Some Australian capital cities are built on beautiful waterways. Sydney Harbour is rated as one of the most picturesque harbours in the world. Perth stands on the beautiful Swan River. The Brisbane River snakes around the Queensland capital and provides stunning views of its high-rise offices, apartment buildings and parklands. However, our own Torrens River... Continue Reading →
Guiding into Faith (Galatians 3:23-29)
Getting a driver’s license is a significant step on the journey from childhood to becoming an adult. While many things have changed over the years in how we get our driver’s licenses, what hasn’t changed is the need to have an experienced driver guiding the learner in how to drive a car safely. To do... Continue Reading →
The Spirit of Truth (John 14:8-17,25-27)
Most of us would have done a True or False test at some stage in our lives. These tests are simple: we are presented with a statement and asked to say if it is true or not. For example, we would say that “3x3=9” is mathematically true. The statement that European settlement in South Australia... Continue Reading →
Knowing God Better (Ephesians 1:15-23)
When we meet people for the first time, usually the first thing we might learn about them is their name. After that, to get to know them better, we might ask about what they do, where they are from, or what football team they support. Since living in the Barossa Valley, I’ve learned that people... Continue Reading →
Turning Around (Luke 13:1-9)
If you drive from Greenock towards Nuriootpa along Sir Condor Laucke Way, you go over a bridge which crosses the Sturt Highway. Just before you reach the bridge, there is a sign on the exit ramp from the highway facing the Nuriootpa-Greenock Road which reads, “Wrong Way. Go Back.” Hopefully you will never see this... Continue Reading →
Tested Love (Luke 4:1-13)
In a few messages this year I have explored the point of view that the heart of the Christian message is Jesus’ new command to his disciples: to love one another the way that he has loved us (John 13:34). St Paul tells us that the only thing that counts in the Christian life is... Continue Reading →
The Golden Rule (Luke 6:27-36)
A couple of weeks ago we talked about the heart of the Christian message being love: trusting God’s love for us in Jesus and loving others the way Jesus loved us. One way the Bible describes this love is 1 Corinthians 13. We talked about growing in our capacity to love others in 1 Corinthians... Continue Reading →
Giving Thanks in Good and Bad (Philippians 4:4-9)
It has been a tough year for farmers and grape growers in the Barossa Valley. Poor seasonal rain, a couple of severe frosts and challenging market conditions has made life really difficult. Over the last six months or more I’ve heard stories of people having almost nothing to show for the year’s work as they... Continue Reading →
Missional Listening (Luke 5:1-11)
How well do you receive advice from others? Sometimes we can find it hard to receive advice. We might think that we know what we’re doing, or that we want to work out problems or challenges by ourselves. However, when we are facing a problem we’ve never confronted before, when the challenge seems too overwhelming,... Continue Reading →
Back to Basics (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell stories of conversations Jesus had with people about the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28). Jesus quoted the Old Testament when he said that the greatest command is to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), and to love our... Continue Reading →