The vision night for our church got me thinking about how we set goals.
What’s the vision of your church? Do you have an annual goal-setting time when leaders reveal targets for the coming year and call people to get behind them?
The church where I serve gave a very different vision presentation last night. Missing were all the usual goals for greater attendance, giving, and volunteerism as a measure of the people’s buy-in of church programmes.
Enrol now for 2020.
Update 2021-02-07: Riverview College is not operating at present (COVID).
If you’re in Perth and serious about serving Jesus, would you consider devoting a year to learning how to do it well?
In twelve months at Riverview College, you could have:
The Diploma studies are your deep-dive into the Bible, theology, practical skills, and personal development: six hours of lectures each Thursday. On Wednesdays you’ll be engaged with the Riverview staff, soaking up the leadership masterclasses, and serving in the internship. There are also assessments to complete for the Diploma, and you will be serving in a ministry team on the weekends as well.
This Facebook video is your invitation.
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
When you relate to God, are you usually thinking of the Father, the Son, or the Spirit? Which one do you need to know more about?
Is Holy Spirit someone’s name? How do you relate to this person named Holy Spirit? How do we do life with him? How does he help us relate to other people?
Join me live for some Bible study and discussion over six Monday evenings, covering: Continue reading “Holy Spirit and You (free course)”
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Interested in Psalms? Join me for a free course if you’re in Perth. Two sessions (7–9 pm) each Monday evening for six weeks (29 July – 2 Sep 2019). Continue reading “Free course: Psalms”
If you’re chilling this evening, watch this Mother’s Day message by Tim Healy. The best message I’ve heard this year is live for just 24 hours (12 May 2019) on Riverview’s Facebook page.
Update 2019-05-19: New links:
– Video (MP4, 5000 MB)
– Audio (MP3, 33 MB)
The Lord’s Prayer. Free evening course in Perth, Western Australia
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Want to be intentional about prayer? Want to pray in partnership with what God wants?
Join me for six Monday evenings here in Perth, as we learn from Jesus how to pray. Continue reading “Developing your prayer life”
Update 2021-02-07: Riverview College is not operating at present (COVID).
Could you spend 2019 developing the knowledge and skills you need for Christian ministry?
Riverview College is offering an accredited Diploma of Ministry (10574NAT), with leadership classes and internship opportunities giving you a hands-on experience of practical ministry in one of the church’s departments.
We’d love to meet you, share all the details and answer your questions at the information night: 7pm 5 December 2018.
If you can’t wait, the Riverview College website has information about the courses, college life, and things you might want to know, so you can apply.
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Bibleview is a free Bible reading app that gives you two chapters of Scripture each day, along with an Observation (what it meant), Application (what it means to us), and Prayer (responding to what God said).
It takes you through the New Testament every year, and the Old every two years. You complete a book before going to another (except for Psalms). Each quarter you read a gospel, some epistles, some Torah and history, some Psalms, and some prophets — a balanced diet.
Bonus tips: Continue reading “Bibleview”
Let’s talk about being good news.
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Know some good news? Like to share it?
Over the next 6 weeks, I’ll be taking a small class on why the gospel of Jesus is good news for God’s world, and how to share it so people experience good news. If you’re in Perth and would like to join me, this is your invitation.
Want to discover what Riverview College offers? Join us Tuesday evening, 29 May 2018.
Update 2021-02-07: Riverview College is not operating at present (COVID).
Want the low-down on the new Riverview College? Join us for the Information Night at Riverview Burswood, 7 pm Tuesday 29 May 2018.
We’ll explain how you can gain a Diploma of Ministry (10574NAT), along with internship experience and leadership workshops.
We’ll explain the content, entry requirements, time commitment, fees, internship opportunities, dates and times. And we’ll take your questions.
Did you hear about the new college in Perth?
Update 2021-02-07: Riverview College is not operating at present (COVID).
At last I can break the news that Riverview Church is launching a college in July.
Riverview College offers adults a formal qualification and hands-on experience:
Want to know more about Jesus? Join us for 6 Monday evenings in Perth, Western Australia.
If you’re in Perth, I invite you to join me for six Monday evenings to enrich our understanding of Jesus. Continue reading “Face to face in Perth”
When God experienced our pain, he was restoring our joy.
There’s the grief you feel when you hoped your team would win, and they lost.
Then there’s deep grief — the grief you feel when you lose someone.
Jesus’ disciples faced that grief. They expected him to save the world. Jesus had a brave agenda for a new world, an agenda that challenged the people in power.
They expected a showdown, but they didn’t expect Jesus to lose. They didn’t expect him to lose his life.
Ever heard the Book of Exodus as a kingdom-of-God story? You can now.
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
The Book of Exodus is the story of the first nation to be liberated from human rule and established as a kingdom under God’s direct rule.
YHWH becomes their king when he liberates his people (Ex 1 – 14), enters into covenant with them (Ex 15 – 25), and comes to live among them (Ex 25 – 40). Continue reading “Free course in Perth: Exodus”
You’re invited to a free training course in Perth, over the next six weeks.
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
If you’re in Perth, Western Australia, come and bathe in the good news of who Jesus is and the astounding difference he’s making to set everything right in his world.
We’ll talk about how we share his good news with people, by being good news people. When you have genuinely good news, it’s hard not to share it! Continue reading “Good News for God’s World (course)”
How do you think the story will end?
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Riverview Church runs a few Hot Topic nights each year, evenings when people can text in questions on a topic that churches tend to avoid as controversial of difficult. His Kingdom Come: Preparing for the End of the World was the topic — appropriate for the date (9/11).
Graham Irvine and I (Allen Browne) began by providing some background (15–20 minutes each), while the audience texted in their questions. You can listen to the audio: Continue reading “Q & A — end of the world”
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
If you had to say everything that had to be said about the Holy Spirit in six sessions, what would you focus on? Which Scriptures would you choose?
Theology must be practical. Theology tells us the Holy Spirit is a person, so how do we relate to him? What is this Person doing? How do we partner with him? What does it look like to do life with him?
Those questions drive the agenda for live sessions (not blog topics) over the next six Monday evenings: Continue reading “Free course: Holy Spirit and You”
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
If you’re in Perth, Western Australia, you’re invited to a course I’m teaching as part of Riverview Church’s Foundations 2 series:
“I see a church …”
If a church is not part of a denomination, what box to put it in? How do you know what it is?
Its “statement of faith” should affirm orthodox Christian beliefs. Labels like Evangelical or Charismatic may give you a hint about its style. But why does it exist? What’s its distinctive?
What kind of community is it? What priorities does it have? What does it aim to be? What kind of people belong there? Continue reading “What’s Riverview?”
Your personal invitation to the Book of Revelation
Update 2021-02-07: old links removed.
Join me for twelve lectures exploring the Book of Revelation.
It’s been five years since I taught the Bible’s final book as part of the Foundations 3 series, so this is brand new material. Continue reading “Free course: Revelation”
Seeking the kingdom 