Words from the streets of Kings Cross and Bondi Beach

About Jon Owen

I am the Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel. I write with my heart wide open and my eyes looking at life. I am a philosopher, a dreamer, a tower of weakness, a leader and a follower, a husband and a father and I hope to give you a flavour of life by the wayside.

Dancing Away from Disaster

Dear Inner Circle, Perhaps one of the reasons that discontent abounds, stems from a Greek-influenced cultural legacy that idolises perfection in everything, and we always

Chilli Sauce and Howling Cats

Dear Inner Circle, What will we do when every trace of trust has evaporated? We’re constantly told that all news is “fake news”, slowly eroding

Grounded in Love and Time

Dear Inner Circle, In a world captivated by time-lapse photography, social media feeds and Hollywood movie endings, it’s easy to fall for the lie that

The Eyes of the Heart

Dear Inner Circle, Not long ago, I was called to the hospital at the request of someone with only a few days left to live.

End of Year

Dear Inner Circle, What a year it has been, right? I’m not entirely sure how it unfolded for you and yours, but from where I

Winding Up with Love

Dear Inner Circle, As we reach the end of another year, I want to thank you for the pleasure of your company, as together we’ve

Much more than pants

Dear Inner Circle, It’s common for kids to laugh so hard that their stomach hurts and they’re gasping for air. Yet for some reason that

Escape Rooms

Dear Inner Circle, Often we simplify morality into concepts of doing ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ – like the lolly we stole from a milk bar once