Dever on relevancy and faithfulness

We've been discussing relevance and culture and the mission of the church in the thread below. I read an article by Mark Dever today that was most helpful. (h/t Craig).

Here's a bit to get you thinking.

"On the other hand, I am concerned about those who, in the name of evangelism, alter everything in their churches’ services to make the non-Christian feel more at home, all the while, ironically, assuming that everybody sufficiently understands the gospel. In other words, they don’t preach the whole counsel of God, and they do not speak week after week about God’s holy character, his holy wrath, his love made all the more astounding in light of his holiness, and his remarkable act of substitution on the cross. Like I already said, read their books and attend their conferences and you learn that they apparently think that knowing how to "be relevant" is the church’s major challenge. Holding onto the gospel, it would seem, is comparatively easy.

Consider what might actually be happening to the gospel message when all our effort goes into changing the "presentation" until we successfully yield a response from carnal man. Might we
not actually be at risk of changing the message itself?"

Mark Dever

Read more here.

10 points for anyone who knows me well enough to get the joke with the picture

Two Firsts!

I've never played Tennis before. (gasp!) I've never been the sporty type, although I've played a lot of tabletennis. I'm having my first hit this afternoon with a guy from our Bible Study who's gone Tennis Crazy in the last few weeks, and wants a hitting partner. Should be fun!

After that another mate is coming over for some coffee roasting and Bible reading. Despite being a professional barista in my life before full time ministry, I've never actually roasted coffee before. Will let you know how it goes!

My space...

...is so cluttered and jumbled (click here). I just don't get what the attraction is...?

Driscoll on the Emerging Church

I've been trying to find something to help me understand the 'emerging church' in a simple way for quite some time now. This video helped me to at least start getting my head around this complicated concept.
A major problem seems to be the terminology - emerging has three differnt strands, and then there is 'emergent' which sounds the same but seems to be the one to be wary of. As Driscoll says: "They tend to be more liberal on such things as substitutionary atonement, authority of scripture, exclusivity of Christ, and original sin...". The other branches seem to be more interested in rethinking the practices of church meetings and evangelism to reach a younger, non-churched generation of society. Thoughts?

P.S this is our 100th post! Hooray!

It came in a box

A small box came in the mail for dad today and inside, wrapped in silky tissue paper, was an embossed piece of cardboard with a silk orchid splayed on the corner. The orchid had two brown tendrils (presumably stalks) which curled around two gold names and a date. It was a wedding invitation, so elaborately put together that it needed its own box to be sent in the mail.

My dad reckons that a person’s wedding invite says a lot about the couple. Seeing as Sam and I are getting my graphic designer brother to make a square postcard for us to send, I wonder what that says about us. Funky? Edgy? Modern? Lazy is more like it. Postcard equals no ribbons, feathers, glitter, paper glue, folding, or calligraphy. No RSI from tying miniature bows on numerous pieces of cardboard.

That suits us both down to the ground!

New stuff from Sovereign Grace

I've loved learning some Sovereign Grace songs at church this year. They've just released a new album called Valley of Vision which looks promising. The CD is founded upon the prayers of Puritans like John Bunyan, Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, and Isaac Watts among others. Origianlly published in a book of the same name, now Sovereign Grace have put these prayers to music, and they sound great. I really like 'Let your Kingdom Come'. I hope we pick up some of these for church soon.

Desiring God

Last night at Bible study, we did a one off study on John Piper. In our group planning at the start of the year, our group decided that they would like to learn about some theologians in the weeks between our regular studies. So, having finished Ephesians and having had a social last week, we took to John Piper last night.
We listened to this sermon as a group and then discussed the ideas that it raised. Basically the sermon is the grounds for the first chapter of the book Desiring God.

One verse that Piper refers to in the sermon really resonated with me . Piper had set forth the problem of our sin before God. How can we possibly have confidence that God will forgive us? Is it that God has a duty to forgive us? Is he bound by some heavenly set of rules that force him to be merciful?
Answer: Jeremiah 9:24, "'I am the Lord who performs mercy and justice and righteousness in the earth, because in these things I delight' says the Lord."

God delights in showing us mercy. He loves to do it. He is not, in Piper terms, a 'gloomy God'. He loves to show mercy. He loves to forgive. It brings God joy to be merciful. Thanks be to God that he loves to be merciful!

Blogger Beta

Google is taking over the world.

Blogger Beta has been released. You can tour the features here.
It looks cool, and Google own it.

sitting at the feet of Jesus

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

The first time I ever heard a sermon on Luke 10:13-49 was my school chapel service in year seven. “Life is too busy!” the chaplain exclaimed to a room packed with young girls. “Jesus teaches us that we should take time out for ourselves - not get caught up in constant activity.”

Although I had an inkling that my chaplain had made a huge mistake by leaving out Jesus, for years I agreed with her take-away message - that we are too busy to listen to Jesus (though obviously, I added the “Jesus” bit).

However, recently I came across one small phrase in the passage that made me rethink this. Verse 40 says that Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. It wasn’t Martha’s busyness that Luke chose to highlight in his account. It was the fact that she was distracted, worried and upset about many things.

And understandably so. Jesus – the great teacher and promised Messiah - is coming to visit! Ministry, for that is essentially what Martha is doing by opening her home, never had such a feeling of urgency. There are dishes to cook, rooms to clean, servants to prep. You can’t help but sympathise with her when she turns around and sees her sister Mary barely lifting a finger.

However, Jesus’ response to Mary’s complaints is unexpected. It is Mary, not Martha, who has “chosen what is better”. Rather than rushing about the place worrying about things, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to what He says. Jesus rebukes Martha not for being busy, but for being distracted from what really matters.

When I began this post, I wanted to write about how we should not be so busy with ministry, but make sure we take enough time out to listen to Jesus and read his Word. After all, it’s no secret that Christians are often so busy with meetings, whether it’s a committee meetings, bible studies, leadership training and weekends away. Too often we need to be told to step back, pace ourselves a little and give ourselves room to breathe.

But the more I read this part of the Bible, the more I’m convinced that Jesus is not criticising ministerial acts in themselves, or even the volume of ministry in our lives. Rather, he is putting his finger on the way in which we conduct ministry.

We’ve all been in this situation before. A church event is happening soon and there’s so much to organise: seating, lighting, the sound desk, music, hand outs, supper. Some people are panicking about little things, like forgetting to ask Tom to bring his acoustic, not electric, guitar. Others are spending a large amount of time on a comparatively small matter. Everyone is stressed out and feel like the night can’t come soon enough.

Being half-hearted is wrong. It’s important to put effort and creativity into whatever we do. However, there’s a serious problem when tasks cause people to feel worried, upset or distracted from sitting and listening at the feet of Jesus.

The same goes for the way we live. Ministry is not just doing church activities, but more importantly, giving our entire lives joyfully to the Lord, no matter what situation we are in. Martha allowed herself to be distracted, worried and upset by many things. It didn’t matter that the things she stressed about were inherently good, such as preparing the house for Jesus’ visit. In the end, she cheated herself by focusing on the less important things. Are we tempted to do the same? When I think of the things that consume my mind to the point of stressing me out – my job, relationships, day to day stuff, even ministry – I know I haven’t always chosen the better way.

Jesus goes on to say that what Mary has poured her efforts into “will not be taken away”. This makes so much sense. If I pour all my effort into earning enough money to buy a house, I may be able to enjoy it while I’m here on this earth, but one day it will be gone. Far better to listen to Jesus and invest in an inheritance that will not perish, spoil or fade. If I spend hours on end stressing about beautiful decorations for a church event, or running around like a headless chicken to make dinner for 150 people (while stressing everyone else out in the meantime)…guess what? The meal ends, people go home and tomorrow is another day. Far better to listen to Jesus, be joyful while serving, hear His word and spend the night encouraging others. If I stress about raising my children, about the million and one things I could have done better and the ways I should be “developing their potential”, I will wake up one day to realise they’re 23 and can’t even remember those cello lessons I made them take years ago. Far better to listen to Jesus, and teach them to do the same.

There is nothing wrong with being busy and putting effort into things. Living a life full of activities is wonderful, but they should never distract us from Jesus. I pray that we may sit at his feet until the end of our days, when we finally see Him face to face.

Individual Difference

I think that this is a fantastic article from the Dean. I remember the first time I understood what Paul meant when he described women as the weaker vessel. It was thanks to this book.

Autopilot

I don’t get invited to weddings very often, maybe three or four a year. A week before every wedding, it’s a habit of mine to go through my wardrobe for something to wear, convince myself that I have nothing appropriate and go shopping for a new dress/skirt/top/earrings. I don’t think this is uncommon for most girls (or maybe the naughty, worldly kind like me!); often I’ll go shopping with friends from work because someone has a party on the weekend or a big event coming up at the end of the month.

I’m songleading at Jen and Jon’s wedding this Saturday, so today at lunch I put myself into autopilot and went to some generic chain store (I think it was Sportsgirl or Just Jeans) looking for a new top to wear. I was contemplating a pretty blue blouse when I suddenly stopped and thought about what I was doing.

There are people in this world who struggle to find enough clothes to keep them warm for the winter, or save up a month’s pay just so they can afford to clothe their kids. Then there is me: fortunate enough never to have to worry about those things, but willing to hand over $40 for a new top without thinking. There is something seriously wrong with that! That $40 could be spent in so many better ways. I could give it away to a charity like Compassion. I could put it in my savings account for our church’s building project. I could buy someone who needs cheering up a lovely present. God has clothed and taken care of me so abundantly, like the lilies of the field. I have plenty of perfectly wearable tops to wear to a wedding. Why do I need to buy another one?

This “spiritual battle” in my head made me wonder: how many other little things I do on autopilot without reflecting on Christ and the difference He makes in my life?

What about you?

Chaser on the Vod

The ABC have released a vodcast (video podcast) of The Chasers War on everything. Looks like you can now subscribe and get the entire season for free.




This is surely the way that television will go in the future. No need to be home on Friday night at 9:30 - just subscribe and watch whenever you like, as many times as you like. Quality is pretty good too!

Punk Rocker

Regan was voted out which was a shame, because I really liked her and I love that punk rocker song by Sandie Toms.

I'm also annoyed that Kyle criticised Jessica’s clothes – for goodness sake, she’s a 16 year old girl! It made me think of Nixter’s post here. Amen to Nixter!

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

In '77 and '69 revolution was in the air

I was born too late into a world that doesn't care

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair.

When the head of state didn't play guitar

Not everybody drove a car

When music really mattered and when radio was king

When accountants didn't have control

And the media couldn't buy your soul

And computers were still scary and we didn't know everything.

When pop stars still remained a myth

And ignorance could still be bliss

And when god saved the queen she turned a whiter shade of pale.

My mom and dad were in their teens

And anarchy was still a dream

And the only way to stay in touch was a letter in the mail.

When record shops were still on top

And vinyl was all that they stocked

And the super info highway was still drifting out in space.

Kids were wearing hand me downs

And playing games meant kick arounds

And footballers still had long hair and dirt across their face.

I was born too late into a world that doesn't care

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair.

New podcast

The youth team at Carlo have launched a podcast of their friday night preaching from their youth group, Salt. Most of it is from Mike Everett - who is a fine preacher, but I think there may be others in time to come. If you're looking for a short 15-20 minute bible talk for the train trip etc - this is the place.

Subscribe here, listen online here.

Pray for the ministry to youth in Carlingford

Preaching to the Heart.

Earlier this year, I went to the MTS preachers conference. The theme of the conference was 'Preaching to the heart'. We spent two days studying the puritans, and the way in which they preached. It was a call for our preaching to be more than just a "going through of the information" in the text. Instead we were encouraged to "present the gospel truth in terms of its effect on the affections". Good preaching is not about us examining the scriptures only - Good preaching will let the scriptures examine us.
The sermon last night at Christians in the Media was a fine example of this. It was preaching from the heart, about the heart of God. Don't miss this sermon.

A semi-charmed kind of life

On Wednesday I was bored while waiting for some friends at the pub, so I decided to duck next door to the newsagency and buy a trashy magazine; something that was “healthy-recipes-and-bargain-shopping”, not “famous-nose-jobs-and-Paris-Hilton”.

I eventually picked up Notebook, a magazine that oozed charm and pastel prettiness just from the glossy cover. Divided into sections about food, home, community and health/wellbeing, the mag offers creative tips on how to spruce up an old cupboard, get into online dating and pack your kids a healthy lunch. It even has a section on community work and how to become a volunteer for various charities. Devoid of scantily dressed models, celebrity gossip and bad sex advice, it’s a classy magazine for women who are still modern but, quite simply, over all the hype.

Magazines like Notebook (e.g. Madison, In Style, Real Living) reveal a growing market of women in their late twenties to early forties who opt for a simpler life rather than the “bigger, better, more pay” syndrome of the 1980s and 90s. Instead of wanting it all, this new breed demand quality of living. The name of the game isn’t to have a burgeoning career, family and magnificent house, but to live well, prefer simplicity to ostentation and take care of what they have. In short, it’s to have a designer life.

This doesn’t mean that wealth isn’t important to these women. It’s more a differentiation in the things they choose to spend their money on. Instead of a mansion on Hunter’s Hill, it’s a Victorian terrace in Annandale. Instead of a living room decked out with the latest technology and furniture, it’s a single, $30,000 chair created by a famous designer. The only exception seems to be spending on the children, where a lack of restraint hardly raises an eyebrow.

For the upper echelons, designer living can seem like a sunny change from the stale taste of branding and manufactured prestige. However, it still has one thing in common with the gorging materialist of the 90s: rampant pretentiousness.

Maybe it’s the image-obsessed city we live in, but these days, “charm” can be packaged into anything, from a brand of car to kitchen décor. An example that recently struck me is wedding photography. Instead of ostentatious glamour shots, photography companies are now trying to sell off-the-cuff, “natural” shots that (to quote a recent bridal magazine) “capture those precious moments forever”. The irony is that these boutique photography packages cost around $3-4,000 and upwards. Brides pay money to manufacture a supposedly natural look because, while they want the appearance of an action shot, they still want to look like models. Shouldn’t the joy of those “precious moments” emanate from the happiness of the couple celebrating with loved ones? If the latter is the case, then why not get your aunt Rose to take the happy snaps for free?

I yearn for the old days, when “living well” was measured by a woman’s behaviour and not her possessions, sincerity was a valuable quality, and spiritual growth had more to do with her character rather than expensive yoga classes and Anthony Robbins. In the end, you just can’t buy a life that is meaningful. That kind of life is created through innate qualities such as love, peace, righteousness, joy, faithfulness, patience and unquenchable hope in something solid. And it can only be found when what women search for in life isn’t the appearance of meaning, but meaning itself.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
(Proverbs 31:30)

"If you are telling me that a bad person who attends church will be "saved", but a good person who does not attend church will not be saved, then I don't think I want anything more to do with your sort of Christianity."

I read this comment on someone's blog today and it made me so sad.

To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not cry". (Luke 7:31-32)

Social

Tonight we're taking our Bible Study group out for a social evening at Manly. Last week we finished a 12 or so week series on Ephesians, so we decided to have a night off, and go out as a group. The main reason for choosing Manly is so that Tobias (a German student on exchange who has joined our group) can see this beautiful part of Sydney. Updates and photos tomorrow.

What would you reccommend we visit in Manly?
What would you like to see a photo of tomorrow?

iTunes 7

As a long time Mac user, I've had iTunes since right back at version 1. Today Apple released version 7, and it's finally included the one thing I've wanted for ages - album artwork. Yes they've had it for songs you buy off the music store for a while - but now you can have it even for the songs you already owned. iTunes downloads it all for you, and you can see it as you flick through your songs - as if you were flicking through your CD collection. It's a small pleasure - but I'm excited. You can download the new version here.

workplace bible study

It took ages to get off the ground, but we’ve finally just had our second lunch time bible study at work. And we had a 100% increase in attendance – four instead of two!

Please pray for our group as we read through Colossians (using fanastic studies written by Sam Leary!). Pray that we'll meet regularly and urge one another on as Christians in our workplace.

And while you're at it, pray may have boldness at work to be upfront about Christianity and tell others about Christ. This is something I really struggle with (don’t we all?) but I don’t want to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus, the power of salvation for all who believe.

Peace and quiet

I live at home in a small house with a noisy family.

This makes it hard to sleep at night, especially since I have sensitive hearing and like absolute quiet. I often toss and turn to the sound of footsteps, the television, music, talking, even singing sometimes, until I drift into slumber. My family knows this and always makes a huge effort to keep the noise down, but there’s only so much you can do when the entire house is covered in floorboards that reverberate every noise.

So you can imagine the anticipation I felt when I was asked to housesit an empty home for one whole month. Finally, a place to my own! No more having to tell teenage boys to turn the TV down. No more queuing for the shower. At last, the simple pleasure of being able to read a good book late at night without chatter in the background. Most importantly, I would finally have peace and quiet when I go to sleep. It was going to be fantastic.

Last night, after putting on my pyjamas, brushing my teeth and setting my alarm, I hopped into bed, shut my eyes and prepared to drift away into the heaviness that comes before sleep. The lack of noise was delicious. There was absolutely no chatter, no TV. No mother making earrings late at night for her class the next morning. No father preparing a talk while whistling an off-key song. Not even the sound of someone madly typing away at the computer for a last minute assignment, or boyish laughter at a funny joke on TV, or Ben Harper crooning gently at the edges of consciousness. No people, only the fading breeze. The house was completely silent.

It was the worst sleep I’ve had in ages.

What is a Christian hedonist?

Some people are inclined to believe that Christians are supposed to seek God’s will as opposed to pursuing their own pleasure. But what makes Biblical morality different than worldly hedonism is not that Biblical morality is disinterested and duty-driven, but that it is interested in vastly greater and purer things. Christian Hedonism is Biblical morality because it recognizes that obeying God is the only route to final and lasting happinesss.

(from John Piper's website)

This year at bible study, we’re going to spend a few nights looking at the contribution of some great thinkers/theologians to the faith. Next week, Sam and I have decided to look at John Piper, so I am trying to read as much of his work as I can before I write the study this weekend. I have already read (well, half read…I struggle with reading a book right until the end) Desiring God and Counted Righteous in Christ - I loved DG but found CR in C a tougher read. I’m also hoping to listen to a few sermons and add some essays to the mix.

I’m going to use this blog to write up my thoughts, so watch this space for more on Piper ;)

Art or Cruelty?

Art or just plain cruel?

US photographer Jill Greenberg’s 2004 work has recently caused a scandal, with critics calling her a “sick woman who should be arrested and charged with child abuse” (according to the Telegraph and the SMH).

Basically, Greenberg takes pictures of two and three year old toddlers in tears. To procure the needed waterworks for the shot, she gives them a lollipop and takes it away after a few minutes. Greenberg used her own daughter for one of the photographs and has managed to sell the series at a tidy sum of $6,000 each.

It’s interesting to read how she conceived the idea in the first place:

I saw this little girl at a party with her mom, and she was beautiful, so I thought it might be interesting to photograph her. When they came to my studio, the mother brought along her toddler son, and I decided to shoot him too. We took off his shirt because it was dirty. He started crying on his own, and I shot that, and when I got the contact sheets back I thought, "This could go with a caption, 'Four More Years,'" like he was appalled at George Bush's reelection. The images have a real power—they immediately get under your skin. The emotion you see is just so compelling, yet they're beautiful at the same time. That was one of the things that interested me about the project—the strength and beauty of the images as images. I also thought they made a kind of political statement about the current state of anxiety a lot of people are in about the future of the country. Sometimes I just feel like crying about the way things are going.

Personally, I think the images are powerful and the criticism is too extreme.

In terms of the “child abuse” accusations, toddlers cry all the time for the smallest reasons. Greenberg said it best: “I have a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, and she cries for no reason, a hundred times a day. It's normal. Maybe getting kids to cry isn't the nicest thing to do, but I'm not causing anyone permanent psychological damage.”

As for the claim that “capitalising” on a child’s distress is akin to pornography, if you are to follow that line of argument, then some of the most famous artworks and photographs in history must be viewed in the same light as porn. Although I agree that there are boundaries we should not cross, I hate the idea that art has to be fluffy and beautiful in order to be meaningful. If art is to impact people and encourage any sense of empathy or social change, it needs to accurately reflect the world we live in.

However, I do feel sorry for the kids who had their lollipops taken away from them. I hope they were duly compensated with a hug after the photoshoot:)

Who cares?

“Who Cares?” is the name for this year’s Christians in the Media mission to Bathurst. The elusive title is a double edged sword: tapping into the cynical mood of today - who cares about God/religion/life/this world - and posing that lifelong question, who cares about us? (God does... He loved us by giving us Jesus). The message of the gospel will come from Luke 14 and 15, in particular the story of the prodigal son, lost coin and lost sheep.

I am excited about mission this year. My section has some wonderful things planned for December, including a “Bathurst Beach” kids club (complete with surf life-savers), Christmas carols at the nursing home and a chill out space for young mums where they can build relationships with women in the church and hear the gospel. Also watch out for our very own reality TV show – a youth event to reach out to the teenagers in the community.

Most of all, I am looking forward to working with the churches in Bathurst, who are so keen to have us on board. Let’s keep praying that God will pour His spirit out on our country and turn hearts back to him.

Not so sweet sixteen

I was reading Miranda Devine's article yesterday in the SMH on raising teenage girls and came across a book entitled The Princess Bitchface Syndrome by Michael Carr-Gregg.

I don't know why, but the title of the book just made me laugh and laugh and laugh.

I can completely identify with the term, along with my mother who had to put up with my "Princess Bitchface" adolescent years. But while my short-lived stint involved moody tantrums and crushes on various boys, I think Carr-Gregg is talking about something far more sinister. He says:

Part of the problem is that girls are becoming sexualised earlier, and their physical development is shooting ahead of their cognitive capacities. By the time they turn 13 they look like they're ready for anything - but they're not.

You know it's true when you see a kid wear a T-shirt saying, "I'm a bitch - I'm just not yours" or idolising scantily dressed socialites like Paris and Nicole rather than the chirpy teen stars of my day (whatever happened to Girlfriend? Those flowered hats were very chic). I don't always agree with everything Devine writes, but I think she makes a great point here:

The raunch culture leads these girls to believe they are empowered and in control because they are initiating the action. It suppresses the truth that they are demeaning themselves by reducing sex to servicing a male, encouraging him to believe that women exist to satisfy his sexual needs without reciprocation.

good bye Corolla, hello Vanuatu

Sam and I may never win anything, but at least we've finally managed to sell our Toyota Corolla for a grand total of $2,600!

This is such an answer to prayer, as now we can use the money (plus Sam’s tax return from working last year as a barista and my savings) to pay for our wedding and more importantly, our honeymoon.

I have always wanted to go overseas and for a while, it was looking like we wouldn’t be able to afford the expense. To be honest, I would have been stoked with even a local holiday up north or even a gorgeous holiday house on the coast, but thank God for his kindness. Even though what is best for us may not be nice holidays and summer beaches, I am glad that He is a wonderful Father who delights in giving generously to his children.

Freebies

It is umbrella weather today, and I mean inside-out umbrella weather, the kind that soaks into your shoes and makes the car smell like wet carpet.

Sam and I caught the start of this unexpected downpour yesterday as we walked to the Vic for a drink and dinner. Halfway through eating bangers and mash, a guy came to our table to sell raffle tickets for a door prize of $1,200. We bought a stack of tickets for $5 but unfortunately, we didn’t win anything, not even one of the $200 cash prizes or 10 meat trays they were giving away as runner up prizes.

Now this story is pretty pointless, except for the fact that it gives me a chance to rant about something petty and self indulgent that probably would not be tolerated by my friends in real life (but hey, that’s what a blog is for), and that is this: I never win anything. Never. No competitions, no awards at school, no raffles. Not even a free toy or pair of sunglasses when you peel off the coke bottle label or send 10 of those coupons from the Kelloggs cereal boxes.

Sam has also never won anything in his life so with our powers combined, we are destined to go through never winning a single prize (when he lamented over his losing streak, I bleated, “but you won me!” to which the reply was, “yeah, but it wasn’t like there was any competition!” I love my fiancé…).

I used to think that there was some universal statistic that meant your chances of winning something increased in life as you continued through competition after competition without any luck, but now I know the truth – God has chosen from the beginning to be gracious losers, battling our way with no cash prizes, giveaways or free Macca meal upgrades to nudge us along.

At least the children’s hospital will be $5 closer towards new equipment:)

The art of flying solo

My brother is a huge Ben Folds fan, so when he could only find a single ticket to their concert tonight at the Opera House, he decided to go alone. I think he is a brave man. Call me a sheep if you will, but there is something unnerving about turning up by myself to a large venue with crowds of people.

People tend to attach an unappealing stigma to a person who is enjoying an activity sans a group of friends, whether it’s a concert, movie on a Saturday night or dinner at a restaurant. The bane of everyone’s existence, even the most confident people, is turning up to a party alone and knowing absolutely no one in the room. Snacks and beverages are good at this point, as the simple act of pouring yourself a glass of champagne or orange juice can be stretched out into a five minute process. So can going to the bathroom – it gives you an opportunity to walk with purpose across the room, yet scan the crowd to find a familiar face. And I’m sure everyone has done the fiddling with the mobile phone trick at a party when alone, i.e. looking as if you thoroughly involved in text messaging the most important 150 words of your life, when really you are just clearing your inbox until your friend arrives and saves you from shuffling awkwardly about.

However, there is a lot to be gained from spending some leisure time alone. We all lead such busy lives that are constantly filled with the bustle of people, relationships and activities. There are plenty of presumed social activities that are a refreshing change when done without company. Eating at restaurants and cafes alone allows you to devour a book or the paper without interruption. Perusing through art galleries is best done solo. Shopping is also a lot easier on your own, as you don’t have to apologise to anyone for browsing through the discount bin at JBs or taking twenty minutes to decide between the red or the blue top. The hard one is going to the movies; I’ve had to train myself to do that. The first time I tried it was in high school when I wanted to watch Ever After for the second time and surprisingly, no one wanted to come with me. The next few times was as a film student, so at least I could bring a notepad and wear a pretentious hat.

However, there are some things I still can’t do alone. I can’t drink by myself (I feel like some movie stereotype waiting for a guy to pick me up), go to concerts or on an extended holiday, but maybe it’s all in my mind. Choosing to spend some time alone is very different to being lonely. As writer Alice Coller says,

Being solitary is being alone well: being alone luxuriously immersed in doings of your own choice, aware of the fullness of your won presence rather than of the absence of others. Because solitude is an achievement.

New Strongbad...

...Wasn't that funny - so I'm not putting up the link this week :)

The daily grind

I dislike being tired.

I haven't had any time to write anything decent lately, and I mean write about the fun stuff, not about FTAs and exporting goods to China (my latest article at work). I was really optimistic about being able to have a go at some articles for other publications this year, but on the few nights I'm home, all I seem to be able to do is eat, watch TV and sleep. Full time work is tiring sometimes. I wish I had more energy!

However, after much deliberating, I've decided to stay with my job for this year. God willing, after I get married I might be able to find some work more suited to my interests. My dream job? I would love to be a film reviewer or arts journalist. However, magazines aren't all they're cracked up to be and unfortunately I've had little success with my few attempts to get work in these areas.

In the meantime, I have resolved to stop complaining about how boring my job is. I prayed really hard that I would find work at the beginning of this year and God has answered my prayers so graciously. I have a relatively well paying job with great hours (8 till 4) and I don't have to worry about money. That is exactly what I need and more than what many people could hope for. And as Sam always says, "you won't be doing this forever!"

Three quids of gospel

I would like to buy about three quid's worth of gospel, please. Not too much - just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don't want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust; I certainly don't want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don't want to love those from different races - especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected, or my giving too greatly enlarged.I would like about three quid's worth of gospel, please.

D. A. Carson - Basics for Believers
(thanks elsie for this quote)

the church is different

"I think you will find that at every period of revival and reformation, the church has stood out distinct and apart. That is always the way; when the Church is unique, she has the greatest influence upon the world. The tragedy of this (his, not our) century especially has been that the Church in her folly has been trying to accomodate herself to the world, thinking that by so doing she could attract it. But the world expects the Christian to be different, and it is right - this is the New Testament emphasis. It is nothing but a departure from the New Testament doctrine that ever tries to make the Church ingratiate herself to the world; the Church is meant to be, and is, essentially different."

Thanks to Sam for that quote; it really made me think about the church and its role in society today.

I totally agree that the church is to stand out and be distinct. However, in what ways are we to be different?

The first thing that comes to mind for many Christians, including myself, is preaching Jesus and the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Surely Jesus is at the core of the church and is ultimately what makes her different from the world. Any church that strays from this or tries to water down the person and message of Christ undermines its position in society.

But what about in other areas of life? Does the church have a responsibility to be different when it comes to social justice and generosity to those in need?

I know some people argue that these problems are fleeting and as a church we should be focussed on the eternal things, i.e. saving souls. While I agree that telling people about Jesus is the most important thing, I think that a vital way Jesus is glorified in this world is by our character mirroring that of Christ, both as a church and as individuals.

One thing I really want to see is the church take a more active role when it comes to issues regarding social justice. This could (and in many ways already does through groups like Compassion and Anglicare) happen in many ways: showing compassion for those who are less fortunate than us by giving aid, playing a role in taking care of the weak and oppressed in our community, standing up for what is right and true in the political arena, etc. Apart from being able to help others and create relationships fertile for the planting of seeds, it will definitely be a way the church can stand out in a society that is increasingly "user pay" and about people taking care of themselves.

It is one thing for our society to criticise and throw stones at us because we believe in Jesus. It is quite another thing to be called hypocrites because we are all about the preaching, but slow to demonstrate the love and mercy we claim Jesus brings. This is a rebuke for me too, as I don't do enough or give nearly enough of what I have to help others who are less fortunate than me.

Sorry, these are a jumble of thoughts at the moment, but what do other people think?

Life in God

In my quiet times, I spend about 20 minutes reading the scriptures, and then 20 mins reading a theologian, and then 20 mins praying. Lately I've been working through "Life in God" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I've thouroughly enjoyed reading the thoughts of someone from another generation, as he takes on the issues of his time. Some of the issues we no longer face - others, like the two quotes I've put in this post, sound as if he wrote them for us today. I have only one chapter left in this book - maybe you'd like to borrow it when I'm finished.

"I think you will find that at every period of revival and reformation, the church has stood out distinct and apart. That is always the way; when the Church is unique, she has the greatest influence upon the world. The tragedy of this (his, not our) century especially has been that the Church in her folly has been trying to accomodate herself to the world, thinking that by so doing she could attract it. But the world expects the Christian to be different, and it is right - this is the New Testament emphasis. It is nothing but a departure from the New Testament doctrine that ever tries to make the Church ingratiate herself to the world; the Church is meant to be, and is, essentially different."

"We say man is improving, but has there ever been so much selfishness manifested in the life of the nation as there is today, a self-centredness as well as a self-seeking? It is the only explanation of the appalling increase in divorce; it is the whole explanation of the spirit of greed; it is the whole basis of the attitude of the average person towards work - I do the minimum, I get the maximum - greed, self-centredness, the increasing rudeness in life, the increasing lack of consideration for others, the appalling suffering that is caused to innocent little children through the sheer selfishness of parents. The whole attitude towards life today as looked at in every respect is one that is showing this self-centredness. We do certain things on the surface, but man as man is still this selfish creature."

How do you do your quiet time or bible reading?

Snaring a barista

Mads sent me this article yesterday. It made me laugh.