Sydney Youth Band

a Biblical thought...
This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him. (1 John 1:5)

a Book thought...
Everybody is following somebody. Everybody has faith in something and somebody. Therefore we are all believers. (p20 Bell)

a Dave thought...
Last night in the Melbourne City Temple a small group of us gathered to hear the Sydney Youth Band. This band formed in 2001 by Major David Godkin the DYS at the time and included youth from four divisions in NSW. They put on quite an incredible show with a lot of new music and had a lot of fun doing it, which was really evident by those of us in the audience.

Some have the view that brass bands are maybe past their best days in the Australian Salvo scene. I though must admit when they are done well, with music people can relate to, they still have the ability to gather over 30 people in one space on a regular occasion and therefore have kept many of us drifting away from the church, as we were connected with a solid group of believers. Bands also have the capability of being taken outdoors and because of their mobility can share the gospel with people anywhere at anytime, which of course is the reason William & Charles got on to this good thing over 100 years ago in the first place.

Just a thought.

Women do it better

a Biblical thought...
So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. (2 Peter 3:14)

a Book thought... from Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
When somebody comes along with a fresh perspective on the Christian faith, people are inspired, and a movement starts. But when the pioneer of the movement - the painter - dies the followers stop exploring. (p13)

a Dave thought... from The Age by James Adonis
EVERY male manager I've had has been a complete loser. Blokes so devoid of managerial talent they make George Bush look competent. Maybe I've just been unlucky, I don't know. What I do know is that my female managers have rocked. Well, most of them.
In my career, I've studied hundreds of managers and have come to the conclusion that when it comes to motivating and engaging employees, women do it better.

My experience is backed up by the Northwestern University in Illinois, which has analysed the results of 45 leadership studies to discover that transformational (people-focused) leadership is far more effective than transactional (task-focused) leadership. Along the way it also found that women outperformed men in transformational prowess.
This is because women are predominantly right-brain thinkers, so it's naturally easier for them to relate to people and build relationships. Men, however, tend to use the left side of the brain more frequently, the side associated with facts, figures, and fear of fluffy stuff. And that's what this article is really all about — fluffy stuff.

Women are masters at fluffy stuff. The loving, the nurturing, the touching — hearts, that is. So let's just focus on the general female attributes that men could learn from.

James goes on the article to explain the six attributes we can learn from females that many of us blokes aren't good at...

1. Get Personal
2. Care
3. Be Real
4. Provide Recognition
5. Balance
6. Consult

Maybe the reason the Salvos grew so rapidly in the early years is because we had so many more women in leadership positions.

Just a thought.

School Production

a Biblical thought...
Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. (2 Peter 2:21)

a Book thought...
Figure out what you can't stand. Channel your holy discontent energy into helping to fix what's broken in this life. (p149 Hybels)

a Dave thought...
We have just come off two nights of Birralee Primary School's production ''Dancing Feet''. As part of this spectacular Noah performed with his Prep M class the "Cats" scene, and having 21 six year-old's dressed up to the max, I can humbly say it was the item of the night. Kylie was responsible for the costume and make-up as she continues to live her life's philosophy, ''if a job's worth doing, its worth doing properly".

As the school is only 160 students it was great to see them working together and using all their individual talents collectively to put on this great show. When we look back at our school years rarely do we remember certain classes or subjects, but rather it is the extra-curricular activities that are often the most memorable and often more valuable to our education.

Just a thought.

Mandela

a Biblical thought...
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

a Book thought...
Any step taken toward the new things God wants to do in your midst - be it expanding your knowledge, increasing your understanding, or challenging your assumptions - is a meaningful and crucial step. (p112 Hybels)
a Dave thought...
I have to admit that I totally love Nelson Mandela. I do believe he is one of the greatest leaders alive today and a remarkable example of grace. Time magazine recently did an article on him and his view of leadership. Interestingly he says that these are not principles but tactics. He is a man of principles but in terms of leadership he says it is all about tactics. Here are his eight principles…

1. Courage is not the absence of fear — it’s inspiring others to move beyond it
2. Lead from the front — but don’t leave your base behind
3. Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front
4. Know your enemy — and learn about his favorite sport
5. Keep your friends close — and your rivals even closer
6. Appearances matter — and remember to smile
7. Nothing is black or white
8. Quitting is leading too

Just a thought.

When big guys fall

a Biblical thought...
So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

a Book thought...
Passages like the one in James where he says that the only "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" convicted me at a deep, deep level. (p109 Hybels)

a Dave thought...
I met Danny Guglielmuci over 10 years ago in Adelaide and have only the utmost respect for him as a pastor and leader. About years ago I met his son Mike at a Planetshakers event and too was equally impressed. Mike is an amazing musician and evangelist and God has used this guy to touch thousands of lives. When I heard of his cancer two years ago I like many felt for this guy and prayed that he would be healed. As we have all heard this week Mike has psychiatric problems and sadly has faked cancer in order to cover up other issues in his life.``I'm so sorry, not just for lying to my friends and my family even about a sickness, but I'm sorry for a life of saying I'm something I'm not ... from this day on I'm telling the truth.''

Mike is 28 and a very gifted Christian leader but like all the big guys when they fall, they fall real hard. I pray that Mike makes the long journey back to getting his life and health back in order, I pray for all the young guys across this nation who are angry and bitter because of their admiration (be it sometimes unhealthy) for guys like Mike that they see a God who is bigger than this. Lastly I pray that God will help us each live authentic lives and not try put on facades to cover up who we really are.

Just a thought.

Micah Clothing

a Biblical thought...
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. (1 Peter 4:8)

a Book thought...
Bono was so stirred up in his soul after serving the poor in Ethiopia that he said, "I've got to give myself to something more than making records." (p105 Hybels)

a Dave thought...
Darren Frazer is an impressive Kiwi who I met at Make Change in January this year. Last week he dropped me a line on facebook to let me know he was visiting Melbourne for a Fairtrade conference, so yesterday we found a couple of hours to have lunch together. He shared his story with me that as result of being at a Salvo Just Action conference a few years ago with Major Campbell Roberts, he was inspired to start wearing clothes not made in sweat shops. As he went on the search to buy some Fairtrade clothes he discovered it was way too hard, and as a result set up Micah Clothing. Darren quotes Catherine Booth "to better the future we must disturb the present" and I admire him, as rather than just talk about Fairtrade Darren has sacrificed a lot of time and personal finances and set up a small business to help change the way people are treated in this world.

Micah Clothing is based in the small Southland town of Winton. It is Darren's hope to travel around New Zealand and beyond raising awareness of trade and justice issues, while at the same time letting people see his range of products. If you want to personally make an effort to wear Fairtrade clothes check out the website or better still buy something from http://www.micahclothing.co.nz/catalog/

Just a thought.

Western Vic Youth Camp

a Biblical thought...
What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. (1 Peter 3:4-5)

a Book thought...
Anything worth pursuing is going to require great risk. (p97 Hybels)

a Dave thought...
'Guess Who?' was the name of the youth camp I have just returned from in Kangaroobie a camp located just 10 minutes from the famous 12 apostles. It was a lot of fun as 46 youth from the Western Vic division came together for the weekend. On Saturday arvo we conducted a 2Love leadership workshop and discovered some very gifted young leaders as we looked at some ideas and thoughts. Sunday was also a powerful time as young peoples lives were changed by the grace of God, and testimonies given.

Reflecting on the weekend it was once again the stories of transformed lives that grabbed my attention. There is still nothing that replaces testimonies from genuine people who have found Jesus and are willing to communicate it to others. John & James were two such teenage boys from Warrnambool who after they made a decision to follow Jesus during the morning session wanted to let others know all about it. These two guys like many others have a tough road ahead, and I pray that now they have the Holy Spirit to help them, and a community of believers spurring them on life won't ever be quite the same again.

Just a thought.

Trophies

a Biblical thought...
Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. (1 Peter 2:11)

a Book thought...
Like David, you've got to choose to take action in the area of passion God has placed inside your heart. (p71 Hybels)
a Dave thought...
Yesterday was the final session of Auskick for '08, and although I won't miss the 4 degrees mornings over at Surrey Park, there is something that I love about it. The fact that all the parents are around their children spurring them on as they do their best and encouraging them is a great thing to be a part of. As over one hundred children proudly received their medals & trophies for their participation it was just as rewarding for me to see the amazing support by all the adults present. Already Noah has decided there is something very special about receiving a trophy & I'm sure like last years he will treasure it for years to come.

Just a thought.

Evangelicals

a Biblical thought...
Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. (1 Peter 1:7)

a Book thought...
The reason why it is so critical for you to dig in and figure out what it is that wrecks you is because you may be the one person God is looking for in order to reverse some ugly and destructive trends in your generation. (p53 Hybels)
a Dave thought... http://www.star-telegram.com/245/story/837232.html
Here are some excerpts from an interesting article I came across...

Evangelicals need to do something fast.
One response says the movement must tighten up. Evangelicals need to hew even more closely to the most conservative and literalist standards of the Bible. They need to stop making nice to attract seekers. They need to unload the slackers.

That sort of idea is being taken up by many young people who eschew the title evangelical or even Christian. For them, doing the work Jesus advocated is more important than doctrine. They favor small groups that often have no statement of faith at all. Their faith is about serving the poor, often internationally.

They’re admitting what their own studies show — that evangelicals almost never convert a native-born American who wasn’t raised in a church. That most evangelical growth comes from stealing the sheep from other denominations. And that they’ve stolen about all they can. . . They’re also admitting that most evangelicals won’t evangelize. And if they did, it wouldn’t get them anywhere because the usual methods don’t work.

Just a thought.

Commissioners Hope & Stuart Mungate

a Biblical thought...

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. (James 5:16)

a Book thought...

You will never make as meaningful a contribution as when you operate from the energy of holy discontent. (p48 Hybels)
a Dave thought...
It was inspiring to hear Commissioners Hope & Stuart Mungate at the Rally for the Congo at Box Hill corps last night. Stuart shared how officers in his territory would walk anywhere from 20 to 50 kilometers to preach the gospel. He also went on to say that the government asks The Salvation Army in the Congo to take over schools and medical clinics as they run them so successfully. Hope later came on and shared the word with us and challenged us with idea that we need to get out of our churches and preach to unsaved people not ourselves. She reminded us that Jesus was not crucified in a church between two candles but rather on a garbage heap between two thieves. If you get an opportunity to hear them do yourself a favour and go along, they are truly Godly people who will inspire you with their passion & faith.

Just a thought.

Jim Shanks

a Biblical thought...

Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet. (James 4:8-10)

a Book thought... There is no faster track to your soul finding satisfaction than on the path of servanthood. (p36 Hybels)

a Dave thought...

Being at the funeral of Jim Shanks was an inspiring occasion. This Godly man has served both God and The Salvation Army extremely well over so many years, and his legacy is huge. With his children & grandchildren still serving in the Army as both officers, and local officers with the same dedication and commitment as Jim. I was very intrigued to hear the story of how he joined the Army. It all began with a soldier knocking on his door to hand him a War Cry and after hearing the band, Jim showed an interest and was then invited along to the local corps to learn an instrument.

It seems somehow through our contemporary approaches we no longer see the open air as a valid outreach tool. Perhaps that is so in some places, but if we don’t make an effort to individually connect with people face to face we may never see another Jim come along again. I know our methods must change, but I have no doubt there would be people today who would love to come along and learn an instrument at their local corps, if they too had a knock on their door.

Just a thought.

Tired Teens

a Biblical thought...
Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. (James 3:17-18)

a Book thought...
Part of living with God’s perspective is remembering that the people you bump up against every day are ‘in process.’ (p28 Hybels)
a Dave thought...from The Age
Sleep-deprived teenagers are at greater risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks - and their mobile phones, computer games and iPods could be to blame, research suggests.
A study of teens aged 13 to 16 found those who slept less than 6½ hours a night were up to three times more likely to have elevated blood pressure.
Researchers said the "technological invasion of the bedroom" was responsible for creating a generation of sleep-starved youngsters.

Having some connection with Australian teenagers I have certainly noticed that after hours entertainment has changed a lot over the last dozen or so years. Back when I was a teen as I didn't have a phone in my room there was no way I could connect with anyone before I went to sleep. I'd occasionally write my girlfriend a letter but more than likely if I got a copy of the latest MAD magazine I'd certainly feel privileged and entertained for the night. I now notice that most teens have mobile phones so they will SMS late into the evening, also computers and those that are on-line will be on MSN, and of course the standard TV, with sometimes Foxtel just in case they didn't have enough options already. Not a wonder teens are getting less sleep, it seems connection to the world never stops.

Just a thought.

Margaret

a Biblical thought...
Isn't it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world's down-and-out as the kingdom's first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. (James 2:5)

a Book thought...
The most inspired, motivated, and driven people I know are the ones who live their lives from the energy of their holy discontentment. (p27 Hybels)
a Dave thought...
On Sunday I was part of the THQ band that conducted the meeting at Broadford corps in the Northern Victoria division. I was asked as part of my involvement to lead the meeting and also to preach. All was going smooth and the meeting was uplifting as we heard testimonies from some of the soldiers and attendees. But the sermon had not yet come, so I began to preach and as I was a few minutes into the message I became conscious of a lady getting restless in the second front row. Little did I know but I had mistakenly left the offering off the meeting lead and Margaret had creatively worked out a way to include this segment. So as I continued to preach to the 25 or so present as Margaret rose to her feet and began to pass the offering bag around the congregation. Rather than trying to curb her passion I quickly asked for Jeff and the band to do another verse of ‘Sing & Make Music’ and the offering was taken. It was after the song that I then realised that Margaret was now waiting at the holiness table for me to pray. Well pray I did, the offering was now taken and now I could complete the final five minutes of my sermon.

Conducting the meeting at Broadford was certainly an experience I will not forget but all credit to Margaret for taking some initiative. I know I have personally been bored listening to other preacher’s sermons and have never had the creativity to somehow give the preacher a break, now I know how.

Just a thought.

JESUS

a Biblical thought...
Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12)

a Book thought...
If there's one thing that God is focused on every moment of every day, it is the idea of restoration. (p26 Hybels)
a Dave thought...
Last night it was great to have the opportunity to preach at Macleod's youth service, as I wanted to preach about Jesus, and the fact that He was the most amazing person ever to walk on the face of this planet I shared my 5 favourite stories from scripture.

J is Just such as the way Jesus reacted to the woman in John 8.

E is Edgy as Jesus often had dinner with those on the fringes of society.

S is Solid as when He was tempted he quoted the word and never faulted He was like a rock.

U is United as He was always in communication with His father when making decisions.

S is Servant as He was willing to serve those around Him and even wash feet.

Quite a guy hey?

Just a thought.

100m Final

a Biblical thought...
Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you." (Hebrews 13:5)

a Book thought... Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels
I believe the motivating reason why millions of people choose to do good in the world around them is because there is something wrong in that world. (p23)
a Dave thought...
This morning I have just witnessed the 100m final of the 2008 Olympic games. I believe it is the most watched 10 seconds in sport that occurs every four years across the globe. To see Usain Bolt win in 9.68 seconds was absolutely amazing, the fastest 100m in history. Not only did this 6'5'' 21 year-old do it easy but he also decided to do a bit of hotdogging in the last 10 metres. To hear that he has only run one 100m race in the last 12 months is just incredible. The hundreds and hundreds of hours that Usain has trained for this 10 seconds is a reminder to us all that hard work and sacrifice is to be made if you want the best results, even if it is just for a moment.

Just a thought.

The Trouble with Paris

a Biblical thought...
So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! (Hebrews 12:12-13)

a Book thought...
Pleasure, meaning, happiness, and joy can be found by following in the footsteps of Christ. (p205 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
Mark Sayers was the youth pastor at Camberwell 10 years ago, and has also served in THQ in the youth department in years gone by as well. Many of you would have come across his DVD entitled The Trouble with Paris http://www.thetroublewithparis.com/ I have recently read the book of the same title and highly recommend it to all who are working with Gen Xers or Y's in the western world.

Doesn't everyone want the good life these days? Our shopping mall world offers us a never-ending array of pleasures to explore. Consumerism promises us a vision of heaven on earth-a reality that's hyper-real. We've all experienced hyperreality: a candy so 'grape-ey' it doesn't taste like grapes any more; a model's photo so manipulated that it doesn't even look like her; a theme park version of life that tells us we can have something better than the real thing. But what if this reality is not all that it's cracked up to be? Admit it, we've been ripped off by our culture and its version of reality that leaves us lonely, bored, and trapped. But what's the alternative?

In The Trouble With Paris, pastor Mark Sayers shows us how the lifestyles of most young adults (19-35) actually work against a life of meaning and happiness to sabotage their faith. Sayers shows how a fresh understanding of God's intention for our world is the true path to happiness, fulfillment, and meaning.

Just a thought.

The first win

a Biblical thought...
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

a Book thought...
To truly access God's reality in the ordinary, we need discipline to reorient the way in which we approach life. (p203 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
At the beginning of the year I spent some time ringing around to find out if my 5 year-old son could play basketball in a team. After a few calls I discovered a program called "Aussie Hoops'' which places children into teams each term and allows primary school kids to experience some form of competitive basketball. Well yesterday it finally happened, after over ten winless games, Noah's team the Kangas had their first win!! 10 - 4 was the final score with Noah scoring all 10 points on the full size rings.

While Kylie & myself were trying to play down the big win after the game, we were both very proud parents and Noah did have a great game. Noah was also very proud of himself and after playing in so many losing games it was great for his confidence to get a win under his belt. So he has learnt already that perseverance pays off, lets hope it sticks.

Just a thought.

Cameras

a Biblical thought...
It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. (Hebrews 10:13)

a Book thought...
The poor and marginalised can be wonderful guides and mentors who are able to lead us out of the traps of hyperreality. (p193 Sayers)
a Dave thought...
The other night I dropped into my local Caltex service station just after 10pm to discover the young store assistant mopping the floors. As I was waiting for him so I could pay for my fuel, I asked him "do you mop the floors often?" He replied "yeah every night", I responded "surely they don't need to be done that often?" "They don't, but as my boss watches everything I do on that video camera, I have no choice". We exchanged a few more thoughts as he explained how his boss at home can log on to his PC and view the store to make sure his floors are being mopped before close.

More and more, accountability with managers and bosses is being done through equipment such as cameras and the Internet. Employees are certainly being watched more than ever, in fact all of us are. It won't be long until most of our lives are being recorded somewhere just in case someone wants to know what we are up to.

Just a thought.

Lin & Yang

a Biblical thought...
Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation. (Hebrews 9:27-28)

a Book thought...
I cannot explain why theologically, but when I have ministered to the poor, I have sensed almost palpably God's spirit in ways I never have in worship services and prayer meetings. (p192 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
The Olympic opening ceremony was certainly spectacular, but as with most outstanding television performances there is often more going on than we realise. As we were all amazed by 9 year-old Lin at the time, we now are just discovering that maybe she is not perfect in all areas. As one of the executives explains their last minute decision to use two girls in this scene.
"The reason was for the national interest. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression. Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects, but in the aspect of voice, Yang Peiyi is flawless, in each member of our team's view."

It seems the pressure is always there on the screen to have both perfect singing and perfect viewing and then when that person doesn't exist in the world we try and invent them anyway. Meanwhile around the world there are millions of little girls wishing they could look as good and sing as good as Lin so they too could star on TV. Unfortunately this dream that so many have is unreachable even when it looks like it is.

Just a thought.

Prayer Pal

a Biblical thought...
But Jesus' priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he's working from a far better plan. (Hebrews 8:6)

a Book thought...
People who are happy are people who are part of a struggle or mission that is bigger than themselves. (p188 Sayers)

a Dave thought...

When the Junior Soldier signs their Junior Soldier Promise, they are presented
with a Junior Soldier Badge. Throughout the program they will stand with the
support of their Prayer Pal. The Prayer Pal is a person of the Junior Soldier's
choosing who promises to pray for their Junior Soldier at least five times a
week, taking special interest in their spiritual development.

On Sunday at Box Hill we celebrated Junior Soldier renewal day, a time when all the current Junior Soldiers stand up and recite their JS promise and rededicate their lives to God. As part of this process the JS Prayer Pals are asked to accompany them, for which I am one for Kevin. Although it is a big commitment, it also a privilege to be able to pray for Kevin regularly and be in part responsible for his spiritual growth. I am a huge fan of the Prayer Pal concept and have often suggested we can use a similar system for our youth and young adults in our corps as well. Having someone we know is with us on our spiritual journey is certainly helpful and assuring for us all.

Just a thought.

Noble Park

a Biblical thought...
The former way of doing things, a system of commandments that never worked out the way it was supposed to, was set aside; the law brought nothing to maturity. Another way—Jesus!—a way that does work, that brings us right into the presence of God, is put in its place. (Hebrews 7:17-19)

a Book thought...
To sin, to choose to live in a way that runs contrary to God's reality, is to punish ourselves, to fight against the inherent laws of the universe as God has created them. (p173 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
This is a Elijah and his rocket, which he built during Sunday School at the Noble Park outreach yesterday. As I visited there to farewell Captain Brendon Robertson it was amazing to be in a hall with over 100 Sudanese people and being only one of six whites. As the service went for over two hours and was all in their own language I slipped out and visited the Sunday School and discovered over 50 kids aged from one to 15. It was real eye opener but you could tell God is doing amazing things amongst His people there. Brendon was appointed there over 3 years ago to start the work and has done a great job, setting up a Cafe Salvo, welfare, and several congregations. I'm sure God will continue to grow His kingdom through Noble Park and we say thanks to Brendon for having the vision to get it all happening.

Just a thought.

Street View

a Biblical thought...
And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them. (Hebrews 6:10-12)

a Book thought...
This is what Jesus means by storing up treasures in heaven; actions and attitudes based in God's will for this world act as treasures both in this world and in the world to be remade. (p167 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
BY NOW most of you reading this will have Googled your house, a friend's house and most likely had a gratuitous sticky at a few others. Let's be honest, the new Street View that came into being with much excitement last week is really just another way to check out people without them knowing. It speaks volumes about us as a society — and perhaps explains why Australia has the dubious honour of being one of the first countries in the world with access to Street View — that the service has been under such incredible demand these past days that it's been close to meltdown.

More and more we are being watched and photographed every day of our lives, Google now have the majority of houses in Melbourne photographed and by searching for your house, you maybe surprised someone has taken a picture of it and uploaded it on the net. Like many have predicted, there are not many secrets in the world anymore, and it won't be long till anyone can get a picture 24/7 of yourself, your family and even where you live. http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/

Just a thought.

Liquid Church

a Biblical thought...
Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. (Hebrews 5:14)

a Book thought...
The bible tells us that when God's reality breaks into our world, the earth will be filled with justice. (p164 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
Peter Ward uses the term liquid church to describe the essence of what a truly networked church would look like; a church responsive to that increasing fluid dimension of our culture which Bauman called liquid modernity. He contrasts liquid church with what he calls ‘solid church.’ To simplify this, solid church is roughly equivalent to what I have here described as institutional church. Because of the continuing existence of solid modernity he does not counsel the total abandonment of solid church, but he does suggest that it is one of decreasing effectiveness. Solid church is related to solid modernity. And solid church has generally mutated from its original basis into becoming communities of heritage (that embody the inherited tradition), communities of refuge (a safe place from the world,) and communities of nostalgia (live in past successes). He suggests that almost all manifestations of solid church fall into one or more of these categories.

I have read a few quotes and reviews from this book and I am I certainly one who sees that the church needs to become more liquid. Most of our expressions are solid and are based out of one building, at one certain time of the week. Unless we have a sense of flow and the ability to adapt to different times and cultures we maybe solid but unable to adapt the gospel to an ever-changing world. As Peter says“we need to let go of a static model of church that is based primarily on congregation, programs, and buildings. In its place we need to develop a notion of Christian community, worship, mission, and organization which, like the NT ecclesia, is more flexible, adaptive, and responsive to change.”

Just a thought.

Leadership

a Biblical thought...
God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

a Book thought...
Jesus does not ask us to give up our lives and surrender our wills. He tells us that by giving up our wills we will gain life. (p163 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
LEADERSHIP is an elusive quality. In any area — be it the boardroom, the factory floor, parliament or the sports field — a leader is the exemplar par excellence to those in his or her charge. Being in such a role is incalculably smoother when the going is easy. The true test is when the going gets tough.

Many of you will be aware of Eddie McGuire, the president of the Collingwood football club. This week he has had, what many believe to be the hardest week of his life as he has had to deal with numerous player problems and suspensions. Being in charge is sometimes fun, but often it is hard work, but I have discovered that the best leaders are found during the tough times not when things are going smoothly. Many leaders inherit a good corps, or club or institution that has been set up well be their predecessor and this can make them look like a good operator for a time, but this means to me that they are merely a manager. The true leaders can lead through times of turmoil and take people to a better place no matter the challenges they face.

Just a thought.

Nhill

a Biblical thought...
For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul. (Hebrews 3:13-14)

a Book thought...
We are a culture that worships the individual exercising his or her will over others. (p161 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
It is not everyday that I have a 11.30am meeting in Nhill, but that is where we ended up yesterday. As the 2Love team, we were looking for ways to chat and connect with our Adelaide counterparts and cheapest way to get ten of us together for a 2 hour meeting was to meet at Nhill. So Rowan, Sarah, Bart, Nath & Mark and left at 7am in a mini van from Adelaide & Cate, Naomi, Aaron, Sonia & myself left at 6.30am in a 7-seater vehicle from Melbourne.

As we sat there in the 'Farmers Arms' dining room & nutted out INSANE our Territorial Youth Event in Jan 09, I realised nothing quite beats face to face contact when it comes to communication. We can send so many emails, have numerous phone calls, and even an occasional teleconference but when we sit with each other in person it seems so much more worthwhile. Thanks everyone for making the effort, there is nothing like a good road trip for real team bonding.

Just a thought.

Dream Team

a Biblical thought...
It makes good sense that the God who got everything started and keeps everything going now completes the work by making the Salvation Pioneer perfect through suffering as he leads all these people to glory. (Hebrews 2:10)

a Book thought...

Wherever we see justice, beauty, or goodness, there is a chance the light is shining through from heaven. (p157 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
It was fascinating to watch the Australian Olympic basketball team play against the USA dream team last night in a warm-up game. The Americans - featuring stars like Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and LeBron James beat Australia 87 to 76. Even though the USA line-up is worth over $120 million dollars per season they have not won gold at Olympic or world championship level since the Sydney Games in 2000. It is interesting how the Aussies at a tenth of the value of the US team could get so close to these superstars.

The fact that a champion team will always out perform a team of champions is so true, not only in sport but in any team we are a part of. I have discovered in ministry time and time again that the best teams are made up of selfless individuals who believe in each other and will do whatever they can to help others achieve their potential. I’m sure the US have the players to win gold in 08 but I’m still not sure if they are willing to play as their name suggests.

Just a thought.

Run Pastor Run

a Biblical thought...
This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words! (Hebrews 1:3)

a Book thought...
God is relational and desires to be reunited with us and with the rest of creation. (p141 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
Corey Turner is a good friend of mine and six years ago was a youth intern at Box Hill Salvos. If anyone was going to tell me that Corey would one day be running from Sydney to Melbourne to raise money to build a church I wouldn't be surprised. Corey is incredibly self motivated and totally believes that the Church is the hope of the world. So as Corey and three other members of Activate Church run 900 kilometres, 20 kilometres each a day, I pray that God will speak to them and show them the way forward, so that can help reach their community in Ringwood. To find out more check out www.runpastorrun.com and follow the next 13 days as they head towards Melbourne.

Just a thought.

Auskick

a Biblical thought...
And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it. (Philemon 1:6)

a Book thought...
By understanding our future home as a spiritual locale out there in space somewhere, we miss the finale to the whole story of the Bible. (p139 Sayers)

a Dave thought...
One of Noah's favourite times of the week is Saturday morning at 8.30am. This is the time that Auskick starts over at Surrey Park and it normally just happens to be very close to 3 degrees Celsius! Auskick is the junior Aussie rules footy program that operates for 5 to 10 year olds where kids learn how to kick, handpass, and mark. One of the strengths of the program is the fact the parent remains there throughout the morning, as no matter our interest level we certainly all learn something about football but most of all we are encouraged to participate in our child's development. As a result yesterday we were outside practising and measuring Noah's left foot drop punts, which have now reached 12 metres.

It seems in our society we are always interested in programs where we can drop our child off and let others do the teaching rather than being involved ourselves. May be it is just that we have other things to be doing or we just need a break, but I'm sure the more we can be around and involved in the education of our children the better off we will all be.

Just a thought.

Wordle

a Biblical thought...
But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4-5)

a Book thought...
The more we place our dependence in God, the more we begin to experience his awesome plan for the world. (p131 Sayers)
a Dave thought...
Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

Above is a Wordle on my blog if you go to www.wordle.net and you can give it a go.

Just a thought.

Poor Gamblers

a Biblical thought...
God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. (Titus 2:11)

a Book thought...
Unlike the hyerreal world which tells us we must escape the ordinary to find pleasure, Jesus shows us how to find pleasure in the midst of real life. (p127 Sayers)
a Dave thought... from The Age
Monash University research shows problem gamblers accounted for almost half of the record $2.6 billion lost on poker machines last financial year. The City of Dandenong has the highest percentage of problem gamblers, who lost $62 million on pokies last financial year. Next came the municipalities of Maribyrnong and Brimbank. The research shows that 1.6% of the Victorian population, or 63,700 people, are problem gamblers. "People living in disadvantaged areas experience both greater losses per adult and higher rates of problem gambling in a systematic way," the report said.

Anti-gaming campaigner Tim Costello said the Government had not conducted such research because it feared the results. "This is an issue that concerns Victorians and (the Government) are withholding evidence and research we need," said Mr Costello. "Gambling is one of the issues that concerns people the most in Victoria. The truth is, the last time Victorians were surveyed, 86% said they wanted fewer pokies and a majority wanted the pokies removed."

The gambling problems are still rampant across the state of Victoria, I continue to admire Tim Costello's stance against the government on this issue. As the lower socio-economic areas continue to be overloaded with pokies surely it is an issue we should be supporting Tim with. The Salvation Army is a part of the anti-gambling task force but maybe we need to step it up even further.

Just a thought.

The Revolution

a Biblical thought...
It's important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God's house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry. He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it. (Titus 1:7-9)

a Book thought...
Jesus makes the point that it is through connection to him and his way of living that we become truly alive. Jesus offers us a truly life-changing gift. (p124 Sayers)
a Dave thought...
Last night I sat on the plane back from Sydney next to Michael, a commercial real estate agent in Melbourne who asked me lots of questions about The Salvation Army and particularly about certain properties we own in the inner city. He went on to explain that he has a nightclub that just closed in Prahan called the Evolution. This nightspot had pressure to close its doors as it has had a reputation as one of the most notorious clubs in Melbourne with several murders and other criminal acts taking place there over the last couple of years. I asked him how much the lease was to discover that it was $150,000 a year. I suggested with all the problems with binge-drinking in our country it would be great if we could set up an alcohol free night club. On some nights it could be an under 18 club, which caters for all those VCE students who get hold of fake IDs so they have somewhere to go at nights with live bands and a safe environment. So it was great that the flight was into a 300km headwind and took 40 minutes longer than usual. If anyone is interested the Evolution, it is all fitted out ready to go all we have to do is add an R to the signs and we can open an alcohol-free nightclub called "The Revolution".

Just a thought.