• Loosing my Religion, or I believe in a Better Way

    NiallSeptember 10, 2008

    To help set the mood for this post and the title, here are a couple of songs and their amazing videos to enjoy.

    The first is REM - Loosing My Religion

    Secondly, Ben Harper - I Believe in a Better Way
    (more…)

    Posted in Australia, Blogging, Church, Grace, Jesus, Personal, Social Justice, book, church planting, croydon, oikos, prayer |
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    Becoming Anabaptist…

    NiallJuly 4, 2008

    I have found myself lately considering my own faith and where is it is leading me.

    I grew up in the church of Christ (non-denominational/accapella) where my father was a minister for a few years in Brisbane. So, for a couple of years we lived in USAmerica while he studied to become a minister with the churchof Christ. While, most of the folk I have met along my journey in the cofC have been wonderful, caring and loving folk, I must say that the cofC as a whole is very legalistic and extremely conservative. There are even a couple of unwritten beliefs that when expressed publically get denied.

    Anyway, now as I approach forty and have travelled away from the cofC, done the Forge internship, and continue to read, pray and explore, I do find myself identifying more and more with the Anabaptist’s. I have been lent some great material from Bessie at Oikos about the Anabaptist’s which I am thoroughly enjoying.

    I must admit that a small part of me still says No! It’s not the Church of Christ! Silly, I know! So, I continue to explore and question, pray and read, talk and listen to wiser ones than I. I believe that some of the reasons for identifying more with the Anabaptist’s has a lot to do with the stripping away of the man-made crap that has become religion and the church in the last few centuries (Pagan Christianity by Barna and Viola was a great read and help in this area)! Social justice and following Jesus as a disciple are other reasons for identifying with them.

    But, at this stage, I also find myself going to a post-modern but kinda tradiitonal we’re-not-offcially-baptist-but-are-baptist church.

    I’ll write more about this as I can. But as for prayers and any comments you may have!

    Posted in Church, Jesus, Personal, life, prayer |
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