Amen to this!
Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts
Monday, 9 March 2009
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Don’t Be So Condescending!
When we think of the word condescending we usually think of it in very negative terms. We think of people who consider themselves better than us and are therefore very patronizing toward us, like the way adults talk childishly to infants.
It shows how full of pride we are that a word that signifies a gift of loving service has become a term of resentment.
Philippians 2:5-7
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Jesus is the true example of condescension. He gave up his rightful position in order to serve those below Him – far below Him – in status. He even gave His life for us!
This is the life to which He calls us, a life of loving condescension. Whether people are below us or above us on whatever standard you want to rank them by is not the point. We are to become nothing in order to serve everyone. Becoming nothing has no bearing on our worth or our nature, but rather our form and function. Jesus was incredibly special – the very Son of God! Yet to all appearances He was an absolute commoner. He had the right to exert power and authority, yet He functioned as a servant. This is what we are called to. With Christ living in us through His Spirit we are incredibly honoured, yet we are to live humbly, seeking to give ourselves for the sake of others. We are to be condescending!
It shows how full of pride we are that a word that signifies a gift of loving service has become a term of resentment.
Philippians 2:5-7
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Jesus is the true example of condescension. He gave up his rightful position in order to serve those below Him – far below Him – in status. He even gave His life for us!
This is the life to which He calls us, a life of loving condescension. Whether people are below us or above us on whatever standard you want to rank them by is not the point. We are to become nothing in order to serve everyone. Becoming nothing has no bearing on our worth or our nature, but rather our form and function. Jesus was incredibly special – the very Son of God! Yet to all appearances He was an absolute commoner. He had the right to exert power and authority, yet He functioned as a servant. This is what we are called to. With Christ living in us through His Spirit we are incredibly honoured, yet we are to live humbly, seeking to give ourselves for the sake of others. We are to be condescending!
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Thinking Critically about Culture
I love watching the kids play in the backyard together. They can use whatever is available and have all sorts of fun with it. We receive catalogues stuffed full of great toys and products for kids, and all of that stuff is fine, but they don’t need any of it to have a childhood full of fun, learning and growth.
However as soon as they are old enough to visit friends and observe what they have, they begin to form expectations of what they should have as well. I remember hearing one of my kids say “We don’t have as much toys as ______”, but the truth is that we have heaps of toys! (Why, in MY day we….!)
It reminds me as a parent of the importance of teaching our children about values, priorities and the importance of thinking critically about our culture. What our culture says is important and normal does not mean that it is right for us as people who live God’s way.
Our culture says that Christmas is a time for splurging on ourselves and those close to us. Lots of presents, lots of food and drink, lots of fun. The message of Christmas though is rooted in the love of God for those who were far away. It is the celebration of the One who gave up everything in order to give us everything. How should those simple facts change the way Christians celebrate Christmas?
However as soon as they are old enough to visit friends and observe what they have, they begin to form expectations of what they should have as well. I remember hearing one of my kids say “We don’t have as much toys as ______”, but the truth is that we have heaps of toys! (Why, in MY day we….!)
It reminds me as a parent of the importance of teaching our children about values, priorities and the importance of thinking critically about our culture. What our culture says is important and normal does not mean that it is right for us as people who live God’s way.
Our culture says that Christmas is a time for splurging on ourselves and those close to us. Lots of presents, lots of food and drink, lots of fun. The message of Christmas though is rooted in the love of God for those who were far away. It is the celebration of the One who gave up everything in order to give us everything. How should those simple facts change the way Christians celebrate Christmas?
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Maintenance or Mission?
I am someone who naturally falls into fairly stable rhythms of activity - most of us do that. Not that my life becomes predictable or boring - far from it. Yet I am not someone who actively pursues new dreams.
Part of what's happening for us at the moment is the fact that we believe God has called us to conclude our ministry here in Narembeen at the end of 2009. It's been a pretty big decision to grapple with, and we've only just told the church over the last week. We don't have much of an idea of where God is calling us to go to, but that's not something we need to focus on just yet.
There's lots of reasons why we believe that this is what God is leading us toward, but that doesn't make the decision any easier. We genuinely care about the people in the church and the region. We will miss the people and the place when the time comes to leave. We also genuinely believe in the future of the church here - we don't believe that it is just going down the same track of so many churches in rural areas. There is a huge challenge ahead of us, but God has opened up lot's of wonderful opportunities.
One thing that this deadline has done for me is to help me be much more mission-minded in how I approach my role. This is not a new thing, we've actually been pretty creative and committed to the whole concept of the mission of the church. We've worked on connecting with the community in various different ways, of presenting the message of the gospel in lots of different forums and investing in projects further afield in order to build up the Church.
But I've also allowed certain things to just drift along. I've carried too many responsibilities that should have been delegated to others, but I am not someone who naturally pushes people to get things done. I've also allowed some regular activities to dwindle in effectiveness as they cruised along in a comfortable routine. I've operated within boundaries that needed to be challenged more.
Something I have been excited about over recent weeks is to see how some people are responding to the challenge to step up and do something different because of what they believe. As we do that together it builds a sense of optimism and unity. It also brings a sense of freedom as people are energised to dream new dreams, and are supported in making those dreams a reality. When I talk about dreams I'm talking about the inspiration that comes from the Holy Spirit bringing the Bible to life in our thinking. They are the answers to the question "What will it mean for us to live this out today?"
We have a long way to go. It's going to be a very interesting 18 months or so. I believe though that the church here is entering into a new phase of life and mission. The only ones who can prevent this are ourselves!
Part of what's happening for us at the moment is the fact that we believe God has called us to conclude our ministry here in Narembeen at the end of 2009. It's been a pretty big decision to grapple with, and we've only just told the church over the last week. We don't have much of an idea of where God is calling us to go to, but that's not something we need to focus on just yet.
There's lots of reasons why we believe that this is what God is leading us toward, but that doesn't make the decision any easier. We genuinely care about the people in the church and the region. We will miss the people and the place when the time comes to leave. We also genuinely believe in the future of the church here - we don't believe that it is just going down the same track of so many churches in rural areas. There is a huge challenge ahead of us, but God has opened up lot's of wonderful opportunities.
One thing that this deadline has done for me is to help me be much more mission-minded in how I approach my role. This is not a new thing, we've actually been pretty creative and committed to the whole concept of the mission of the church. We've worked on connecting with the community in various different ways, of presenting the message of the gospel in lots of different forums and investing in projects further afield in order to build up the Church.
But I've also allowed certain things to just drift along. I've carried too many responsibilities that should have been delegated to others, but I am not someone who naturally pushes people to get things done. I've also allowed some regular activities to dwindle in effectiveness as they cruised along in a comfortable routine. I've operated within boundaries that needed to be challenged more.
Something I have been excited about over recent weeks is to see how some people are responding to the challenge to step up and do something different because of what they believe. As we do that together it builds a sense of optimism and unity. It also brings a sense of freedom as people are energised to dream new dreams, and are supported in making those dreams a reality. When I talk about dreams I'm talking about the inspiration that comes from the Holy Spirit bringing the Bible to life in our thinking. They are the answers to the question "What will it mean for us to live this out today?"
We have a long way to go. It's going to be a very interesting 18 months or so. I believe though that the church here is entering into a new phase of life and mission. The only ones who can prevent this are ourselves!
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Why Should I Go To Church?
I've started to put together some ideas for this week's sermon, which is from Mark 13:32..36...
There's an accountability that each of us has to be doing our own assigned task as part of the serving team. Sure, we work together and depend on one another in order to get our jobs done, but there is a sense of individual accountability to our Master for our own work. There is a need to be prepared for when He returns.
Paul echoed this idea in 1 Corinthians 3 when he rebuked the Corinthians on getting caught up with personalities and allegiances instead of simply working together for the Master.
As I was browsing the web I came across a number of sites posting reasons why Christians should be committed to attending a local church, and it was pretty much all good stuff. I think the bigger question than "Why should I attend church?" is actually "How can I play my part in being the Church?". Church services are very important, but they are one part of what it means for us to be the church together -to be the community of Christ's servants who are committed to fulfilling their tasks together. Again, as Paul writes in 1 Cor 12 and the New Testament commands all over the place, we can only fulfill our duties by working together and supporting one another.
So going to church is one part of what I do in my quest to be the church.
(God Willing) I'll post more information on how that works when I finish the sermon. The idea that is speaking to me right now though is that as God's people we need to focus less on the event of church services and our opinions of that event, and focus more on the big picture of how we are being the Church, and our personal responsibility (individual accountability to Christ) for how we are doing that.
32 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at
There's an accountability that each of us has to be doing our own assigned task as part of the serving team. Sure, we work together and depend on one another in order to get our jobs done, but there is a sense of individual accountability to our Master for our own work. There is a need to be prepared for when He returns.
Paul echoed this idea in 1 Corinthians 3 when he rebuked the Corinthians on getting caught up with personalities and allegiances instead of simply working together for the Master.
As I was browsing the web I came across a number of sites posting reasons why Christians should be committed to attending a local church, and it was pretty much all good stuff. I think the bigger question than "Why should I attend church?" is actually "How can I play my part in being the Church?". Church services are very important, but they are one part of what it means for us to be the church together -to be the community of Christ's servants who are committed to fulfilling their tasks together. Again, as Paul writes in 1 Cor 12 and the New Testament commands all over the place, we can only fulfill our duties by working together and supporting one another.
So going to church is one part of what I do in my quest to be the church.
(God Willing) I'll post more information on how that works when I finish the sermon. The idea that is speaking to me right now though is that as God's people we need to focus less on the event of church services and our opinions of that event, and focus more on the big picture of how we are being the Church, and our personal responsibility (individual accountability to Christ) for how we are doing that.
Friday, 16 May 2008
The Parable of the Vineyard
Bible Reading: Mark 12:1-11
Reflection
We tend to shy away from these truths because they are antagonistic. People don't like hearing about judgment, or being accused of living in rebellion against God.
As someone who is a natural peacemaker, I tend to underplay this part of the gospel picture also. I naturally prefer to emphasize love, acceptance, reconciliation, the blessings of being reconciled to God and the hope of eternal life, rather than talking about the consequences of rejecting God.
However the Bible strongly teaches that God will judge the Earth. As confronting as that message is, it needs to be heard. Not to scare people into the pews, or to condemn people not in the pews, but to give people the opportunity to choose to be prepared.
He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this scripture:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone a;
11 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’ b?”
[1]
God created the universe - it belongs to Him along with everything it contains. Unfortunately many of us are like 2nd, 3rd...25th generation farmers who by virtue of their residency assume the land belongs to them. They do not remember the tenancy agreement forged between the Creator God and the original humans.
Right now we are in a period of history after the Son has come but before the vineyard has been reclaimed. We as tenants are still carrying along our merry way ignorant of the fact that the Owner will return and judge the rebels. God has chosen to delay His return to allow the news of His Son to be spread throughout the world, so that people may choose to be reconciled to God and live in right relationship with Him. These people will be prepared for His coming, and will have cause for great celebration when it occurs. For those who continue to live in rebellious autonomy, the occasion will not be one for celebration, but judgment.Reflection
We tend to shy away from these truths because they are antagonistic. People don't like hearing about judgment, or being accused of living in rebellion against God.
As someone who is a natural peacemaker, I tend to underplay this part of the gospel picture also. I naturally prefer to emphasize love, acceptance, reconciliation, the blessings of being reconciled to God and the hope of eternal life, rather than talking about the consequences of rejecting God.
However the Bible strongly teaches that God will judge the Earth. As confronting as that message is, it needs to be heard. Not to scare people into the pews, or to condemn people not in the pews, but to give people the opportunity to choose to be prepared.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
The Triumphal Entry
As they approached
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” b
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
The citizens of Jerusalem were excited about receiving their long-hoped-for Messiah. "Hosanna" they cried - this is the one who will bring God's salvation to us. They looked forward to the reinstatement of the Kingdom of Israel, restored by the power of God working through His servant Jesus. I'm not sure how many people had grasped Jesus' true identity but certainly they didn't grasp His true mission. Their idea of salvation had a very earthy feel to it - get rid of the Romans and make Israel a powerful nation again.
Jesus' mission was much bigger than that. He was about reconciling all of humanity to God, and that pathway involved rejection, suffering, death and then finally new life.
Jesus' agenda was so much better than what people wanted or expected, yet when it became clear that He was not going to give them what they wanted, many of these people turned their backs on Him. Some joined in the throng that yelled "Crucify Him" less than a week after they had shouted "Hosanna".
Reflection
Am I really interested in God's plan for my life, or do I just want God to bless my plan for my life?
How am I investing time in seeking God's will and being obedient to it?
How do assist others in discerning God's will and give them the encouragement and resourcing they need to carry it out?
Do we really believe that God's purposes are for our best, even when the pathway involves submission and suffering?
In what ways have our hearts hardened toward God when it became clear He was not going to give us what we wanted?
My Prayer
Lord, I believe that you have a great plan and purpose for calling our family here. Some of that has been accomplished already, but I believe much more lies ahead. Show me where my vision for myself, our family, church and community is not Your vision. Give me the courage and wisdom to choose Your plan instead of my own. Give me the heart to take up my cross and follow you, rather than seeking to have a crowd that adore me! Just as You loved the crowd who welcomed You into Jerusalem and the crowd who tormented You on the way out to Calvary, help me to love people who praise me and people who condemn me. Amen.
Jesus' mission was much bigger than that. He was about reconciling all of humanity to God, and that pathway involved rejection, suffering, death and then finally new life.
Jesus' agenda was so much better than what people wanted or expected, yet when it became clear that He was not going to give them what they wanted, many of these people turned their backs on Him. Some joined in the throng that yelled "Crucify Him" less than a week after they had shouted "Hosanna".
Reflection
Am I really interested in God's plan for my life, or do I just want God to bless my plan for my life?
How am I investing time in seeking God's will and being obedient to it?
How do assist others in discerning God's will and give them the encouragement and resourcing they need to carry it out?
Do we really believe that God's purposes are for our best, even when the pathway involves submission and suffering?
In what ways have our hearts hardened toward God when it became clear He was not going to give us what we wanted?
My Prayer
Lord, I believe that you have a great plan and purpose for calling our family here. Some of that has been accomplished already, but I believe much more lies ahead. Show me where my vision for myself, our family, church and community is not Your vision. Give me the courage and wisdom to choose Your plan instead of my own. Give me the heart to take up my cross and follow you, rather than seeking to have a crowd that adore me! Just as You loved the crowd who welcomed You into Jerusalem and the crowd who tormented You on the way out to Calvary, help me to love people who praise me and people who condemn me. Amen.
a A Hebrew expression meaning ``Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 10
b Psalm 118:25,26
[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 11:1).
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Group Correction
Reading: Mark 10:35-45
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,
40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 10:35-45). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Jesus answers James & John's request without really addressing the heart issues that motivated that request. He lets the situation play out in the whole group before getting them together to address the issue of ambition / ego in the Kingdom of God. To our natural way of thinking, the point of greatness is to serve us - to feed our ego or satisfy our lust for power or to provide material comforts. In the Kingdom of God the manifestation of greatness is serving others.
It's interesting the way Jesus lets the whole group get involved in the dispute before He exposes the difference between natural and Kingdom thinking. Maybe if He dealt with it with James and John immediately the other 10 would have felt quite self-righteous and maintained an indignance with James & John. By letting them buy into the dispute, Jesus demonstrated that we all suffer from the same disease - we are all in it for ourselves and we get upset when others try get in ahead of us! James and John weren't alone in what their hearts desired, they just had the confidence / naivety to go after it!
Reflection
What behaviours from others grate on me? How does that speak to my own heart condition?
How am I leading groups to discover their "natural" patterns and helping them to learn & apply biblical, "Kingdom of God" ones?
Jesus answers James & John's request without really addressing the heart issues that motivated that request. He lets the situation play out in the whole group before getting them together to address the issue of ambition / ego in the Kingdom of God. To our natural way of thinking, the point of greatness is to serve us - to feed our ego or satisfy our lust for power or to provide material comforts. In the Kingdom of God the manifestation of greatness is serving others.
It's interesting the way Jesus lets the whole group get involved in the dispute before He exposes the difference between natural and Kingdom thinking. Maybe if He dealt with it with James and John immediately the other 10 would have felt quite self-righteous and maintained an indignance with James & John. By letting them buy into the dispute, Jesus demonstrated that we all suffer from the same disease - we are all in it for ourselves and we get upset when others try get in ahead of us! James and John weren't alone in what their hearts desired, they just had the confidence / naivety to go after it!
Reflection
What behaviours from others grate on me? How does that speak to my own heart condition?
How am I leading groups to discover their "natural" patterns and helping them to learn & apply biblical, "Kingdom of God" ones?
Monday, 12 May 2008
The Request of James and John
Reading Mark 10:35-37
What is that I want from God?
What is it that people around me are asking / would ask from God?
What do those desires reveal about the condition of the heart?
How does behaviour reflect those desires or fears?
For me:
Fears / lack of confidence can lead to
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
What is that I want from God?
What is it that people around me are asking / would ask from God?
What do those desires reveal about the condition of the heart?
How does behaviour reflect those desires or fears?
For me:
Fears / lack of confidence can lead to
- procrastination with certain pastoral tasks. Need discipline to "discharge all the duties of your ministry" - like Timothy (2 Tim 4:5)
- Tend to be too soft at times when hard questions need to be asked & principles shared
- hard work behind the scenes
- perseverance with people when I would naturally opt out of involvement
Friday, 9 May 2008
The Journey to Jerusalem
Reading: Mark 10:32-34
Jesus is leading the way into a serious spiritual, emotional & physical battle; one which He knows is going to take a huge personal toll. There's a lot of anticipation and anxiety in the group, and Jesus seeks to prepare his core group by reminding them of what lies ahead.
Reflections:
How is Jesus leading me into "battle"?
Steady development of life experience & biblical wisdom to develop a realistic idea of what lies ahead and how I must prepare in order to do what I am called to do.
How am I leading others / how do I need to lead others?
32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
Jesus is leading the way into a serious spiritual, emotional & physical battle; one which He knows is going to take a huge personal toll. There's a lot of anticipation and anxiety in the group, and Jesus seeks to prepare his core group by reminding them of what lies ahead.
Reflections:
How is Jesus leading me into "battle"?
Steady development of life experience & biblical wisdom to develop a realistic idea of what lies ahead and how I must prepare in order to do what I am called to do.
How am I leading others / how do I need to lead others?
- spending more time with people - pastoring
- seeking to apply basic biblical principles to life situations - being clear and direct about what the Bible actually says even if it feels confronting to do so.
- be realistic about the cost of discipleship, but also the hope of victory and new life
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Article - Feel the Rhythm
Feel the Rhythm!
For the last few months I’ve been learning to play the drums. Tapping toes or clapping hands to the beat is pretty easy, but just you try to get two hands and two feet working together in a good rhythm! It’s a lot harder than it looks. After a while, you get a basic 4/4 beat down pat, so you think it’s time to jazz it up a bit. As soon as you do that, you stuff up your rhythm and have to start all over again! (a one and two and three and four and one and two and……)
Tim loves to come over and have a whack on the drums, and his philosophy of drumming is LOUD AND FAST ! I was trying to teach him to listen to the rhythm of the song and drum along to that, but it just wasn’t happening. Well, he is only 4 after all! But he did remind me of the way that many of us – me included – live life.
Life was meant to work with some natural rhythms. There are seasons of work and rest and play. There are seasons of struggle and seasons of peace. Seasons of happiness and seasons of sadness.
God Himself demonstrated that in the story of Creation. He worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th. God doesn’t get worn out, He doesn’t get weary. He was demonstrating how to live with rhythm – work and rest.
Another important rhythm is found in our patterns of sleep. An article published in
Drumming without rhythm is just painful noise – and so is living without rhythm. When we tune in to the rhythm of life and live in harmony with how we have been created, that’s when the music works. Those rhythms include things like regular sleep, balance of work and leisure, time spent with people and so on.
As a Christian, I believe that the best rhythm of life must include time for getting in tune with God. When I am too busy or stressed to make time for God, I find that life just isn’t as sweet and I’m not as effective as I could be. When I’m taking the time to listen to God’s beat, the rest of life works out much better.
Mike Birch
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Article - Truth is Relative, Pick One that Works
“Truth is Relative – Pick One That Works.”
That was one of the many great lines uttered by lawyer Sebastian Shark on Monday night in the new series “Shark”. Faced with 2 pieces of evidence that contradict each other, Shark is instructing his team to run with the one that will win their case, and pretend the other one never existed.
Most people are probably fairly cynical about those who claim to tell the truth these days. We have found out that most people only present the truth that works for them. Politicians will report truths that provide an electoral advantage, and dispute or minimise truths that don’t. They will emphasise certain things to certain groups because that’s what will work for them on polling day. Lawyers do the same thing to win cases. Advertisers do the same thing to sell products or services.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we have all been guilty of being selective with the truth at times – even of telling outright lies. Parents sometimes do it with their kids in order to avoid difficult topics or to produce certain behaviour. Kids do it with parents to keep them of their backs or to shift blame. Employees do it with employers to get time off or to justify some delay or mistake.
In fact, I have seen on many occasions that people not only deceive others, but also themselves. It is easier to believe our own lies than to face things that are difficult to acknowledge or deal with. It works for us to believe others are guilty and we are innocent. Others are ignorant and we are wise. Others have hidden agendas but we are fair-minded. We reinterpret events to come up with a “truth” that works for us.
But have we lost sight of what truth really is? Have we lost the value of honesty, and the confidence that it gives us in our relationships with each other?
If we know that we bend the truth sometimes, when situations are awkward or not to our advantage – then we must also be aware that others are doing the same thing. When we lie to our children – even about trivial things - we must realise that we are training them to lie to us one day.
One of the things that most of us value most in a relationship is trust. It doesn’t matter what type of relationship – work, family, friendship and so on - we need to be able to trust those people for the relationship to work.
Trustworthiness is a character attribute – it is not selective. If you are prepared to lie to your boss or the ATO you will also be prepared to lie to your wife or husband or whoever you are closest to. In the same way a personal commitment to honesty and truth is reflected in every part of life.
When Jesus was choosing the 12 men who He would invest the majority of His time and energy into, He said that one of them (
That’s one reason I invest time studying each week before I preach or teach. I want to be sure that I am not saying stuff that I want people to hear. I need to know thoroughly what the Bible has to say, and I need to give God the opportunity to teach and prepare me before I can pass that on to others. I have become convinced over the years in the trustworthiness of the Bible in being able to teach us all we need in order to know God and live as His children. The Bible reveals Jesus, who never minced words or was false in any way. Rather He is “the way and the truth and the life.”[2]. Real truth, real direction and real life are only found in relationship with Him. Anyone will tell you what they want you to hear. Lots of people will tell you what you want to hear. Wouldn’t you rather have the truth?
Monday, 2 July 2007
What is a Church?
What is a Church?
When I say that I’m going “to Church”, am I talking about a place, a ceremony or a group of people? For lots of people, “Church” can mean a particular building, something that happens in that building or the group of people who go there.
Think Bigger
“The Church” is much bigger than any particular building, ceremony or group that gathers together. It refers to all Christians of all eras and places. That’s a big group of people!
Little “c” churches
Within the big picture of “The Church”, there are hundreds of thousands (or more) little “c” churches. These are local churches – groups of Christians in the same time and place who meet together to worship God and do all the things the Bible teaches us to do for and with each other. This includes things like learning together, working together, caring for each other, praying together and so on.
Taking my church for example; the Narembeen Church of Christ today is a different church to the Narembeen Church of Christ 10 years ago. It still meets in the same buildings (and many of the same homes), but it is a different church because the people have changed over that time – there are people in the church today who weren’t here 10 years ago; people who aren’t here who used to be; and even those who have been here 10 years and more are different people today than they were 10 years ago. What we do together reflects who we have been, who we are today and who God is creating us to be into the future.
Designed to be Different
Often within groups there is pressure to conform, but churches are designed to be different. Churches are meant to provide an environment for people to be transformed by God from within, not forced to conform to external pressures. The Bible says that God has made us all uniquely, and is continuing to shape those who allow Him to do so. As we come together with our diverse gifts, passions, experiences and so on we find that we are so much better off than if we were all the same. In fact, God even shapes churches by bring people into them and shaping those already there, so that together they can fulfill God’s specific purpose for that church. As each church is different, each church does different things well. We are not rivals, we can appreciate how God works in other churches and support one another in love. The goal is that through our partnership, God will increasingly receive the acclaim that He deserves and more and more people will come to discover real life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Mike Birch
Sunday, 17 June 2007
God and Drugs!
There’s a lot of misinformation about what the Church and individual Christians believe about drugs – both the legal and illegal ones, so I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to shed some light on the subject.
Remember the whole deal with God and Sex? Sex is good inside the boundaries that God has set for it. Outside those boundaries it falls short of the goodness that God intended for it. If you want God’s best for your life, stick within the boundaries that He has established.
That’s the basic message that goes with drugs as well. But what are the boundaries for drugs?
It’s actually pretty simple. The Bible talks about 4 things that we should keep in mind:
1. People should obey the laws of the land
(Romans 13:1-7)
Simply put: if something is illegal, don’t do it! If a substance is illegal or should not be supplied to a certain age group or consumed in certain environments then that’s what we should stick by. Laws are there for a reason, and just because you might not agree with them doesn’t give you the right to break them. If everybody did that, what sort of society would we have?
2. People should be “self-controlled”
(eg: Titus 2:2,5; Galatians 5:23 and lots more!)
In other words, we should be in a fit state to govern our own behaviour. There are all sorts of substances which change our brain chemistry to produce sensations that might seem pleasurable, but they are also dangerous. They take away our ability to make wise decisions about our behaviour. Sometimes this produces “Dutch courage” where people have the nerve to do things they usually talk themselves out of, but usually the result is that people do things that they normally are smart enough not to do! For example in one study “two-thirds of partner abuse victims (those abused by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend) reported that alcohol had been a factor; for spouse abuse victims, the offender was drinking in three out of four cases.” (Greenfeld, 1998). There are many other statistics which relate to sexual crime, irresponsible sexual conduct, irresponsible driving and so on which demonstrate the danger of a loss of self-control. Staggeringly, it is something that we don’t take as seriously as we should in our society.
The Bible does not condemn the consumption of alcohol, in fact it is praised on a number of occasions! However it does condemn the overuse of alcohol (or anything else) to the point where a person’s good judgement and self-control are adversely affected. Lack of self control leads to people harming themselves and others, which God does not approve of.
3. People should respect their bodies.
Our bodies are a gift from God, and should be treated with respect. Some substances are harmful to our bodies, and to knowingly harm your own body is both a little silly and a bit of an insult to the One who gave it to you. Many substances are fine in moderation – what is needed is a healthy balance. Be wise in what you consume! Don’t pay the price later for poor decisions and lifestyles now.
4. People should look out for others.
(eg: Romans 15:2)
The Bible says that if what you do causes problems for others, don’t do it! For example, many Christians over the centuries have given up drinking alcohol out of sensitivity to others who might struggle with alcohol addiction or other issues. Think about how what you do affects those around you, and determine to be a good influence rather than a problem to others.
Well, that’s it in a nutshell – I hope that you agree that it’s pretty good advice from God to us!
For more information and helpful advice visit:
www.adf.org.au – Australian Drug Foundation
www.adin.com.au – Australian Drug Information Network
www.lifeline.org.au or call 13 11 14 – Lifeline
Mike Birch
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
The Problem of Pain
“If there really is a God who loves us, why is there so much pain and suffering in the world?”
Many people have rejected the existence of God – or at least the goodness of God – because of the problem of pain in this world. Pain comes in many forms and from many sources – from natural disasters to crimes against the innocent. How can a good God just stand by and let it happen?
The Root of the Problem – Our Autonomy
One of the things that we value most is our freedom to choose. However this freedom comes with great responsibility. Right from the very beginning of human existence, people have chosen to reject God’s authority and have conducted themselves in ways that go against God’s nature and His standards. When God first created the world, He made it completely good – free from pain and suffering. However when the first people disobeyed God He withdrew His blessing over creation so that it no longer operates perfectly. This is both a consequence and a correction – not an act of spitefulness on God’s part. It is a consequence, because we need to know that rejecting God is also a rejection of His goodness. We do not have a right to ignore God and offend Him in the way that we live, and yet expect Him to cater for our every need or desire. It is a correction because the function of pain is to cause us to seek healing. When a part of our body hurts, it alerts us to the fact that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. The experience of pain in this world is meant to be something that causes us to seek healing, and the only genuine place to find that healing is in relationship with God. The Bible explains that the healing God offers is twofold: He gives us the ability to endure and overcome suffering in this world; and He gives us the assurance of a better life to come – a life which will no longer be marred by evil, suffering and death.
Tough Love
When parents of drug addicts seek help from experienced counsellors, they are told that they need to make some pretty tough stands. One of the things they need to do is stop rescuing their child. For example when their child does not have enough money to pay rent or buy food, they must not help out. When their child rings in the middle of the night needing somewhere to stay, they mustn’t go and get them. The child needs to experience the pain of consequences. They need to come to a point where they realise that the real problem is not that they don’t have enough money or that they are cold and don’t have anywhere to sleep – the real problem is their drug addiction. They need to take personal responsibility to address that problem, because the problem will never be fixed by other people. Many parents have endured the rants of hysterical children saying “You don’t love me – you never have” and worse, but the truth is that it is their love for their child that stops them from rescuing him or her. Indulging children is not loving them, it is lazy and/or weak. God is neither lazy nor weak. God hurts when we hurt. He takes no pleasure in our pain. He wants us to turn to Him for healing and help, but He will not rescue us when we insist on staying autonomous from Him.
God Has Not Left the Building
God demonstrates His grace in that He continues to bestow some goodness even on people who have rejected Him. The world is still on the whole a wonderful place to live! We have the capacity to experience heaps of goodness within ourselves and other people. All of this reminds us that God created us as good, even though that goodness is now imperfect.
The Apostle Paul experienced what it is like to have God’s help in the midst of life’s ups and downs, and wrote “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” [1]
This sort of help is available to everyone who turns to Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
Mike Birch
Thursday, 31 May 2007
What an answer to prayer!
Does God answer prayer?
On Sunday we got into groups and prayed for rain. God knew ahead of time what we would be doing, and I believe He had an answer timed to be a great encouragement to us all. There was a little bit of rain forecast for the next few days, but not to bother turning your windscreen wipers on for! I thought that perhaps God might send some rain with the next system through maybe in a week or two's time. Here's what happened that night (click on image to see a larger version)...
God sent rain straight inland to us - nice steady rain that covered our district in a blanket of blessing! We continue to depend on God for follow-up rains, sunshine, protection from frosts & pests & diseases etc., but what an encouragement to recieve rain so quickly when our whole region was at a point of real anxiety because of the drought.
I've already posted the article I wrote for our local newspaper, which talks a bit about this event. On a personal level, God has really been challenging our family about our prayer life, and I'm looking at the whole issue of fasting at the moment. I am not attracted to fasting at all, but I think if we want to see God really work in our region we will need to humble ourselves and make prayer a priority. We've already upped the ante this year by starting a Wednesday morning prayer group, and I think the journey is just beginning!
On Sunday we got into groups and prayed for rain. God knew ahead of time what we would be doing, and I believe He had an answer timed to be a great encouragement to us all. There was a little bit of rain forecast for the next few days, but not to bother turning your windscreen wipers on for! I thought that perhaps God might send some rain with the next system through maybe in a week or two's time. Here's what happened that night (click on image to see a larger version)...
God sent rain straight inland to us - nice steady rain that covered our district in a blanket of blessing! We continue to depend on God for follow-up rains, sunshine, protection from frosts & pests & diseases etc., but what an encouragement to recieve rain so quickly when our whole region was at a point of real anxiety because of the drought.
I've already posted the article I wrote for our local newspaper, which talks a bit about this event. On a personal level, God has really been challenging our family about our prayer life, and I'm looking at the whole issue of fasting at the moment. I am not attracted to fasting at all, but I think if we want to see God really work in our region we will need to humble ourselves and make prayer a priority. We've already upped the ante this year by starting a Wednesday morning prayer group, and I think the journey is just beginning!
Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Book Review - The Last King of Scotland
Idi Amin remains an enigma. There was a fair amount of historically accurate or consistent information about him in the novel, as well as plenty of embellishments (like the comical trapped gasses incident). Do we know him any better after reading this book? Are we any closer to understanding what went on during his reign of terror?
I think it’s important to try and understand characters like Idi Amin. History has been filled with people who have risen to positions of power on the basis of natural charisma and radical ideology. Some of these people achieve genuine greatness and leave humanity richer, some of them leave a trail of destruction and horror.
Thinking of Idi Amin, I am struck by the similarities between him and Adolph Hitler. Both started in humble positions in society, found advancement through their military service, and their natural charisma and passionately held beliefs inspired people to follow them no matter where that led. They were able to tap in to the disillusionment and disempowerment of common people and sell them a dream of a better future. They were adept at bullying and seducing people, often using a mixture of both to bend people to their will.
But what made them this way? What madness inspired their genocide? How did they develop such a skewed morality? Was it simply psychological illness such as megalomania or schizophrenia? Was it just that they were a product of their own beliefs?
If you look at Adolph Hitler, his terrible policies were the natural result of his personal philosophies. One reason that he was a credible leader was that he had solid intellectual backing for his madness. But we’re talking about Idi today!
One of the things that interests me about Idi Amin is his apparent sampling of a range of different religious and cultural ideologies. He worldview is a mishmash of Christianity, socialism and Islam jumbled together with traditional African sorcery and folk wisdom. It’s no wonder he seemed confused at times! He worked on a utilitarian approach where he would use any philosophy that justified his mad impulses or served his purposes. He succeeded in deluding himself first of all, and was so was convinced of his own lies that he considered it only natural for others to agree with him also.
His mind was unable to admit it’s own self-deception, so as reality began to catch up with him he became increasingly erratic and bizarre. His subconscious mind was forced to invent ever more ludicrous scenarios to explain the events around him.
When you read of things he said and did toward the end of his rule, you must conclude that he was insane. I would argue that he had just reached the natural conclusion of his approach to life. It wasn’t a medical issue, it was the mind’s reaction to living by beliefs that don’t fit with the real world.
The issue for us is whether or not we are in danger of being in the same situation. Popular culture is promoting a utilitarian approach to religion and belief which says that it’s OK to believe whatever works for you. It denies that there is such a thing as absolute truth, right and wrong. While most people are never going to go to the same extremes as Idi Amin, many people are actually making what I believe is the same mistake. I believe that truth matters, and finding the truth about life’s big questions is one of the most important issues in life. The fact is that reality will one day catch up with all of us, and no matter what we believe, we will be confronted by what is true. The Bible says that this means that one day all people will bow before Jesus and acknowledge Him as the rightful ruler of the universe. Regardless of what they thought of Him prior to that moment, when they actually see Him in all His glory the truth will become obvious. At that time Jesus will judge every person according to what we have done. For those who have accepted forgiveness for everything they have done that falls short of God’s standards, it will be granted. For those who have not, they will receive justice according to God’s standards, not our own.
But that is what the Bible says. Is it actually true?
I believe it is worth doing all we can to make sure that we have carefully examined the evidence and made an informed decision about this. What’s true is true, regardless of whether we think it’s true or whether we want it to be true. What matters is that what we believe fits with what is true.
Friday, 23 March 2007
Too much responsibility!
Ever felt like you carry too much responisibility? Feel like you've got too many people wanting too many different things from you and you know that you can't possibly keep them all happy?
Sometimes the weight of responsibilities and expectations can be crushing. It's been a bit like that this week. At the moment I feel the weight of the pastoral needs of my church family, the leadership needs, the administration needs, the needs of some community groups I'm involved in have been a huge issue over the last couple of weeks, then there's the needs of my children, my wife, friends... myself. It seems that wherever I look there are problems that demand my attention.
Sometimes the weight of responsibilities and expectations can be debilitating - it can cause you to do less not more. It plays on your mind and disrupts your sleep (at least it does to me!), so that you are less effective and creative because of mental & physical weariness.
It occurred to me last night that all week I'd been running around trying to do all that needed to be done, fixing problems and living up to my "responsibilities". What I'd actually done was neglected the most important things in favour of the noisy and the urgent. There are things that I felt needed to be done early in the week that hadn't been done because "stuff" came up that got in the way. I felt like I didn't have a choice, but I did.
Sometimes we do have to say no to people (including ourselves). We need to set good boundaries so that we are able to stick to our convictions about what God would have us do instead of what our circumstances or other people want us to do. We need to do this lovingly so that people know we genuinely care for them and their needs, but that we are not controlled by them. Ultimately, this allows us to develop healthy lives and ministries; instead of winding up as stressed-out people pleasers - who usually end up bitter & frustrated as well because in the end they couldn't please everyone anyway!
There's a lot more that can be said on this topic, but enough for now - I've got too many other jobs to get on to ;-)
Sometimes the weight of responsibilities and expectations can be crushing. It's been a bit like that this week. At the moment I feel the weight of the pastoral needs of my church family, the leadership needs, the administration needs, the needs of some community groups I'm involved in have been a huge issue over the last couple of weeks, then there's the needs of my children, my wife, friends... myself. It seems that wherever I look there are problems that demand my attention.
Sometimes the weight of responsibilities and expectations can be debilitating - it can cause you to do less not more. It plays on your mind and disrupts your sleep (at least it does to me!), so that you are less effective and creative because of mental & physical weariness.
It occurred to me last night that all week I'd been running around trying to do all that needed to be done, fixing problems and living up to my "responsibilities". What I'd actually done was neglected the most important things in favour of the noisy and the urgent. There are things that I felt needed to be done early in the week that hadn't been done because "stuff" came up that got in the way. I felt like I didn't have a choice, but I did.
Sometimes we do have to say no to people (including ourselves). We need to set good boundaries so that we are able to stick to our convictions about what God would have us do instead of what our circumstances or other people want us to do. We need to do this lovingly so that people know we genuinely care for them and their needs, but that we are not controlled by them. Ultimately, this allows us to develop healthy lives and ministries; instead of winding up as stressed-out people pleasers - who usually end up bitter & frustrated as well because in the end they couldn't please everyone anyway!
There's a lot more that can be said on this topic, but enough for now - I've got too many other jobs to get on to ;-)
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Discipline of Journaling? You've got to be joking!
Well, after what felt like a promising start to my blogging career, all that's been happening lately is me posting up copies of my sermon notes! My last journal-type post was a month ago, so it's time for a re-start.
Part of the difficulty for me has been that a lot of the stuff dominating my thoughts & feelings over the last month or so has not been the sort of stuff that I could share online. Some things need to be kept in fairly small circles. Through it all though I have been learning a lot about what we need to be moving towards as communities of Christians (see "Disillusioned with Church").
I'm excited that we have finally (after 3 years of thinking about it) started a midweek prayer group, which includes people who cannot always get to Sunday services. Prayer is really the engine room of church life for a whole stack of reasons. One thing I love about corporate prayer (when it is done well) is that it draws us closer together vertically and horizontally. It brings us closer to God and to each other. It breaks through suspicions and misunderstandings and fosters a geniune sense of teamwork and mutual care. It encourages boldness in prayer and in prayerful action.
Anyhow, let's see how I go at being a bit more regular in jotting down stuff!
Part of the difficulty for me has been that a lot of the stuff dominating my thoughts & feelings over the last month or so has not been the sort of stuff that I could share online. Some things need to be kept in fairly small circles. Through it all though I have been learning a lot about what we need to be moving towards as communities of Christians (see "Disillusioned with Church").
I'm excited that we have finally (after 3 years of thinking about it) started a midweek prayer group, which includes people who cannot always get to Sunday services. Prayer is really the engine room of church life for a whole stack of reasons. One thing I love about corporate prayer (when it is done well) is that it draws us closer together vertically and horizontally. It brings us closer to God and to each other. It breaks through suspicions and misunderstandings and fosters a geniune sense of teamwork and mutual care. It encourages boldness in prayer and in prayerful action.
Anyhow, let's see how I go at being a bit more regular in jotting down stuff!
Thursday, 15 February 2007
Disillusioned with Church
The first part of this week was crammed with some of the very best and worst of what the local church can be like. If you have been involved with church family life anywhere you will probably know how wonderful it can be and how much it reeks sometimes. Sometimes God feels powerfully present, and sometimes completely absent.
I read a short article from LeadershipJournal.net which was an interview with Sarah Cunningham, author of Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation. I really liked this quote from the interview: "I think disillusionment is a timeless issue just like suffering. Disillusionment is a response to suffering: "This is not matching up to what I expected, so what do I do?" The word disillusionment comes from "dis" which means "away from" and "illusionment" which means a "false impression of reality." We need to move away from our false impressions of religion, and move toward the ideals of the faith and true followership, which involves day-to-day community and life-on-life witness."
Sometimes the stuff we get caught up in as local churches are a false impression of what church should actually be all about. We have false impressions about one another and even about God. The church is not what it ought to be.
A local church is a community of people who are drawing closer to God and to each other in ways that produce transformed lives and vibrant witness. This sounds simple, but the truth is that relationships are messy! It's easier to run a church than to pastor people (for people like me anyway - see Haphazardly Intent by Eugene Peterson). It's easier to judge someone than to go talk to them with an open heart and mind. It's easier to withdraw than communicate. It's easier to do something than to pray. It seems that people like me find functional things easier than relational things, and from my experience it seems that the Church is full of people like me!
The heart of the gospel though is that it is all about relationships. It's about where we stand in relationship to God and what He has done to restore us to loving, eternal community with Himself and His people.
All this is a major reason why we are focussing a lot of our energies on our small groups this year. More on that some other time!
I read a short article from LeadershipJournal.net which was an interview with Sarah Cunningham, author of Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation. I really liked this quote from the interview: "I think disillusionment is a timeless issue just like suffering. Disillusionment is a response to suffering: "This is not matching up to what I expected, so what do I do?" The word disillusionment comes from "dis" which means "away from" and "illusionment" which means a "false impression of reality." We need to move away from our false impressions of religion, and move toward the ideals of the faith and true followership, which involves day-to-day community and life-on-life witness."
Sometimes the stuff we get caught up in as local churches are a false impression of what church should actually be all about. We have false impressions about one another and even about God. The church is not what it ought to be.
A local church is a community of people who are drawing closer to God and to each other in ways that produce transformed lives and vibrant witness. This sounds simple, but the truth is that relationships are messy! It's easier to run a church than to pastor people (for people like me anyway - see Haphazardly Intent by Eugene Peterson). It's easier to judge someone than to go talk to them with an open heart and mind. It's easier to withdraw than communicate. It's easier to do something than to pray. It seems that people like me find functional things easier than relational things, and from my experience it seems that the Church is full of people like me!
The heart of the gospel though is that it is all about relationships. It's about where we stand in relationship to God and what He has done to restore us to loving, eternal community with Himself and His people.
All this is a major reason why we are focussing a lot of our energies on our small groups this year. More on that some other time!
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