Adrian Drayton

The Show I Keep Mocking While Somehow Never Missing an Episode

There is something uniquely disorienting about watching NCIS: Sydney. On one hand, you find yourself scoffing at it. The accents occasionally feel like they were assembled in a laboratory by Americans who once overheard a conversation in Bondi. The acting, especially in the early episodes, often lands somewhere between “Neighbours guest star” and “tourism ad […]

Adrian Drayton 1 July 2026

What Pixar’s Toy Story 5 Teaches us about AI, Social Media and Raising Children

There have always been lessons hidden inside Pixar’s Toy Story films. They’ve explored friendship, loyalty, change, loss and what it means to find your place in the world. Toy Story 5 continues that tradition, but this time its focus couldn’t be more timely. The film asks what happens when artificial intelligence and digital technology become […]

Adrian Drayton 24 June 2026

Chasing Perfection: The Rise of Looksmaxxing and What Faith Communities Can Do About It

A growing number of teenage boys and young men are spending hours online trying to become more attractive. The trend is known as “looksmaxxing”, which is a movement that encourages people to maximise their physical appearance through fitness, grooming, skincare, fashion, supplements and, in some cases, cosmetic procedures and dangerous body modification practices. What begins […]

Adrian Drayton 22 June 2026

I Consciously Uncoupled From My Phone for Two Weeks and Here’s What Happened

For two weeks while on holiday recently, I consciously uncoupled from my phone. Not completely. I still used it when necessary for calls and messages from travelling children. But I deliberately stepped away from the endless cycle of notifications, social media scrolling, news consumption and habitual checking that has become second nature. What happened surprised […]

Adrian Drayton 17 June 2026

Screen Fatigue and the Rise of Authenticity

Scrolling through a phone before sleep has become routine for many young people. So has waking up and checking notifications before getting out of bed. Australian studies show Gen Z spends hours each day on screens, often for work, study, entertainment and connection. At the same time, many young people say they feel exhausted by […]

Adrian Drayton 5 June 2026

Why Instant Chat Bots Can’t Replace Spiritual Formation

The fear is not that artificial intelligence will replace God. The deeper concern is that it may replace the slow, difficult and deeply human work of learning how to listen to Him. A recent article in Christianity Today warned that Christians are in danger of becoming “People of the Chatbot” rather than “People of the […]

Adrian Drayton 4 June 2026

Dr Julia Baird to Bring Depth, Curiosity and Grace to One

When people think about keynote speakers for large church gatherings, they often expect someone who will simply inspire or entertain. But the inclusion of Dr Julia Baird at ONE in October signals something broader and more thoughtful. Baird brings the rare ability to move between journalism, spirituality, public life and personal reflection in a way […]

Adrian Drayton 2 June 2026

Major US Study Finds Strong Link Between Religion and Wellbeing

A major new research review has found that religious involvement is overwhelmingly linked to better mental health outcomes, with positive associations outnumbering negative findings by roughly 10 to 1. The report, released earlier this month by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, analysed thousands of peer-reviewed studies examining the relationship between religion and mental […]

Adrian Drayton 27 May 2026

In Praise of Cringe, Authenticity and Awkward Faith

For years, “cringe” was an insult. It described people who tried too hard, cared too much, or showed emotion without irony. Online culture trained people to avoid embarrassment at all costs. The safest position was detachment. Cool meant distance. Now it seems that openly celebrating awkwardness, sincerity and emotional honesty seems to be the new […]

Adrian Drayton 26 May 2026

The Drones Above Hong Kong Aren’t Science Fiction

The image feels familiar because cinema has prepared us for it. Small drones hover silently over apartment towers, scanning alleyways and public streets while officers monitor screens from a control centre. It sounds like a discarded scene from Blade Runner 2049 or Minority Report. But this isn’t speculative fiction anymore. It’s happening now in Hong […]

Adrian Drayton 26 May 2026

Evangelicals and Jewish Leaders Reopen Dialogue on Religious Freedom and Human Dignity

The World Evangelical Alliance and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) have formally relaunched dialogue after several years of limited engagement, signalling a renewed commitment to cooperation around religious freedom, antisemitism and human dignity. Meeting in New York earlier this month, representatives from both groups described the renewed talks as an important step […]

Adrian Drayton 25 May 2026

What Four Astronauts Revealed About Integrity, Wonder and God’s Image

There was something strangely moving about watching four astronauts float through space together with childlike joy. Not just because humanity had returned to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era. Not just because the Artemis II mission represented a staggering scientific achievement. But because, for a brief moment, the mission reminded a […]