CHRIS MACLEAVY Posts

I Don’t Understand Christians Watching Game of Thrones I don’t expect those who are strangers to the light to be bothered by the darkness. But for conservative Christians who care about marriage and immorality and decency in so many other areas, it is baffling that Game of Thrones gets a free pass. The Gospel is the Entire Meal Often and in various ways, well-meaning Christians may try to supplement the gospel with more “meaty” teaching; as if the gospel were a side-dish, or at best the appetizer designed to whet your appetite for the rest of the meal. But the gospel is a great and glorious meal, and the only one we’ll ever need. On “Orthodox Christianity” This post from James K. A. Smith encourages Christians to…

Making the Most of Working from Home I’ve used Evernote for many years and consider myself a power-user, but one feature I’ve under-utilised is their blog. This post has a great deal of wisdom when it comes to successfully being able to manage your work/life balance, while also dispelling some common productivity myths. Are You a Healthy Church Member? A healthy church member is someone that, in one sense, shares all the sensibilities of a good pastor. They’re going to have a concern for the spiritual growth of others, they’re going to have a concern for the right teaching of God’s Word, and they will have a concern for the church’s witness to the community, for reaching their neighbors and friends. They’ll do that as…

Meet the Puritans: Union and Communion I’ve enjoyed this series, and this article is particularly comforting for those who face death, but who know of their union with Christ. Death no longer holds us captive to fear, and Jesus has made our hope for resurrection secure. A High View of Marriage Includes Divorce This article fascinates me, and I’ll admit I’m still thinking through all the applications for the many and varied situations that divorces arises from, and the “lies” that this author seeks to address from the gospel. Dear Church, You’re Wrong About Sex Phylicia gets down to business. Dealing with Disappointment Depak Reju has written some quality work (I have one of his books still on my wishlist) and this article further supports…

Fill out a short form to get this free e-book from Mark Dever on the gospel & personal evangelism. The Radical Difference between Believers and Unbelievers Different worldviews, different rules, different kingdoms, and ultimately different kings. Every Book of the Bible in One Word There were a number of reasons why I really enjoyed this. A good summary helps my memory, but also asks me the question “do I know why that is the word chosen for this or that book?” It’s a Date Night: What Did You Expect? Joshua Waulk via Balight Counselling: “It may seem like a settled matter to some, but from the first session of counseling I hold with any couple, I seek to convince them of the primacy of hope…

Good News for Difficult Times Our circumstances may be difficult, even insurmountable, but we have good news to preach to ourselves that will change the way we respond to difficult circumstances. Scott Slayton provides a valuable reminder here (rooted in Romans 8 and coupled with Martin Lloyd-Jones’ Spiritual Depression), which I really need to read. You May Not Love What You Think A timely reminder for me, as I’ve just finished reading James K. A. Smith’s book on this. Here, he writes “how are you curating your heart?” through the activities you invest in and the priorities you choose (consciously or subconsciously). How do we engage in self-awareness rooted in scripture for the good of ourselves, our families, and the glory of Christ? The Law…

4 Essential Tips to Transform your Bible Reading Experience Every Christian knows the importance of this fundamental means of grace. Scripture is one of the primary ways through which God speaks to his people today. And yet, we’ve all experienced peaks and troughs as we engage in this discipline. Time to get back on track? Try this. Resources During Suffering and Lament Suffering isn’t a question of if; so when the storms come, I would like to have a solid foundation under me. Having my feet firmly cemented in these truths is what I need. Make Time to be Bored It’s school holidays for us right now, and boredom is a very real thing. But is it a thing to be avoided? And what about…

Most Christians Have Non-Christian Worldviews While this is written from the American church perspective, I found it interesting as a launchpad for discussion, particularly in light of the recent Australian census data. I find it fascinating that so many Christians look down on other Christians because of their ‘sheltered’ or ‘myoptic’ worldviews, but the title of this article is revealing, and shows us how much we still have to have our minds renewed. A Painting of Come Lord Jesus, be our guest…” A dearly loved friend introduced me to this prayer a few years ago, and only recently had I come to appreciate the beautiful theology behind it. Meet the New ‘Twicer’ “I came across an interesting expression recently: the twicer.1 From what I understand,…

Stop Telling Me God is My Father In light of American Fathers Day recently, this article provides a poignant perspective from a person whose story is more common than we realise, and yet we can be remarkably dismissive through our Christian clichés. The Problem with Pet Sins There’s a number of reasons why I find this post fascinating and valuable. First, because I’m currently reading James K. A. Smith’s You Are What You Love in which I’m seeing more clearly the importance of self-awareness when it comes to re-calibrating our hearts away from the practices of the world and forming habits that align our spiritual compass to the ‘true North’ of Jesus Christ, and second because it answers the popular question of “Does God always…