Just wondering...

Collaboration Does Not Equal Consensus

2011-06-30T10:59:00.013+10:00

The most recent HBR is all about collaboration. Morten Hansen has some great insights.

"Collaborative leadership is the capacity to engage people and groups outside one’s formal control and inspire them to work toward common goals—despite differences in convictions, cultural values, and operating norms.

Most people understand intuitively that collaborative leadership is the opposite of the old command-and-control model, but the differences with a consensus-based approach are more nuanced."

Below are some helpful distinctions between the three leadership styles. Just wondering what you think?

COMPARING THREE STYLES OF LEADERSHIP

	COMMAND AND CONTROL	CONSENSUS	COLLABORATIVE
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE	Hierarchy	Matrix or small group	Dispersed, cross-organizational network
WHO HAS THE RELEVANT INFORMATION?	Senior management	Formally designated members or representatives of the relevant geographies and disciplines	Employees at all levels and locations and a variety of external stakeholders
WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE FINAL DECISIONS?	The people at the top of the organization have clear authority	All parties have equal authority	The people leading collaborations have clear authority
WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTROL?	Financial results against plan	Many performance indicators, by function or geography	Performance on achieving shared goals
WHERE DOES IT WORK BEST?	Works well within a defined hierarchy; works poorly for complex organizations and when innovation is important	Works in small teams; works poorly when speed is important	Works well for diverse groups and cross-unit and cross-company work, and when innovation and creativity are critical

Humilitas

2011-06-14T13:10:00.009+10:00

Over the past few weeks I have been reading John Dickson’s book Humilitas. It’s a great read. John has a way of writing that I greatly appreciate. He is consistently able to take complex ideas and make them assessable to everyone.

The definition of humility that John proposes is:

"Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself."

Or it is a "willingness to hold power in service of others."

I think this is a great definition (it’s on our fridge) and his thesis is well supported with illustrations and arguments taken from classical history, the bible, contemporary leadership and personal reflections.

I particularly like the way the book spells out some of the practical implications of embracing humility and does not leave us with only a conceptual framework. Humility generates abilities; develops character and influence; inspires others and is better than tolerance. The final chapter lists some steps to growing in humility.

1. We are shaped by what we love.
2. Reflect on the lives of humble.
3. Conduct thought experiments to enhance humility.
4. Act humbly.
5. Invite criticism.
6. Forget about being humble.

The book has some very useful insights but I do wonder about some things.

In my view he would have been better to stay away from personal examples that illustrate humility but promote the authors status. For example the meeting with U2 at age 16, does illustrate Bono’s humility but also promotes the authors status.
It is clear from the outset that John has a wide audience in mind as he writes both for both a secular and Christian readership. This is fantastic but I disagree with his suggestion that he should or is able to approach the discussion about Jesus’ humility from a position of neutrality as a historian. I would prefer Tim Keller’s approach (in the Reason for God, DVDs). Keller’s approach is that we all come to look at Jesus with a bias, acknowledging this bias is fundamental to understanding who Jesus is and how he shapes(our) history.
With the discussion about honour and shame it is intriguing that there is little recognition of the Asian cultural issues around honour, shame and humility.
I love the steps to humility but I would have liked to see more discussion around the link between God's grace and and the steps to humility.

I recommend Humilitas it is a great read. I read it in e-book format which I found well worth the price. Just wondering what you think?

Saturated Networks

2011-02-25T15:52:00.004+11:00

For a while now I have been noticing that the networks of relationships that people have, seem to be saturated. The result is that many of us do not seem to have room in our lives to develop new in-depth relationships. Sure its easy to add new/old Facebook friends but once you have given energy and time to relationships with family, long term friends, work colleagues, clubs and church there is not much room for new relationships. Of course if you are an introvert the problem is accentuated.

Am I right? What are the implications for a Church? Just wondering what you think?

Believing and Belonging – Muddy Waters

2010-12-16T10:46:00.013+11:00

At our staff meeting we have been having a discussion about the ways we see people are connecting with us and how we can help them in taking another step – this is what I have come up with after our discussions. You will notice I have tried to muddy the believing-belonging categories because in my/our experience it is messy and I wanted to reflect that in our strategy. Do you agree with the muddy water premise?

The site is here -but this is what we have said:

Welcome to Macquarie Anglican. Our aim is to help you love God and others, and we think this is best done in community. So come and get involved! You choose how.

Investigate
Perhaps you have not had much to do with a Christian community previously and you would like to investigate how they work. Why not try ours? You would not be alone, we already have a number of people who are investigating and trying things out-no strings attached. Come along to one of our meetings. If you would like to let us know you are coming (you don’t have to) feel free to email info at macquarieanglican.org

Belong
Come to church more regularly or join a small group that explores the Christian faith. Our next two groups begin on February 9, 10am-11am or 8pm-9pm. Please RSVP by emailing info at macquarieanglican.org .

Explore
Explore a biography of Jesus through a Simply Christianity course. One hour per week for five weeks. Our next two Simply Christianity Groups begin on Thursday January 6, 10am-11am or 8pm-9pm. Please RSVP by emailing info at macquarieanglican.org .

Serve
Get involved and join one of our teams serving the community. Most teams have training from time to time, please contact info at macquarieanglican.org for details.

Just wondering what you think?

Lessons, Carols and Biblical Theology

2010-12-10T15:31:00.006+11:00

We have a tradition of Lessons and Carols at our Church. Jeff Willey, who is a teacher at the Conservatorium High School, does a great job of training a choir for the day. I have been thinking I would like to use the occasion to tell the big picture story of the bible, to engage in some biblical theology. Better Gatherings has done it! What an excellent ministry resource. If you don’t do Lessons and Carols this could be a good reason to start, you can devote the whole service to reading out loud the unfolding story of God’s grace.

Adversarial Church Planting

2010-11-25T10:28:00.004+11:00

Recently I have become aware of a trend that seeks to promote church planting by describing the inadequacies of established churches. Two examples include Total Church and the recent ACL address.

To be clear; I like much of what these authors say and I am not anti church planting. My father and mother were involved in planting churches, our established church has planted, re-potted and revitalised congregations. Many of the criticisms that are made of established churches are valid. It is true some churches and ministers have lost their way and can make it difficult for church planters. Despite this I dislike adversarial church planting for five reasons:

It is not shaped by grace. Paul in writing to the Corinthians writes to a church which is clearly dysfunctional and in desperate need of help. Paul’s solution is not to point out all their faults with a mind to planting another church; instead, Paul confronts their issues with the gospel of grace and continues to plant churches.
Church planting is about the gospel of grace. I am concerned that new churches established in a reactionary way may have DNA’s/ identities that encourage Christians in new church plants to treat their brothers and sisters in more established churches as second class citizens.
It encourages a lack of graciousness in the established churches. I have felt this tension. Near my local church there have been several attempts at church plants. In one case it was another Anglican church who planted a new congregation with very little notice or discussion. I support what they were trying to do, I even thought it was needed, but it was a challenge to be gracious when we were completely ignored in the process. On the other hand, a different Anglican church established a congregation near my church and the leader came and we talked together about the exciting possibilities of his church, he has my encouragement and support. Indeed, some members of our church have gone there with my blessing. I like Broughton Knox's insight when he says: “Moreover, Christian fellowship is naturally not restricted within the local congregation; the congregation is the expression of the fellowship which is the church of Christ. This latter will overleap the limits of geography to create fellowship between congregations.” D. Broughton Knox – ‘Selected Works’ Volume II, Church and Ministry – (Matthias Media 2003) Page 27. S
Established churches are not always the competition. Sometimes the established church would only be too glad to help out-we know we can’t do everything. In my case we have administrative and physical resources, a staff team who would only be too happy to pray with and support a church planter.
It encourages leaders of church plants to be angry-ministers-planting churches out of frustration, disappointment and anger. Although it is true established church leaders face this problem too.

My conviction is church planting has to have at its core, the promotion of the Gospel, not only to those who don’t believe but also to those who do. In the end let’s plant churches and let’s encourage those in established churches to get on with the proclamation God’s grace, but let us not be adversarial in our promotion of church planting. Just wondering – what you think?

Church Planting

2010-11-10T12:27:00.003+11:00

I am writing an essay that is considering issues around church planting in the Sydney Diocese. Initially I am looking at the broader literature and have noticed that most advocates of church planting examine either all or some of the following five areas to support and articulate the cause (many overlapping):

Biblical

For example Keller in the Redeemer Church Planting Manual argues:

“Virtually all the great evangelistic challenges of the New Testament are basically calls to plant churches, not simply to share faith. The Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) is not just a call to make disciples but to baptize. In Acts and elsewhere, it is clear that baptism means incorporation into a worshiping community with accountability and boundaries.”

Theological

This usually involves discussions around ecclesiology and missiology. Murray Stuart’s Church Planting: Laying foundations is a good example

Historical

This often includes an overview of the Pauline programme of church planting, references to the Celtic Missionaries, Reformers, 18th and 19th century protestant heroes and more recently C. Donald McGavran's work.

Contextual

This often includes:

Observations about the stultification of the current churches and leadership, for example Al Stewart's ACL address or the Trellis and the Vine.
Observations that variously describe the gap between church members and their local communities. These observations are made using the frameworks of philosophical enquiry and or social and behavioural sciences. This includes world views, gender, ethnicity, generation gaps…
Observations about the lack of church growth for example in Australia:

o Between 1991-2001 (even with the growth in the AOG churches) Protestant churches in Australia declined by 6% and Australian church attendance declined, by 3%

o In 1991 - one church for every 1561 people in Australia

o In 2006 (estimated) – one church for ever 2054 people,

I have noticed that much of the emergent church material is driven by these observations.

Pragmatic

The oft quoted pragmatist Wagner is a good example:

The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches. (Wagner, “Church Planting For a Greater Harvest,” Page 7.)

In addition to this there is lots of how to material.

Just wondering if I have missed anything? Comments?

Book Review- Total Church

2010-09-13T13:01:00.009+10:00

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis in their book Total Church: A radical reshaping around gospel and community, are passionate about the gospel and the future of the church. The book raises significant questions about the way churches operate and provides a challenging alternative (2007:15).

Chester and Timmis were nurtured and equipped for ministry in English main stream churches and show a genuine concern for the decline of the church in England (2007:36). An underlying assumption of the book is that the church is valuable and worth continuing with. They are keen, however to differentiate themselves from both main stream and emergent churches without wanting to dismiss each of these approaches completely (2007: 16-17).

One of their key hypotheses is that there is an increasing gulf between those who attend church and those outside the church (2007:61). This, they note, has resulted in diminishing opportunities for non-Christians to hear the gospel. In this context they make a number of observations about current church life and practice which provide a back drop to their exploration.

The authors note that churches, while concerned about the gulf, have continued with “attractional” models of ministry despite there lack of effectiveness. They cite youth and children’s ministries that are failing to stem the flow of young people leaving churches let alone attract new young people (2007:177). Further to this they argue that where attempts have been made to bridge the gulf Christians have often “thrown the baby out with the bath water”. The authors question programmes of social involvement that do not explicitly include the gospel proclaimed (2007:52). This same concern is also identified in the context of world mission where programmes are identified as part of missio Dei even if they fail to have any explicit connection to the gospel (2007:103).

Chester and Timmis also suggest that many churches of an evangelical commitment are not engaging the marginalised. They cite examples where it is easy to find pastors who pastor large middle class churches but difficult to find pastors who will work in marginalised areas.

Further to this they argue that even when the gospel is proclaimed, and there is someone listening, the approaches that main stream churches take seem to be ineffective. The authors cite apologetics that include uncritically, enlightenment epistemology or alternatively have embraced postmodernism (2007:159f). These influences are also noted in the development of theology. It is argued that these world views weaken our theology of church and mission and have failed to help us engage in a real theology or spirituality that helps us deal with the ‘stuff of life’ and the mission of the church (2007:150). All this contributes to the increasing gulf between the church and those outside it and diminishes the opportunity to proclaim the gospel.

Another key hypothesis that forms a backdrop to Chester and Timmis approach is that even in churches where the gospel is preached faithfully and people are being converted there appears to be a genuine lack of community (2007: 38). In this context the authors raise concerns about programme centred churches with huge budgets, buildings, and staff teams. They question the use of resources needed and the failure of the laity to be genuinely engaged in mission and care for one another.

Questions are raised about the out sourcing of pastoral care and the failure to disciple and equip people in a way that sees them taking initiatives for the Gospel in all of life. In this context questions are also raised about how success is measured (2007: 187f). Their conclusion is that many churches and pastors are looking for glory, not the way of the cross.

In this context these authors offer radical alternative. Chester and Timmis argue that to address the gulf between the church and the outsider, and the lack of community what we need is the Gospel to shape and form our attitudes and identity. They argue Christians are called to a dual fidelity.

1. "Fidelity to the gospel word - believed and proclaimed
2. Fidelity to gospel community - bonded and missional ".

In practice this dual fidelity leads to a radical reshaping of church life. They are committed to "small church and a high buy-in from members. In contrast to the pursuit of large church and a low buy-in from members ". The illustrations on pages 42-43 are a good summary of this radical reshaping. In the first illustration the individual is juggling many responsibilities, church being one of them. In the second diagram the church is at the centre and together the church made of 15-30 individuals juggles these issues together. Examples are given of buying houses, caring for unwell individuals, caring for the marginalised and discipleship.

This radical reshaping also impacts the structure of the church. Very few are paid and those who are often have part time jobs. There is a leadership structure with accountability and training but the requirements of those overseeing each church are much less rigorous than those of traditional churches. This also provides flexibility for continuous church planting.This book could almost be seen as a modern out working of Roland Allen’s: The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church or Robert Banks’, Paul’s Idea of Community.

Perhaps the greatest impact of this radical reshaping is the ability of the gospel community to bridge the gap between the church and the outsider . This is one of the great strengths of the book and a great reminder of what is possible when people work together and are passionate about evangelism. In my own veiw John Dickson’s Promoting the Gospel, has much in common with the evangelistic methodology of this book

One of the other great strengths of the book is the analysis of the challenges that churches face. I am someone who oversees a middleclass church and the gulf between our church and the community is a growing concern. People are also craving community. These issues are addressed by the authors in a stimulating and thoughtful way with an ecclesiology which provides a helpful corrective to the view that church is just a Sunday gathering.

In my context I think there is room to apply much of what is said to small groups. We have a number of small groups that are beginning to function along these lines.

While it is difficult to disagree with much of what Chester and Timmis have argued there are a number of issues which need further reflection. They include:

The almost communitarian zeal for community. For example selling a house or choosing a job almost sound like group decisions. I think the Bible calls us neither to communitarianism nor individualism but to iterrelationism .
Suburbia (where I live) does not have central hubs for locals, many people travel significant distances in and out of the suburb for work, shopping or lesuire. This makes the formation of community as envisaged challenging.
I think they have overstated Luke’s “bias to the poor” in Chapter 4.
It would be good to see their ecclesiology interact with Church History.
While it is possible to see this model working well with new churches it is difficult to see how this could be adopted in a large existing church. To be fair this is not what they were intending to address.

Total Church: A radical reshaping around gospel and community it is a book I would highly recommend Christian leaders read. Just wondering what you thought.

Book Review - Leading Cross Culturally by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter

2010-09-06T17:19:00.004+10:00

Leading Cross Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership, by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter was published by Baker Academic in 2008. It is the third in a series addressing issues of culture and the practice of cross-cultural ministry.

Lingenfelter invites us to consider the difficulties of cross cultural leadership through a number of lenses including case studies, personal reflections, sociology, anthropology leadership theory and theology.

Parts 1-3 of the book examine the areas of inspiration, trust and power. Part 4 reflects on the implications of these observations for the difficulties of cross cultural leadership. Central to his thesis is the belief that leaders in and of cross cultural teams must first commit themselves to God and His vision of this world. In particular to the transformation of knowing that we are part of the same “covenant community” (Lingenfelter 2008:75). Lingenfelter argues that it is only on the basis of this theological understanding that leadership in the cross cultural context can be truly effective.

Lingenfelter’s book is the product of a disciplined and mature reflection on the difficulties of cross cultural leadership and ministry. Its particular strength is its stance that leadership in the cross cultural context should be shaped by a biblical word view in conversation with the cultural context and more secular insights. Despite this strength, the use of biblical text, at times, appears to take what was descriptive of leaders and of the early church as prescriptive for leadership and the church now. I think the book would be strengthened with a more biblical theological approach to the issue of leadership.

It's about time we acted like radical, almost subversive counterculture

2010-08-20T08:55:00.008+10:00

I have been thinking about reaching those who are 50+ "the once were churched". In doing so I have been talking with people who are over 50. Some of the things people have said include:

The 50+ group are very hard to get to listen because of their very "once were churched" status.
They have generally bought into the spirit of the age that "if there's a god he certainly will know I am basically a good person" ( Judge not lest you be judged" ) or "that it's a load of superstitious nonsense" ( after all we have read Richard Dawkins and the Da Vinci Code ).
Most current Christian resources aimed at this group are too predictable, too patronising and too glib.
"We do need something else that is just a little bit NOT what people expect from the local Anglicans. It is about time we acted like a rather radical, almost subversive counterculture and not a lot of apologetic folk who people used to listen to (and who people turn to for a reassuring funeral in a nice setting....a bit late for evangelism at that stage )."

Do you agree? How would you go about this?

Adopted into a new culture

2010-06-25T21:07:00.009+10:00

Interesting thought:

“The Christian inherits the pilgrim principle, which whispers to him that he has no abiding city and warns him that to be faithful to Christ will put him out of step with his society; for that society never existed, in East or West, ancient time or modern, which could absorb the word of Christ painlessly into its system … not from the adoption of a new culture, but from the transformation of the mind towards that of Christ”(Walls 1996: 8).

My thought is, Christians are pilgrims who have been adopted into a new culture, that of Christ’s. This should put us out of step with all other cultures but in step with one another. Just wondering what you think?

Walls, Andrew E. The Missionary Movement in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission of Faith. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis, 1996.

Different Cultural Mindsets

2010-05-13T09:30:00.004+10:00

I have been studying cross cultural ministry over the last few months and one of the obvious issues is the misunderstandings that develop because people come from very different cultural mindsets. Research has been conducted to understand these differences, for example Geert Hofstede in studying over 50 countries, examined 5 five cultural dimensions (see here also).

Hofstede's 5 cultural dimensions include:

Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.
Individualism (IDV) this refers to the strength of the ties people have to others within the community.
Masculinity (MAS) this refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles.
Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to man's search for Truth.
Long Term Orientation (LTO) this refers to how much society values long-standing - as opposed to short term - traditions and values.

Hofstede concludes about Australia:

"The Geert Hofstede analysis for Australia reflects the high level of individuality Australian's hold dear. The Individualism (IDV) index for Australia is 90, the second highest score of any country in Hofstede’s survey, behind the United States' ranking of 91.

This individuality is reinforced in Australian’s daily lives and must be considered when traveling and doing business in their Country. Privacy is considered the cultural norm and attempts at personal ingratiating may meet with rebuff.

Power Distance (PDI) is relatively low, with an index of 36, compared to the world average of 55. This is indicative of a greater equality between societal levels, including government, organizations, and even within families. This orientation reinforces a cooperative interaction across power levels and creates a more stable cultural environment."

Compare that to Hofstede's conclusions about South Korea.

"South Korea's highest Hofstede Dimension is Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) at 85, indicating the society’s low level of tolerance for uncertainty. In an effort to minimize or reduce this level of uncertainty, strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations are adopted and implemented. The ultimate goal of this population is to control everything in order to eliminate or avoid the unexpected. As a result of this high Uncertainty Avoidance characteristic, the society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse.

South Korea has a low Individualism (IDV) rank of 18. The score on this Dimension indicates the society is Collectivist as compared to Individualist. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the member 'group', be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules and regulations. The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group."

This research has produced some generalisations about different cultures which I think are a helpful starting points in understanding each other. Just wondering what you think?

Do you ever speak to the Women in your Church?

2010-04-22T09:15:00.005+10:00

We have just begun a new preaching series from the book of Exodus called, Follow ME . The focus of the series is on God and His leadership/ character.

Last Sunday I preach at our 7pm congregation on Exodus 1-2. One of the things that I spoke of was the courageous women that we see in the text. Women who feared God, for example the midwives, Moses mother, Miriam, the Pharaohs daughter (although it is not clear if her motivation was the fear of God).

I then spoke directly to the women in our church and encouraged them to be fear God and be courageous. What has been interesting is that a number of women have spoken about how moving it was to be spoken to directly as women.

Most of the time I speak more generically – just wondering what your experience has been?

It's not that I don't care on purpose...

2010-04-08T16:22:00.005+10:00

I have been looking at the McCrindle Research web site and I noticed on the flash banner across the top these words":

"It's not that I don't care on purpose... it's just that I don't care." Stuart age 17.

That sums up what I hear people say about Christianity and what I hear some Christians say about having grace filled conversations with others.

Just wondering what you think? Is this your experience? What's the way forward?

Trying Something New

2010-04-07T14:55:00.007+10:00

Resurrection of Jesus on Prezi

This is a zooming presentation-very easy to put together. Click the links above if you want the site and a better view.

What do you think of using presentation tools with sermons? -Is it a question of how many people you are preaching to?

Still thinking about cross cultural ministry

2010-03-08T16:50:00.004+11:00

I know it's been a while since I have posted but there have been some significant things to consider before our AGM-I will tell you about them in the next post.

I have not given up on thinking about cross cultural ministry. In fact I am planning to attend the Biennial Missions Conference 4-6 May at the Sydney Missionary & Bible College as part of the Masters program I am undertaking there. Keep you posted as I learn more.

Perhaps we have been arrogant –continuing the discussion

2010-02-04T10:26:00.007+11:00

I used to swim in this river every day.

I have been thinking about issues related to cross cultural ministry…

Seven or eight years ago I read Rolland Allen’s classic The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church. Only later did I discover that many of the principles he argued for were adopted by BEM the mission my parents worked for. No wonder what he observed resonated!

One of the issues that Allen raises is the very paternalistic and often arrogant way missionaries , sent by the Church of England, treated indigenous peoples. He observes that the indigenous person was not often entrusted with significant leadership and churches/ministries rose or fell on the presence of the “white missionary”. In my observation the indigenous person was also expected to adopt all the “trimmings” of the English church as if somehow these were superior. Allen argues that this placed huge restrictions on the development of Christian ministry. I am not questioning the intent or the desire of these missionaries to see the gospel proclaimed and to guard the truth, in many ways they were just reflecting the colonial culture of the day. I know we all have blind spots too! I wonder though, is there a link between these sorts of attitudes and the establishment of many independent churches in Sydney?

As I have spoken with some ministers of independent churches, with backgrounds different to the white Ango culture, they are often frustrated with the “established” church. They argue that there are simply too many hoops, to many demands to do things in a "certain way" . As a result they would prefer just to go it alone.

Just wondering what do you think?

"They should just learn to speak English..."

2010-01-18T10:54:00.019+11:00

I have been thinking about the issues of cross–cultural ministries and a way forward for our Korean children’s and youth ministries. I have been wondering out loud what theological resources we might bring to the discussion.

I was reading Nehemiah 8 –this morning when I read this:

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

Carson makes the point that the “book”, the Law, was written in Hebrew but most people spoke Aramaic so it needed to be translated and exegeted. Their response:

12And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

The principle, the gospel should not be hidden by language.

The 39 Articles make a similar point:

Article XXIV
Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth. It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church, to have publick Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people.

In our muti-language communities, for those who do not speak English, we need gatherings that speak the mother tongue, after all English is not the heavenly language- my Korean friends tell me Korean is, anyoung haseyo: )

I disagree with those who insist that all gatherings should be in English "They should just learn to speak English and come to our church." To do so is to turn language into an idol. Australians could not be accused of that could they? ..;)

Just wondering what you think?

Where are the holes in this position?

2010-01-15T15:25:00.007+11:00

Ok, so I am grappling with the issues of children and youth ministries in a cross cultural setting. Do we go for separate ministries or look at some type of integrated approach. In the last post I wanted to explore how our theology might inform and interact with this issue. One area that I have been thinking about is the role of the church in our communities.

I am conscious that in the debate around these issues, some people do not think the church has a mission. I also recognise that it is possible to over-realise and under-realise your eschatology. To expect to much or expect to little. So for example the words in the Lord's prayer, your kingdom come, will mean different things depending on your ecclesiology and eschatology.

In my own view I think the church does have a role to play in its community. I understand 1 Peter 2: 9-10 to be speaking about God’s gathered people who as a part of their gathering have a role in proclaiming to the world his “excellencies”. I also think that the context promotes this as something that is expressed in word and deed. I see this sitting comfortably with

Jeremiah 29:7 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile”.

In the end I am convinced that the church/congregation has a role to play in shaping a society ,as a beacon of light for the gospel.

The question is then; In a multi-ethnic society what is the role of the “local” church?

I guess my first thought would be that the God’s gathered people can shape a society and be a beacon of gospel light by being a place where the gospel transforms us so much that being in Christ is more important than cultural differences. Church is the not yet new community pictured in Rev 21 and the now community spoken of in Galatians.

27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:27-28

Just wondering what you think of this argument? I know it is not new. Where are the holes? Do you run a homogeneous church? Is this too idealistic? Or perhaps you could argue that there is enough difference already within a homogeneous congregation and to push for much more is a bridge too far? Tell me what you think.

Can you help me develop my theology?

2010-01-14T10:35:00.005+11:00

I am trying to work out which way we should go as a church when it comes to children’s and youth ministries and the cross cultural question. One of the issues that always comes up in this discussion is the issue of the homogeneous church (Tim Chester has discussion about the issues involved) :

John Stott is cautious when it comes to the homogeneous church:

“… although there are circumstances in which a homogeneous church can be a legitimate and authentic church, yet it can never be a complete church in itself, since it cannot reflect the universality and diversity of the body of Christ. This being so, every homogeneous unit church should take active steps to broaden its fellowship, in order to demonstrate visibly the unity and variety if the church.”John Stott, The Living Church, IVP, 2007, Pg 42

John Woodhouse approaches the issue differently and by implication appears far more ready to support the homogeneous church when he argues that:

“You are all one in Christ Jesus”, Gal 3:28). This heavenly reality finds expression in this world as the Spirit brings Christians together in various localities (1 Cor 1:10). In other words the unity of which the Christian gospel speaks applies first to the spiritual unity of all, from every place and every age, who are members of God's household. It applies second to the relationships in the local gathering of Christians. ...The question is, how should we express our unity with believers beyond our local congregation? ..The answer will vary according to circumstances.... However we will want to express our love and unity with others to the extent that it is feasible.
John Woodhouse / Briefing #284 / May 2002

While their ecclesiology is different, in both instances it appears there is room for the homogeneous church and that there is a desire to find active steps to broaden fellowship beyond the local church/congregation.

My dilemma is I feel like these positions truncate the whole discussion. Having accepted some role for the homogeneous church and established the need for fellowship beyond the local congregation we quickly move on to a discussion of pragmatics - i.e. what do “active steps” look like? This would be ok if the discussion of pragmatics continued a conversation with theology. It is like we disengage our theological brain. I know I have been guilty of this and am interested correcting this and developing my theology.

So before I continue with the exploration of actives steps, just wondering what other theological resources you would bring to the discussion?

Cross cultural ministry-youth and children’s...continued

2010-01-13T10:09:00.007+11:00

Andrew Hong from NDCCCS has written to me about my previous post and with his permission I publish his response to my observations of cross cultural ministry:

A big issue, really. Most Aussie pastors would generally want to go with answer (2) - (combined ministries) because they underestimate the long influence of culture.

However (1) (separate ministries) is actually the best - because Korean-background issues will actually keep arising as Korean Christians grow up and move through successive life stages. Such as when they begin a family and begin having expectations on their children, or when their kids marry - all of a sudden issues will unexpectedly arise that would be different from others around them, if they were in a (2) type congregation... and it's better if these can be recognised and confronted...

So I get the issues Andrew raises and I agree with his observations but I still am not sure, I would like to think we could be more innovative in light of the Gospel (I will get back to this).. just wondering what you think?

Cross cultural ministry-youth and children’s.

2010-01-11T10:26:00.004+11:00

One of our congregations is Korean speaking. Something which I give thanks to God for regularly. I will admit there are times where I feel more at home at a Korean Sunday lunch than at typical Australian BBQ-which is less to do with the food (which is fantastic) and more to do with the way fellowship is expressed.

I have been speaking with our Korean families about the future of children and youth ministry in our church. I have been asking the question, in ten years time where would you like to see your children going to church? There appears to be two views:

In an Australian Born Korean (ABK) congregation.

As a generalisation it appears parents who want this are Korean born and are keen to see Korean culture treasured, they are concerned that their children may lose this connection. Korean church is one of the few places where this can be maintained and therefore church becomes a focal point for maintaining Korean-ness. I am not unsympathetic I know that culture matters and that third culture kids have some particular challenges. I know that the average Caucasian Aussie has no idea what this feels like or appreciates the grief involved in seeing your culture modified beyond recognition -I know I still have lots to learn about this. Indeed the ABK solution seems to have been adopted by many Australian Chinese ministries and by American born Korean ministries.

Implications-

Long term: We plant an ABK congregation.
Short term: We resource English speaking Korean children’s and youth ministries that are closely tied to the Korean congregation and keep them basically separate from our other children’s and youth ministries.

Issues:

Greater demand on our resources as we try to provide for different forms of ministry.
The long term trajectories need to be embraced.

2. In a congregation made up or people from many cultural backgrounds.

As a generalisation those who are open to this view treasure Korean culture but consider that their children will hold onto their Korean-ness despite being part of a more diverse group. They are happy to see their children integrated into a wider group-even at church.

Implications-

Long Term: We work hard at integrating our existing ministries to children and youth. For example imagine running three morning congregations-each one in a different language but with the children’s and youth programs all in English and all together.
Long Term: We look at employing ABK’s as part of our children’s and youth ministries so that the particular needs of culture are addressed.
Short Term: We work hard at developing relationships between our various children’s and youth programs-and the parents.

There are at least two other important issues:

Theology of Church and Australian Idealism.. I will get back to them soon… For now, just wondering what you might think?

There is no such thing as an unchurched christian

2010-01-10T14:00:00.008+11:00

As part of our series We are all in this Together, we promoting a book written by John Stott called The Living Church.

This is what he says in his opening chapter:

“First, I am assuming that we are all committed to the church. We are not only Christian people; we are also church people. We are not only committed to Christ, we are also committed to the body of Christ. At least I hope so. I trust that none of my readers is that grotesque anomaly, an unchurched Christian. The New Testament knows nothing of such a person. The church lies at the very centre of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought. …

On the contrary, the church is God’s new community. For his purpose, conceived in a past eternity, being worked out in history, and to be perfected in the future eternity, is not just to save isolated individuals and so perpetuate our loneliness, but rather to build his church, that is, to call out of the world a people for his own glory. Indeed, Christ dies for us, not only to redeem us from all wickedness but also to purify for himself a people that are his own eager to do what is good (Titus 2:14).” John Stott: The Living Church p19-20, IVP, 2007.

In other words there is no such thing as an unchurched christian. Acts 2: 47 comes to mind;

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Being saved and being added to the number appear inseparable. Tim Chester gives the Biblical Theological take here.

All useful for thinking through the vision God has for his church.

A Church is like a Restaurant

2009-12-07T11:16:00.003+11:00

Lunch in Soho -New York

Recently I was having a conversation with a CEO of a large corporation and I was expressing my concern that the location of some of our church buildings makes them difficult to find. He replied:

“Location does not matter a church is like a restaurant, if the chef in the kitchen is delivering high quality food then people will find it and come from everywhere.”

He has a point, great preachers/leaders attract crowds no matter where they are-that is a fact of life. I want to support high quality chefs and celebrate the large churches that are formed often as a result of God using their giftedness. It is also important that we should aim to produce high quality chefs...

but I have some questions?

Should a church have as one of its main strategies, to grow, the employment of a “master chef"?
Should we just accept that when a "master chef" moves on church numbers will decline?
Does location matter?
What do you think of the metaphor –“Church is like a restaurant”?

Roger

Thinking about sermons for next year

2009-12-05T23:07:00.003+11:00

Here are my draft ideas for sermons next year.

We're All In This Together -Church Life x 4 Based on John Stotts book The Living Church.
Changed Lives Romans 12-16 x 6 (Finishing the Romans series we started 3 years ago)
Gospel of Mark x 7
Exodus x 7
The Work of the Holy Spirit x 4
1 Corinthians x 8
Secrets of a Satisfying Marriage x4
Stewarship x1
Passages that Pump me Up x4 (preachers choice)
Advent Series x5
Combined Service x 2

I am looking for catchy titles and examples of ways people have broken up books to preach on. Any other comments welcome.

Stand by me ...I will stand by you

2009-11-26T10:15:00.005+11:00

This week I am thinking about some of the issues that make it difficult for a person to stand by Jesus. Jesus in a conversation with his disciples says:

³⁴Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.Luke 21

So what are the issues-anxieties of life -that you think make it difficult to stand by Jesus long term?

Long service leave is over

2009-11-10T22:47:00.003+11:00

Well I am back after an amazing break. If you are interested seeing where I have been click here. I hope to start blogging again soon.

How can parents help young people remember God in the days of their youth?

2009-08-14T16:46:00.004+10:00

Start young.
Pray, pray, pray.
Read God’s word naturally.
Spend time with your kids, quality and quantity are needed.
Embrace your “distractions” as God’s gifts-it will put them in perspective.
Develop a culture of ministry/serving, as a family.
Invest in your parenting.
Prioritise time – good vs best.
Help your children find other Godly mentors-get to know other families-it takes a village/church to raise a Godly child.
Encourage and pray for those in ministry to children and youth.
Financially support ministry to children and youth.

Ideas welcome, still refining for Sunday

Three views of toil in Ecclesiastes

2009-07-23T09:24:00.006+10:00

I have noticed three views of toil in Ecclesiastes:

Folding of the hands, no toil, hands self indulged, unable to receive a gift. Ecc 4:5, 3:13.
Two handfuls of toil, too much toil, grief and sleepless nights, hands full, too busy to receive a gift. Ecc 4:6, 2:23, 3:13.
One handful of toil one handful of tranquillity, toil, quietness and satisfaction, a hand free to receive a gift. Ecc 4:6, 3:13.

How do we receive this gift? Jesus said:

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29

Already you can feel a pit in your stomach...

2009-07-17T12:11:00.010+10:00

The beginning and ending of last Sundays sermon - 9.45am and 5pm

The Beginning,

It’s a Monday morning and you become vaguely aware that the alarm is going off. Already you can feel a pit in your stomach as you realise another week has begun. Why can’t life slow down!!

In the five minutes in the car yesterday, with the person you promised to spend the rest of your life with, you had worked out that every night and day including the weekend was already booked. And that you would only see each other this week on your way to or from another task.

As your feet hit the ground you feel the resentment of having to wake the kids again, they don’t seem to be able to get themselves out of bed anymore. You know that the next hour will be a battle to get out the door and that at the end of the battle you will not have done all the things you intended to do and you will leave home with the guilt of things left undone.

As you start to decide what to wear you feel a growing irritation about the washing and the ironing still to be done. This is only exacerbated as various members of the family start shout at each other:

“I can’t find my pants, my shirts missing, why can I only find odd socks where are my shoes”

As you check your emails, while grabbing a quick breakfast already the mobile is ringing and the home phone has been answered, it’s one of your parents -just wanting to chat…!

We then explored Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 and we observed that the universe is not designed to enable “gain” (see previous post) and that those who attempt to fly in the face of reality can only ever know grief and frustration in the end ”. Instead, the art of living well will involve seeing life as a gift and living in thankfulness to God.

The End

It’s a Monday morning and you become vaguely aware that the alarm is going off. Already you can feel a pit in your stomach as you realise another week has begun, but instead of getting out of bed straight away you spend a moment giving thanks to God for the gift of a new day. You know it will be busy this week and you ask God to give you strength and wisdom to make good choices.

In the five minutes in the car yesterday, with the person you promised to spend the rest of your life with, you had checked that you still had your date night booked and that the day on Saturday had been left free so that you could clean up the house and prepare for family and friends to come over. The plan is to have a long brunch-you had even made sure that there was room for the brunch to turn into dinner. It’s busy but it’s nice to have time to connect.

As your feet hit the ground you feel the resentment of having to wake the kids again, they don’t seem to be able to get themselves out of bed anymore and then you remember that they had been on the church camp and you give thanks for the signs of God working in their lives. Before you wake them you pause at each of their doors and ask that God would walk close to them and that they would walk close to Him.

You know that the next hour will be a battle to get out the door and that at the end of the battle you will not have done all the things you intended to do, but you have worked out by now that that is OK –and you give thanks to God for his heavenly wisdom in helping accept what is.

As you start to decide what to wear you feel a growing irritation about the washing and the ironing still to be done and then a smile comes across your face as you realise that a new program of shared responsibility will be put into action next week. You give thanks for the gift running water and a washing machine..

Various members of the family start shout at each other:

“I can’t find my pants, my shirts missing, why can I only find odd socks, where are my shoes”

You decide not to check your emails and you keep the mobile turned off while you care for those you love and deal with those members of the family who are always losing things, but are wonderful anyway.

The home phone has rung and it's one of your parents -just wanting to chat. You give thanks for parents who still want to stay in contact…

To all those who try to “gain” from life.

2009-07-09T12:35:00.005+10:00

In our sermon series The Art of Living Well we have been suggesting that wise people read life and its patterns well.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 questions:

What does man gain from all his labour at which he toils under the sun?

As the following verses unfold it becomes evident that pursuing gain is futile. Ian Provan, Ecclesiastes pg 63 sums it up this way:

To all those who try to “gain” from life whatever it is they claim to be doing, Qohelet presents stark reality… The universe is not designed to enable “gain” to happen and those who attempt to fly in the face of reality can only ever know grief and frustration in the end”

So this is the pattern of life, how do we apply these insights skilfully to the choices at hand and how do we enact this with integrity and care? Ideas anyone- (for Sermon on Sunday)?

Can you recommend a movie?

2009-06-23T13:47:00.013+10:00

I have been thinking about Wisdom lately. I am preparing a preaching series on Ecclesiastes and at the same time reading Mark Strom's book Arts or the Wise Leader. One of the things Mark says is:

wise people read life and its patterns well pg 17.

It occurred to me that I think the best movies are stories produced, written or directed by those who read life and its patterns well.

Movies I would include are:

Dead Poets Society
Chocolat
Romeo and Juliet
Keeping Mum

As part of our series my plan is to suggest that people watch a movie together and practice the skill of reading life and its patterns well. Just wondering what movies you think read life and its patterns well? What would you recommend people watch to develop their skills?

Our Story

2009-06-10T19:40:00.004+10:00

In preparation for a fundraising dinner a range of people across our congregations are writting our story. They have been asked to write two paragraphs on our history and one about our future. Here are just a few samples:

In a congregation as diverse as ours, we see very clearly that the message about Jesus is for everyone. In the book of Acts it says "This promise is for you ... and for your children, and for everyone who is far away" (Acts 2: 39). This is the understanding of the message of Jesus that we want our boys to both understand and to be a part of;….
God’s faithfulness and provision has been amply demonstrated in the history of the Parish and this should give us confidence for the future. Change will be inevitable, and the only thing that we can be sure of is that in ten years time the Parish of Macquarie will be very different to the Parish as it is today. Just as the Parish of Macquarie today is very different to the Parish of Denistone East - Marsfield as it once was, God will be working out His good purposes. It is a privilege for us to work as part of His sovereign plans….
The inclusion of the Korean Congregation into Macquarie Anglican must be considered the absolute highlight of our time at Macquarie Anglican. They are God’s missionaries to us. They show us God’s word free of much of our cultural limitations and inspire us with their faith, obedience and commitment. God has brought them to us to be an example and an inspiration and we are grateful….
Macquarie Anglican is a vibrant church with a pedigree and development that could be the envy of many churches…. A bright future embracing the living hope is dawning. This is from one of our cherished older men :)

I have been very moved by the responses and am thankful to God for his grace and work amongst us. I invite you to say thanks to God too...

The Peace of Wild Things

2009-05-28T10:47:00.007+10:00

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry

Our lives are shaped by names

2009-05-21T22:51:00.004+10:00

Mark Strom in writing winsomely about leadership concludes:

"Our lives are shaped by the names we give ourselves and our worlds.

Our lives are also shaped by how we work with the names others gave and give us. Maturity is in part to move from living out the names others gave us, to living the names we know to be truly and strongly who we are and wish to become.

We cannot act purposefully without naming purposefully. The question is, how truly and strongly will we name ourselves and how intentionally will we open the space for others to do so?" Arts of the wise Leader pg 64

It's insightful and I observe that God's naming of me is having a significant role in shaping who I am becoming. Names that are currently shaping me include son, overseer, elect exile…just wondering what names God is shaping you with?

The Honda Effect & Strategy

2009-05-15T12:53:00.007+10:00

I know this article, The Honda Effect, has been around for a while but there is something attractive about the more organic view it proposes regarding the question of strategy. In my view we often develop strategies as a way of trying to control our environments -a very western pursuit. In contrast the article proposes a far more dynamic approach to developing strategies. Here are 2 quotes that I like: Quote 1 is from the article itself and quote 2 is from a paper that discusses The Honda Effect.

"The Japanese don’t use the term “strategy” to describe a crisp business definition or competitive master plan. They think more in terms of “strategic accommodation,” or “adaptive persistence,” underscoring their belief that corporate direction evolves from an incremental adjustment to unfolding events. Rarely, in their view, does one leader (or a strategic planning group) produce a bold strategy that guides a firm unerringly. Far more frequently, the input is from below. It is this ability of an organisation to move information and ideas from the bottom to the top and back again in continuous dialogue that the Japanese value above all things. As this dialogue is pursued, what in hindsight may be “strategy” evolves. In sum, “strategy” is defined as “all the things necessary for the successful functioning of organisation as an adaptive mechanism.".......Richard T. Pascale (1984). “Perspectives on Strategy: The Real Story Behind Honda’s Success," California Management Review

"Western consultants, academics and executives express a preference for oversimplifications of reality and cognitively linear explanations of events … (there is) a tendency to overlook the process through which organisations experiment, adapt, and learn… How an organisation deals with miscalculations, mistakes and serendipitous events outside its field of vision is often crucial to success over time."The Many Faces of HondaRichard P Rumelt (1996). California Management Review, 38, 4. Summer 1996.

Just wondering what you think...?

A Prayer for Mothers Day

2009-05-08T15:56:00.002+10:00

Lord we come to you today and pray for all Mothers: Please bless them with wisdom, strength, patience and great love.

We pray that we and our society will affirm and support all Mothers—single, married, divorced, widowed, step and adoptive.

We give thanks for Mothers who have died, and today we celebrate their gift of Motherhood to us.

We pray you will sustain and heal Mothers who are ill.

Lord we recognise that Mothers’ Day is painful to many people: Some have lost a child through separation or death. Lord we ask that you comfort and sustain all those who are in need. For those who experience the lonely pain of infertility we ask you to draw close to them and give them your hope.

We pray for Mothers who are single, divorced or widowed who face the challenge of raising children with limited resources.

We pray for Mothers who have strained relationships with their children may they do everything in their power to forgive and to be reconciled.

Lord we recognise that so much is expected of Mothers and yet none are perfect. We pray that you will help Mothers to forgive themselves for both their minor faults and even their major betrayals. To remember that Jesus forgives all of us and helps us to live reconciled lives.

Loving God, you have given us life and cared for us through our Mothers. We thank you for their lives, their care and the wisdom they have taught us.

Lord help all Mothers hear your voice and see their children as gifts from God and so teach their children to hear and follow the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

May we honour them with profound respect and by living in your ways .

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Source unknown

God, how do you justify your violent actions in the Old Testament?

2009-05-04T17:10:00.007+10:00

We have asked people the question, "If you knew God would answer what would you Ask? Last weekend we tackled the first question: God, how do you justify your violent actions in the Old Testament? This was my approach to an issue I have never heard anyone preach on.

1. Why this is important?
1.1 For some its a stumbling block to believing in the God of the bible (Dawkins)
1.2 It is important because these acts of violence (e.g. Joshua 11:16-23) have been used as excuses for Holy wars (perhaps even contributing to some current foreign policy decisions).
1.3 It is important because there are some deeply disturbing texts in the Old Testament which leave us feeling uneasy.

2. How not to approach the issue.
2.1 The Marcion solution- Press delete for the OT.
2.2 The blame it on the Israelites solution-The Israelites recorded the events to make it look like “God made us do it”.

Both approaches leave us deleting or explaining away the sections of the bible we don’t like. Shaping God in our own image always leads to error. We have to face up to this issue it is genuine.

3. How do we approach the issue of God’s violent actions in the Old Testament? (A framework of thinking about it).

3.1 These acts make up a small part of Israel’s history and do not reflect the whole picture of the OT God, Jeremiah 29:5-7 , Jonah 3:10. - The problem is sometimes overstated.
3.2 These acts are seen in the context of God’s sovereign justice e.g. Deuteronomy 9:4-6 -we may not feel comfortable with this but God is not being inconsistent.
3.3 These acts are to be understood in light of God’s character e.g. Psalm 103:8-14
3.4 These acts are to be understood within the framework of God’s salvation plan. This plan sees a day where violence will cease and peace will reign among the nations Revelation 21:23-25

Very useful resources:

Barry Webb, The Wars of Judges as Christian Scripture
Christopher Wright The God I Don't Understand.

Reflections:

I may have tried to cover to much ground and yet there were other things to be said.
In our question time after each sermon (x5) issues included :

Our current views around war and violence.
Why God seems to act differently at different times in history.
The judgment of God, particularly in regrads to those who had been ordered to wipe out other nations.
How God reveals himself.

One women shared how this had been a major issue for her but simply reading the bible for herself had addressed many of her concerns and she now is a committed Christian. Encouraging!

Comments anyone?

EJs and Connect 09

2009-05-01T11:35:00.007+10:00

In a garage nearby sits over 6,000 EJs. That is, The Essential Jesus (the Gospel of Luke) produced for Connect 09 - (PDF -here). Our goal is to hand them out over 1 or 2 years in a way that creates opportunities for ongoing conversations about Jesus.

Our first step has been to help people become familiar and comfortable with the material. For 8 weeks we have preached from the Essential Jesus. The lack of verses has thrown some preachers but on the whole it has been a very useful exercise in helping us become familiar and comfortable with the text. Our hope is that as people hand out the books they can genuinely say they have read and considered the material.

A further implication was, that as people arrived at church each week we handed them a new EJ. Our aim has been to encourage people to take them home and hand them out to friends and family, to get us used to the idea of handing out the EJs.

As you might expect while it has worked for some, others have just handed them back or have 8 of them at home. So I was just wondering if you have any other ideas or if you have any comments to make about EJs and Connect 09?

Scientists and churches have stars in their eyes

2009-04-27T08:21:00.003+10:00

Blatant promo alert:
Macquarie Anglican Churches is hosting a free evening of star-gazing in Yamble Reserve, Ryde, on Saturday, May 2, as part of the International Year of Astronomy celebrations.

See the Northern Disctrict Times article here,

Do you acknowledge other Churches exist?

2009-04-23T17:51:00.005+10:00

Our vision is to see people, Embracing living hope… in diverse communities, gathering, growing and delighting in Christ. A while ago we decided that this vision included publicly acknowledging that God was at work in other churches in our area. In other words to realise this vision, other churches will need to grow as well.

Once a month we have decided to pray for another local church. This means we write to senior minsters asking how we might pray for their church. The prayer points are then included in our newsletter and people are encouraged to use these points in times of private and public prayer.

Just wondering what you think?

Being leaders in our community -through prayer

2009-04-20T18:27:00.011+10:00

I am committed to our church showing leadership in the wider community. As a suburban church in an area with no central gathering point this is a challenge. So strategically we have started with prayer.

On one Sunday a month, in our network of 7 congregations, we pray publicly for local people and organisations. We write to them first asking how we might pray for them. This often involves personal contact, but not always. Some of the people/organisations we have prayed for include:

The Eastwood Police Station
The Fire Brigade x2
The Ambulance Service
The primary schools x3
The local high schools (Public &Private)
Ryde Council
Ryde Hospital
State Government politicians
Federal politicians ( John Howard our local member at the time did respond)
Macquarie University
Small business people

Just wondering who else we should include on the list?

If you knew God would answer what would you ask?

2009-04-17T17:29:00.012+10:00

My church has just launched a campain that will see postcards delivered to over 12,000 homes. On the postcard is the question: If you knew God would answer what would you ask?

People are being asked to text message (0424 695 943),email, ask online or deliver their questions to us by hand . The idea is that once we have collated the questions we will develop a 6 week sermon series. The series will then be advertised on our website and on the promotional boards outside each of our church centres.

I will keep you posted on what questions people come up with. Just wondering:

What you think the main questions will be?
What questions you might ask?

The resurrection: What opened their minds?

2009-04-15T09:17:00.010+10:00

In the four gospel accounts we have of Jesus resurrection everyone who first hears the news that Jesus has risen from the dead does not really believe it.

On one hand this disbelief brings plausibility to the accounts of Jesus resurrection. These are realistic reactions from the ordinary people it is hard to image people fabricating these accounts. It is difficult to see these accounts as fables, or made up stories with such embarrassingly honest accounts of disbelief and close mindedness.

On the other hand is raises a real question. What opened their minds to the truth that Jesus did rise from the dead? Well God did, but how?

It is natural to want to point to passages that speak of Jesus appearing to individuals and groups but in contrast to this Luke’s account of the women coming to the tomb does not include Jesus appearing. Instead the women are asked to believe that Jesus is alive based on what Jesus has said previously:

Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee,
‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful people and be crucified, and on the third day be raised up’.Luke 24:6-7

In other words if you believe Jesus spoke the truth when he walked this earth then you will believe that Jesus was physically resurrected and is alive now.

Simple yet profound.

Perhaps we have given to much ground to scientific rationalism by always wanting to prove the resurrection on their terms. Maybe sometimes we should just ask: Do you believe that Jesus spoke the truth prior to his death?

Just wondering what you think?

Dealing with Resistance

2009-04-08T16:24:00.006+10:00

One of the challenges of being a senior minister is dealing with resistance. Sometimes there is a good reason for resistance (you have it wrong) and other times it appears that the resistance is because people are just plain obscurant.

So it was interesting to come across an article in the Harvard Business Review (way to expensive to buy regularly) which addresses the issue of resistance. The article is entitled Decoding Resistance to Change.

The authors identify resistance as feedback and therefore as a resource which may be used to increase your effectivness. Resistance understood as feedback:

1. boosts you awareness of how change impacts those who may not have had time to internalise the latest change. If you take the time to listen and engage in discussion people may actually be won over.
2. reminds you that explaining why, to those have not been involved in the planning process, is important and needs to be communicated again and again.
3. can lead to better results –perhaps a new way forward that has more people on- board
4. helps identify worries that people have and gives you a chance to address them and in turn people may be more content.
5. may be historical and nothing to do with the current change so it gives you the opportunity to address past misunderstandings and begin at a new point.

One of the things I like about this veiw of resistance is that it is reframes resistance as an opportunity and requires humility and grace from the leader.

Approaches to a Crisis

2009-03-25T16:10:00.006+11:00

I had intended to blog regularly but well...

This week I am preaching from Luke 22:39-46 I am currently thinking through "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Jesus statement is contrasted with the Disciples response to this moment of crisis.

The disciples are asked to pray that they will not fall into temptation. This happens twice and on either side of Jesus statement. In this moment they ignore Jesus, fall asleep and ultimately succumb to temptation.

On the other hand Jesus prays, faces the anguish of the moment and trusts the Father.

One thought I am exploring is that both reflect very different approaches to a crisis -and to the sovereignty of God.

Still thinking about Crazy Love's

2008-11-15T10:40:00.004+11:00

St Augustine “And what was it that I delighted in, but to love, and be loved? but I kept not the measure of love, of mind to mind, friendship's bright boundary: but out of the muddy concupiscence of the flesh, and the bubblings of youth, mists fumed up which beclouded and overcast my heart, that I could not discern the clear brightness of love from the fog of lustfulness. Both did confusedly boil in me, and hurried my unstayed youth over the precipice of unholy desires, and sunk me in a gulf of flagitiousnesses..” The Confessions of a Saint Augustine. Book 2

I think everyone has crazy loves, things which are right and noble which if loved to much make us crazy and sink us into a "gulf of flagitiousnesses".

Shaping 21st Century Society

2008-11-06T22:10:00.008+11:00

”The 21st Century will be the century of the social sector organisation. The more economy, money and information become global, the more community will matter. And only the social sector nonprofit organisation performs in the community, exploits its pportunities,mobilizes its local resources, [and] solves its problems. The leadership, competence, and management of the social sector nonprofit organization will thus largely determine the values, vision, the cohesion and performance of 21st Century Society.” Peter F Drucker, Drucker Foundation 1999

The hope that is articulated here is like the hope that is currently being placed in Obama -it is over realised/ to ambitious and will ultimately fail. But Drucker may be highlighting a window of opportunity for the local church. If he is right it's clearly time to mobilize our resources.

Crazy Love Ministries

2008-11-03T17:51:00.008+11:00

Imagine you had some "crazy love". Some kind of ministry you are passionate about but could not work out how to get it off the ground. What kind of ministry would it be? What kind of resources/ sacffolding would you need to enable you to do it-to commit the time and energy?

I would love to hear what your crazy love is. Include if you can what you think you might need to get things of the ground.

Relating to others-Exposure

2008-10-23T23:27:00.005+11:00

Recently we had Andrew Cameron visit with us and he began to explore angles on relating to those who do not follow Jesus. Andrew has generously given me permission to explore some of his thoughts on this blog. The exploration is not meant to be exhaustive but identifies four responses.This is part 4 of a 4 part series. Thanks Andrew for your insights!

Exposure. Although modern Christians often openly challenge and rebuke pagan neighbours, it turns out that this theme is quite rare in the NT:

What in 1 Cor. 5:10-12 suggests that such an approach is not the first choice for the Christian?
But there are hints that such an approach is sometimes appropriate. Perhaps the prophetic ‘watchman’ of Ezek. chs. 3:16-19 & 33:1-9 is an OT ‘precursor’ of this approach.

A clear NT instance of the approach might be Ephesians 5:11-12: ‘exposing the deeds of darkness’.

‘The life of praise’ will sometimes include moments of exposure. Even the moment of exposure will be a ‘gospel-shaped’ word of some sort.

But – what would be examples of ‘exposure’?
Why would you choose ‘exposure’ over ‘détente’ or ‘subversion’?
How can exposure of dark deeds be done in such a way as to remain an expression of the life of praise?

Relating to others-Separation

2008-10-15T08:58:00.004+11:00

Firstly, the referent is unclear (although it is probably false teaching from which the Corinthians are to separate).

Secondly, it is metaphorical, so not geographical in the first instance (remembering that 1 Cor. 5:10 & 12 remind us that total separation is impossible and not very desirable).

But geographic forms of this separation might be the best format for the ‘life of praise’ e.g. dark ages monastic communities that operated as islands of the gospel, taught, and lived according to ‘rules’ shaped by the gospel. Such separate Christian communities take the modern form of hospices for the terminally ill, or homes for pregnant women who wish to keep their children.

How should Christians decide when to ‘separate’?
What are other forms of separation?

How long should separation be in effect?
Would Christians ever re-enter society after separating, e.g. from systems of private schooling?

Relating to others-Subversion

2008-10-08T08:51:00.005+11:00

Consider the salty speech of off-balancing grace (Col. 4:5-6). How does this kind of speech by Christian subversives subtly undermine the graceless presuppositions of pagan neighbours? Have you seen any examples of this? ·
Consider the gentle joy of hopefulness (1 Pet. 3:15-16). How does this kind of speech by Christian subversives subtly undermine the graceless presuppositions of pagan neighbours? Have you seen any examples of this? Paul and Peter seem to have been guided by what Jesus said in Matt. 5:1-16. Jesus,
Paul and Peter want us to learn how to create doubt in hopeless pagan futility, by lives (and speech) of praise.

A philosopher called Wittgenstein once talked about how ‘hearing what is true won’t help us’ unless we ‘uncover the source of the error.’ ‘We must begin with the mistake and transform it into what is true,’ he said; therefore people ‘must plunge again and again in the water of doubt’ if they are to ‘find the road from error to truth’. ·

When Christians are joyful, others begin to doubt their despair ·
When Christians are graceful, others begin to doubt their systems of merit
When Christians are humble, others begin to doubt vanity and pride.

Think of a pressing social problem in Australia that you can think of. What words of joy and grace might destabilise, unnerve, and offer unanticipated solutions?

Relating to others -Détente

2008-10-02T17:27:00.007+10:00

Recently we had Andrew Cameron visit with us and he began to explore angles on relating to those who do not follow Jesus.

I know that some reading this blog might think that is an odd thing to explore but for the Christian it can be a very difficult issue. When or when not to compromise, how to show love, when to say "YES"? How to say I disagree! It's difficult because most of the time, like most people, Christians want to be liked, to get on with people. Christians don't want to be known as kill-joy's or to sound like ignorant fundamentalists.

At the same time however, they know following Jesus means a commitment to living with his values and being shaped by his words. That simply means there is substance to a Christians belief and this substance shapes responses.

Andrew has generously given me permission to explore some of his thoughts on this blog. The exploration is not meant to be exhaustive but identifies four responses.

Christian ethics does not ask “‘What is good and bad or what makes life worthwhile and sustaining?’ but ‘What is the life of praise in a broken world all about?’ [Brock]

Christians have very great latitude for expressing their life of praise. The NT presents a very practical range of responses to the wider non-Christian social environment. These can act as a useful ‘toolkit’ for imagining what ‘the life of praise’ might look like.

Détente. The Bible’s ‘default’ posture for Christians in relation to pagan neighbours seems to be détente. (The word refers to a relaxed friendliness in relationships that could otherwise be strained.)
In the OT, something like détente is what Jeremiah exhorts the Babylonian exiles to (Jeremiah 29:7).
The situation between the slave and the master is the most obvious case of détente, where the slave wholeheartedly gives himself to the plans and purposes of the masters, even though he knows that his real Lord is Christ (Eph. 6:5f, Col. 3:22). This new knowledge, that the master is really his brother (or at least his equal), and that he really serves the Lord, vastly ‘empowers’ the slave (and far more than institutional change).
In 1 Pet. 2:13, Peter exhorts his readers to submit to (literally) ‘every human creation’: what applies to slave-masters also applies to emperors!
Christians are uncontroversially able to engage in détente, even with people above them who have different plans and purposes than those of Christ. Hence Romans 12:17 ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.’
Luther once said said: ‘A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.’ Because Christ is lord, sometimes we willingly cooperate.

Why is the Bible so relaxed about this détente? Why is this not a recipe for compromise? …

Social Economy executives like to occupy the moral high ground

2008-09-29T09:30:00.003+10:00

There are some humbling insights here for those in church leadership-

Due to the lack of resources, Social Economy executives tended not to benefit from the scope or extent of professional development in general management as their counterparts in the private business sector might. Consequently they have potentially lower general management capability and knowledge. There may be a number of consequences of this situation. Defensive mechanisms can develop to protect their position. Self-interest and ego may lead to an inflated view of that position or individual worth. When self interest as vested self interest takes over, some form of egoism occurs.

For-profit executives who haven’t spent much time in the sector might understate the full complexity of the challenges faced by Social Economy executives and their organisations. This naivety might create a false sense of confidence, exacerbating the gap between the for-profit and Social Economy executive in their communications.

But at the same time, due to the altruistic nature of their work, Social Economy executives like to occupy the moral high ground. As a cohort they also tend to be better educated (higher rate of higher university degrees) than their corporate peers. Thus, “crossed communication” can occur where both parties simultaneously adopt a superior, or “parent”, tone. The communication is not sustainable and breaks down in time. Contrary and Congruent Views of Leadership and Management in the Australian Social Economy. pg 93

So the challenge is a co-operative partnership that values each others contribution and deals with the old enemy pride.

Do you have enough courage?

2008-09-26T15:49:00.007+10:00

As a third culture kid this kind of thinking has a deep resonance.

The courage to break his cultural and familial ties and abandon the gods of his ancestors out of allegiance to a God of all families and all cultures was the original Abrahamic revolution. In the same way Christians ‘depart’ from their original culture. Christians can never be first of all Asians or Americans, Russians or Tutsis, and then Christians. Christians take a distance from the gods of their own culture because they give the ultimate allegiance to the God of all cultures and his promised future. But [now in Christ] departure is no longer a spatial category; it takes place within the cultural space one inhabits. It involves neither a modern attempt to build a new heaven out of the world nor a postmodern restlessness that fears to arrive anywhere. When they respond to the call of the gospel they put one foot outside their culture while the other remains firmly planted in it. Christian distance is not flight from one’s original culture, but a new way of living within it because of the new vision of peace and joy in Christ. — Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace

Three observations:

For those with no particular "cultural home" the idea of a new way of living within culture(s) (Christs way) is a wonderful source of comfort and a very useful in thinking through issues of identy formation and personhood.
The quote links with the thinking I have been doing around our engagment with the world around us.
It takes courage to live like this. Prehaps we should talk more about the courage needed. Do you have enough courage? I hope your answer is no.

What Leaders Really Do

2008-09-24T09:24:00.003+10:00

Summary:

Management is about coping with complexity.

Leadership is about coping with change.

Managers promote stability while leaders press for change, and only organizations that embrace both sides of that contradiction can thrive in turbulent times. LEADERSHIP IS DIFFERENT from management, but not for the reasons most people think. Leadership isn't mystical and mysterious. It has nothing to do with having "charisma" or other exotic personality traits. It is not the province of a chosen few. Nor is leadership necessarily better than management or a replacement for it. Rather, leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of action. Each has its own function and characteristic activities.

...Good management brings a degree of order and consistency to key dimensions like the quality and profitability of products. Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change...

...These two different functions-coping with complexity and coping with change-shape the characteristic activities of management and leadership.

Leaders : They don't make plans; they don't solve problems; they don't even organize people. What leaders really do is prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it.

By John P. Kotter December 2001 HBR

Ok so that's not all you could say but I like what it does say. Any Comments?

Free- Preaching Christ in a postmodern world

2008-09-21T22:49:00.006+10:00

Just found this amazing series on preaching Edmund Clowney and Tim Keller-35 sessions . You have to have iTunes to download but it is free!!

The lectures come from the Reformed Theological Seminary which has many of it's lectures free online!

Christians in society –a more nuanced response needed

2008-09-19T10:58:00.003+10:00

We had the privilege of meeting with Andrew Cameron at our recent staff retreat. One of the things I am particularly keen to do is to help us think through our engagement of the world around us-particularly as we launch into Connect 09. My concern is that as evangelicals we seem to have a limited range of responses to the world around us with both an under-realised eschatology and an over-realised eschatology playing significant roles. As we talked Andrew suggested some categories that would be worth exploring (amongst others). Christians are called to (bible references mine):

Expose deeds of darkness-Ephesians 5:11
Co-operate with those around us -Romans 13: 1-7
Practice subversive grace -1 Peter 2:11-12
Come out and be separate -2 Cor 6:14-18

With these categories in mind I think the responses that we make to our world will be far more nuanced and require thoughtful and wise engagement with the issues at hand. Not all will apply every time.

Three questions-

Can you think of other categories?
What might be examples of each?
How would you put this into a sermon series?

The Complexity of Leading Churches

2008-09-15T23:35:00.005+10:00

One of my former lecturers has been involved in writing the following report:

Contrary and Congruent Views of Leadership and Management in the Australian Social Economy.

For those who are overseeing a church it has good insights and is well worth the read even if it is not all relevant. I thought I would post some of the things that stood out-mainly because I agree with them.

Managing an organisation or program in the Social Economy is more difficult than in the for-profit sector because:

1. There are more issues / variables to be managed;
2. Each of the issues has the same or greater uncertainty; and
3. The uncertainty extends over longer timeframes.

Take revenue as an example. For-profit organisations generate cash from the sale of products and services, and the utilisation of debt and equity. Organisations in the Social Economy have these options available to them, but in addition may also utilise grants from philanthropic organisations, donations from the public, government funding as well as fundraising events and activities.

Managing an organisation’s human resources is also more difficult. Not only do non-profit organisations need to manage all the same technical and psychological issues that forprofit organisations must, but they have to do so while paying up to 30% less in salary. The task of managing volunteers creates added pressure and complexity.Pg 26

This may sound like the social sector blowing it's own trumpet but I do think there is truth in the observation. Do you agree?

Security = Comfort?

2008-09-15T08:00:00.009+10:00

I keep coming back to this observation:

The role of a democratic leader is to insure that the "bad" does not inflict the mass population who generally seek only to lead quiet, comfortable and prosperous lives.

John Howard and the Art of Democratic Leadership, Gregory Melleuish-Quadrant July-August 2006

For me it sums up some of my frustration with the Christianity of middle class suburbia. As this observation suggests Australians aspire to live secure lives, lives that are focused on being risk adverse, materially comfortable and contained. As a Christian living in middle class suburbia I regularly feel the tug and embrace of this seduction.

My wresting with this issue is not that I don’t want security or enjoy good things it's that settling for this kind of security is like settling for a mud pie when a pecan pie with vanilla ice cream is on offer (lemon meringue comes close -with apologies to C.S Lewis) .

1 Peter 2:9-12 puts it like this

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, ......10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

That's true security! Take a moment to feel its warm embrace.

The purpose:

9 ..that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

There appears to be two implications of true security.

1. True security leads to the praise of God (Psalm 61 has the same flow) Away from our self focus and into the presence of God. The more security the more praise?

2. If we accept John Dickson’s argument this praise is also an “act of announcing to the world the good news of the Gospel”. True security leads us to take more “risks”. I take it this is what is implied in the next few verses.

11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:11-12

So if our security is found in God’s mercy it leads to a kind of praise which I think puts us (in the terms of this world) at greater risk. It seems at odds with leading quiet, comfortable and prosperous lives. When I think of it like that I am always amazed that I find mud pies so attractive.

Do you feel trapped? 2 Solutions

2008-09-12T23:32:00.007+10:00

Solution 1:

"Only one who is guided by the moral self is truly free. The imperatives of the moral self are given to us not by our conditioning, nor by any outside agency, nor by the state or God or philosophy; they are given to us by our own inner nature. It is thus only by acting according to the lessons of the moral self that we can achieve autonomy...

...Inner freedom, then, means allowing oneself to be guided by the moral self.Clive Hamilton's The Freedom Paradox 2008 pg 219

Solution 2:

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 34-36

Jesus says freedom is about belonging to his family-so if you are feeling trapped the answer is to sink deeper into his family-not morality:

Preaching- more conflict is needed

2008-09-08T19:20:00.005+10:00

I had the great privilege of spending some time with Peter Jensen last week. Our small group of Senior Ministers talked about many things including sermons. One thing Peter said was that he thought sermons often did not have enough drama in them. He went on to say that one thing essential to drama is conflict. So find the conflict. For example, the texts we deal with often have conflict in them, notice and use this tension in sermons.

When it comes to the implications of the text (he said application was over rated) show how implications conflict with the world, the flesh and the devil. Some of this seems to resonate with what Tullian Tchividjian says about Tim Keller’s preaching.

To be a great preacher, one needs to be tri-perspectival in their exegesis. That is, they need to be committed to the exegesis of the Bible, the exegesis of our culture, and the exegesis of the human heart. Some preachers claim that if you exegete the Bible properly, you don't need to bother yourself with the exegesis of our culture or the human heart. The problem with this view, however, is that the Bible itself exhorts us to apply Biblical norms to both our lives and to our world.

So exegete and show the conflict.

The Freedom Paradox

2008-09-05T23:05:00.006+10:00

I have just been reading (bits of) Clive Hamilton's The Freedom Paradox 2008 (see the online link for a lecture which is also worth listening to) where he observes that many think freedom is about having the opportunity to "author our own lives", but in fact this has produced devastating results:

The very openness of modern life-the demand for independence that has left us with the freedom and the obligation to ‘author’ our own lives-entails forms of risk to which we were previously immune. For if we must take responsibility for our own lives we are confronted daily with the possibility that we will take the wrong path: what was once in the hands of the gods, the landlord and the boss is now a personal gamble. More choice is accompanied by more stress and making mistakes and ending up a ‘loser’; more money means more anxiety about our wealth; more personal freedom imparts more insecurity in our relationships; and our longer life spans still do not afford enough time to achieve all the goals we set for ourselves. The spectre of personal failure haunts us at every turn.

In contrast, for the Christan, true freedom is found in the humility of letting God be the author of our lives.

29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30

Any comments?

Help me out -a hunch about Romans 8:29

2008-09-03T10:05:00.007+10:00

This weekend I am preaching on Romans 8:28-38, it’s context is freedom from condemnation and the reality of suffering.

In my preparation I always ask; What in the text may be difficult for a non -believer or a new Christian to accept? Then if I was to address this what would I need to acknowledge and what angle would I take to deal with this 'defeater belief''? My aim is to help Christians think through the issue and address the concerns of others.

My hunch with Romans 8:29 is that the more affluent and western you are the more you believe you are in control and the more sceptical you are of ultimate claims/authority. The idea that God is in control and will direct the world to His purposes is extremely confronting and is a 'defeater belief'.

So acknowledge the power that affluence gives you but point out that in regards to ultimate questions of control we are all in the same boat and that it is a delusion to suggest otherwise.

Then consider the other option: What if the God didn’t “horizon beforehand” (foreknow) the people he wanted to call people to himself and it was totally our choice? That would make some people better than others more intelligent more gifted/educated at hearing God ETC (also a temptation of the affluent)–the risk -loss of Grace alone.

I think it comes down to a matter of reasonable trust-is their evidence that God cares for this world and loves it –yes in the death of his son 8:31-37 do we trust God?

Preaching Notes

2008-09-02T10:19:00.003+10:00

I am always interested in how people go about their preaching. Check this out - Josh Harris has asked some big name preachers for their preaching notes-the results are are very interesting. In most cases only the preparer would have any chance of preaching from them!

Romans 8 -23

2008-08-28T23:58:00.004+10:00

Enjoying the challange of Romans 8-although time is against me! It is interesting to reflect on the following in light of Romans 8:23 :

The drop in wealth has exposed personal problems…Money—which bought jewelry or extravagant vacations—helped smooth over many of the difficulties,” said Kenneth Mueller, a psychotherapist in the East Village who works with many Wall Street bankers and real estate developers. Now, Mueller says, his clients ‘catastrophize’ smaller bonuses or shriveling stock portfolios. “You have to remind them that there is something that has always been there,” he says.“All the money helped mask the anxiety.”

— Christine Haughney in The New York Times,— It’s Not So Easy Being Less Rich (June 1, 2008)

Romans 8

2008-08-11T18:08:00.003+10:00

I have a great privilege of preaching through Romans 8 over three weeks. Any ideas, suggestions, resources, thoughts, insights welcome.

How do you think "no condemnation" impacts us here and now?

"Yes" to the World

2008-08-09T16:47:00.006+10:00

A quote to reflect on:

"Christian ethics is best understood as a response to the way God's kindness bubbles over into every area of life. As such it is simply an extension of the gospel. Christians may therefore talk about life, and then even live it,in such a mesmerisingly beautiful way that those who see and hear cannot help but want to know more of Christ. It is in this sense that Christians are in the business of saying "yes" to the world."

Andrew Cameron : How to Say YES to the World: Towards a New Way Forward in Evangelical Social Ethics' Reformed Theological Review 66

Study Chaos

2008-08-06T10:02:00.004+10:00

At times I admit it-my study gets out of control –books, paper, strange things that people give me all piled high. A number of things occur to me:

It never happens over night it is always gradual over time.
I always think- yep next time I will master it.
It almost always happens when I am really busy and don’t have the time/energy to deal with it.

Kind of a metaphor for sin really...

We will never be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again

2008-08-02T23:40:00.003+10:00

The last Lambeth ? Archbishop Venables thinks so and he says you will never be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again- I wonder what God has in store? I think time to pray for those I support and those I don't.

They like Jesus but not the Church

2008-07-31T20:12:00.006+10:00

Dan Kimball argues that the people he meets like Jesus but not the church. That is, they have one of a number of objections to the church while Jesus is regarded with respect. The objections are:

The church is an organised religion with a political agenda.
The church is judgmental and negative
The church is dominated by males and oppresses females.
The church is homophobic.
The church arrogantly claims all other religions are wrong.
The church is full of fundamentalists who take the whole Bible literally.

I am not so interested in Dan’s solutions what I am interested in is, has he got his analysis right? What do you think?

Obama is inspiring - but he promises to much

2008-07-25T17:13:00.005+10:00

I have been thinking about our great desire for unity in diversity, it’s a theme I hear often expressed in church life and general conversation. The need for more tolerance, acceptance –there is a yearning to be at peace with one another.

Obama is inspiring and he knows this desire is powerful –listen to his speech

"People of Berlin -- and people of the world -- the scale of our challenge is great. The road ahead will be long...Let us build on our common history, and seize our common destiny, and once again engage in that noble struggle to bring justice and peace to our world."

While this is a wonderful vision, it is flawed. It fails to recognise the depth of the problem. Sure we can do things which assist but in the end it is not our within our grasp:

As Tim Keller suggests the problem is, when:

“you build your identity mainly on your class, or race, or culture, or performance you will necessarily vilify and disdain anyone who lacks what you consider the cornerstone of your own significance.”

The Obama vision is dependent on performance and I think in the end it will vilify those without his vision- despite his best intentions.

For the Christian there is another approach. Speaking of Christ Jesus, Paul says in Colossians 1

8And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Christ Jesus is the hope of reconciliation for this world. God will reconcile all things to himself through Christ -that's all things!

What’s more those who have been reconciled to God become ambassadors of reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5

7Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God,who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Note: Its Christ's performance not ours that counts and that performance involved dying for enemies at great cost -it is not just warm and wishful thinking or even a genuine striving on our part. I am going to place my yearning for peace and for unity in diversity in the reconciler and just enjoy the oratory of Obama.

Bonhoeffer -Quote

2008-07-21T18:14:00.003+10:00

God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill all His
promises, i.e. He remains the Lord of the earth...constantly renewing our
faith and not laying on us more than we can bear, gladdening us with His
nearness and help, hearing our prayers, and leading us along the best and
straightest paths to Himself. By His faithfulness in doing this, God creates
in us praise.
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

Food for the soul:)

I wonder..

2008-07-18T17:04:00.002+10:00

“ Most citizens in a democratic society like Australia long only to be left alone and for their leaders to protect them from the evils of the world. They seek to flee the bad, but expect that the democratic state will play a role in enabling them to do so.” John Howard and the Art of Democratic Leadership, Gregory Melleuish-Quadrant July-August 2006, pg 11

My paraphrase:

Most church members long only to be left alone and for their ministers/pastors to protect them from the evils of the world. They seek to flee the bad, but expect that the church will play a role in enabling them to do so.

To harsh I think...

Thinking about Ministry

2008-07-17T10:07:00.005+10:00

This morning I was reminded again of what the task is in ministry:

2 peter 1:15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

The "these things" are listed in the verses prior and the list is stunning-what a privilage.

P.S I have no plans for departing :)

Lambeth and GAFCON

2008-07-16T09:40:00.005+10:00

Having read, Don’t think like an Elephantduring our brief break I began reading The Political Mind by George Lakoff. Arguing from the American context, Lakoff in both books identifies two general approaches -Progressive and Conservative.

"The progressive has a basic moral value-empathy, together with responsibility and strength to act on that empathy (Pg 47)". Ideas like empowerment, protection of the environment and the marginalised.

"The conservative begins with the notion that morality is obedience to an authority-assumed to be a legitimate authority (Pg 60)". Loyalty and freedom in the context of obedience follow. Conservatives "need to follow rules and obey laws.. it rewards those who acquire such discipline and punishes those who don’t. Pg 61" In particular radical conservatives like originalism- what was the original meaning-we need to get back to it as our authority.

As I was reading this I was also trying to get my head around Lambeth and GAFCON.

If we use Lakoff’s categories Lambeth is about listening and discerning the truth (progressive) and GAFCON is about how to be obedient to the truth (conservative).
What is interesting about this is that Lakoff argues that if you come from either world view you will find it incredibly hard to understand the other world view, your basic moral categories are vastly different. Food for thought...

Critrical Tolerance

2008-07-15T15:32:00.005+10:00

I love the tenor of this article and would love to be able to write like this.
I think it is a great example of what Andrew Cameron calls critrical tolerance.

There are those who wish to accept homosexual people without agreeing with them on everything. They may be good at it, or very clumsy. They may be adept at it, or awkward. But the point is that they see themselves as having no reason to fear or despise homosexual people. They simply disagree with some of what they think and do; yet they want to find ways to accept and relate across that difference. Such a position has been called ‘critical tolerance’ (a stance that can apply to ‘disagreement within acceptance’ on any matter at all).

Although I don't like the term

critical tolerance

as it sounds too critical :) any ideas for a new term?

A prayer for Macquarie -Ephesians 3

2008-07-14T16:32:00.003+10:00

Father I bow before you, from whom your family in heaven and on earth is named. I ask that out of your glorious riches you would strengthen us with power through your spirit in our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. I ask that being rooted and grounded in love we may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, that we may be filled with the fullness of God. Father I ask you knowing that you are able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. Father I ask that you would show your glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Interrelationism

2008-06-11T23:02:00.005+10:00

I have been grappling with the idea of interrelationism since I first read about it (15 years ago)in Carter, A., On Individualism, Collectivism and Interrelationism Heythrop College Journal, XXXI, 1990. pp 23-38. The table summarises (prehaps over simply) some of the ideas. What has particularly concerned me is that most of our western education and theories of adolescent development have been formed in the womb of individualism. My hunch is that impacts our approach to people and to the study of the bible. Not that I have been always able to articulate this well or can point to lots of examples. I wonder does interrelationism have something to offer? What changes if individualism is not so prominent?

Individualism	Interrelationism	Collectivism
The individual is autonomous and self directed.	Individuals are self directed, though influenced by others.	The individual is subject to the totality of social forces: he or she is directed by the collective.
The individual can and ought to experience self development and can do so alone.	Individuals can and ought to develop together and not at each others expense.	The collective ought to experience self development irrespective of individual members.
The individual is responsible for his or her own destiny.	Individuals are responsible for both their own and others destinies.	The collective is responsible for everyone’s destiny.
Only individuals really exist.	Individuals exist in relations with others. (you can not exist out side of relationship)	Only collectives really exist.
The individual should produce in order to satisfy his or her desires in his or her way without regard for others.	The individual should produce in a way which takes into consideration not only his or her own desires but also those of others.	The individual should produce in order to satisfy the collective and in accordance with a plan which has been dictated by the collective.

One approach to a difficult issue-Part 3

2008-06-10T15:01:00.003+10:00

... For those who have embraced this freedom there is still a struggle ahead. On one hand while being set free means no longer being a slave to your own desires, putting to death those desires is a lifelong process. In our church those who have embraced the freedom offered in Christ have also embarked on this journey, they will walk alongside those who are exploring whether this is a journey they wish to take.

Each of us will be faced with desires that lead us away from freedom found in Jesus and articulated in his word –the bible. Same sex attraction is a complex issue and there is no room for moralistic views on any side. Ultimately what I think is at stake in this issue is the question, do we trust Jesus and his word or do our own desires determine what freedom is and how we should behave?

I invite you to pray for all those who are involved-that they may know the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One approach to a difficult issue-Part 2

2008-06-10T08:47:00.003+10:00

...The bible’s response to issues involving human behaviour starts in a very different place. At the heart of the bible’s understanding of the human predicament is that we are enslaved to our own desires and that these desires lead us away from God to worship anything but the one true God. So gripped are we by this slavery it is impossible to release ourselves from it. It is only by God’s gift of grace though faith that we can be released from the slavery of our desires.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:8-10

For the moralist this is shocking and frightening news:
• Since we are all slaves to our own corrupted desires the implication is that our determination of good or bad behaviour will be flawed. In fact so flawed that the bible tells us that God is the determiner of good and bad. There is no moral high ground to look down at others from and no invitation to self hatred merely an invitation, with good reason, to trust God’s judgment.
• Identity is not to be found in being better than others because we are not better than others. Once again there is no moral high ground from which to look down at others or invitation to self hatred just a recognition that we are all profoundly flawed.
• It means that God can ask anything he wants of us and still be in the right...(to be continued)

One approach to a difficult issue-Part 1

2008-06-09T23:12:00.005+10:00

Christians are often seen to be moralistic in their response to issues involving human behaviour. Meaning that they often respond in a way that makes them sound as if somehow because of their own ability or power or good living they are better than those around them. This attitude, often real, is expressed by the demeaning of others’ opinions, treating others badly and in appealing to overstated and unsubstantiated claims. Rightly it has been pointed out that this is unchristian behaviour. Certainly Jesus Christ regularly challenged the religious leaders of his day regarding their moralistic responses.

Moralistic responses are not only limited to Christians and David Marr’s article in the Good Weekend “The Archbishop says No” , appears to set out to take the moral high ground. David Marr raises questions of Archbishop Peter Jensen and the Sydney Dioceses use of power, money and intellect, with the desire to advocate a more tolerant approach to those who are attracted to the same sex. With little tolerance shown for the Sydney Dioceses approach to the issues involved, I think we are meant to conclude that Archbishop Peter Jensen and the Sydney Diocese, unlike other Episcopalian Bishops in Canada and the USA, are repressive and less morally enlightened. The article could have just as easily been entitled “David Marr says Yes”

The difficulty with any kind of moralism is that it leads to self inflation or alternatively self hatred both of which destroy the soul and make it difficult to see clearly the issues involved...

Prayer for Church Leaders- last Sunday

2008-06-09T18:16:00.005+10:00

Father I kneel before you from whom your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Father I pray that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen the leaders of your church through the power of your Spirit in their inner beings, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. And I pray that they, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. In the name of Jesus. Amen Ephesians 3:14-19

A Clauscientious objector- thinking it through (b)

2007-12-18T18:21:00.000+11:00

As an imported and more recent narrative the Santa story has done outstandingly well. The magic of Santa Claus is every persuasive. Many of course are happy with this innovation and are ambivalent about past narratives that involve more religious aspects of Christmas. The truth is the Santa narrative is suited to our materialistic and secular Australian environment.

Greg Melleuish has observed,that most Australians are only seeking

to lead quiet, comfortable and prosperous lives

and that (based views expressed in a book by Pierre Manent, City of Man,in Australia

“the desire of the mass is not so much to pursue the good as to escape the bad.”

The Santa narrative pursues these values relentlessly. No wonder Santa Claus is such a hit.

As an aside I wonder whether this is a contributing reason for the increased tension in relationships at Christmas time. The heightened expectation that Christmas is about escaping the bad is often unrealised. Imagine if the Christmas narrative was about dealing with the bad and not about escaping from it or ignoring it.

My argument has been (for reasons stated above) that I don’t support the Santa narrative.The truth is I am I am already signed up somewhere else. So convinced am I of a different narrative around Christmas that I think that promoting Santa is like trying to promote the recent election results of the Australian Democrats, as the main and compelling news story of 2007. Then exitedly inviting people to the after party for the “real” celebrations. Feel free to go ahead but why spend all that energy and time?

A Clauscientious objector- thinking it through (a)

2007-12-16T23:23:00.000+11:00

It is hard to imagine that Christmas could have ever happened without Santa Claus. Imagine the outcry if it was suggested we have a Christmas without Santa-“it just would not be Christmas!” For at least 4 century’s, after the first Christmas, Santa's distribution network did not exist, and even after this it was much smaller than it is today.

A quick search of the Internet reveals that Santa Claus in his present form has only really been popular for the last 100years. I know that some will object and point the 4th century Bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra

"who was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes."

I know also that there are many other countries where the Santa tradition has had its various forms for more than 100years. I also appreciate that there are many who try to rescue the current day Santa by pointing back to these traditions, but my observation is that the Santa narrative in its current and persuasive form has not been around that long.

Just how persuasive is evident in research that was conducted in the United Kingdom.

"The story of Jesus appears to have been rejected by kids in favour of Santa, with only 8% of children now associating Christmas with religion.

A survey by media buying agency MediaCom TMB asked 1,200 eight-to-16-year-olds to nominate one or more of five options as the thing they most associated with Christmas. Presents topped the poll, followed by family and school holidays. Religion (8%) only just beat TV, which racked up 7% of the vote."

to be continued... (if you know of better Australian research please let me know)

A Clauscientious Objector-Reason 5

2007-12-15T08:32:00.001+11:00

“What did Santa bring you?” For us and our children that has always been a difficult question, the answer is usually –“nothing”. It is not the expected answer and as a parent I am conscious that my position as a clauscientious objector not only causes problems for me but also for my children. There have certainly been times where I have been tempted to enlist in the Santa Clause army-I would just be easier and I have no desire to see my children hurt.

But even with this simple question I am reminded why I persevere. With this simple question, the gift becomes the focus not the act of giving. This is only natural, not only is a quest for material prosperity highly valued in our society but there is not an established relationship between the giver and receiver. When there is an established relationship between the giver and receiver, the gift and the act of giving are both in view. To know that even if my parent/s are not economically prosperous they have sacrificed to give me a gift because I am loved, whether I am good or bad, is far more a mystery and a far richer expression of the act of giving. It invites me to value the gift very differently. It teaches me all manner of things about grace, love, generosity and good will to all people.

A Clauscientious Objector-Reason 4

2007-12-14T18:15:00.000+11:00

As part of the overall Santa experience children are encouraged to write lists of what they wish/pray Santa would bring them. Parents love these lists as it gives them ideas for what “Santa” might bring. For other parents though, these lists are just another conformation that they are unable to live up to their child’s expectations or of the hopelessness of their own circumstances. Often the child is not to blame, after all they have been presented with an omnipresent, benevolent, deity like figure, who it is promised will make all their wishes come true if only they are good enough. On the other hand the parent who reveals the secret “too soon” in attempt to help a child have a more realistic understanding of what to expect can be accused of spoiling the magic and mystery of Christmas.

Now I admit this may not all be Santa’s fault it is hard to blame him for the deluge of child focused advertising and our obsession with material things. After all Santa’s focus is on supervising elves, being generous and the problems associated with managing a large distribution network.

I am also aware that it is not possible to rescue everyone nor is it always possible to protect me or my children from disappointments, bad decisions and or their consequences. I am just not sure that wish/prayer lists of this nature actually add anything to our lives.

A Clauscientious Objector-Reason 3

2007-12-14T08:15:00.001+11:00

The other day I found myself singing
Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!
He's making a list,
He's checking it twice,
He's gonna find out
who's naughty or nice.

This catchy Christmas song highlights some concerns I have with Santa. In this song Santa Claus is called to act like some type of omnipresent deity overseeing children making judgments on their rightness or wrongness. I am glad that he has such clear view and I wish he would share it with me when I am in the midst of parenting. But I am left with questions. What does Santa think is right and wrong anyway and do I really want my kids to think of him as someone who administers justice? My problem is that in the end Santa’s justice is a facile kind of justice. There is the threat of judgment (not receiving gifts) which is never enacted. I am told this is not a good look for a parent so why perpetuate it?

What is just as concerning is that being approved of by Santa, or being good, is a perquisite for a gift. If you don’t believe me stand in a shopping queue a day before Christmas and listen to the conversations with Children. I have lost count of the number of times my children have been asked if they have been good enough for Santa to visit. Of course added to which for many of us as parents the allure of saying “if you don’t behave Santa won’t come” is all too powerful and we find ourselves down the dead end street of manipulative parenting. Some ideas that come with Santa Claus are at the best dubious and at their worst manipulative. Reason 3 for being a Clauscientious objector.

What do you think?

A Clauscientious Objector-Reason 2

2007-12-13T16:56:00.001+11:00

"White lies". I have made a commitment not to lie to my children. Now I am not saying I have not lied to my Children or that at times I have been a little less full in my explanations of the truth. As a parent I have had to apologise for not being truthful. There is a difference though between imaginative play/fairytales and collusion between adults that leads to untruthfulness. Rituals like putting milk, cookies and a carrot out for the supersonic delivery sleigh are delightful rituals but have as their intention a desire to deliberately mislead by making the myth as believable as possible.

I have found that even though I am a Clauscientious objector many parents try to enlist my help and seem offended when I don’t join inthe "white lie". Older children are also enlisted to perpetuate untruthfulness so that younger children do not discover the truth about Santa. A number of adults I have spoken with vividly remember the moment when as children they revealed “too much” . The emotional turmoil that followed as a result of being in trouble for having told the truth, they tell me was a pivotal point in their development as a person.

In my view this embrace of untruthfulness only invites us into the world of mixed messages about the value of truthfulness. Perhaps I should just get over “white lies” but my conscience just won’t leave me alone.

Do you have a pivotal point story?

A Clauscientious Objector-Reason 1

2007-12-13T00:30:00.000+11:00

As a child growing up in a developing country Santa Claus never visited me at Christmas time. I did not know he even existed for some time. Perhaps this oversight of my parents and Santa Claus himself has led to a deep resentment unresolved by hours of gestalt physiotherapy, that is possible! My own conclusion is that being third culture kid gives you opportunity to stand back and question the world differently.

Does the promotion of Santa Claus promote economic inequality? It seems the rich white kids always get the most expensive gifts from Santa Claus. Certainly the need to enjoy the season has led many Sydneysiders to spend thousands of dollars on professional Christmas house decorators so they can have bragging rights over their neighbours. That of course may not be Santas fault. Perhaps as a corrective there is room here for Santa evangelists spreading the “good news” so that rich and poor are treated equally. I can see our retailers lining up with glee.

Perhaps the promotion of Santa Claus is disrespectful of other cultures? In multicultural Australia my observation is that the Santa obsession injects an unnecessary dose of western materialism, secularism and mythology into an already complex situation. There is a clear and unspoken expextation that those eager to adapt to their new found home will embrace the man in a red suit with as much delight as many of us do. Those who object will find it hard to do so without causing offence.

There are many things about our culture that I think are worth adopting and promoting but I remain to be convinced that this is one of them or even that I lacked something in my childhood by missing out on Santa Claus. Does this sound a bit too PC (politically correct) ?

A Clauscientious Objector

2007-12-12T17:27:00.000+11:00

Santa Claus is coming...or has arrived numerous times if you have been anywhere near a shopping centre this Christmas. With cheerful grin and iridescent red suit Santa Claus brings joy to the hearts of so many parents who delight in their children’s smiles and excitement. The story and rituals also give us that sense of mystery and remind us of our more innocent times of imaginative play. It is hard to envisage anyone objecting.

At the risk of being harangued and called a scrooge I admit, I object, I am a Clauscientious Objector :) .

I am aware that there are many responses to the issues surrounding Santa Clause and some are more nuanced than others. There are those who have banned Santa in his current form ,there are those who are more accommodating,those who try and recapture the past Santa Claus, there are those who acknowledge him but seek to reduce his influence and there are those who seek to promote him. My response as a clauscientious objector is to acknowledge his presence but not his right to dominate our Christmas or even be a major feature.

Naturally my objections are not to the sense of excitement and joy that is experienced by parents and children. Nor are my objections aimed at promoting the early embrace of asceticism or rationalism or for that matter denying the gift of imagination. The reasons I object to being enlisted into the army that promotes Santa Claus vary and some of the reasons I admit are more personal than principled. The posts that follow will outline some of my reasons.

Welcome

2007-12-12T16:50:00.001+11:00

What I hope to do over the next week is unfold a short article that I have been working on. My article explores a dimension of Christmas that has never sat right with me. One of my aims is to be reflective, articulate my position but aviod moralism.