Iso-chats: Theology

About Iso-chats: Theology

Welcome to Iso-chats: Theology. I’m Lionel Windsor, New Testament Lecturer at Moore Theological College (https://moore.edu.au/), Sydney. During the Covid-19 Isolation, I chatted with lots of my friends and colleagues here at Moore about theology, Christian life and ministry. It’s the kind of discussion we’d normally have over morning tea, but the topics are highly relevant to life in a changing world, so I wanted to let you listen in. Enjoy!

Publisher

Lionel Windsor

Category

education · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Apr 2020

Latest episode

14 Sept 2025

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Sept 2025

   Eyes Wide Open: Using Secular Wisdom to Achieve Ministry Goals

   Lionel J. Windsor | Australian Church Record (https://www.australianchurchrecord.net/) | Synod issue 2025 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 situation and make concrete plans to achieve goals for reaching the lost. This had already led to substantial gospel growth and had given these ministers renewed optimism and Christ-centred confidence in ministry. I praise God for this. I believe there should be more of it. The positive power and potential of frameworks like this leads me to keep sounding a note of warning. I’m not trying to dampen enthusiasm for such frameworks. I’m trying to help make their implementation theologically robust for decades to come. As we employ these frameworks and witness their power, there’s something to “watch out” for. We need to have our eyes wide open. The warning I want to keep sounding arises from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:10: “Let each one take care (or “watch out”) how he builds ….” This article, originally published in the Australian Church Record (https://www.australianchurchrecord.net/) Synod Issue 2025, continues a conversation that began with my article in the ACR Easter issue 2024. I’m writing here primarily for members of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney. But I’m hoping what I write will be relevant to anyone who has discovered the tremendous power of goal-driven thinking in gospel ministry and wants to reflect further on it. If you haven’t followed the prior conversation, don’t worry; I’ve written this article so you can read it as a standalone. It’s also available in video format on YouTube (https://youtu.be/PKxc0wZLNV0): And in audio format on the Podcast “Iso-Chats: Theology” (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/iso-chats-theology/id1506582601) or by direct play and download here: A failure of communication My original article (also available on YouTube and on this site) was “Gospel Seriously: The Dangerous Necessity of Goal-Driven Ministry.” (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/publications/gospel-seriously/)[1] (#_ftn1) Andrew Heard—a brilliant driving force for the consultations I described above—wrote a critical response, “Reflections on ‘The Dangerous Necessity of Goal-Driven Ministry.” (https://www.australianchurchrecord.net/)[2] (#_ftn2) The main thrust of Andrew’s response was unmissable: he found my original article confusing and lacking clarity. Since successful communication isn’t merely about what is said (the input) but what is heard (the outcome), it’s right for me take responsibility for the miscommunication. Happily, my failure to communicate is also an opportunity to clarify. And clarity on this topic is vital. That’s because it concerns the future of the gospel in Sydney, Australia and the world. Yet it’s not easy. As brothers in Christ, Andrew and I are approaching the same goal from different angles. On the one hand, Andrew is seeking to equip people to see the gospel of Jesus Christ passionately proclaimed and urgently responded to by as many as possible. On the other hand, I’m seeking to help ensure that the gospel we proclaim and respond to remains the same in 50 years and beyond. These are two complementary activities that work together but can’t be subsumed under one an...

2. 

   13 Feb 2021

   Preaching the Pastoral Epistles

   Principles and ideas for preaching the biblical books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus (the “Pastoral Epistles”). A one-hour audio seminar. Photo by Joseph d’Mello on Unsplash Originally given as a Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/) Women’s Chapel preachers’ training seminar. Outline: The easiest and the hardest biblical books to preach * Why the easiest?* Why the hardest? Our modern audiences: encouraging and challenging * The preacher* The self-satisfied social conservatives* The social revolutionaries* Jesus needs to be central Situation matters, but situation is not king * 1 Timothy: against false teaching that emphasises words and spirituality rather than this-world present-day on-the-ground morality* 2 Timothy: persecution and opposition* Titus: how to establish ministry in a new and morally dubious situation* But don’t let your view of situation override the text Always remember Jesus Christ (avoid moralism) * Jesus is everywhere* The temptation towards moralism* “How and why is Jesus Christ the reason here?” Don’t be lazy in your application * Mistake 1: Apply every word as if our situation is exactly the same as the original hearers* Mistake 2: Make everything a matter of abstract “principle” so that none of the details apply to us* Mistake 3: Neglect application to specific situations of the people in your audience Apologetics is your servant, not your goal * Apologetics is the wrong goal* Apologetics is a good servant

3. 

   11 Jun 2020

   The biblical meaning of righteousness and justification Part 3, with Chris Thomson @ Moore College

   In this 3-part series, I speak with my colleague Chris Thomson (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-chris-thomson/), lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), 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 different from justification, why it’s both shocking and deeply comforting that God is the one who justifies the ungodly, and why it matters for us today. In the first part (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/05/29/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson-1-audio/), we saw that “righteousness” is essentially a moral quality: it’s about being “right” or “good” rather than “wrong” or “bad”. We also saw that this moral righteousness can be “credited” to someone by God. In the second part (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/06/05/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson-part2-audio/), we saw that “justification” is about finding in a person’s favour, on the basis of their moral quality of righteousness. Justification can happen either because a person is actually righteous, or because they have been “credited” as righteous even though they aren’t. In this third part, we talk about how getting the meaning of the words right helps us to understand what the apostle Paul is talking about in Romans. What is the “righteousness of God” in Romans 1:17? Is Christ’s righteousness is “imputed” to us? And why is this so important for our assurance of God’s love and salvation? Other articles on this site that are relevant to this discussion: * Righteousness language in the Bible (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/bible-resources/biblical-series/biblical-word-power/)* Justification and righteousness are not the same (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2011/02/21/justification-and-righteousness-are-not-the-same/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/30/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson-part3/).

4. 

   4 Jun 2020

   The biblical meaning of righteousness and justification Part 2, with Chris Thomson @ Moore College

   In this 3-part series, I speak with my colleague Chris Thomson (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-chris-thomson/), lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), 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 different from justification, why it’s both shocking and deeply comforting that God is the one who justifies the ungodly, and why it matters for us today. In the first part (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/05/29/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson-1-audio/), we saw that “righteousness” is essentially a moral quality: it’s about being “right” or “good” rather than “wrong” or “bad”. We also saw that this moral righteousness can be “credited” to someone by God. In this second part, we move on to talk about “justification”, and why that is so important for sinners like you and me. “Justification” is about finding in a person’s favour, on the basis of their moral quality of righteousness. Justification can happen either because a person is actually righteous, or because they have been “credited” as righteous even though they aren’t. Other articles on this site that are relevant to this discussion: * Righteousness language in the Bible (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/bible-resources/biblical-series/biblical-word-power/)* Justification and righteousness are not the same (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2011/02/21/justification-and-righteousness-are-not-the-same/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/27/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson-part2/).

5. 

   28 May 2020

   The biblical meaning of righteousness and justification Part 1, with Chris Thomson @ Moore College

   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 without fear. But what does the Bible actually say about justification? Luther and Calvin recognised that we need to come to grips with the precise meaning of the key biblical terms—“righteousness” and “justification”—in order to grasp the biblical doctrine. But in modern New Testament scholarship, there is often a lack of clarity about these terms. In this 3-part series, I speak with my colleague Chris Thomson (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-chris-thomson/), lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), 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 different from justification, why it’s both shocking and deeply comforting that God is the one who justifies the ungodly, and why it matters for us today. In this first part, we look at the meaning of “righteousness”, especially in light of modern scholarly views (in particular that of N. T. Wright) that define “righteousness” in different ways. We see that “righteousness” is essentially a moral quality: it’s about being “right” or “good” rather than “wrong” or “bad”. We also see that this moral righteousness can be “credited” to someone by God. Other articles on this site that are relevant to this discussion: * Righteousness language in the Bible (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/bible-resources/biblical-series/biblical-word-power/)* Justification and righteousness are not the same (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2011/02/21/justification-and-righteousness-are-not-the-same/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/24/righteousness-justification-chris-thomson/).

6. 

   21 May 2020

   Jacob: Scoundrel, wrestler and ancestor of Christ, with Philip Kern @ Moore College

   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 earth. The Jacob narrative provides a richness and depth to our biblical theology which helps us move beyond two-dimensional pictures of God and his dealing with humanity. However, despite this wealth of insight, the Jacob narrative has received relatively little attention in biblical scholarship. I speak with Dr Philip Kern (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-philip-kern/), Head of the New Testament Department at Moore Theological College (https://moore.edu.au/), about his forthcoming book on Jacob, and its potential for enriching those who are seeking to grow in their understanding of God and his purpose through Jesus Christ and to teach these great truths to others. Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/12/reformers-plagues/).

7. 

   14 May 2020

   Ecclesiastes and a world in crisis, with George Athas

   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 promises and purposes for his people. The Teacher in Ecclesiastes faces the stark reality of a situation where God’s intentions seem unfathomable, crying out for an answer but finding none in his present circumstances. Yet even in the depths of the Teacher’s pessimism, Ecclesiastes speaks to us. As we engage with this biblical book, we find ourselves, even in our own circumstances of suffering, and even of despair and death, longing even more for the certain hope and meaning given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. George is Director of Research and Lecturer in Old Testament at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/people/the-rev-dr-george-athas/). His commentary on Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs is available here: (https://www.zondervan.com/9780310491163/ecclesiastes-song-of-songs/) George Athas, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Story of God Bible Commentary; Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2020). (https://www.zondervan.com/9780310491163/ecclesiastes-song-of-songs/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/16/ecclesiastes-crisis-george-athas/).

8. 

   8 May 2020

   How did the Reformers respond to plagues? Learning from history with Mark Earngey @ Moore College

   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” (https://moore.edu.au/resources/protestants-and-plagues/). Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/12/reformers-plagues/).

9. 

   1 May 2020

   “He is risen! He is not here”: Comfort and hope in absence, with Peter Orr @MooreCollege

   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 surprising comfort in Jesus’ own absence. “He is not here”: Jesus is absent from the tomb, absent from the place where his crucified body was laid, and so absent from our own death-bound world. At first glance, that may seem to be little comfort to us–but in fact, Jesus’ absence is very good news for us. It means that Jesus is risen from the dead and now exalted above the heavens. He is victorious over death, and one day our own bodies will be raised from death to be like his glorious body. It should fill us with hope and longing. Yet Christ’s absence is not the whole story. In another very important sense Christ is truly present with us, in our daily lives and in our suffering, by his Spirit and his word. I speak with my colleague Peter Orr (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-peter-orr/), author of Exalted Above the Heavens: The risen and ascended Christ (https://www.ivpress.com/exalted-above-the-heavens), about the comfort and hope we can draw this Easter from the risen Christ’s absence and presence, and why both of these truths matter deeply for us today. Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/09/comfort-hope-absence/).

10. 

    28 Apr 2020

    God’s judgment and compassion in Jeremiah, with Andrew Shead @ Moore College

    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 of the Old Testament Department at Moore College, about the picture of God presented in the prophetic book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah gives us a rich, multi-dimensional view of God, whose judgment and compassion appear together in surprising but powerful ways that both fill out and foreshadow the Lord Jesus Christ. Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/03/judgment-compassion-god-jeremiah/).

11. 

    24 Apr 2020

    Moore College, open for business: Joys and challenges during Covid-19, with Principal Mark Thompson

    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 coming months as we seek to train even more gospel workers for the harvest. Further information: Note: To sign up for the special Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC) discount offer of $25 per unit during the Covid-19 season, go to our website: moore.edu.au (http://moore.edu.au/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/02/moore-college-open-for-business/).

12. 

    22 Apr 2020

    Domestic abuse and social isolation: how Christians can help the vulnerable, with Louise Cunningham @ Moore College

    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, who is my co-chaplain at Moore College. Louise has years of experience in providing pastoral and practical care for people subject to domestic abuse. Louise shares some key principles for what to do – and what not to do – to help us as Christians to care for the vulnerable and help them to seek safety in these difficult times of social isolation. Further information: This two-page summary sheet was produced by Lynda Dunstan, Family and Domestic Violence Advisor at Anglicare (https://www.anglicare.org.au/) (Anglican Diocese of Sydney). It has links to the Diocesan resources and training, plus Lynda’s contact details to remind ministry teams she is here to assist them: DV Tip Sheet for Churches (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/wordpress/wp-content/2020/04/DV-Tip-sheet-for-churches-final-07042020.pdf)Download (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/wordpress/wp-content/2020/04/DV-Tip-sheet-for-churches-final-07042020.pdf) Key contact details (for residents of NSW/Australia): * If there is immediate danger, call the police: 000* Website: Domestic Violence: Where to get help in NSW (https://www.dvnsw.org.au/where-to-get-help-in-new-south-wales/)* Anglicare Counselling: 1300 651 728* Anglicare Sydney Family and Domestic Violence Advisor: 0438 826 556. Advice for ministry teams.* NSW Domestic Violence Line: 1800 65 64 63. 24/7 information, support and help.* NSW Link2Home: 1800 152 152. 24/7 information and referral service for the homeless or those at risk of homelessness.* Men’s Line: 1300 78 99 78. Counselling service for men with emotional health and relationship concerns.* 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732. 24/7 counselling, support and help (Australia wide) See also the handbook of resources produced by Moore College: “Domestic Violence – A starting point in supporting victims” (https://moore.edu.au/about/domestic-violence-policy-and-resources/) Video This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/04/01/domestic-abuse-social-isolation/).

13. 

    19 Apr 2020

    Thinking rightly about the Apocalypse, with David Höhne @ Moore College

    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 colleague David Höhne (https://moore.edu.au/people/the-rev-dr-david-hohne/), Academic Dean and lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), about the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” in the biblical book of Revelation. We talk about how this biblical vision helps us to make sense of God’s purposes in the world without panicking, and to turn to Jesus Christ for rescue and comfort. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/31/thinking-rightly-apocalypse-david-hohne/).

14. 

    16 Apr 2020

    Gentleness: a crucial virtue in stressful times, with Peter Orr @ Moore College

    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 in-depth discussion with my fellow Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/) lecturer Dr Peter Orr (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-peter-orr/), who has been thinking long and hard about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, including in the area of gentleness. We chat about what gentleness is, why it matters, how God works this grace in our lives, and what it means to be gentle in these stressful times. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/30/gentleness-a-crucial-virtue-in-stressful-times-with-peter-orr-moore-college/).

15. 

    13 Apr 2020

    Culture shock: Why everyone’s feeling it, and how to cope, with Margie and Simon Gillham @ Moore College

    “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, new modes of communication…” Simon and Margie Gillham are former missionaries with the Church Missionary Society (https://www.cms.org.au/). Simon is now the head of the Department of Mission at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), and Margie is a Mission Development Facilitator for the Church Missionary Society (https://www.cms.org.au/). They have a great deal of experience in helping missionaries adjust to culture shock. They shared with me their thoughts and experiences, with many practical tips for how to adjust to the “new normal” that has been brought about by measures to contain the Covid-19 virus. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/24/culture-shock-how-to-adjust/).

16. 

    9 Apr 2020

    Emotional wellbeing in crazy times, with Paul Grimmond @ Moore College

    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 (https://moore.edu.au/people/rev-paul-grimmond/), Dean of Students at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), about what he has been doing over the last few weeks here at Moore to help students & staff identify and process our feelings in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the reality of our ever-changing situation. Paul has a great depth of pastoral wisdom; the insights he shares here are valuable for all of us. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/23/emotional-wellbeing-in-crazy-times/).

17. 

    7 Apr 2020

    What is church when we can’t gather? Thinking theologically with Chase Kuhn @ Moore College

    Recent measures to curb Covid-19 have had a deep impact on our churches. What is church when we can’t gather? This is a time when we need to pray, think deeply and theologically about biblical principles, and seek to apply those principles creatively and sacrificially in our radically new context. This is a 45-minute discussion between me and my colleague Dr Chase Kuhn (https://moore.edu.au/people/dr-chase-kuhn/) completed his doctorate in the doctrine of the church and is the Director of Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living (https://ccl.moore.edu.au/), which aims to help Christians bring biblical ethics to everyday issues. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/20/what-is-church-when-we-cant-gather/).

18. 

    6 Apr 2020

    Isolation and Christian Love, with Dan Wu @ Moore College

    Welcome to the first episode in my Iso-chats: Theology audio podcast! During the Covid-19 Isolation, I chatted with lots of my friends and colleagues here at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/) about theology, Christian life and ministry. It’s the kind of discussion we’d normally have over morning tea, but the topics are highly relevant to life in a changing world, so I wanted to let you listen in. In this first episode, I spoke with my colleague at Moore College (https://moore.edu.au/), Dan Wu, thinking about how Christians might display love towards others in an age of necessary isolation. This interview is also available as a video on YouTube (https://www.lionelwindsor.net/2020/03/18/isolation-and-love/).

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