John Mark Ministries

Articles on this site express varying points of view, to encourage mature thinking on serious issues. The assumption is that you will want to study a controversial topic from various angles before you arrive at a conclusion, rather than simply believe what someone told you when you were impressionable! (So some stuff here is ‘hot’. Proceed at your own risk!). See the Statement of Faith for John Mark Ministries' theological stance.

MY MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ October 11, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

MY MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS ¢â‚¬“ Jan Croucher Living in Boulder (Western Australia) and the third of six children was a fairly secure experience. When I was about twelve years old my father mortgaged our house and bought machinery to mine for gold. Unfortunately this venture ended in disaster, with the mine caving in on top […]

Review: Brian McLaren: A New Kind of Christianity

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 21, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Note: I try to review an important book each week. This is probably the most significant one I’ve ever written. Rowland September 21, 2012 ~~ Brian McLaren: A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions that are Transforming the Faith, (Harper/ H&S, 2010, 2011). How did this man get such theological erudition but has never attended […]

Psalm 27 (The Imperials): Beautiful!

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 14, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CRxFnHJBNo

Gay Issues: Justice Michael Kirby…

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 23, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Last night (Anglican) Trinity College Melbourne hosted the 42nd Barry Marshall Lecture with guest speaker, the Hon Michael Kirby AM CMG. Justice Kirby was, before he retired recently, the longest-serving Australian judge. He was introduced with several minutes’ worth of accomplishments (including, I think, 20 honorary doctorates). My review of one of his books is here. […]

WHEN CHURCH IS EASY: WHEN CHURCH IS HARD (Psalm 84, John 6:56-69)

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 23, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

(Rough notes for a sermon to be preached this Sunday – 26th August 2012 – at St Martin’s Community Church, Collingwood, Melbourne – an amazingly inclusive congregation, founded a couple of decades ago by John Smith/ God’s Squad). First: my preaching/handout notes: St Martin’s Collingwood, Melbourne : WHEN CHURCH IS EASY / HARD. 1.Psalm 84 is a […]

Sexegesis: An evangelical response to ‘Five Uneasy Pieces on Homosexuality’.

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ June 26, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Note from Rowland: Although I have a ‘Progressive Evangelical’ approach to LGBTI issues (I am national chaplain of Freedom2B ) this article, which is both irenic and conservative, is included here for ‘balance’. See here for my views – and others with a similar approach. ~~ 14 Jun 2012 Written by Youthworks Editor An extract […]

Review: Keith Mascord: A Restless Faith: Leaving Fundamentalism in a Quest for God

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ June 6, 2012 ⋅ 3 comments

(Note: These are my personal responses, and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone else associated with John Mark Ministries.) Keith Mascord: A Restless Faith: Leaving Fundamentalism in a Quest for God (Xlibris Corporation, 2012). The well-known ‘curate’s egg’ analogy – good in parts – may apply to Sydney more than to any other […]

Clergy Self-Care (Roy Oswald)

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ June 1, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

‘Unfortunately, the majority of us clergy were sent to our places of ministry with a minimal amount of support or training in spiritual formation. Somehow, between courses in theology and the Bible, plus daily chapel attendance, we budding pastors were supposed to develop into spiritual giants. Yet, in the three years I spent in a […]

Humo[u]r

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ April 30, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

An online friend sent me these (so don’t blame me if they’re corny/whatever :-)! God doesn’t believe in Atheists. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Earth is 98% full…please delete any politicians or bureaucrats you can. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX As I have said before, I never repeat myself. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Q: Why did Dracula fail art class? A: Because […]

Richard Rohr, A Lever and a Place to Stand

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ April 3, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Richard Rohr, A Lever and a Place to Stand: The Contemplative Stance, the Active Prayer (2011: The World Community of Christian Meditation). My friends tell me that one of the memories they take away from my Leadership Seminars ¢â‚¬“ and sometimes my preaching – is a few of ¢â‚¬ËœCroucher ¢â‚¬â„¢s Global Statements ¢â‚¬â„¢. OK, (give a dog […]

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