When Life Isn't Great

Just going over my saved rss feeds and almost missed this item posted by OkieLawyer on his blog Satellite Sky. It pretty much says what this blog is trying to represent. I have done everything that wealthy and successful people say you are supposed to do to increase your chances of financial success. I have never done any illegal drugs. I have never been drunk on alcohol. I delayed gratification and got my education. I applied the work ethic and when I couldn't get a job working for someone else, I started my own law business. But what can you do when those who have power literally and figuratively break your legs and pull the rug from underneath you? Isn't it interesting that they tell you to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" but then they take steps to knock you off your feet when you try to do just that. - OkieLawyer: Seven Years of Bad Luck Yes we are called to be overcomers but we are also put here to help and assist others. Why would Jesus place so much emphasis on love for our neighbours, servanthood, helping those in need, if God did not understand that there are some circumstances when we actually depend on someone in power to make the right decisions?! Some problems are not cured by a smile, a "God bless you" and an "I'll pray for you". HT: Independent Christian Voice

The Power Of Association

Does your church or ministry have a MySpace page? Did you know that MySpace has an association with this website: How? Because MySpace is owned by this man: Rupert Murdoch. An Australian self-proclaimed born-again Christian who owns, amongst others, these media and entertainment companies: Murderoch has admitted he tried to use his media outlets to turn public opinion for the Iraq war in this interview below: Bill Moyer has offered a short analysis of Murderoch's predatory nature when it comes to forging his media empire here: Perhaps the only redeeming quality to Murderoch is he allows himself and Fixed News to be lampooned in one of Fox's primetime comedy shows, The Simpsons: Perhaps this wouldn't be the case if The Simpsons wasn't such a profitable commodity. I'm not asking you to change your ways, I'm just asking you to look beyond the first layer of public image and recognise who you associate with, enable and ultimately allow yourself to be bought by. Technorati Tags: murdoch, murderoch, media, iraq, fox news, fixed news, simpsons, bill moyer, myspace, the times, the sun, church, ministry

Church Issues

5 Issues the church is too concerned about CULTURE VULTURE: The Environment. Sure we should be smart and not drop litter, we should do what we can to reduce our individual waste... but this is one of the latest examples of the church jumping on a cultural bandwagon rather than seeking to make a difference in peoples lives. Plus, if more people did their research, they might discover that there's not much we can do about global warming, it may even be part of God's design for the planet. Have you noticed how nature is always moving and shifting through various seasons? It's is only human beings who want to stay in place, prevent change and establish foundations. Not that, that is bad, but we should realise nature does not ask our permission before it changes. BIBLE BASHING: Gay Rights. Of course, as a Christian if I was to have sex with man, I would be committing a sin. However this would also be the case if I had sex with a prostitute. And being a married Christian, if I was to have sex with another woman other than my wife, I would also be committing a sin. Why does the church focus on one sexual sin when protesting moral decline? How many Christians are divorced and remarried? Aah but there's extenuating circumstances... violent spouses etc... we should be sensitive and understanding. Then likewise, we should be sensitive and understanding to homosexuals. It should also be noted that where God is concerned, it is only the church that should be subject to this kind of moral law. But the predominant question is this: Why shouldn't homosexuals be free from prejudice? BIBLE BASHING: Abortion. Another morally unacceptable choice, but again what right do we as Christians have to impose our view on the world. Why simply tell someone something is wrong without explaining why, and offering a better way? Explaining the importance of the sanctity of life to someone who doesn't even believe in accountability to God is going to be futile unless you find humanistic arguments to back-up your case. CULTURE VULTURE: Mass Marketing and Media. It tends to be mostly in charismatic circles but the church seems to be lately obsessed with multimedia and releasing the next worship CD. Worship CD's are cool, they give you something to sing along to in the car if you feel like it. Multimedia is a useful tool, but it should not form the whole basis of your evangelistic strategy! I know a friend who had decided to host a fun, musical and entertaining evening as part of an outreach to the local community. He was considering what would be a good venue that would most likely attract the crowds. I suggested a local popular pub or hall. He eventually went with the church building. Why? Because the equipment was better. But how many unchurched people are going to feel like spending their Saturday night in a church? Sure the building is modern and warm but they don't know that. Most peoples idea of a church is bingo-night with the over 70s not Saturday night live with Jools Holland. Also, why can't an outreach involve alcohol? Most people can be trusted to behave themselves and pubs are already adept at handling the odd drunk. CULTURE VULTURE: Customer Service. As evidenced by the growing mega-churches in not only the US, but Australia. It's not just about worship anymore, it's about entertainment value. Of course there's nothing wrong with offering a tea and coffee time after the service. Offering services to the local community such as a mums & tots, counseling or coffee shop is brilliant. Equally churches that hire and provide buses to the community for poorer people who do not have cars to bring them to church on Sunday is a great. When the bus idea devolves into a golf-cart for people walking from the car park on a Sunday morning (as I have witnessed in one church), it goes from being a service to the community to a service to middle class church goers. A sort of 'customer service' rather than meeting a need. Is there such a thing as going too far? Customer service coupled with mass marketing above are both products of consumerism and western business models (which are more concerned with turnover than lives), which I have touched on before. 5 issues the church should be concerned about INJUSTICE: Predatory and Exploitative Systems. There seems to be an unwritten law in the western hemisphere of the church that anyone who runs a company or business is successful and THEREFORE God has blessed that person and THEREFORE that person is a righteous person who is beyond sin and wrongdoing. Which is why anyone who dares to challenge companies or authorities for moral and legal reasons is treated with contempt. How much more would the church be respected in the world if it used its influence to challenge systems that are anti-human. People do not exist for the law, the law exists for people. INJUSTICE: Anti-immigration. Christians have an implicit moral duty to stand up for the immigrant, legal or illegal. In Britain today immigrants are blamed for much of the problems in society and vilified by the media. In respect to immigration, Christians should not feel obliged to comply with the law if it means immigrants being treated unfairly. CULTURE SHIFT: Technology and Publicity. How will the multi-million dollar Christian music industry fare against the culture shift to in P2P and Creative Commons? Will they be taking legal action against their neighbour, or is it time for a rethink on those 'rights'? Same goes for videos, books and Christian retail. Isn't it time the church went back to basics when spreading the word? Do we really need Celebrians? INEQUALITY: Institutionalised Greed. Many Christians make the mistake of associating capitalism with Christianity. Where that idea came from it's hard to tell, since the gospel has its roots in sharing (P2P anyone?). Capitalism makes individuals rich, but has many ill side-effects for the majority: Accommodation seekers, blue-collar workers and small businesses, for example. Prof. Prabhu Guptara has published a couple of thoughtful articles on the subject of sustainability and institutionalised greed which are worth a read if you have the time. INJUSTICE: Ubuntu. There is much injustice in the world today due to corrupt governments. Governments that desire authoritarian control over their people. As Christians we should pray for our leaders, but we should also hold them to account and make a stand against any policy that seeks to register human beings and make it illegal to exist without being registered. 5 innovative thing that the church should try Open Source and Creative Commons - Actually try sharing the gospel instead of marketing it. Stop spending money on expensive media projects and make a difference to ordinary people. Look for a need that is not being met in the community, rather than jumping on the latest trends. Protest against corporate irresponsibility and greed, rather than Jerry Springer: The Opera Open up a high street shop and simply offer free help... anything, anyone. Technorati Tags: injustice, culture, inequality, bible bashing, church issues, environment, gay rights, abortion, church marketing, mega church, consumerism, predatory systems, morals, immigration, God, Jesus, Christian celebrities, p2p, creative commons, copyright, institutionalised greed, government, church, Christianity, ubuntu DISCUSS THIS POST

Ulterior Verse of the Day - Looking for Borders of Their Own

"And they admitted that illegal aliens and strangers didn't belong in their country. People who say such things show that they are happy with the country God has given them to protect. If they had been thinking of leaving their country, they would have been wrong. Instead, they were happy in the country they were born in. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared borders for them to defend." - Epistle to the Hebrews Ch. 11 Apparently the Devil is seeking to undermine God's country. And when I say God's country, I'm obviously talking about America of course. America is the place God has prepared for us Christians to go when we die, except we better have our passports and visas ready, or we're all going to Hell with Europe instead. That was all according to Utah Republican County District Chairman Don Larsen a couple of months ago. Unfortunately the original article has been removed from The Salt Lake Tribune but the comments are still there. How many people on Earth walk around like they are carrying Passports that will get them into Heaven, while not realising their own 'visa' has 'expired'? Technorati Tags: illegal immigration, republican, borders, america, heaven, bible verse

10 Reasons Not To Wash

This is an old one that's been banging around the internet, nevertheless it's still a good one. In one church, the pastor, apparently fed up with all the excuses given over the years as to why people don't go to church, included "Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash" in the Sunday bulletin: I was forced to as a child. People who wash are hypocrites -- they think they are cleaner than everybody else. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can't decide which one is best. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped. I wash only on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter. None of my friends wash. I'll start washing when I get older and dirtier. I can't spare the time. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter or cool enough in summer. People who make soap are only after your money.

Holy Smoke

Believe in me, send no money I died on the cross, and that ain't funny But my so called friends, they're making me a joke They missed out what I said, like I never spoke They choose what they wanna hear, they don't tell a lie They just leave out the truth as they're watching you die They're saving your souls by taking your money Flies around shit bees around honey Holy smoke holy smoke There's plenty bad preachers for the devil to stoke Feed 'em in feet first this is no joke This is thirsty work making holy smoke, yeah Making holy smoke Jimmy reptile and all his friends Say they gonna be with you at the end Burning records, burning books Holy soldiers, nazi looks Crocodile smiles just wait a while Till the tv queen gets her make-up clean I've lived in filth I've lived in sin and I still smell cleaner than the shit you're in Holy smoke Smells good They ain't religious but they ain't no fools When Noah built his cadillac it was cool Two by two they're still going down And the satellite circus just left town I think they're strange and when they're dead They can have a lincoln for their bed Friend of the president trick of the tail Now they ain't got a prayer 100 years in jail Lyrics: Iron Maiden

Hypocracy Is Still Hypocracy

I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but I find the faith of the Mennonites to be fraud. Yes, they may seem eccentric and are not doing any harm to anyone, but what example are they setting to the world? MSNBC reports that Missouri Mennonites are planning to move out of the state because a new law forces them to have a photo ID on their driving licenses: "The Mennonites — a plain-living sect whose members are similar to the Amish, but usually more worldly — say the 2004 law conflicts with the Biblical prohibition against the making of “graven images.” - MSNBC, Mennonites plan to move over Photo ID's Last time I checked, a graven image was an image or object made specifically for worship, but how many people do you know worship their own photo ID on their passport? Most people I know are practically embarrassed of their photo ID and try to keep it hidden- not exactly an image of worship is it? But there's something more that bothers me about the Mennonites, Amish (though I have great respect for the Amish in their demonstration of their faith) and all other similar followings- and that's the association of their Christian faith with the following of religious rituals. Something that Christ himself came to free us from. I have no problem with alternative lifestyles, or the communities in themselves, but when you begin to use scripture to justify this type of lifestyle. To me it's old covenant, and it is betraying Jesus's message which was to go into all the world and preach the gospel- not form communities and shun the world. What's they are tying a noose around their own neck. If you are going to follow rules, one of those rules is not to lead others into breaking them. Why then are photographs not righteous enough for the Mennonites, but ok for those around them- are they not simply getting someone else to do their dirty work? "Kropf said he is looking to sell his store. He said if he cannot find a buyer, he will stay in Missouri but rely on someone else to bring in his supplies, because he will not be able to hold a driver’s license without agreeing to a photo." "And in Pennsylvania, a state law requiring photo identification to purchase guns has prompted many Amish who hunt to hire non-Amish neighbors to buy guns for them, according to Kraybill." So is it a sin, or not a sin? Is it a religious requirement, or not? It seems even those who have shunned the modern world, still rely on it for certain necessary evils.

Name Dropping

"Prime Minister John Howard recently recognised the Church’s achievements by opening its new childcare facilities, financed with the help of a U.C.I.S loan." - UCIS Flyer "MANY Australians will question the priority of churches which have posted signs saying "Jesus loves Osama", Prime Minister John Howard says." - Herald Sun "I just sat there the whole night with my mouth hanging open. To even have the prime minister John Howard want to go to Edge Church just because he wanted to visit - thats huge!" - AnnaTsang "PRIME Minister John Howard attended an intimate fundraising lunch with a violent Brisbane pornographer, who was facing charges of torture and grievous bodily harm at the time, in the lead-up to the 2004 federal election." - News.com.au In October 19, the Assemblies of God NOW magazine headlined its lead story ‘Deputy P.M. puts Jesus first’. Assistant editor and writer for the magazine, Paul Gallagher, had obtained an exclusive interview with John Anderson on a subject that went deeper than his public office – his personal faith in God... ...Prime Minister John Howard officially launched the book in August 2006, declaring to a room full of politicians and media, “I am delighted this book has been written.” - AOG Now Magazine "Mr Howard said al-Qaeda should be "praying as many times as possible" for an Obama victory in the 2008 elections." - BBC News "The Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. John Howard, officially opened the new 3,500 seat Hillsong Church Convention Centre in Sydney’s north-west on Saturday, 19 October 2002." - AOG Now Magazine "Back then, of course, he talked a lot about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction; that does not make compelling reading today. Worse, back then Howard said not a word about what would happen after Saddam was gone. Back then he was saying Australian troops would be home in a few months." - The Age My dear friends, don't let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, "Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!" and either ignore the street person or say, "Better sit here in the back row," haven't you segregated God's children and proved that you are judges who can't be trusted? - James, The Message Bible