After a week sick, it was great to be back at Church
Really enjoyed the service this morning, couple of people who visited last week, back again. Some refugees from Zimbwawe. What is really heartening is that three different lots of people from Church have already visited them and donated clothes and furniture, in one case a brand new couch.
These folk are settling in well, with the dad securing work. But the government has not helped them financially at all.
Thank God for church folk who have gathered around and helped not just in welcoming them, but real practical help.

They have 3 children who seem to have settled in well to KFC as well, which is encouraging.

This is really interesting, Pav and Taz were talking and discussing what defender they normally got. It appears they used to get the same one, the best one.

Good luck, this year, if Pav does not get you, Taz will, and then of course you are going to have to deal with the underated Ryan Murphy, Sandilands, who Mike Sheehan has rated as the 14th best player in the AFL, and in round 7, a revitalised Jeff Farmer.

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FREMANTLE captain Matthew Pavlich and its Collingwood recruit Chris Tarrant could be causing double trouble for opposition defenders this season.
Pavlich said a discussion with Tarrant revealed one common thing – they had usually always been picked up by the same defender.

"We were talking about it the other day and going through the teams and we generally get the same opponents," he said.

"So it will be interesting to see how it works out and where we position ourselves on the ground.
"It is good to have Chris there, an All-Australian player with immense talent and a fantastic work ethic. I think that's another thing people have been misleading about because the work ethic we have seen has been fantastic."

Enrolled Clem at Auskick today.
What a great time he had. He loves being part of things, being social, and looks up to coaches and listens well.

Got to say how proud I am of him, slipping on his Morley Bulldogs Jumper, and kicking and handballing. Good to see he is as good as any of the other kids in his kicking. All those sessions with his dad have paid off. Not so good at the marking side of it, but its hard to get a six year old to not be cautious about catching a leather ball.

Did the sausage sizzle, cooked 200 sausages for hungry kids and parents.
Beautiful day, we are blessed to live in such a good country.

ABC Radio reporting that Kerr has been implicated with a police phone tap with a convicted drug dealer.

West Coast are not going to have a midfield at this rate

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Have you seen this??

http://www.godtube.com/

God Tube is basically U Tube but packaged obviously as Christian clips. Looks a lot like they are using all the U Tube background stuff, putting their own label on it.
Here is a very useful clip fron Oprah

At the pre season gathering of all the AFL Team Captains, Fremantle received six votes, aside from their own, as the team in the competition most likely to make the Grand Final, with West Coast and Sydney receiving four votes each.

In a shock result, St Kilda received no votes.

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Continuing my series on Spirit this week.

Looking at the idea of being filled with the Spirit. Is there any topic that has caused more concern and angst amongst 1980's churches than this one?
The issues about charismata, sign gifts, have caused untold stress and angst amongst more conservative churches for years.

Now, we find ourselves in the midst of the "Third Wave", so named by Peter Wagner. In a cultural response, similar to that found in modern culture, most people's attitudes towards tongue speaking etc seems to be, whatever works for you.

Let us consider this verse from 1 Corinthians 14.1

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy"

Paul goes on to state that while the gift of tongues can edify us, what is more important is that we use our spiritual gifts to edify others.
But what strikes me about this verse is the idea that we should eagerly desire spiritual gifts. Other versions state it as, we should pursue, spiritual gifts.
Have you, are you, pursuing spiritual gifts?

Fremantle are now favourites to win the 2007 AFL premiership.
Apparently there have been some issues down at West Coast (?) and so Freo have becomes the punters favourite.

COME ON YOU MIGHTY DOCKERS!!!

And if you want to make some money, bet on North Melboure to win the spoon, and the Saints to slip out of the eight.
I reckon Geelong might be the smokey this year.

It seems West Coast have had enough of their ex captains misbehaviour, and in a similar manner to Michael Gardiner, Ben has been suspended indefinetely from the club.

I am glad. If someone has serious issues, they need to be confronted and dealt with. If he is not told by those who really care about him that his behaviour is unacceptable, it will become self destructive.
The last thing anyone wants is to see Ben hurt himself, or someone he loves.

Rumours abound, but what is very likely is that Ben has serious issues with drugs. Watch to see if the results of the drug tests he took yesterday reveal that the issue is far greater than just missing a training session.

I hope such a champion and skilled player gets the help he needs.
If I was a parent of a WC supporting child I would tell them that he had been very naughty and done some silly things, and so the club could no longer play him. Lets hope some positives come out of this.

There is a problem within our denomination.
Just about every church that is growing, is looking for a youth worker, childrens worker, family Pastor. I know one Baptist Church that has been looking for a youth pastor for 3 years with not even a sniff.

Anectodal evidence suggests that there are not many young guys/gals of serious usuable talent coming through the ranks.
When I was studying, about 12 years ago, there was a heap of us. In fact my peer group started off with six members, and although it remains at 6, they are a vastly different 6, as some have dropped off, some have retrained as teachers.
There is a LOT of dissulusionment out there about becoming a Baptist Pastor. I don't think it is that evident amongst the present guys. Most of them that I mix with are doing exceptional work, in difficult circumstances. Underpaid, often undervalued, yet passionate about seeing the church grow.

Some of the younger potential leaders have left and started more 'emergent' type groups. This may provoke some discussion, but is not the point of this post. But generally there is very little evidence of real conversion growth within this movement. However many left the mainstream church because all they saw happening was transfer growth. To a true missional pastor, who has integrity, that is dissapointing, but I dont think the emergent stream is the answer.

Someone asked me why there are not many good young leaders coming through and this was my answer.
We have ourselves to blame. For too many years too many Baptist Churches have been caustic places that have despised their pastors. In a recent situation I am aware of, some leaders were criticised incredibly when they tried to introduce a children's ministry within the church. Some wrote a 10 page document detailing these folks problems. They had been at the church for 15 years! Then when they left, the same caustic folk said, "oh you cant leave, who is going to do this, and that!"
They reckon that now they have left, this incredible weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

Who on earth who want to be a pastor in such a church? It does not matter if you did get paid decent wages, why would you want to be there??

All this has been based on my speaking to other pastors. My own experience has been as follows.
I inherited a very traditional church which had many issues. BUT, after 12 years of hard slog, mistakes (on mine and others parts), we are now a great healthy church to be a part of. We are seeing real conversion growth and absolutely incredible missionary opportunities.
But it has been really really hard.

I reckon young people today, the so called Y generation, just wont put up with the stuff I and others have.
I think this is fair enough actually.
But for those of us concerned about the future of Baptist Churches, we have to keep change happening, and it has to keep happening now.......

Starting to feel human again,
still have a fair bit of back pain and nauseous feeling.
But at least I can stay awake, and am starting to eat again.
Still cant face the idea of drinking coffee, which is really awful for me.
But am drinking a lot of barley/lemon cordial.

Will be trying to get back into it at half strength this week. Love my work, dont like being sick!

Having a 3 and 6 year old really puts things into perspective.
With all the news coming out of WC headquarters, I am just so glad that for whatever reason I have brought them up in the right way.

Imagine having to justify and explain away my teams behaviour.
Imagine having to explain to them why Ben Cousins is on TV again, and why he looks so sick. Imagine having to explain to them why number 4 is always in trouble
Imagine having to explain why the captain is yelling at the nice reporter.

Winning the cup does not justify their incredibly bad behaviour.

I am glad I have bought my children up well....

Freo has had its share of problems, but nothing like the ingrained litany of drug fuelled, arrogant, we can get away with it because we are WC attitude.

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Never been this sick before.
Had to go to RPH for two nights.
Staff are wonderful, food is not great, but you can't really expect much.

Because of my contagious state, I was given an "orange" status, which meant I had my own room, with own ensuite.
I wonder if being forced to lie down for 24-36 hours did me the most good.

It sure is good to be home though, and hug my beautiful wife and family. Boy, I missed them.
Its not like going to a conference or away for a week for some legitimate reason, being apart because you are in RPH is awful.

Feeling better, but still sore in the lower stomach.

How did I get to this point in my life?

Saturdays are no longer about a leisurely read of the West with a long homemade latte or two.
They are now all about what time we have to take one of our kids to their friends/relatives birthday parties.

I am no longer Mark, I am Clem's dad.

I no longer go to my own friends parties, we go to each others kids parties. We dont drink wine and eat fancy little morsels. We share red cordial and fairy bread.

In todays West Jeff Kennet has said that Perth is devoid of life, needs more access to the River, and does not have a lot of culture or key events.


What has he said that is incorrect?
We should use our river more. Southbank and even what they have done in Brisbane should point the way for us. Our river is beautiful, we now have the Air races there, lets do something with it, build some restaurants, tourist precincts to go with the bell tower.
Lets attract some more events.....

Yes Jeff...

You too huh???


Here is my message from a week or so back, sorry for lateness!

Booked my flight for Hillsong conference 2007 last night

For this first time, we are staying over for the Sunday, for one thing to go to Hillsong Church on the Sunday, but truth be told, also to go and see the mighty DOCKERS defeat Sydney for the first time at the SCG

Jeff Jeff Jeff........


The best forward in the AFL

Picked on by umpires, rarely given frees he deserves.....
Fevola got 2 weeks for the same thing
Kerr gets one week for punching someone in the groin

However........

He does need to focus on team....................

Here is the new series I am doing
How does spirituality affect us, does God really want to have a relationship with us, as Bono contends??

We are going to look at the HOLY SPIRIT and how God's presence affects us
who is HE?
what does HE do?
what does HE have to do with me?
does, and if so how does the supernatural affect a modern Australian?

I am one of the few West Australians who refuse to watch channel 7 news. Apart from having the Eagles PR man as one of their sports reporters (Mainwaring), they now have decided not to show Freo vs the Roos this weekend.

THAT IS PATHETIC

I have no doubt if it was the Weeeegirls who were playing, it would have been live.

RW.....

"Clearly explain exactly how to respond to Christ. Too many invitations to salvation are misunderstood. The unchurched often have no idea what's going on." - Rick Warren

I have to get better at this.
I have to get better at challenging people to action
I have to get better at being clear what I am asking for
I have to stop sounding apologetic when I call for action