Matt Garvin

Ephesians 4: A Vision of Church Most of Us Have Never Seen Have you ever felt there must be more to church than good music and friendly faces? Ephesians 4 reveals a vision of community that’s deeper, harder, and more beautiful than we imagine—a people united in love, growing into maturity, and reflecting the multi-coloured wisdom of God.

I’ve been sitting with Ephesians 4, and it’s really challenged how I think about church. It’s not about services or programs—it’s about people learning to love, speak truth, and grow up together. Here’s what that vision looks like:

Why You Can’t Trust Yourself—And What Ephesians 2 Teaches Instead We’re told to “trust ourselves,” but Paul says otherwise. In Ephesians 2, he uncovers the truth about the world, the flesh, and the devil—and the grace that gives us a new identity in Christ. When we stop building on self and trust him instead, everything changes.

We’re told every day to “trust yourself.” But Paul says something completely different.
True freedom begins when we stop trusting ourselves and start trusting Jesus.

Rethinking the “Great Commission”: 5 Surprising Truths Christians Overlook Most Christians think Jesus’ mission was simply to “go and preach.” But the real Great Commission calls us to much more—a life of apprenticeship, trust, and courage. Discover five surprising truths that reveal what Jesus actually meant when He said “Go.”

Rethinking the “Great Commission”: 5 Surprising Truths Christians Overlook

Most Christians think Jesus’ mission was simply to “go and preach.” But the real Great Commission calls us to much more—a life of apprenticeship, trust, and courage. Discover five surprising truths that reveal what Jesus…

What the church is meant to be The church was never meant to be a service to attend or a hierarchy to climb. Jesus calls us to be His witnesses: a body where every part matters, a family where every member belongs, and a temple where God dwells by His Spirit.

What if church wasn’t something you go to, but something you are? A body, a family, a home for God’s Spirit... This is what I've been wrestling with.

How the Cross Changes Your Life The cross isn’t just a symbol — it’s where God meets us in our pain, carries evil, and transforms suffering into hope. Discover why Jesus’ death and resurrection still change everything for how we live today.

The cross isn’t just a symbol. It’s where justice and grace meet, where pain is transformed into hope, and where you discover you are never alone. ✝️
#Jesus #Cross #Hope #Faith #Grace #Christianity #ProblemOfEvil #Discipleship

Who Is God? We often picture God as a projection, a genie, or a distant watchmaker. But in Exodus 34, God reveals His glory: compassion, mercy, justice, and truth. This revelation gives us a framework for life and calls us to reflect His character in our families, communities, and the world.

Who Is God?

We often picture God as a projection, a genie, or a distant watchmaker. But in Exodus 34, God reveals His glory: compassion, mercy, justice, and truth. This revelation gives us a framework for life and calls us to reflect His character in our families, communities, and the world.

You Are Both Beautiful and Broken The first chapters of Genesis reveal a profound truth: you are both beautiful and broken. Made in God’s image, you carry incredible value. But you also wrestle with sin, shame, and brokenness. The good news is grace meets you in that tension—and it changes everything.

I’ve had to face it: I’m both beautiful and broken. Genesis says that’s true for all of us—and that’s exactly where God’s grace shows up.

Reality is Not What You Think We’ve been taught to “live our truth,” but the Bible tells us reality isn’t what we think. Sin is choosing our version of truth over God’s. Repentance and faith aren’t just how you start the Christian life — they are how you live it every day.

We like to think we see life as it really is. But the truth is our perspective is limited, fragile, and often shaped by false stories. The Bible tells us reality isn’t what we think — and faith begins with learning to trust God’s reality instead of our own.

A Bigger Story: How the Real Gospel Changes Everything The gospel is more than a quick fix for sin. It’s an invitation to live from a new foundation—God’s reality. These six levels of repentance help us name the tensions we carry and discover a better way to live, rooted in God’s truth, grace, and a vision of new creation.

We’ve sold the gospel short. It’s not just about heaven after we die. It’s about living from a whole new foundation—now. These six levels of repentance help us face what’s really going on and discover what it means to follow Jesus for real.

How to Change the World When Paul entered Ephesus, he didn’t bring a strategy—he looked for what God was already doing. Acts 19–20 shows us how real change happens: by surrendering to Jesus, being open to the Holy Spirit, and confronting the idols of money, power, and control. That’s how churches—and cities—are transformed.

Ever wondered what it really takes to change the world? Spoiler alert: it’s not programs or power. It’s a bunch of ordinary people saying yes to Jesus, open to the Holy Spirit, and willing to let go of control. Acts 19–20 shows how it happens—one surrendered life at a time.

Which Version of Christianity Are You Living? Paul and Apollos both preached Jesus as Messiah. But not everyone meant the same thing when they used that word—and we still don’t. From prosperity to self-help, we’ve created different versions of Christianity that serve us instead of Jesus. So the real question is: which version are you living?

Here’s a reflection on why it matters so much which version of Christianity you believe.

The Heresy That Shaped the Church: How Acts 10 Breaks Down Our Barriers As culture grows increasingly divided, the church is called to be a counterculture of radical unity. Acts 10 reveals God’s heart to break down barriers and welcome all people. True church isn’t about comfort or sameness, but about diverse people growing together in Christ, reflecting Jesus’ prayer for perfect unity.

We’ve built churches that keep us comfortable. But Acts 10 reminds us: Jesus is calling us to something far more beautiful. This one’s pretty close to my heart.

"A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to 'accept' Christ without forsaking the world."
A W Tozer

Why Christianity is not safe Christianity was never meant to be safe. The book of Acts shows us a revolution of love, truth, healing, and surrender. When Jesus is truly Lord, everything changes—our priorities, our relationships, our mission. The early church didn’t play religious games. They lived lives that turned the world upside down. So should we.

What if Christianity was never meant to be safe? What if following Jesus actually changes everything? Here’s why Acts still turns the world upside down…

The Only Way Forward Is to Remember Who We Are The future of the church won’t be found in preserving buildings or replicating past models—it will be found in recovering the heart that shaped them. Mary Ann Gibson’s faith, courage, and hospitality lit a fire in Tasmania. The question for us is: will we follow that same Spirit today?

We've just come back from our church camp at Perth, Tasmania. I left inspired by the history I discovered and the people I met. This is what I spoke about on the weekend.

The clash of Kingdoms in Acts 3-4 The early church wasn’t built on hype or strategy—it was built on the living presence of Jesus. In Acts, we see heaven and earth overlapping through ordinary people. Their lives, marked by justice, mercy, and compassion, became the new temple. This is our calling too: bold, witness in a divided world.

Ever wonder what made the early church so compelling? It wasn’t flash or hype—it was the way their lives pointed to something real. This week I’ve been reflecting on how Acts shows us a whole new way of being human. Have a read—keen to hear what you think.

The Real Beginning of the Church The first chapter of Acts reminds us that Jesus is still alive, still working, and still inviting us to be part of His kingdom. The church isn’t about carrying out a project — it’s about being witnesses to a different kind of life, rooted in sacrificial love, with Jesus still on the throne.

The Real Beginning of the Church

The first chapter of Acts reminds us that Jesus is still alive, still working, and still inviting us to be part of His kingdom. The church isn’t about carrying out a project — it’s about being witnesses to a different kind of life, rooted in sacrificial love, with…

its amazing how chatgpt knows everything about subjects I know nothing about, but is wrong like 40% of the time in things im an expert on. not going to think about this any further

Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' for US users Google Maps will change the name of "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America" once it is officially updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System, it said in an X post on Monday.

Isn’t it getting a little Orwellian when one country is served up its own unique version of the world map so they can call a body of water something that no one else calls it?
www.reuters.com/world/us/goo...

Mal Garvin: Theodynamics From 1963 to 1996, Mal Garvin refined a course that changed the lives of people all over Australia. In 1996, the course became FOUNDATIONS FOR AN AUSSIE AWAKENING and underwent several changes in the ...

In 1963, my dad began to develop a course that would change the lives of thousands.

I thought it might be time to make Dad's original recordings of Theodynamics available digitally. We will upload a new episode every Thursday. The first episode is Content and Process.

theodynamics.transistor.fm

Jesus laying down his life out of love for the world rather than using all cosmic and political power to force the world to obey him will forever be the greatest critique of any Christian movement that seeks to secure power in order to ensure that others conform to their will.

YouTube video by Citywide Baptist Church Hobart A Wes Huff Masterclass thanks to Billy Carson and Joe Rogan (LANGUAGE WARNING)

Some thoughts on a Wes Huff Masterclass thanks to Billy Carson and Joe Rogan (LANGUAGE WARNING)
youtu.be/wEZoX2F8Qwc

The more I study the gospel, the more I'm baffled at how we could see this foot washing, health restoring, sword disarming, patient listening, kind teaching, cross bearing Jesus and then somehow arrive at the conclusion that he is calling us to impose our worldview on others.

YouTube video by Citywide Baptist Church Hobart The ONLY reliable FREE online bible study tool

The ONLY reliable FREE online bible study tool
youtu.be/3gF1BBcRgZ8

YouTube video by Citywide Baptist Church Hobart We dare you to pray this.

We dare you to pray this.
youtu.be/w_-ayoLRhA8

YouTube video by Citywide Baptist Church Hobart Your App store is full of SCAM Bibles

Your App store is full of SCAM Bibles
youtu.be/b8sdym3hKQk

Why Nations Rise and Fall - Faith Reflections Why do nations thrive or fall? It’s not just about politics or economics—it’s about the systems we build and the values we live by.

It’s not about Christmas but “Why Nations Fail” by Acemoglu and Robinson has got me thinking:

faithreflections.org/nations-fall/

Why Christmas still matters - Faith Reflections Reflecting on why Christmas offers hope, peace, joy, and love through Jesus, the source of true life and lasting peace.

faithreflections.org/christmas-ma...