Grace

No other religion has it
No one who has not experienced it thinks it fair

Those who know it, know its the only thing stopping us from sliding....
Thank God that He knows what we are really like, and knows that grace is the only thing that is of any use to us.

What made Jesus madder than anything? Those who did not show grace, yet were under its covering.

What perplexes me? Churches with grace in their title, but who show anything but grace to a dying world oblivious to their need for it.

What spurs me on? To be relevant to those in need of Gods grace, who don't know it, but who I know....need it.

Western Australia

For all my interstate and overseas visitors...
(H/T Rod Benson)

New Layout

Probably not perfect yet, but I like it....

Funerals

Some observations....

There are all types of people at funerals. Business people, goths, mums, kids, sporty types, gymn junkies...seriously...funerals dont discriminate, on those who are observing, and those in the casket, everyone ends up at one, either a family member, friend, aquaitance...or their own...eventually.

Two of the saddest types of funerals, and I have been at both, are those for kids, or for someone who is a parent and has taken their own life. (There are many other sad types, but I have experienced both recently)

Both leave you with the sense that potential, hope...has been taken away from a family.

Leadership

Really felt convicted to just pray for some wisdom in leadership, God help me to be the leader You want me to be, to make godly decisions, decisions that will help our community discover joy in Jesus.
Lot of decisions and things happening this week.

Need wisdom.

Another good friend quit the ministry yesterday, perhaps only for a season. Stress gets to pastors, it seriously does.
As you watch conflict and stress come upon spiritual leaders, most often from those within the church, you wonder if those who consider themselves Bible studiers, if they could possibly have a look at this verse from Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:7 'Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit'

The importance of social media to the church

This video highlights the importance of social media to the church.

(H/t Kem Meyer)

70% of Inglewood Church's growth has come directly through our website.
www.inglewoodchurch.org.au

Probably half of those new folk have found intergration through Facebook.
Probably half of my church are on Facebook.

And I still cant convince some of my friends that the church website needs updating...or that they need to have one....

Christmas as Pastoring

One of my mates from my sons school asked me how I was going...work wise.
Christmas is buuuusy for Pastors, but this year is a lot less stressful for us, for a couple of reasons.

We dropped our Carols by Candlelight. I am not saying it is not effective, or worthwhile doing, and if you are doing it...great! But for us, we have done it for a number of years with some years being fantastic, others being dissapointed. You are at the mercy of the weather, other events, local residents...so many factors which can cause stress. There is also a lot of expense and trouble to pull it off.
We decided that even though our carols have been good for us as a church, we wanted a change this year.

With Christmas Day falling on a Friday we made the decision to have a Christmas Eve Childrens service, and a caroling style Christmas Day Service, and then a low key film day on the Sunday.

We are holding this in the community centre, and I reckon its going to be great. Doing something different to what we normally do means our people are refreshed at the thought, and enthusaistic.
New, change...excites. Doing the same thing again and again does not.

Christmas

Prophetic ministry

Been praying through a few thoughts on this lately.
I have received clear prophetic words 3 times in my life.
I don't necesariy want to share the details of what was said here...in this public forum, but I will say this.

Three different ministers, conservative types all of them, shared with me points about myself that they believe God was sharing with them.
Their was no arrogance on their part, or dogmatism...just a sincere humble belief that God still speaks.

Coming as I have from a very conservative biblical education, emphasising a cessationalist form of ministry, this has been a huge area of growth and change for me.

One line that keeps convicting me....so often we speak from our lack of experience, and impose that upon the biblical text...rather than seeking the biblical experience that is plainly written in front of us. In other words...seeking that which is written in the Bible, rather than trying to ratiolalise it away.

Stan Walker does Chris Tomlin's Amazing Grace

I said to my wife about 8 weeks ago, Stan is the standout in Australian Idol this year....
then he goes and does this.....


Wonderful! Proud of you Stan!

WA Barista Championship

Jesper Bood is a good mate, so I wandered down to the WA Barrista Championships today where he was competing.

Jesper did not dissapoint with an interesting story about the origins of the bean he was using, along with some superb looking and smelling coffee.
His 'signature' coffee was a apricot nectar infused coffee....served like tea. Jesper likes tea ceremony, so for him, this was a natural fit.
He is an engaging performer...and a wonderful Barista.
You can catch him at work, and purchase one of his superb works of art at 'Ristretto'.

Lunch

Mmmmmm
Proscuitto, Hot Salami, Ciabatta Bread, Dutch Smoked Cheese....and some Skybury Coffee....

Message on BONO

I spoke on Bono from U2 on Sunday,
"As the names of those lost on Sept. 11 scrolled up a towering screen, the singer kept reciting a verse from Psalm 51, in which King David pleaded for God's mercy.

"Oh Lord, open my lips," he said, "that my mouth shall show forth thy praise." Then the music rose in a crescendo, soaring into a song about heaven, a vision of a new heaven and earth, of a city "where there's no sorrow and no shame, where the streets have no name."

This didn't happen in a safe Christian sanctuary, in a church worship service.
This happened at halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI, in front of 131 million or so viewers around the world.
As the people drunk their beer and ate their hotdogs and some very unfit people watched some very fit people play americal football.
U2 brought into that very secular environment a psalm of David….and a song about heaven…and a Christian reflection on world events…."

Here is the message audio

Pictures and videos are not included....obviously, but you will probably get the idea!

Fremantle Dockers back into it.

Hopes, dreams....they come back every 12 months for the Dockers...
This is the best time of year....we start off like everyone else.... :)
Good to see some footy news back on the TV!

Correction

Who do you recieve it from?

Let me tell you who I seek it from.

Friends, fellow pastors who I know
Those who have my best interests at heart
People I trust.
I seek it out, I ask people to speak into my life.

Who do I not recieve it from?
Pharisees
People I don't know
Young bloggers who think they know everything...I dont blame them, I used to be young idealistic, and even a little fundamental!
People who send me laughable comments with no idea who I am, the arrogance of it makes you laugh!

As I was sharing this morning from the scriptures I shared with people that as you choose to lead, and be a leader, people will try and criticise you. People love criticising things they don't know. I encourage you...if you are leading, you need to learn to laugh at some of the absurd things people say...because some it is so immature and misinformed....