lost. At one point, he had the opportunity to do more healing and care for those around him, but then he departs because he wants to preach and teach elsewhere (Mark 1:38). Nehemiah is another example. While rebuilding the wall, he faces distractions but tells those trying to pull him away, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down” (Nehemiah 6:3). Jesus and Nehemiah recognised their priorities and were focused on them. By focusing on the “great work” God has called us to, we can let go of the less essential.

Work at a Natural Pace

The second principle is to work at a natural, sustainable pace. Newport writes:

“Don’t rush your most important work. Allow it instead to unfold along a sustainable timeline.” (p. 116)

This idea resonates with the biblical rhythm of work and rest. God designed us for cycles of activity and renewal, a truth woven into creation itself. We see this in the establishment of the seventh day, where God rests from all the work he has done (Genesis 2:2-3). He didn’t need to rest, but he does so to enjoy what he has created. Psalm 127:2 reminds us,

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

The pressure to hurry is constant. Whether in ministry or not, it is always present. Whether it’s the regular emails, the technology in our hands, or the feeling of needing to be across things that can probably wait, we seem to drive ourselves to hurry.

In recent times, I’ve committed to being unhurried—to walking rather than running. To doing things at a pace that is sustainable over the long haul. This doesn’t mean there won’t be seasons of hurriedness, but it is a decision to take things, as Newport says, at a natural pace.

This pace doesn’t mean laziness. It means being intentional. For example, I’ve learned to protect my mornings for sermon preparation. This is when my energy level is highest. I’ve set boundaries around how many meetings I have, how long they go for, and how spaced out they might be. Sure, I sometimes break these ‘rules,’ but they are in my mind as I plan and schedule my weeks and months. It allows me to give my best at different times of the week and with different people.

Part of achieving this more natural pace is accepting that we will never be able to do everything. Life leaves behind numerous unfinished tasks. And that’s OK.

Obsess Over Quality

The final principle, “obsess over quality,” is about deep work on what matters most. Newport writes:

“Obsess over the quality of what you produce, even if this means missing opportunities in the short term.” (p. 173)

I’m not sure I entirely agree with this. Sometimes it’s better to do things at 85% than spend another 20 hours moving the needle up a few percentage points. This could feed into perfectionism and not being happy to say something is done. However, Newport’s point isn’t about striving for perfection but valuing what matters most and giving our attention to it.

Scripture reminds us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23). Striving for quality honours God and serves others well. It’s also a call to prioritise—to focus on what is essential. It might mean doing fewer things so that the right amount of attention is given to a particular activity, creative pursuit, or project. It might also mean seeking feedback from others about quality. At the end of the day, we want to serve God and others—our families, colleagues, and friends. Remembering this is helpful.

Sustainable Ministry

At its core, Slow Productivity is about more than work; it’s about life. Newport writes:

“My goal is to offer a more humane and sustainable way to integrate professional efforts into a life well lived.” (p. 41)

This resonates with all of us, whether in pastoral ministry or not. Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. To serve people well in all aspects of life requires a sustainable rhythm. Newport’s principles remind us that doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and focusing on quality isn’t just practical—it’s biblical wisdom in action. It may even lead us to affirm Paul’s words to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). To finish well, we must steward our time, energy, and calling wisely.

Should You Read This Book?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the demands of ministry or work, Slow Productivity is worth reading. Newport’s insights are practical, thought-provoking, and relevant for anyone seeking to live and serve intentionally. His podcast is also worth checking out if that appeals to you.

These principles are also helpful for the church. Slow ministry or slow discipleship may not be ideas we think about often. But given the way life and culture push us, even putting the word slow in front of something might help us reflect on why our response to someone is so often, “busy.”

This book isn’t about doing less for the sake of doing less. It’s about making space for the work that truly matters—work that honours God, serves others, and leads to a life well lived.
February 24, 2025
Bible Reading In The New Year

For many years I had the goal of reading the Bible from cover-to-cover in a calendar year. I reckon I’ve completed that goal once in the last 15 years. My routine from January first was to start at Genesis 1:1 and make my way through at least 4 chapters per day. Yet, by late January I’d be stuck in Exodus reading about the plagues, the Red Sea, and the journey into the wilderness and already finding myself too far behind to catch up.

Perhaps this is a familiar experience for you as well.

As one who comes from a tradition where the regular reading of the Bible is engrained from a young age, being unable to do this can trigger some sort of guilt trip. Thankfully, this need not be the case and my legalistic view of Bible reading has changed somewhat. This is not to say that my view of God’s Word has changed, only the perceived necessity to read through the entire Bible each year.

As I seek to worship God in the everyday I seek to engage with God’s Word in various ways and at various times throughout the day. This may involve reading a select passage of scripture, listening to worship music focussing on the words of scripture, or reading a portion of a Christian book that leads me to contemplate the ways of God more deeply.

The sidebar to this that I can’t help but make is that God’s Word is not on even par with a worship song or a Christian book. No other book or words written in human history is “…God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It’s got to be said.

But still, perhaps you are like me and require some structure, some idea of what you’d like to do. In growing as a disciple, in our experience, knowledge, and follow-ship of Jesus it’s still good to have a plan or approach to scripture reading. As a regular practice of our faith, and as the year is now underway, I wonder whether a way to approach this might be to think small, think regular, and think expectantly.

Think Small

Everyone has different capacities as to what they can achieve in a day or a week or a year. Often we might be surprised at how much we can accomplish when we are consistent in doing little things throughout the year.

I’d encourage you not to think about reading the whole Bible as one complete project for the year. Radical, I know. But instead, think about it in little chunks. Think about reading one Proverb a day and repeat it every month. Think about working through a gospel one chapter at a time and digesting it properly. Or think even smaller, contemplate 1-2 verses of Paul’s letters. Or perhaps limit yourself to 5 minutes a day for January with the goal of increasing it a minute each month.

It is the little done over time that produces a significant amount. You’ll be surprised at how much of God’s Word you will end up reading if you think small.

Think Regular

Thinking small leads to thinking regularly. Doing the small means approaching the reading of the Bible as a consistent discipline.

Perhaps reading everyday is not a possibility for you, that’s OK. How do weekdays suit? How does committing to a Saturday and Sunday schedule sound? I’m not sure what’s best for you, but it is in your hands as to when and how regularly your Bible reading might be.

At the moment I’m probably hitting 4-5 days per week of significant reading whereby I’m seeking to connect with God and grow in him. Outside of this I am in the unique situation where I’m given the opportunity to dip into God’s Word in various ways – sharing with others, preparation for sermons, and in faith conversations with church and community members. Nevertheless, what I’ve found helpful is to have a committed time of reading that’s in the calendar or on the to-do list (and prayer is always helpful alongside this).

Think Expectantly

The final idea in approaching Bible reading for this year is to read expectantly.

How often Bible reading can become a duty rather than a delight because we come to God’s Word not expecting to hear from him! Not expecting him to change our hearts and minds, not to conform and have our mind renewed (Romans 12:2-3).

Often we will find connections, greater knowledge of God and his ways, and be willing to hear from God when we come to his Word expectantly. Sure, sometimes Bible reading is hard and difficult and doesn’t make sense to where we find ourselves, yet God has revealed himself through his Word and continues to make himself known by it. It’s why part of our discipleship is to go to God’s Word and hear what he has to say to us.

I’d encourage you to have a go, to think small, to think regularly, and think expectantly as you approach the reading of God’s Word this year.

January 3, 2023
By Faith – A Future Hope

Hebrews 11 is one of those chapters in the Bible that is packed with so much that it takes numerous readings to grasp its various teachings. It’s the chapter where the writer outlines all those significant biblical characters of the past, and describes briefly how they lived by faith, trusting and obeying God throughout their lifetime.

For me, stepping into Hebrews 11 is like walking into a museum. A museum with a long dimly lit corridor, with dark floorboards, and square-paned windows letting the light in. And as you walk down this corridor there are old paintings hanging on the walls. And along each side of the corridor there are white marble busts of significant leaders of history and important dignitaries sitting on top of pillars.

This is what I think of when I read Hebrews 11.

All these people from the Old Testament in painting or statue form, highlighting their status among the saints of the past. And with each of these saints we get a small glimpse into what they are commended for; what they have done to earn such a reputation to be written about hundreds of years after they have died.

To extend this museum illustration further, I can imagine that next to each painting or statue there sits a little plaque and as you wander down the corridor you can walk up to each of those plaque’s and read how they lived by faith. Next to each item there is a little inscription starting with “By faith…” and flowing into their individual commendation of how they lived by faith.

By faith Abel…
By faith Enoch…
By faith Noah…
By faith Abraham…
By faith Sarah…

And as we work our way through this chapter we come to an editor’s sidebar. Like one of those big signs at a museum that gives you a broader explanation of what’s going on, there in the middle of this corridor stands as sign with v13-16 on it.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

These words describe how all these people we read of in Hebrews 11 died knowing there was something better for them. They lived on earth as exiles, as people who were in the world but not of it. While the land was plentiful and the descendants numerous God had promised something better. This earth and life was a prototype of something greater. They knew there was something more to come.

This is why the writer can say in v16, “…they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

And this resonates with the words of Revelation 21:1-5,

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

We know we live in a world that is broken. People are broken, governments are broken, organisations are broken. This results in a world where bad stuff happens, stuff that is not fair for the individual and the collective.

But here in v13-16 we are told of the future hope we can have as believers.

As followers of Jesus we recognise the reality of a broken world. A world broken by sin but a world being prepared for restoration and renewal through the coming again of Jesus Christ. For through Christ there is the promise of forgiveness for our own sin and shame. Through Christ there is the promise of being able to live by faith in relationship with God. Through Christ there is the promise of the restoration of the world. Through Christ is the promise of life-everlasting in the renewed creation of God.

In the same way as the Old Testament saints live by faith for what is to come, so too we live in the world as people who know there is greater to come (despite how bad it may look at times) as God prepares us for the restoration of all things.

I’m a big fan of CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. I really enjoy reading the whole collection every so often, and at the end of the final book, The Last Battle, there is a depiction of heaven as the various characters and animals make their way to a renewed land. Lewis writes,

It is as hard to explain how this sunlit land was different from the old Narnia as it would be to tell you how the fruits of that country taste. Perhaps you will get some idea of it if you think like this. You may have been in a room in which there was a window that looked out on a lovely bay of the sea or a green valley that wound away among mountains. And in the wall of that room opposite to the window there may have been a looking-glass. And as you turned away from the window you suddenly caught sight of that sea or that valley, all over again, in the looking glass. And the sea in the mirror, or the valley in the mirror, were in one sense just the same as the real ones: yet at the same time there were somehow different — deeper, more wonderful, more like places in a story: in a story you have never heard but very much want to know.

The difference between the old Narnia and the new Narnia was like that. The new one was a deeper country: every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more. I can’t describe it any better than that: if ever you get there you will know what I mean.

It was the Unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right fore-hoof on the ground and neighed, and then he cried:

“I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this. Bree-hee-hee! Come further up, come further in!” (p154-155)

A vivid piece of writing, but also a great reminder that we do indeed live, by faith, looking forward to the Holy City, a better country, a heavenly one.

September 9, 2021
Published: Practicing Thankfulness

A couple of months ago I had a book review of Practicing Thankfulness: Cultivating a Thankful Heart In All Circumstances by Sam Crabtree published on The Gospel Coalition (AU) website.

Ironically I read this while Melbourne was in its fourth lockdown, of which we’ve never really come out. So I will confess I wasn’t that impressed with the beginning of the book but as I read it more I found it did do something within me. It reminded me that there is reason for thankfulness and not simply being a grump for the situations we find ourselves in. It requires a mindset change, an attitudinal change.

As I say in the final few paragraphs of the review:

“So if you would like your heart to opened and exposed—perhaps even have a metal rake run over it—this book will do you a world of good.

I will confess I didn’t like every part of it. I felt the tone lacked a certain pastoral quality, and that it was overly firm in some places where a bit more grey and grace would have been helpful. For example, Crabtree seems to write off all complaining and frustration as being ungrateful for what God has given us. He doesn’t give room for complaint and lament like many of the Psalms we read, and almost suggests we need to ignore these types of feelings, tell them to shut up, and move on. Further, there was some discussion about topics that seemed unnecessary and forced in relation to the main themes. These make moments in this book seem simplistic and reductionistic at times.”

You can read the full review here.

August 25, 2021
Published: Asking The Why – What Is My Calling?

I’ve written regularly about calling, and how to think through it.

Recently, I was interviewed by the YMI podcast “Asking The Why”. It was a fun conversation, and hopefully helpful too. Here’s how it’s described:

“What career path should I go down? Which relationship should I enter in to? Where should I live?

For many of us followers of Jesus, these questions can depend on what we feel God is calling us to do with our lives. In church language today, the term calling usually refers to a Christian discovering a specific job, ministry role, or use of gifts and talents that is out there for them. But for many of us who feel like we haven’t found that special “calling”, we can sometimes feel like we are outside the will of God or failing as a follower of Christ. So how then can each of us find out what the call of God is for our lives?”

You can also view the video here:

November 21, 2018
Is Mission Optional For Discipleship?

OK, let’s be clear from the outset.

To be a disciple is to be a student of a teacher.

To be a disciple of Jesus is to learn from Him.

This learning and growing process is known as discipleship.

I imagine for the majority of those who call themselves disciples of Jesus, discipleship involves some or all of the following – meeting with other believers, reading the Bible regularly, praying, going to church, meeting with a mentor, doing a short-course on an aspect of the Christian faith, listening to podcasting preachers, reading Christian books, talking about spiritual things with Christian friends, being involved in a small group, volunteering in a ministry at church and maybe even using Christian buzz words like ‘journey’, ‘organic’, ‘missional’ and ‘emerging’.

Most of these are excellent. They’re great and important. They help us grow in our faith. They allow us to gain a better understanding of the nature of God and the power and presence of Jesus. They help to build real and authentic (OK… another buzz word) community and inspire us into a deeper faith.

Yet, when I look at the discipleship ‘journey’ that Jesus took with 12 young guys, I wonder if we’re missing something in the discipleship package we’re sold today. Yes they prayed together, ate together, were part of a mentoring relationship and listened to cracker sermons (from Jesus Himself!). But all of this happened within the context of a much larger picture. There was a purpose that led to something greater than their own faith development: the faith of others. AKA Mission.

From the outset Jesus equipped, prepared, challenged and released His followers into mission.

It was mission-focused discipleship.

A discipleship that was geared more towards the needs of others than their own. It was a kind of discipleship that required them to be active and to work out their faith in the daily grind. It was this kind of discipleship that grew some uneducated country fishermen into ‘missionaries’ committed to spreading the Good News to people who hadn’t heard it. Mission was not an added, optional, “Would you like fries with that?”’ extra. Rather, it was completely integrated into their discipleship. Just like your veggie patch needs light, food and water to survive, our discipleship is nurtured, fed and grown by engagement with others in mission.

Discipleship is the vital activity of believers around the world. In fact, it’s the model of mission Jesus has given us from the start. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 emphasises the making of disciples as the primary activity for believers. Jesus Himself showed us the way as He led His disciples, while in Acts and throughout the rest of the New Testament believers continued to grow their faith in all the different places and cultures they lived in.

I wonder what part mission plays in your understanding and experience of discipleship? It may mean joining a new sporting team or club or being more intentional with your time, resources and language at uni, work or mother’s group or engaging with other cultures to see where God is already working and how you might be able to join Him.

If the job that Jesus left us with is really about being disciples who make disciples, then it applies whether we are here in Australia or in a far corner of the world. If we follow Jesus’ model of discipleship, then no matter the number of books we read, sermons we listen to or mentoring sessions we slot into our week, something will always be missing if it isn’t wrapped up in mission. And while this can seem impossibly daunting, even simple things like starting a soccer match or joining a Tai Chi class can be used by God not only to make more disciples but to help deepen our own experience as disciples as well.

Originally published in Resonate (ed. 20), a publication of Global Interaction.

September 17, 2018
Day 13 – You Are A Follower
“Come, follow me…” (Matthew 4:19)

A disciple is someone who follows another.

When Jesus was hanging around earth in human form he collected 12 disciples. Each one he called to follow him, and as they travelled with him they got to know him more and more. This was typical of the day. Rabbi’s, Jewish teachers of the Law and Prophets, would have a group of followers, a group of disciples, who they would teach. In the case of Jesus, he choose people who weren’t typically considered disciple material. Lacking in education, and not well versed in the scriptures, Jesus’s disciples would not be people normally associated with a Rabbi. Yet, Jesus doesn’t do things that people would expect, does he?

Today, we are expected to lead from the front. You may even hear the term ‘self-leadership’. This means that we are to take responsibility for our own learning, growth, and decisions, and lead ourselves. We’re not people who are to follow others but are to follow our own dreams, passions, and feelings.

From a young age we’re told we can do whatever we want. We can do anything in life, whether that be career, study, or sport. We’re constantly told that the most central and important person in the world is us. And with that comes the expectation we are to forge our own path in life.

For some this comes in the form of not following the advice and desire of parents. The rebellious nature of adolescence, pressures of school and family too, can bring about feelings of resentment. Instead, some decide to follow their own path out of spite, in direct opposition to what their parents would believe is the best for them or approve of.

Others recognise they have a particular passion and gifting in an area and seek to pursue that until they have reached a level of success others around them will never attain. The pressure of popularity, being better than others, and comparison, can drive people to work hard at following their passions and desires.

And then, of course, there is the chase of wealth. The pursuit of money and riches is easily one of the defining pressures of our day. Wealth and perceived success is a certain driver for many decisions and career choices.

When we look at Jesus we see he chose people who were ordinary. He didn’t choose those who were the best at their craft or artistry. He didn’t choose them because of their wealth or potential success. No, Jesus chose some average and ordinary men to come and follow him.

In Melbourne we support our football teams with passion. We’ve all seen those supporters who go the extra mile. They buy the membership and all the gear–the jumper, the scarf, the hat, the badges. They have their seat at the ground. And they follow the players and team constantly.

In some ways these kinds of supporters put many believers to shame. Why don’t we follow Jesus with the same passion and support as these football supporters? Often we find ourselves dragged down by what life throws at us. But considering we know what Jesus has done for us through the cross shouldn’t we be the ones who are passionately and actively following him?

Following Jesus isn’t always easy. That was never the deal when we committed our lives to following Jesus. Following Jesus may bring with it a fair bit of struggle. People may not like us, we may not be popular, we may have to sacrifice wealthy opportunities, but within all that surely we should be passionate about following the one true and almighty God!

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book, The Cost of Discipleship,

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

This means that he calls us to follow him with our all. He calls us to follow him with everything. He calls us to follow him with our lives. Not just part of our lives, or on a particular day of the week. All.

It’s a gripping and scary thought.

But for those of us who believe it resonates and resonates strongly – That we are followers of a great and holy God who through his Son has enabled us to have hope now and for the future.

When we say “yes” to God we are saying we are willing to become a follower.

FOR REFLECTION
- Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus?
- Are there areas in your life that you aren’t following Jesus in?
- That quote by Bonhoeffer, how do you react to that? Are you letting Jesus lead in your life?
This is part of a devotional series called You’re More Than A Number. To understand the purpose of these posts then please read the series introduction. If you’d like these delivered to your inbox, please sign up to follow this blog or my FB page.
January 29, 2018
Recently Read: October 2017

I’ve ploughed through a few books recently. I was hoping to write more detailed reflections on them, but alas, I’ll have to do with these summaries for the moment.

Spiritual Friendship: Finding Love In The Church As A Celibate Gay Christian by Wesley Hill

This is an excellent book. It really outlines a clear and attractive theology of Christian friendship. Friendship, true Christian friendship, and what that means and looks like, is not often talked about in church. This book does a great job describing a vision for friendship that is separate to small talk and serving together in some form of ministry. It is about hospitality, love for the other, and the elevating of friendship to a similar level as we evangelicals enjoy elevating marriage. It really is a profound book with plenty of ideas about how we can be better friends and provide opportunities for friendship in the life of the Christian. Unfortunately, some readers will be put off by the author being gay, celibate, or Christian. In some respects it doesn’t matter how he labels himself, he gives a good treatise on friendship and is a valuable read.

Here I would love to include a couple of quotes, as I underlined heaps of the book, but it was so good that I gave the book away to a close friend. Ironic.

Disappearing Church by Mark Sayers

This seems to be the best I’ve read from Sayers. He pinpoints culture, analyses the way churches have sought to be relevant to culture, and then calls for a coming back to Word and prayer for the Christian and the Christian church. It is excellent in its cultural analysis and provides plenty of food for thought in how to live in a post-Christian, secular society. His main point is that we should be seeking to have a resilient faith, built upon understanding the Word and seeking God in prayer. You can read a more detailed reflection on Disappearing Church here.

The Glue: Relationship As The Connection For Effective Youth Ministry by Mike Stevens

Read this post for a fuller reflection on the book.

As I wrote in an endorsement for the book:

“Whether you are leading a youth ministry in a small or large church The Glue is worth reading and reflecting on. Mike helps you understand the bigger picture of relational discipleship as well as providing detailed ideas to help your youth ministry move forward. This balance is fleshed out further through focussed questions at the end of each chapter, which were certainly helpful for me in processing what I was reading. The Glue is definitely worth reading.”

Discipleship by Mark Dever

Here’s a little book that helps anyone wishing to improve their discipling of others. The obvious case for making disciples is made and then the ‘how-to’s’ are provided. Because I’ve read a lot of Dever, and this kind of discipleship, then I understand how to go about it. For those who are unsure this is a good primer and will provide the foundations and the practical. It’s really as easy as meeting with someone, opening the bible with them, and simply talking and listening to one-another. This should really be a standard text for anyone wishing to disciple/mentor/coach or whatever you want to call it. If I was running an internship or ministry apprenticeship this would be on my reading list.

Here It Is: Coaching, Leadership and Life by Paul Roos

This was a fantastic biography by Paul Roos and gives insight into his coaching and leadership principles as an AFL coach. The fact that I enjoy sport and listening to Roosy on the radio helped me to buy the book in the first place. I kept seeing clear applications to youth ministry in much of his approach so I wrote a little something on that too. Go there for further details about the book.

The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke

I made it through to the 100 page mark and called it quits. It is a well regarded memoir, highlighting the racism and casual racism of Australians in the 1980s to today. I’ve got no criticism of the book, I just didn’t enjoy it and wondered where it was heading.

Strange Days: Life In The Spirit by Mark Sayers

This was full of cultural analysis, as per usual from Sayers. Strange Days is more about living in the tension of the world but seeking to be set apart from the world as a believer. The book examines the biblical text of what it means to live in exile, what it looks like to live in the world today, and then how to think as a Christian in these tension-heightened days. Like Disappearing Church, which I preferred, it is full of ideas, analysis, and application.

Lion by Saroo Brierley

What a memoir! This is the story of Saroo, who became separated from his mother at five years of age. He became lost in Calcutta and was eventually adopted by an Australia couple in Hobart. The story is just phenomenal. It’s an emotional rollercoaster at times, but written in a very positive and encouraging way. It’s a must read. You may have already seen the movie. I haven’t.

What have you read recently?

October 23, 2017