Left hand / right hand

When we market our good deeds and get regcognition from men for what we have done, we lose the right to be recognised from God. By marketing the church and what we do, even in good intention, we clearly miss the point of Matthew chapter 6 –
“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)
Promoting what you do in front of men and even others in the ‘church’ robs you of being rewarded by God. Why do we need to video our good deeds, why do we need to exclaim how much we have spent on orphanages, hostels, feeding the needy – is it because we want to have world justify us and accept us- are we worried that we will be rejected – are we the new ‘hypocrites’ that Jesus spoke about, storing treasures for ourselves on earth, is this where our heart is ? (As it says in Matthew 6:19)
I believe we are meant to be counter-cultural, not conforming to the ways of this world but transformed into His likeness, to be a transformer. Its tougher and spiritually more sensible to do your good deeds without mans recognition – I would far rather have God reward me than any pat on the back from anyone else. There is an interesting web site out there that has the title “Church Marketing Sucks” – I want to suggest something else – “Church Marketing is Dumb”.
Read Matthew 6 right through – there are some amazing nuggets there – read it all and consider the context of where it starts off from and where it ends up. It ends with “Do not worry about your life…But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

What have I done today to make a difference that only God knows about ?

Relational Discipleship

I'm still reading Organic Church by Neil Cole (see below) but here are some thoughts on discipling etc.

I was thinking the other day that about how the standard way many church organisations work - this is not anti the method but an observation...

A new comer comes to the building thru invite or walks off the street. They immediately notice all seats face forward - to a stage or pulpit area. They meet a few people then sit facing forward where those who are permitted get up and lead some music (or worship songs) then theres a welcome and a speech by a person (or a sermon) for about 30 minutes to an hour, then a collection, some announcements and a final song with tea and coffee afterwards. This is roughly what many 'meetings' run on...

If the person wants to go further, they can attend a new comers course, some classes on basic christianity, a marriage course and even a small group. If the person wants to get to that stage though, they need to be 'vetted' and complete certain criteria as well as various other levels of serving. This is all b due to the fact that they may not be known or trusted enough as yet.

This is all fair enough - not everyone can just walk in and lead the show.

So where and I going with this you may ask ?

Well here it is ....

The trust factor is very important.

Consider this as an alternative :

Jesus spent roughly 3 years with His disciples. At mid-point that time He sent them out. He had 1. shown them what He was about 2. taught them what the Father was about 3. connected them to the Father (eg. with the Lords prayer) and 4. sent them 2 by 2 (as backup)

All of the above steps indicate trust through relationship - He trusted them as He knew they had His heart as He knew them.

So - should we spend more time with those we connect with, show each other how to connect to the Father and trust others as we know we have the same heart i.e through the time we have spent together ?

Is relational discipleship the way to better trust relationships ?

Organic

I'm reading an excellent book by Neil cole called Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens.

One quote I like is "Shoving the light down the throat of the darkness."

Words

Heres an anonymous poem about words :

Did is a word of achievement, Won't is a word of retreat,Might is a word of bereavement,Can't is a word of defeat,Ought is a word of duty,Try is a word of each hour,Will is a word of beauty,Can is a word of power.-- Unknown Author

I remember a number of years ago there was a fad that occurred in a number of churches that was referred to as the “Name it and Claim it” gospel. Primarily it was based around scriptures like :

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
John 14:13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Many people interpreted that to mean that “Whatever you ask for you can get”
I don’t agree exactly with that interpretation but I do believe that the words that come out of our mouth carry a lot more power that we realise.

When I grew up I was told over a number of years by teachers at school that I was lazy and would not amount to much. I am glad to say that they did not know what they where talking about, despite that, their words held a power over how I perceived myself. Only a few years out of school did someone in authority take an active interest in me and tell me that I could achieve what I set my mind to. Before that I had failed most of my attempts to complete a part time accounting diploma over 5 years but once I had this positive affirmation I completed it without failing anymore and took on a full time computer course and a part-time university diploma. I passed all with good marks. Just a few words – had so much power.

I had a boss earlier in my career who always used the words : “Of course you can !” whenever we asked something reasonable – it was much more than a “ok go ahead” or “yes” – it always amazed me that those few words sounded liberating – they empowered me to feel that he trusted me.

Mother Teresa once said :

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."-- Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

Words can be used to bind and constrict or we could use words to free others and ourselves. Words are very revealing about what is going on inside of us :

Mark 7:21
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts,”
You see – the words come from inside us and give away our thoughts
James 3:5 says “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire…”
Did you know that one of the most common reasons for marriage breakdown is the saying : “I don’t feel I love him/her anymore”
A piece of advice that marriage counselors give is “Start saying and doing loving things for your partner and keep doing them – think about ways you can show kindness and it will start changing the way you see the other person”

My friend was taking his rubbish out to the bins near his apartments and there was a family coming out of the swimming pool area a mother and some kids – one little girl – about 3 or 4 was saying “mommy I’m so cold – can I have a hug” over and over – the mother shouted back profanities at the child and said “not now stop bothering me !” Given a number of years of verbal abuse like that when seeking affection and our children will seek love elsewhere – food, addictions and unhealthy relationships.

Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

So where am I going with this ? What words have been spoken to you that bind you, what words have you spoken over others without thinking them through ? It is in your power to break those words that bind you and release those people who you may have inadvertently spoken over or even deliberately said things that could have hurt.

Did you know that you have the power to break the hold that they have over you - did you know that it is only you who allow them to bind you ?
Did you know that you have the power to correct the things that you may have said over others – it may be embarrassing but it could set you and the other person free…..

Heres what God say about us : (from http://www.ccesonline.com/godsanswertomythoughts.htm)

You say, "It's impossible.”God says, “All things are possible.” (Luke 18:27)
You say, "I'm too tired."God says, “I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say, "Nobody really loves me." God says, “I love you.” (John 3:16 & John 3:34)
You say, "I can't go on." God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (Psalm 91:15 & II Corinthians 12:9)
You say, "I don’t know which way to turn." God says, “I will direct your steps.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say, “I can't do it." God says, “Through Me you can do all things.” (Philippians 4:13)
You say, "I'm not able." God says, “I am able.” (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say, "It's not worth it."God says, “It will be worth it.” (Roman 8:28)
You say, "I can't forgive myself." God says, “I forgive you.” (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say, "I can't manage."God says, “I will supply all your needs.” (Philippians 4:19)
You say, "I'm afraid."God says, “I have not given you a spirit of fear.” (II Timothy 1:7)
You say, "I'm always worried and frustrated."God says, “Cast all your cares on ME.” (I Peter 5:7)
You say, "I don't have enough faith."God says, “I've given everyone a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)
You say, "I'm not smart enough." God says, “I give you wisdom.” (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say, “I feel all alone.”God says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Does size matter ?

I think it does but I dont believe there is a wrong size or right size.What I mean is that smaller is better for relationship building, higher percentage involvement and accountability but God is not contained by our limited view of life. God can use bigger.

From Jesus example I can see that He spent time with the twelve and some others, like Mary, Martha, Lazarus etc. but He took three of them to places the others were not directly invited by Him. (John, Peter and James eg. see Mark 9:2) I've read a number of books and blogs and spoken to various people about the size of the church. (the local context - the gathering of two or more)

The challenging article I did read was by Wayne Jacobsen on "Why House Church is not the answer." This was during my paradigm shift of what is church and it challenged me to again turn to Jesus, and not just expect a new format or way of thinking to be the answer I sought.After typing this - I think Jesus matters more.....

YouTube by Floyd McClung

Just watched an interesting video on Youtube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccbj3xFei2U

Have a look - great core values !!

I was reading the other day about when the Israelites got to the river Jordan. (Joshua 1 : http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=6&chapter=1&version=31)

The previous time they ended up there, because of their lack of faith, God sent them back to the wilderness for 40 years. This time, with Joshua at the helm, they now stood at the river again. Just picture it, the past generation had sadly spoke about getting to the Jordan and everyone new the story, 12 spies into Canaan, two good reports (one Joshua) and ten bad reports….

Now here they stood, again, at the river. God told Joshua a few things :

• Do everything according to how I told Moses
• Get the priests to walk into the river and stop
• Get the people through the river
• Build a rock memorial
• Circumcise the men again (ouch)
• Take your shoes off – your on holy ground

The big thing for me was – “Why did He get the Ark to stop in the middle, while everyone crossed through?” I think it is in that time of transition, when we get to our river Jordan, He says to us to cross through the river, but He will be in the middle, holding back the water until we are over on the other side. Make sure that we don’t forget what He has done for us, make sure other generations know what He has done for us. Then when we are over there, consecrate ourselves and remember that we walk on Holy ground….

The desert – through the river – to the promised land. Transition, with God in the middle of the water with us as we cross, holding back the stuff that can damage us during our transition.

Don’t stand around waiting for bad reports, cross the river, He is in the middle of the transition with you, there is a promised land ahead….step in the water in faith…

Connections

The past few days I have been connecting with friends from all over the world on http://www.facebook.com/ Its amazing how many degrees of separation there is. One of my friends in Australia has a cousin who is a friend of my cousin in Scotland !!

Its also been good to catch up with friends and family I'd lost contact with over the years.

It reminds me that what is more important in life is people and not things. Sometimes we end up running around doing so much stuff and making plans that we miss those around us and before we know we are wondering "Where did so and so go ?

My challenge is to connect with someone we have not seen or spoken to for a while....

So is this what its all about :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFw2LxKB4i4

Good book

Just finished reading a good book - An Army of Ordinary People by Felicity Dale.

Its well presented with a chapter on a different persons story but also a page or two on why the story is included. Its give you a great feel for what the church should be and how people are doing simple church.

Forgive, forgive and still forgive...

Its a sad day when good people, and christians at that, bad mouth or tell those in their "flocks" to stay away from those they do not agree with.Its endemic in the system, one man tells others what to do, how to think and that he hears from God for them. the rest follow believing somehow that he is the man of God delivering a word from God. Its obvious to me that this is not so, when they use their position to undermine others instead of doing what God has for them.

The scripture that comes to mind is Acts 10 - 13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

We need to be very careful as chirstians not to judge others, as the way we judge will be how we will be judged. We need to be careful not to call something unclean because it is not according to our religious system, like Paul with the vision from God about killing and eating.We should walk as close to the Holy Spirit as we can, so that we can hear what God is saying to us, otherwise all that we are left with is a man telling us what todo, what not to do and a set of laws that where once spirit breathed but are now dead regulations that condemn us.

Again here I am having to forgive, not because I am some humble feable christian but because He has given me the power to do so....

Relief

Excellent news - though sad given two people died ...

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070902/29151_19_Freed_Hostages_Arrive_in_South_Korea.htm

A Catalyst

Sometimes it takes a catalyst to get something moving. Rockets are great examples of an occurrence of something that moves the vehicle in another direction. The explosion inside the rocket pushes outward and escapes thru the only place it can and propels the rocket forward.

Its like that in life. Something happens that causes a change in direction. I think its God putting or allowing catalysts to push us in another direction. Its at those times that we can either push against the direction that the catalyst (placed by God) is throwing us in, or we can move at the speed of the push in that direction.

Many times I see the catalyst in a negative light and spend lots of time where the catalyst occurred, mulling over why it happend or who caused it to happen etc etc - but when it comes down to the facts - where is the explosion, set off by the catalyst, pushing me towards - why does God want me to move in that direction ?

Has a catalyst occurred in your life - try look at it from a different viewpoint - its possibly pushing you toward a direction you may not have gone in.

In the bible I read in Acts about the martyr Stephen when he was stoned to death because of his beliefs - this would not have been pretty - but a dispersion happend that caused the disciples of Jesus to run in all sorts of direction for fear of their lives - God disperses the early church beyond just Jerusalem and Judea ! A catalyst.

A wise man once said - "God uses your Bruises". The Holy Spirit allows discomfort and irritation to get us to move.

What catalyst has hit you lately - where will it take you ?

Thoughts about forgiving the church that hurt me.

I can say many things to justify the pain. To keep my own private piece of hurt. Nurtured nicely and tucked away to resurface whenever I feel it would be good to mumble and grumble. But I need to start forgiving. Forgiving the church that hurt me.
I want to be sure that I am not carrying something of a hurt agenda.

The organized church is a misnomer. Many times it looks like a disorganised, disenfranchising, dysfunctional body. Yet it is a group of believers trying to do what they think church should be – I need to be careful not to disqualify a part of the global church – the organized church from Gods kingdom. Its not my ‘church’ – its Jesus bride – in whatever format or size it comes. I still think that it can be better done in a simple format - in a smaller meeting – with a relational walk beyond all of that functional stuff.
For me to walk into what The Holy Spirit has for me, to BE church and not just DO church, I need to release the past, especially the past hurts. Especially if I think the organized church has hurt me.

When we fossilise the Spirit

Have you ever seen a fossil move ? Have you ever seen a fossil talk ? Have you ever seen a fossil grow ?

I'm a great one to speak ! I prop up those great memorials to a past move of the Holy Spirit, so much so, that I can't see the real thing when He comes !

The Holy Spirit moves and we want to pitch a tent, capture the Kodak moment and hope He blesses what we are doing, instead of blessing what He is doing.

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Over time we take the things that have occurred around the time when the Spirit moved and practice them - we practice them to death ! But it becomes religion - it loses its life and the Spirit moves on calling us - but we stand admiring our past experience.

Does the Holy Spirit have the ability or the freedom to move me now - out of my past into my future - can He tear down the temple I build to the past ? Do I know Him that well to trust Him to do what He knows best ?

Sad post

Yesterday I read a sad news report about one of the South Korean hostages in Afghanistan being killed. Its sad when evil men do evil things and it appears they get away with it. If you did not know there are 23 people being held hostage by the Taliban and I read that the pastor of the group was murdered on his birthday.

(Photo: Yonhap / Sammul Church) In this photo released from Sammul Church, 42-year-old pastor Bae Hyung-kyu poses for a memorial photo before leaving for Afghanistan Friday, July 13, 2007 at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, South Korea. (transcribed from The Christian Post - see link)
Please pray for the release of the hostages and the family of Bae.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070725/28603_Body_of_S._Korean_Youth_Pastor_Found.htm

To Bee or not to be

Sometimes we call people busy bees. Buzzing around doing what we are programmed to do. Find the flowers, get the nectar, back to the hive & feed the queen. Find the flowers, get the nectar, back to the hive …. In the busyness, the nectar getting, the flying, the getting to the hive, we actually miss what we are doing. Together we are building a hive, a place of safety so that we can perpetuate our bee tribe – so that tomorrows bees will be able to live and swarm and get busy.

But hey we are not bees. No, we don’t have hives. But we do have busyness. Whatever it may be that takes our time, our focus, our energy, our resources and our attention – that can be our hive mentality. While we fly here and there, we look for the nectar of life on flowers – but we miss the beauty of what we are landing on – a flower. I walked past someone today and said, “How are you ?” and didn’t wait for the answer – in my busyness I had flown off – job done, I had been courteous. But I did not wait to hear the answer from the person I spoke to. I missed the point.
The task will be there tomorrow – the person may not be.

So I have to be more human, don’t buzz around and miss the person. I need to be a human “being” not a human “doing”.

Heal the land

I heard this scripture on the radio this evening while driving home :

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

And I started thinking about what does "Heal their land." mean ? I understand that we humble ourselves and repent and God forgives our sin but how does God heal our land and what is "Our land" ? Here are my musings - feel free to comment ....

• Land is where we get our food from - if the land is sick - we get sick - what are we feeding ourselves on ? ( John 6:56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.)


• Land is where we are standing, where we stand needs our repentance and, where we are needs healing. (Ezekiel 22:30"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.")


• Many times the worst enemies that we have and have made are those on our land - closest to us. Family and friends and colleagues. A nation at war with itself is its worst enemy. The enemy seeks to divide and conquer... (Mark 3:25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.)


• The land is where we lay our foundations - unstable soil - unstable foundations. (Luke 6:48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.)
  

Where is your land - what is it God would heal if you turn and humble yourself and pray ?

Coelacanth - why is an old fish that important ?

I just read about a coelacanth fish being found off Zanzibar. I don't get it - why is an old fish so important ?

Well maybe there is hope for us after all. If old fish can make it through global warming who knows what else we will come across - it is global warming thats messing everything up - is'nt it ?

I don't get it - its also "National ice cream day." in the US. Whats with that ? Is this also part of the global warming conspiracy or is this the counter action to cool us down ?

The one thing I'd like to taste would be chilli flavoured vanilla - a bit of a shock to those mouth buds ..!!

An Intelligent Design ?

Over time I have been involved with designing many different computer systems and software modules. On one of those occasions I helped design a 'church' organisations database. It took a few weeks to come up with a suitable design but one key things played a cruicial part and was very enlightening - relationships.

You see when I started out I started to design the database as a 'hierarchical' structure - you see this is how the leadership viewed the organisation. So I put the senior pastor at the top of the pyramid and the supporting management team below him and then added the supporting operational managers below them in their respective teams and so and so on. But this was not working as the model was not a true representation of how the 'church' was structured. The reality was that there where many people who did not fit the model - they either worked in multiple teams or where not 'connected' structurally in a recognised grouping like a cell group or a serving team or a leadership team.

The reality that hit me was - the organisation was best defined RELATIONALLY.

Each person or group existed as separate parts of the organisation but the relationships between the parts was a crucial part of the whole thing. An example was myself. I was a small group leader with people in my small group. I was also a member of the 'pastoral' team with a leader in that group. I also ran a team in the main organisation that taught and looked after 'new christians'. But I was also a part of the IT group that helped look after the software used in the church. In all of these roles I had many different roles and relationships to many different people.

The relationships defined my connections - they where as much a part of me as me being a team lead, or a team member.

I saw that nurturing the relationships was as important, if not more important, than the role I played or the title I had. If we are to be church and not just go to church - we need to nurture and be intentional about nurturing our relationships with others.

I think its a good idea to write down a list of who and what we are connected to and then write a list of our relationships next to each person or thing. Then write out how we will intentionally nurture those connections. Then do it !

Good Relationsl link : http://lifestream.org/index.html

Connection - What do people really want ?

So what do people really want ? Is it what we do or who we are ? When we market ourselves so well that its not too difficult to fall from a height - we are setting ourselves up. We want to be validated, we want to be loved, we want to be appreciated.

I think there is a time for marketing our image but we need to realise that marketing is only a selling pitch, its not who we are. Its just an image of how we want people to think we are. So many churches pitch themselves as 'with it' or 'cool' - we have the best music, the best lights, we have excellence, we are nice. But many times I think they set themselves up for a fall.

What do people really want ? When you help those closest to you to see Jesus and who He is and what He has done for you, they can't resist but want to know Him. Those who are closest to you know who you are, they know when the marketing gloss has been taken out and spread all around.

What do people want - they want you to be real, they want you to be true, they want some honesty, not the glossy you. They want you to care when nobody does, to pick them up when they fall. They need that hand of a friend when they dont have faith, when they dont understand your churchianity. They need a light in their darkness, yes - their darkness needs your light - you can only shine a light where they are at.

What do people want - they want who you are - not who you do ...

A great set ...

A great set of waves just north of us. Taken from the same place as the photo of the lighthouse - at Norah point north of Gosford....(ps taken in summer about a year ago - but its like this every year)

Did you know that Jesus stood on the beach ?


John 21:4 (Amplified Bible)
4Morning was already breaking when Jesus came to the beach and stood there. However, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.



Have you ever noticed - (ha it would be strange if you missed it) that the waves constantly come to the shore day in and day out ? Did you know that God comes to us day in and day out to talk with us but most times we don't know it is Him ?


If you knock you will find, if you seek you will find - the very act of looking for something starts us on a road to finding. God is closer that you ever could imagine. He constantly hits our 'beach' and stands waiting in our 'area'. He wants to show you something - He wants to spend time with you.





If you seek you will find.....

Where am I surfing at the moment ?

I'm looking up what it means to do Simple Church as I believe we can meet just about anywhere and 'be' the church together.
So I am somewhere in the middle of these links :

House Church Central
House2House
Community of Grace House Church Network
Dawn Ministries

as well as OIKOS in Australia : http://www.oikos.org.au/blog/

Click on the link picture to Youtube on the right near the top of the page to see Newsboys sing a great song !

Grace and the Law

I read an interesting scripture today about King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 30:10-20. It is all about the slaughter of the Passover Lamb by people who where not ceremonally clean. (according to the law)
But Hezekiah knew this and prayed to God "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God...even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

I think its amazing that God would heal people despite their imperfection according to His law !

This is also amazing because it was at the time of the Passover !
Have you ever prayed for someone to be accepted by God despite their state, despite their ignorance or despite falling short of the Law ? I have prayed many times for myself, asking that God would heal me despite who I am.

James 5:16-18 (NEB) ...A good man's prayer is powerful and effective.

Pray now for someone who falls short of your rules, your law - give some grace that they may be healed ...........

Who follows who in the zoo ?

Do people follow you or do you point them to Jesus ?
John the baptist said "I must diminish so that He may increase".
Its a tough one if you want to be popular, but there is no other way. Its not all about me and my ministry, or you and your ministry - its about pointing people to Jesus, showing them who He is and helping them connect to God and each other, grow and make disciples themselves.

Its the commission, it did'nt sound like "Make ye all a ministry so that others may follow you and establish followers of them..", it was clear and precise....

Matthew 28:19-23
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Whats with all the personal ministries, whats that all about ? Whats with all the adoration that goes on for Holy men and women - they appear holier but appearences can be deceiving ...

Did you know that you are holy - you are called ?

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Make disciples who look to Jesus, who make disciples who look to Jesus, who make disciples.....

A definition to lookup ....

Hey, I just found an excellent defintion of how church should be ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_church

I like the section on values of Simple Church :

D - Divine Truth : Truth is the foundation for everything. By Divine Truth, we mean the dynamic and living presence of Christ and His Word. A recent variation refers to the "D" as "Divine Connection" and views the Word of God and prayer as two primary means of maintaining that connection with God. The DNA metaphor is thus extended to include four overarching values instead of only three.
N - Nurturing Relationships : Healthy relationships are what make up a family. Love for one another is to be a constant pursuit of the family of God. This is the most basic of Christ's commands.
A - Apostolic Mission : Apostolic means, simply, “sent.” Just as Jesus was sent on a mission, so we are sent out on a mission for Him. Our mission is to go into the world and disciple the nations for their good and God's glory[15].

This is a great acronym DNA - in case you might not have noticed.
There are some excellent links at the bottom of the page.

Unravelling the religious stuff - a ramble with words...

And so I pick away at the stuff that has clinged to me over the years - do this , do that, do this do that, it seems like a continuous game of Simon Says. Its like opening up a cupboard that you have not opened for years - there is that old shirt, still stained with the mud slung at me - look how easily it falls off now that its dry and crusty !

Some stuff should stay - the Sabbath, the Word, the Prayer, the sacrifice, the Spirit, the friends, the worship. Let the rest go. The rules, the meetings, the place, the building, the time to start and stop, the chairs, the chosen leaders, the golden child, the saintly one, they who must be obeyed for they have heard as they are higher !

Higher than who ? The not chosen ones, the tarnished child, the sinner, those who dont speak well, they that follow and dont lead, the humble, the weak, the lost, the dying, the dead, the forsaken, the one sheep, the woman at the well, the forgiven ?

If all else does not match someones expectations , measuring stick, doctrine or rules, I thank God He chose me.

Thank God He chooses

YOU.

John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.

When God seems distant

Sometimes it feels like God is distant, somewhere else, maybe on a holiday somewhere nice ?
Did I say something to offend or forget to call ?
What do you do if you are missing a friend, someone we have'nt spoken to for a while - give him a call - send a text, an email or even get out that stick thing they call a pen and write one of those .... oh yes - a letter !
Waiting for someone to talk - why not give them a call ?
Just do it - do it now .....

Heres a great site to check out ....http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page

A dare thought

I spent some time a short while back talking to a friend about some issues I needed to clarify, sort out and move on from. Armed with good advice and a clear view on something that made me the way I am, I am now peeling off the religious barriers that I have put up over the years.

It looks like religion sticks to us without us even knowing and before we know it, hey - we look, feel and sound religious. One thing that was told to me early on in consulting - wear the suit and the clothes will make the man. Dress for the part and you will soon be acting the part. Not so true as a Christian.

Another friend of mine's favorite saying at the time was - 'Dont just talk the talk, walk the walk.' St. Francis of Assisi said "Preach Christ, and if you MUST, use words". Ha - wish I had come up with that one !

The problem with my religious attitude is that I talk myself into thinking I'm doing great, but Jesus said He wants to see fruit - wheres da fruit ?


Check out this fruit picture - see http://www.shelleylake.com/

(This is for you who can't remember what fruit looks like - its not that apple pie from Mac D !)

Jesus had a lot to say about religious people, He drove them nuts. He cut across the nonsense and spent time with people who were unacceptable (lepers, tax collectors etc), not the right religion, (samaritans and Romans) and even messed with their rules (picking corn on the sabbath, healing on the sabbath)


He messes with me by cutting across my religious attitudes and says "Chris, its time to walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

Do you dare think that the Holy Spirit might want to upset your religious attitude, to get you bearing fruit?

I dared and it started an unravelling of the things that are not of God and readdressing my focus on Jesus, not those rules and regulations.....

Newboys - I dunno

Great URL : http://www.newsboys.com/music/ you can listen to the music on the web !!

Heres a song by The NewsBoys that sums up how I felt a while ago ... its better heard that read.....

I Dunno

I dunno nothing that I haven't been taught,
I dunno why I was born into the family I’ve got,
I dunno if I ever had an original thought,
maybe not, maybe so, maybe later, I dunno
I dunno how I can end a prayer, then turn on a friend,
I dunno what I was thinking when I just pressed send,
I dunno why I still criticize the things I dunno
I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, but this one thing I know

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’m just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, it’s all a mindless routine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’m in another free fall
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’ve got nothing at all

I dunno what goes down the moment we die
Do we get halos & harps? Do we sleep? Do we fly? I dunno
how, when and why this world will finally end,
Speculation’s gonna grow, who knows best, I dunno
I dunno if I should push ahead or stop and grieve,
I lie awake and wonder how to make a city believe,
I dunno when it’s a ministry and when it’s a show
maybe neither, maybe both, I dunno, but this one thing I know

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’m just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your touch I’m not a full human being
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
If I should ever leave, where would I go?
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I look to you ‘cause you’re the lover of my soul

HERE’S TO THE LOVER OF MY SOUL
HERE’S TO THE LOVER OF MY SOUL

I dunno when to walk away or stand and fight
just when I’ve got it wrong, I’m sure I heard you right
and when my arguments are watertight you expose every hole with a flash and a flood and I know
I hear you call in the eye of the storm and I know you’ve had my back since the day I was born still
stoking my heart
still stirring my head
you’re my pillar of fire
you’re the wine, you’re the bread, and

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’m just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, it’s all a mindless routine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’m in another free fall
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I’ve got nothing at all

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno nothing that I haven't been taught, I dunno why I was born into the family I’ve got,
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno if I ever had an original thought, maybe not, maybe so, maybe soon, maybe later, I dunno
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno when I’ve got it right or wrong, I dunno how I can wrap it in a four minute song, but I know
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
My grip is better when I’m not hanging on, your love is making us strong (all along)
Your love is better than life

So whats changed ? (3)

Whew, we have been through some hectic weather here over the past few weeks and apparently still some more to come ! It amazes me when chaos is all around and people help each other out. We lost power for 24 hours and had showers, food and good company at a friends apartment along with 3 other families – thanks to the Ulbrichts ! This a picture of a ship grounded and hour north of us - on the beach !

Early on in the year I had what I would call a crisis of faith. I came to a point where I was not sure if what I was doing, where I was going and if what was being said and done matched my personal belief. It got to a point where I had to write down what I believed – what are my core doctrines … they where almost the same except for a few that I always had suspicions about…

Tithing – don’t get me wrong, I am all for giving and even to give all to God and others. Tithing looks too much like a religious line drawn that says God will bless you if you do this – I thought God loved us unconditionally, and pours out His blessings on us even when we don’t deserve them. I’ve seen too much condemnation around the tithing issue – theres a lot of poor people struggling to keep a rule. I cant find Jesus talking about tithing – if you find a scripture where He talks about it, please let me know ? I do read about the rich young man and Jesus said give all you have to the poor, He did’nt mention a tithe at all. Its one of those rules, if you can do it you feel good, if you don’t you feel bad and condemned. Not much grace there…



Large 'mega-church' – I’m all for effective governance and stewardship of what God gives us, but building a congregation that supports a clergy and pays millions for offices and buildings each year while people struggle with Aids, lack of water and sanitation, starvation and have no homes makes no sense. God does not live in temples, He lives in us and collectively we are the expression of church, the people, not the building or the organisation. The first martyr, Stephen found out what happens when you talk about peoples temples, he was stoned for suggesting this – how strange that we now build so many buildings to congregate so many people. Have we slipped back to temple building ?

It is important that we as followers of Jesus are very clear about what is church - otherwise we can get the wrong vision, one of buildings and sanctuaries. Yes, I know a vast number of christians worship in buildings we call 'churches' but we spend a lot of time, money and effort on the buildings we call church when we should spend that time, money and effort on the people - churched or not.

Jesus said "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. " Somewhere we have ended up going into all the world making denominations out of men and teaching them how to build organisations......

I'm not anti organisation but I do belive that there must be a better way - surely a more effective way of impacting the world for the kingdom. We need to get a balance between congregational worship times, personal worship time and time we need to spend 'salting' the earth.

So whats changed ? (2)

Have you ever wondered whats it all about ? Have you ever asked why do we do it that way and who said its the way it should be done ?

I often wonder what it is that makes us take a move of God and try and make a religious practice out of it. It must be something inside of us - we maybe think that by doing the same thing, the same way, even at the same time, that it somehow will get a different result. But it does not - we get the same result.

Why is it that we meet in the same place, every week, with more or less the same people, sit in the same seats at the same time and listen to just about the same person tell us something we most probably have heard before ..... and we expect something different to happen ? It even happens in our relationships, we react in a certain way to someone and do the same reaction day after day but expect them to treat us differently ....


We read from Johns gospel tonight about the chucking of the money changers and cattle sellers out of the temple. Jesus deliberately made a whip of cords and systematically went about chasing them out and overturning their tables. Jesus was at least 30 years old and had no doubt seen these guys over the years taking advantage of the people fullfilling their Jewish obligations by buying the animals etc for sacrifice.

But this time He did something different - He made a whip and made an impact.

We are doing something different - we have decided to make an impact but not in the same place, at the same time, in the same seats. We have started at home with friends to see what God is saying to us about making an impact. I know the Holy Spirit is with us, I know He has something specific for us to do.

There was a song recently written about 'breaking and moulding' etc. I could not sing it because I was in the process of being 'broken and moulded'. I often thought, "if only the people knew what they were singing - it sounds wonderful but its painful to be broken and moulded." He needs to bring me to a place were He can use me

God calls me to make a difference but also to be the difference. I've learnt that the best way to do this is in relationship with Jesus, daily, hourly, minute by minute.

Its time to "walk the walk" as well as "talk the talk".

Make an impact - do something different today - be something different today - get a different result !

Aussie ?

Aussie cricketer Brett Lee and a famous person !Taken this morning at Sanitarium - the place I contract at - he is sponsored by the Weetbix brand.

Got a cricket bat signed as well as a ball for the kids.

Tim Cahill, Socceroos midfielder, was there as well but he plays for Everton and therefore any signiture would have been irrelevant.

Lighthouses ...

Thank God for Lighthouses. If it was'nt for them, we would be shipwrecks. Rocks are useful to. They stop you from sinking in sand, but when you floating on water and close to the shore, a lighthouse indicates where there is danger - Beware of the Rocks !!



This a photo of a lighthouse near us, just up the coast. We need people in our lives to be a lighthouse in our walk. I have lighthouses, posted around. They say "Be careful - these rocks could hurt !!"

Offense is like a rock. In fact Jesus was referred to as the rock of offense. Its easy to get offended when there is disagreement.... its harder to sort the offense, the longer it stays to roost. It has a habit of digging in, entrenching itself like it had a right to be there. Many times it does - but we give it that right to entrench, to dig roots.

Dont let offense get the right to any part of you. Keep the forgiveness manual close by.

Do you know that we need to have lighthouses (people) in our lives. Ifwe dont heed the warning of the lighthouse, we sail in dangerous water to our peril.

Look how sturdy the base of the lighthouse is. Pick a lighthouse who is firmly based in the Word and walks with the Holy Spirit. You will know those you can trust. Its easy to lend an ear only to those that you want to listen to, as they say the things that you want to hear. Its much harder to listen to the warnings of a lighthouse standing on a solid base.

So whats changed ? (1)

Its a strange thing - transition. You feel you are between things but you are where you are now - know what I mean ? Maybe not, if you have not transitioned from something you where so actively involved in to very little activity in the same area. What it it does is force you to identify what matters most.

I gave a talk at a pre-work morning meeting about what matters most. I know now that the following three things matter most -
1. My relationship with God
2. My relationship with others and
3. My relationship with myself. Funny one that last one, always thought I knew me !

You see when we are overly involved, committed and overstretched, we become focused on things, projects and activities at the expense of relationship. For me, a christian, it meant doing what God had for me, what others felt I should do and what I thought I should be doing, eventually all the doing got the better of being, being who God wanted me to be.

Yes, the transition things is also strange because it makes you use that stuff called Faith. There has to be a point where believing that God has something for you and trusting Him to show you without forcing the issue and doing what you think is best, comes into play. It would be so nice to be able to say - "Hey God said I must do points 1 to 27 of how to be the Church", but no He does'nt, He says, "I want you to start walking this way, but keep listening and looking, I want to speak to you, I want to show you something, I want you to walk on this journey with Me, I have a plan for you....". The best thing we can do is start to walk.

What am I reading ?

http://www.dearchurch.com/

Been reading a book called Dear Church by Sarah Raymond Cunningham.

Some of you may find it hard hitting but it says a lot about what we have become, we being the church. What are we doing with what God has given us, we build steeples, organisations, programs, we market like there is no tomorrow and waste a ton of money on the things that don't matter that much. We convince ourselves that they matter, but the impact it all makes is minimal - are we making disciples - I thought that was the last thing Jesus told us to do - or do we make people into copies of ourselves ?

The first

It may be the first day of the blog but the past 6 months feels like a long journey...

After a number of years intense involvement in a large church, its time to change.

Many leave out of offense, some leave from boredom, others just don't feel they fit, while others want to change the system but get frustrated because a system is not only made up of rules, regulations, codes of conduct etc but is made up of people who are happy with the system the way it is.

Don't get me wrong, its not the word large or church that is the cause of this change, I believe its God. Yes, He uses circumstances and people to wake us up, but if we believe that He is in control and we are committed to what He has for us, then we will walk the way He tells us to go.

I hope that this blog helps those I know and others I don't to at least get a small glimpse of my walk with God - over time you will matbe get to understand some of the changes in the way I view the church (the global church not just local church) and what we and specifically, I am meant to be.....welcome to my blog site.......