seeing in a mirror dimly

Well, we’re back! Season 3 is officially here, and there’s plenty of shnouncements to kick the episode off with!

Steve and I head up to the Moore College Podcast room and chew the fat with none other than the brilliant jazz saxophonist, Richard MaeGraith!

Richard’s a great guy, and a fella who Steve and I had the privilege of studying with at Moore College.  Now he’s headed over to SMBC to correct all the mistakes he learnt with us

In this interview, Steve and I hear all about Richard’s background: how he grew in love for Jesus, how he navigated between a professional career with jazz music and his love for Christian ministry, and how he’s now kicking off a church plant for muso’s in Marrickville! His website is over here if you’re keen to check it out: http://www.richardmaegraith.com/

Plenty of gold here – especially hearing how a love for music has transpired into service for God with music.  And of course, plenty (and I mean plenty) of rambling banter from your favourite larrikins, us.

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Well, the banter’s back.  And our esteemed guest, Rev. Andrew Thorburn can sure match us in banter.

Andrew’s a really great bloke who Steve knows from the good old days at St. Andrew’s, Wahroonga.  These days, Andrew Thorburn is enjoying greener pastures working for Anglican Youthworks, and specialising in Schools Ministry.  Exciting stuff!

In this podcast, we get to know Andrew a bit, and get to hear lots of great things that the Lord is doing in schools around NSW.  One very interesting item of discussion is the current debate over the St. James Ethics trials which are taking place in our schools.  Andrew outlines what’s going on, and why it’s threatening the place of Special Religious Education (SRE), or as it’s often called, Scripture.  He gives us some good tips on how to get involved.  One of which, is a why for Church planters to link into Schools and use them as great platforms for reaching the community. Great stuff here.

All up, Andrew’s a great guy to listen and learn from.  With a wealth of experience, and great insight, he’s a bloke well worth listening to! (dunno about Steve and I though – we just like bantering as we learn!)

Also:
As mentioned in the podcast, the Anglican Church League is holding an excellent panel discussion over the SRE vs. Ethics issue.  Speakers include: Bryan Cowling (CEO Anglican Education Commission), Karin Sowada (CEO of the Anglican Deaconess Institution), Russell Powell (CEO Anglican Media), Zac Veron (CEO Anglican Youthworks), Janet Simpson (Scripture Teacher and Youthworks Executive).  7.30pm, Thursday 15th July, 2010. Come and join me there! Details here.

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This is a cracker of a podcast! Punk music, Latin, Skateboarding, Christology, Purple hair, Impassibility, and Haggis – all in one episode!

Seumas MacDonald, a great bloke whom I’m had the pleasure of meeting recently joins us on this podcast.  Seumas is currently undertaking his MTh at Moore Theological College and is putting his Latin skills to use as he studies through St. John Chrysostom’s sermons! I’ve found Seumas to be a really lovely and thoughtful bloke who has a serious love of theology – check out his blog here.  And his recently installed languages blog here.

In this podcast, we discuss how Seumas came to faith in Christ, find out a bit about St. John Chrysostom, and delve into the subject of Impassibility: Does God Suffer? Really great thoughts and insights from Seumas, and I heartily recommend his thoughts and suggestions on how to think Christologically.

Read:
Seumas has some follow-up thoughts from the podcast.  Great resources particularly on the subject of Impassibility.

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PS:
I have no idea what happened at 34:52.  It sounds we were possessed for 5 seconds.  But I can assure you that it probably has more to do with the encoding of the file!

Ok folks, here’s a cracker poddy with an absolutely top bloke: Adrian Foxcroft.

He’s a good mate of Steve and mine from Moore College, and is aiming to work in the Anglican diocese of Sydney.  Particularly though, Adrian (“The Fox”) is keen for youth minstry and aims to spend his ministry life doing just that.  I’ve got tonnes of time for a bloke who’s keen and passionate about dedicating himself to a particular ministry, and so this interview is great and encouraging!

We get to know The Fox a bit, but spend a bunch of time chatting about his  latest endeavor to reach out to young guys and girls: The Nugget.   It’s a short Vodcast (Video-cast) which can be found in the New and Notable section on iTunes, and also from Podomatic.  Basically, Fox’s aim to give you a “Nugget” of gold from the Bible and unpack it for you – all in less than 5 minutes! It’s great.  Engaging.  Simple.  Applicable.  And fun.  Check it out!

Also, we give a bunch of overdue shoutouts, and have some hilarious banter.  Enjoy!

The Nugget:
http://thenugget.podomatic.com/

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This is a cracker of a podcast! Steve and I get to interview the one and only Rev. Dr. Bill Salier!

Bill is the Vice-Principal of Moore Theological College, and one of the New Testament faculty.  Married to Sue, and with three daughters, Bill has a special interest in John’s Gospel and letters and is currently thinking about the language of sonship, family and adoption through the Bible and the use of the Old Testament in John’s Gospel.  He’s a great and wise brother, and also has a great sense of humour (see: Flash Salier!)

In this podcast, Bill tells Steve and I about how he became a Christian, and what led him subsequently into Christian ministry, and then theological education.  Beyond that, we get stuck into a bit about John’s Gospel and what Bill finds so interesting about it.  Bill also reflects upon some of the trials and tests involved with theological training and gives a few stories of what urged him on, and gave him assurance during his own studies.

Perhaps what is most striking is that Bill supports the Manly Sea Eagles.  Whilst this blogger is a North Sydney Bears fan (they’ll be back in 2012!), this podcast is a true example of Christian unity despite serious differences

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Well this is a first for the poddy! We’re begetting another poddy!

Yes, that’s right.  As of later this week, the first episode of Dwarfs and Giants will be launched.   Run by Angus Courtney, this podcast will be an 8-10 minute yarn about some interesting ways in which pop-culture, theology and history intersect.  Topics like Freedom, Art, J.S. Bach, and many others will be discussed as we realise why we are like dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giant thinkers who have come before us!

In this Pilgrim’s Podcast – we interview Gus, finding out about his interests and why he’s launching this podcast.  Gus is a recently married, good fella who currently attends St. Phillip’s York Street.  He’s got enthusiasm, passion and genuine love for the Lord Jesus.  And my guess is that if you get to listen to Gus on this interview, you’ll be hooked by his upcoming podcasts!

Coming up next week: Rev. Dr. Bill Salier, from Moore College!

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This is a world first for the podcast – a truly international recording via skype!

Steve and Claire Gardner have headed over to the Holy Land for a holiday, and they are spending roughly 3 weeks visiting places such as Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel.  How awesome!

So aswell as just catching up with each other, Steve and I decided to record a skype via the web! In this skype, Steve tells us all about what it’s like over there.  Some of the fascinating people he’s met.  And some of the opportunities (like getting offered a job!) and sadnesses of visiting countries in which a vibrant Christianity is almost extinct.  Oh, and we also discuss the icons which Steve is bringing back…*

It’s a great poddy, and I’m sure you’ll find it great to hear about the Holy Land.

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* Please don’t tell The Ministry Training and Development (MT&D) arm of our Diocese

Warning: This was one rowdy podcast!

Steve and I sat down and chewed the fat with Dave Miers.  Hailing from the Central Coast (home of the Bears NRL team coming in 2012), Dave currently studies theology with Steve and myself at Moore Theological College.  He’s got a whole lot of youth ministry under his belt from working at CCEC, and is a keen thinker and passionate guy who loves Jesus.  In fact, if you’re up at Katoomba Youth Convention (KYCK) this year you’ll see and hear him as he preached the Word to us.  He’s a top bloke, and a fella who I’m glad to be spending eternity with.

In this cracker of an episode, we have a whole lot of banter.  That’s a given.  But Dave talks to us about his story in becoming a Christian, and he tells us a little about his passion for youth ministry.  What’s the highlight (in my opinion!) of this episode that Dave shares with us what he thinks about Humble Orthodoxy.  Not being arrogant jerks who have the truth.  Nor being softies who love anything, except the truth.  It’s both: humble orthodoxy.

Get into it. It’s a great podcast!

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This is one outstanding interview – a must listen to for young and old!

Steve Chong is the Lead Pastor of Kirkplace Presbyterian Church in Kogarah.  It’s awesome.  Totally new building, excellent design, powerful facilities and very thoughtful and principled use of space.  Steve Gardner and I were totally blown away.

Steve Chong is also the Director of RICE – a youth evangelism initiative which saw over 300 young men and women respond to Christ last year at the Entertainment Centre rally.

In this hilarious interview, both Steves and myself have a truly wonderful time thinking about God, His people and His work in the world.  Firstly, we get to know a bit about the history of Kirkplace – the wonderful blessing it is, yet the fear and trembling which Steve Chong feels as the one responsible for this gift.  Next, we get to delve into Steve’s life a bit – his background, and when things really kicked on for him in the faith.

The core of this interview has to do with ministry.  Steve has some paradigm-changing ideas on how to enable and equip members of church to do the Lord’s work – and it revolves around spiritual gifts and vocation.  Chong’s Triperspectival idea of gifts, need, and desires is something which seems similar to John Frame’s Triperspectivalism, so naturally, I’m drawn to it!  On similar things, see Tim Keller’s use of Frame’s Tri-perspectivalism.

Lastly, we spend some time talking about the men who have most influenced Steve.  Al Stewart, Mark Driscoll and Matt Chandler are spoken of fondly, and it is refreshing to hear about these men as fallible men like us.  Yet all three have been able to open up, share and impact Steve.  In fact, this is what Steve appreciates most about their relationships, and it’s a great thing to be encouraged by.

Have a listen.  Do learn.  And thank the Lord for the wonderful work He is doing.  Oh, and of course there’s plenty of shnouncements!

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Luther:

“Therefore I advise no one to enter any religious order or the priesthood, indeed, I advise everyone against it – unless he is forearmed with this knowledge and understands that the works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they may be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks, but that all works are measured before God by faith alone.”  Martin Luther from The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520)

Ok, the podcast season is well and truly underway! Steve and I are hard at it, and this current podcast is a cracker!

Recorded on his birthday (see below** for David’s happy birthday song recorded on location by his kids!), Steve and I had the pleasure of interviewed Rev. David Ould, of St. Augustine’s Neutral Bay (known also as the church where Kate Haggar attends).  In this episode, we get a real window into the state of some churches in England as David recounts his journey of faith as a child.  We find out a bit about what are the trials and joys of working on Sydney’s wealthy North Shore.

But the heart of this interview is the fascinating discussion surrounding the Liberalism currently infecting the Anglican Communion.  David shares with us his involvement in Stand Firm in the Faith, a website dedicated to communicating the news of different problems within the Anglican Communion – particularly concerning the rise of Liberalism.  We also discuss some theological battles being fought in Africa and other parts of the world (this, by the way is a MUST HEAR for any Sydney Anglicans).  And lastly, David shares with us some ways to begin to get involved, or support our brothers and sisters abroad.

Listen in, enjoy and pray!

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** David’s Happy Birthday Song:
Download: Happy Birthday