Interesting Comment on Evangelism

"[...they] do not believe in evangelistic strategies, other than the pursuit to be like Jesus in his interactions with others. They do not target people or have an agenda but rather seek to love all those whom God brings to them. They do not hope for a belief change for their conversation partners as much as a life change. Because of their high level of engagement with other cultures, the sacred/secular split is overcome as they practice the kingdom in their midst, in community."

Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger cited in Scot McKnights, A community called atonement (Abingdon Press, 2007).

I wonder who "they" are? I wonder if "they" look like your/my church, your community group whatever.
I wonder if "just living it out" is just an excuse for not proclaiming their faith, or if in fact their faith is so 'present' in their lives that it is open and lived as a natural part of their lives"
Challenging hey, how different is your lifestyle? Enough to make people think, wonder, ask questions, consider their own lives?

To Pay or Not To Pay (post #1)

I have 2 posts in my head, both are completely different topics, but interestingly enough they are titled the same "To Pay or Not to Pay".

Post #1

I have read posts about this in the past, even chapters in books about this, but now it's my issue, so I share it with you.

I have a deep down discomfort with local church pastors being paid! I know that sounds like some off the shelf crazy man statement but every time I sit and ponder the issues surrounding pastors being paid I struggle with something inside.

Every time we pay for anything we have raised expectation of that person product or experience. If I don't pay and I don't get, I shrug and walk away. If I pay and I don't get I have something to say about it. Or if I get less than what I desired or expected I am disappointed and go 'pay' elsewhere to get a better 'product'.

Now before you bight my head off and quote scripture at me, I am aware of people being paid for ministry services in the bible. Paul often talked about receiving gifts and offerings. Interestingly enough though, Paul never received money from the people he ministered to WHILE he was ministering to them, and Paul was not a paid local church pastor. (not sure I see many of them in the bible!)
Paul was a missionary, a church planter, in the bible sense of church planting, not our modern style of planting pastors and congregations etc. (Not making comments/judgments here, just observation).

So, let me personalize this.
I have had this idea of a community chaplain, run under the auspices of Scripture Union. It's like a school chaplain but the boundaries are just a bit wider, suburban if you like.
The idea is like a missionary to the suburb, but the job description looks like what any Christ follower could/should do - just on steroids, that is - committing more time and under a more formal set up...rewind the conversation back to the paragraphs above... could not the same be said of a local church pastor? This role is just what any member of the church should/could do depending on gifting etc only a paid church pastor/minister just commits more of his/her time to the role.

So the ideal - we all minister together not needing to pay someone (and getting all those nasty expectation issues listed above!).
In the organised church, we keep it smaller and more personable, easily accountable and lean on one another for the sharing of gifts and resources, natural leaders will gently lead guide, facilitate, gifted carers will care, teachers will teach and so on. No need to PAY someone, no need to PAY rent, mortgage and so on. Just put money where it's most needed.

In the community, no need to pay chaplains, just make sure there are committed missionary people in the right places. discipled in such a way (little ad there) that they know what it means to live a missional existence in their place of residence. Believing teachers in schools would be the Christ light in those places, no need for chaplains being paid, all because we are missional disciples where we are at, in schools, work places - everywhere. (my brother was a good example of this is his job at Challenge Stadium. No doubt he is still now, but we chatted lots about his role as a kind of chaplain to the staff even though he was the HR guy.

So - All too ideal hey!! Sure I admit it. In fact I am guessing that most people in ministry reading the above would say, "I agree mostly. The picture you painted is the ideal and if that happened it would be great, only it does not happen, so paid workers are needed or nothing would happen"

Maybe the reason it does not happen is BECAUSE of the paid workers. The very people we pay to make disciples, to run the church could be the very reason we never get close to the ideal.

China, and early church are examples in which we have never seen such rapid growth iinthe church and in both examples paid workers were not to be seen, at least not to the scale we see it in the west.

So, with a passion to work a day or 2 a week as a community chaplain or even for some great branch of a group like Scripture Union doing, whatever how do I justify asking people to help me raise money to get paid to do the very things I was people I am working with to do for nothing?
Wont they think, "You do it, why should I? I go to work at the school, I'm not going to reach out to my street, I pay you to do that!"
Or they might think, "Are you standing here having a beer with me, or a BBQ or helping me with my garden because you are paid or because that's just what we do as community?"

In the mean time I have to get back to my paid ministry job :) Aghh I have to eat.

PS -
I found one persons take on it on You Tube

Odd Phone Call

Many years ago, in fact sometimes it feels like it was another life on another planet, I used to be a youth pastor in a large church.
By many standards - we rocked!
Sure I was pretty proud of the leaders I had trained up (many now in full time ministry around the nation) I was pretty stoked with the 100's of kids coming along each week. We trained these young leaders in the art of follow up and cold (and warm!) calling young people and their friends to ask them to come along to youth group next week, to tell them we cared and see if they wanted to catch up or be in a small group or whatever.

Many years went past, much water under the bridge.

The phone just rang and a 'cutesy' young girl voice was on the phone, it went like this;

"Hello Mr Vawser, this is **** form the [local youth group] (the same one from my past!) I am ringing to let you know that I have your daughters name on a list of young girls who may be interested in coming along to youth group Friday night..." stop to take a breath..."It starts with a 'pre-show' at 4.30 and then youth begins proper at 5.30 to 7.30 I know Mikaela would love it if she came along and if she did love it she could join me in my small group we have a great group of young girls and they all have a great time would you like to pass this message on if its ok with you of course..." she breathed again :)

I had so many thoughts rushing through my head... I was spinning, it was odd.

"She has no idea who I am, I could be some antagonistic pagan Dad anti church, thinking - 'who is this young girl trying to get my daughter into some cult?'"

"She should know who I am and that I helped start this thing she is ringing about"

"Oh you are so full of pride you jerk Scott"

"Do I want my daughter to be a part of something that I walked away from, something that I question so much of its long term value?"

"What right do I have to choose for my daughter what she does and does not attend when it comes to church?"

"This upbringing did no harm to me" (that hasn't taken a decade to unpack!!!)

So I took the note down.

I couldn't help but press a bit further and ask her about small groups, ministry philosophy, core values, mission vision and doctrinal statements...ok not all of the above! :)

Then I thanked her for calling and hung up tingling, odd...life is odd.

Emerging Church Article

Great article about the US emergent movement here in USA Today.

A bit for you...

There's a growing buzz about the emerging movement, and depending on your point of view, its robust growth and rising influence are worthy of applause, scorn, or perhaps just puzzlement. Fitting for a movement that eschews hierarchy and dogma, emergents defy simple definition. Perhaps the best one can say is that they're new-style Christians for the postmodern age, the evangelicals of whom the late Rev. Jerry Falwell disapproved.

Postmodernity is nothing new. Philosophers will tell you we've been living in the postmodern age for decades. But its expression in the context of fervent Christianity, in the form of the emerging church, is a fairly recent phenomenon, only about a decade old.

(more)

Under the Microscope...

CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct.

Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by December 6th.

According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.

The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University. (more)

It's Reformation Week! Protestant Birthday.

In the silence surrounding his death, Jesus became the best possible companion for those whose prayers are not answered, who would give anything just to hear God call them by name. Him too. He wanted that too, and he did not get it. -- Barbara Brown Taylor

More Gold from David Timms -

Reforming the Church

490 years ago (October 31, 1517) Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses on the Power of Indulgences to the door -- the local community bulletin board -- of the Castle Church at Wittenberg, Germany. That document launched the Protestant Reformation and specifically railed against the Church's practice of selling people forgiveness for their own sins and for the sins of the dead. To buy such forgiveness was to purchase an “indulgence.” It raised a lot of money!

Following Luther's outcry, the Church has never been the same. Yet, it continues to require reformation.

Each generation inculturates the Church just a little bit more. "Civil religion" describes Christianity that eventually merges with culture; no longer a narrow way of Christ-following but a broad path to social acceptance. It happens imperceptibly, sometimes over generations, and renders the Church innocuous. Congregations take that small but lethal step from “becoming all things to all men that by all means we might win some ” (1 Corinthians 9:22) to simply “becoming all things to all men.”

Not every congregation needs the same kind of reformation.

The renowned Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, Illinois -- begun in 1975 and now attended by nearly 20,000 people -- recently concluded that for many years they have failed to encourage the spiritual formation of their congregational members to the extent that at least 25% of attenders (as many as 5,000) would describe themselves as spiritually stagnant and perhaps ready to leave the church. The church needs reformation, and now has the vision to see it and the will to address it.

If I were to write my own 95 Theses, a few of them (in no particular order) would read this way:

Let the Church rediscover its commitment to broad issues of social justice (poverty, homelessness, education, health care) not just placarding against abortion and gay rights. Historically the Church has led the way with the schools, hospitals, shelters, and charity that have formed the foundation for Western civilization.

Let the Church return to its roots of making disciples not simply converts, understanding that a raised hand or a signed card is no achievement. Rather, we call people to transformed lives in a world hungry for an authentic option to its own plastic superficiality.

Let the Church be a city of refuge, a place of grace rather than legalism. While we genuinely and consistently urge each other to live lives of selflessness, purity, and godliness, we forgive unfailingly whenever people express contrition and repentance.

Let the Church constantly affirm its mission to work first with people not property, to build the Body before buildings, to focus constantly on ministry ahead of facilities. Too many congregations have become mired in debt and distracted by the development of acreage rather than hearts.

This Reformation week provides a great opportunity to look at the state of the Church today, but also the state of our own lives. While we re-cast a vision for the Church that honors Christ, let’s also be open to the Spirit of God casting light on areas of our own hearts that need reformation and transformation.

May our prayer be, “Lord, reform your Church … and start with me.”

In HOPE -

David

To subscribe: Email djtimms@hiu.edu and write "Subscribe to In HOPE" in the subject line. This is a free service; no advertisements; no sharing of the e-list. Unsubscribe in the same way.

You can find back issues of "In HOPE" (2005-2007) at http://www.hiu.edu/inhope/.

David Timms serves in the Graduate Ministry Department at Hope International University in Fullerton, California. "In HOPE", however, is not an official publication of the University and the views expressed are not necessarily those of the Administrators or Board. "In HOPE" has been a regular e-publication since January, 2001.

Austin Power house church???

Yes, Austin Power has a church, or is that Austin Texas has a Powerhouse church? Or do they have a house church a power...house church???
Check it out. It is true!

God The Gardener

"I am but dust called to die to self and live in Christ. My walk with my Lord is limited by my belief in myself and my desire to be something, anything, other than dust." -- Wendy Cohen


The Garden

When did we start to view the Kingdom of God in manufacturing terms rather than organic terms?

In manufacturing, we build our widgets, perfect them, create a market, sell our products, build our capital, float public shares, organize take-overs and mergers, and exist for wealth creation. We measure our effectiveness according to the capital we acquire: property, facilities, equipment, inventory, cash reserves, etc.

In manufacturing, we report regularly to the Board or the stock-holders, who expect tangible results, improved products, expanded product lines, and a healthy "bottom line."

But the Kingdom of God is distinctively organic. It corresponds more to a biological plant than a factory plant. It incorporates people not machinery. It embraces cooperation not competition. And the bottom line is not cash but Christ.

Let's not underestimate the implications of such a shift in metaphor. When we discard the industry model and embrace the garden model we discover some remarkable freedoms.

First, nobody assesses gardens by the criteria "bigger is better." While we may marvel at acres of gorgeous landscaping, we can delight just as much in a small plot. Second, we may diligently tend a garden but we can't force growth. That's the Gardener's job (1 Cor 3:6). Finally, organic entities have natural life-cycles where decline and death is normal not shameful. The Gardener holds a shed full of options when it's time for a re-plant.

Jesus chose metaphors and parables for the Kingdom from the agricultural context of His day -- seed sown by a sower, grain and tares, mustard seeds, etc. Was He simply accommodating the agrarian culture of His day? Or might He still use such images today, to move us away from "God the Industrialist" to "God the Gardner"? I suspect the latter.

The manufacturing model for the church reduces people to either salesmen or customers, and assumes that accumulation signifies success. It demands quarterly reports and clear job descriptions (spiritual gifts). But the organic Kingdom of God confronts such spiritual capitalism. And by doing so, it frees us.

Consider this important change of metaphor ... and let's bloom where we're planted.

In HOPE --

David Timms

To subscribe: Email djtimms@hiu.edu and write "Subscribe to In HOPE" in the subject line. This is a free service; no advertisements; no sharing of the e-list. Unsubscribe in the same way.


David Timms serves in the Graduate Ministry Department at Hope International University in Fullerton, California. "In HOPE", however, is not an official publication of the University and the views expressed are not necessarily those of the Administrators or Board. "In HOPE" has been a regular e-publication since January, 2001.

God Spoke Through YouTube!

As I often do, I was surfing ‘YouTube’ the other day and saw the video clip of U2’s “Miss Sarajevo”. A powerful, almost haunting song inspired by a documentary of the same name that Bono helped produce about a beauty pageant held in war torn Yugoslavia with guns booming all around, a sort of protest song.

Bono introduces the song by saying;
I'd like to dedicate this song to those who lost their lives
In London, in the UK bombings last week... and Iraq
We want to turn our song into a prayer
And our prayer, is that we, they, we
Do not become a monster in order to defeat a monster
That's our prayer

The song moves stunningly through some powerful lyrics that include line like;

Is there a time to run for cover
A time for kiss and tell
Is there a time for different colours
Different names you find so hard to spell

A time to turn aside
Is there a time... a time for human rights?

As the song draws to a close on the massive video screen behind the stage roles out the first six or seven of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. A young woman stands and humbly reads them out in the darkness of the now silent stage…

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
• No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms
• No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment…

And so on.

I wiped tears from my eyes as this clip finished and began to wonder, how many times do our church services move us to weep over injustice?
How many times does our weeping lead us to act?
How many times do our actions lead to change, new life – Justice?

I am no Bono. I can’t captivate millions of people with my words. But I live in a nation that allows me freedom of speech (mostly!) – do I use it?
To be honest I am not even sure what I believe on many issues of injustice, not to mention what to do if I had a strong belief on issues of injustice.

Someone asked me recently, “What is one thing you really want to do before you die?”
I was completely surprised, by both my answer and how quickly it came.
“I would like to be arrested for a Christ cause”, I said.

Are there ‘political’ issues in our nation that are ‘anti-Christ’? I think there are. Are there injustices, abuses, creation destruction, human rights violations, all here in our own ‘lucky country’? Too right there are!

Where am I, Where is the Church when it comes to standing…no shouting up for these issues? Sad to say, on the whole it is small minorities around the nation that stand up for these issues. I am too much like the Levite in the Good Samaritan story, he saw the injured man (read the articles, decided to know more about these awful things, write an article for the A/C), crossed over the road, and went on his way.
Sadly most times these minority vocal Christian groups are seen as odd, marginalized, radicals, lefties, liberals and so on by fellow believers.

I sometimes wonder if Jesus might have been more comfortable amongst this crowd!

Leadership Summit 07

I know I lost face last year when I made some comments on the Willow Creek Leadership Summit video and pizza party, but seriously folks! (here I go again)
I still don't get it. For the average punter like me (I know I am a bit simple) but I am reading statements like this...

Commit Today to World-Class Leadership Development... As always, this annual event will deliver all-new content from world-class leaders. The 2007 Summit speakers already includes Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church; Michael Porter, Harvard professor and leading authority on competitive strategy; Floyd Flake, senior pastor of Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica, Queens; and John Ortberg, best-selling author and teaching pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California.

...as the main 'pull' for the conference, and then looking at the 'Australian dates' for the big tour. And I am thinking for $150, I get to hear all these hot speakers, including Jimmy carter and Colin Powell and more!!
No where do I read it is a video. (OK maybe hidden in the line "deliver new content')

Yep, it's just a get together to watch a video with some others.
A video I can borrow for free from a range of different places including many denominational offices, the week after the event.
I know that to put on such an event (so Hamo discovered last year when he rang Willow and asked about the costs) there are numerous costs; venue hire (churches charge a packet these days!), food, advertising, salary and travel expenses for the national coordinator, and so on. But I think 9 cities and hundreds (maybe into the thousands) of people can head on up towards 1/2 a million bucks. (OK, even half that is pretty hot for a seat to sit down and watch TV)

You may say - It's not just the video, it's the coming together, corporate worship and networking. Ok - but most people I know who have gone, have gone with their teams and they all get together in the breaks and discuss the content. Couldn't they borrow the DVD's and do all that in their church and save all that money? ( I know a few large churches who just that!)
I think it's all good - coming together, corporate worship, quality teaching, nice presentations and so on.
But it just seems a lot of money to spend on sitting and getting filled up (via video) with more ways to build your church and build yourself.

Inspiration has become so elevated, so valued, it costs much it would seem!

*This is another of those posts I just would rather have left unspoken as I know I have friends and people I respect pushing this stuff and heavily invested into it. I mean them no harm, I just can't sit on some things, sorry guys!

Interesting Ads Coming to Perth

Coupla years ago Bible Society did a very comprehensive survey and study about people's perceptions of Church, Jesus, God and religion. I have a copy of these results and they are very telling. Out of this study has come an advertising campain drawing people to Jesus, rather than Church. Here is one of the ads, this one is aimed at the younger gen.
Their website is here.

Churchy Weekend

An interesting weekend this past weekend;
Saturday Night - Sheldon, a mate of mine, and I went to the City Church of Christ in Stirling St Northbridge (Inner city) where they have an open house every Saturday night from about 6-9 for people who need a place to eat a free meal and chat with others. They can have up to 100 people drop in for food and drink. People come mainly from around the streets, homeless, mentally ill, poor and so on.
We sat and played connect four, checkers, Ludo and so on. Alex the pastor is a bit of a muso and he took to the guitar and played some worship tunes. Conversation flowed well after we settled in and after the night was pretty much over Sheldon and I took to the streets, wandered around witnessed an accident bought some Asia drink and drove home.
I thought it was one of the best church services I had been to for a while...although the church themselves don't see it as such. The next morning they set up for 'normal church' - I guess if it was me, I would be looking at how to make what was happening Saturday evening as their 'service' as it sure looked like worship to me!

Sunday Morning I went to Inglewood Church of Christ, just down the road from where I was the night before. Seemed odd. They look like any church really, just a smaller version. Lots of chairs laid out for very few people, band, power point, newsletter handed out by friendly ushers, morning tea, presidential talk for communion and the like. I wondered why they were meeting in a big hall, no doubt hired. I wondered why they couldn't join the church down the road I was at the night before. I wondered why they couldn't meet in a lounge or one of the many great cafes around the area, I wondered why the 15 or so people needed to sit in rows and rows of empty chairs...I just wondered what makes us do church like this, no matter how big a number we are! Nice folk though.

Sunday Afternoon we met with the Joondalup crew, I have already mentioned all about this below.

Sunday night I went to Lake Joondalup Baptist Church. Pretty much same as most churches, but for the fact that they take a few risks with their choice of speaker. Jarrod McKenna gets a pulpit there form time to time. He is good, but not safe! Love that guy, he did well. He does not preach as much as facilitates an evening of discussion. What a guy!

Joondalup Thing Does Pentecost

We did our Pentecost celebration with a difference yesterday.
It was the 40th anniversary of the vote by 90% of white Aussies to include our indigenous people in the voting process. That is...they would no longer be counted as stock ie animals!
I can't believe it was just 40 years ago, we have so much shame over our nation in the way we treat and have treated the owners of this land.

So we watched Rabbit Proof Fence with the kids as well, had some discussion followed by communion/lunch and then we dramatically read (with different people 'playing' the different parts) the story of the Holy Spirit coming in Acts 2 followed by Charlotte leading us in some Aboriginal style dot paintings of our own depictions of the Holy Spirit and His work.
Here are some - (Click on the images to see them full size)

Emerging Peace Church?

My mate Jarrod has been involved in the Anabaptist movement for a while. He writes some interesting things in this article on the place the movement is at in conjunction with the Christian peace movement.

Scot McKnight has said, "the sort of evangelicalism the Emerging Church Movement is striving for is anabaptist.” Anna who?! Many know I spend a lot of my time teaching, preaching, ranting and running workshops about eco-justice and confrontational nonviolence, as integral to an engaged gospel spirituality. What people might not be aware of is that I continue to encounter a growing movement of young people (not just young people!) who are deeply seeking to follow Jesus in ways that witness to God's Reign. A spirituality of "justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" in the midst of a world where injustice, war and misery seem to reign...Read more here.

Impact World Tour - Part II

Hi readers –

Hamo and I met with Joel who is a Impact World Tour Facilitator this week.

It was a good meeting, Joel is a great guy with a huge passion to see Perth impacted for the Kingdom of God.

I have to say, horror stories continue to roll in from the IWT events around the city, not just on this blog but face to face. Just today I had a ‘hot’ conversation with someone regarding the events!

Joel shared with us some of the incredible challenges faced by the organising groups. Things happened with IWT, that just shouldn’t have happened. Perth reacted towards certain things that were not anticipated by organizers.

Some things that have been shared on my blog about words spoken at training events and things that took place at Impact events are in complete contradiction to IWT policy. So either they are not true, ie they were made up, imagined, perceived or wrongly interpreted or they happened and were never meant to happen, they were people who went outside of what IWT standard procedures require of their workers and volunteers.

Some of the things that happened at IWT events and training programmes may have resulted from short cuts due lack of local involvement and leadership.

Some of the things that happened at IWT events and training reported on the blog actually happened and are IWT policy (one example we spoke of was the putting on of badges for local link people after they had moved forward at the altar calls. This, we were told, was so that the people going forward with them – respondents-did not think they had the wrong message about who was supposed to go fwd as some people moving fwd with them had badges on and they did not) I was not entirely convinced of the methodology of the badge issue or a few of the other issues we spoke about. I for one still remain convinced that IWT is not something I would support if it happened again.

What I did come away feeling was that sitting over a coffee as a group of brothers, despite our vast differences and (dis)agreements on some of the methods used to reach the lost people of our world, was a better way of actually DOING SOMETHING about these issues and not just complaining about it.

Joel is more than keen to hear from anyone else from Perth who would like to give feedback on the tour here and pass it on to the appropriate person , and I am sure (just my thoughts) that he would like to hear from people with encouragement too. – Who would want this job he has? - really! His email address is joelm@impactworldtour.com.au

Hamo suggested YWAM release a press statement to the public of Perth apologising for the hurt and confusion (my words) IWT has caused some people here in Perth and a small explanation as to what they thought went wrong and why the people of Perth felt ambushed rather than impacted. Hamo suggested an ad of similar size to those included in the West Australian be placed and used as a clear apology. He indicated he would happily kick in the first $100.00 towards it. Not sure if this will happen, but we will see.

I personally will no longer be making comments on this post, and would like this to be a kind of closure on the topic. If you would like to take it further you now have an email address to follow a more personal pathway.

Thanks for your participation on this topic.

Scott Vawser

and many were baptised on that day...

We went to Whitford Church this morning to see a friend (Graeme M) baptise his daughter, then this afternoon at 3 we went to the local beach to see Matty (otherendup) and his wife Tam baptise their 2 oldest jessie and Maddy. It was wild and stormy, so I give 'em top points for courage! It was fun for those gathered as well, we all felt like we had played some small part in bringing these kids to this point...and there were plenty of us watching, quite the crowd!

Good Friday Service Here

We had a very powerful good Friday evening service here at our place with The Joondalup Thing crew.
Christine led us in a "Service of the Shadows" a powerful time of reading the passion narrative and with each reading someone blew out a candle until only the Christ candle was left on. This was finally covered until the room was in darkness, a piece of purple cloth was torn in two, then people got up and silently went home.
Powerful stuff!

Forgot to mention

Last Wednesday night The Joondalup Thing did a full on Passover Feast organised by Tam. It was one of the best nights we have had, great conversation, great liturgy and depth of meaning and great interaction and participation with kids.
Here are some snaps, they are off my phone as I left my Camera home.

Impact World Tour - Dangerous Stuff!!

OK here goes...
I have resisted for LONG ENOUGH. I know some will suggest I should have resisted all together, I know my wife has said as much. She asked, "What benefit come from blogging about such a sad event as this IWT.?"
My answer after thinking about her question for a week?
It may stop this type of thing for even coming back to Perth and damaging the church in Perth.
It may stop this type of manipulative approach to faith from continuing around our globe.
This post comes, not from a desire to divide and destroy, nor a bitter heart or disdain towards the church, but rather, it comes from a desire to unite the church, to build the Church of Jesus, it comes from a love for His Church and a love and respect for all people created in God's image, particularly those who are not in a relationship with our Lord.

Did I go? No I did not. I admit that I speak third hand from other people's experiences. This testimony comes from numerous sources around our city, both the cynics and those who were in full support of IWT coming to Perth, some of whom were even employed in anticipation of the outpouring of new disciples as a result of IWT.

Why did I not go?
I saw the advertising, both the website and the flyers and smelt a rat.
I knew this was driven by YWAM, and for all I think about YWAM, I understand they are keen to see people follow Jesus, as I am. But was there any hint of that on any material? Any suggestion that this could just have been a Christian outreach? There was one small line suggesting that amongst other organisations and community groups that local churches were also behind this strange and mysterious visit to Perth by these muscle men and dancing islanders.

I smelt a classic "bait and switch".
It looks like this -
"Flash, bam, boom, stretch, crash, pow, wooooohoooo, amazing, incredible, look at that etc etc"
then all of a sudden...
"JESUS JESUS JESUS, if you loved all of the above...ya gonna love Him too, come fwd if you want all of this cool stuff...oh and Jesus too?" (This was just what it turned out to be I have heard)
There were even people bending iron bars into the shape of Christian fish symbols and breaking baseball bats and making the sign of the cross and kneeling down...CHEESE...I Think I feel a vomit coming on!

So I did not go, nor did I encourage my kids to go even though it took place almost on our door step.
I asked my daughter what she thought it was when she brought the flyer home.
"Looks like a fancy show with some guys doing some fun stuff, what is it Dad?"
"These people want people to come to know Jesus, but they don't want anyone to know this until they surprise them with it on the day. They are spending more than one million dollars to do this"
"Seems dumb hey, and expensive too, do we have to pay?"
"No I think they made Churches and rich Christians pay"
"I guess there are better things to do with their money..."

And I would add better ways to make disciples...

Agh but I am told that one quote coming from leadership was that "We are not after disciples, we just do the winning souls bit"

And that division is shown in scripture...where?

I wished I had been recording some of the horror stories from the past week up here in the northern suburbs, but maybe people will jump on and add their own stories in the comments, and no doubt some will add some positive stories that no doubt will surface. There has even been ugly press in the West Australian and local rags. The local school even wrote an explanation in this weeks newsletter home to parents.
There is always some good, but must we perpetuate the horror, abuse and destruction of the name of the church to justify a handful of good testimonies some of which may actually survive and even thrive in some faith community somewhere?
Some may also add their horror at me writing this post and my strong tone...trust me this is not strong! But you are welcome to shoot. I know you no doubt feel as strong about this event going ahead as I do about stopping the damage being done. Some people have invested much time and money into making this event work. You may say,"if you spent the time you spend complaining actually helping make this event work better it would be good!" - Agh Nope, you missed it!

We had parents that we are building relationships with from our school dismayed by what they saw as an incredibly manipulative event. They felt tricked, they were angry at the school for promoting it, they were disillusioned with friends and neighbours who invited them.

Why can't we do 2 things;
1. Make faith a natural part of our day to day relationships. Make "Jesus" as natural a conversation in our relationships as the conversations about the holiday we want, or the dead patches on our front lawn...these type of conversations come all too easy, and Jesus all too hard.

2. Have the balls and simple ability to articulate our own faith story with friends instead of feeling like we need to "take them to a special event". At this even we sit smugly (albeit uncomfortably at times) thinking "go get em preacher, you tell my friend about Jesus so I don't have to, you smack em about with the reality of their futile lifestyles, their sin and their eternal destiny. If your friend responds well, COOOL! "What a great event, PTL!"
If your friend is offended, you join in with them criticising, apologising for the "insensitive preacher, not all Christian events are like that, I am so sorry"

But it's too late, both your integrity and that of the church (and sadly Jesus too) is damaged and your chance for trust building and on going discipleship (and maybe relationship) is less if not gone.
These are challenges I wear myself, I am not just throwing them only at you.

Can we PLEASE start to get over the consumer driven religious experiential church structure we soak in within Western Christianity. (Obviously if your church does not fit this, the I am not talking to you am i?) I have to shake myself daily to realize just how sucked in I get by our consumer society, but when the Church starts to look the same and I get sucked into this too, then it is a sad day.

We are of another Kingdom, we are not of this world. Our shopping, our spending, our entertainment, our parenting, our dating, our marriage, our travel our use of resources, our relationships, our hospitality our everything should look different not the same. We serve a different Lord. Jesus is our Lord, not Caesar...or consumerism or GW Bush or Howard or Myself!

IWT organisers, I know you intended well. I don't know who you are, and this is not a character attack, it is an attack on a way of doing, on a philosophy of Christian events...including Church services.

There it is!

Forge Weekend

Such a good weekend. I think that because I am now working for GMP (missions) it had even more relevance to me. It was highly missions focused and in particular it was also focused not on getting rid of the old ways of doing church but on how to re-missionalize them. There were electives for pastors of large churches etc, it was ballanced and lacked the negativity yet help the 'dangerous' elements. It also had an even greater degree of personal and spiritual challenge.
Mike Frost - Brilliant
Brian McLaren - Brilliant
Most everyone else - brilliant.
I have the MP3's if people want to have a listen. or order them yourself from idearipple.com