Tag Archives: jesus

With Christmas less than two weeks away, news reports suggest Christmas spending is at its weakest in four years as shoppers struggle to find the must-have presents to put under the tree. Some blame economic factors such as rising utility costs and slow income growth, others cite the lack of new toys and trinkets in the market to stimulate demand ...

It is arguably the most famous item in Christian iconography but Robin Jensen’s book The Cross attempts to uncover the history behind the crucifix and the controversy behind the symbolism. Nick Mattiske reviews. We associate the cross with Christianity, so it is surprising to note, as Robin Jensen does in this elegantly produced book, that for the first decades, even ...

The Old Testament makes up around 75 per cent of the Bible but is often seen as harsh, confusing and downright problematic in light of current thinking on women, sexuality and violence. Dr Paul Jones explains why embracing the Old is just as vital as the New. Christians affirm the Old Testament as sacred scripture, right? Don’t we? Hmm, sometimes ...

The 33rd Synod in Session of the Uniting Church in Queensland began with a First People’s Welcome from Brent Miller, a member of the Gubbi Gubbi people—the traditional custodians of the land at Alexandra Headland. Opening worship testified to the multicultural and multigenerational richness of the church of the Uniting Church in Queensland with lively worship music from Ami Pole ...

The 2016 National Church Life Survey (NCLS) data results have been released to the public but what do the numbers say about the state of the Uniting Church in Queensland and, more broadly, about Christianity in Australia? Queensland Synod Director of Mission Scott Guyatt investigates. Results from the 2016 National Church Life Survey are filtering through after more than 240 000 ...

Day camps are a great way for children to have fun during school holidays but also learn the Christian message in a safe and supportive environment. This year’s Oxley Uniting Church day camp welcomed Iris and her son Ethan who were attending for the first time. Both reflect on their experiences. Iris School holidays were approaching and I wanted to ...

Watching cars pull over outside Moggill Uniting Church is proof that a strategically placed coffee van and a big red “Open” banner can be unique tools for shaping the Kingdom. Add in friendly faces and the opportunity to catch up with neighbours, and you’re on the road to creating community. Dianne Jensen reports. Rev Melanie Wheeley and the Moggill congregation ...

Not just the stuff of academic discussion papers, we are increasingly confronted in society with the need to distinguish between ethical and legal behaviour and explore the tension between ethics and law. It is true that the space between ethical behaviour expected in our interactions and the law has narrowed but the law has extended its authority into more and ...

The Journey team selects stories that got us talking this week.  Christians start “Faithbook” after social media ban The Christian Post reports on a new social media platform, SocialCross, which is being dubbed as an alternative to Facebook. Created by Christians banned from Facebook for posting controversial statements on LGBT issues, SocialCross currently has 2300 users and is billed as a “Christian site, ...

The Journey team selects stories that got us talking this week.  New faith for true Beliebers? NME has some good news for Christian Justin Bieber fans who feel the current denominations just aren’t serving them enough Bieber-ness in their faith: rumours are the Canadian pop star may start up his own church. The exact source of the rumour is unknown but Richard Wilkins ...