Sorry I have been missing

I have been very busy remodelling the building in Ascot Vale. With this and my other resposibilities I haven't had much energy for original thoughts.

We expect to have our first Sunday night service on the 7th of May, and we will have a "GRAND OPENING" celebration church service on the 21st of May. I hope you Melbourne folks will put it in your diaries and come out. We are excited, and hope this will serve as a center for mission to the western and northern suburbs.

the rev

Supermarket monkey

What a great blog by a newer friend of mine. Has pictures!!!

I should try that. Great insights, very deep thinking. This really blessed me, and convicted me this morning so I thought I would share it with you. Please use the links and experience the wonderful blog.

Good on ya Josh

the rev

The Cross part one

As we prepare for Resurection Sunday, I would like to talk about the cross a bit. As we start, I would like to focus on the cross from a different perspective. You see, the cross is probably the biggest difficulty in explaining our faith. Martin De Graff talked to us yesterday about how the cross is the stumbling point when speaking to non Christians. And that it is in fact, not only confronting, but down right insulting. "What do you mean, that someone had to be murdered for me?" And I will get into the cross, and what it means to us, and why its so difficult to understand for those that aren't in our club. But first I would like to look at something from a different point of view. I would like to look not at Jesus' cross, but rather my cross.

In the eighth chapter of Mark, Jesus says that we are to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. That if we seek to find our life we lose it, but in losing our life we find it. It appears to me that for all of our focus on Jesus' cross, we have a very lacking understanding of what it means to pick up our own cross.

Now before guessing where I am going with this do me a favour, stop and reflect for a second on what your cross is.

If you are like most Christians, myself included the first thing you think of is the difficulties you are experiencing. Or a particular temptation or sin that you are constantly fighting against. Well, this definately is part of our Christian walk. And I believe this is definately what Paul was talking about when he tells us of his "thorn in the flesh", but this is hardly our cross. I have heard people talk about their arthritis as their cross, or their struggle with pornography, or even their spouse. But my friends, this is not even close to being your cross.

Now before I go any further let me not minimize suffering. We must acknowledge that much is gained in our suffering, and as we offer our suffering up to God, we get true fellowship with God, and as we are told in scripture, we participate or have fellowship with Jesus' suffering. And this truely is a beautiful thing, I do not make light of it at all.

However, Jesus cross took His life. And your cross, must take your life as well. There is no difference in our crosses, they all are the death of us. As Jesus said, when we seek to lose our life, we truly find it. The cross I am called to pick up is the one that kills me, so that I may be truly resurected in Christ. I think Paul in Romans summed it up best when he says, the only reasonable way to worship God, is to offer our very lives, as a sacrificial offering. When God sent the once born son, into the world to die on the cross, the love of God was proved. But in the same way Jesus was sent to the world to fulfill Gods love, we are now sent by Jesus, to fulfill Gods love to the world. When I understand, that like Jesus, I am to lay down my life for others, to make the ultimate sacrifice and leave off my selfish ways to serve others, I am understanding the kingdom of God, and violently bringing it into this world. We are called to imitate Christ, not just in morality, but in the very essence of His life, which is the calling of the cross. We are not excused of this. God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son, and my friends, He still loves the world so that He sends His adopted sons and daughters, to give their lives for it as well.

I think that we may understand the legal part of the cross, and the love of God through the cross, but the true disciple of Jesus must experience the cross of Jesus, by taking up there own cross. It is in this, that we truely understand the Christ. I pray I might have the courage, to give up my life, that I might live. And I pray the same for you.

the rev

Watched V last night

I loved it. And the fact that I really like pretty girls with shaved heads, is not the reason I liked this film. I won't get into the plot too much, and admittedly this could have been a very very poorly done film. It is just the idea, and the dream that captured me. I actually cried a bit at the end.

You see, I am forty years old, I have two teen aged daughters and I have been married for 17 years. Yet I still have this belief, this hope, that some day the people on this earth will wake up. We will together bring justice, mercy, equality and love to the forefront of our consciousness, and actually bring about change. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I think we may someday cast off the yoke of oppression, and be truly free. I believe that their will be a revolution, a non violent revolution that will bring the kingdom of God in such a way that all the world will see, how good and how perfect it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity. I don't know how I hold on to this hope, my life seems to say it can never happen. Maybe I am just stupid.

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I do not advocate violence, ever.

the rev

My pastor Buddy

No that not his title, that is his nickname. His real name is John, but everyone calls him Buddy, or maybe bud. I just talked to him today, first time in maybe two and a half years. It was so good to hear his voice I almost cried. I needed to talk to him regarding our visa application. It sucks that it took me needing something to finally call my friend, and the most important Christian influence in my life, but it did.

What is a bit funny is I was thinking about him just the other day. See Bud isn't your average pastor guy. He worked construction, and kept working construction after he was a pastor. He never went to bible college, but taught himself to read Greek. He has a photographic memory, and has read the bible from cover to cover so many times, that he knows almost every passage and its address. He has never learned to speak Christianese, and is one of the funniest men I have ever known. He used to be a quick draw artist, yes I mean cowboys and pistols here. And the guy can do magic with a knife, from all his years as an insulator. But what is most amazing about him is his way to relate scripture, and stories, to whatever situation you happen to find yourself in. He is one of the wisest men on the planet I think.

Now this may sound a bit arrogant after all of the praise I have heaped on him, but the other day I found myself saying the things I had heard him say many years ago. I realized that I am now, the age he was when we met. And as I talk to the young leaders I am coaching, I find myself copying my old coach. I also find myself trying to counsel and encourage others like he did. I am becoming like he was, though not as good I suspect. What a testimony, and a warning to us all. What we are, will influence those that we minister to in profound ways.

When I grow up I still want to be like Buddy, cause he is a lot like Jesus.

the rev

things have changed

When I woke up this morning I had a remembrance. Not sure if I was dreaming about it or not. But I remember watching a movie about a native american (we called them indians back then) and a frontiersman that had become best friends. At one point the indian took a knife and cut the other mans hand, and then cut his own, then he clasped hands with the white man, and wrapped their hands with a white rag that became a bit less white.

They became blood brothers. This was a way of saying we are now of the same blood, we are now family.

Ofcourse my best mate and I immediately did the same thing. Although, we just scratched ourselves with pocket knives, and our hankerchief didnt' actually get much blood on it. It was our way of saying we are best friends forever. We were probably eight years old.

It is interesting in this day of HIV and AIDS how important blood is now. I would guess even a child would not do this anymore. I mean we stop a wrestling tourney, go running for the bleach bottle and will even disqualify a competitor if we can't completely contain the blood.

And mine is a bloody religion. I was made a blood brother with another in a far more gruesome, and universal act years ago. And I celebrate this bloody act often. The life is in the blood.

the rev

eating, not eating and eating

In the second chapter of Mark we see Jesus start to crush some stereotypes very quickly. First thing in the chapter Jesus heals a paralyzed man, but not before upsetting everyone by telling him his sins are forgiven.

Then he goes to a party at his new friend Matthews house. And is eating and drinking with tax gatherers (traitors and thieves) and sinners. The pharisees get very upset that Jesus is hanging out with these unworthy people, I mean after all, isn't he a traveling preacher? Jesus, lets then know, he will be spending a lot of time with these people, and that He came to call them to turn around. Who do you eat with?

Then some people start hassling Jesus about fasting, and wondering why his disciples don't fast. And he tells them that it isn't time to fast, cause Jesus is still with them. But when He is taken away then they will fast. But he also tells them that He didn't come to patch up their religion, nor to fill it with a new wine, but that He is starting from scratch. Seems this new religion is more about people and relationships and less about ritual. (funny when he does give us a ritual it is a meal)

Then the disciples are walking through the fields on a sabbath, and being hungry that pull off a few heads of grain, rub them between their fingers and start having a midday snack. Well the religious types are again upset that they would be threshing wheat on the sabbath. But Jesus explains that the day of rest is meant to help the people, not that the people are there to help the sabbath.

I hope you break some rules today, I know I plan to. :)

the rev

Neil Cole, my hero!!!

My new job

Well my friends, I have started a new job. Its not really a new job, but rather a new phase of my job. I have begun to work with the Ascot Vale Church of Christ. We have been talking over the last few months, and we have decided to see just what God has in mind. I am very excited.

The group of people at this church are wonderful. They have such a heart for mission, and are currently reaching out in beautiful ways to their neighbors, particularly new settlers. I have joined them to add some additional projects, and to help them to continue their wonderful work. I will be joined in this by my wife and daughters, (we pretty much are a package deal), one of the FORGE interns from last year Dan, and an intern from this year Anthony.

We will be starting a Sunday night service that will be a diverse, challenging, creative and hopefully interesting. We will be opening the church building as a drop in center (lounge, coffee, table tennis, homework help, art workshops ect.) . We will be hoping to start additional congregations in the neighborhood. We are already working to help some settlers with their English. As well as working on growing together with our new community.

If you could pray for a few things:

I am very busy now and need to get better at my time management

New things and change are always hard

I would like to find someone to teach me Arabic

To find some more workers for the harvest

For Dan to find work and a place to live in Ascot Vale

and most of all, for those of us involved, a fresh filling of God's Spirit

If you would like to help, or know anyone who might want to help we have some practical needs as well:

We need some tradesmen, (there are some things we need to do, and some things we want to do), to help with some renovation

We need some funds for materials and equipment

I am very honoured and excited to get this opportunity, and I pray we will see much fruit over the next few years.

the rev

Time for a diet

Well, I have been on a see food diet for a while. You know, see food and then you eat it. I have also been a bit too liberal in my beer drinking, not drinking too much at once, just drinking too much per week. And I think my body is mad at me.

Today I start a diet to get me back on the right track. Not really concerned with how I look, cause...

I look good!!!

:)

But more concerned with my health, and my lack of energy.

But that leads me to me point. Whenever I diet, I cannot do it like a normal person. No cutting back on a few things, beer only once on the weekends, eat a bit more veggies. No, I cannot actually stay on a diet like that. For me it has to be extreme in one way or another. Now I don't mean straving myself, (though I have done that for weight cutting purposes in the past) I mean more like, no carbs, or maybe all organic food. I need a challenge, or else I am just not interested.

My faith is a bit like that as well. When things are comfortable, just cruising along... Well I don't do very well. I need to be out on the edge, doing something creative, something bold, something that takes up my attention, and give outlet for my passion. Now is a time like that for me, and I feel like I am really reaching stride. I know not everyone is like this, but it just seems to me that maybe when we extend ourselves far enough, we have to depend on God, and to seek Him. Maybe being extreme is being the most safe, I don't know, but it works for me.

My diet? Well its gonna be raw veggies, raw nuts, fruit, and a little bit of fish, no dairy. Lots and lots of water, and I am gonna try to excercise more. But the biggie, the one I am most scared about... No coffee. Now I can't handle a full blown caffeine withdrawal, so I am switching to green tea. But I am gonna wait a week for that,

Wish me luck

the rev