2008 has truly been the best year of our church life
We have merged with Inglewood Church of Christ and become Inglewood Community Church
We have started meeting at the Inglewood Civic Centre, which has seen us become a more visible presence in the community, and start to attract visitors on a consistent basis....People know where we are, and when we meet. We run programs such as the Artisan Markets, which are an incredible outlet for community presence.

I have learnt how to use Photoshop and Sony Vegas, two great high end programs which have helped me become more efficient and professional in my work.

Personal prayer, devotion and holiness.....these are aspects of my life I continue to work on.

When people from both sides of politics are villifying you, its probably a sign you are doing the right thing.
Rick Warren is clearly a biblical/conservative minister....yet Obama has picked him to pray a prayer of blessing on his presidency. I doubt Warren voted for Obama......
This quote from Warren from the LA Times speaks volumes for the wisdom of the man. I am so glad he is representing us in the media...

"I happen to love Democrats and Republicans," he told the gathering. "And for the media's purpose, I happen to love gays and straights. . . . Who ever came up with the idea that you have to agree with everybody on everything in order to love them?"Warren added: "And you know what my attitude is: You don't have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand, and you can disagree without being disagreeable" (Source)

A few years back a few good friends and I went to Sacremento to study the incredible ministry of churches under Paul Borden's leadership.
After the 14 day study tour, Wayne Field, Peter White and myself went on a driving tour, including such spots as Vegas, Yosemite National Park, Las Angelas, and a lot of the US in between.....
When I got to Vegas, and Wayne and I went on a tour, in our rented Chrysler Convertable....at 2am in the morning, I turned to Wayne and said,

"After seeing what God created for our enjoyment in Yosemite it's a disappointment to see what man created for our enjoyment in Vegas."

Wayne told me that U2 filmed their clip, "I still haven't found what I am looking for" there....which just about sums it up.

"The source of confident joy and joyful confidence originates in the fundamental acknowledgement that "the Lord, he is God. It is He who hath made us and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture." Turning from divine praise to human dignity, the Psalmist celebrates the good news that we are neither alone nor autonomous. He confesses that God fashioned every single person, and that therefore every human being enjoys an inherent worth that can never be earned or even lost, and that therefore we enjoy His bountiful care. Many people, of course, do not view the world or people this way, and herein lies a great divide between two very different ways of experiencing life itself."

This is a really good post.
Pastor Mark Driscoll had a really bad attendance at Mars Hill Church, a mega church in Seattle. He is a edgy young pastor, with a influential ministry. He writes on his church blog about a recent service when it snowed heavily in Seattle (you may have seen it on the news) and it affected attendance negatively....

"I preached to 80 people at the first service in a room that seats 1300, and the best attended of the four services today was about 250 people....."

He has some pretty frank things to say... (Driscoll frank? Who would have thought!)

"Those who see it as a job are the first to call in and cancel their duties, not show up, dog it, or leave early. Those who see their service at Mars Hill as a calling go beyond the call of duty to cover for everyone else"

You can read the rest here

John Finkelde mentioned on his blog that he loves the 23rd of December....and wondered if he is the only one...he isn't...I do too!

Isn't the anticipation of something just as good as actually obtaining it?
Has not God designed us to be dreamers...to desire...to chase after?

I believe He has.

Last night I took the family to the 'Nativity' scene/drama in the city. It was awesome. Geoff Woodward (spelling?) from Metro Church and the evavenscent (spelling2?) Michael Battersby led the thousands of people gathered there in carol singing...I am friends with Colin, Michael's brother, and we often joke that despite their obvious similarities, Michael is the outgoing one...he is! Colin is an awesome worship leader, but their style is quite different.

Michael and his team did a great job.

Then Ted Bull (ABC) basically read the story from the bible, interspersed with drama, real camels, and carols.
Seriously....no mention of Santa....candy canes or anything else.
Just the beauty of the nativity story, presented in a contemporary manner to thousands of non church folk...

What a blessing.....

There is a lot of 'Grinchness' around this time of year, let us not be among the green headed monsters....Let us instead celebrate this awesome time of year, an opportunity to reflect, to share our faith, to share our lives, to celebrate with famiy.....

I believe in a God who is exuberant, creative, fun, positive, visionary, celebratory...a God who commands His people to party...COMMANDS THEM!!!

Let us throw off those things that bind us..and Celebrate the King's Birthday.

We assume that we rule our lives, but we can't even hold our breath.

I miss my dad.

He was a non communicative, dysfunctional father.....who I hardly knew.....

but I miss him like crazy.

I wish I could ring him up and ask him about how to change an oil filter, even though I know how.

I wish I could play squash with him, and go easy on him, because when I started thrashing him, he no longer wanted to play.....

I wish he was here to give presents to my kids...because he was GREAT at that.....

If your dad is still alive, no matter what he is like...don't take him for granted.

This is an interesting blog....
here he defends Rick Warren and makes some good points.....

"No stranger to getting flamed by church people indignant over his writings and methods, Warren is now getting flamed by some very vocal supporters of President-elect Obama because he (Warren) is pro-life and against gay marriage. Shocker, I know."

"Here's the thing: Warren is not saying anything outrageous for a Christian minister. He is simply, as most evangelical Christians do, saying that babies should get to live and that homosexual behavior is sin. That he is getting branded a radical hatemonger for these things should tell us a lot about the culture we live in, which -- PAY ATTENTION HERE -- doesn't care if you're a cool, goatee-sporting, social justice loving, Obama voting Christian. If you simply follow the Bible's counsel about life and sin, you're Hitler." (Source)

It was really interesting to me that Obama mentioned 'gays' specifically in his presidential speach.

This is not a gay bashing site....there are plenty of them around, and this is not one of them.

But a Christian minister should stand up for something, namely that the Bible is true...and God does not like sin........Rick Warren is probably one of the sharpest Christian minds of our generation, and when interviewed, I have not seen him slip up. I dont think he did in this context either....but what he said may very well be offensive.

Why do we make this statement, "I rarely watch TV but I saw this show on how Brooke split up with Taylor etc etc...'
What is it within us that makes us apologise for watching TV...or feign guilt about it?
You don't hear people say, "I rarely go to the movies, but I just happened to catch Hugh and Nicole and she was so wooden...."

All things in moderation I reckon.
At present, with the non ratings rubbish on, thats pretty easy! But there is still some good stuff on. For me, Prison Break and Heroes. Lately I have got addicted to both of them, sometimes recording them when I am too bombed to stay up that late. Also 'Top Gear' (the UK version) on Monday nights.
And....with the 'Spicks and Specks Christmas Special' being essential viewing...enjoy your zone out time...in moderation.

I have an excellent Church Leadership Team...I suppose if they were terrible I would probably not post about them, but they are great...so I can.

Last night we held our first ever Leadership Team Meeting for our new church, and it was a significant time. We decided on some key things, which reflect our inherant values as a church.
I was so encouraged.

I shared with the leadership team that I need three things from them.

1. That they keep pushing me to keep my eye on the big vision, and give me freedom to lead.
2. That they be my chief set of cheerleaders.
3. That they set good boundaries and keep me accountable for what I achieve

There have been years gone by when things have not been so good. Our church is already experiencing some fruit from good leadership, and this team is setting us up for more health.

Well Richmond Football Club have drafted Ben......(after saying there is no way they would)

I actually am glad. I hope that he is aided in his journey back, and does his parents proud.
All of us have made mistakes, its just that Ben got caught...and he continued on with it....

But ultimately I suspect it wont be his much vaunted issues with drugs that bring him down but his hamstrings....and the feral Tigers fans.....

We had a great day at church on Sunday.
Some things I can tell you about, some things best kept from huge public audience that read this blog (!)

A great time of worship, the band sounded great, and their was a real sense of freedom there, led ably by Eliot, who allowed space and freedom....great!

A good story of two told...and a good message on meditating on scripture, you can download it from our church website www.inglewoodchurch.org.au

About 10 visitors, including some real special people, which I can't go into here....but I am hoping they stick around, because together, we could make some awesome differences in our community....

The air conditioning kicked the 38 degree day out of the park...something we have not had the luxury of before....

Its not all bad you know.

Blogging has given me a great outlet, it has introduced me to a whole heap of people and also ideas that have helped a lot. It has been an avenue to internet resources, mult-media, the latest thinking and good books.

Facecrack....ooops...I mean Facebook...has given me access to relationships with a whole heap of people. The most valuable aspect of it is when I also have a 'real world' relationship with those I am interacting with online. In some notable cases it has actually really helped as I have tried to share and deepen relationships and conversations with people that although I see them 'face to face' we dont always get the chance to talk about spiritual matters. This has been really valuable even in the last 24 hours as I was able to articulate something concillitory which may have actually been a problem with someone who is on a faith journey.

I think the key with healthy online relationships is that they have some basis 'offline' as well. It may be too easy for there to be little accountability or reality undergirding the relationship if it only takes place in internet forums or blog comment lines. I am not saying this is always the case, but even those friendships I have developed with some overseas pastors, formed on the basis of mutual experiences, are relationships I have an innate desire to develop 'offline' as well.

While I don't like anonymous comments on this blog, because I think if you are going to say something, take accountability for it, I do allow them, because I hope the interaction can grow to the point where it allows for a certain vulnerability.

As our society and culture is already well and truly 'online', Pastors, those in the relationship and influence areas, need to have an online 'web 2' type presence. As people work more, and have less time free, Pastors need to be available (within their own boundaries of course) to interact with people, as people today are interacting.

(This post was formulated after a discussion with my good friend, Michael Bullard)

How would it be if you put on a beautiful birthday party for your son.
All the trimmings....you invite his friends, you wrap his presents, you prepare wonderful food.

Then after the day is finished, you turn to your son and you say, "I hate your birthday, its such a hassle".....



enjoy the day....enjoy Jesus' birthday...its fantastic!

Here is the multi-media I have done up so far for the Christmas Season, feel free to use it....let me know if you do.

Nativity Loop

Nativity Countdown

The Word Came (illustration on Jesus's coming)

Merry Christmas Countdown

The bottom two you can find on this blog, if you want to preview the top two, I suggest you go to http://markedwards.blip.tv/

to see the others.....

After his fellow journalist at the Sunday Times, Jay Clark, was compelled to apologise in this weeks Sunday Times for making a mistake last week about Mark Harveys contract length....

(Bad journalism) one might have thought that Kim Hagdorn would get it right.

Apparently even though he is paid full time, and apparently studies and knows both West Aussie footy sides, you would think he might get the players numbers right, especially when talking about those numbers specifically!

"Other attractive numbers on offer to Fremantle's eight new recruits include Matthew Carr's No.9 and departed ruckman Robbie Warnock's 21, made more famous by respected former big man Justin Longmuir." (source)

mmmm....good one Kim...you dork.

There is a lot of great things about being a pastor and involved in a church.
One of them is Sunday afternoon, relaxing after the glow of a great church service. The band did a great job this morning and we kicked off our new series, "how to enjoy Christmas"....I spoke on the 'Relly Bash"...how to enjoy Christmas with your relatives...My two main points were to create margins for yourself (boundaries) and also to invite Jesus to the party. Jesus first miracle was to turn 160 gallons of water into the best wine available....at a 7 day wedding party. He wants to be invited to the party....

Then...after that...back home with number one son as wife and daughter are off to a birthday party and we did what dads and their sons do...ate some smallgoods and a good loaf of bread....he is playing 'sponge bob' and I am reading the paper...aaah.

This is good....could use this for something.....

Lot on this week...hence not many postings.....
Getting ready for Christmas, January and AGM in February.
Budgets, multi media, Angus Buchan, Christmas services, holidays, fixing car...(oil, coolant, sparks, tyres)

and that is just the last two days.....

Has the 'missional movement' been given enough time to produce fruit?
Dan Kimball appears to be getting impatient as he writes,

"Small, indigenous churches are getting lots of attention, but where's the fruit?

I hope I am wrong. For the past few years, I have been observing, listening, and asking questions about the missional movement. I have a suspicion that the missional model has not yet proven itself beyond the level of theory. Again, I hope I am wrong"

The article he writes appears to me to ask some serious and compelling questions, comparing the growth of 'attractional' churches with the apparent lack of growth of those pursuing alternate methods of church.

"We all agree with the theory of being a community of God that defines and organizes itself around the purpose of being an agent of God's mission in the world. But the missional conversation often goes a step further by dismissing the "attractional" model of church as ineffective. Some say that creating better programs, preaching, and worship services so people "come to us" isn't going to cut it anymore. But here's my dilemma—I see no evidence to verify this claim."


I wholeheatedly agree that the measure of a method of 'church' needs to be, is it growing and seeing people move from non Christ follower to fully devoted disciple. Maybe I am a late adopter, or maybe its time for some serious re-evaluations of those who are the self appointed 'evaluators'

Article

Here is a shortish presentation I have made up based around John 1 and Philipians 2



You can download a quality copy by right clicking here
Please let me know if and how you use it.

In our family we are trying to create memories for our children that will sustain them with joy as they look back at their childhood.

One inititive we have taken up recently is family dessert night. When guests come over, you often make up a nice dessert....Family Dessert night is when we make up a beautiful one, just for our family to enjoy.

This week it was Rollover Pavlova time....

I am so blessed!!!

This is so hard! Trying to get 5 different people together for an important meeting, in a volunteer capacity....around Christmas time!

aaaargh!!!!!!!!!

This is a countdown I have made up for our Christmas service. In my own copy I have included our church logo, and also the song from Jars of Clay "when love comes down"


You can get a copy, without the logo and song by right clicking here.

Please let me know if you use it, and how....