Miracle Haven

a Biblical thought...
Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. (Acts 5:12-13)

a Book thought... from Jesus the Fool by Michael Frost
Too many people have written off Jesus as some soft guru, a man with a perpetual smile on his face, who wandered around Palestine kissing babies and patting happy children on the head. (p4 Frost)
a Dave thought...
This morning we attended Port Macquarie Salvos with about 200 others which was a real treat. As there were a dozen guys in attendance from The Salvation Army Miracle Haven Recovery Services Centre in Morisset NSW we were very fortunate to hear their life transformation stories. Two of these guys shared amazing stories of living in an addictive trapped lifestyle but since attending Miracle Haven they have found Jesus and their lives have been incredibly changed. It was great reminder for me that no matter how tragic our past God continues to change lives, and once again I am proud to be part of a movement that invests in helping people through the toughest times in their lives.

Just a thought.

Ironman

a Biblical thought...
The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them. (Acts 4:32-33)

a Book thought...
An army of sanctified, loving, selfless, humble, passionate, zealous, compassionate, active young people - will change the world. It's inevitable. (p219 Munn)

a Dave thought...
I have had a dream for over 10 years now to compete in an Ironman, and tomorrow as we begin furlough, we are heading up to Port Macquarie for two weeks where I will compete in my first attempt at this insane event. The event began after a 1978 awards ceremony for a Hawaii running race, a debate ensues among competitors about who is more fit -- swimmers, runners or other athletes. One of the participants, Navy Commander John Collins and his wife Judy, dream up a race to settle the argument. They propose combining three existing races together, to be completed in succession: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (112 miles, originally a two-day event) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). "Whoever finishes first we’ll call the Ironman," said Collins. Fifteen men participate in the initial event held on February 18; 12 complete the race, led by the first Ironman, Gordon Haller. His winning time: 11 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds.

On April 6 I have entered the Port Macquarie Ironman which comprises of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and concludes with a 42.2km run. If you are really keen to know how I am surviving on April 6 go to ironmanoz.com and put in my race no. 299 and you can follow my progress over the 14 hours I'm expecting to be out on the course:) As I have trained solidly for the last 16 months I am hoping to get through in under the 17 hours cut off time. As the event begins Sunday April 6 at 6.30am and closes at 11.30pm you will realise I have a long day to look forward to.

Hoping to blog most days while on furlough but depending on access to the internet I may not be an everyday blogger over the next two weeks.

Just a thought.

Hunky Jesus

a Biblical thought...
Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked.

a Book thought...
Our experience of holy covenant brings a trustworthiness that frees God to delight in us by releasing the Kingdom in fullness. (p212 Court)

a Dave thought... from the SMH
San Franciscans have flocked to Dolores Park in the city to compete in, or watch, what has become an Easter Sunday tradition - the "Hunky Jesus" competition.
Officiated by a gay charity group known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which has been active in San Francisco since 1979, the contest pits costumed and usually scantily clad men against each other for the distinction of being declared the most attractive Jesus.
Catholics have labelled the annual pageant blasphemous, considering that previous entrants have included "old school Jesus", "surfer Jesus" and "zombie Jesus", an irreverent take on the Easter message of Christ rising from the dead.
But the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence insist the contest is all part of their mission to "promote universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt".

These events only happen in America! At least they are making Easter a public event and encouraging the locals to get involved. What can we do to make the Easter story work for the culture and the place we live and take it to the streets. If the Christian church is doing little to get the message to the people on our biggest weekend end of the year it will be the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and any others who attempt something public who will grab the headlines at Easter.

Just a thought.

Parenting

a Biblical thought...
Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites." (Acts 2:38-39)

a Book thought...
It seems that whenever God is at war, He establishes an uncompromising standard for holiness, and the costs of disobedience to covenant are high, the consequences of sin are immediate. (p210 Court)

a Dave thought... Today's Age
Particularly from birth through primary school, this generation is still one of our most precious gifts — and responsibilities. During the two-week holiday ahead, they will infuriate and exhaust us over and over again, rolling up their baby sister in a rug, or missing the damn toilet bowl every single day, and it'll be easy to forget how much we cherish them.

Kylie and I have have just had one of those nights as Josiah is teething we have been up every hour throughout the night. But even though being a parent is often frustrating and tiring I am forever thankful for the gift of our two young boys.

Just a thought.

Legal drinking age

a Biblical thought...
"You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." (Acts 1:7-8)

a Book thought...
Who are the most effective revolutionists in history? The covenanted people. The Nazarites, the Rechabites and the Salvationists are the most dangerous people in history. (p209 Court)

a Dave thought... The Sunday Age
RAISING the legal drinking age to 21 should be considered if attempts to curb dangerous levels of teenage drinking fail, according to the Government's top alcohol adviser.
"There might be a two-year discussion period … that would give a very strong message to people that either we change the environment ourselves or the government will do it," he said. The experience of other countries such as the US, where the legal age is 21, showed it could be done. "The government didn't fall, the country didn't fall into ruin."
Deakin University professor of health psychology John Toumbourou, who also works for the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, said he was a "very strong supporter" of lifting the drinking age as it had a proven track record of reducing alcohol-related harm to the brain, which is still forming into the early 20s.
"In countries or states where it has been introduced there has been around a 15% reduction in deaths and harm related to alcohol," he said. Where the reverse occurred — such as in Australia where some states dropped the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the 1970s — there had been an equivalent rise in deaths and harm, he said.

I am a big fan of this proposal as in Victoria you get your drivers license, legally take alcohol and start hitting the night clubs all at the same age. So at least if we hold back one of these responsibilities till 21, I'm sure would help reduce the teenage death rate. We seem to copy the US in most other decisions we make for our country so why not this one.

Just a thought.

Demands my all

a Biblical thought...
There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books. (John 21:25)

a Book thought...
In our call to a holy revolution, we call you to defend the rights of the poor, to look after the orphans and widows, and to sell your possessions. This is part of total surrender, obedience and passion for the Lord. (p201 Munn)
a Dave thought...
This picture was taken from the Eastern Vic Divisional Youth Good Friday meeting held at Mitcham last night. It was a very moving time as we worshipped and reflected and were greatly challenged as Matt Kean shared his views on Peter with us. The message asked the question "what good are you to Christ?" We were asked to if we would be willing to stand up for Christ, be beaten for Him, spat on for Him or are we just content to be saved. True discipleship means giving your all no matter the cost, and even though Peter failed when things got tough at the crucifixion, he from that moment on was certainly not only a believer but also a disciple. During the response time we were then asked to come forward with a picture of yourself (taken on the way in) and if we are willing to deny ourselves to hammer our picture on the cross as sign of our commitment. It was awesome to see so many youth totally sold out and taking on this call whatever the cost.

Just a thought.

Petrol or Pews

a Biblical thought...
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it." (John 20:25)

a Book thought...
Our God is a God who greatly honours the underdog. Much of His message in the Old Testament through the prophets was "care for the orphans and widows; stop cheating to get money; provide for foreigners and the poor". (p196 Munn)

a Dave thought... from Friday's Age...
I DON'T want to offend anyone (actually I do), but let's be honest here, Easter's never really taken off. Two thousand years and it's still the B team of religious celebrations, just ahead of the Feast of the Circumcision. And ain't that a day when Christians go off like a frog in a sock?
Despite Easter being the Big Kahuna of the Christian holy days, we're all a bit lukewarm about it. No cards, no customs, no songs. Where's Deck the Halls with Eggs from Kmart? How about We Wish You a Happy Easter? Or, "On the fourth day of Easter my true love gave to me: four chocolate bilbies, three elegant rabbits, two panatones and a Humpty full of Smarties?"
Christmas even has its own special words, such as "carols" "merry" and "ho, ho, ho". The fat bloke in the red suit feels like a member of our family with his reindeer, his elves and his bulging sack of love. What's Easter got? Stuff all. A giant bunny that no one knows anything about. Is it male or female? Where does it live? And what's with the basket? A bit Tinky Winky, if you ask me.
Never in my life have I met anyone who's said: "I'm a real Easter person." There are plenty of Christmas people, the loonies who have tinsel running through their veins and carols running through their heads all year round. Those grinning idiots with their yuletide-themed apron, oven mitts and napkin rings for that One Day in December. But I've never met one egg-loving, bunny-crazed nut case who spends their entire year hanging out for some hard-core Easter action.
And it's not for want of trying, what with the relentless Easter lead-up of Shrove Tuesday, the day we Catholics let our hair down and go pancake crazy, followed by Ash Wednesday, when you can head down for a bit of red hot Mass action and come home looking like someone has butted a cigarette out on your face. Oh, and you get to kiss the feet of Jesus. And, yes, he does taste exactly like chicken. I know what you're thinking and it's true, life as a Catholic is just party, party, party. Then genuflect.
Who could forget Maundy Thursday? The day of the year when we put on our Maundy hats and Maundy pants for a bit of mid-March Maundy madness. No we don't. People don't even know it's called Maundy Thursday. Most don't realise that it's the day of the Last Supper. It's generally known as the Day Petrol Doubles in Price and You Have to Pick the Kids Up from School at 2.30.
It never ends: Good Friday (every child has at some point asked, "Jesus died, so why do they call it Good Friday?" Just tell them the name Bad Friday was run past the marketing team and they suggested something more positive), Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday. It goes on forever — Easter Queen's Birthday, Easter New Year's Eve, Easter Good Friday. But the holy week still hasn't got much traction.

Easter is the duddest date in the festive calendar. I don't think it's even on the festive calendar, because no one knows when it's on until about a week before. After the Christmas cards get taken down and the ham gets finished, people start muttering: "Does anyone know when Easter is?"
"March, maybe April. Something to do with the moons. We have to wait until they know." Until who knows? It's all terribly mysterious. A bit "we'll keep the unwashed masses in suspense until we're good and ready". The Easter marketing department's mission statement must be "treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen". We're gripped with anticipation (no, we're not) as to when the chocolate orgy is upon us. But the shops get told two months before, which explains why you'll find elegant rabbits sitting next to the "back to skool" specials.
And the only reason people even want to know the date of Easter is not so they can organise a sumptuous lunch or start erecting a giant flashing rabbit in their front yard, but so they can bugger off and go camping. People are so confused about how little you can do to pay Easter lip service that they just pack up and go bush, instead of staying home thinking: "Well, it is Easter Sunday, so I suppose we should have something more momentous for lunch than a sandwich."
Time to rebrand Easter, I reckon. Get the Duracell bunny on board, sex up the name to something like "Easter: It's Fully Sick" and make it the season when you actually do teach your grandmother how to suck eggs.
Maybe even diversify the merchandise a bit. The chocolate bilby is all well and good, but how about something even more Australian, like a chocolate Warnie? Melts in your mouth then sends you eight text messages the next day.

As disturbing as this article is there is some truth in the fact that Easter has lost a lot of its impact in Australian society today, even the papers have more articles about rising petrol prices than about the pews. Even most Christians head away for the weekend and seem to treat it more like a holiday weekend than a meaningful celebration. I think the only way to get Easter focused more on Christ rather than Chocolate is for those of us who believe in it to go public rather than hide in church for the weekend.

Just a thought.

The Big Four

a Biblical thought...
A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit. (John 19:29-30)

a Book thought...
I think one of the most misconstrued notions in the territory of blessings is that blessings from God always appear in monetary form. (p193 Munn)

a Dave thought...
Wright, one of the greatest, and certainly most prolific, Bible scholars in the world, will touch a nerve with this book. What happens when we die? How should we think about heaven, hell, purgatory and eternal life? Wright critiques the views of heaven that have become regnant in Western culture, especially the assumption of the continuance of the soul after death in a sort of blissful non-bodily existence. This is simply not Christian teaching, Wright insists. The New Testament's clear witness is to the resurrection of the body, not the migration of the soul. And not right away, but only when Jesus returns in judgment and glory. The "paradise," the experience of being "with Christ" spoken of occasionally in the scriptures, is a period of waiting for this return. But Christian teaching of life after death should really be an emphasis on "life after life after death"-the resurrection of the body, which is also the ground for all faithful political action, as the last part of this book argues. Wright's prose is as accessible as it is learned-an increasingly rare combination. No one can doubt his erudition or the greatness of the churchmanship of the Anglican Bishop of Durham.

I have had many recommend over the years that I read some of N.T. Wright's works so I am just about to embark on gathering some books for furlough which I begin in a week. Surprised by Hope is the first on my list, if you have read it or have views about whether I should, feel free to comment.

Also as today is Maundy Thursday I encourage you to take time to remember the four events that occurred this day - the washing of the Disciples' feet by Jesus Christ, the Last Supper, the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.

Just a thought.

Baby Boomer Parents

a Biblical thought...
"My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king." (John 18:36)

a Book thought...
Holiness mobilises. It sends us into action. It doesn't simply hold us back from sin... it sends us out to do greater things. (p189 Munn)
a Dave thought... The Sunday Age
Singleton, a senior lecturer in sociology at Monash University, argues young people are most likely to adopt their parents' beliefs or lack of them, rather than forge their own spirituality. "Generation Y are to a great degree fairly godless, but it is really reflecting their parents and the society in which they have come of age," he says. "They believe in themselves, they believe in their iPods, they believe in their friends, they believe in shopping.
"But really, it's not their fault. Look at their baby boomer parents attending antique fairs and buying up caravans and houses at Ocean Grove and spending all their money on consumer activities. Their parents are doing it in spades, so why not them?"

I believe that parents of Generation Y, the Baby Boomers certainly have something to answer for. There is no doubt in my mind that many cashed up parents have surrounded their children with massive amounts of consumerism without thinking through the consequences. Even as I parent Noah, (nearly 6) I realise how every time we go to the shops he believes he has a right to ask for what he wants and that if we don't have cash he says "just buy me this lolly on credit Dad!" So with their iPods, mobile phones, TVs and PCs often in their own rooms really why do they need God? Then again with parents more and more putting their dreams and purchases before God's, maybe Gen Y is just a product of a selfish society.

Just a thought.

Whatever Generation

a Biblical thought...
For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; they'll continue in the world while I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life that you conferred as a gift through me, so they can be one heart and mind as we are one heart and mind. (John 17:11)

a Book thought...
Don't allow any trapping of this world to lure you into slavery and idolatry. Don't let food rule your thoughts and your life. Don't let sleep stop you from spending time in prayer and getting things done. (p184 Munn)

a Dave thought... from The Sunday Age
A study released in January found that almost a third of Australians aged 13-17 were non-believers. The three-year national study of spirituality among 1219 young people found that 31% had no religious beliefs. While almost half identified themselves as Christian, only 17% regularly practised their religion - almost as many who professed to New Age beliefs such as reincarnation and astrology.
But Professor Ruth Webber, co-author of the Spirit of Generation Y study, says many of those who identified themselves as non-believers still professed faith in the existence of a vague, indefinable spiritual being looking over them.
"We called them to ourselves the 'Whatever Generation' - if you want to believe in God, whatever; if you want to believe in miracles, in New Age stuff, fine, whatever suits, there are many different routes and paths to God," she says.

These statistics demonstrate the way spirituality is heading with our teenagers. There are less and less young people in Australia who are practising Christians and with so many religions and options to explore spirituality many would say ''why just stick to what the majority believe or their parents believe?" So as our young people explore there is no use trying to stop them but rather let us disciple the teenagers we come in contact with so they understand and experience a God who loves them as He died for the whosoever, rather than just whatever.

Just a thought.

Generation Y

a Biblical thought...
This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks! (John 16:23-24)

a Book thought...
When sanctified, our sinful natures have been obliterated, neutralised and mortified by the Lord. Now it is our job, by the strength of God, to regulate, organise, and rectify our 'human natures'. (p183 Munn)
a Dave thought... from Sundays Age...

Empty pews are a common sight in Australia's established churches. The latest census found that just over half of 15 to 34-year-olds call themselves Christian, compared with 64% of all Australians and 79% of those aged over 65. Data tracing generation Y - those born from 1976 to 2001 - over the decade to 2006 as they began forging their own beliefs shows that about a third stopped identifying themselves as Catholic, while more than 40% turned from Anglicanism.
But it seems the long-documented drift from established religions has not left generation Y godless - or at least has not left it lacking in spirit. Experts suggest young Australians are increasingly embracing spirituality, whether in rebellion against their parents' secularism or as an antidote to rampant materialism.

There is a definite move with Gen Y Australians to leave the established denominations and our statistics in The Salvation Army also support this trend. The other interesting fact is they are more open to spirituality, so in other words the average Australian teenager is likely to step out of an established church but is happy dabbling around with other religions and beliefs. Young people have more options than ever now and many believe they can find God in 50+ denominations or religions so why would they align with the Salvos?

Young people love being part of a global movement that fights poverty and the injustices of the world, and is seeing tangible results. As soon as we turn inwards and focus on our little community churches we are not only doing the Army any favours but we also lose Generation Y.

Just a thought.

Parade or Protest?

a Dave thought...
This morning I preached at our 9.30 service from Luke 19:28-40 the passage used for Palm Sunday. As there are no mention in Luke of Hosannas, palm branches, or prophesies as in the other accounts I presented the thought held by some scholars of this being more a protest than a parade. As Jesus was a revolutionary teacher who was entering Jerusalem with a mixed crowd of those that were for Him and those against Him, he then wept for the city, stormed the temple and was at opposition with the religious leaders everyday he taught in the temple. (v41-48)

So my thought was you can be a spectator in the crowd, or a follower, the choice is yours you can just check out what is going on and sit around church to be entertained or you can follow a radical Jesus who accepted the tax collectors, prostitutes, the blind, lepers, the rich, the poor, the destitute, the religious, the irreligious, just anyone in fact, everyone. There was not an ounce of prejudice in the Lord.

Just a thought.

We-think

a Biblical thought...
Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. (John 15:4)

a Book thought...
William Booth advised that your consecration must keep pace with your God's revelation. If it doesn't you fall behind the Holy train. Or, you don't testify to your experience. (p177 Court)

a Dave thought...
We Think explores how the web is changing our world, creating a culture in which more people than ever can participate, share and collaborate, ideas and information.
Ideas take life when they are shared. That is why the web is such a potent platform for creativity and innovation.
It's also at the heart of why the web should be good for : democracy, by giving more people a voice and the ability to organise themselves; freedom, by giving more people the opportunity to be creative and equality, by allowing knowledge to be set free.
But sharing also brings with it dilemmas.
It leaves us more open to abus and invasions of privacy.
Participation is not always a good thing: it can just create a cacophony.
Collaboration is sustained and reliable only under conditions which allow for self organisation.
Everywhere we turn there will be struggles between people who want to freely share - music, films, ideas, information - and those who want to control this activity, either corporations who want to make money or governments who fear debate and democracy. This conflict between the rising surge of mass collaboration and attempts to retain top down control will be one of the defining battles of our time, from Communist China, to Microsoft's battle with open source and the music industry's desperate rearguard action against the web.

We-think by Charles Leadbeater is a new book on its way, you can download the first three chapters as pdfs @ http://www.wethinkthebook.net/book/home.aspx It certainly grabs my attention as I am finding the web has had a massive influence, on the way I read, minister, communicate and I don't think we realise it but it is changing The Salvation Army. We can no longer wait to release international news when we are ready as it has already been posted somewhere else in the world. The sooner we embrace rather than resist the moves to facebook, blogs & web ministry the better equipped we will be for the future. The world is moving ahead fast I hope we get on board.

Just a thought.

Captain Rudd

a Biblical thought...
"The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that's who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him." (John 14:21)

a Book thought...
So the way to get holy, the way to become like Christ, is to spend time with Him. (p170 Munn)
a Dave thought...
THE Federal Government will consider banning ATMs in gaming venues as part of a declaration of war on problem gambling.The Government will also look at reducing poker-machine spin rates – slowing the money spent in a given hour – and introducing smart-card technology (where gaming machines are operated using cashless cards which allow patrons to program the amount of time and money they spend).
In a move certain to pit Canberra against state premiers, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has commissioned Family and Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin to look at ways to better protect problem gamblers.
Ms Macklin has already held talks on a national pokies solution with industry players and critics including gambling activist and World Vision chief executive the Reverend Tim Costello.
It is also believed the Government is considering a push by Mr Costello for the Productivity Commission to review its 1999 report into Australia's gambling and pokies industry.
"The Prime Minister has asked me to investigate ways of tackling problem gambling," Ms Macklin said last night.
"Problem gambling can wreck lives. It hurts not only the person with the addiction but the people around them.

I'm loving Rudd more and more! This whole reliance on gambling income has been increasing especially in Victoria over the last 10 years. To have our new PM come in and admit straight up that he hates pokies and is going to do something about it is refreshing. So yeah I'm a Rudd fan, for three reasons already...

1. he was willing to say sorry

2. he is acknowledging that binge drinking is rife and is tackling this epidemic

3. he hates pokies and is making sure that states don't rely on them any longer

The way Kevin Rudd is willing to stand up for the lost, the least, and the last, I think he is worthy of being a part of The Salvation Army. So I'd like to propose that we commission Rudd as a Captain and appoint him as CO of Canberra Citadel.

Just a thought.

Victory

a Biblical thought...
I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. (John 13:14-17)

a Book thought...
Holiness is the opposite of self-absorption. It's about others and it's about God. Our holiness is not merely to help us but also to help the world. (p160 Munn)
a Dave thought...
Last night I went to Telstra Dome and saw Melbourne Victory defeat Chunnam Dragons 2-0 in the soccer as part of the Asian Cup. Although the weather and game were both great what grabbed my attention even more was the diverse crowd of over 23,000 that gathered. You see one thing that the world game brings to Melbourne which no other sport does is the mix of all cultures into one space, there were Greeks, Italians, Spanish, Africans, Koreans and then some of us Anglos. It was an excellent atmosphere and as the Kingdom of God includes all races somehow we should be able share spaces more often. Now the next step is to see if we can encourage our Salvo Corps to also include all cultures. It seems sport sometimes does better than church when it comes to inclusive communities.

Just a thought.

Seven Deadly Sins

a Biblical thought...
"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.” (John 12:26)

a Book thought...
Keep pursuing, following, chasing after, hunting, for, and tracking down holiness. And even if you have selfish motives – once you get holy, that will be taken care of, so it’s still worth going after. (p158 Munn)

a Dave thought...
As the seven ancient wonders of the world were matched by seven modern wonders, the seven deadly sins have been given a modern version for a globalised world, announced by a Vatican official yesterday.
Polluting, genetic engineering, obscene riches, taking drugs, abortion, pedophilia and causing social injustice join the original seven deadly sins defined by Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century: pride, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, wrath and sloth.
Gianfranco Girotti, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, responsible for absolving Catholics from their sins, named the new mortal sins in an interview with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, yesterday.
He did not spell out details but said the original seven deadly sins had an individualistic dimension, while the new seven had a social resonance and showed worshippers that their vices affected other people.

Full credit to the Catholics for updating some of their original documents, this latest version certainly makes more sense in an era of globalisation. It is interesting how these are not about personal Christian living standards but more aligned to a Kingdom approach where we need to look out for others. Perhaps us Salvos can take the Catholics lead and update some of our earlier writings, such as the Soldiers Covenant.

Just a thought.

5 Hour Rudd

a Biblical thought...
"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

a Book thought...
The human nature is a good thing, a necessary thing, but … the enemy likes to pervert our natural, human desires and make us sin by excess and greed. (p148 Munn)
a Dave thought... from the Brisbane Times…
Sleep disorders should be made a national health priority alongside alcohol abuse and obesity, leading specialists have urged. Problems with sleep underlie up to 70% of GP visits and cost the economy more than $10 billion a year. Experts say the problem is being ignored, although fatigue is implicated in a high proportion of car accidents, workplace injuries and depression cases.
They want to see sleep at the heart of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's preventive health policy and have criticised him for saying sleep is unimportant. "The triumvirate of good health should be exercise, healthy eating and healthy sleep and we need a campaign that addresses that." Dr Hillman said Mr Rudd, who is thought to get just five hours sleep a night and who said yesterday that "how much sleep you get is by the by", was setting a bad example.

I’m with Rudd on this one, having experimented with my sleep over the last 15 months I can now comfortably get by on 5 hours a night, and yes if you use your time wisely you can get a lot more done being awake a couple more hours a day. So I challenge you to follow our PMs example and become a 5 hour sleeper, even for a week, and experience the benefits.

Just a thought.

Are you light enough?

a Dave thought...

I think joy and sweetness and affection are a spiritual path. We're here to know God, to love and serve God, and to be blown away by the beauty and miracle of nature. You just have to get rid of so much baggage to be light enough to dance, to sing, to play. You don't have time to carry grudges; you don't have time to cling to the need to be right.
- author Anne Lamott , in a recent interview. (Source: The Washington Times )

Just a thought.

Emergent

a Biblical thought...
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10)

a Book thought...
As Christians we do not depend on feelings or emotions, but we place our faith in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word. (p142 Court)
a Dave thought...
I am one who has read many books of late that mentions a growing church expression called - Emergent. This book gets some great reviews so here is a taste for those that are asking questions about Emergent...Tony Jones's new book makes answering his question easier than ever. There's been a steadily growing literature by and about Emergent churches the last ten years, both friendly and critical, but his book now takes pride of place as the best on-ramp to enter the discussion. As one of Emergent's founders, its national coordinator (see www.emergentvillage.org and www.tonyj.net), the author of numerous previous books, and its leading spokesperson, Jones is at the vortex of all things Emergent. His book is part history of the movement, part theological explanation of its core commitments, part storytelling, and part response to critics. One especially helpful feature is the book's twenty "dispatches" scattered throughout the text that crystallize Emergent thought and practice.

Here are five dispatches that interested me..

Dispatch 1: Emergents find little importance in the discrete differences between the various flavors of Christianity. Instead, they practice a generous orthodoxy that appreciates the contributions of all Christian movements.
Dispatch 12: Emergents embrace the whole Bible, the glory and the pathos.
Dispatch 16: Emergents believe that church should function more like an open-source network and less like a hierarchy or bureaucracy.
Dispatch 17: Emergents start new churches to save their own faith, not necessarily as an outreach strategy.

Dispatch 20: Emergents believe that church should be just as beautiful and messy as life.

Just a thought.

Anglesea

a Biblical thought...
It's well known that God isn't at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. (John 9:31)

a Book thought...
Our actions are also like pulling a thread out of a sweater - it's just one thread, but it will change the appearance of the sweater, and possibly even unravel the entire garment. (p135 Munn)
a Dave thought...
Our family is curently at Anglesea, a couple hours from Melbourne helping at RAW camp, where 60 youth from Box Hill are gathering for the weekend. Last night began literally with a bang as Tim one of the leaders hit a kangaroo on his drive into the camp and caused $1000+ damage to his Ford ute.

As part of my contribution to camp I was one of several asked to lead a session on the seven deadly sins, I chose gluttony. It was great to discuss and debate with the youth the over indulgence of food that takes place in our culture and look at some of the history.
Thomas Aquinas went so far as to prepare a list of six ways to commit gluttony, including:
•Praepropere - eating too soon
•Laute - eating too expensively
•Nimis - eating too much
•Ardenter - eating too eagerly
•Studiose - eating too daintily
•Forente - eating too fervently

My conclusion is that I still believe it is a sin but somehow it never seems to get the same attention as other sins like drunkeness, adultery or even envy even though it is often easier to identify those that partake in gluttony. But as Thomas suggests if we lack self control when it comes to our eating habits we most likely lack self control in other areas of our life.

Just a thought.

Flag Lowering

a Biblical thought...
"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you." (John 8:32)

a Book thought...
The most effective way to affect the world is to get holy ourselves, get as many people as we can to get holy, and then get them to get as many people as they can to get holy, and so on. (p129 Court)
a Dave thought...
Well yesterday at 4pm we had planned the official lowering of the flag as we concluded our time at THQ in Hamilton Street in Mont Albert. Actually we planned to have it then and a small group arrived on the second floor and stepped out onto the balcony, but unfortunately the rope was stuck and it was unable to be lowered. However common sense has prevailed and instead of continuing to run THQ from this building until the flag has successfully being lowered we are opening the doors in Blackburn on Tuesday regardless.

It is amazing how often when we plan things and can see them in our minds do things not always go to plan. Even with our TC & Chief we could not get the desired result, but like all problems that come our way there is a solution. So as the cherry picker arrives tomorrow to take off the crest it will also be used to dismantle the flag pole. I was taught many years ago that you find out who has a gift of leadership when problems come your way not when things go to plan.

Just a thought.

GodblogCon

a Biblical thought...
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." (John 7:38)

a Book thought...
The blessing of a pure heart is a very deep work. It's like heart surgery. It's foundational. He reaches deep into your heart, and pulls out all roots of pride. (p123 Munn)

a Dave thought...
GodblogCon 2008 will equip you with a working knowledge of new media technologies and its impact on society, empowering your ministry to employ quickly and easily new media technologies to engage culture for the cause of Christ. Not Yet in New Media?
No Problem! GodblogCon is your ticket to the exclusive BlogWorld new media tradeshow. -->2008 in Las Vegas, September 19-21.
Came across this conference the other day. It is amazing the impact technology is having on relationships and the way we communicate and even the way we do church. We need to be proactive in these areas as a movement and not reactive. We need to get our message out through whatever means possible, such as an on-line corps, which I'm sure sure is close to opening with Commissioner Jim Knaggs as CO.

Just a thought.

Mark'd

a Biblical thought...
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. (John 8:6-8)

a Book thought...
Do you want to know how to get holy? Rip the head off our natural inclination to act selfishly. And let the Holy Spirit take over. (p115 Court)
a Dave thought...
Yesterday I got the opportunity to meet the 6 students from our latest gap year program run by Richard Parker - DY, Eastern Victoria Division. Mark’d Foundations is a gap year for Salvationists wanting to explore a future in Youth Ministry. Learn foundational leadership skills from others who have gone before, just as the writer of Mark learned of Jesus from Peter. During this time your life will be set apart and marked by God.

I believe in gap years as I was one at age 17 that went and studied trombone full time not because I wanted to be a professional musician but because I had not worked out what I wanted to do with my life. The amount of Uni students who change courses or pull out altogether in their first year of study is increasingly high. It seems that many of the choices about uni are made when you are 18 yo and sometimes you just choose it because your mate is doing it or it is the cool course to do. Obviously the career pathway you choose at age 18 is very rarely followed through as we all seem to change so much from 18-21 as our worlds open up and we become independent people.

Gap year programs are an excellent opportunity to experience something different for a year, to reflect, dream & work out where you feel God is wanting to take you on life's journey. To work out your faith more fully is something worth taking a year off for as it will set you up for life.

Just a thought.

Reflecting

a Biblical thought...
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." (John 7:38)

a Book thought...
Intimacy produces fruit, and we become like who we spend time with: so this step is reminding us to deepen our relationship with the Lord. (p112 Munn)

a Dave thought...
One of the interesting ways to reflect on your life is to track those moments when you made significant spiritual decisions. For me it started in 1978 when I made a decision to become a Junior Soldier, then 1986 at a basketball carnival with the the TYS Wally Golding preaching I made a serious commitment to have Jesus as no. 1 in my life. My next major encounter was 1990 Territorial Music School when again TYS Vic Poke invited us to come forward and give up our personal agendas for God. In 1996 my first Hillsong & then 2000 at my first Planetshakers and ACC 2002, were also moments I will never forget in my journey.
As part of my role is to facilitate events that have eternal consequences I have had to reflect to look at the fruit of significant events in my own life. Although events also have their challenges with often too much hype and emotion I have no doubt God still uses them to change lives like mine. So yeah events are helpful but lets just make sure we have time and space for the conversations afterwards that will help us disciple others.

Just a thought.

2Love DNA

a Biblical thought...
"Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last." (John 6:27)

a Book thought...
Acts Christianity is normal Christianity. Because normal Christianity is extreme. (p104 Munn)
a Dave thought...
On Saturday we ran a 2Love workshop which involved 24 youth leaders from the Eastern Victoria Divison. We discussed many topics throughout the day including the 2Love DNA, those distinctives from the Salvos that we need to take with us into our future youth ministry.

1. Commitment not Comfort


2. Worst not Best


3. Going not Staying


4. Innovation not Imitation

As we taught each concept as a distinction of our movement we then had to self-assess where our youth ministries were on a scale from 10 to 0 on each of these values. Some were surprised to find themselves down the easier end on each, but I believe if God is going to use our movement in the future our DNA will be about commitment, the worst, going, and innovation. I encourage you to give yourself a score out of 10 on each, and if you get 40 then you are either Jesus or lying.

Just a thought.

Chick Yuill

a Biblical thought...
But Jesus defended himself. "My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I." (John 5:17)

a Book thought...
Holiness is the privilege of all believers – no matter how young or how experienced. (p93 Munn)
a Dave thought...
Last night I went to “a night with Chick & Margaret Yuill” at the Box Hill corps. These are two very talented people which was demonstrated as they told stories, recited scriptures, sang songs and answered questions. Chick is someone who I have greatly admired for years and when I heard of his resignation from officership over 18 months ago I was both surprised and saddened. It was great to benefit from their ministry once again last night and regardless of their recent decisions and journey, I’m glad God continues to use them in our movement today.

Just a thought.

Owned Faith

a Biblical thought...
"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (John 4:23-24)

a Book thought...
The answer is given to those who allow the future to dominate structure. It will sometimes mean the abandonment of a structure that cannot nurture the future, and replacement with a new one. (p111 Needham)
a Dave thought...
Yesterday I was given the opportunity to chat with Rowan Lewis from Tabor about youth spirituality. It was a fascinating conversation with emphasis on the numbers of young people leaving the church. George Barna goes so far as to say 60% of 18-24 not only leave church but abandon their faith altogether.
Rowan suggests that until we move from an area of gifted faith to an owned faith we are always likely to abandon God. An owned faith does not just believe what our parents or church have dictated to us but rather explores, questions and grapples with real issues about God and the world we live in. So although it is hard to find more space for discussion and debate unless we do, and give our young people an opportunity to own their faith rather than inherit someone else’s our young adults will continue to exit the church.

Just a thought.