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‘Let no one who is not eager for truth and peace enter here’ (Plato)

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.

The Passion Of The Christ: A Sermon for Good Friday

By and others ⋅ April 8, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

Who’s seen the movie The Passion of Christ? (Perhaps I should have asked ‘How many have not seen it?’). Let’s offer some one-word or single-phrase responses: how did you feel while watching it, and afterwards? Violent? Yes, it’s 126 minutes long, and at least 100 of those minutes graphically portray the torture and death of […]

Homosexuality: An Interview with Jesus

By and others ⋅ February 15, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

An old version of this article was posted to various Usenet newsgroups during the latter months of 1995, and created quite a stir! Note: (January 2012): I’ve done a quick update where my thinking/studying has changed in the last 15 years, following conversations with hundreds of LGBTI friends. Some of you might like to suggest […]

Recent Trends Among Evangelicals [1]

By and others ⋅ February 15, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

(Part One) (Adapted from chapter one of Recent Trends Among Evangelicals by Rowland C.Croucher), 1986/1995. What is an evangelical? There are now, says one evangelical seminary professor on the US west coast, sixteen kinds of ‘evangelicals’! If, as the truism puts it, the only constant thing is change, that dictum is certainly true of evangelicals […]

Books by F.W.Boreham

By and others ⋅ October 6, 2003 ⋅ One comment

Hi Boreham-lovers STOP PRESS: October 2014: I have a couple of dozen Borehams left, including just one booklet: The Little Palace Beautiful  – [email protected] December 2014: Some titles are currently being advertized on eBay. If interested, email [email protected]. Dave will send you the eBay link.     A ‘complete collection’ is usually regarded as the 47 Boreham […]

The Amazing Dawn Rowan Saga

By and others ⋅ October 6, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

She sued the Federal and South Australian Governments, defended herself in a five-month court-case – and won! ~~~ In 1987 the South Australian government ceased funding the Christies Beach womens shelter, due, it said, to ‘unsubstantiated allegations’ of misappropriation of funds, sexual misconduct, intimidation, physical harassment, and unprofessional conduct. Fifteen years later – June 21st […]

Christians Have A Biblical Mandate: Be Political

By and others ⋅ September 11, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

Originally published in The Age (Melbourne), Opinion, September 4, 2003 by Rowan Forster and Rowland Croucher The comments by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer about clergy ‘rushing for cheap headlines’ by getting involved in political statements, and the subsequent debate got us thinking… Barney Zwartz, in his article on meddlesome priests (The Age, Opinion, 2/9), […]

100 Marks Of A Healthy Church

By and others ⋅ June 27, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

ACCOUNTABILITY: EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ANSWERABLE TO SOMEBODY (and who’s accountable to whom in the organisation should be generally known – perhaps, in larger churches, in some sort of church handbook). ‘ADMINISTRY’: GOOD ORGANIZATION IS LIKE GOOD DIGESTION – when it’s good you don’t notice it!. AESTHETICS: GOD IS THE ULTIMATE ARTIST! How appropriately tasteful is […]

Women And Ministry: A Sermon

By and others ⋅ January 5, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

Text: Romans 16: 1 – 27 Caller to American Christian radio talk show: ‘What do you think of Philip’s four daughters who prophesied?’ Guest clergyman: ‘It just means they witnessed for Christ.’ Caller: ‘But why can’t women teach and preach?’ Clergyman: ‘That ministry is for men only and I can give you a very good […]

Shattered Vows

By and others ⋅ January 5, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

(by David Rice, London: Michael Joseph, 1989) It is better that scandals arise than that truth be silenced. St. Gregory the Great The sexuality (or asexuality) and sexual practices (or celibacy) of holy people have always fascinated other mortals. When moralistic televangelists have their adulteries exposed, the news pushes superpower politics to page three. Morris […]

Pastoral Excellence

By and others ⋅ January 5, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

MINISTRY AS EMPOWERMENT by Rowland Croucher (GRID, Summer 1989) It was 10 pm., and the 60-year-old patient would not last the night. She was still conscious so her grieving daughter and I prepared for a bedside vigil. Then a thought: I preach about the ministry of the whole church, so why was I there in […]

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