tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135398432024-03-13T12:02:59.050+10:00Working on the Mission"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8)ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.comBlogger1284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-83609339111319770372017-09-06T14:26:00.002+10:002017-09-06T14:26:55.121+10:00Great Cycle Challenge 2017 - I am riding 200kmsHey everyone. It's been a while since I've posted here, but I am back... for a good cause!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KjY3xKesU20/Wa94nlwSuFI/AAAAAAAACxE/4OYz0454ZakJ1gzHYAE6463YCOzqNCXfgCLcBGAs/s1600/GCC%2BCard.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KjY3xKesU20/Wa94nlwSuFI/AAAAAAAACxE/4OYz0454ZakJ1gzHYAE6463YCOzqNCXfgCLcBGAs/s320/GCC%2BCard.png" width="320" /></a>In October I've signed up to hop on my mountain bike (and hopefully a BMX I am restoring) and ride 200kms. Not in one goe, but I'm making plans to do multiple 20km and 40km rides all throughout October.<br />
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All the money I raise is part of the Great Cycle Challenge which is helping fight kids' cancer by giving to the Children's Medical Research Institute.<br />
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I'm gonna do the work - but I need help raising the funds, I have set a goal of raising $550. It's a modest amount, but I am still trying to see how I can get the momentum rolling to raise those funds.
Anything over $2 is tax deductible, and even the smallest donations will all add up<br />
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You can donate by visiting my online sponsorship page. <a href="https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/DeanSandham" target="_blank"> https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/DeanSandham</a><br />
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To motivate you all to give I'm willing to up my challenge... I'll give you till the 22nd September to make the $550 goal and if you do, I will add an extra 50km to my ride goal (a total of 250kms), that's at least 2 extra rides.
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Please get on board - it's a great cause and you can make a difference by going and donating!<br />
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Thanks heaps!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-24037782606106212172017-03-20T15:20:00.000+10:002017-03-20T15:27:55.854+10:00A story of the temptationI preached the following as a third person narrative story last night at church. I thought it could be a good reflection to read through as well.<br />
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From Matthew 4:1-11<br />
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Hunger, a hunger he had never experienced before. 30 years spent on this earth, 30 incredibly humbling years limited to this human form, humbled to have to deal with things like hunger, and thirst, and tiredness… but this hunger… this was intense.<br />
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Jesus sat in the wilderness, this desolate mountainous region of Israel… nothing around him lived… none of the palms that gave shade along the coast, no bushes with berries, no fig trees, and certainly no animals. Jesus looked around… there wasn’t anything living in miles. As far as any earthly companion went… he was completely alone. <br />
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But as he sat there he knew he wasn’t alone. He hadn’t mindlessly wandered out into this forsaken place and hopelessly gotten himself lost. No he had been led here. 40 days ago in fact. Jesus had felt the Holy Spirit within Him guide him to come to this place. To pray, to fast, to be away from everyone else. But not to be alone.<br />
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As Jesus watched the sunrise he remember the sunrise 40 days earlier that he had seen appearing over the Jordan River, walking down to where John had been baptising people – calling them to repent, to turn away, from their sins. He’d walked right into the water – right up to his cousin – and John had recognised him. Actually His mother had always said that his cousin John had recognised him from even before each of them were born, Aunty Elizabeth saying John had leapt for joy in her womb when his mother had first come to visit while she was pregnant. John leapt again this time. Looking up from the water and seeing Jesus there. He hadn’t wanted to Baptise Jesus. Saying his baptism was one of repentance, and if anything John should be baptised by Jesus, because John himself had sins to repent of… unlike his cousin.<br />
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But Jesus remembered the understanding in his cousin’s eyes when Jesus had said that this was the right thing to do, that it was proper for John to baptise Jesus now, to fulfil the righteous life Jesus was to live, that he had been living for 30 years, and was now bringing to the people as he began his ministry.<br />
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He’d closed his eyes as the cool water of the Jordan had swept over his face and John had plunged him beneath the surface… but things were so so much brighter when he’d come back up and opened his eyes. Heaven itself had torn a hole in the sky, and the Holy Spirit had descended… like a dove… down onto him – John wasn’t leaping now, he was staring, awestruck. Then a voice Jesus knew so well came rolling down from the glory shining in the sky. “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased”.<br />
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Jesus closed his eyes remembering the completeness of that moment. God all together, complete in their different responsibilities, Him serving and submitting to the Father, Holy Spirit dwelling, empowering and bringing glory to the Son, and the Father, loving and ruling from the throne… sitting in glory. It was the completeness his divine nature new, and he needed nothing else. But these last 30 years he had experience a different nature, a human nature – which seemed to pull away from that completeness, to not be completely satisfied.<br />
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And it was that human nature that was tormenting him right now. His belly felt tight, twisted even – no food had been in there for 40 days and it was crying out in pain. Jesus had been sustaining himself with the divine… with Holy Spirit who had led him here, who had empowered him to pray, who had sustained him encouraging him with the relationship he had with his Father. But now he knew his human nature was standing up and demanding to be heard… feed me it cried. But even if he’d wanted too… nothing lived out here… there was no food.<br />
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Immediately he felt a breath over his left shoulder… a voice whispering in his ear. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”<br />
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Jesus’ body lurched, his stomach twisted even more, bread, his mind cried out, yes bread would be perfect.<br />
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But Jesus knew this voice as well. The deceiver, the tempter, Satan, that devil who’s desire was to turn people from his father, from Him… to take that glory for himself. As much as Jesus felt the need for food, as much as his body cried out to receive nourishment, and as much as he knew that yes he was the Son of God – and yes he created those very stones so could totally turn them into the food he so desperately needed – as much as he knew this. He knew that the Spirit had led him here, that his role in this entire plan God had laid out for humankind was for him to depend on the Father, to submit to the Father. Not to take the power and glory for his own advantage. God would provide for him, and he need not take matters into his own hands<br />
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Turning Jesus faced his tempter – turning away from the stones which his nose was already telling him smelt like the freshest loaf, straight from the oven – and quoting the Word of God to His people squashed the temptation saying; “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”<br />
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God had promised to provide… he didn’t need this deceiver telling him to act on his own.<br />
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Within a haze Jesus realises that he’s not in the wilderness anymore… Satan steps up beside him and Jesus realises they are standing right on the edge of a large drop. Looking around Jesus sees Jerusalem, and knows that he is on the highest point of the temple. The place God dwells with his people, and the place the people come to worship and make themselves clean before God. Looking down Jesus sees that the work of the temple for the day has begun in earnest. People are bringing in livestock and birds… there is music playing… some have even set up vender stalls. There are so many people going about their normal days, entering and leaving the temple.<br />
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That whisper comes again in his ear… “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, For it is written – He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”<br />
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Jesus shudders, hearing the true words of God glides so easily from the lips of the one who hates him so much. But even as he shudders the thought crosses his mind that this would certainly be the case. If he leapt from this spot God would most definitely save him – angels would come and protect him, for he was the Son of God, he was here for a purpose that had not yet been fulfilled. And wouldn’t it create a scene. A man plunging to certain death, stopped mid fall, by angels, sent from God – everyone would see – no one could deny – when he spoke up about being Messiah they would all believe so easily.<br />
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But that was not God’s plan. Holy Spirit was certainly not leading him to this, it was only the warped words of the deceiver… taking the truth of God’s word so horribly out of context to tempt him to yet again act for his own desires and purposes.<br />
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Through determined gritted teeth Jesus, looking down at the people he loves so much, rebukes Satan once again “It is also written do not put the Lord you God to the test”<br />
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God’s word is true – he didn’t need the deceiver to trick him with misunderstood segments used for his own pleasure.<br />
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The wilderness suddenly surround him again… looking out Jesus can see for miles – yes so much desert, but towns, and people – all below him. This earth was an incredibly beautiful place, the mountains rolled to the sea, trees and plants of every description were visible as far as he could see. Looking Jesus could see that by creating humankind in their own image they had allowed them to become master designers and creators themselves – he could see all the kingdoms of the world, sitting in the splendour of their design.<br />
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Satan steps in front of him, obscuring his view and looking directly at Jesus says “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me”<br />
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The obnoxious obscenity of this statement is like a slap across Jesus face. There’s not moment of time that Jesus’ divine nature could ever be tempted to turn away from that completeness it has in bringing glory to themself. In an instant Jesus is sure of the truth, that He is the very Word of God in flesh, that in the beginning was only the Word of God and that Word of God, Himself, had created this entire world that Satan now so spitefully claims to be able to give him.<br />
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Pushing Satan out of the way of his view of his creation Jesus declares “Away from me Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”.<br />
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Immediately Jesus feels himself sitting, back in the spot he’d watched the sunrise… but the sun now high in the sky. Completely sustained in his divine nature, feeling the very same joy he had felt as he’d risen from those baptismal waters in the Jordan. But his body was wasted. Tired, exhausted actually. Still starving… still crying out for respite. And suddenly it was there. God kept the promise he had made. He sent angels who were concerned for Jesus’ welfare, they fed him, refreshed him, and encouraged him to go and complete this mission he had just begun.<br />
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ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-27392374667782269072017-01-10T13:27:00.000+10:002017-01-10T13:27:04.389+10:00The future of this blog.Writing has always been a way for me to process my thoughts. It helps me filter out the things rumbling through my mind. It's an outlet. I pass these things through my writing and then they don't keep me up at night.<br />
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This blog started as a way to keep in touch with friends all over the world. In a time before Facebook I began "My Jarrol Spot" when I returned home from the mission field to have a good way of communicating with the people I met on the field in The Gambia, some still there and many who had returned home to the USA, England, Finland, South Africa and Canada. 'Jarrol' was the name of the village I lived in while in The Gambia and this blog was my little spot on the net where all my networks of friends intertwined.<br />
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Very quickly though I found myself writing about what God was saying to me in my daily life. In some sense I journalled here, writing as a process of understanding what God was saying in my life, and then sharing it with others. I don't mind sharing personal things, I think what God does in my journey can be an example (both good and bad) for others, and a teaching tool on maybe how to listen to God.<br />
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In 2012 when I began my pastoral role at Deception Bay Baptist I felt the whole 'catching up with friends' thing was facilitated by Facebook and so redesigned the blog into what it is today. As a pastor I felt a real call to work on the mission God had given the church, namely the Great Commission to go into all the world making disciples, baptising them and teaching them to obey everything Jesus said. Totally getting that Jesus said He would build His church, but as He does that He calls us to go and do this for Him.<br /><br />So I began pastorally writing what I felt God was saying to me about Working On The Mission, and sharing it so others in my church and around the place might find some insight and inspiration to follow Jesus even more.<br /><br />
I've slowed down lately though. Personally I'll admit that over the past 6 months or so things have felt pretty dry - it's funny when you're in a good place in ministry you take for granted the seeking God you did when times were tough, and though things are good, you're personal passion dwindles eventually. That probably effected my passion to write here. Also I think blogging is a bit old fashioned these days, and across the board it's something that just doesn't happen as much.<br />
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Recently though I've rekindled that passion in my faith. I've recognised again the importance of writing as a process for me, but I have been writing in a journal, for me, for God, and not to share with the world. I don't know where this leaves this blog or if I even have the passion to write anymore. I think things will come up, but it won't be as frequent - I think people still read this blog, though there has never really been any kind of comment discussions or even communication from people who read. I use to write here for me and then to share, but these days I write for me in my journal, if other's communicated through comments, or even Facebook I might feel more inclined to write - as it is I was feeling I was talking more at people with my blog, than with people. That doesn't really appeal to me.<br />
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There are 12 years of reflections, thoughts and writing here for me. It's a well of information about what goes on inside my head, what God has said to me, and most importantly what God has done in my life. It's my 35th birthday today, and I've just been reflecting on things in my life. One of the things I did was hang the oil paintings I received as a farewell gift from The Gambia in my office, which made me think about Africa, then Jarrol and then this blog. I've felt I've neglected this blog - but in my ponderings I've come to feel that doesn't really matter, but at the same time I still feel a connection to it, and the 12 years of history it represents.<br /><br />So we'll see where it goes next...ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-85482236869864271162016-09-06T09:14:00.000+10:002016-09-07T19:32:40.937+10:00Is our overwhelming busyness our own fault?<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #660000;">Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”<br />Luke 10:38-42</span></blockquote>
An overwhelming thing I keep hearing from people these days is about their overwhelming busyness. Unable to commit to anything, because their life is so busy, unable to help with even minor ministry tasks, let alone coming onto a ministry team, or just not even able to consistently attend services or prayer meetings.<br />
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I am aware the church asks a lot of people, I look at my week and see how many night I am out doing different ministry groups or events, and I think it's a little overwhelming, and people who aren't in ministry full time would probably find it even more insane. However, I'm not talking about the church making people too busy, but people making themselves too busy to the point that they neglect their relationship with Jesus... that they don't take time to sit and listen to Jesus... and that is what drives the lack of commitment we are seeing in our churches today.<br />
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Running around with things we think are important... and a lot of those things being almost worthless - there is worth in things like social media for friendship connections, entertainment for rest and relaxation, and work for financial stability, but when they become over emphasised and make us too busy for other more important things they create a worthlessness as they overshadow the Gospel.<br />
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Just as Jesus tells Martha that her running around is making her anxious, but there is one thing that is necessary... He wants to tell us the same thing. There is one thing that is necessary, and that is sitting at Jesus' feet and hearing from Him. That might be in a church service, a prayer meeting, a personal devotion time... but whatever it is, it needs to be prioritised, and it needs to be consistent. If it is prioritised then everything else will fall into place.<br />
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The very solution for our busyness is not to try and time manage and cut things from our schedule, but it is to cut everything but sitting at Jesus' feet and then seeing what He says should be our priority. I truly believe that if we do that He'll guide us into more Gospel ministries, even around our commitments and we won't feel busy or over pressured about it.<br />
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Because we start sitting at His feet.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-3926912384800260562016-08-25T08:50:00.001+10:002016-08-25T08:50:51.847+10:00Church Family<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #660000;">So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
(Ephesians 2:19-21 ESV)</span></blockquote>
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I was humbly presented with the care and unity of the church family yesterday. Just as I was pulling into the church my car broke down. The water pump failed, causing the cooling belt to come off, which shut down pretty much everything - the engine overheated, the power steering failed, the alternator stopped charging the battery - I just managed to man-handle the thing into an easy spot for a tow truck to come pick it up.<br />
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But then I was blessed by the church family, these fellow citizens of saints, who together are members of Christ's household who care for one another in exceptional ways. My student pastor gave me the phone number of a mobile mechanic who goes to another church but who is always willing to help out when needed. No tow truck necessary this guy would come and repair the car on the church property.<br />
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When he got here and we figured it was the water pump and not just the belt, he admitted it was too big a job for him to do right then, but he would come back early the next morning (before work hours) to get it done before he had other appointments to go to. What mechanic opens up early just to complete a unbooked job? Hugely blessed!<br /><br />Then as soon as one of the administrators heard I wouldn't be getting my car fixed till the next day, she hands me her keys. She knew there were things I'd needed to do that day which had meant driving around to see people, but she didn't just lend me her car for that, she told me to take it home, and just leave it back at the church the next day when I came to get my car. WOW!<br />
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It was incredibly humbling to have people do such big and selfless things for me. I wasn't looking for any special treatment and had already planned on walking home and cycling in the next day. But the church family cares for each other... not just because it's family - but because "Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." We are a family built on Jesus, and Jesus is completely compassionate and generous. Who just gives someone else their car? I remember doing it for my sister, my mother and my father in the past... because we were living together and it was just natural that when they needed it I could lend it. Yesterday has opened my eyes a little more to this idea that that is how we should be with members of our Christian family as well!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-41424454306635449992016-08-23T10:23:00.002+10:002016-08-23T10:24:16.839+10:00The significant change of the Gospel<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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The essence of sin is not wanting things that are bad but rather wanting things too badly.</div>
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/767724006241931264">August 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
This just highlights the deeper root of sin doesn't it... not just how we act but who we are. That's what makes the Gospel so life changing... it doesn't just change how we act, it changes who we are!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-17079829525015518282016-08-15T21:11:00.002+10:002016-08-15T21:12:51.768+10:00Celebrating Every VictoryMy team, the Essendon Bombers, have had just about the roughest year an AFL team can experience. Twelve players suspended for the entire season before the season even begins - players who were let down by the club and in most common senses were treated unjustly. With the loss of pretty much their entire senior list of players the Bomber's weren't expected to win a single game in 2016.<br />
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Round two came as a surprise then as the Bombers put it all together to beat Melbourne. As a fan (and club member) a ray of sunshine shone over 2016 - maybe the young guys could pull it together... was this 1993 again and the Baby Bombers doing the impossible?<br />
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No... no it wasn't.<br />
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Loss after depressing loss was to follow - in round 8 I sat in the members section at Etihad Stadium as North Melbourne walked the Bombers over the park for the first half of the game (the score at half time was 54-4). There was a comradery among us members sitting in the top row of the stadium... united in our support for a team that had no hope. But the second half was so much better, the Bombers played well, they pulled the margin all the way back to almost winning, only to lose by 14. It felt like a win though and I even got a hug from some guy I'd never met just in that moment of celebration.<br />
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Then yesterday, round 21 - after 19 straight losses - Essendon beat the Gold Coast Suns. It wasn't a decisive win, it wasn't pretty even... but there was resolve, there was passion, and when the win came there was intense celebration.<br />
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The season is still a right off - we'll be the wooden spooners for sure, but even in the small victories, there must be celebration, it wouldn't be worth it if you didn't. Even back in round 8, we lost by 14 but the way the team played was a victory, and as fans we celebrated what we could - and it felt great!<br />
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Celebrating the victories is so important. Especially when the tide is against you, and you're not in a place to even compete most of the time - like my team in 2016 - then enjoying the wins (even if technically on the scoreboard it may not look like a win) is key to pushing through to a better tomorrow.<br />
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In so many cases of ministries in church we are hard up against the world... how can small youth groups compete with the entertainment industry of a consumeristic world? How can your average church music band compare against the music and pop culture pretty much everyone is influenced by? Simply the challenge of calling people to something uncommon creates an environment in our world today that makes the tide feel very much against us.<br />
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But celebrating any victory is vital - because there is an element for the Church that is not found in the sporting world, and that is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. The victory is Jesus' - it always has been and always will be - and He puts the playing field in our favour, no matter how hard pressed we feel.<br />
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And so to celebrate the wins is to give Jesus the glory for his victory - and that lifts us. Sometimes we are so focused on our planning, on the next event, or simply on continuing Gospel work that we don't stop to celebrate when Jesus works. We need to stop, sing the team song, praise the One who is actually at work, and enjoy the moment where we see His hand acting in victory.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-85059758634016469522016-08-10T08:39:00.001+10:002016-08-10T08:39:12.532+10:00Who is Jesus to you?<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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What is the deepest root of your joy? What God gives to you? Or what God is to you?</div>
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnPiper/status/470904882015518720">May 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Another good reminder that it is Jesus, and who He is as Lord and God and Saviour that gives us the foundation for our faith.<br />
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Our salvation is not secured in what we do, what we have, or even the amount of faith we have. It is secured in who Jesus is.<br />
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Theology is important to our faith, because it gives us knowledge about who it is we worship, submit to and serve.<br />
<br />And that security allows the deepest roots of our joy to be pure.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-45284267575448565892016-08-09T10:04:00.001+10:002016-08-09T10:05:09.801+10:00Culture Change is Tough... but Worth It.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I watched "Remember the Titans" last week - a movie I've seen many times, a movie I really enjoy (if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it - but I may just ruin a little of the story line for you as you keep reading).<br />
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Coach Boon (Denzel Washington) is placed in a pretty rough spot... in 1971 the desegregation of schools in a town in Virginia creates a boiling pot of emotion... someone high up has decided race is no longer a boundary (which we all know is the right thing), but it hasn't been realised in the practical workings of society yet where ignorance continues to feed horrid racism. And here is Boon, a black man, given the role of head coach over the school's new mixed football team.<br />
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The whole scenario is complete chaos.
yet Boon approaches the whole situation with a clear vision of what the team will be - and a unwavering resolve on what he expects his football team to be. No matter black or white... no matter the chaos race and racism has created... his team will reach the goal he has set from the vision he has of what his team can be.
But in the middle of the chaos what does he need to do? Lay down his standard. It's no longer black and white... it's defence and offence (I love that scene where he makes them get off the bus and reorganise themselves). He makes them bunk with someone from the other race and get to know their all their teammates, not just those they want to hang out with. What he does is put them in uncomfortable positions to break the current culture and set the tide for the new better culture (and what we know today as the proper and right culture).<br />
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The first part of the movie depicts really well how tough culture change is - how chaos turns into unrest as order is forced upon it. How some people can't take the pressure of that unrest and walk away - both boys on the team and even some of Coach's own staff decide that they can't change to fit the new culture... and Boon let's them go - even when he's hurt that they are going and doesn't want them too. Some of the boys need to be benched and rested - taught to support the team and not be in the spot light for their own glory. Some need to learn that they need to sacrifice for the good of others... All of them need to learn that there is authority and order in the world and are the better for learning to come under Coach's authority as it teaches them something about the real world too.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2TTEIrcaTw/V6kdgVtiumI/AAAAAAAACfM/jNld3GmpYIInZEFE_WqgQTxanumG87xwwCLcB/s1600/936full-remember-the-titans-screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2TTEIrcaTw/V6kdgVtiumI/AAAAAAAACfM/jNld3GmpYIInZEFE_WqgQTxanumG87xwwCLcB/s200/936full-remember-the-titans-screenshot.jpg" width="200" /></a>And when it clicks... when that new culture takes shape and Boon's vision for the team comes to fruition then they are a mighty force to behold, and produce the perfect season.<br />
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At different times in our ministries culture needs to change. I'm dealing with that at multiple different levels over different ministries at the moment, some of them just growing and changing and some of them sitting in a space of chaos that needs to find order and restitution. Not that our ministries reflect the aims and goals of football - but if we consider that we are on a mission, that Jesus set us to, about going into the world and making disciples of all nations, and all that entails, then we have a distinct goal to reach - and that creates a vision of what we see God has planned for our ministries.<br />
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So when the culture of the ministry doesn't fit the vision of what it could be, then it needs to change. And change only happens if the leader holds unswervingly to the vision of what it can be. They lay down the structure and standard of what is needed, and they take their team along with them, guiding them to catch that vision too. Like in the movie, this can cause unrest - order to chaos always does - and it can even mean some people who can't catch the vision moving on...<br />
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But when it clicks... when the vision is grabbed and it surges forward to work in the way it is meant to, then it's a great place to be, it's effective, and in our circumstance... it is when God will be most glorified.<br />
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<br />ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-68236843708020844462016-08-02T11:38:00.001+10:002016-08-02T11:38:36.119+10:00Going deeper - a Pastor's responsibility.After my late night pondering on the surface level nature of our culture and even interactions in the church, today I have been starting to delve a little into some books that may help me develop some ideas on breaking that surface and going deeper.<br />
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In his book <i>Brothers We are not Professionals</i>, John Piper has reminded me that, as always, the change needs to start in me. As pastor and shepherd if I am not willing to break my surface and let people see my deep emotions and passions then how can I expect to see others'? Piper uses Jeremiah's lament over the fall of Jerusalem as a brilliant example of this.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">Lamentations is a deeply emotional book. Jeremiah writes about what means most to him, and he writes in agony. He feels all the upheaval of Jerusalem in ruins. There is weeping (1:2), desolation (1:4), mockery (1:7), groaning (1:8), hunger (1:11), grief (2:11), and the horrid loss of compassion as mothers boil their own children to eat them (2:20; 4:10). If there ever was intensity and fervor int the expression of passion from the heart, this is it...</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">After reading Lamentations, we can no longer believe that unpondered prayers are more powerful or real or passionate or heartfelt or genuine or alive than prayers that are thoughtfully and earnestly (and painfully?) poured out through a carefully crafted form. The anger of formalism is real. Prayers and sermons that are read from a manuscript are usually stiff and unnatural and artificial. But the danger of spontaneity is also great. If the heart is without passion, it will produce lifeless, jargon-laden spontaneity. And if the heart is aflame, no form will quench it...</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Emotions are like a river flowing out of one's heart. Form is like the riverbanks. Without them the river runs shallow and dissipates on the plain. But banks make the river run deep. Why else have humans for centuries reached for poetry when we have deep affections to express? The creation of a form happens because someone feels a passion. How ironic, then, that we often fault form when the real evil is a dry spring... Many pastors are not known for expressing deep emotions. This seems to me especially true in relation to the profoundest theological realities. This is not good, because we ought to experience the deepest emotions about the deepest things. And we ought to speak often, and publically, about what means most to us, in a way that shows its value.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">~John Piper - <i>Brothers we are not Professionals</i> - p146-149</span></span></blockquote>
And so it's not just about spontaneous, in the moment, passionate reactions... it is about diligently forming my emotions, passions and feelings into my sermons and prayers. Actively planning to share my personal life and reactions publically as part of what God has said to me about what God is wanting to say to the church through the preaching of His Word. This creates an environment where people will expect me to go deeper when they ask for help, because I have been going deeper publically already.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-87251467470311437452016-08-01T22:13:00.001+10:002016-08-01T22:13:40.175+10:00Peeling back the surface...<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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"When it comes to helping people, we often address the surface level of the problem but never get down to the..." <a href="https://t.co/sKDkl10tCs">pic.twitter.com/sKDkl10tCs</a></div>
— Crazy Love (@crazylove) <a href="https://twitter.com/crazylove/status/758405426316709888">July 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Our culture today is happy with the surface level, well actually I don't think it is - people are longing for intimate and deep relationships that truly connect at a heart level, but we seemingly have lost the ability to do so, so we settle with the surface level.<br /><br />But when there is hurt, when people seek help, there is an ache to get to the heart of the matter. I'm not entirely sure how, but we as the Church need to get better and peeling back the surface and really helping.<br /><br />I think this is my next little project in my ministry, how do I get to the heart, and really help people who are crying out for it.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-73724410096387288932016-07-27T09:29:00.000+10:002016-07-27T09:29:29.687+10:00Good tips for running a worship ministryAs I settle more and more into running a worship ministry across two campuses I see more and more how these points by Austin Stone's worship director, Chris Collins, are incredibly helpful. As I read this article I was encouraged to see his points as things I have been attempting to implement in my time here at Birkdale, so thought I would share the article wider so other's can read and be helped to. And they are good points for single campus churches too!<br /><br />Check it out.<br /><a href="http://www.austinstoneworship.com/pastoring-worship-leaders-in-a-multi-campus-model/" target="_blank">Pastoring Worship Leaders in a Multi-Campus Model</a><br />
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<br />ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-20970180132731685722016-07-20T10:38:00.000+10:002016-07-20T10:38:02.657+10:00Freshening of my spirit, with the Spirit.I was reading through Ezekiel 36 last night - sitting in a prayer and worship time with young adults from my church, and here I was totally absorbed in God telling Ezekiel to prophesy to the mountains of Israel which had been run down by the invading armies.<br />
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God tells the mountains that they will be renewed, because their people are coming home, and will live on them once again.<br />
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I sat there hearing God speak to me. I have been feeling a bit run down recently, caught in the culture of the world, and the expectation of what the world thinks a pastor is. I think I'd been enjoying my new role in my new church so much I'd allowed myself to become a bit complacent about the call to holiness and set-apartness that I am called to first as a Christian.<br /><br />At the beginning of the prayer time I had asked Jesus to personally speak to me as I worked hard to focus on Him - because I had felt over the past few weeks I had been almost acting on autopilot, doing the things people needed to see a pastor do, but not focusing on connecting to Jesus through those things myself. And that's when He too me to Ezekiel 36.<br />
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In some sense I was the mountain. As a pastor I am a person people come to, or look to to find guidance - and the world around me had run me down. God was promising to renew me first, so that I could be the renewing of His people by His Spirit.<br />
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As Ezekiel 36:26-27 says He first needed to give me a new heart and new Spirit, for me to be empowered by Him to live according to His statutes and obeying His rules, and then for His Name, He could use me to do that in other people too.<br /><br />It was an incredibly empowering time, and then as I turned the page I remembered what Ezekiel 37 was all about - the vision of the valley full of dry bones - and so I read it allowed to the young adults there, feeling God calling me to pray that those who were there that night feeling dry (just as I had at the beginning) would be refreshed and have the breath of God reenter them and the Spirit renew them. It was a specific call from God to speak to people at that time and moment, and it was powerful, because I saw straight up the work God had done in me, so that He could work through me.<br /><br />I encourage you to go and read Ezekiel 36 and 37 if you are feeling dry in your faith - let God speak to you as He promised Israel He would refresh and renew their faith for His glory!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-84015128165488709752016-07-18T12:35:00.000+10:002016-07-18T12:35:14.262+10:00Real interactions...Last week as most of the world reverted back to the 90's with the latest Pokemon craze, I found myself feeling like it was the 90's for a whole different reason.<br />
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With being out of the office a lot, having my internet connection go down at home and then being away for TeenStreet I used up my data allowance for the month on my mobile, I have a high allowance so usually breeze in each month, but this time I had a good 6 days where instead of paying for extra data I decided to turn it off and wait it out.<br /><br />So last week my phone could only do two things... make phone calls and send text messages.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVPv6qpq0tk/V4xARACuoOI/AAAAAAAACdk/jEXyXpw-kbwfiPqaSfdpp84FUBCU5_JYQCLcB/s1600/S7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVPv6qpq0tk/V4xARACuoOI/AAAAAAAACdk/jEXyXpw-kbwfiPqaSfdpp84FUBCU5_JYQCLcB/s200/S7.jpg" width="200" /></a>What I found was that though I did get annoyed if there was something I needed to post or wanted to share but couldn't, most of the time I felt much less of a need to have my phone in my hands and whenever I had a spare moment I spent more time observing what was going on around me.<br />
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Over the years of having a smart phone it has just become natural that whenever a spare moment comes up I pull out the phone and browse... but without the ability to do that I was much more present in the real world. I walked places and looked in windows, smiled at people walking the other way (if they weren't on their phone) and generally interacted better with what was around me. I chatted with the lady making my kebab for lunch, instead of ordering then checking Instagram. Most of all I wasn't bored or disconnected because I didn't have my phone... I was just engaged with the world around me.<br />
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Since getting my data back on the weekend I feel less of a need to constantly be checking things on my phone - I'm glad to have the ability to share something or be in contact with someone if I need - but I am going to try and be more absorbed in the real world around me than the virtual space social media creates.<br />
ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-87578306473808822512016-06-28T10:57:00.000+10:002016-06-28T10:59:31.337+10:00The Lord helps!<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #073763;">The Lord has helped us in the past, He is helping us in the present, and we believe that He will help us all the way through. He will help you too, if you just follow His Word and by a simple faith do the right thing<br />~Charles Spurgeon</span></blockquote>
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I'm glad as the passionate, responsible, empowered and driven pastor that Spurgeon was, he was able to proclaim this great truth for himself and extend it to others as an offer of what God offers us all through Christ.<br />
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Today, may I (as a pastor) proclaim this truth in my life as well, and extend it to all who read as what God is offering you right now through Christ!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-77524163438370648212016-06-27T08:57:00.001+10:002016-06-27T08:57:16.669+10:00Receive and Enjoy<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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The tragedy of humanity is that we strive for and fail to find what we could simply receive and enjoy.</div>
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/747134871303241730">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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It's the tragedy of the effect of sin - which has seriously broken this world. Even pastors find themselves wrestling with this brokenness, don't ever feel like you are alone in your brokenness. We should all deal with it together, in unity, and under the grace of Jesus which we need to keep encouraging each other to simply receive and enjoy!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-62005975405343910192016-06-20T11:36:00.000+10:002016-06-20T11:36:07.541+10:00Lazy in your BusynessI was at a conference recently, listening to Karl Faase speak about leadership, specifically speaking to pastors who were parts of ministry teams at their churches - so there was a distinct leadership/working together feel to his focus.<br />
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At one point Karl spent time talking about laziness - about an inherent laziness that is in all, not just leaders, and one of the things leaders have to deal with is motivating people to actually buy in to whatever ministry or commitment it is they are seeking help with. However, it is not a laziness that sees people doing nothing and being completely pathetic and lethargic. In fact the majority of our laziness comes from somewhere else entirely;<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">"A good example of laziness is not just doing nothing, but being absolutely flat out doing useless things" - Karl Faase</span></blockquote>
When we honestly take stock of our lives I think we'll realise that those things we spend a lot of time doing are really quite useless. The endless scrolling of Facebook walls, finding the funniest meme of the day, viewing that next funny cat video... and then the next one... or just expectantly being consumed by waiting for that next notification on your phone. All that may add up to us actually appearing very busy, but in fact it is the height of laziness.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. - Ephesians 4:28 </span></blockquote>
Do we ever think about our laziness as being stealing? Stealing time and profit from our employer, stealing time and relationship from our families, friends, and most importantly, God? And that our business in useless things is the key contribution to our thieving?<br />
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Part of this is also attributed to the fact that we are never intentionally quiet and engaging with God. In our laziness to connect with God we actually make ourselves so busy so that we don't "have time" to have a quiet time, or prayer time, or even to read our Bibles. That is stealing from God!<br />
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It made me ask the question, where do I do nothing in quiet except commune and interact with God? In preparation for sermons, meetings with leaders, guiding people spiritually I spend lots of time interacting with God - and that is not a useless thing - but then when it is my own time I probably want to 'switch off' and so I turn to my phone, my computer or my TV... and so my intentionality to personally spend time with God is probably lacking. And so I want to stop stealing.<br /><br />Do you want to be a thief?<br />
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If not then you need to think through this as well.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-75624711266893515652016-06-06T13:11:00.001+10:002016-06-06T13:52:18.229+10:00Romans 12:11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some great words in this verse, and when you put it all together gives you a knock on your head about the attitude you have to life at the moment.<br />
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<b>slothful</b> - an inherent laziness, to the point of uselessness.<br />
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<b>zeal</b> - passion that drives to action.<br />
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<b>fervent</b> - displaying passion intently.<br />
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So do not let laziness become so ingrained in your lifestyle that it murders the actions of your passion... instead intently display that passion you have in the Spirit by serving the Lord.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-71479287600269355302016-06-03T10:17:00.001+10:002016-06-03T10:17:48.020+10:00Prepping for MinistryWhen we think of preparing for ministry we think about meetings, strategies, reading, whiteboards, band practice and all those things we do to ensure our event or sermon or service goes well.<br />
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When you think about sports they have that element of preparation too - training, strategy meetings, game play lessons - but they have another important part of preparation too, which I think we forget about when it comes to ministry.<br />
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Part of their prep... is recovery.<br />
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Ice baths, cool downs, recovery sessions in pools/ocean, massage, physio. They're all things done directly after a match, and then after training through the week, to ensure that through recovery their bodies are prepared for the game the next week.<br />
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So now I am looking at my ministry, and the ministries in my church which I have responsibility over, and I am wondering; "What is my equivalent to an ice bath, or a massage, or even just a cool down?"<br />
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If you don't have recovery... people burn out. Recently I've had people stepping down from positions, and I think it's got a lot to do with the fact they feel they've worked hard and now want some time out... so they drop the entire responsibility. That's not healthy for them... or the ministry.<br />
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The Austin Stone Worship blog has a great post on <a href="http://www.austinstoneworship.com/biblical-practical-applications-for-establishing-sabbath-rest/" target="_blank">Biblical & Practical Applications for Establishing Sabbath Rest</a> - which I think goes a long way to providing the recovery sessions we need in ministry as part of our preparation for ministry. It is an old article (2014), which makes me think it's a continuing problem in churches - I'm glad Austin Stone have thought about it, and I'm hoping by thinking about it now my church will have healthier people in healthier ministries in years to come.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-18021048621898602052016-06-01T09:38:00.001+10:002016-06-01T09:38:43.078+10:00Good resource - The Purple BookI am currently trying to develop a strategy of taking our new converts and giving them the best possible chance to be discipled into mature believers in Christ. We celebrate our new converts, but sometimes I wonder a few weeks later if we've been investing in them properly. I think at the moment it all comes down to where they land within the social construct of the church; if they fall in with a strong group of believers they grow and stay; if not we tend to slowly see them disconnect.<br />
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I want to be much more strategic about how we engage new believers, and journey with them along the path of discipleship.<br />
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I've been looking at Rice Broocks & Steve Murrell's "The Purple Book" recently. It's a comprehensive group of studies and questions which really outline a lot of the Christian faith, and reasons for belief and disciplines within the church. As a pastor looking in, it looks good, I'm not sure how it practically works out because I haven't led anyone through it, and don't really know anyone who has led anyone through it (I would love to hear from someone who has been using it).<br />
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On the whole though it looks like a great resource to at least base a discipleship strategy off, if not use it to run people through. It would take a long time to run through all the studies... but discipleship isn't a quick 6 week course is it? It's a life-long journey, and if we can pair new believers up with mature believers for a life long journey then we're really giving them the best shot aren't we.<br />
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My other thought was maybe coming up with a team of "Purple People" who could be brought along new converts, then once they have finished the studies maybe have a 'passing on' to say a small group or other mentoring kind of program - so though they don't journey life-long with someone, we are still ensuring they will have someone to continue, before becoming a mentor themselves.<br /><br />That's a long-term vision though... just wanting to see something start off soon at the moment.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-83994107940552800212016-05-31T10:10:00.001+10:002016-05-31T10:10:19.591+10:00Jesus Only Jesus...Just a great reminder to always keep Christ and His Gospel central, and in its self-sufficient entirety in all we do. In our personal lives, in our interaction with others, in our ministry and especially in our preaching.<br />
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You can't add to Christ without subtracting from Christ.</div>
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/737283481923944448">May 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-30033164141463323052016-05-06T11:51:00.001+10:002016-05-06T11:51:42.573+10:00Being a Pastor is about who I am, not what I do.As a pastor it is very easy to evaluate life and work by what you do, moreso than who you are.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am extremely guilty of this. I have a type-A mindset that tells me my worth is based on the things that I do, instead of whose I am. When Jesus says in Luke 10 that the necessary thing that I must do is sit at His feet, I scoff. When Jesus says in John 15 that when I abide in Him my joy will be made complete, I try to justify a 15-minute quiet time in the morning as me abiding faithfully because I am just too busy for more. Do you see my hypocrisy?<br />~Kenny Klinglesmith</span></blockquote>
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This article on the <a href="http://www.austinstoneworship.com/blog/" target="_blank">Austin Stone Worship blog</a> reminded me once again that as a pastor it is who I am that is really important, and that will in turn drive what I do. It's not the other way round. <br />
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Go and <a href="http://www.austinstoneworship.com/green-pastures-stressed-pastors/" target="_blank">read the rest of the article here</a> - God is the one in whom our identity must lie, He calls us to rest in Him so that we find out who we are, we are His, and then we go and do His work - because of what He wants... not what we feel we need to be.ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-19916201843308059542016-04-22T09:20:00.004+10:002016-04-22T09:20:49.599+10:00TeenStreet 2016 promo<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/157376132?color=ffcc00&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/157376132">TeenStreet Australia 2016 | Teen Promo</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/teenstreetaus">TeenStreet Australia</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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If you know any teenagers, get them involved... and be involved yourself. It is a completely life changing week!ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-86476616351600924062016-04-10T12:25:00.002+10:002016-04-10T12:25:16.757+10:00Refreshed like having a fresh wind blowing the dust away<div class="tr_bq">
Even as a pastor I deal with sin... at times I deal with complacency and a sense of worthlessness in my own life. Simply put I am human... and though I spend a lot of my time specifically working to build up the faith of others, sometimes I come to realise mine has wavered.</div>
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It's times like that I need refreshing. I need a retreat, or some specific time to go and work on my personal journey with Jesus. A lot of times preparing sermons helps me in that, because how can I preach this stuff to others if it hasn't personally affected my life? Tonight I am preaching from Romans 2 on the judgement of God, that has certainly made me reflect on things in my life at the moment.<br />
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This morning on the way to church this song came on in the car... and it was a beautiful refreshment of my spirit, because I realised it was a prayer I needed to pray to God today.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">Rushing wind blow through this temple,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Blowing out the dust within,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Come and breathe you breath upon me,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">I've been born again.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Holy spirit, I surrender, take me where you want to go,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Plant me by your living water,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Plant me deep so I can grow. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Jesus, you're the one, who sets my spirit free,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Use me lord, glorify, your holy name through me. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Separate me from this world lord.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Sanctify my life for you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Daily change me to your image,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Help me bear good fruit.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Every day you're drawing closer.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Trials come to test my faith.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">But when all is said and done lord,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">You know, it was worth the wait. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Jesus, you're the one, who set my spirit free,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Use me lord, glorify, your holy name through me. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Rushing wind blow through this temple,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Blowing out the dust within,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Come and breathe you breath upon me,</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">For I've been born again.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Keith Green "Rushing Wind"</i></span></blockquote>
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ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13539843.post-14561822250797205312016-04-09T13:20:00.001+10:002016-04-09T13:20:21.173+10:00Wisdom... not just knowledgeInformation is constantly accessible these days. It's at our fingertips every moment of every day. It makes for everyone thinking they are an expert on just about anything. No longer can we give advice, because how dare we contradict what someone has searched for on their phone.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool…to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. - Charles Spurgeon</span></blockquote>
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Knowledge is easy... wisdom is still the challenge, and should be our goal. People these days need to learn how to take the vast amount of information they have access to... and use it to come to the best outcome without bias... and ultimately find the truth.</div>
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ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173386879908739408noreply@blogger.com0