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.

Same-sex marriage: by a former anti-gay Evangelical

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 30, 2014 ⋅ One comment

MARRIAGE IS FOR EVERYBODY, SAYS FORMER ANTI-GAY EVANGELICAL Title: The Bible’s Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical’s Change of Heart Author: Mark Achtemeier Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press Release Date: June 13, 2014 Pages: 144 Mark Achtemeier has been a minister with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) since 1984, and for much of his ministry he […]

Acceptance, Repentance: subject/object relationships

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 28, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

If you put love-before-worth jmm into Google you’ll read three of my most controversial sermons! Excerpts: ~~ From a wedding homily at http://www.jmm.org.au/articles/33687.htm : 2. ACCEPTANCE. This is the basic idea in the Christian concept of ¢â‚¬Ëœgrace ¢â‚¬â„¢. I am loved by God before I change, before I ¢â‚¬Ëœdeserve ¢â‚¬â„¢ to be loved. This love-before-worth […]

Islam: reacting with both truth and love (Mark Durie)

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 27, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

1. Fear and the rhetoric of ‘unprecedented’ barbarity Posted: 26 Sep 2014 03:43 PM PDT By Mark Durie Many leaders have been stating that the Islamic State ¢â‚¬â„¢s actions are ¢â‚¬Ëœunprecedented ¢â‚¬â„¢, ¢â‚¬Ëœextreme ¢â‚¬â„¢, ¢â‚¬Ëœunique ¢â‚¬â„¢, or even ¢â‚¬Ëœeccentric ¢â‚¬â„¢. Western leaders who are intervening in the Syria-Iraq conflict justify their actions by declaring the Islamic State to be uniquely […]

DOUBT: is it good or bad for your faith?

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 21, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at St Paul’s Cathedral last year. Photo: Bloomberg London: The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, has disclosed that he questions whether God exists. Britain’s most senior churchman, who is effectively the leader of almost 80 million Anglicans worldwide, admitted that there are moments when he asks himself […]

BLACKBURN BAPTIST CHURCH: fond memories…

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 15, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

CROSSWAY ¢â‚¬â„¢S 60th (14th September 2014): Some notes in preparation (with four other senior pastors of this church throughout its history) for an interview this Sunday, based on two questions: [1] What was the church’s focus at that time? [2] What do you believe God was doing in the church? Update: (A day later: Monday September 15, […]

Jews, Palestinians and Victimhood…

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ September 1, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

Diversity, hope and strength: Why I’m proud to be Israeli Date August 31, 2014 Dana Amir After the Holocaust, Jews had to choose between being shaped by our victimhood, or behind defined by it… But Palestinians have chosen to be defined by their victimhood… Pro-Israeli activists gathered in Sydney recently. Photo: Daniel Munoz/Getty Images I am […]

My Muslim religion has problems that need fixing

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 29, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

Date August 29, 2014 – 12:00AM Glenn Mohammed Under attack: The Muslim community is quick to stand up and use its democratic right to protest against being singled out. I am an Australian, I am a Muslim. I am an Australian Muslim. The recent actions of the group known as Islamic State have put my […]

U.S. Christianity: ‘How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong.’

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 27, 2014 ⋅ One comment

Bill McKibben: “The Christian paradox: How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong.” The following article came to my attention while viewing Bill Moyer’s interview with New York Times conservative columnist, Ross Douthat. http://billmoyers.com/segment/ross-douthat-on-modern-christian-heretics/ *** Excerpt: “Therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least Christian in its behavior.” […]

‘Happiness’ vs ‘Joy’

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 25, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

¢â‚¬â€¹HAPPINESS AND JOY ARE NOT THE SAME In a memorable Peanuts cartoon Lucy asks Charlie Brown ¢â‚¬ËœDid you ever know anyone who was really happy? ¢â‚¬â„¢ Before she could finish the question Snoopy the dog comes dancing into the next frame. As only Snoopy can he dances his merry way across all frames while Lucy and […]

People-skills: they’re different at work and elsewhere: be careful!

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ August 20, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

A Surprising Way to Ruin Your Personal Life The right tools for one job can blow up another. Published on April 13, 2014 by The Contemporary Psychoanalysis Group in Contemporary Psychoanalysis in Action By David Braucher, L.C.S.W., Ph.D. Many of us literally bring our work home with us, as our smartphones and other devices plug us in 24 […]

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