Every post seems important to me at the time. Otherwise I wouldn’t write it. But trawling through all 400 to select a group that seem to be ‘most important’ now is difficult. So I’ve settled on two categories (only using posts unmentioned in earlier first elevens): (a) ‘most important’; but also (b) ‘most ignored’, which will gather those posts which I think are important – but have had less than 100 views. Here goes:

’12th man’     hebelisation
It is more than mere love. The resonance and dissonance which Ecclesiastes creates with contemporary culture is striking and every now and then it bursts out of me.


#11    election reflection
One of the great mysteries to me is how Christians can locate themselves so completely on either the political ‘left’ or the political ‘right’. It has never been that easy for me.


#10    mission: inspiration, concern, hope
It remains the most helpful mission concept I have encountered – anywhere, anytime. Harold Turner’s ‘three levels’. Every country – as I try to do here with NZ – needs to bring it home, make it their own.


#9     streams and banks
I have no beef with Richard Foster – but some of his disciples have driven me to drink (almost – see #3 below). His imagery has led, unintentionally, to the diminution of the Word of God in so many lives.


#8     listening between two worlds
If there is one thing that stands out from my time with Langham, it is the opportunity to have this conversation. Those in the ‘West’ have so much to gain by stopping to listen, and learn, here.


#7     curse of the casual
A baptismal service at a leading church in NZ pushed me over the edge with this one – finally. One of those blindspots where we are so obviously out-of-step with biblical, and Christ-ian, faith.


#6     if
Pluralism. Naturalism. Technicism. There are lots of ‘-isms’ that get in there and clutter authentic Christian truth. Maybe the biggest challenge of all is the addiction to our selves – anthropocentrism.


#5     anyone for mysticism?
The 14th of the 400 – a long time ago now. But a little essay for a DMin class comparing Christian songs from different generations precipitated a few scary conclusions.


#4     the unbearable lightness of being disjunctive
Another early post – and a subject to which I returned more than once. Stealing the title of a famous article on postmodernism to speak of an issue that is just as pervasive.

#3    have a drink? yeah right!
Always careful with my words on this topic (see here and here as well). But I remain surprised that more Christians do not choose to abstain as part of their call to a missional life with Jesus.


#2     defined by disaster
It was Cave Creek that prompted the initial observation – and then a series of earthquakes kept me stuck in the same key. A PhD topic which I’d love to engage – but will never be able to do so.


#1     motivation for mission
I know about obeying the Great Commission and you probably do too. But how about diversifying the reasons for joining God in his mission in the world – and doing so for the sake of Jesus?

nice chatting

Paul