Most nights when my family sits around the table eating tea, we talk about our days. Tweet Most nights when my family sits around the table eating tea, we talk about our days. My 14-year-old son Micah generally shares about what sport he played during lunchtime, and groans with despair if he’s had a double…

“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:6) Anyone who knows me must feel like I sound like a broken record when I go on and on about the need for…

The depth of these young people and their desire to know more about God, themselves and others was astounding. At a time where Integrity in leadership is being questioned all over the world, I spent 3 days with 21 young people who gave me hope in our future leaders. Recently we ran a “Spiritual Retreat” called…

What legacy are you building today? What will be passed onto the next generation because you have lived? I was at a funeral just recently of a man who walked with God his whole life. He was what I would call a SAGE of the faith, and there are not as many of them in…

If we give our love away so easily, how will we ever understand the pure love God longs for us to have with Him: not multiple Gods, just one jealous God who wants ALL of us! The Devil revels in watering down that kind of love. As I sat and watched one of my favourite…

Below are the ideas and highlights collected from discussions groups at our October Here2Stay event around each of the 8 principles/pillars for encouraging lifelong faith. The discussion groups were context-based: ie parents; church leadership; and two mixed groups of children & schools ministry leaders, Para church organisations & those interested in intergenerational ministry. Mission Engagement:…

For each of us and our children, the journey and challenges will be different. Whether it is issues of sexuality, career options, belief systems, self-perception, narcissism or something else, there will certainly be times in our lives when we move from “one passage to another” and if not done well, it can stunt our growth…

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20 The door opens and they drift in over time. Some bring much, some bring nothing, some bring home cooked , some bring frozen, some come late. All is acceptable and appreciated and there is always an abundance. Some…

Little did I know how powerful this experience was going to be for so many. How unprepared was I for what God was going to teach us all about His love and protection just through 4 little sheep Just recently, on a camp I was running with kids, we were teaching about how Jesus is…

Sometimes speaking into a person’s life doesn't have to be a hard thing to do, sometimes it takes simply writing a few intentional thoughts on a piece of paper. My son turned 18 last year. A rite of passage that is to be celebrated. And we did celebrate it in a number of ways, but there…

It is so easy to make assumptions, to think you know better and even to make judgements when you sit on the sidelines and observe.    I was in a situation recently where I wasn't leading at a camp but simply observing from the outside..... It was a camp for troubled kids and their behaviour…

It is a strange place to find yourself; as a parent of a teenager. To discover suddenly that what was acceptable communication yesterday is not today. I want to ask "who flipped the switch?"   It is a strange place to find yourself; as a parent of a teenager. To discover suddenly that what was…

Tim Walter, Children's and Family Pastor at Epping Church of Christ shares what is happening in his faith community   I just wanted to update you on the Here 2 Stay principles that we are exploring at Epping Church of Christ. 3 weeks ago during the usual family value segment (kids spot) we utilised this time to…

I wonder how you eat spring rolls? I have always loved spring rolls, but I had never tasted spring rolls like in Hanoi, Vietnam, until this year. I think I have been spoiled for life now I wonder how you eat spring rolls? I have always loved spring rolls, but I had never tasted spring…

What do you do as a family when faced with challenging times? The sad thing is that most people’s response to is to avoid it at all costs. To separate, give space, isolate, stay comfortable. Today this has become easier and easier to do. One Christmas our little Aussie family UNIT decided to travel to the…

While there is important strength to be found in the community of faith and being with others that spur us on, our encounters with the Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit must be our own. Our encounters with Jesus must be our own. A Christian will not get very far on someone else’s encounters.  This…

 It is natural to go back to what you know when you are not sure of the future. It is during these times of uncertainty that the right mentoring and coaching is vital to anyone’s life.   A few of Jesus disciples were back fishing only a week after Jesus had died and risen again and…

When the facts are clear that Australians are decreasingly NOT going to Church any more, and many churches are ageing and decreasing rapidly, surely we need to be asking, as I am sure McDonalds did many years ago, how can we attract a wider clientele and meet the needs of the community, so more people…

When I look at the families in the Bible I love that they don’t try to mask or hide anything. All the dysfunction, the lies, the deceit, the pain and the forgiveness and healing is all out there for all to see. There is a new movement in faith communities around the world called ‘Messy…

I believe that if we could get into the rhythm of “BOTH/AND” we could get the best of both worlds There has been much discussion in the Church about whether we should be all together across the ages or whether we should be in divided age groupings. There are positives and negatives for both camps.…

If we are going to see TRANSFORMATION in people’s lives, it must start first in us. What kind of neighbour are you? I am sure I am not the only one that has gone to the shop with the intention of buying one thing and coming back out with an armful....... Today I had a…