Quantum mechanics strongly suggests indeterminism (events not fully fixed by prior states). We register that as randomness, but can we, mathematically or in principle, distinguish mere noise from something grander and unknowable, like free will? My stance, akin to Gödel’s lesson that formal systems outstrip their own rules, is that reality contains an irreducible indeterminate component. What instruments score as chance is not brute randomness but the interface where Free Will, ultimately the Free Will of God, acts as needed. The “random” we measure is the measurable surface of purposeful selection.
In tiny physics, some things look like dice rolls. But not everything that looks random is just noise. Think of a choose-your-own-adventure: someone can pick a path. I think the world leaves room for real choosing—not only chance. What our tools label “random” can hide a real choice. In the largest view, God can choose real outcomes. That’s different from a coin toss.
Science succeeds by reduction, explaining effects by their constituents (molecules, cells, fields). That method is superb for emergence from below, but it is not tuned to detect holism from above, where outcomes are selected in light of wider ends. My stance is that wavefunction collapse is such a holistic selection: the hunt for a deeper sub-mechanism simply ends there. If God decides local collapses for global reasons, detection would not come by finer parts but by discerning purpose-shaped patterns in the whole, by understanding the larger aim to which the local outcomes are fitted.
Science often explains big things from small parts—like bricks building a house. But sometimes the plan of the whole guides the parts—like an architect’s idea shaping each room. I think wave collapse is a whole-picture choice, not a hidden little machine underneath. So we should also look for patterns that fit a purpose, not only for ever-smaller pieces. God can decide small events for big reasons.
A merely epiphenomenal consciousness, spectator to fixed neural outputs, would be pointless theatre, or else a sign we inhabit a staged experience (which itself points beyond us). I hold that we do have free will, and that it is holistic in kind, akin, by analogy, to God’s: a reason-responsive capacity to select among genuine alternatives. Determinist readings (e.g., Sapolsky) find no bottom-up “free-will particle,” but that is the wrong place to look; agency is not a neural residue but a top-down power of the conscious agent to act for reasons.
If our minds only watched like a movie—what would be the point? I think your mind can really choose, for reasons. We won’t find a “freedom atom,” because freedom isn’t a tiny part; it’s a power of the whole person. You can choose between real options, not just follow a script. That’s more than brain sparks. God’s freedom is the big model.
We all wrestle with the old donkey (C. S. Lewis), yet our deeds disclose our creed. James asks whether faith without works can save; our ledger of time and money answers daily. To purchase a house without vocation—no call, no mission, no charge from God—is not neutral: it is a massive act of self-investment. It ties up capital for private comfort and status, locks future income into self-maintenance, and binds attention to my walls, my equity, my horizon. If Christ has bought our freedom, stewardship means directing our time and money to His ends, not our comfort; otherwise our calendars and accounts become a liturgy of self.
What we do shows what we believe. If we spend our time and money only on ourselves, that tells a story. Big purchases without God’s call can tie up our hearts. Jesus bought our freedom—so we can live for His goals, not just comfort. Wise stewardship asks, “What does God want?” not only “What do I want?”
This tool helps churches and communities surface their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats via a guided questionnaire. The aim is an honest snapshot and clear priorities for next steps—from resource planning and team development to missional opportunities. The analysis aggregates responses, highlights patterns and tensions, and proposes actionable next steps.
The “Up–In–Out” triangle comes from the Lifeshapes framework developed by Mike Breen and the 3DM movement as a simple way to picture a balanced life of discipleship and church. “Up” names our relationship with God—worship, prayer, listening, and obedient response—so that ministry flows from intimacy, not effort. “In” focuses on life together—belonging, care, formation, and mutual accountability—because disciples grow best in community. “Out” turns us toward the world—serving, practicing justice and mercy, hospitality, and sharing the good news—so faith blesses people beyond our gatherings. This planner helps leaders analyze and plan how much time they dedicate to Up, In, and Out across weeks and seasons, so they can rebalance and sustain a healthy rhythm.
I’m a mechanical engineer (ETH MSc) with a sustained focus on quantum physics and the intersection between science and faith. I’m also an enthusiastic hobby-philosopher. I live in and lead a community house; when I’m not at work I’m reading, philosophizing, and sketching ideas to better the world. Above all, I’m a husband and father of two.