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

Biblical Indeceny

Reports that the bible had been rated over 18 adults only due to its content were eventually proved false, however it has provoked some thought and debate. I remember several years ago hearing a pastors wife remark to a youth group that she would not watch an 18 rated movie and would forbid her children from watching one. I remember the time because I had watched many 18+ movies before I reached my 18th birthday, and saw nothing wrong with this. When I consider the bible, if they ever made a true to the letter film version it would probably get an unclassified rating and be banned. After all the Holy Book is full of detailed accounts of murder, rape, incest, war, cannibalism, bestiality, explicit sexual references, animal sacrifice, human sacrifice, horror, genocide, slavery, death and execution. So I usually find it ironic when Christians talk about censorship. I found it ironic when people complained about the amount of blood and violence in The Passion. So why do we try to protect children from the truth? Why do we make up lies like Santa Claus, insulate them with mindless childrens programs and modify true stories by excluding the bad parts? I think the Victorians had it right with Grimm Fairytales and Nursery Ryhmes. They seemed to strike the balance between having fun, playing safe but also revealing the darker side of an exciting and enchanting world: If you play out in the forest, watchout for the big bad wolf. Christians need to rethink censorship and what truths and fairytales they choose to spin to their children, if they really want their children to be able to interact with and be a light to a fallen world. By gently exposing them to the truth and the fallen nature of man, they will not be shocked, surprised or seduced later in life by some of the evils they are bound to encounter.

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

Omazing Grace

Words fail me I actually found the lyrics so you can sing along: O-maaaa-zing Graaaa, How sweee da sound Hnnuuuaaa yuuunnuuu yuiike meeeeeee Aaauuu-iiiing graaauuuu yuuooo naaaay, yuuoooaar O-thaaaa yeuuuuiiiii niiii eeeeee HT: What a Weenie! Technorati Tags: amazing grace, video, worship, church, christian, humour

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

Foolish Words

This is a sidestep from my usual rant. This new year I made 1 resolution. My resolution could be viewed as foolhardy, unwise and uninformed. It felt that way anyway. Even as the words left my lips, I felt uncomfortable and had no way of backing it up. Nevertheless the words had passed into the air, and were out there. They were verbal deeds. My declaration? This will be the year of 'Take Back'. Take back from those companies that have ripped me off, forced unfair terms or acted with impure motives. I was referring to banks and loans companies that had heaped charges on me for missing payments or going overdrawn (this was not always a case of my error but a mismanagement of my accounts by them). I was also referring to other companies who had caused me undue financial disorder including phone, broadband and tenancy. I've had many arguments about these issues, most notably with Christians. Christians who see it as a judgment call, ironically the people who are most depending on Christ to show them mercy, are the most reluctant to show mercy to others in the form of assistance with the consequences of their mistakes. There are also many Christians for whom governments and private companies are beyond reproach, as though the rules they create, regardless of morality, fairness and legality are eternally binding. Those that break those rules, even when lacking in ability to fulfill the requirements, deserve the full punishment for doing so. Anyway, in the heat of the moment I had said it. Riding on a temporary wave of optimism, and the feeling of power (that I can in hindsight confirm was the holy spirit), I had made a declaration. A prophecy. One in which I wanted to reach out, grab the words and eat them before anyone heard. One which I wanted to quietly forget. What is it that stops us from prophesying, healing the sick and casting out demons? Is it the fear of failure? Have we been so conditioned to success and 'successful living' that we fear making a mistake in front of believers and non-believers alike? I'm pretty certain that this is the reason. I'm also pretty certain this is the way God wants it. He wants us to be prepared to make fools of ourselves, so that everyone can see it is not us that is performing the miracle, it is him. I believe that 'successful living' and prosperity teaching is almost in direct contradiction to this. Simply because successful living tries to deliver us from foolishness, and prosperity teaching tells us to rely on finance to further the kingdom of God. By all means teach prosperity, teach how to succeed, but don't make it a part of Gods will, don't make it doctrine for the church. These two things can be taught to and by non-Christians. Therefore I see them as fundamental to the church as successful food recipes and how best to decorate your house. I know that anything I've ever done, that God has inspired or managed, has either been at risk to my reputation, caused me to doubt or to fear the consequences. Each time I believe God has done it this way to draw out those things and make me more dependent on him. My foolhardy 'Year of Take Back' is just one of the latest examples I have decided to share. So far the Year of Take Back has resulted in: £700 unfair charges claimed back from my bank £20 overcharge claimed back from previous broadband supplier £60 refund of money transfer fees from lettings agent I won't go into detail on this post, but there is still much more to recover from another bank and a loans company. 'Take Back' not just about recovering monies. It's also about holding companies to account on contract terms they have agreed to. Holding companies to account on legal issues. It's about refusing to pay charges that are not enforceable by law, and it's about disseminating information so others can do the same. Power is shifting from governments and corporate enterprise to individuals. For a long time they have been able to abuse the poorest and most defenseless of society... no more. And yeah, take that risk, declare something that is beyond you but something you need, then trust in God to deliver you. There are plenty of examples in the bible of 'fools rushing in': Maybe God is with us, maybe not? Let's do it anyway... Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?! Say the word, Lord, I'll come out to meet you! As well as people who are just not confident or successful enough: Seriously, you got the wrong guy! What are you doing hiding in this winepress? I was weak, and not very persuasive...

Prints in the Sand

Such a beautiful poem, I thought I should share: One night I had a wondrous dream, One set of footprints there was seen, The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore. But then some stranger prints appeared, And I asked the Lord," What have we here?" Those prints are large and round and neat. "But Lord, they are too big for feet." "My child," He said in somber tones, "For miles I carried you alone. I challenged you to walk in faith, But you refused and made me wait.” "You disobeyed, you would not grow, The walk of faith, you would not know, So I got tired, I got fed up. And there I dropped you on your butt." "Because in life, there comes a time, When one must fight, and one must climb, When one must rise and take a stand, Or leave their butt prints in the sand." - Author Unknown

Banana Nightmare

Why as Christians (and I'm looking at you, youth leaders in particular) do we constantly feel the need to follow the latest cultural trends. Why is it every time a successful brand develops in the world, we can't resist going ahead and make our own Christianised brand version of it? A "Christian" version which more often than not is an appalling insult to the intelligence of people outside the church. Do we really expect our children to be real leaders and have an impact on the world by protecting them from groups and ideas that are not intrinsically Christian? Why can't the church be the alternative to the culture that people are looking for. Why can't the church stand for enduring principles rather than short-term cultural appeal? Don't we stand to win more people working within existing cultural and social frameworks, rather than creating our own ill-conceived ones? What is the purpose of Godtube for example? Sure there may be some great exegesis and apologetics out there- but doesn't that actually prove the point that Christians should be shooting it on Youtube? Doesn't it actually force you, as a Christian, to come up with something powerful, meaningful and coherent to say- rather than having a safe 'playground' to expose your crackpot theology without criticism? From Godtube: The Atheist I can't be the only one who had wrong images in my head when he was using that banana, and how would he explain a pinapple? But if Godtube is a dumb idea, Conservapedia is even dumberer. Set up, I kid you not, with Wikipedia's MediaWiki engine, because "...that the article on the Renaissance does not give any credit to Christianity, that many Wikipedia articles use non-American spellings even though most users are American, that the article on American activities in the Philippines has a distinctly anti-American bias, and that attempts to include pro-Christian or pro-American views are removed very quickly... Wikipedia is six times more liberal than the American public." (Wikipedia) So here is a random sample article from Conservapedia on Indie Rock: "Rock music made by independant bands. or people not involved with the record industry. Usually with a liberal bias." Conservapedia Entry: Indy Rock (sic) Just for comparrison, here is Wikipedia's entry on Indie Rock: "Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent underground music scene. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with underground music as a whole, though more specifically implicates that the music meets the criterion of being rock, as opposed to indie pop or other possible match-ups. These criteria vary from an emphasis on rock instrumentation (electric guitars, bass guitar, live drums, and vocals) to more abstract (and debatable) rockist constructions of authenticity. It is however not uncommon to see a variety of instruments that are rarely used in other rock genres, such as the violin. "Indie rock" is shorthand for "independent rock", for many of its artists are unsigned or signed to independent record labels, rather than major record labels. It is not strictly a genre of music (although the term is often used to reference the sound of specific bands and the bands they have influenced), but is often used as an umbrella term covering a wide range of artists and styles, connected by some degree of allegiance to the values of underground culture, and (usually) describable as rock music. Genres or subgenres often associated with indie rock include lo-fi, post-rock, sadcore, C86, and math rock, to list but a few; other related (and sometimes overlapping) categories include shoegazing and indie pop. Indie rock artists place a premium on maintaining complete control of their music and careers, releasing albums on independent record labels (sometimes their own) and relying on touring, word-of-mouth, and airplay on independent or college radio stations for promotion. Some end up moving to major labels, often on favorable terms won by their prior independent success." Wikipedia Entry: Indie Rock Feeling that liberal bias yet? I have one request for the people behind GodTube, Conservapedia and other proponents of 'christian' subcultures. Please, please stop. Now.

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

All Aboard the Environmental Bandwagon

Hurry and get your tickets before the bandwagon leaves and the latest global cultural obsession joins the other short-lived evangelical fashions. I'm not even going to bother lamenting over why the Church does not lead the way in cultural issues, instead of continually chasing the last boat. Instead I implore any Christian leaders to come upon or regularly read this blog (those who have not denounced it as heresy) to do their research before joining the Climate Nazis! Make an informed decision and at least promote debate, for Christ's sake (and I use the Lords name in the strongest and most sincerest terms)!

Big Brother In Christ

Respect to Reverend Richard Moy who seems to be the only one in the Church of England Synod who is grounded in reality (no pun intended). "Wait, what is that muffled noise I hear? oh, it's just the God squad moaning about society again" Isn't it about time the Church actually tried to engage in society rather than make a moral stand against it (even when it has nothing to do with immorality, it's just not polite). If they would just look a bit deeper they may find that Big Brother has more in common with faith than they realise. Yes I try to avoid it but every year I end up getting pulled in, here's why... A group of people enter a house, locked in for 3 months, no contact with the outside world, all they have is the character they came in with and a big Voice that descends from the microphones giving them daily instructions, providing food and occasionally someone to talk to. Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." - Exodus 17:4 Just as God watches over us, interacts with us and provides for us, so does Big Brother the housemates (admittedly sometimes mischievously). Just as we pray to God in the secret place, the housemates enter the diary room to chat to Big Brother about the things that are bothering them, to ask for something, or to simply share how their day is going. They ask for gifts, and sometimes they get them, but sometimes there is a task or mission that Big Brother wants them to achieve. "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." - Matthew 6:6 From the point they enter the house, they have entered a smaller version of the world- where character and culture are bound to clash. Big Brother watches ocassionally intervenes, and so do we watch and vote. We watch the good, the bad and the ugly. We are able to see everything that goes on, every conversation that happens. We can see when someone is being deceptive, when they are gossiping and sniping. We can also see the genuine people and we admire them, we cheer them on. "...from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do." - Psalm 33:14-15 But they don't hear us, they don't see what we see. Just as in this world, people go about their daily lives, some think they're ok, they're not harming anyone, some try their best to win without concern for others, and then there are some who suffer unfairly. We don't see it happening, we don't see how others see us, but God and the Angels see it all and they cheer or they growl. "God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day." - Psalm 7:11 I believe that Angels intervene also, just as we are given a vote, the Angels are given authority to intervene in our lives on occasion to bring us hope, or put down enemies. Some housemates think they are a popular characters, though they have treated the others with contempt. What they have done with their time in the house, how they have treated the others has been on display for all to see, and they get 'justice' served (in the form of boos). Those who have acted with integrity, who have challenged the cheats, or risen above get the cheers. There are even times when one housemate in particular undergoes terrible persecution in the form of bullying- and they are cheered on, unaware of the army of supporters they have on the outside. "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." - Luke 15:10 Condemning shows like Big Brother and the contestants that take part, it's almost like condemning humanity- since that is what it is at it's worst.

Successful Christian Leadership

Why is it that church leaderships, particularly megachurches, act so secretly? PastorJoeRuth links to a news article in the SharperIron blog: "In the past few months, two Colorado Springs churches — New Life Church and Grace Episcopal — have struggled to balance transparency and privacy while navigating high-profile crises. Their integrity is at stake, with congregants sitting in judgment." - Colorado Springs Gazette The main article discusses finances, but below it references the outing of Ted Haggard, former pastor of New Life Church: "Congregants don’t know where Haggard went for his counseling or other details of Haggard’s restoration process. They don’t know details of his “sexual immorality.” They are given periodic updates on the search for a new senior pastor, but they’re not privy to meetings of the pastoral-selection committee." British readers may not be familiar with Ted Haggard or the scandal that occurred in November. I was in America at the time when the news broke so it is quite vivid in my memory. On 1st November 2006 a former male prostitute publicly alleged that Haggard had been a frequent client of his over the previous 3 years and had engaged in sex and drug-taking with him. What interests me is Haggards first response when he was tracked down by new reporters. He flatly denied the allegations and denied ever knowing the male prostitute. It was a day or later that he resigned from his position and went into marriage counseling (still later that the rest of the church leadership came forward to disclose that he had admitted to 'some' of the claims). My point is this: There has to be something wrong when a Christian cannot be the first person to get down on their knees and admit a sin when it is made public. And this was not just a Christian, but a self-proclaimed leader who is supposed to be teaching us how to be humble, how to admit your sin and seek forgiveness. Now, you can accuse me of judging and you can accuse me of a holier-than-thou attitude, you'd be wrong on both counts. I personally know a Pastor who came clean straight away when confronted about his adultery, and there is no greater example than in the bible of how a 'man after God's own heart' responds: Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' " Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." - 2 Sam 12:7-13 NIV I can't think of any reason that a Christian would not repent when confronted like this with sin, when it is on display for all to see. It would be foolish, worse, it would be a slight to the Holy Spirit within. Yet no matter how many mega/pioneer/great lifey type churches we visit or attend, we continue to see this same brand of touchy-feely protectionism and almost Mafia like qualities with a twist of Stepford housewives. Why for example, when a church is being sued, keep the details from the congregation (who tithe and are supposedly part of the 'family'). Are the congregation too stupid to trust? Why try to cover up sins of a Pastor, or keep the 'restoration process' secretive. Surely part of the 'restoration' is to the church family? You may argue that these are people who are entitled to their private lives. May I suggest that it is the desire to keep a private life that causes these sins to be covered up in the first place. May I also suggest that someone attaining to be a pastor, especially of a mega/pioneer church, city on a hill, example to non-Christians, that a private life is the last thing you should seek let alone earn. When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick." - Matt 14:13-14 The Message Someone who wants leadership, but wants to maintain a private life or low profile, should not consider becoming a Christian pastor or minister. It is my opinion that they should instead try becoming a CEO, entertainer or politician. But this is the crux of the matter. In many large, modern, charismatic churches there is no distinction between the pastoral role and the role of a CEO. Many Christian leaders now lecture empower business people and hold leadership conferences. In turn, the church borrows business practices, methods and ... *shudder* ... buzzwords. I noticed just the other day on a piece of church literature that they hold cell groups for youth, adults and ... business people! Why are cell groups needed for business people? Are they some other species apart from us. Do adults beget children, business people beget business people? Oh it's all about strategy and wealth creation blah, blah, blahdy-blah. Let me tell you who you're strategy is- it's the church- and by that I mean the people! Not some flip chart. Half of these people have not even heard of Herzberg, Maslow or Mintzberg yet they still go on to claim some sort of positional authority without question. What happens when the lines between the impersonal business world and the church become blurred. Privacy and privilege become the stakes. Pastors begin to act like CEO's, and risk becoming corrupt politicians. Don't admit there are problems until there is substantial evidence... in fact don't admit problems. Keep information about the churches progress low key or secret, as if to stay ahead of some sort of imaginary competition. Maximise profits (for the Kingdom), focus on PR, Celebrians (Christian celebrities), and releasing worship albums. Repeat the mantra, "Isn't life great?" It wasn't a male prostitute, the devil, or lust that got to Haggard, it was power. Haggard was seduced by power and status, which is why he had not already repented in 3 years. It is why he struggled with the truth even in front of the National media. In the end Jesus' words ring true: "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" - Matthew 16:25-26 NLT UPDATE: 11/03/07 Relevant Magazine features an article by Aaron Van Voorhis on The Commercial Church, worth a read. Ironic Referral: Church Marketing Sucks

The Purpose Driven Fisherman

I s a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches any fish? Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry. Week after week, month after month, and year after year these men, who called themselves fishermen, met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing meant, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen. BETTER METHODS Continually they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. Further they said, "The fishing industry exists by fishing as fire exists by burning." They loved slogans such as "Fishing is the task of every fisherman," "Every fisherman is a fisher," and "A fisherman's outpost for every fisherman's club." They sponsored special meetings called "Fishermen's Campaigns" and "The Month for Fishermen to Fish." They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide congresses to discuss fishing and to promote fishing and hear about all the ways of fishing, such as the new fishing equipment, fish calls, and whether any new bait was discovered. These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "Fishing Headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however, they didn't fish. In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a Board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. All the fishermen seemed to agree that what was needed was a Board, which would challenge fishermen to be faithful in fishing. The Board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes where many other fish of different colors lived. Also the Board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish. TRAINING CENTERS Large, elaborate, and expensive training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, the psychological reactions of fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology. But the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, after tedious training, many were graduated and were given fishing licenses. They were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters which were filled with fish. Some spent much study and travel to learn the history of fishing and to see faraway places where the founding fathers did great fishing in centuries past. They lauded the faithful fishermen of years before who handed down the idea of fishing. PRINTING HOUSES Further, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. Presses were kept busy day and night to produce materials solely devoted to fishing methods, equipment, and programs to arrange and to encourage meetings to talk about fishing. A speaker's bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing. Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded. They were commissioned and sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home they never fished. Like the fishermen back home they engaged in all kinds of other occupations. They built power plants to pump water for fish and tractors to plough new waterways. They made all kinds of equipment to travel here and there to look at fish hatcheries. Some also said that they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to furnishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. Others felt that simply letting the fish know they were nice land-loving neighbors, and how loving and kind they were, was enough. After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity for Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fishermen's General Board as a person having considerable experience. TALKING ABOUT FISHING Now it is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men?" (Mark 1:17) Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don't catch fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be! Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing? Attributed to John Drescher

What's Sexual Orientation Got To Do With It?

Churches and Christian organisations all over our nation are panicking about the new Sexual Orientation Regulations. SOR are due to be introduced by our splendid government in April 2007, after a parliamentary vote scheduled for February 2007 at the latest. What's the problem? Whilst the regulations will not affect churches directly, there is a possibility that Christian organisations or individuals who operate commercially, could be prosecuted for withdrawing or failing to offer services to someone on the grounds of them being of a homosexual orientation. But wait, let's consider this in detail. The regulations are not against preaching, teaching or practicing the Christian faith. They are about treating homosexuals equally. In my mind, no church should have a problem with this. The only 'service' a church should be offering is the service of directing people to salvation. Therefore if a homosexual man walked into a church and inquired as to how he might obtain salvation, anyone he meets there should be only too eager to point him in the direction. It appears that the regulations will affect the 'Christian' organisations and individual 'Christian' commercial operators (self-employed/business owners). Now, it's conceivable that some Christian-owned businesses or organisations would refuse to offer services to homosexuals, but the question we should be asking is, what is the purpose of these businesses and organisations? If you are a Christian individual offering services on a commercial basis, the only reason I can see for turning away a person of known homosexuality is reasons of bigotry and ignorance. For a start, you are not loving your neighbour, therefore not operating your business for the glory of God, and are ultimately giving up any right you had to class your business as a 'Christian' business. If you are a Christian organisation, like the church, you would probably find no difficulty in complying with these unnecessary regulations, unless however, your Christian organisation is actually run for profit. There is the snag, you are refusing custom from a homosexual and are once again not reaching out with the love of Jesus. You are a resounding clang, a money-changer in the temple courts. As for me, I don't really care what regulation the government brings in, I will practice my faith and continue to worship God, and not bow to any regulations that would threaten to contradict this. Of course, I don't operate a business or Pastor a church, so I have far less to lose.