active intent....

Little River Big Bike Day

2010-09-25T13:04:00.003+12:00

This post has little to do with most of the other topics I have done, but it's still about "living my faith; sharing my life".

Oct 31st a group of friends are planning a cycle ride that will be a big challenge for us. I thought I could share this with others.

Yes for those who enjoy the outdoors and an increase in your heart rate then this is for you.

This is open to everyone who has a bike and likes to bike.

When: Oct 31
Time: 8.30am
Where: Little River
What to bring: Mountain bike, all whether clothing (layers), plenty of energy snacks and drinks.

Format: We meet at Little River and leave at 8.30. Those who want a smaller challenge could base themselves at Little River cycle the Rail Trial and enjoy some good coffee.
• The rest will leave our comforts and head on a gentle flat ride along Wairewa Pa Rd, Kinloch Rd, and Okuti Valley road; all sealed with some nice bush.
• Then we turn into Reynolds Valley Rd for a good uphill puff, from the flat up to 680m! Along Bossu Rd to Jubilee Rd.
• A quick downhill slide till we reach Wainui and for some wonderful harbour vista we amble round till Barry’s Bay.
• Now as we value your safety we have decided not to go up to Hill Top by the main road.
• Travel on towards Duvauchelle but turn off at the Duvauchelle Stock Route and again climb from about 100m to 450m to the Summit Rd.
• Around some undulating rods to Harman’s Track and it’s all down hill to Little River for a coffee.

This should cover approx 50KM. Rain or shine.

Now you might say “I can’t do this, my little legs will not go round and around that many times, my bum is too soft.” Well don’t despair we have almost two months to get into shape

Now I hope to get some photos on the page at some future time, just to wet the appetite.

Christianities versus Christianity

2010-09-22T15:00:00.002+12:00

Came across this post by Brian Mclaren the other day thought it was worthy of pondering on....

September 15, 2010
Christianities versus Christianity
I think David Gushee gets it right:

I remember the first time it became crystal clear to me that there is no such thing as Christianity, but only competing Christianities. It was when I was working on my doctoral dissertation on Christians who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. During that time I attended a most remarkable conference in New York on hidden children of the Holocaust. This gathering brought together the now-grown adults who had hidden from the Nazis to survive. Some of these children were saved by Christian families.

The most memorable speaker for me was a hidden child, and now a sociologist, named Nechama Tec. A Polish Jew, she survived the war hiding with Christians. She was asked after her address whether it was Christianity that motivated her rescuers. Her unforgettable response went like this: “It wasn’t just any kind of Christianity that would motivate a rescuer. Only a certain kind of Christianity would lead someone to risk their lives for us.”

A certain kind of Christianity -- the phrase stayed with me. It is enormously helpful. From hard experience, young Nechama Tec learned the difference between versions of Christianity that teach hatred of the religious/ethnic other and versions that teach sacrificial and inclusive love. Her very survival depended on being able to tell the difference between these competing Christianities and the people who embodied them.

Of course, this is what was in my mind when I wrote A New Kind of Christian and A New Kind of Christianity. It's also at the heart of my upcoming book, the title of which will be released soon.

Gushee adds this important note, reflecting on recent tensions among Christians of competing Christianities and Islaams:

So the Christianity of “International Burn a Koran Day” exists. It is a sorry version of Christianity, but it exists. It must be defeated by better versions of Christianity. Maybe some progress has been made on that over the last week.

Could it also be that there is no such thing as “Islam,” but only competing versions of Islam? Could it be that those who are casually declaring that al Qaeda’s Islam just is Islam are about as accurate as those who would say that Terry Jones’ Christianity just is Christianity? Could it be that we need a moratorium on people who know nothing about the competing Muslim traditions making blanket declarations about the eternal nature of that religion?

An Earthquake - sent by God?

2010-09-16T12:04:00.010+12:00

Many people will know that Christchurch has recently experienced a major earthquake; causing a lot of damage to older buildings, some roads and a few newer homes. Overall we escaped very lightly. There was no lose of life and only a small part of the city was damaged.

What I would like to look at is how to see this as people of Faith. How much is God involved in this, what should our response be to tragedies like these?

The usual response from Christians, after something like an earthquake when they escape injury or death is to 'praise God' for 'saving' them or 'protecting' them. We see God as proactively stepping in looking after us, keeping us from danger. This attitude is so prevalent in Old Testament, God intervening in human history; bringing judgment down on sinful people, rescuing those he wanted to. Natural disasters were the responsibility of God, if you got killed then you were most probably doing something wrong. However God also seemed to spare people even when they disobeyed him; David is a key example of this. He lusted, wanted, committed adultery, lied, killed and got caught out, then confessed.

So we see different reactions on Gods part. He used disasters to bring judgement down on people but he saved people even though they sinned, their 'salvation' had nothing to do with their actions. Sometimes when God took action it was instantaneous, like the giving of the 10 commandments and the disobedience of the people. God judged them at the moment but he gave the nation of Israel and Judah repeated warnings before allowing them to be taken into captivity.

The greatest example of God stepping into human time is when he became a baby and lived on this earth as Jesus. Does this mean that from that point on God has stopped using disasters to punish us directly, because Jesus has taken on all the anger and judgment of God?

Now I also know that when sin entered this world it not only infested humans but also corrupted this world. The earthquakes are part of that 'groaning' of the world, it is the 'natural' consequence of our sin (Gen. 3:17).

So let us come back to the question of God's involvement in this world.I should however state some foundations of my belief; I do believe in a personal God who created this world and has revealed Himself through Jesus. Our God is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign God. He is both imminent and transcendent, he is Love in it's fullest sense.

If we say that we are 'most blessed' because God has saved us from harm through this earthquake, if we believe that God heard our prayers and kept us from danger; then what does that say to the people of Haiti or Chile or Pakistan or China? Does that mean that those people who lost life in these other countries were not so 'blessed' of God that God didn't judge them to be so worthy? This is my problem and it arises every time there is a car accident or some other tragedy. Has God actually protected us and not the other person (Matthew 5:45)?

Could it be something like this: God has created this world, he has set in motion certain laws and he has allowed sin to corrupt this world. There are consequences to sin and death is the major one. Natural disasters are also part of the consequences (Rom. 8:19). God is not standing over us and manipulating the earth so that certain people are killed and others live as a rule. I wonder if he just lets things take their natural course. Now I should add here that I do believe that God does sometimes protect people for a special reason and that he does sometimes interrupt the natural order of things to accomplish his purposes but these are exceptions more that the norm. Are we not also to blame for natural disasters or their severity; we build on unstable land, we strip land of trees, and we pollute our rivers and air.

So we were not more blessed than Haiti in the eyes of God with our earthquake, we were not more important than the people of Pakistan to God. No we were saved because we have a higher level of educated people, we have implemented better rules for building and we have a less corrupt government that keeps the rules for everyone. We were more fortunate to have fewer people packed into our city and they don't live in a high density area. We had an efficient Civil defence programme that worked pretty well.

Can we thank God for being alive? Yes we can because God loves us and he has work for us to do now. Perhaps disasters should challenge our perspective on life and eternity and join Paul when he said "If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." Rom 14:8.

This is not my full and final thoughts on this subject, I am open for others to share their thoughts. This is really just my questions set out to help me make some sense of all this.

Homosexuality/Homosexual

2010-09-03T17:18:00.007+12:00

Are we the subject of social engineering? I think we are especially in our attitude to Homosexuality. We are continually being told that it is a fact that Homosexuality is part of our DNA and a valid lifestyle choice. However I should make the comment that there isn't complete agreement amongst the medical profession or the scientific community as to the reason for someone being Homosexual; is it DNA, our genes, social conditioning, environmental or a sickness or moral deviation? Although the ‘experts’ do not have undisputed facts the media, and community groups certainly think they do. They say Homosexuality is definitely not a sickness or a ’sin’ and most probably not social conditioning. Because we are a tolerant society we can not speak against Homosexuality. In fact in our tolerant society we are very intolerant towards anyone who deems to say it is anything but our DNA.

People are tagged as Homophobic if they dare to criticise Homosexuality or question popular opinions on it. I would like to post my thoughts on this subject, when I look at Homosexuality I see three things that help form my view on Homosexuality; evolution, Biblical morality and common sense speaking against this lifestyle, in other words it’s ‘wrong’ behaviour. But it is no worse than other sexual sins. In our moral bereft world our attitudes to sexuality have been tipped up side down; young people are bombarded with conflicting messages but the strongest one is ‘to do what feels best for you’ or ‘be happy’ because that’s what really is important. Take condoms with you and don't deny your desire for pleasure, any time or any cost. How you express your sexuality is yours to choose and actually it is a 'mature person' who is able to experiment with different styles.

Now I believe that there are certain things we do that are wrong and always will be. Sexual immorality is wrong; such practices as cheating on your partner, sex before a committed relationship, child sex, homosexuality and others out there. They are wrong and eventually will destroy our lives and families. What I am not saying is that people, who would be known as homosexual, gay, and lesbian or what ever, are evil or bad people. They are just as bad or good as I am, because I have and will do wrong things. People who do wrong things are nice, every day people. They are not criminals and should not be discriminated against and in fact I don’t need to know about their sexuality. What people do in their private moments is between them, God and the person they are doing it with. I have friends who have cheated on their wives and I have friends who are homosexuals and that is not a problem as far as them being my friends. I may not agree with their choices, if I know of them.

What I find frustrating is that where ever we look, the message is being subtly and blatantly pushed on us that Homosexual lifestyle is a normal and valid alternative lifestyle choice. Newspapers, magazine, radio programs, TV plays and novels all seem to need their token and not so token references to homosexuality as normal. It is not though! The message is carried by the media and a strong Gay lobby group. We cannot speak against it; we live in a tolerant and inclusive society that says that everything is okay if it doesn't hurt the other person, that what one person might think as wrong someone else thinks it’s right. When people do say that homosexuality is wrong then tolerance disappears, they are 'homophobic'!

The problem is not just ‘them’ but also those that have spoken out against Homosexuality, usually from within the Christian community. They have ended up speaking against the Homosexual person, seemingly lacking any sense of love or tolerance or acceptance. They become hung-up on the outward sinful acts of people but often forget the many other sins. They forget to treat people with respect, dignity and love. They become homophobic in their attitudes and lose sight of the person.

What causes people to be Homosexual? I don't really know but I suspect there are different reasons; some choose this lifestyle through environment, upbringing, peer pressure maybe especially with young people unsure of their sexuality, engaged in a permissive society, ready to experiment with different practices but not really Homosexual. Maybe some who are born with this disposition have an illness like for example; Depression or schizophrenic. I don't know, but if so they need help not condemnation.

Lets tell people to ‘sin no more’ but to welcome the person into our arms, just as Christ did. We should not discriminate against people based on their sexuality but just love them.

Two Brothers

2010-06-29T15:50:00.007+12:00

In the Bible there are many stories about brothers, from the beginning we have stories that follow brothers in conflict - Cain & Able, Joseph, Jacob & Esau, Moses & Aaron, Absalom & brothers. In the NT we have James & John as a good example of a postive relationship between brothers and back in the book of Genesis we have two brothers who have had a profound effect on subsequent history. Yes Ishmael & Isaac, introduced to us in Genesis 21.

As Christians we love to talk about Isaac, we know all about him and he is usually viewed in a positive light. Ishmael on the other hand - he gets bad press, actually he hardly gets any press from Christains. I came across a very good article on this the other day and have published it in full below:

"Muhammad is a direct descendant of Ishmael through his second son Kedar.

(There are some who would disagree with this claim as the following shows - "Long before Ibn Ishak, Muslims who lived in Mohammed’s own time also fabricated genealogies in an attempt to connect Mohammed to the descendants of Ishmael. Mohammed, himself, rejected all of these false genealogies, and he put limits regarding the genealogy of his ancestors. Regarding Mohammed’s own rejection of the false genealogies, Amru bin al-As wrote:
Mohammed genealogized himself regarding his ancestors until he reached al-Nather bin Kinaneh, then he said, “anyone who claimed otherwise or added further ancestors, has lied.”[2][ii]
By this, Mohammed confessed that neither he, nor anyone else, knew about his ancestors beyond al-Nather bin Kinaneh. Nather bin Kinaneh is the 17th ancestor in the genealogy which Mohammed recognized as true. Other narrations of the customs, or sayings, of Mohammed, called Hadiths, show Mohammed refused to be genealogized prior to Maad, معدwho some suggested, was the 4th ancestor prior to al-Nather bin Kinaneh.[3][iii]")

Ishmael is the 1st and only one of four people to be named by God before his birth.
God heard the lad because Ishmael means “God hears” God knew the end from the beginning. He named Ishmael before he was born because of the plan and destiny of his life. God heard his cry in the wilderness and opened the eyes of Hagar so she could see a well of water and gave Ishmael water to drink that he might live. Amazingly the well was already there, but they could not see it.

4000 years later the Muslim people are in a spiritual wilderness with a cry that has deepened; they are dying of thirst, unable to see the well of their salvation. But God is going to hear the cry of Ishmael and open his eyes and show him the well of living water-Jesus- that he may drink and live. It took water to save his natural life, and it will take living water from the well of Jesus to save his spiritual life.

We (The church) must intercede for the Muslims like a mother would her dying child.
Intercession and prayer is the first step. Intercession is prayer that embraces the heart of God. God used a woman to give water to Ishmael to drink in the wilderness, and He will use another woman, the church, to give living water to him today, out of the well of everlasting life. Ishmael is thirsty for living water and hungry for fresh baked in the oven of God’s Spirit.

Some of us have walked away from Ishmael, just like his own mother did, because the condition of Ishmael seems so hopeless in many ways.

God will hear the cry of the Muslim people in this hour. God named Ishmael before he was born, in His wisdom, because one day he knew there would be 1.6 million Muslims in a spiritual wilderness. Church get ready-an entire generation of Muslims is going to come into the Kingdom.

We must understand to nature of Ishmaels cry.

It began when he was cast out of his father’s house and left with no inheritance. For 15 years he grew up with the love of his father, Abraham, but was cast out because the son of the bondwoman could not be the heir with the son of the free woman. The next time Ishmael saw his father was to bury him, he also buried his chance to ever be a son.

At the core of Ishmael’s cry is a desire to be loved by a father and a need for identity.

Centuries later, the children of Ishmael built a memorial around the cry of Ishmael and called it Islam, which means to submit to God much like a servant, rather than to have a relationship with him as a son. Islam filled the void of his heart, saying God is not a father and has no son. Islam became the face of God to Ishmael. Muslims still see themselves as servants or slaves submitting to God, hoping that, through their works, they can obtain acceptance and approval from God and avoid the inevitable judgement. They seek to earn acceptance by God through works rather than grace.

This is not just a moral code but a state of being of every Muslim. Regardless, the cry of Ishmael has never ceased but deepened with time.

The Bible says we should be living epistles read by all people. It’s one thing to be a written epistle; it’s another thing to be a living epistle.

Before they go to the Book, they should read the Book in you. You have been made a new creature; then you have new ministry; you have a new message, a word of reconciliation.

Muslim people respond to revelation. They do not respond to mental gymnastics and debates, they do not respond to arguments. Muslim’s love to debate, but when you debate, an argument may convince someone’s mind, but their mind is subject to change. Learn to talk to the heart of a person rather than argue with the mind of a person.

God will respond to cry of Ishmael with dreams and visions of Jesus. The answer to these dreams and visions will be the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation. The open door in their understanding is dreams and visions.
So we, the church, need to get serious – our hearts have to be hearts of love.
There is an element of terrorism and war within the Muslim world today.
Jacob became Israel. Even today Esau hates Israel. Esau does live by the sword, and Esau’s descendents are a people stronger than Israel. The struggle that began in their mother’s womb continues.

Esau went to Ishmael, his uncle, and married his daughter, Mahalath. Ever since the, Esau and Ishmael have been mingled together in covenant.
Today, mingled with Ishmael, is Esau, who has always been at war with Jacob. Ishmael was spoken of as being a man of war, and Esau was destined to live by the sword. They both were archers but with different intentions. Ishmael was an archer for survival in the wilderness war. Esau was a hunter of the wild, more interested in hunting his prey and celebrating his strength over Jacob, the worker of the fields. Esau lived by the sword, and Ishmael was always at war.

Islam is in a modern-day crisis. The cry of Ishmael and the pain of Esau that once united them are now forces that divide them."

Let us remeber that both Isaac and Ishmael were given a blessing from God, both were destined to be a 'great nation'. Try reading Romans 10:1-4 as if Paul was writting to Muslims.

Faith

2010-03-05T15:23:00.003+13:00

I was thinking the other day about how I would summarise my faith; not give my testimony as we like to do in evangelical circles. So if someone asked me "What do you believe?" I would say the following:

'I Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength and my mind' ; and, 'I Love my neighbour as myself.'

But "How can we know God?" I would say through Jesus, he is the only introduction we need.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Someone may then ask "What does this neighbour look like?"

Anyone I come across who is in need, both here and around the world.

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

The church

2010-02-18T12:47:00.020+13:00

I have been thinking about church for a number of years now. Part of my thinking has been a concern for where the church is today; a lack of connection with the wider society. Also from a dissatisfaction with my own church life or involvement. The church, as in local expressions, seems to have become a very complicated entity and lost it's impetus as a revolutionary movement, instead evolving into an institution. The church often seems to side with conservatism and the middle classes. It is very 'worship' oriented, internal focused. I should say this is from a New Zealand perspective only.

If you belong to the evangelical wing, then more than likely you will be middle class, white Anglo-Saxon. Your friends will be mostly from within Christian circles. You will work hard and aspire to the usual consumerist objects. Those from Pentecostals churches might be more 'cross-cultural', working class to middle class but still mix amongst Christian friends. Church life in both groups will focus on 'worship' times and how to live a more victorious life for God. Mainstream churches will be a mixture but mostly middle class to wealthy people; some will be 'liberal', some evangelical and some 'socially active' believers.

In most of these churches there is a strong emphasis on 'building one up in the faith'. Outreach on the whole seems to be getting people into church on a Sunday or to a special church programme. So programmes and buildings seem to take on a special priority. Most churches will have paid professionals leading them and naturally they are aware that their performance is based on 'bums on seats', so they will ultimately gear things around their local gathering to the exclusion of the "kingdom of God' approach. As mentioned in a previous post ' Sharing your faith. Living your life' is the norm.

Shape of church
That's my unscientific look at the church today. What do I think the church should be today?
I think the NT talks about different types of 'churches': the local body of believers meeting in a home (Rom 16:5), a number of local churches referred to as a city or region church (Acts 9:31) and the 'world' wide or universal church (Acts 20:28) (Col 1:18). What I'm thinking about is the local expression of church. What did it look like?

The Greek word for "church" is ekklesia, which means an assembly. In Acts 19:39, 41, it is used for a large group of townspeople. But among Christians, the word ekklesia came to have a special meaning: all who believe in Jesus Christ.

If we view the church as a group of believers meeting together then we can say, that one first must belong to Christ (born again, saved, redeemed by the blood etc). Does that mean that only 'saved' people can belong to the church? Yes to the universal church because it is the 'body of our Lord'. But the local church is not so proscribed.

The church is described in several ways: the people of God, the family of God, the bride of Christ. We are a building, a temple and a body. Jesus described us as sheep, a field of grain and a vineyard. Each analogy describes a different aspect of the church.

Many of Jesus’ parables of the kingdom describe the church, too. Like a mustard seed, the church started small and yet has grown quite large (Matthew 13:31-32). The church is like a field in which weeds are scattered among the wheat (vv. 24-30). It is like a fishnet that catches bad fish as well as good (vv. 47-50). The church is like a vineyard in which some people work a long time and others only a short time (Matthew 20:1-16). The church is like servants who were given money to invest for the master, and some produce more fruit than others (Matthew 25:14-30).

Jesus described himself as a shepherd, and his disciples as sheep (Matthew 26:31); his mission was to seek lost sheep (Matthew 18:11-14). He described his people as sheep that must be fed and cared for (John 21:15-17). Paul and Peter used the same analogy, saying that church leaders should be shepherds of the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2).

"You are…God’s building," Paul says (1 Corinthians 3:9). The foundation is Jesus Christ (v. 11), and people are the building built on it. Peter said that we are all "living stones...being built into a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5). As we are built together, we "become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). We are the temple of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:17; 6:19). Although God may be worshiped in any place, the church has worship as one of its purposes.

We are "the people of God," 1 Peter 2:10 tells us. We are what the people of Israel were supposed to be: "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (v. 9; see Exodus 19:6). We belong to God, because Christ purchased us with his blood (Revelation 5:9). We are his children, and his family (Ephesians 3:15). As his people, we are given a great inheritance, and in response we are to try to please him and bring praise to his name.

Scripture also calls us the bride of Christ—a phrase that suggests his love for us, and a tremendous change within ourselves, that we might have such a close relationship with the Son of God. In some of his parables, people are invited to attend the wedding banquet, but in this analogy, we are invited to be the bride.

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). How do we become ready for this? It is a gift: "Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear" (v. 8). Christ cleanses us "by the washing with water through the word" (Ephesians 5:26). He presents the church to himself, having made her radiant, spotless, holy and righteous (v. 27). He is working in us.

What should be the main purpose of the church? Again I see different functions of the church; traditionally the church has seen it's role as a gathering for "worship" and teaching. When we look at the NT we can see certain practices that the local churches seem to do and we also can gain an idea from the overall focus of scripture.

Love
A central theme that pervades scripture and seems to be foundational to any church is "love"! The church is a place where we can love one another: "Love one another," Jesus tells his disciples (John 13:34). When Jesus says "one another," he is not referring to our duty to love all human beings. Rather, he is referring specifically to the need for disciples to love other disciples — it must be a mutual love. And this love is an identifying characteristic of Jesus' disciples (v. 35).

Mutual love does not express itself in accidental meetings at the grocery store and sporting events. Jesus' command presupposes that his disciples are meeting with one another on a regular basis. Christians should have regular fellowship with other Christians. "Do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers," Paul wrote (Galatians 6:10). To obey this command, it is essential that we know who the family of believers is. We need to see them, and we need to see their needs.

But also this love will have an outward look too. We are to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Our neighbour is not just within the church but in the world. "God so loved the world..."

Mission
Mission is the next most important foundational function of the church. The church in essence is missionary at it's very core; its reason for existence (The Christian faith is intrinsically missionary. It regards the “reign of God” which has come in Jesus Christ as intended for all humanity. This dimension of the Christian faith is not an optional extra: Christianity is missionary by its very nature, or it denies its very raison d’etre).. It starts with God's concern for the nations in the OT and for the poor, marginalised and alien peoples. The commission given to Abraham to be a 'blessing to the nations' and Jesus command to 'go into all the world..' (Luke 1:7) At the beginning of the book of Acts we see this command and at the end of the gospels; it is central.

In the letters of the NT again we see living and sharing our faith as pivotal to what the church was about. When the church wasn't moving out to the 'world' then persecution drove them out and the gospel spread through out the region.

Now lets look at the form of church,what do we do in church. Acts 2 has a wonderful description for guidance in doing church.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer are things that the early believers were engaged in when they met together. Where did they do these; in homes and at the temple courts, which means they didn't have a purpose built complex. They had an effect on their own members and the wider community because these activities were based on love and mission. There was leadership within the local and area churches, the apostles seemed to have leadership, elders and deacons are mentioned but we are not told much about any other form within the church.

There was certainly little emphasis on buildings, structure or form. When you read the NT there is emphasis on correct thinking and correct living (orthodoxy and orthopraxis), both within the community and in the wider community. Even the act of sharing in the Lords Supper was to have a witness to unbelievers.

The other point worth noting is that from the early beginnings there was conflict within the church, which in a sad way brings some comfort to us in the age of church splits! Which reminds me not to look at the church with 'rose tinted glasses'!
This reminds me about ‘the honeymoon’ stage after a wedding... Many of us have exhibited this same naïveté regarding the events of Acts 2. We are tempted to think of the first church in Acts 2 in the same way we think of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2. We are tempted to think of the church as perfect, pristine, and untouched by sin and later corruption. The difference between Genesis 2 and Acts 2 is that Genesis 2 comes before the fall of man; Acts 2 comes after the fall. The church in Acts is not perfect; it is simply pursuing the right things.

The right thing is not the size of the church but the health of the church. If a church is healthy, it will naturally grow. But if it is not healthy, no matter how many people come, it will be in danger until they are able to get healthy. Here’s the principle: focus on health and growth will come.
So how does a church stay healthy? It stays healthy by operating on Biblical priorities. Those priorities are set out in Acts 2 as seen above.

What is your escape route?

2010-02-14T17:52:00.006+13:00

I have often read 1 Corin 10: 13 as saying that God will not allow me to be tempted beyond a certain point; at that moment he will rescue me. So keeping me from sin. Over the years I have also come to realise that somehow it doesn't seem to work out like that. Why? Because I have constantly acted out my sinful thoughts, I have sinned before God and man. Doing that which I know God does not approve.

Now on a second reading of that verse I see something I missed.

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to all people; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it."

What does the Bible really say? That when you become entangled in sin that at some point, before it is too late, God will provide an escape route so you don't have to commit that sin. The point is though that YOU must TAKE that escape, you must say yes thank you God I'm finished with this sinning and I'm out of here. You will overcome, and panting exhausted you will fall down on the grass and gasp to get your breath back and whisper "Thank you God , Oh thank you God."

God wont force us out of committing sin but he offers us ways out, escape routes if only we take them.

Prov 4: 23 says "Watch over (or guard) your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." It is out of the heart that our thoughts arise and can so easily take control and lead us into sin. Heb 12: 1 "lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us.."

We are actively involved in sinning and in resisting that sin but we must take due diligence of our lives. What have we invested in, what is preoccupying our thoughts?

"Fix your eyes upon Jesus", "walk in a manner worthy of your calling' and "He that is within you is mightier than he that is without."

People of Faith

2010-02-06T13:21:00.008+13:00

Generalisations
Following on from the last discussion, about not making generalisations about people. I would like to talk about Christian (And Western) thinking about people of other faiths, especially Muslim peoples.

Over the last few years I have received many emails and articles with information on Islam, usually telling us the 'true nature' of Islam. Most often it comes via a Christian source. Either the information shows how violent Islam is, or how inferior to Christianity it is. How Christians have nothing in common with Islam especially, when using the Arabic word "Allah" for God. Finally how Islam is quickly taking over the Western (nee Christian) world.

Often these articles are written by and sent by Christian folk who love God and have a real burden to reach the world for Christ. Their motivation is pure and honourable.

The facts that are in these articles are often correct and the historical stories are usually well documented, if however coming from a biased western, christian point of view.

Violent Religion
Many Christians point out that Islam is a violent religion. I have often counted this by saying that most Muslims round the world are just your average family person and when you get to know a Muslim they often are like you and me. I still believe this, however a recent article said that this notion is not valid because as with the Nazi's, when good people do nothing and stand on the sidelines while others participate in violent acts, then these people will triumph. This is true when good people do nothing then evil triumphs. People need to stand up against those people, groups or nations that promote violence over peace, war over dialogue, force over love.

Islam came out of a violent history and it did spread in the early days through conquest and forcible conversion. Today however Islam is spreading more by birth and immigration than war. Although I realise that in some African places there are some stories coming out that Muslim groups are trying force an Islamisation on their country.

Islam is not the only religion that has used force, unfortunately Christianity doesn't have a great track record; think about the Crusades, Inquisitions, Reformation and colonial days. Today Islam is associated with terrorist groups; Sept 11, London bombings, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Palestine. These are true places of ever increasing levels of violence and lack of respect for the value in human life. What is happening today in the name of Islam must be dealt with by the world, by Muslim people especially, by other means apart from the gun.

The article I have just read says that fanatics have taken over Islam, like they did in Germany, Russia and China, that the only group we should be concerned about are the terrorist. "As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life". It says that because moderate Muslims are not standing up then, "Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany , they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun".

Now this might be true in essence but how will we ever be able to reach Muslims if all we do is concentrate on the fanatics. How will there be dialogue with Muslims if all we see is a person wanting to take over the world. Instead of seeing Islam as a violent religion (because that automatically makes followers violent people) we need to see them as people loved by God, people that Christ came to save from sin to reconcile to God. We can't be blind to the fanatics and just stand by while people are butchered by terrorist, we need to encourage all Muslims to own the problems within Islam and to claim Islam back for them. We need to stand against those in the west who preach war above bridge-building. We, the ordinary 'Jo public' can't have much effect on the terrorist, they almost become irrelevant to us. Our point of contact is with the Muslim we live next too, see on our streets invite into our homes.

Counterfeit Religion!
Other articles talk about how wrong Islam is, built on a lie, so inferior to Christianity. They like to belittle Islam, showing all the mistakes and inconsistencies, and with the ultimate humiliation those practising Islam. One writer had just engaged an Imam in dialogue and felt he had won the argument, he was so proud that he had made the Imam 'look like a naughty school-boy caught doing wrong' and at the end 'you could have heard a pin drop as the Imam held his head down in shame'. He might have won the argument but I doubt that he won his soul. We might have all the answers and prove that the Quran is incorrect, an impostor, having stolen text from the Bible etc. If we come into a room and say your faith is wrong, your prophet is not really inspired, what effect will that have on the believer? Try looking at this from a Christian stand point. How do we feel when a Muslim says that what you believe is wrong, the Bible has been corrupted and is inferior to the Quran. That Jesus is not God just a prophet. We don't like it, we feel that the most important part of our life has been trampled on and that the person saying these things could never be our true friend.

Instead of throwing stones at Islam we need to build bridges so we can talk and make Friends and love them unconditionally - like God does. If we are firm in our own faith then we don't need to pull theirs apart but find points in common to open dialogue. Use the Quran in our conversations, learn about their faith in a non-judgemental way without giving away anything of our own believes.

World Conquest
Lastly the articles talk about Islam taking over the world through immigration and birth rate. These articles look at what has been happening with birth numbers amongst immigrants how they are projected to expand while native Europeans are declining.

"The human habit is simply to project current trends into the future. Demographic realities are seldom kind to the predictions that result. The decision to have a child depends on innumerable personal considerations and larger, unaccountable societal factors that are in constant flux. Yet even knowing this, demographers themselves are often flummoxed. Projections of birthrates and population totals are often embarrassingly at odds with eventual reality." ( Martin Walker)

It is true Northern European birthrates have been declining alarmingly over the last number of years and Muslim peoples have been migrating to northern countries usually with higher birth rates. For those who cherish a romantic illusion of a time when Christendom reigned supreme, then this will be alarming.

But population figures do not always follow predictions, there is some inductions that certain European countries are showing a slight increase in birthrates and a country that has seen huge growth is now predicted to decline, that is China. Many experts also believe that immigrant populations will show a slowing of birth rates as they become second generation and more prosperous. So you cannot accurately project out figures and say this trend will continue.

Fear Verse Love

What do these attitude towards Muslims do to the average Christian person? I feel they create a sense of fear towards Muslims, a competitive attitude with Islam and a feeling off "I need to convert these Muslims so I can get rid of this 'evil' religion"! Let's keep Muslim out of our country because they are here to take over. Our religious freedom or special status will disappear.

This is in complete contradiction to the Biblical record and the motivation of the early followers of Christ. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2: 8 "We loved you dearly - so dearly that we gave you not only God's message, but our own lives too." and in Chap 1:3 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ".

Romans 10:1 "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites (Muslims) is that they may be saved.
2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness"
1 Cor 10:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love".
Paul based his ministry on love and also he spoke of an indebtedness to all people to preach the gospel. Jesus says that, "we are to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbour as ourselves"
Our neighbour is not just the person living next to our house but all who are without the gospel.

So if we come towards our Muslim brethren as people we want to love because God loves them then it must change our attitude. Muslims must not become an item on our agenda, a project. We will not win them to Christ by belittling their faith or systematically exposing their errors. We will struggle seeing them come to faith through door knocking or inviting them to church. Muslims come from a culture of relationships, family, honour, commitment and outward piety. If we want to see Muslims come to faith then we need to change in our attitude, motivation and worldview.

Attitude, Motivation and World-view
Our Attitude should be the beginning of change. We see the Muslim as a people loved by God and we love them too, they are valued as human beings, we see them as individuals all different. So we remove the stereotypes that have been circulated. They are not all terrorists, they don't all want to see me, an infidel, killed. Because I value them I want to build bridges towards them so I can live the gospel and talk the gospel with them. I do not fear them because they become my friends and come into my home and I into their homes. We learn from each other and share meals together.

My motivation is out of love and respect. It is not to change them, to make them leave their religion. It is to be their friend and my hope is that God's Holy Spirit would bring them to faith, but I will remain their friend even if they don't come to know Jesus.

My world view will change from a mono-culturist to a multi-culturist. I can learn from other cultures and faiths. That Islam is not the "other' out there but our neighbour. That I need to see that western is not always the best. To the Muslim, his world-view is very precious. It is his whole way of life. Jesus Christ desires to become the very center and core of that world-view. To the Christian who is entrusted with the task of introducing and stimulating that change, the task is awesome, challenging and sometimes frightening. But to those of us who have had the privilege of meeting transformed Muslims, the task is eminently worthwhile!

I want to build bridges of understanding, weave faith into life (live my faith. Share my life), and make the most of opportunities that God gives to me each day. What a difference it would make if every believer became friends with a Muslim and their family, invited them into their homes, played together and then pray together.

Lets not be frightened into taking notice of Muslims, lets welcome them into New Zealand and learn to love them.

Aotearoa as a New Zealander

2010-02-02T10:17:00.011+13:00

Intolerance
It never stops amazing me how intolerant we Christians can be! I remember back to when I was first out working and was visiting relations up north, this extended family over the years had had a profound and positive effect on my young Christian life. Now this particular part of the family I was visiting astonished me when they started talking about Maori people. They were so offensive, racist and intolerant. But especially displayed a lack of Christian love or Christian character. Their behaviour seemed out of place with all I had held dear in my Christian journey so far. My own family had always had an inclusive approach and a very respectful way of talking about those of different ethnicity's.

Unfortunately I came to discover that this intolerant and racist attitude was all to common amongst many of my Christian friends and relatives. I struggled to reconcile this attitude with the message of reaching out to people with the gospel. How can you say with words that God loves the world and that the 'great commission' commissions us to take the gospel to all the world when one denigrates those of a different background to us!

I also discovered that often Christians in New Zealand had no problem showing compassion to those from distant lands but not towards their fellow NZ'ers of Maori (or Asian) descent! It became obvious to me that it wasn't necessarily that these folks were racist but just had an intolerance towards people who were different and who seem to be at the bottom of our social structure. They had accepted the stereotypes that the news media betrayed; that Maori were responsible for most of our crime, therefore you can't trust them. Maori were responsible for most violent crime therefore we had to fear them. Maori were bludgers of the welfare state therefore they were lazy. These images were projected onto everyone who stood out to be Maori or had a brown skin.

How can you have an unconditional love for a people when you don't trust them, or denigrate them? So if they aren't racist then what generates this antagonism towards Maori? Is it connected to the issues of ethnicity and the 'Waitangi Treaty'. These are issues which New Zealanders are struggling with and the outcomes will have ramifications on how we treat others coming here who are different because of culture, colour or religion.

Where do we belong?
New Zealanders of European ancestry who are second or third generation NZ'ers I believe have a struggle trying to decide who they are as a 'people'. The problem is that we have a mixture of ancestral heritage. As an example in my family; we have a German surname but we have just as equal amount of English, French, Irish ancestors as well. So where do i come from (my tupuna)? I am not really German, or English, actually I really can't say that I'm European, I don't have a sense of connection, I don't feel that I belong there. I live on the edge of Polynesia but I'm not a Polynesian. I could claim the German side of my heritage because that is where my name came from and I must admit that I do look back to Germany as having a slightly stronger claim on my past. But this is based not on anything scientific but how I feel. However this is looking back not answering the question of who I am now! I don't really feel I am connected to Germany now or geographically. I live in the pacific close to Polynesian a bit further from Asia and close to Australia. I am a New Zealander, whoever that is.

I think until we can accept who we are as a nation, as an ethnicity, we will struggle with gaining a mature outlook to 'others who are different', accepting migrants from different backgrounds. Maybe the problem we have towards Maori is that they seem to be able to stand tall as Maori people; they feel they are Maori even if they have mixed ancestral backgrounds. Ethnicity is not a fact it is a feeling, it's me being happy with who I am as a people, being proud of my tribal canoe. Connecting with the geographical anchorage of where I live now. It would be nice if one day I can say I'm a New Zealander from Aotearoa. I believe we all should be "tangata whenua", although with special place to those original four canoes.

The Waitangi Treaty is possibly another factor that causes some New Zealanders to feel aggrieved and to feel that Maori are 'getting another hand-out'. I struggle myself with the Treaty claims, I have no problem with settling past injustices, giving back land that was illegally taken, but when the claims start trying to settle 'customary rights' then I feel a little uncomfortable. We live in an entirely different society today, no longer a British colony, no longer a Polynesian people, nor a prominently English people. We are a mixture of different backgrounds, the Maori of today are very different from their ancestors so we need to be careful that we don't create laws that divide us on a subjective classification of ethnicity.

Colour blind
It is very easy to glibly go on to say that we are all one race, colour or culture, they don't matter we should be colour blind. We can quote scripture that says there is no more Greek, slave, male or female" etc "we are all one in Christ". That is right in as far as our relationship with God goes. We all stand before our heavenly Father as 'sinners saved by grace'.

When we say this within the context of race or culture then it usually comes from those within the dominant culture with it's structures firmly in place and with a culture that isn't disadvantaged. Those on the 'outside' feel they need an identity to give them a sense of significance or prevent their official invisibility and consequent discrimination. Although they want to be part of this new culture they also value where they have come from. We need to embrace unity in diversity, allowing people to be different to be Maori, German, black or white but accepting common values that have been shaped within this New Zealand culture. We need to be certain what our common values are and articulate them loudly so everyone is aware of them.

Because we are not a Christian nation we need be careful in how we express values that come out of our Christian heritage. We don't need to be ashamed of that Christian heritage and we should strive to keep truly Biblical values within our culture but outside that we should be flexible in what we proscribe for others who share different backgrounds.

I should say that these are thoughts getting typed out, not completely formed yet, so am open to a different slant on the above. Will continue on with the next blog on how we respond to people of other faiths especially Muslims.

Seeking a New Pastor

2010-01-15T16:24:00.005+13:00

Our local church (that is believers not building) is looking for a new pastor. This is no easy task even in the normal run of things but when you are following in the footsteps of a Dr Steve Taylor, it becomes even more difficult.

So what type of person should we be looking for? Perhaps first we need to look over Steve's time here, what kind of pastor was he? Steve was a pioneer, a starter, an ideas person but able to give traction to those ideas. He had the ability to move a people into the new without them really feeling that they were leaving anything behind. To give him a label one might call him a 'missional' pastor; he cared for the mobility of the gospel and the relevancy of the message to today's generation and within the definition of 'missional' he saw the gospel moving out to the community. Steve was also free to empower people to do 'ministry' and not try and do everything himself. He moved our church from a dying introverted critical Conservative institution into the beginnings of a missional, loving community and creative movement. Well maybe he still had a way to go but at least we had started.

Areas where we need to still grow; would be not only missional within our local community but with a world perspective too. People need to be encouraged to deepen their understanding of the Bible but not try and apply it like a book of rules. We don't need just a people with a 'sound' theological basis but a people of faith immersed in the Word of God. Applying the great Truths of scripture to our living.

Do we duplicate Steve, go for consolidation or do a 'u-turn'?

It does makes sense going for consolidation; build on what has been started, go for depth and maturity. People can get burnt out starting new enterprises.

However this runs the risk of causing stagnation within the church; we could redevelop into an institution instead of a movement. Theorizers instead of practitioners. People have been attracted to Opawa because of what has been happening, what we look like and what we are saying. This has been in a large part through the initiative of Steve but enabled by the people who make up this church. If we put a hold or stop on this I fear we will loose the momentum and loose what we have gained. We need to be a prophetic missional people characterised by Faith, love and hope.

I would also like to add that we should look within our own ranks before looking outside our community and I like the idea of a part-time pastor. The 'eldership' or 'Board' needs to exercise strong spiritual leadership beyond the present 'paid' Senior Pastor.

Below is a list attributes I would love Opawa to be known for:
(JR Woodward at Dream Awakener).

•Not simply how many people come to our church services, but how many people our church serves.
•Not simply how many people attend our ministry, but how many people have we equipped for ministry.
•Not simply how many people minister inside the church, but how many minister outside the church.
•Not simply helping people become more whole themselves, but helping people bring more wholeness to their world. (i.e. justice, healing, relief)
•Not simply how many ministries we start, but how many ministries we help.
•Not simply how many unbelievers we bring into the community of faith, but how many ‘believers' we help experience healthy community.
•Not simply working through our past hurts, but working alongside the Spirit toward wholeness.
•Not simply counting the resources that God gives us to steward, but counting how many good stewards are we developing for the sake of the world.
•Not simply how we are connecting with our culture but how we are engaging our culture.
•Not simply how much peace we bring to individuals, but how much peace we bring to our world.
•Not simply how effective we are with our mission, but how faithful we are to our God.
•Not simply how unified our local church is, but how unified is "the church" in our neighborhood, city and world?
•Not simply how much we immerse ourselves in the text, but how faithfully we live in the story of God.
•Not simply being concerned about how our country is doing, but being concern for the welfare of other countries.
•Not simply how many people we bring into the kingdom, but how much of the kingdom we bring to the earth.

This Year

2009-12-24T12:47:00.003+13:00

I don't believe we should live in the past, we shouldn't continually hanker for those past years or events that left an indelible mark on our psyche. We need to live in the present for the future while acknowledging our debt to the past. The past is important because it is what shapes us; we come out of the past into the now. The past gives us a future that the now can either change or build upon or deny. It causes me some pain to see people a prisoner to their past, trapped in memories, bitterness, or patterns of life that do not belong in the now and cannot not take them into the future.

What this preamble is about is that I want to reflect on my year; but I'm not trapped in the past just acknowledging what has gone before!

2009 started with Bronwyn's parents down here for Christmas and New Year and also her brother and sister-in-law. It was great spending time with them, especially a trip we did down to Geraldine spending one night then going home via Lake Tekapo and Timaru. Part of the enjoyment was the journey itself; seeing the beauty of the countryside, stopping for a picnic by the Raiaka River. It reminds me that sometimes we are in such a rush to get places in life - to turn 21 or 30; to get married; to see our kids become adults; to have a flash house; to earn top salary - that we miss the enjoyment of the getting there, the pleasure of the moment. When you get into your fifties you start to realise that didn't want to get there so fast after all.

My brother got married in Indonesia and brought Eva back to NZ to live in Nelson, it was lovely welcoming her into the family and Kiwi culture.

April was a goodbye to Naomi as she left for Hawaii and the start of her YWAM course. It was difficult saying goodbye as Naomi was our last child at home and she seemed so young to be heading off to other side of the world but at least we thought she would be back in 6 months time! It's now Dec and she is still away, the first Christmas without her. Although we would like her home we also believe that God is doing a work in her life and she is being a blessing to those she meets.

We celebrated two 80th birthdays in May. First my Dad; we gave him a surprise visit in Nelson to help celebrate his 80th. Sarah, Jono and Mark all came up with us. Dad's health has been a bit up and down this last year so it was timely to spend time with him. Then at the end of the month we all flew up to Rotorua and joined in a big party to celebrate Bronwyn's Dads 80th, good to spend time with family and friends. Bronwyn would fly back up later in the year to help with her mothers health which had slipped a little after a couple of small strokes. We see family time as important especially as our parents are at the stage when bad health can change everything very quickly. We want to value their lives while we have them with us.

During the year Bronwyn and I flew to Auckland as part of our Navigator roll; we visited many folks involved with other cultures. It was a wonderful time and an encouragement just talking to these different people with interesting stories, a mosaic of cultures encountering Jesus - Fijian, Tongan, Malaysian, Iranian and Kiwi. We felt privileged to be part of this. One moment that was special for me was meeting the son of a Tongan man who discipled me in Christchurch back in the early to mid 70's. He became the head of the Tongan Navigator work until he retired in Wellington. I have never meet him since that original time. It was wonderful seeing his son, a high school teacher, so involved with people living his faith and sharing the love of Jesus into their lives.

Time was spent walking with a number of people who were struggling in their lives through this year. We didn't resolve anything but we hope our prayers and support helped carry their load. It's been a heartache seeing a number of marriages fall apart without reconciliation. People trapped in depression, unable to function properly, but also others keen to look into the scriptures and welcome God into their messy lives.

Other moments for us; my parents came down to Christchurch to visit, started the "Living Collective" mission meets, some great cycling especially our trip into Lake Sumner, Bronwyn's book club nights, my cafe nights with the men, time with a Bhutanese refugee family and our Indonesian friends.

We rounded out this year with a great party across the road to celebrate two of our neighbours reaching fifty and again, just the other day, at their place to celebrate Christmas. Not in a Christian sense but it was a great night; singing all those great corals and because a number of people there were 'Barbershop' singers, the singing was in tune and harmonised!

All these events have been part of the journey, they make up the year. Each individual item didn't make the year but provided the colour, beauty, pain, paradoxes and complexities that was the year. Many times we would say to ourselves that this person or event is an interruption to our agenda of getting to the end of the year. Then God would remind us of how he viewed people that crossed his path not as interruptions but opportunities to express his love and grace.

To anyone reading out there in the great bloggersphere I would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas and a new yaer filled with opportunities.

The Reader; a review

2009-12-23T09:49:00.003+13:00

I don't usually do film reviews but came across this one through a web sight called "Maxim Institute". I found it extremely profound and challenging, the writers critique on modern society is so close to the mark. I have read the book "The Reader" and would totally concur with the review although, I haven't seen the film and probably wont as I found the book really disturbing and enough of a challenge. I must say that I do enjoy seeing films that don't always try to 'smooth' the story out with a tidy ending and doesn't indulge in the violence or the sex as an end in itself.

I am also really interested in the many paradoxes within the Christian faith, many people of faith feel they need to resolve them instead of letting them remain rough and and messy; acknowledging that God knows more than us!

So I have copied the article as the condensed version and if you like it there is a link at the end to read the complete article.

"Ambushed by the grotesque"
Tom Stoppard once wrote, "All your life you live so close to truth, it becomes a permanent blur in the corner of your eye, and when something nudges it into outline it is like being ambushed by a grotesque."

Our history is conflicted with stories of great achievements sitting beside horror and tragedy. We live after the Jewish holocaust and in the midst of Darfur. Often we are numb to these horrors, unsure what to do when they confront us. One of the major films of the year, The Reader, explores the questions that come from the "grotesque" parts of our history.

The Reader is set in post-World War 2 Germany. It begins when a 15-year-old school student named Michael meets a much older woman, a bus conductor named Hanna. They have a brief affair before Hanna disappears. Michael turns up to her house one day and finds it completely deserted. A few years later, Michael is studying law, and he attends the trials of Nazi war criminals as part of his study. He is shocked to find that Hanna is one of the defendants. Before their affair, she was a guard who chose prisoners to be taken to gas chambers. The court case centres around one incident in which she and other guards watched 300 women die in a burning church. The film then follows the next thirty years or so of Hanna's legacy, as we see the various ways that people try to go on living, despite being irreparably scarred by her.

Overwhelmingly the sense that you get when watching The Reader is one of shock at the world's contradictions. Germany was an astute country with respect for democracy, yet it went insane in the space of ten years. Hanna, a woman who loves beauty, who cries at the sound of a choir singing in a church, was also somehow able to watch 300 people in a church burn to death.

We are often tempted to rush to explanations of these contradictions; to try and contain our understanding of horrific events, in the hope of reaching understanding. One common explanation has been that our unresolved childhood issues and our natural desires shape who we are and dictate how we behave. While there have been valuable lessons that have come along with psychoanalysis, this idea often leaves us puzzled about how much responsibility to ascribe to people. Was Hanna responsible for her choices or was she a victim of her circumstances?

While we struggle with questions like these, and rightly try to understand what leads someone to behave as they do, this cannot lead us to believe that tomorrow is already determined. While some of us have to wrestle with extraordinary difficulties and injustice, it is still our responsibility to face our circumstances and make the best of them that we can, difficult as it may be. The Jewish holocaust and the genocide in Darfur are exercises in dehumanising masses of people. The way we reject them is to hold onto humanity—to heal, to choose well, to tell the truth. This is a summarised version of an article that appears on our website.

Read the full review, "When we are ambushed by the grotesque."

Who is My Neighbour

2009-12-11T13:40:00.011+13:00

What does being 'missional' mean: "Jesus told us to go into all the world and be his ambassadors, but many churches today have inadvertently changed the "go and be" command to a "come and see" appeal. We have grown attached to buildings, programs, staff and a wide variety of goods and services designed to attract and entertain people.

"Missional is a helpful term used to describe what happens when you and I replace the "come to us" invitations with a "go to them" life. A life where "the way of Jesus" informs and radically transforms our existence to one wholly focused on sacrificially living for him and others and where we adopt a missionary stance in relation to our culture. It speaks of the very nature of the Jesus follower."
---Rick Meigs

Do you sometimes wonder how you can engage with people without Christ. Where should you 'go' to be Christ to those without Him? How far should we be looking when being a 'witness' to the Lord. Perhaps our vision is too short, our horizons too close. Are we prepared to, not just stay within our normal natural 'neighbourhood' to be missional. Who is our neighbour?

In scripture God gave Abraham the great commission right back in Genesis 12:2

"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

Then in Matthew 28 Jesus gives us the great re-commission:

" 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This reminds me that the God we worship is God of the world. His commission makes us world people as well. We cannot have mission only in our 'backyard' or only 'overseas'; mission should be both, an integral part of our life as the Body of Christ. Mission is the 'reason for our existence' as a church otherwise we might as well pack our bags and collect our free pass to heaven!

Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to "Love God with all our heart and love our neighbour as our self". The Christian church must be outward looking; love for God doesn't come, by forever listening, reading, talking about the finer points of doctrine. We might appreciate the sovereignty of God, the imminence and transcendence of God and other 'foundational' truths (These truths are important) but that should not become the sum total of our Christian experience.

To love God is doing what he loves and what is so prominent in the Scriptures is Gods concern for the world and the poor marginalised people in the world. God is even bringing the world to our doorsteps but if you want to meet them you still need to get of your 'bum'!

So who is your neighbour; try the following quiz to gauge your position.

Who is Your Neighbour? A Crossing-cultures questioner.

1. In the story Jesus told about the ‘Good Samaritan’, in today’s setting who would you liken the key characters too:
a. The Jewish victim
b. Priest
c. Temple Assistant
d. Samaritan

2. In the above story, Jesus is talking about loving your neighbour. Who would you consider to be your neighbour:
a. House next door
b. People in your Suburb
c. Close friends
d. Closest country
e. Anyone we meet who is in need

3. Where do you work/study?

.......................................................................................................................................

4. At work or study are you aware of other nationalities:
Yes/no

5. In your neighbourhood are you aware of different ethnicity's
Yes/no

6. How many different nationalities are you aware of in your work/study/neighbourhood place:
1 2 3 4 5 6

7. Can you name any of their country's:
UK, Canada, Denmark, Chile, Germany, India, Israel, PNG, Samoa, China, Fiji,
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Peru, Thailand, Russia, Turkey,
USA, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, France, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya other.........................

8. How many of the above have you ever talked with:
No. ........................... Nationalities...................................................................................................

9. How many people from other countries would you term as your friend:
No. ................ Nationalities ................................................................................................................

10. What are some of the activities you would do with them:
State.......................................................................................................................................................

11. Have you ever talked to someone of a different nationality about your faith?
Yes/no

12. What stops you engaging with someone from another nationality:
Describe.................................................................................................................................................

13. If you were to travel overseas what country/ies would you choose to visit & why:

.................................................................................................................................................................

14. How would you describe the following in relation to yourself:
a. Your ethnicity

b. Your nationality

c. Your culture

15. If you were to travel overseas and wanted to take one thing that best described NZ culture what would that be?
..........................................................................................................................................................................

16. Read the statement below
“Being colour blind is a well-meant attempt to address racism and prevent the wrongs committed in the past from being repeated. But it also denies people who they are and the reality that people with different cultural backgrounds often have very different experiences in life. It also excuses us from really getting to know each other as whole persons when we say, “Race doesn’t really matter; I’m colour blind! I see everyone as the same.” The same as who?”

How would you like NZ to look in 10/20 years time

Multicultural; how would that look............................................................................

Segregated;...................................................................................................................

Monoculture;.................................................................................................................

Bi cultural;.....................................................................................................................

(Send me your answers and I will give you my unbiased score!!)

Conversations

2009-12-09T15:20:00.009+13:00

[Colossian 4
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.]

This message came out of our discussions in the ‘Living Collective’ missions elective. The living Collective focus is not a one-time programme, it is not an event driven campaign, but a long term initiative that.

For many believers, evangelism is something they must be deliberate at. They must plan to do it or even schedule it on their calendar. While this is not altogether bad (doing evangelism is never "bad"), it does not represent the ideal. Jesus Christ seemed to travel around the countryside speaking very conversationally about His faith and relationship with His Father. For us, we too should speak of our relationship with Christ very conversationally, as an ongoing witness to His role in and effect on our lives. In this way, we present a living testimony to our ongoing walk with Christ.

Sometimes in the busyness of our daily lives that, for many people, are very project oriented, we can slip into making people evangelism "projects." What does this mean? It translates into having friendships with people for sake of sharing the Gospel with them rather than having a relationship with them just because people are valuable to God and are worthy of relationship. This is a subtle yet common dynamic. We have to be steadfast in valuing people simply because they belong to God. God is responsible for convicting their hearts towards Salvation; we must be their friends first and foremost regardless of their conversion (1 Thes 2:8).

It dawned on me that was not what I was taught as a typical Kiwi Evangelical. We were taught to "Share our faith. Live our life." As such it was very important to be busy witnessing - sharing our faith. Sharing the Four Spiritual Laws, or pointing out sin, or pushing for a commitment were all part of sharing our faith. Good arguments about creation, abortion, the inerrancy of scripture, plus exposing the cults, humanists, atheists, liberals, socialists and communists were also part of sharing our faith. We were schooled in how to make our "testimony" fit our theology of "say the prayer and get your free ride to heaven".

Our life on the other hand, well that is something that is a gift from God to develop and so become successful, make money, accumulate things, influence or power. In other circles about all you could do with your life was to become a pastor or preacher if you really had faith.
Live your faith! Share your life! This is what the world needs. It can't be done in a building where the church meets for worship.
It’s a process of modelling and explaining the Christian message; living in a dynamic relationships. However...
“We live in a society that is dominated by a fear of the “other,” and this fear results in separation and isolation.”

So, I have been thinking about conversations lately, which follows on from 'living our faith; sharing our lives. It's in our conversations that we can naturally engage with people and talk about Jesus.

Perhaps we need to look at the meaning of conversation before we go any further.
Meaning of Conversation. Conversation n. The spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings; talk. BUT I would also hasten to add that for a conversation to have traction there needs to be a lot of listening going on.

So we must remember that it is a 'spoken exchange", not just one way talking, not a speech or sermon! Jesus didn't just speak to people he had conversations.
The New Testament is full of conversations that Jesus had; especially if we read through Matthew’s gospel. Can we gain something by looking at how Jesus engaged in conversations.

1. No Template for Conversation. Jesus didn't use a 'template' for his conversations, they were all different. Jesus had no wooden formula which he followed, but rather was about engaging people in the depths of their being. (Read Matthew 12:38-40)
This shows a very direct approach; because he saw the intent of the heart. We also must be prudent when we meet people and not be gullible with some questions or intentions. Jesus avoided arguing people into accepting his view.

2. Intentionality: Being Amongst People
We notice that Jesus was amongst people; if you don't meet people or if you stay within your own small circle of friends then it's impossible to have any conversation that will engage people without faith. Sure Jesus had many conversations with his 'close circle of friends' the disciples, they are important but if we want people to encounter Jesus then we need to be amongst people. Where do we meet people; at work, in the neighbourhood, at the gym at the local shops.

3. Engagement: Talking with People
Now Jesus could have been amongst people, he could have been in crowds but if he just walked right through them and didn't stop, look at them and talk with them then there still would not be any conversation. Often within our neighbourhood we think because people can see us going to church then that's enough to tell them about Jesus or because we say to our neighbours "We are Christians, so we don't drink or do bad things, can't come to your parties or go to the rugby with you. But hey, Jesus loves you!". This is not conversation.
Sometimes we are so busy doing 'ministry', or other important activities that we just don't have time to stop and talk. Jesus had an agenda (busy) for his day, there were important things he needed to do, as we read in Matt 16. Jesus sets about going to Jerusalem to his death; that's his agenda which is very important. Then in the next chapter he stops to heal someone (Matt 16:21 & Matt 17:14). He had a conversation. Again in Luke 19 as Jesus was on his way he stopped and had a conversation with Zacchaeus. When I go walking I like to engage with people.

4. Relevant: Asking Questions & Listening for Answers
(Matthew 9:27-30a)Jesus was amongst people, Jesus talked to people. Jesus didn't just talk but he listened, he asked questions.
If we just talk to people they will turn off, go to sleep even. At night time when my wife and I go to bed we sometimes pray before we go to sleep. Usually my wife says to me "you pray", however if I talk for too long then I know for certain that she will be asleep! Our conversations need to be received by the other party and a response given. I think we as Christians have been guilty in our interacting with those without faith to talking to them but not engaging them in conversation. We often end up telling people how bad they are and what we don't do. The world however needs conversation; it wants to ask questions and craves stories about life. Not rules quoted from a book but answers to their questions, a listening ear and they want to be included in the stories that connect with their struggles and joys.

“To the extent that the church learns to listen and helps us to consistently improve as listeners, that’s the extent to which the church will continue to not only be relevant but it will become a place that we can’t live without.”– if only we could listen like Jesus… if only.” “the church’s ability to listen will determine it’s relevancy”

People have a low opinion of the church! Consider the bumper sticker “Dear God, please save me from your followers!” We are obliged to identify the underlying accusation and offer a response. We need to hear their questions and often these three questions are at the core. 1. Why should I trust you? 2. Isn’t that just YOUR reality? 3. What good is Christianity?

The truth is, the death of civility in Western public life has made it harder and harder for people to have an actual conversation, which is people listening to each other. Too often, I think, we don’t feel that the other person has anything worth hearing. When we fail to see those who passionately hold differing political, cultural, or religious opinions as well-meaning human beings like ourselves, when instead we reduce them to cardboard caricatures, fools, traitors, or heathen, how can we possibly hope the divide between us might be bridged? If you call my views on medicine socialist or I call your religious views shallow legalism, why should either of us pause to listen—or to imagine the views of our counterparts might bear any wisdom?

5. Authenticity: Empathetic & Not Superficial. He showed empathy with people; Our conversations will mean nothing unless they are real!
(John 11:32 – 36) When we engage with people we need to enter their world, to rejoice with them, mourn with them. Jesus did and it was honest emotion. If we stand apart from those we meet our conversation will be just on the surface and they will be reluctant to open up and share their true self.

Jesus went beyond the superficial;
He wanted to see lives changed, people healed, set free from sin and oppression. He wasn't satisfied with a "how are you" then continue on your way. He wanted to really know how the person was.

When we are in conversation with people we need to be listening carefully to what people are really saying and we need to sensitively engage with their real needs as they reveal them to us.

A Conversation
John 4: 1-45 records a wonderful conversation that Jesus had with a Samaritan woman; a story that most people will know already. It so wonderfully illustrates the kind of conversation that results in a person knowing they have had an encounter with 'The Messiah', it changed her life and those from her town.

Jesus was probably tired (the disciples went off to get food), he could have logically argued against talking to her as she was 'outside' his cultural norms (A Samaritan, a woman, a loose woman). Jesus engaged her in a conversation that avoided 'red herrings', that stayed with the important issues and heard the need of her heart.

Jesus stopped, talked, empathized, he didn't judge but spent time with her; our conversations will demand time and may take us into the messy places of life. But then that is what love is all about especially unconditional love.

1 Thessalonians 2:8
We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
“As we go through these doors into a new week, let us be the love of God amongst those we meet and speak words of love into our conversations...”

Our Daughter of Faith

2009-12-07T19:41:00.014+13:00

About March last year our youngest daughter Naomi left home...after months of praying and discussions she decided that God was leading her to join YWAM in Hawaii on their 'PhotogenX' course. A total of 6 months; now its Dec and she is still not home.

Naomi has a passion to see people come to meet Jesus and she has a passion to see those marginalised within societies set free both from their lifestyles or environment and their spiritual bondage.

What is this course; read the following:

PhotogenX Around the World is for you if you like to travel, if you have a desire to learn about photography and the Bible and if you want to learn how to combat injustice around the world. Through this course you will learning photography and have opportunity to shoot around the world in the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia. The place will be as diverse as Hawaii, the Amazon, Sahara and the Himalayans. You will get to study the Bible on the back of a camel or on a boat through the Middle East and Turkey. You will study world culture not out of books but in the nations themselves. You will use your camera to combat injustice and oppression.

So our Naomi set off to Hawaii and started this course. She bedded down with a bunch of young people from different nationalities and they became a team; learning the finer points of photography and what trusting God really means.

Naomi: "so I've registered and everything. I've been sweet all day really calm. but its almost overwhelming just with the Americans-they're lovely but I feel like an alien! I don't know though.”

She was learning a lot about herself and God:

"I'm so tired today we had a really good night of testimonies last night. God just really showed me how much i judge ppl and really broke that from me. was good. also i felt him implant some of the love he has for ppl into me and he's revealing more of how he loves me too. so all in all it was a good night."
"things are going awesome here i will update my blog......its cool how God can be so intense, subtle, crazy and beautiful all at once."

Then she went on field assignment to Panama stayed there about three months.

"I'm actually really excited about what we are going to do, Monday we are going to stay a night with a tribe. or a village?....we also are going to get involved with the sex trafficking here in panama and also with the orphanage....its so sad to hear whats going on ...so much molestation of the children and people not caring at all what happens with them ....its SO sad so..it will be awesome to see what we can do to bring change."

"List of surprises in Panama:

bats

scorpions

larger than life cockroach

larger than face hairy gross spider

killer bee's

earthquake

storms

..."Jesus never talked to a prostitute because he didn't see a prostitute. He just saw a child of God he was madly in love with"

When I read this it hit me straight in the heart. Revelation. THIS is how God looks at his sons and daughters, this is how I need to...how WE NEED to see our brothers and sisters and to love them."

She found the time in Panama very intense and challenging for her; relating with the team, the sadness in the lives of the local people and constant heat.

But she made it through and they then flew onto South Africa. By this time Naomi had wrestled with the option of continuing on the course and doing the extended 18 month 'Track" course. Now at this stage we were hopping that she would come on home and especially be here for Christmas. She had basically run out of money; wasn't God telling her to call it a day! Well Naomi didn't see it so black and white. She waited and waited, struggling to know God's will in this situation...just the other day a person in Japan held a concert and raised $4000 which the team gave to Naomi so she could continue on the 'Track".

South Africa held new challenges for Naomi.

"I miss you guys a lot...been a bit emotional lately but apart from that i love south africa. its really weird though sometimes I'm perplexed by how this wealth and art and beauty can co-exist with this crippling poverty. but its always been this way. ill ask God how what why."

"Its been such an interesting time of stretching my faith and really trying to decipher what he has been teaching me. I just think i confused it but yea...I'm sick right now ha ha just with a blocked nose but getting better so DON'T WORRY"

"We have started up a prayer meeting for Capricorn the community of people that are living in really bad conditions of poverty they are only a 15min walk away."

"i had my second time at the high school(as i mentioned in my newsletter) it was so fun and i feel like that's maybe somewhere where God wants me to be. we are only there for a month but i really feel like this is a good opportunity to equip and bring awareness to the need in these teenagers own country and show them that they themselves can do something. and they are all so awesome."

"What I have come to realize is that these people don’t need our 'service', us helping them, they need us to serve them. To be their servants. Not to come as the rich to the poor, or to cure them of all there diseases, they need us to come on the level of humanity, a common ground."

Naomi has befriended a young High School girl in the local school where they have been helping. This girl has been a refugee and endured many hardships as she tried to reach a country of saftey, eventually making it to South Africa. Hopefully Naomi can make a difference to this girl by being her friend.

We are so proud of what Naomi has become, how God has worked on her 'inside' and opened her up to what he sees in the hurting places of this world. She will make a difference because God will use her to express his love to those she meets.

Please pray for Naomi and the team as they have Christmas away from family and friends and move onto other countries. Pray for their relationships as a team; their financial needs (they still need finances to keep going next year); their witness for Christ, might they be authentic in the way they live their faith and share their lives with those marginalised people. Might they bring glory to God in what they do.

Ethics of leaking

2009-12-04T13:44:00.006+13:00

I have been musing over an issue that has troubled me for a while now; the ethics of 'leaked documents'. Almost every day we read in our papers or see on TV items about people leaking information. Most recent is the documents leaked in Christchurch from the 'Arts Centre' about the conservatorium of music ("Suspicion hangs over Christchurch Arts Centre senior management and trust board members after confidential financial documents were leaked to opponents of the proposed music conservatorium.") and internationally there are leaked reports about UK involvement in Iraq.

We have learnt about many scandals that we wouldn't have, if someone hadn't leaked the infomation; we also have dishonesty uncovered, criminal acts committed, unfaithfulness exposed.

But is it ethical, is it Christian, is it theft; in short is it wrong? The following I found on the web about this very topic and it would represent the position of many people.

[We publish confidential information almost every day on TechCrunch. This is stuff that is also “stolen,” usually leaked by an employee or someone else close to the company, and the company is very much opposed to its publication. In the past we’ve received comments that this is unethical. And it certainly was unethical, or at least illegal or tortious, for the person who gave us the information and violated confidentiality and/or nondisclosure agreements. But on our end, it’s simply news.
If you disagree with that, ok. But then you also have to disagree with the entire history of the news industry. “News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising,” is something Lord Northcliffe, a newspaper magnate, supposedly said. I agree wholeheartedly.
That doesn’t mean we are entitled to do anything we like in order to get to that information. But if it lands in our inbox, we consider it fair game. And if we have reason to believe it will be widely published regardless of what we do, the decision isn’t a hard one. We throw out the information that is sensitive or could hurt an individual, and publish what we think is newsworthy.http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/15/our-reaction-to-your-reactions-on-the-twitter-confidential-documents-post/ ]

Then here is a reaction from a company that had their information 'stolen' and then published:

[We are in touch with our legal counsel about what this theft means for Twitter, the hacker, and anyone who accepts and subsequently shares or publishes these stolen documents. We're not sure yet exactly what the implications are for folks who choose to get involved at this point but when we learn more and are able to share more, we will.]

No doubt about where they stand; it's theft, illegal and open to legal proceedings. This is the crunch of the argument; is this theft or is 'leaking' some how different. Does the news worthiness outweigh the means in obtaining it! Does the 'public interest' make it okay!

Here's another person commenting on the net who is for 'leaking':

[I get so furious with the slimeball tactics of these corporate fascist weasels who think they own the world. The only reason this nonsense is kept secret is because it is so patently wrong, abusive and controlling. The more light that can be shed on this and similar tactics of using business negotiations to override democratic rules the more likely we are of being able to shut down and shut up these relentless power hunger dicks.]

Then this person suggest otherwise:

[Some will argue all is fair, love and war and that Twitter should have better security policies, however, what they also have to remember is that brands, like Tech Crunch, have a duty to be the best they can be through ethical reporting, fairness and solid foundational values.
Ethical reporting, fairness and solid foundational values builds trust with people. Any dent to this trust is hard to get back. Moreover, a loss of respect is difficult to regain.]

And this:

[My perspective is simply that it is theft of company information to take confidential information, which is considered intellectual property/work product and distribute it externally. As with any Govt employee that leaks classified information to the press - they may thing it's the right thing to do, but they are still breaking the law.]

Whether you should 'leak' info or not is not just a black and white issue. You could be helping the law to catch someone doing wrong and sometimes we have a 'right' to know what is going on 'behind closed doors', in the name of democracy. Are you saving a life by 'leaking' ?

Notice that I haven't said that it is not "black & white" whether this is "right or wrong". Let's look at what the Bible says about stealing, gossip,

"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need." (Eph 4:28)

"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.' " (Luke 18:20)

"You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15)

This to me says that stealing is wrong; stealing is when you take that which is not your own. If you belong to a committee that has discussed an issue and you disagree with something they have done, then you should stand up and voice your opposition in the committee or to the news media but once you step over the boundary and take documents that belong to the committee or company then you are stealing. Stealing is wrong.

"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret." (Proverbs 11:13)

"They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips," (Romans 1:29)

To gossip is wrong; so this speaks about a lot of our news media. The information they often collect is based on hearsay and not fact.

So I would suggest that 'leaking' information is stealing if the information doesn't belong to you. Now should you publish material that is given to you? That can cause a dilemma...because it might save a life!

Coffee At God's Place

2009-12-02T15:28:00.005+13:00

Just picked up a copy of a magazine published locally called "Avenues" it is a local Christchurch city magazine, last month we advertised our business in that edition. However what caught my eye in this December edition was the article, "Coffee At God's Place" on page 21. This article follows on nicely from what I have been blogging about and explores the 'church' as a third place.

The following is their intro..."These days God is more likely to feed you a latte and bagel than loaves and fishes. So how do cafes fit within churches and do you need to be faithful to get your fix?' and the following quote from Spreydon Baptist pastor Graham Early "We're not here trying to convert; we're just here trying to be genuine. We're not just called to capture people; we're called to be with people."

Have a read here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/lifestyle/avenues/3099880/Coffee-at-Gods-place
or go to your 3rd place cafe and borrow a copy.

Praise God for a Living Hope

2009-11-30T16:53:00.003+13:00

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

What (therefore...) has been said in the previous verses is awesome and lays the foundation for this part of the letter. God is magnificent, gracious, forgiving and loving.

Three things we must do because of what God has done for us.
1. “prepare your minds for action” – our minds matter, when we become believers we don’t say goodbye to thinking, to reason, to intellect. We have minds that can discuss, debate, argue and learn new things. Because God has fashioned our minds they can be redeemed, changed and used for the glory of God. The mind is crucial to how we live; action is preceded by thinking, if we think about something long enough we will be more likely to follow our thoughts with actions. Therefore “... the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man" (Matt. 15:18-20).
Our minds are not just vessels for thinking but for action. Philosophy is interesting and helps us develop ideas but if it doesn’t transform into actions then it becomes idol daydreaming. Just as our minds can lead us into wrong actions so they can lead us onto ‘good’ actions. Things that benefit our neighbour, honour God and build us up in our faith.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

2. “be self-controlled” – this is a phrase that society seems to have an aversion too. The teaching of our age is to “be happy”; to do what you want as long as it doesn’t hurt someone! The sports person who erupts into anger or violence on the field is considered justified or is applauded. Our young people are regularly loosing control on the streets with ‘binge drinking’.

We believe that happiness is the ultimate aim in life. So if over eating makes me feel happy then why should I stop. Sleeping with many different partners satisfies my sexual desires, then why not. Spending money on luxury items is okay because I have lots of money and it makes me feel good. No self-control is linked to individualism, if all we concentrate on is ourselves then the need to satisfy our desires, cravings or wants become a high priority in our lives.

What is the danger of no self-control?
1. We become lazy; “ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” (1 Thess 5:6). We can fail to see the dangers our over indulgence is creating for us. We can neglect to look after our physical and spiritual health allowing compromise to creep in. Laziness leads to inactivity which leads to a blindness to the needs of others.
2. We become self-centred; when you have no or little self-control we can end up seeing everything as revolving around us. We can become like those who ‘crossed over to the other side’ in the ‘Good Samaritan’ story. The world stops at our front door, the needs of others pale when compared to ours. If something or one doesn’t satisfy our wants or desires then we dispose of them, change them for something better.
3. We take the now instead of the better; we are satisfied with the ‘plate of porridge’ over our ‘birth-right’ (Genesis 27:35-37). Sexual satisfaction over marital fidelity. The sweet taste over good health. Anger over love. Take a look at the following:
(http://nudges.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/do-you-have-more-self-control-now-than-when-you-were-young/)

3. “set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”(Rom 5)
This is because our future hope is based on something that has already happened in the past, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord!
Commentator William Barclay wrote, “The Christian hope is the hope which has seen everything and endured everything, and has still not despaired, because it believes in God. The Christian hope is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in human endurance, in human achievement; the Christian hope is hope in the power of God.” That is what living a life of hope is!

It is also about being focused; focused on Jesus, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2.)
Thornton Wilder once wrote, "Hope, like faith, is nothing if it is not courageous; it is nothing if it is not ridiculous." As believers, our hope, which rests in the Lord Jesus Christ, should be courageous and ridiculous. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?”(1 Thess. 2:19).

Basically these verses are telling us that we need to respond to what God has done for us. Our lifestyle should be changed starting with our minds, and affected by the Hope within us. My hope in God is to see those I know become followers of Jesus.

Unconditional Love and Relational Faith

2009-11-24T12:12:00.004+13:00

Came across this post the other day and I think it follows on nicely with the 3rd place and Radical Hospitality posts:

The Call to Radical Hospitality

"Despite my utopian tone, none of these Third Places really serve as God's ideal for a focal point of human community. The Village Square is too passive. The Market is too hectic and money-driven. The Pub is too alcoholic. The Coffeehouse is too expensive. The Church is too culturally exclusive. The Mall is too frenzied, too homogenized and too big. And the Internet is two-dimensional... too flat and too digital to give us real social fulfillment.

Except for the relatively passive spaces of the Village Square and Internet, every one of these examples is fraught with agenda. Get his money! Get his attention! Get her phone number! (Nightclubs... Third Place or Third Base?) Isn't God calling us to something better? Maybe he wants his children to be creators of Third Places that honor him, that welcome everyone, that shun hidden agendas and just love people like Jesus. The institutional church may have yet to serve as a real God-intended Third Place, but who better than a community of Christ-followers to make it happen?

Even with God's help, we have no utopian aspirations short of heaven. But we know we can do better than this. Isn't it tragically obvious how much our society suffers from a lack of community and public life? Third Places have been the scene of revolution in the past... why not create a space to start a new revolution of unconditional love and relational faith? "

Recently had a meeting where we talked about 'where our third place was?' and the idea was made that for some their place will be dictated by their soci-economic positioning. The suburb that our church buildings are located in is mainly lower socio-economic, they don't have have a suitable 3rd place, cafes are expensive and are often more geared to middleclass and upper people. So the church complex could become the ideal place for these people to meet. I would caution that we need to careful it doesn't end up being a place where church members socialise together, only. The attractiveness of the church as third place will depend on the amount of trust it has within the community, the connection it has with people from the commuinty, the ease of access and the environment it portrays. There should be no hidden agendas, with the venue enabling relationships not evangelism.

Other questions arise as to how it is run: should we charge for the coffee? What hours do we open? How professional do we become? Is this a beginning of 'radical hospitality', how would we relate or engage a glue sniffer who comes in for a coffee?

Hospitable love

2009-11-23T12:19:00.006+13:00

"Imagine a world where we as Christians actually "live our faith" as a first priority. The natural result is to "share our lives" with the hurting, hopeful, proud, strong, weak. rich, poor, the oppressed, the oppressor, the foreigner, the worker, the boss, everyone. Would it not transform lives (ours and others) and possibly our culture and society as we participated with Christ in the salvation of the world by living our faith? True, it might also raise the ire of this world's powerful, wise, religious, wealthy, beautiful people. But, that is what it did when Jesus lived it too!"

What is it that makes us different; what are our distinctive's? Well although finding those 3rd places, engaging with people where they are will make a difference, they are not enough on their own. We need to live the love of Jesus in our community. Our witness to Jesus must be more than words, although words are important too.

I think it has to cost us something! To be honest we tend to avoid costly love, thinking that it really belongs to the 'professionals' of Christian service. If we take the scriptures as our blueprint of life then we see example upon example of love costing.

What kind of people are we among our communities? Do they see us as people who experience the power of God through the Holy Spirit? Do they see us living among them for their benefit? Are they witnessing our hard-working biblical faith and our sacrificial biblical love? Faith characterized by work, in unison with sacrificial labours of love, results in a Christ-centred hope of victory (see 1 Thess). "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."

Radical Hospitality... "Hospitable love cares enough to create space in one's own life in order to welcome another in." I wonder if we have lost sight of true hospitality, of welcoming stranger or even friends into our homes! Are we practicing an exclusive religion, keeping people out marking our boundaries, defining too clearly who we are and not. "The Pharisees were more exclusionary - and thus, less welcoming - than God. They erected boundary markers that kept people out, rather than let people in."

If we want to engage people we need to be with them. If we make the door too small we are excluding people and loose our legitimacy of entering into their lives and talking about Jesus. The problem with many Christians is they have bought into modern culture that promoted the self ahead of community, independence instead of interdependence. The backyard decking and high fence against the front porch and no fences. The mentality of being mobile using the car to do the simplest task; so we travel to the mall to do shopping instead of walking to the corner or local shops. This takes away an opportunity of meeting local people and offering hospitality. What sort of greeting do we give to those around us?

"Our greeting is to be different. Jesus calls us to greet others with warm welcome. Our greeting is deeply influenced by the grace we have experienced in Christ. Instead of erecting boundaries to keep people out, we are to remove obstacles to people's participation in God's kingdom community. Instead of boundaries, we focus on the center. All are welcome, for there is "neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free, but all are one in Christ" (Galatians 3:28)."

Normal Hospitality
Normal hospitality usually involves us inviting someone home for a meal or at least a cuppa. Often this is limited to those who are our friends and if we don't get invited back at some stage, well they are often taken off our list, only see them at Church meetings. I should say that normal hospitality is good, it does help us get to know our friends better and is a valued way of creating community within the life of the church. Normal hospitality provides opportunity to be with others in a social setting; it could be a 'pot-luck' meal. It is usually a very safe activity. It is not radical.

Radical Hospitality, is different. It is well described by St Benedictine and it is not about sipping tea and making bland talk with people who live next door or work with you. "It does not refer to hotels or cruise ships. It is not connected to entertaining friends and family in the warmth of candlelight with gleaming silver and ivory lace. Nor did it begin with Howard Johnson's and Good Housekeeping."

"Hospitality, as it has been practised from ancient days, protected people from the dangers of travelling alone. In St. Benedict's day there were no safe and cheap shelters for travellers. Along the way people could be brutalized, robbed, wounded, or lost. In those days monasteries saved lives when they opened their doors to strangers." And when the monks of ancient days opened up their monastery and made room for someone who was not one of them, they, too, took a risk."

From a radical hospitalty point of view, it honors the other without trying to make them over into something else, something more like you and me. Radical hospitality opens up the possibility of exploring new ways of being within the context of authenticity. That is to say, within the context of one’s community, ethnicity, history, family, etc. I think that is a huge step beyond merely doing good for someone less fortunate. It’s also a huge step beyond our usual sort of hospitality that opens our doors to others if they want to come into our space to become as one of us. In my case that means to become a New Zealander rooted in northern European ways nurtured by various Pagan mythologies encased in the Protestant tradition of the Christian faith as expressed by the Baptist Church.

The Bible and Hospitality
We can turn to the Bible and find examples of God's attitude towards Hospitality. As one expression of loving God with all our heart and soul, the scriptures exhort ancient Israel to "love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 10:19). Israel knew what it was like to be strangers in a foreign land - both in their slavery in Egypt and their experience in the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. Because they serve a God "who is not partial" and "loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing" (Deuteronomy 10:17-18), they must likewise show hospitality to strangers. In Leviticus 19:33-34, they are exhorted, "When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." "Just as God protected the people of Israel when they were refugees, so God insists on proper care for other aliens now, judging harshly those who treat them ill."[4]

The example of Jesus reveals that this radical hospitality extends to all people - including sinners. Jesus was condemned by the religious establishment because he "welcomed sinners and ate with them" (Luke 15:2). Contrary to popular understanding, "loving, welcoming, and eating with wicked people doesn't make you like the sinners--it makes you like our loving, merciful God."[5]We seek to practice radical hospitality because we follow the Lord who applauded that fact that when we welcome strangers we are, in reality, welcoming Jesus: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me... Whatever you do for the least of these, you've done unto me" (Matthew 25:35).

After a lengthy detailed treatment on the gospel of Christ in his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul encourages the church "to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2). One expression of this countercultural love is "extending hospitality to strangers" (Romans 12:13). "The Greek word for 'hospitality' used here is philoxenia, which contains within it the words for 'love' (philia) and 'stranger' (xenos)."[6]

We welcome all - those who are weak and strong in faith - because God has warmly welcomed us in Christ: "Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God" (Romans 15:7). God graces us with the gift of one another. We must make room for this gift in all its various forms. "The church is the place where, in the fellowship of Jesus Christ, we learn to love those whom we have not chosen but who are presented to us as a gift: our parents, our friends, the stranger, even our enemies." href="http://www.theocentric.com/ecclesiology/community/radical_hospitality.html">http://www.theocentric.com/ecclesiology/community/radical_hospitality.html

So this hospitality offers strangers and friends an openess without strings attached to enter into our world without having to become the same as us. it is sharing the welcome that Christ gave us to those we meet. It involves a risk and a cost but if we want to show the world that we have something worth sharing then we need to be living an incarnational life, engaging, being present and living our faith; sharing our life.

This is going beyound the 3rd place and living our faith in our 1st and 2nd place as well!

The Unlocking of the Doors...

2009-11-20T11:48:00.007+13:00

The Church as a 3rd place? I came across this comment the other day:

"The question we need to ask ourselves is: How can we introduce the church, not the coffeehouse, as a third place where community and connection take place. Why isn’t the church serving as a third place for many of our neighbours today? Why aren’t we creating a community marked by the qualities lifted up by Paul in his letter to the Colossians?(www.homileticsonline.com/nonsubscriber/btl_display.asp?)"

To introduce the Church into this discussion of community opens up a huge topic, one that I don't want to enter into at the moment. However I will post some of my thoughts as related to third places.

The Church is a rather difficult form to describe; is it a building, a people, an institution, a movement, a religious gathering place or a place of refuge for the masses? From a biblical standpoint the church is a people, set apart from, bride of Christ, community of believers. A living testimony to Christ; a visual example of what heaven is like. The church, this body of believers is set into the world but not conformed to the patterns of the world. It is an open community to all that know Jesus and offers the inclusive love of God to all who come to its doors.

But we know the Church, as we see it in our communities, has not always lived up to this image; it has become very exclusive, set apart and judgemental. People come on a Sunday and meet other members, say 'hello' then 'worship' God and go home. They might meet again during the week for home group, but not much community apart from that.

"Have you ever felt Christianity to be reserved for pastors, priests, and professional Christians? Jesus spent His earthly life teaching, healing, and visiting every day people. Sermons and parables were not reserved for the Sabbath. His lessons were from real life.

Fishermen, carpenters, tax collectors and beggars followed Jesus seven days a week, from town to town searching for answers. Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life"(John 10:10) and we know life isn't lived only on Sunday. Christianity is meant to bring joy to life on mundane Monday's at work, fellowship at Friday's ball game and excitement to Sunday's worship. It is meant to help us live simply and provide answers in the midst of crisis.

Real Christianity provides solutions to stressful situations and builds relationships. "

So can the church become your 3rd place? Can it become the 3rd place of choice for the wider community? There are a number of ways we can face this challenge. We could try and create a 3rd place physically within the walls of the Church, as many Churches are doing; start a cafe! I liked this piece I found a while back:

imagine

the unlocking of the doors
the re-emergence of the churches interiors as a public space in our cities
if the 'worship' installations could stay up all the time
your local church building as an open-door hangout
sofas, visuals, newspapers, food, drink, books
a church with good coffee
plenty of places to plug in your laptop and free Wifi
opening hours from 10 am to midnight
spiritual resources and personal space available at all times
a place to work, rest and play

your living room only bigger. Your life only bigger

Does the creation of "Church" cafes really become a place for the community or a nice social spot for members of the Church. Some Churches start a wholly separate cafe in a certain part of town. In Christchurch a local Baptist Church have opened a cafe in another suburb called 'Coffee Coop', they have created a very nice cafe but why? How does this place introduce the 3rd place goers to God? I can imagine the scenario: once you have your coffee a person will slide into the chair next to you and flop on the table 'The Four Spiritual Laws'! I'm sure that doesn't happen, but they would need to be careful about any 'hidden' agendas.

People are more hungry for an inviting third place than ever before. In his book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg writes that, due in part to the suburbanization of modern cities, “we do not have that third realm of satisfaction and social cohesion beyond the portals of home and work that for others is an essential element of the good life.” Our neighbours crave a place of satisfaction and social cohesion — it’s something they need at the very deepest levels of their hearts and souls.

I have no problem churches trying to make their gatherings more attractive, relevant, inclusive and appealing. I for one enjoy a real coffe at our Sunday meetings but I wonder if we are going down the wrong pathway by trying to create a 3rd place for the wider community. Why reinvent the wheel. There are many very good cafes already operating that are peoples 3rd places. What the church needs to do is not create 3rd places but go to 3rd places; take Christ with you into these places and engage with people, take your neighbours there. Be Christ in their 3rd places. go into the 'market places'.

"Paul encourages us to teach and to sing, and those are two things that the marketplace is anxious for us to do. In a world of moral confusion, our neighbors are looking for conversation and guidance about difficult and thorny issues, everything from raising teenagers to responding to terrorism, so the time is right for the church to think creatively about addressing these concerns.

Finally, care about community. Don’t simply care about church attendance figures and the maintenance of this institution. Care about community, and about the filling of needs that people may not even be aware they have. This is what Howard Schultz did, when he opened the first Starbucks to fill an emptiness that people couldn't even articulate. He gave them a third place before they even knew they needed a third place".

The "church" is not a neutral place or an attractive place for many people in the wider community.

Now all this leads us onto another topic related but a little different which I will start later.

Where is Your Third Place

2009-11-16T14:18:00.006+13:00

I would like to continue with the thoughts on being with people for the sake of the kingdom.

We have been looking at how we can 'live our faith; share our lives' amongst those we naturally interact with at home, work or play. That people today need places where they can have community and engage with others outside the home or work environment. This place is sometimes referred to our '3rd place'.

I would now like to think about where our 3rd place is. Now I can imagine that if you come from a church culture you will automatically think that the 'Church' is the default 3rd place for everyone! And if the traditional format is not working then we try to create a third place. It can work but if we are trying to engage the non-believer then why not go to where they meet.

Lets look at some possible 3rd places and how they could work.

1. The Town square: this could be looked at as the original 3rd place. Our forbears found this to be an ideal place to meet their neighbours from across the city. This space has diminished in our modern cities, although the rising popularity of the 'Farmers Market' could be an alternative new 'Town Square' 3rd place. It could be seen to be compromised by the commercial activity but it certainly is a possibility.

2. Neighborhood: Many years ago we would stand at the front fence and chat with those passing by, the front veranda was a design feature that promoted communal dialogue. Our modern day rear, private decking speaks volume about our lack of community. However we could make each others homes a 3rd place. Popping in for a cuppa, street BBQs, sharing tools and other combined activities would help develop our neighbourhoods back into places where we relax and engage each other.

3. The church: We have already touched on the church and I will come back to it again later. Certainly in the past it could be said to be a 3rd place.

4. The Pub: The pub did hold a place of sorts as a third place and still does provide some still. But it's major draw-back is the longer you stay the less control you will have on what you say; that is the effects of the alcohol make it a poor 3rd place. However this following quote does show that for some the pub is still a good place:

meet : chat : chill
“The bar at the ‘Smokehouse’ is a place where working class men and women congregate daily to seek sanctuary from the world of work and, with their words, forge an alternative space. Those who work behind the bar at the ‘Smokehouse’ are in the business of producing leisure: those who play here spend time and money they can afford to consume it but for producers and consumers, the real currency that drive the social economy of the ‘Smokehouse’ is talk.”
(A Place to Stand: politics and persuasion in a working-class bar. Julian Lindquist)

5. Café: This is the modern day 3rd place for many people. It started in the cafe's of Europe traveled to the Coffee Houses of the US via Starbucks and has settled comfortably in NZ. What is nice to see is that the dominance of the Global brand of Starbucks has not happened here. In my own city we have success stories in places such as: 'Coffee Culture', Underground, C1, Cafe Metro, The Coffee Smiths, Bean Scene, The Cup etc.

The cafe offers people young and old, all economic levels and political persuasions a place to eat and drink without pressure to consume or move on. Sure Cafe's are a business and will only survive when people buy their products. But the 'third place' is not focused on the act of eating and drinking in the fashion of traditional cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs. The food or drink one consumes is the entry fee, not the point. The 'third place' is a living room, but not in someones house; a workplace, but not in someones office.

So we see business people come for an informal meeting, friends wanting a neutral place to chat, mothers for time out, bikers having a breather and many others. The cafe can be a place to be with people but it can also be a place where you are amongst people but not with them:
· Cafe's are a place for people to come to, a place to not be alone, a place to be with other people, and a place where, without having to do anything people become a part of a community of sorts. During my observations and interviews, I noticed many of these same activities, including customers reading the newspaper, working on their laptops, conducting job interviews or small business meetings, etc. However, in this public space, most people appear to be isolated from one another, each closed off in their own private space. The focus of my research is on this self-created private space within a public place. I have identified three emerging patterns: the creation of the public environment, the self-creation of the private space within, and the elements of trust. The order of today’s activities is so demanding and fast paced. People are isolated in the workplace as well as in their homes. Coming to a cafe to work or study offers the prospect of being part of a community without really engaging – an invaluable opportunity given our extremely limited discretionary time.

6. The Mall: Many young people use the Mall as their 3rd place, a point of contact, a place to be seen, a place to chat or chat up. But is it really our 3rd place? Can commerce and community be compatible? I think there will be a limitation on how far the Mall can fill this social gap; it is not a place where you can really linger, feel relaxed and really be present with the other person.

7. Internet: As much as one would like to deny that the Internet can be a place to meet and have real communication with people, the reality is that for a rapidly growing part of society this is where they meet. The problem I have is are you ever really present when using the Internet as a 3rd place, do you really interact with a person or is it just a sharing of your thoughts?

I hope that the Internet is not the final answer to our 3rd place, but perhaps it is a part of the 'post-modern' way to socialise.

Or…

Being Present...

2009-11-13T11:32:00.003+13:00

Had a lovely birthday, wishes from Bronwyn, the kids, wider family and friends; from Indonesia and across the road. After work our neighbours popped over with a bottle of wine, chips and a little painting they came across on TradeMe of two little mini cars. I have to admit I'm a Mini nut, having had two in my past, would like a new "BMW" Mini but alas can't afford one.

A few off us went to a fashion show where my daughter, Sarah, and her husband Jono were displaying some of their latest fashion creations, under their label 'Infinite Definite' (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=55816122088). After the evening I noticed one of the designer labels - Fashion Ministry' - 'because you love me'. I thought that this was the opposite of Jesus ministry. His phrase was always 'because I love you'. We think that happiness comes from getting, Jesus says happiness comes through giving; the ultimate in His giving his life because he 'so loved the world'.

Being Present...
Another thought has been bugging me lately. You are sitting with a person and they ask you a question about either what you have been doing or how are you. You start to tell your story but before long you notice the other person looking away and at other happenings going on around. Or they have that 'far away look' in their eyes, you know they are not with you...so annoying.

Today this habit is compounded with a little object called a 'cell phone'! How many times do you sit with people and even when talking will be looking or operating their phone. They are here but not with you. I found the following piece particularly helpful.

"There was once a young woman who was asked what her goal in life was. She
answered, “My goal in life is to simply be fully present to the person who happens
to be right in front of me.”

Imagine being fully present, giving your undivided attention (eyes, ears, attention
etc.) to every person you met in a day! Could you do this?

To serve someone is to be present to them, to pay attention to them, to not
judge or make comments, but to listen and be open. So often in life we are never
fully present to anyone. If we are on the phone we barely pay attention to the
person on the other line or when they are speaking we may be thinking of what we
want to say next. At school, we are constantly looking around at everyone, often
not even paying attention to the person talking to us.

A great example of someone who was fully present to others is Jesus. If we think
about it, we can definitely say that Jesus was the one person in history who was
most fully present to people. How did Jesus do this? Instead of just walking by a
person, even people who were disregarded by society (like those who were sick,
lepers, blind, tax collectors etc.), Jesus would stop. He would focus only on that
person and give them time, his attention. Instead of ignoring people, Jesus would
be fully present to them—He would learn their name, look them in the eye, listen,
smile and try to understand their needs at that moment.

This is Ministry of Presence. To simply stop and say hi. To simple sit quietly with
those you meet and be present. To share your name and to ask their name as
well. To meet each person with the belief that they are special and unique and to
show them utmost respect and equality during the time you are in their presence."

3rd Places

2009-11-12T14:01:00.006+13:00

This is a special day because i turned 55 years old. Always a good time to reflect on what has gone before and what is to come! Unfortunately what is to come has past by before you realise and all you can do is reflect a bit more.

Have been talking with a friend who is going through a tough time at the moment, broken family, failed relationships and depression! But what he did say is that he is worried about what he will leave behind. He feels that he wants to make a contribution to peoples lives, invest in people because that is what will leave a lasting memory of his life. He also feels an emptyness that work, money or possessions fail to have a lasting impact.

He is so right in that we can waste so much time collecting things, that we miss out on time to collect the one thing that can have a lasting influence on others.

Following on with what I have been discussing the last few days also connects to the above. Being with other people, spending time and engaging them and so allowing Christ to speak into their lives can have a life changing effect. But first we need to be where people are, not just being there in body but present in mind and conversation. So now I would like to talk about places to be.

In a normal community most Christians will be operating much like the Good Samaritan. He didn't wake up thinking "Today I will start a ministry to Jews". He was simply being sensitive to the people God brought across his path.

Where do you normally meet non-Christians?
At the corner shop?
At the bank?
At the café?
In your neighbourhood?
At the petrol station?
When you order pizza?
At the Gym?
Your place of work

Who have we met in our suburb? An Afghan refugee, the local shop keeper, a foreign language student, local member of council and many more. I find it easiest to meet people:
in a neutral public area (like the park or outside the school) where they have time to interact
and are not already involved in a large group activity.

You may find it easier to meet people in larger groups or in more structured settings. God made each of us different.

Open your eyes and see who God leads across your path today.

Concept of "The Third Place"
According to Ray Oldernburg an American Sociologist who coined this term, third places are "distinctive informal gathering places (first being the home and the second being work).
· They make the one feel at home
· They nourish relationships and a diversity of human contact
· They help create a sense of place and community
· They invoke a sense of civic pride
· they provide numerous opportunities for serendipity
· They promote companionship
· They allow people to relax and unwind after a long day at work;
· They are socially binding
· They encourage sociability instead of isolation
· They make life more colourful

No one understands this better than Howard Schultz, founder and CEO of Starbucks. Schultz founded Starbucks on the premise that Americans are missing a third place in their lives — a place that his coffeehouses can fill. While on a business trip to Italy, Schultz discovered that Italians were living remarkably balanced lives. He was impressed by the passion they brought to their work, their rest and their enjoyment, and he noticed that a great deal of enjoyment was being found in the camaraderie and community of Italy’s 200,000 coffee bars. Because there was nothing similar in the United States, Schultz began to dream of establishing Italian-influenced third places where people could congregate. He hoped that after the first place of home and the second place of work, Americans would come to consider his coffeehouses to be their third place, a place to experience camaraderie and genuine community.He understood that in America, as well as in Italy, it’s not about coffee, it’s about connection.
That’s the Starbucks Principle. And for many, it seems to be working.

Everyone has their places in the world . . .

Your first place is your home. It’s where you live, where you sleep, where you surround yourself with people and things that belong with you.

Your second place is where you work. That’s where you make your contribution to society, where you build your reputation, where you try to be your best self at all times.

But what about a third place?Is there a place where you can let your hair down and be yourself? Somewhere that isn’t home and isn’t work, a place to gather with friends and neighbors to talk about what’s happening in your first two places?

Yes, there is. Everyone has their third place, a place where they belong.
Where is your third place . . .

Live Your Faith! Share Your Life!

2009-11-11T11:53:00.003+13:00

We need to engage our communities, they need to see something attractive in the Christian lifestyle. What do we stand for not always against.

“The world watches and often only sees our protests against certain activities or people. We will always have an audience. People watch what Christians do and don’t do, and on that basis decide whether or not they are interested in what we have. What unbeliever wants to spend his life praying, skipping meals, and giving his money away? It’s not our religious activities we want people to see; it’s the grace and mercy that comes from God’s love that needs to show.”. Jim Petersen & Mike Shamy The Insider (Navpress 2003)

We need to overcome the mentality that we are only being successful in our 'witness' when we get someone along to the church service. If we want to engage with people who do not know Jesus then we need to be where they are, learn to communicate (not just talk, tell or criticize them) with them using language they understand.

Why do we need to go door docking when there are people at work, next door or at the gym who already know you; that would love to be your friend and will learn about Jesus from you. We have these natural centers of influence waiting for us to engage in meaningful relationships. Our witness must be geniune and transparent. I came across a wonderful comment recently that summarized what I'm trying to say:

"We were taught to "Share our faith. Live our life." As such it was very important to be busy witnessing - sharing our faith. Sharing the Four Spiritual Laws, or pointing out sin, or pushing for a commitment were all part of sharing our faith. Good arguments about creation, abortion, the inerrancy of scripture, plus exposing the cults, humanists, atheists, liberals, socialists and communists were also part of sharing our faith. We were schooled in how to make our "testimony" fit our theology of "say the prayer and get your free ride to heaven".

Live your faith! Share your life! This is what the world needs. It can't be done in a building where the church meets for worship. That is, not if it is to be done the way Jesus did it. Rather, it is done in the everyday ordinariness of life, in the commonplace, where we live every single day. It is small things done with great love. It is overlooking faults and forgiving without condition. It is responding with kindness. It is radical hospitality and love of neighbor and enemy. It is laying down our lives, that others might live. It is bringing peace and seeking justice without regard to reputation. It is loving as Christ loved, no strings. When people who live like this are seen, people say ... "that's what Jesus is like." I want to be that kind of follower of Jesus." (For more information check out the Outside The Gate blog atOutsideTheGate.TheCommonplace.org )

Transforming Witness

2009-11-09T09:33:00.004+13:00

For Christians it has always been easier to withdraw from society and feel the safety of the Church. Mix with Christian friends, go to Christian schools and when at work either deny any Christian connection or never socialise with your work mates. We can't enter into their world because it is evil, they will use bad language, tell off colour jokes and drink alcohol.

What I find so disappointing is seeing a new believer come into the church and leave all their old friends behind at the door. They cut themselves off or become so 'religious' that their friends start avoiding them. In some ways it is a natural thing to want to associate with those of like mind, people you have something in common with but what opportunity do you then to let your non-believing friends see what Jesus is doing in your life. What we need are people living within their old communities. The following is a good description of what I mean:

"An “insider movement” is any movement to faith in Christ where a) the gospel flows through pre-existing communities and social networks, and where b) believing families, as valid expressions of the Body of Christ, remain inside their communities, retaining their identity as members of that community while living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Bible. "

We need to be 'in the world but not of the world' we need to engage with the world, not standing to one side and throwing stones, not being against the world. However we also don't want to be completely intertwined within the world that we lose the essence of our faith, that something extra that we can give to the world.

We need to be 'transforming our culture'. Agents of change, offering to the world a sweet smelling incense of the gospel of Christ. We need to be doing three things:
Building Bridges....Our purpose is to build bridges between two communities – non- believers and Christian. Bridges of understanding, communication, and certainly love.” (Acts 17: 22‑31)
Weaving faith into life...Unfortunately in our church culture we have tended to live dual lives. People watch what Christians do and don’t do, and on that basis decide whether or not they are interested in what we have.
Creating opportunities…It is when we are walking with God, talking to him in prayer, knowing His Word that we will be more attuned to the opportunities that he places in our path. Look for them; they are often very small, and fleeting. It could be something said, a question asked or a look. Be prepared and expect them. (John 4:7‑30)

How to influence people

2009-11-07T14:54:00.006+13:00

I have been looking at how we as followers of Jesus can be more effective in influencing others for the Kingdom. It seems to me that in fact we are not doing so good.

When I was a young believer I used to cringe when people started talking about 'witnessing'. It usually involved confronting total strangers and 'sharing' your faith with them. I did try it a couple of times but found I just felt uncomfortable doing it. Then visiting speakers would come along and share their experiences; how they would be travelling on a plane and during the flight lead the person next to them to Christ! Wonderful stories that only made me feel more inadequate and dismissive of even trying.

As I have travelled through my faith journey I have seen many 'witnessing' episodes that have made me embarrassed and sometimes even angry. People are often so intent on 'converting' a person, that they become insensitive to how people really feel. A non-believer is not always unhappy with their life of 'sin'! They are not necessarily 'really bad people' either. And getting them to church is not always the best place for them to be.

What we have tried to be with people we live, work or socialise with is genuine and authentic . We love them because they are people created by God and he has put them into our pathway. Some of them become our friends, we enjoy their company and we love them. Because they are our friends, we naturally want them to meet Jesus. But we don't have a list with their name on it that we can tick off when they 'get saved'! Even if they don't become a follower of Jesus we will keep being their friend.

We have a number of neighbours that we have been friends with for many years; we have been to parties in their homes, they have been to ones in our home, we have shared BBQ's and gone on outings. These are natural things that friends do together and they know we have a relationship with Jesus. Sometimes we invite them to social gatherings with believing friends; we are not compartmentalising our life, we are being 'real' with who we are.

I will continue this later...

2008-08-01T16:55:00.003+12:00

First I must apologise about my lack of blogging, I'm sure it's not a lack of seeing "signs", just lack of organisation!

The other day I received an email from some friends in Indonesia asking for prayer for a mutual friend who had a slight problem. The following is the story:

Our friend was travelling on his motor bike when a fellow biker in front hit a women pedestrian, our friend tried to avoid the accident but unfortunately also hit the women who subsequently died. The first rider ran away (this happens frequently in Indonesia) leaving our friend behind to 'face the music'. The Police put him under house arrest and charged him with death of the women. Under Indonesian practice, the family of the deceased can ask any amount of money from the accused and press charges.

The police charge carried a maximum of 5 years prison. After making contact with the victims family our friend was able to come to a very reasonable agreement with them; they asked for a manageable amount and would not press charges. The Police also decided not to press the more serious charge with a lesser one holding a maximum 2 year sentence or a R5million which is about US$550. This is an amazing result considering the complicated system in Indonesia and the corrupt nature of the police there.

Our friend is a faithful labourer in Indonesia, he has planted many churches around the area he lives, which is a strong Muslim area. He has been full time pastoring these churches over 20 years.

In Indonesia it is very rare for people from a "Christian" background venturing into a Muslim area and actually becoming friends with them and thinking about introducing them to 'Isa Al Masih".

I was telling this to a group at the weekend and today I received an email from one of the guys attending the meeting from Tauranga and offering some money for our friend as he had been touched by this situation. Praise God.

2008-07-14T21:35:00.003+12:00

Viewed an interesting program on BBC the other night; "Hard Copy" is the name of the program. It's an interview tackling issues at the 'core'. This interview was with an Anglican Priest who had the oversight of the South American Church, he was also a leading 'conservative' within the Anglican communion. The interviewer was wanting his angle on the current 'divorce' about to happen within the Anglican community mainly over two issues: the ordination of 'gay' clergy and the appointment of women Bishops.
Now I don't intend to comment on these two important issues but only on the way this bishop handled the questions; instead of getting caught up with running people down and negative comments he stuck to the fundamental issue for him and his group; the authority of the Bible, the divinity of Christ and the historic teachings of the church. He stressed that there are 'essentials' that cannot be negotiated, but other issues although important do not alter our relationship with God or our salvation. It was encouraging to hear a church leader clearly stating these are the 'non-negotiables'

Out With Friends

2008-07-08T22:45:00.003+12:00

Sunday was such a lovely day, especially after Saturday. The fury of a winter storm blasting from the deep south. But Sunday was a ray of sunlight and it shone for Lydia and her water...ice baptism. It was a wonderful testimony to her young faith and the strong bond of friendship.

Monday night we joined with four of our street neighbours and went down to 'Altitude' a cafe come restaurant at the end of Colombo St. I had been given six free coffee tickets, so we used them. It was a great time with our friends especially as one is leaving for two weeks in the States. These are all non-believing friends enjoying each others company, no God talk on Monday but I feel God was amongst us and signed in that night.

Tonight we had an International gathering. One of our Indonesian friends is going home on Sunday so Bronwyn organised for the ladies from Cant Uni International women's group to say goodbye. Unfortunately only a few were able to come but we did have Kiwi, Maldives and Indonesian here. Apart from the Kiwis the others were all Muslim and we ended up having a discussion about what Muslims and Christian believe about 'bad luck' and superstitions. We talked about how our faiths believe in a sovereign God but also free will, that each person is responsible for their own actions, that if we do good to others we are honouring God. There's always something special, I find, when people of different faiths can sit on the floor and talk about what they believe and ask about the other persons beliefs in a non-threathening manner.Although we talked about each others faith we didn't compromise our own beliefs; dialogue doesn't mean one automatically succumbs to syncretism but one listens and expresses their faith in a friendly, natural way.

Family Discussion Time

2008-07-06T22:17:00.003+12:00

It was my daughters birthday this weekend and we had a meal with her and her husband on Friday night. It was a real blessing having all the family there enjoying a lovely meal and some good conversation.

Actually our family can have some very lively discussions, we can get intense and immersed in our point of view. Our daughters (new) husband comes from a different kind of family without brothers and sisters to add to intensity of a good discussion. He is very quickly adjusting to our style.

Well, we started talking about how we stand up and express our Christian convictions. Is it better to stay in the background or to stand up and be noticed by society, even if they get offended by either our message or style. The issue was illustrated by the recent Destiny Church protest in Wellington. The great thing is we have people arguing both sides.

The discussion then moved onto creation and if a Christian can except a role for evolution or the 'Big bang theory'. I'm not sure how it got there!

The discussions in themselves were not so important, it was more that we were able to talk about our understanding of Christian faith in an open and honest manner. At least the family was trying to grapple with issues of faith and what does God's word say about these things.

What does our faith look like to those around us, how are we relating to non-believers especially those folks that are often ostracised by the Christian community. The Homosexual community was one we talked about. Why is it that we are seen to be haters of Homosexual people? How do we say that we actually love the people but hate the sin? Does a protest against the activity send out the right message, are we making friends of people who are homosexual or do we belong to organisations like the AIDS Foundation?

We must examine very carefully what our words sound like and what our actions look like because as sure as not the media and other groups will take them out of context.

So I think we all ended our discussion on good terms and hopefully it will lead us back to scripture and see what the heart beat of God is on the real issues.

His Glory Will Appear Over You

2008-07-03T22:40:00.003+12:00

God seems to be speaking to me when reading his word lately about how I can express the kingdom to not just my fellow Cantabrian, but to the nations. I was reading Isaiah the other day, Chpt 60, I always struggle with how much I should 'claim' verses for myself. It's all very nice taking the 'nice' verses as God speaking a specific word to me, but I'm not so keen when it comes the 'not so nice' ones.

This Chapter, especially the first few verses, really stood out when I read them: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For the darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

Nations for will be drawn to God through Gods glory shinning out from me! What a privilege, a responsibility we have to those around us. God chooses a people to express his glory , his good news to the world. He chose Israel but they turned their backs on God and instead of drawing the nations to honour him, they dishonoured the name of God. Now God has chosen another people to represent his name among the nations, those whom he has redeemed through Jesus.

What shape does this light that shines for the nations look like; chapter 61 gives us a glimpse. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour ..."

But what I find even more incredible is that this is not some 'way out there' promise; it is brought right next to us when we read Luke 4:18 and then verse 21. "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." "The kingdom of heaven is near". Jesus is The Good News, and he lived in the "power of the Holy Spirit", he lived and preached a message that should be 'violent', that should rip open the complacency of our comfortable established lives. He came down from Heaven to enter into the messy, broken world and to establish a kingdom that we are part off.

Today I listened to a friend talking; who is going through a rough time with his marriage and trying to make major employment decisions. A neighbour came into work this afternoon in real agony because his leg is very sore, he had had a bad day and we sat down with a coffee.

Farewell

2008-07-01T22:17:00.003+12:00

Well just had to pop into the blog and say I had some great sales today, busy day for me. It always amazes me on how people love to stop and talk, must get that coffee machine going at work!

We went round to our Indonesian Muslim family tonight for dinner, they are so loving and hospitable. Its been interesting watching the wife progress with her English. When she came here it was very difficult to get many English words out of her but now, after about three and half years you can converse comfortably with her in English. However it is with sadness that we saw them tonight because Ira, the wife , is returning to Indonesia with their two kids with her husband following in about two months. We have gotten to know them well over these past few years and count them as dear friends. When you share meals and your home with people, you can see past the stereotypes and move through the preconceptions about people that are, on the outside different to us. These folks are Muslim, she wears the scarf head cover and he goes to the Mosque each Friday. They should be trying to convert us to Islam, take over the world. But hey, they are just like us; love their family, want the best for the kids, strive to make ends meet on limited income, and want to honour God.

How does the kingdom come near to them? I could try and argue with them on how their religion is wrong, point out the mistakes, say how violent Islam is etc. No. The kingdom will come near to them as I come near to them, I am Gods representative of the kingdom here on earth. If they want to see the kingdom then all they should have to do is look at me. Although they are leaving NZ soon, our friendship will continue across the seas and we can just keep open the friendship, unconditional and watch for those moments God gives us to speak into their lives. We know that if we get to go over to their home they will welcome us in, even if there is little room. God please do your miracle in their lives.

Home Show Chat

2008-06-30T20:16:00.003+12:00

Well it's been a while since my last blog, have been busy though. This last weekend I have been at the Star Home Show. Our shop had a small stand there and I was manning it for three days; 10 am to 6 pm. There were over 20,000 people walking through that place and lot of them either noticed my stand or made some kind of contact with me. Very positive outcome as far as brand recognition went, although would have liked to sell more product.

My stand was about three quarters along and many people by this stage were getting a little tired so when they saw the chair I had on display they were happy to sit down and rest and chat. Also some of the other stall holders popped over and rested their weary backs.

The stand next to mine was an insurance stand. There was a nice young man on the stand, clean shaven, just an honest looking type of guy. You know almost from the beginning I thought he might be a Christian. Some people have that look, especially that conservative, Evangelical kind of look. During one of our chats he happened to mention that he had been a 'missionary'! Been overseas a number of times with YWAM. So we had a bit of talk about churches and families. Actually had a few chats with different stall holders but thinking back didn't take advantage of the situation to talk about 'deeper issues'! Do you feel guilty sometimes because you didn't use the opportunity to bring in Christ to the conversation? I hope that I no longer feel guilty about not always manipulating conversations to talking about Christian things. However I do feel guilty if I don't sometimes get past the surface pleasantries. So many people are just waiting for someone to be interested in them, to listen to their story. They are very willing to tell it too.

Had a good chat to another couple who used to attend Opawa, they attend another gathering of believers now. During our conversation I found out this guy was meeting a another friend that Bronwyn and I have been walking with through marriage problems. These two guys hadn't known each other before but had meet and the guy I was chatting with wants to encourage my friend as well through this rebuilding journey.

Last but not least, the shop had its highest turnover this last month. Praise God.

Opportunities Come Along Once

2008-06-25T21:26:00.003+12:00

This sounds terrible but I didn't have time to sit down and talk with God today. Had a lot of people in the store and also some running round to do at the beginning, that's when I usually try and sit down with the Bible and pray. I did talk to God through out the day, you know those little sentence prayers. I was going to say I didn't do much listening, but then that all depends on how you expect to hear from God. When I think about it, He speaks through many different ways; that's what looking for signs of the kingdom is all about.

I'm starting to develop a bit of a friendship with my local TVNZ rep, he pops in from time to time to see if everything is okay with my advertising. We sit down and end up chatting about a host of things. At the moment we are talking about what happens at the weekend, might start talking about families soon. He's just a young guy, I think rather typical of guys in their late 20's. Plays a bit of rugby, goes to the gym, socialises and then watches Coronation St!

Actually I have been following the TV programme, "The Amazing Race". One of those reality programmes. This one is about people in pairs racing round the world doing certain tasks and each program the last pair to arrive at the destination point is eliminated. The pairs are made up of many different relationships; like two sisters, husband and wife, two gay Anglican Priests, a young man and his Grandfather, a young couple in a new relationship and a father and daughter. That is just a few of the types, any way last night was the final. We had three pairs left: father and daughter, new couple and son and grandfather. At the beginning of the race most of the pairs would have major fall-outs with each other. The father and daughter were a classic case. The father always criticized the daughter if things went bad, he would often loose his temper. It was a very fractured relationship. Ronald & Christina, the father/daughter Team, are competing in the Race to make up for lost time. Since Ronald was constantly traveling for work throughout much of his daughter's formative years, Christina hopes the Race will allow her father--a self-proclaimed workaholic--to stop and smell the roses and provide them with some meaningful time together. Throughout the race that happened, slowly the father saw the beauty in his daughter and her amazing talents, he stopped talking and running her down. He even started to praise and encourage her. They only came second but said after the race that the most valuable thing that they had learnt and gained was a real father daughter bond and love; they both felt they finally were a father and daughter.

Lost opportunities don't often get a second chance, God gives us windows of opportunities, it what we do with them that can make the difference. I thank God that he used that programme to remind me to work out my priorities.

Now But Not Yet!

2008-06-24T22:48:00.003+12:00

I had some nice conversations today; a couple from Halswell in the shop, the husband about 85 and still skiing. He has bad knees but is forgoing an operation because he been told he would have to give up skiing. He keeps active and has learnt to manage his pain. It made me think about how I handle misfortune, pain or the uncomfortable struggles in life. I have in the past allowed those situations to tie me up, I have let them make myself sit in a pool of self pity. Why me Lord or do bad things happen to good people? This man is enjoying life when it would be easy to moan, lie down, and feel bitter.

It reminds me of the passage in 2 Corin 6: 1-10 & James 1:2-4. Paul did not let the problems hold him back but continued to work for the kingdom. James also saw beyound the pain to joy that was his in Christ. It's beautiful to see but not always so easy to live.

Also talked with a young man from India now living in New Zealand, although away from his home he was enjoying his new life here. It was interesting that he still loved his old country but did not want to return, his home was now New Zealand. There are many situations where we hold in 'creative tensions' aspects of our life. Thinking about the kingdom reminds me of some of those tensions; the kingdom is now amongst us but is still to come. "He (Christ) inaugurated it (the kingdom) but did not bring it to its consummation. Like him, we are called to erect signs of God's ultimate reign- not more, but certainly not less either...once again God's reign will come, since it has already come." (Bosh)

A Remarkable Discovery

2008-06-23T21:57:00.001+12:00

Looking back over the week of blogging I have noticed that signs of the kingdom have happened in small ways, very much in the every day occurrences; but still of significance. Relational seems to be a theme, either people coming and speaking to me or me listening and speaking to others. Moments of encouragement from God as one made their way through usual business activities.

One thing I have noticed, that it's easy to miss signs or to be always looking for 'big' signs but often the signs are there, we just need to open our eyes.

I have also been reminded of what a precious gift the kingdom of God is. I'm taken back to the two parables told by Jesus to illustrate the kingdom to his disciples. Matthew 13: 44-46 describes finding the kingdom likened to finding treasure. Sometimes we stumble across the kingdom and other times we go searching for it, both stories are the same; a great excitement upon making such a discovery. The kingdom is always found, it's not ours by right. God reveals its splendour and richness to us, he even offers us the 'keys' to the secrets of the kingdom (Matt16:19).

Finding the kingdom is one thing but what we do with the kingdom is another thing altogether. Do we truly recognise the value and significance of our find? These riches, in turn, make it possible for us to do the work we have to do, and to live our lives, in the strength, joy, and peace of Christ. The kingdom strenghtens and deepens our understanding of Jesus.

This little exercise has helped me to start searching again and to truly value what I find.

A Business Prayer

2008-06-22T00:14:00.000+12:00

This week has been really good from my business situation. I have been praying each day for the success of the shop, some days immediate 'answers' other days silence! This week has been one of my busiest, so many people coming in and buying product. A lot of small sales but they all add up. So has God answered my prayers? When the sales didn't happen was God silent?

I believe that God is answering my prayers and he has blessed the business, maybe not every day but overall. Even a place of business can see signs of the kingdom.
Also I have had some good conversations with customers about their situation. No God talk mainly just listening, not even always sales talk, just listening. There so many people out there who just want others to hear their story.

Actually this week has been a bit of an international week; people from Finland, Ukraine, Korea, China, England, Ireland, & the US. It just reminded me that the Kingdom of God is very mission in its intent, and that it reaches beyond national borders. I hope I showed each of these people a small reflection of Christ as we talked.

Man the world must get such a messed up message about what being Christian really is! Just finished hearing the news; a Catholic Brother up on sex charges, Mugabie claiming that God had put him there, and in the States Obama, Clinton and Bush all claiming to speak for Christians.

Putting Things Right

2008-06-19T21:30:00.000+12:00

As I have been thinking about kingdom signs, it came to me that what happens if I don't see any signs, does that mean God is not here! I started to panic, hey I'm going to have blank spots on my blog. But then it dawned on me that God can be active in many different ways, not always in activities but sometimes in the thoughts you think, or through a passage from his Word.

I was reading Matt 11:2-6 and it really spoke to me about some signs that we should see when we are living in the Kingdom places. The Spirit should be active; there should be a close link between the presence of the kingdom and the activity of the Spirit.
If some one said to me, "show me the kingdom of God", what would I say or what could I show them? It's not just full churches or 'right living' believers, its' not Christians saying "I love you".
I need to be able to show them that love, show them what that 'right living' means to them. Which ever way you read the passage above; either literal or spiritually, there is something happening, people are being affected by the Spirit.

I was also praying the other morning, praying for success in my business but then I began thinking about the many great believers all round the place that pray for God to bless them too. Does God always give them blessings; many of them are fighting for their lives, suffering extreme physical pain, have no hope for even shelter over their heads. Here am I praying for business success! Where is God in this context, is it legitimate for me to pray my prayer?

A friend of ours whom owns a very successful business, recently had some kind of heart surgery only to suffer a stroke and was unable to communicate properly. She had some Aussie surgeons come over and they preformed some special surgery on her today, life saving I think and the latest news is that she has come through okay. She is a believer. So another sign of the Kingdom after all!

Neighbours

2008-06-16T22:03:00.000+12:00

I was having one of those days at work when one wonders if there was any point in coming in! Hardly any customers, only a few small sales.

After I had had a few minutes with God, you know, just having chat as one does in the middle of your work place; I was encouraged after reading 1 Peter 5 and the verse that says: "casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." or .. stop worrying about things that are outside your control because God is intimately concerned with what's going on in your life.
About an hour or so after that a friend pops in for a chat, we talk about the weekend and the rugby and other little things. Hey thank you God, that was so thoughtful.

In the afternoon one of my neighbours calls in with two coffees! We just have a chat about the weekend and rugby and how he was feeling a bit depressed a while back because of a slow healing leg and the job not going so good but now he's much better. Also he gave me a free ticket to the coming All Blacks test in Christchurch.

Didn't do much business today but had two really encouraging visits. Thanks God, you just popped in on time.

Why...

2008-06-15T21:44:00.000+12:00

Sorry I forgot to say why I'm doing this "Kingdom Signs" blogg. Well, put rather simply; my Pastor asked me to. Although I think it's a great way of seeing God working in the every day, down to earth situations. We don't always see or recognise the operation of the Kingdom in our context and often it's because it's in the ordinay, small and still wispers that God operates.
I want to be aware and involved in the Kingdom that is here amongst us. Thanks... Phillip

2008-06-14T14:39:00.000+12:00

Hi, my name is Phillip Haussmann and I'm starting a blog about "Kingdom signs"! But first a little background comment about ...why?
I'm a follower of Jesus, an apprentice of his. Been so since 1966 or there abouts. It's been a journey that has seen highs and lows but I can look back and say that God has been working in my life, changing me and making me into the person he wants me to be, still a way to go.
Took my family over to live in Indonesia for three years and learnt a lot about how God works; that God is not confined to alocal church but is involved in the Kingdom. It's not so easy to define the Kingdom or to set its boundaries. I found that the Kingdom of God can be found in the middle of a Mosque! That the Kingdom is often seen in the messy places and likes to invite people that others do not always think about into it.
Signs of His Kingdom always seem to be unexpected; like someone coming up to you and asking how a specific thing is going and saying that they are praying for you. You are surprised that they knew what was going on and you know that they will pray and often.
Or coming in to have a chat with you because they know you have a lot of 'alone time'.
I have a lot of interest in our Muslim friends and am amazed to see signs of His Kingdom in their lives...but more of this another day. Phillip