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The Roos have delisted Leigh Brown, my former favourite Freo player.
Long Live the Anvil.
Story
Here is the video that Q made up for our upcoming Angus Buchan Mighty Mens conference....
Men....don't miss it!
I have started a new Facebook group, entitled, 'My name is Mark Edwards'. The only requirement is that your name is Mark Edwards, middle name irrelevant....
I started it two days ago, and have six members so far, from all around the world.
I know this says something socialogical....but I dont quite know what, yet. If indeed it says anything.
I watched a facinating documentary last night on networks, and I was particularly drawn to the ideo of hubs of networks, entitled, "How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer". "We used to think the way in which web pages, power grids and people tied together was more or less random. But recently two young physicists independently discovered that fundamental laws govern networks"
As I watched this fascinating documentary, the theory put foward was that everything in the world could be analysed in the paradigm of networks, and every network had hubs...or as I might designate them, hives of activity. The reference to Kevin Bacon is a throwback to the idea that every Hollywood Actor was seperated from Kevin by only a small amount of degrees.
This theory is fascinating in its application to church work.
Both in the church being a hub of activity within the community, and the leadership of the church. I believe in leadership through influence, consultation, prayer, community.
The position is nowhere near as important as the influence, and being a hub.
Edit: you can download this documentary here
Just some more thoughts....
1. One interesting comment from John Finkelde really resonated with me.
They have planted a new church every 3 years....That sounds do-able to me.
2. Another from Michael Bullard
Like produces like. What is our churches dna, values etc...within reason and creativity, we will likely produce something at least similar to ourselves. That does not mean it wont be different. But as a child is different and similar to their parents.
3. Unless we create ministry and leadership opportunities for young leaders, they will become young leavers....Some may say then that planting churches is a cynical exercise...not at all. In our own home, children grow up and need to lead...and create...for themself.
4. I am favouring, because it suits my dna, the idea of satellite churches. I have seen these work and produce results in Perth.
5. There are some exciting possibilites as I consider the spiritual and physical artery that is Beaufort St.....a church which is cafe culture, almost inner city, and at night.....
6. Without growth, our church will die...we need to consider this now, in our formative years, so it becomes part of our dna moving forward.
7. The senior pastor needs to set the agenda and make it happen. He needs to be a releaser, not a restrictor, and be confident and assured enough, that he can let good things go. He also needs to set the agenda, not have the church set the agenda for him. (yes I said that twice, it bears repeating)
Coming January/February to a Mc Donalds near you....
all Mc Donalds Australia wide will introduce free wi-fi to their customers.....
I really don't know what to say about this. Don't assume anything by me posting this here. All I will say....is that it is a very interesting video.
H/t Herding Cats
Had an interesting discussion today with someone from CRM about church planting.
They used the analogy of a person who grew to the age of 19 or 20...and instead of leaving home, stayed there, comfortable and getting fat....at their parents expense. Is the church like this? Growing old and fat....and not having any children? Not growing old?
I look at my own denomination and I wonder where all the church plants have gone. Back in the '80's and even 90's churches where being planted, my father started two himself!
Now...I struggle to think of a new church plant.
We need young leaders, young pioneers...we need old guys willing to give it a go.
We need churches who put aside their own fattening needs and plant churches.
I want to be in the church planting game. Thats scary.......We need to get our church to maturity, so we can start planting churches. If no one else will, we will.....and in inner city areas as well......
The greatest period of evangelism and growth through evangelism generally takes place during a church plant, the first few years. We need to do this.....
mmmm...I can feel God giving me some vision!
Cross Glow Loop
just a nice little loop I made up for Sunday
Right click here to download
If you are a Baptist, then head over to this post by NeoBaptist....one of the funniest pieces I have read for a long time.....don't be drinking your coffee while reading it....you may end up with coffee in your keyboard!
Baptist Convention Queensland Calender
This is not a protest letter, but rather a communication letter. If you dont communicate, people dont know what you are thinking. This logo represents something I am proud of, the Baptist Churches. That does not mean I am Baptist to the core, in fact what I like about Baptists is our diversity, and abiliy to embrace the best that we see in other traditions and denominations, and movements. For this reason, our logo fails to present us as we are, a vibrant movement of churches....
I am going to mail this letter tommorow. If you are a Baptist Pastor, and want your name included, let me know via email today!
The Baptist Union Logo
Time for Change
According to the Baptist Union Website, “Australian Baptists today are a diverse community. During this twentieth century they have witnessed considerable growth, partly through immigration but also through vigorous evangelistic endeavours. Since the 1970s the impact of the charismatic renewal movement has led to changes in worship and leadership styles”
The Baptist Union is one of the few church denominations experiencing real growth in Australia. We have much to thank God for.
We have steadily grown into a contemporary and relevant movement, and it is time our logo represented us as we are today.
According to the Baptist Union Website our present logo is described thus.
“The circle represents the all-encompassing love of God and the world for which Christ died; the empty cross pointing to our resurrected Saviour and the significance of his death and resurrection for our life; and the open Bible to indicate that we are people of the Word. “
This logo has served us well for a number of decades, and yet it is time for it to more accurately present the vibrant and contemporary nature of our organization.
The following Baptist Pastors believe it is time we had a logo which sends the right message to a secular society, one that depicts us as we are, a relevant, contemporary, and vibrant Australian organization. We respectfully ask that a marketing company is commissioned to design a logo reflecting this which will replace the old one.
Pastor Rowland Croucher John Mark Ministries
Pastor Rob Douglas Baptist Care
Pastor Mark Edwards Inglewood Church
Pastor Wayne Field Australind Baptist Church
Pastor Andrew Hamilton Brighton
Pastor Alex Huggett Ellenbrook Baptist Church
Pastor Colin Lituri Woodvale Baptist Church
Pastor Craig Lydon Beaumaris Baptist Church
Pastor Ian Packer Pennant Hills Baptist
Pastor Karen Siggins Lesmurdie Baptist Church
Pastor Jackie Smoker Como Baptist Church
Pastor Allan Thomas Kalgoorlie Baptist Church
Pastor Hans van Asselt Mandurah Baptist Church
Rev. Steve Turnbull Emu Plains Community Baptist Church
Pastor Peter White Beechboro Baptist
Pastor Zaw Win Myanmar Baptist Church
This post should go under the category....Mark rambling about things he knows very little about....
I dont understand why people say they are buying a Prius...when buying a new car surely uses more resources than what a Prius ever saves....
I dont understand why hippy greenie lefties drive old bomb cars which are incredibly inefficient and dont have catalytic convertors...which I know from previous experience in the industry, actually are very effective at reducing harmful gases.
Either way....
What a beautiful day to be in Perth....
Had a great service this morning, the band was great, and Colin spoke well...we also heard about Sandy's trip to Karratha and Colin's trip to India....both opportunities to serve...
I tucked my head into the Babylonia Cafe this week...and dropped some 5 senses beans in. I am hoping we can work together on some community events, and it would be good if he could serve up some great coffee from his central coffee shop...really nice guy.
Then this afternoon we had a family lunch...and a nice bottle of Amberly followed by a swim....my daughter is learning to swim....she is so cute.....just perfect (except when she is arguing with her brother!)
The pastors life....
Kicked off the week with a wedding. A lovely couple, the wife comes to our church and is involved.
A small and quiet simple ceremony, with just immediate family in attendance, and Eliot singing a John Lennon wedding song....
Then two funerals yesterday. One for a ladies husband who I have only known recently...amazing what sort of things come out at a funeral. He was an Irish larrikan, a likeable sort of fellow who worked as a nurse at RPH for 30+ years. Quite interesting to think of a male nurse starting up in that profession that long ago....aparrently a jokestar....always up for a laugh...
Then the funeral of Brian Brand. He was an amazing guy, and it showed with who was there for the funeral.....many members of WA politics, and social standing. Brian was devoted to helping others, quick with a joke, the sort of guy who was incredibly personable and warm and generous....
Draining! Even though I did not perform either funeral, in some ways it was a draining day. Emotional, seeing people go through all that stuff....
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