by Alexander F. Venter | Feb 23, 2021 | Writings |
INTRODUCTION Let me clear some things right up front. This paper is because of the responses to my FaceBook post about the painful revelations of Ravi Zacharias’ double life. And requests for a fuller treatment. Some said, “I’m so devastated and disillusioned by all...
by Alexander F. Venter | Feb 13, 2021 | Writings |
Alexander’s comment: my quest today, Ramon Mayo, wrote this article to highlight the African-ness of the church fathers and mother. Ramon is an author, speaker, and Vineyard youth pastor in Chicago, IL. He has recently published Reclaiming Diversity: Destroying the...
by Alexander F. Venter | Nov 16, 2020 | Writings |
Reflecting on 1 Samuel 4 and following, I was struck by Israel’s presuming on God and what resulted. This story relates to what is going on in our world, and the response and role of God’s people, Jesus’ church. When Israel lost the battle against...
by Alexander F. Venter | May 29, 2020 | Writings |
The South African government’s allowance of church gatherings (of up to 50 people) to resume at level 3, next week Monday 1 June 2020, is exposing a divided church and society… once again! As usual, socio-ethical issues and considerations become divisive,...
by Alexander F. Venter | May 18, 2020 | Writings |
This is the second part to my teaching on The Risen Lord Renews Our Calling: Fishing & Feasting (see my notes). A continuation of the same post-resurrection appearance of Jesus, now focused on loving and leading (see the video teaching). John shifts the attention...
by Alexander F. Venter | Apr 17, 2020 | Writings |
This paper assumes and continues the content of Part One. John tells the story of Jesus’ resurrection in a way that shows the new creation – new heaven & new earth – began in Jesus. As the sun begins to set on that Friday, after Jesus had died, his young broken...
by Alexander F. Venter | Apr 14, 2020 | Writings |
Jesus’ death on the Friday was an enactment in his own body of the Passover meal that he celebrated with his disciples the night before – “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, all biblical quotes are NIV). Jesus is the New Exodus out of the...
by Alexander F. Venter | Mar 26, 2020 | Writings |
A full solar eclipse I was asked this week to share thoughts on giving leadership in response to the corona pandemic. Pastors and spiritual leaders carry a particular responsibility before God to guide churches, and society in general, with a godly response. How do we...
by Alexander F. Venter | Mar 3, 2020 | Writings |
What intimate companionship with God while driving home yesterday. Four hours of solitude and silence. This ‘Creedal Meditation’ poem is an echo of that silence. Echoing Silence: God’s One Word From Eternity to EternityInfinite SilenceImpenetrable...
by Alexander F. Venter | Feb 25, 2020 | Writings |
For those who know (of) Jean Vanier, the recent disclosures by six women of his alleged sexual relationship with them, is profoundly distressing, to say the least. For those who don’t know of him, it might not be a big issue. It is, however, a HUGE issue. Especially...
by Alexander F. Venter | Feb 7, 2020 | Writings |
Meditation on Joshua 5:13-15 (New International Version) Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”“Neither,” he replied,...
by Alexander F. Venter | Dec 30, 2019 | Writings |
In January I decided to start a long slow journey to meditatively read the Bible cover to cover. This morning, 30 December 2019, I finished Deuteronomy. The end of Torah/Pentateuch, the five Books of Moses. It’s been rich! I enter 2020 reading the next book in the...
by Alexander F. Venter | Jun 29, 2019 | Writings |
I watched the Chernobyl series of 5 episodes and was deeply struck by the words of the courageous Russian nuclear scientist Valery Legasov, “As scientists we are naive. We are so focused on our search for truth we fail to consider how few actually want us...
by Alexander F. Venter | Jun 16, 2019 | Writings |
Think about your father – dead or alive – or imagine him if you never knew him. What feeling does it evoke in you? What word(s) comes to mind? Last Sunday, 9 June, was Pentecost in the Christian calendar: to celebrate the coming of God’s Spirit. Fifty days earlier was...
by Alexander F. Venter | Apr 30, 2019 | Writings |
Folk have asked for my view on who and how to vote in the SA national and provincial elections on 8 May. For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts. I write in my personal capacity. As a nation, in terms of our political-economic situation, we’re in a mess, the lowest...
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