Important Events...

What would you consider to be some of the more important local, national and world events?

eg. Olympics, Christmas, World's Biggest Morning Tea, Big Day Out, National Sorry Day, World Cup, World Smile Day... etc!

Evangelist Quiz

Evangelistic Relationship Quiz
taken from http://ministrymarketingcoach.com

Take your relationship inventory. Read each statement and rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 (1=never, 10=always). Answer every question not only from your perspective, but as others would see you.

• I strike up conversations with new people I meet and bring Christ into the conversation.

• I attend community events where I can meet new people and help others.

• I remember personal details about people and include them in conversations with them to show I care.

• People are always introducing me to new people who are not believers in hopes I might share the gospel with them.

• I intentionally share the message of the gospel.
  
  
• I don’t “beat around the bush” but make sure people I know hear the message of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and the availability of forgiveness through faith in Him.

• I follow-up with the people who make decisions to follow Christ with within 48 hours.

• I believe that everyone should hear the gospel!

• I don’t mind talking openly with people about my faith even when I am being overheard.

• When I am out and about I keep in mind my conversation and behavior could impact my ability to witness.

• I am not constantly pestering people about the gospel–people have fun when I am around too.

• My community (not just my church) can count on me to be involved in local programs and volunteer projects.

• I feel confident when I talk to other people about Jesus.

• I remember to acknowledge the good and strengths I see in others. It’s not all about me!

• I strive to be a servant at heart by giving of myself in helping people, listening to them, and showing Christian love to them in any way possible.

• I ask my friends to introduce me to people in their network who do not know Jesus.

• People often encourage me saying my evangelistic ministry inspires them to be more outward with their faith.

• I see myself as one who is dedicated to helping other people succeed in life.

• My relationship skills and networking have produced fruit in leading others to Christ in the last six months.

[Score Yourself: Add up your score and look at your total. Around 30= Work on being more outgoing. Around 60= Try being more intentional with the gospel. Around 90=Clarify your vision and passion for evangelism. Around 120= Don’t stop growing, but bring someone along with you to help them catch your passion. Around 160= Shouldn’t you be training others to do what you do? Take your total score and and divide by 18 to get your average score. Can you improve your average?]

Preaching Notes...

Joshua Harris from Covenant Life Church, has had a series on his blog called "The Preaching Notes'. He has asked a few of his preacher friends to share their sermon notes that they preach from.

Interesting variety from each of the preachers and I am sure will be of great insight to many! Hope you get some ideas and encouragement!

Please note Josh's purpose: "The purpose of this post and this series is to learn about preaching, not to comment on the preachers or attack their ministries. I've turned off comments for this post and deleted all comments that veer from this clear purpose. Thanks for understanding."

Speak Up...

The Australian Human Rights Commission are inviting you to submit a response to issues of Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century in Australia. In particular they are interested in your responses to any or all of the questions in the discussion paper, as well as any other issues of concern. These questions are intended as a guide only, so respondents should not feel limited by these.

Go onto their website: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/frb download the form and write a submission!

Fun |ˈfən| noun

A bill poster on the streets of Glebe.

Men and tears...

Augustine, Confessions, Book 9, Chapter 12.
MOURNING MONICA, HIS MOTHER

I closed here eyes; and there flowed a great sadness into my heart and it was passing into tears, when mine eyes at the same time, by the violent control of my mind, sucked back the fountain dry and woe was me in such a struggle! But, as soon as she breathed her last the boy Adeodatus burst out into wailing, but, being checked by us all, he became quiet. In like manner also my own childish feeling, which was, through the youthful voice of my heart, finding escape in tears, was restrained and silenced. For we did not consider it fitting to celebrate that funeral with tearful plaints and groanings; for on such wise are they who die unhappy, or are altogether dead, wont to be mourned. But she neither died unhappy, nor did she altogether die. For of this were we assured by the witness of her good conversation her "faith unfeigned," and other sufficient grounds.

...my soul was stricken, and that life torn apart as it were, which, of hers and mine together, had been made but one.

... with a new sorrow I sorrowed for my sorrow, and was wasted by a twofold sadness.

What's normal in culture?

This week my friend accepted a job with Playboy International, as an interior design intern for their New York bars and nightclubs. Another one of my friends is growing in reputation as a burlesque dancer who is fusing the modern and traditional styles. And most of my other friends who work in more ‘normal’ jobs would probably say they are happy for these friends – they are pursuing their dreams, getting good money and having fun. What can be wrong about that? I like seeing my friends happy too, and I am excited that they are accomplishing goals and having fun, however I can’t quite reconcile why happiness is found in working for an industry that feeds the objectification of women and that normalises sex as a commodity.

When did we accept synonymity of sex with red, black and naughty? And why do we construe violent, abusive and pornified images, as the norm for sexy? Our ears are blasted by the advertising jingle for a popular male deodorant, which uses Bom-Chicka-Wah-Wah, the onomatopoeia guitar riff from porn movies of the 70s. This has even provided inspiration for the single released comprising of these lyrics:

“what if in the morning there is guilt and regret? Better than another night watching TV with you pets”

We watch, laugh and usually pass-over the unhealthy concepts of relationships, image and sex promoted. But for how long shall we concede? What are our boundaries? The pornification of culture has even crept into the children’s clothing market whereby ‘bust-booster’ bras are manufactured for girls as young as three. Additionally, the Peek-a-boo pole-dancing kit marketed for six-year-old girls promised, “to unleash the sex kitten inside”.

Am I just the fuddy-duddy, Jesus-loving, old-fashioned and conservative Christian friend? Do you think, as the apostle Paul does in Ephesians 4, that our society has lost all sensitivity?

Then again, should we even be surprised that there are no objective moral norms, given our society holds no belief in an objective moral-norm-giver.


they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. ephesians 4:17-19

What I am...

Reading:

• "Just walk across the room" - Bill Hybles
  So far this has been full of stories and encouragements to step outside your comfort zone!
  I will review it once I have read it.
  
  
• "One Land, One Saviour"
  Only read the intro - so looking forward to finding out more about the Indigenous church in Australia.

Designing & Making:

• Interior and "Props"
  with Christi-Ann, for Saturday night church, which launched this weekend just past!
  
• A quilt for Sarah, a friend in hospital - please pray for healing and God's mercy!
  

Thinking about:

• the Future
  both the immediate and coming hope.
  
  
• Proverbs
  and what makes them unique from other proverbs in the Ancient Near East - thanks to my Old Testament subject. Praise the LORD that he is the one true creator and author of history!
  
  
• my view on Worship, Women and Work.
  
  

Enjoing:

• Deeper friendships at church, college and out of those contexts.
  
• my new iPhone.
  
• my family - staying at my folks over college 2 week break.
  
• the smell of new carpet in my folks place.
• 2 Samuel series at Sunday night church: the preaching has been showing me the great clarity and riches of the gospel in the shadows of the Old Testament.
  

Looking forward to:

• New family at SNBTB.
• Exams and the end of first year college.
• Summerfest 09.
  
• Holidays with Lisa.
  

Listening to:

• Hillsong Album: This Is Our God!
  
  

What on earth am I thinking...

Do you ever question that the life you are living is real... that maybe you and the small amount of Christians in the world got it wrong?

It's a sad wrestle that we 'all' go through? I know I did for many years. And it is sad to see it in your friends who were once pumped for life of loving Jesus...

I think Tom Steller sums up the emotion well in this parallel from the Wizard of Oz:

Toto wanders behind the curtain, pulls the curtain open, and reveals the truth behind the great Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz was a hoax. He was a kindly but pathetic old man without any special powers. He merely projected his face on to a giant screen and amplified his voice. What Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Lion, and the Tin Man, and I had hoped in turned out not to be real.

As a result of this movie I can specifically remember wondering for the first time in my life if God was a hoax. Maybe my priest, Father Winzerling, was a fraud, or perhaps he too was deceived. Maybe there was some mastermind who thought up religion and who created the Bible to fool naïve, desperate people. Maybe God wasn't real. Maybe there really wasn't a God at all, except the ones we could dream up in our imagination. What a frightening thought for a religious boy like me to have. Have you ever had those thoughts? Do you even wonder now sometimes if God exists—I mean really exists? Is God real, or is he a concoction of our wishful thinking. Are we just playing games here Sunday after Sunday? Sometimes, even since I have become a Christian, those thoughts enter my mind.

Steller also describes the perfect solution:

JESUS

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know shim who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:20

Creativity and the Arts #4

What do Manet, Gauguin, Koons, Henson and Serrano all have in common? ART CONTROVERSY...

Who would have thought that an orchid, upswept hair, a black cat, and a bouquet of flowers would enhance the sexual explicitness of an artwork? Well in the day of Eduoard Manet's Olympia, 1863 these objects were recognized symbols of sexuality.

Art has been and will remain to be a source of cultural reflection, critique and confrontation.

So how are we to engage with art that we don’t agree with? Personally, I think we learn more about ourselves when we discover things we disagree with or find offensive. Controversy provokes a response and impassioned to stand up about truth. Pushing boundaries helps you know what you really think.

Since the arts have become less of the prerogative of the church, Christians have stepped back from debates and forums where art critiques, argues and searches for meaning in humanity. Rightly so have we taken a step back, but perhaps a too far back where there is no Christian voice being heard. After all, isn't this the very stuff that we were so good at talking about?

Steve Turner in Imagine:A vision for Christians and the arts 2001; says

… Consistently, Christians didn’t consume much art either. On the whole they didn’t own televisions (“the devil’s box), collect art or go to the theatre. Fiction, like dancing, was okay for children but not for adults. Rock music was worldly. Movies were suitable only if they were cartoon, family entertainment or, oddly enough, fact-based war epics. The reasoning was that most art was created by nonbelievers and could therefore damage our spiritual health...

Is this type of response the right reponse to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-22's threefold command for a discerning mind:

Judge everything, Cling to what is good, shun what is evil.

And...

...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians. 4:8

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Ephesians 5:3

How far back do we need to stand?

Discernment is out of fashion. We all think we should have exactly what we want, with little regard to the effect it may have on ourselves and on others. As we discussed said last night: some images are just impossible to erase from your memory... and it is in our senses that much of our memory is stored in".

So how do we make clear distinctions and judgments to live lives worthy of the gospel, especially when we are labeled for going against accepted modern culture values.

At the same time, Christianity brings freedom and what suppose you don't find Manet's Olympia sexually stimulating, it doesn't envoke evil thoughts or desires - must you not view it because?

Personally, I think it depends.... may seem like a cop out but isn't that what discernment is all about? It's the tension we all live with in our everyday life... what is the godly choice?

And so " … we need to bring any work of art before the bar of moral criteria. We must ask questions about the moral intention of the artist. Is the purpose of a work to deprave or corrupt? If a work contains immoral behavior or evil, what is the context? It should be evident to us that the Bible contains many accounts of wicked behavior, sometimes very graphically portrayed. Works of art must not necessarily be condemned because they contain such violence, but context and intention have to be considered. (Christianity and the Arts - Jerram Barrs)

And so with all this in mind...
What say you about the Statue of David?
Is this work reason for concern - is it art controversy?

Indigenous Prayer Group

Creativity and the Arts #3

The 2008 Biennale of Sydney

REVOLUTIONS :: Forms that turn

Revolutions is a historic look at the contemporary art world. It shows works through different eras that questioned the norm, that comments on world and art of ages past. It is one of the most over-stimulating and overwhelming exhibitions I have been to.

There was so much crammed into the exhibition. There were kinetic works that demanded your engagement there were mirrored reflections, soundscapes, bells ringing, whiteboard art, optic illusions, films, moving walls, sketches, paintings, styrofoam artworks that looked like they were breathing and more... It was hard to focus and fully give your attention to the artwork in front of you.

This exhibition is trying to explore the idea of creating possibilities from going against the mainstream or dominant perspective. When we are able to steer away from the hum-drum, safe, same old same old, traditional, proven ways of old, we free our minds to the endless creative power and choices of fashioning something new or exploring the vast alternatives. I think this is a great theme to explore, but not sure if the collection as a whole said this or whether a whole lot of artworks individually said this.

One of the clearest examples of what this exhibition is trying to explore is Duchamp's bicycle wheel. It is placed upside down. It alters our perception of what a wheel is. It makes you think, doesn't it? What is it's purpose? What is it if now it's upside down and functionless?

There was soundscape by a Japanese artist. The viewer was drawn in to press a button and hold it down to experience the different bells that rung. The button was bells throughout the exhibition forcing people to be apart of the work whether they chose to participate or not. And so it would scare people, annoy people, and disturb tours. I found it hilarious that one of the tour guides told a viewer that they needed to stop pressing the bell as her group is unable to hear her. I listened in to the lady's judgement on this bell artwork and she decided that the artist was wrong in calling it a sound landscape and should rather be called a sound sculpture. How presumptuous, especially at an exhibition that is supposed to alter perceptions and get you questioning?? Maybe it did get the guide questioning, hence her conclusion and so the artwork has fulfilled its point?

The works that got me thinking the most were the one about mass production, the facelessness of life as a number and the mundane nature of life. It reminded me of Ecclesiastes and the meaninglessness of vapour. It made me sad and was slightly depressing. I really appreciated the amazing technical detail in the works!

Another highlight was a patron in bare feet. The art gallery space is one of my favourite places for the same reason I like Airports. Both these spaces host a strange and diverse bunch of people all with their own stories and quirky behaviours. I love to work out who they are, what relationships they are in, what their occupation is and why they are where they are? So much fun!

Wasn't the biggest fan of this collection. It gave me a headache!

Men and tears...

This year a girl in my connect group shared with us her theory that "Tears prove there is a God", as there is no real need for them. Emotional tears are useless, purposeless function of the body that seems to have remained in our 'evolution. And for my friend she attributes that pure expression of emotion as a gift of God, a means to know that we were made for something more than black and white of life.

Tears now remind me of that there is a God and its a great comfort when I do cry. But tears in general remind me of the brokenness of this world, the need for redemption from the bondage of sin, corruption and decay in this world. Yet we don't just cry over the sad things, we cry tears of joy when babies are born, when people get married, when friends are healed, when the sun shines and the world sings, and when we see the merciful hand of God on our lives...

There seem to be different things that set us off in tears... for me tears come when I am overwhelmed by thoughts happy and sad, frustration with 'unanswered' prayers, when I am tired and run down, and especially driving in my car with music up load.

A journalist did a survey of the words "crying" and "tears" in a newspaper over a period of time. The most common causes of crying are low-level frustration or sad moments on TV. Other subjects worth crying over were:

• the deaths, births and illnesses of children; and of parents;
  
• cheating husbands; and violent ones;
  
• absent fathers;
  
• pedophilia;
  
• rape;
  
• adoption;
  
• the hell of school exams;
• remembering lost loves;
  
• retired guide dogs;
  
• accepting an award for acting;
  
• problems with builders; and
  
• onions.
  

Adults apparently also cry most frequently when they are alone, at home, between 7pm and 10pm, and women cry on average 64 times a year (more than once a week), men just 17 (more than once a month).

I find that really interesting that men do cry as much as 17 times a year. Most men I have spoken to about crying say that it is rare. Do you think it is wrong for men to cry? When we call men little girls, weak or a woose, I feel we trivialise their grief or sadness and say that there is no room for tears in manhood.

For women, we seem to much easily get worked up, cry for no reason or break down in hysteria - regularly. Not to diminish the emotions of women and the privilege to be a friend for my female friends when they cry, but it is a real privilege to witness a man cry.

I have had this privilege a number of times: at funerals, when a friend was missing his homeland and family, when a friend was on drugs, breaking up with a girl, at the end of a tough year, while battling depression, amidst physical pain, and in frustration by the inability to pray...

In the last 2 months or so, I have seen three grown men cry at church. It really moved me to see these men shed tears silently over a sermon, publicly when church family & partners in the gospel move overseas, quietly in response to a song and in conversation over their chronically ill sister. I felt honored when that guy cried in our conversation, that he was willing to share and express his emotions with family at church.

......

Who do you think of when you read that the Israelites 'cried out, and their desperate cry' (Ex2:23)?

How do you view men like David and Job who cry? (I do notice though that each instance of their crying does not always result in tears, but calling out to God in desperation)

Who longs for the day when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more—or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.”?
(Revelation 21:4)

This Is Our God...

New Hillsong Album...

We sung 'This is our God' for the first time last night at church. The bridge lead in to the chorus freely you gave it all for us was really moving and I was humbled before the feet of our God. Our worship team lead us really well. I am so thankful for their service and enabling me with my church family to sing a prayer of adoration, supplication and praise!

Creativity and the Arts #2

Week Two :: Meet the Artists

• Can anyone justify why are the arts valuable? and why Christians should be artists and/or audiences?
• If yes or if no, what does the relationship between the Church and the Arts have?

Art is often seen to be superfluous and not efficient. It takes time, production is often done in isolation, it can be very expensive, demands hard work. Such energy could be better spent elsewhere, right? People need to hear the gospel to be saved, so why paint landscapes, write poetry, compose or play music?

I have heard numerous Christian artists and creatives share about the times they have resented and wished away their abilities and God given gifts. Reasons for such resentment often include: just wanting to fit in, the pragmatism of the gospel (importance of bible teaching), being told you cannot be a Christian and be an artist, its just too hard, you can't do gigs on Sunday's because your Minister thinks you are falling away...

We often, in subtle ways, place occupations into hierarchies... Minister and Word gifts are top of the list, followed by Christian teachers who can impact the youth who will be our tomorrow, Doctors and Nurses who can travel overseas to do tent-making gospel work and/or compassion work, then Lawyers who can provide the monetary support for the gospel and accountants are great on Parish Council. Artists and cultural produces are often far down our list of importance to the body of Christ, and often only are considered valuable for evangelistic efforts. We often only engage with the arts to 'reach' people 'creatively' with the gospel.

It would seem that Christian artists unfairly need to justify their occupation, and its effectiveness for it to be valid. However we need to resist boxing our artist and creative brethren in. The evangelistic ability or the ability to produce art that is a paraphrased sermon should not be the measuring stick for valued art by Christians.

Art is an amazing forum for the discussion and debate within our society. Although it is not the only concern for all artists or Christian artists to make bold statements and ideologies about humanity, art does provide an arena for where truth, identity, origins, beauty and behaviour is explored:"... debates are taking place in cinema, painting, dance, fiction, poetry, and theatre on issues where Christians have something to give and yet are not even being heard" (Steve Turner - Imagine) . Despite this, it does not mean that Christians should only be in the arts to dialogue faith, Christians are to be doing everything they do to the glory of God, whether that is making coffee, creating reports, presenting proposals or performing Brecht.

Producing and performing art that affects and awakens people to the world around them and thier own emotions is an amazing thing. To see a Christian content and satisfied in Christ as they enjoy the gifts God has given them and embrace the person God has made them is a joyous and God exalting thing in and of itself - ceramist, surgeon, violinist, plumber or graphic designer.

Tonight at Replenish, we heard from RCA a Christian, a daughter of an architect and ceramist, an artist herself, and an educator. She shared with us how she was told when she was 18 heading to Sydney College of the Arts that she would not be a Christian by the end of the four years study and even told as bluntly that she could not possibly be a Christian if she was to pursue such a career.

We also hear from TD a Christian, a husband to a design student, son of a doctor and lectuerer, and a musician. He shared how and why he entered into this arena, the frustrations of being a creative and the blurred lines between work and leisure, and the constant justification he feels to make use of his music in the church as means of validation for his work.

It is intersting to that Artists so strongly feel this need to validate their occupation. I don't hear it as often said, oh well as long as I am using my adminstration skills for the church am I allowed to be a personal assistant. I think this also has to do with our culture (church culture) fo getting our identity so wrapped up in our occupation. Our identity should be soley based upon our relationships. It would be lovely to hear 'oh I am a child of God, husband to Jane, Son of Bob and Beatrice, Friend to Joe, Luke and Will and Father to Thomas and Susan' rather than 'oh I am a banker'. We so quickly jump to defining ourselves by our occupation and then quickly judge people accordingly.

Artists and creatives have a unique place in our culture to shape and inform our society and tell the stories of people, reflect on the anxieties and record the questions of our day. It would be great to have our gifted Christian brethren to pursue careers in the mainstream arts and not the religious subculture.

A hurdle that does lie in the way of the relationship between the Church and the arts is the arts tendency to utilize its position and power within society to shock our world. The arts have moved a long way from its days of being the prerogative of the church. Today it is the world that dominates the arts, often with concepts that are offensive to Christians, which has seen the church in recent years take a step back as we often don't know how to debate the truth with our world.

More on that in Creativity and the Arts #4 - Art in Controversy.
Next post - Creativity on the Arts #3 will be a Benniale Review

AIM Prayer Points August 2008

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9

NORTHERN TERRITORY

1. Darwin Rhonda Coats Elizabeth Ham

Praise : Rhonda’s recent trip to many centres has enabled her to leave literature with the believers and encourage them to press on. She travelled in safety with no car trouble. Elizabeth has been able to continue her work at the Belyuen school and her pastoral care of many, Rejoice with us for the many, many years Elizabeth has worked in AIM and all the lives touched by her. She retires in December.

Pray for: Rhonda as she continues to encourage those she visited, prepares the AIM magazine; that she will know the Lord’s peace and assurance as currently some of her family in USA are undergoing serious health/personal issues and it is hard for her to be so far away. Elizabeth as she seeks God’s guidance as to how to use her retirement years, how to relinquish her current ministries, what new areas of ministry might open up.

2. Katherine : Greg and Debbie Piper and church leaders

Praise : the consistent leadership among the Indigenous people, especially Lisa, Noel and David; the church’s team work in the outreach ministry at the Gorge on some Sunday evenings; the faithful few at Barunga who keep walking straight, especially Anita.

Pray for: Greg and Debbie as they seek to train current and potential leaders; for the church members to be shining lights among their own families and community; more men to come into the church.

3. Borroloola Max and Doris Field and church leaders

Praise : Strong leadership of Vincent Charlie and his gifts in personal evangelism; Warren Timothy as he also leads; Miriam as she takes the Sunday School, Max and Doris as they quietly and wisely encourage the church folk.

Pray : Warren’s wife Joelene has asked for prayer that she will not be disruptive to Warren on Sunday mornings as he prepares to lead church. She recognises that satan is attacking her in this area and she wants to overcome it; opportunities to reach the young people.

4.Elliott /Marlinja Harold and Kaye Dalywaters Raymond and Thelma Dixon

Praise : these two families press on in spite of loneliness. They give a godly witness in their communities. They run Sunday School faithfully each week.

Pray for : their children to walk with the Lord and make wise choices about their futures; Harold and Raymond have many dreams for their communities and for their own ministries in them. They need God’s direction as to the best way to use their gifts in this work. They need to be encouraged to keep pressing on when they meet opposition from wider family.

5.Canteen Creek Richard and Sue Davies

Praise : The faithful Christians in the community; the opportunities to relate to the children who have a warm relationship with Richard and Sue; the blessing of Christian teachers leading the school programme. Pray for : good health for Richard and Sue; more men to join the church; those who have wandered away to come back in repentance, contact with families through children; the after school programme ;Ben and Suse Hollands as they lead the team of teachers at Canteen Creek.( While in Epenarra, we met an Education Dept Rep. who had just been to assess the Year 11 and 12 students at Canteen Creek School and met Ben and Suse for the first time. She was amazed at their commitment and achievements! We praise God for their testimony.)

6. Epenarra Andrew and Cindy Hadfield, Wesley Ruth William Haydon

Praise : Rodney is leading the church services and teaching from the Word; Andrew and Cindy are quietly relating to the church folk and within the community, seeking to encourage the Christians to grow strong; the children are settled and happy

Pray for : Rodney and Derek to be strong for the Lord and grow in their love and knowledge of Jesus; for the Christians in the town not to be tempted by the gambling, drinking and fighting which is prevalent at the moment; the ladies teaching Sunday School to see children impacted; a godly witness in the community be all the Christians; for Cindy as she juggles the enormous pressure of schooling the two eldest and doing all the other tasks which fall to wife and mother, thus having little time for herself; Andrew as he seeks to help meet the family needs as well as ministry.

7. Tennant Creek Ruth and Eugen, church leaders

Praise: the government grant to buy a new bus has come through and the generosity of the church in passing the old bus on cheaply to Alice Springs; Ruth and Eugen are safely home from their trip to Canada to meet their first grandchild; the enthusiasm of the Men’s and Ladies’ Bible study groups as they share and interact each week.

Pray for :spiritual strength for the leaders. The men are growing older and the ranks are being depleted. New men need to be trained to lead. Many are suffering poor health due to cold weather, especially Phyllis Driver who has gone to Alice Springs to commence a kidney dialysis programme. She will be lonely; for Ruth as she grieves the loss of her father.

8. Alice Springs Margaret and Greg Duke Sharon Jude

Praise : Some local folk are helping with a simple Sunday morning service for a few folk; the imminent provision of a bus as the current one has died.

Pray for : the team of workers needed. Hospital visiting and pastoral care alone is a full time ministry with many coming from AIM centres elsewhere. Wisdom regarding possible workers for 2009; the family (especially his wife Mary) of Wally Long, one of the regular attenders, who died last week after a long period of poor health. Many folk in Alice Springs will miss him.

Creativity and the Arts #1

Tonight was the first night of my Replenish course "Creativity and the Arts" at church.

Week One: God - the Creative Genius.

God is creative, ingenious and awe-inspiring. He is the only one who can create out of nothing, no external resource is required. He needs no materials to create from, he needs no tools or materials to create with. He creates out of the invisible (Hebrews 11:3) His powerful word (Hebrews 11:3, Gen 1) and his will (Rev 4:11) are abundantly sufficient to create the heavens, the earth and humanity.

His creation tells me his is a God of goodness and perfection. Each day testifies that his purposeful creation is good (1:10; 12; 18; 21; 25; 31). God himself is perfect and he has fashioned everything accordingly. He didn't make a mistake and he didn't produce any waste or byproduct. He designed and made all things from the intricate root systems in rain-forests to the stars in the sky, to the hair, skin and eye colour of humans to the "plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit..."(1:11)

We have so many colours to enjoy on this earth and one of the good questions my dear friend Lizzie and I wonder about is whether there will be any new colours in heaven? Or do we get to enjoy all the colours of God's spectrum now?

This all tells me that God has no limit on his creativity. No one can match his imagination. Unlike us, God's ability to create is unstoppable and infinite - there are no limits for him. He creates species, types, varieties of trees, plants (strelizia, roses, agapanthus) and animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians...). And now think of the different kinds of roses and the different fragrance each one has. He is profuse. There is no one like our God.

God is truely worthy of our praise! Can you deny his magnificance, oppulence and existence? His eternal power and divine nature has been reveled to us in the abundance, beauty and handiwork of his creation. (Romans 1, Psalm 19). Please don't ignore him, for the world around us makes us without an excuse to acknowlege him as Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of all.

So what do you think it means for humanity, if God is this creative genius?
If we are made in his likeness what might this infer about us?
What is man that God is so mindful of him (Psalm 8)?

New church website...

CHECK IT OUT!

Praise Jesus for Steve and the team who put it together! I like it!

The Gift of Administration...

I am working this week for my old boss.

I have jumped on board the production of Vinnies World Youth 4 Justice Concert, which is on after the Pope's arrival. It's pretty big event with 12 bands/artists in the line up! We are yet to release the names of the artists and unsure whether the concert will be open to general public or only to the Pilgrims

This week I have the job title of Artist Liaison - which involves liaising with all the artists, getting press kits, graphics, by-lines, show times, sound check, contracts, VIPS etc all sorted and scheduled. Loving the organised chaos of production management.

I am also producing the Production Manual which, like all desktop publishing design, is time consuming. Details, details, details...

It's fun to be back working for my old boss... its been 3 years since I worked on the last event.

Being back has made me realise where I learn a lot of my "gift of administration" skills.
My boss is amazing! She has taught me lots about how to run events well. Her 30+ years in the rock and roll industry, pays off!

And so it makes me think - does she have the spiritual gift of administration?
Many unbelievers have this skill set, CEO's, event managers don't get where they are otherwise. But they can't be spiritual gifts right?

So do I distinguish my own gifts that way too... since I had the 'gift of administration' before I became a Christian? I relied on my own strength and skill to do things before and I guess I naturally fall back on it when using these skills to serve my church family?

The church is made up of my family > people not programs/events/structures right? So is the 1 Cor 13 principle my guide in applying the skills I've gained in serving the church, for without love I am a noisy gong? But shouldn't love guide me in all my work secular or not?

I guess whether you are a Christian or not, everything you have, everything you are is a gift of God. They are all God-given abilities. It's whether you attribute it to God!

So perhaps like 1 Corinthians keeps pushing its about your attitude and motivation to serve...love!

The choice is yours:
>>> promote self
>>> promote Jesus

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms... he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen

1 Peter 4:10-11

We need more Fujimura's...

Praise Jesus for Faith Visuals for producing this clip!

Makoto Fujimura

He is an artist.
He is intelligent.
He paints.
He writes.

He proclaims Christ.

Mako is a Christian of the reformed persuasion.
Mako and Tim Keller are mates.
Mako is the Creative Director & Founder Artist of IAM
Keller is on the Advisory Board of IAM.

IAM gathers artists and creative catalysts to wrestle with the deep questions of art, faith and humanity in order to inspire the creative community to engage the culture that is and create the world that ought to be.

I am sad that I haven't been introduced to Makoto earlier... but very thankful that I now have.

"I am a Christian. I am also an artist and creative, and what I do is driven by my faith experience."
— Makoto Fujimura said in a 2007 article by Associated Press reporter Eric Gorsk

He and the artists that he as gathered around him have created a new realm where the arts and religion meet. He and IAM are doing great things for Christianity and the Arts. He is bringing faith to the cultural discussion table and putting the gospel on the agenda. I praise Jesus for the way he and the many artists are using their gifts to express the truths of the God who gave them.

As critic Robert Kushner has written, "The idea of forging a new kind of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which finds Fujimura's work at the vanguard."

I've just bought his book, became a member of IAM (not that I will get much benefit beng here in Aust, but think its a gospel initiative that I want to support) and iwll use Makoto for the God and Art Course I am running at my church in the coming month.

We need more people like Makoto!