Forget the Channel

Recently, I had the joy of spending time with some ministers in an area of Sydney where Anglican churches are growing and thriving. Several of the ministers had participated in church consultations that used an outcomes-oriented framework based on solid gospel convictions and utilising organisational systems theory. The consultations had helped the ministry teams accurately measure their present s...

Tensions are very high in our community at the moment. Take the illegal anti-lockdown protest on 23 July 2021 in Sydney. The protesters were expressing a fear and anger that’s clearly present amongst many. They were wrong to express it in this way. But you can feel it, can’t you? I know right now many of us are feeling the frustration. Some of us are in almost impossible situations: climbing the w...

"There was a widespread view expressed by participants that within [the church] culture there was an over-emphasis on sin and an under-emphasis on grace". The report describes how this grace problem permeated the culture. It affected membership commitment expectations, views of authority, pastoral care, and more. And yet, the thing is: Nobody would deny that this church believed in grace. They pre...

In gospel ministry and Bible teaching, if you’re not committed to the right goal, or if you have the wrong goal, it’s not just a matter of being ineffective: you’ll be downright dangerous. So what is that goal? What are you seeking to achieve in your gospel ministry and Bible teaching - now and in the future? And how would you know if you’d done it right? This passage in 1 Timothy 1:1–11 speaks to...

A 75 minute video course in the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans designed for church members and leaders. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

This is a story about a scholarly myth and how I had the chance to bust it. I’m talking here about a small but significant 20th century biblical translation: “call yourself” instead of “are called” in Romans 2:17. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

A one-hour audio seminar with principles and ideas for preaching the biblical books 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus ("Pastoral Epistles") From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

In this 3-part series, I speak with my colleague Chris Thomson, lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College, who has engaged in detailed research in this area as well as scholarly discussions with others, including N. T. Wright. We talk about what the terms mean, what other people are saying today about the terms, why righteousness is […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

In this 3-part series, I speak with my colleague Chris Thomson, lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College, who has engaged in detailed research in this area as well as scholarly discussions with others, including N. T. Wright. We talk about what the terms mean, what other people are saying today about the terms, why righteousness is […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

Martin Luther famously wrote about justification by faith: “if this article stands, the church stands; if this article collapses, the church collapses” (Luther’s Works 40/3.352.3). Justification matters. Why? Because it is caught up with our status before God, our assurance of eternal life, and our freedom to live the Christian life in love for others and […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Wind...

The figure of Jacob, in the pages of the Old Testament book of Genesis, is a fascinating character. The man who became known as “Israel” was in so many ways a scoundrel, yet he received God’s superabundant blessing, and through him and his descendant Jesus Christ, that blessing came to all the nations of the […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

What does the Bible have to say to a world in crisis? In my latest Iso-Chat, I speak to my friend and colleague George Athas about the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is about a crisis—a crisis involving disaster, despair and death. In the end, it is a theological crisis of confidence in God’s […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

I have a chat to Mark Earngey, Head of the Church History Department and lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore College, about his public online lecture “Protestants and Plagues”. Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

The words of the angel on that first Easter Day, “He has risen! He is not here” (Mark 16:6) are full of comfort and hope. That is especially true as Christians celebrate Easter in 2020, under Covid-19 restrictions. As we are physically absent from one another, the angel’s words show us that there is a […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

What does it mean for God to be judge? How does this square with the biblical picture of God as compassionate? Sometimes we can adopt a one-dimensional view of God—a view that assumes that either God is wrathful, or that God is compassionate, but that he cannot be both. I chat with Andrew Shead, head […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

Principal of Moore College, Mark Thompson, talks about how the College is faring in this season of Covid-19 restrictions. Mark shares some encouraging stories of Christian love and mission amongst students and staff, describes how we have adapted our face-to-face learning to a temporary “online” mode, and asks us to pray for Moore in the […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

The serious problem of domestic abuse in our community is exacerbated by Covid-19 social isolation restrictions. While extra funding for shelters, helplines, counsellors, etc. is very important when it comes to providing help in these circumstances, Christian communities also have a significant role to play. I speak with Louise Cunningham from Emu Plains Anglican church, […] From Forget the Channe...

The current global pandemic is prompting people throughout our world to think apocalyptic thoughts. Whether it’s a recent New York Times op ed piece seeking to find “moral meaning” and redemption stories in our suffering, or Christians seeking the signs of the end of the world, big picture thinking is everywhere. I speak to my […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

As measures to contain Covid-19 are put into effect, many of us find ourselves in stressful situations. Some need to live in close quarters with others for long periods of time; for others, social contact is almost exclusively online. As a result, the Christian virtue of gentleness is more important than ever. I have an […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

A quick request to all my subscribers, to ask if you'd be willing to help others find out about the podcast by rating it, reviewing it, or sharing it. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

“Culture shock is what happens when you move from one culture to another, and all your ways of dealing with the world become compromised by the changes you’re going through… That’s complicated and it’s exhausting. And that’s what everyone is going through right now. We have new ways of greeting people, we have new languages, […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

We’re living in crazy, tumultuous times. Covid-19 is forcing us to make radical changes in our lives, changes which inevitably take an emotional toll on us. I had a chat to Paul Grimmond, Dean of Students at Moore College, about what he has been doing over the last few weeks here at Moore to help […] From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

Recent measures to curb Covid-19 have had a deep impact on our churches. What is church when we can’t gather? From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

I spoke with my colleague at Moore College, Dan Wu, thinking about how Christians might display love towards others in an age of necessary isolation. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor

As efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic ramp up, we are yet again faced with the reality of how fragile and uncertain our lives and communities are. Do you feel secure? Here is a passage from the Bible that speaks directly to this question. From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor