I finally got around to watching Al Gore’s “An inconvenient truth” and it really affected me. I felt so much that I was part of the problem instead of being part of the solution. I was then astounded this week to see all over the news that so much of the scientific research has been discredited and exposed as downright untruthful. The figures now seem to show that global warming has stopped in the last decade, and that the planet may even get cooler again!
In response to the global warming hoax if you want to call it that, I’ve read some articles that celebrate the fact that because “the sky is no longer falling in”, we’re all off the hook now and can go on living however we want.
To be honest, I really don’t know what to make of the scientific findings, but whether the planet is getting warmer or cooler, I’m pretty sure we’re still trashing it. To say that even though there are 6.5 billion of us running around destroying eco systems and native habitats, pumping tones of greenhouse gases and toxins into the environment, chopping down trees like there’s no tomorrow and raping the earth of all its natural resources – and then conclude that there’s no way we are effecting the climate is ridiculous. It’s like saying I’ve got 13 Zebra’s in my kitchen, but I’m sure they won’t break anything!
The fact is - warmer or cooler, there is still a crisis. It may not look like it here in sunny Goulburn, but all around the world the environmental destruction caused by our addiction to consume more and more stuff, is causing massive suffering and oppression of the world’s poor majority. They are paying for our unsustainable lifestyle. God has given us this world to look after and the Bible says that God is against those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).
God has plenty to say about the state of the world today, starting first with the state of our hearts. It is so easy to feel that the problem is, “Out there in the big bad world somewhere, so what difference could I possibly make?” Yet even deeply antireligious people believe that something is seriously wrong with our world, and that wrong is nowhere more present than in the human heart. The problem is not out there, it's inside us and its killing us. We are selfish, greedy and in love with being comfortable. So all of a sudden, global issues become very personal and personal issues become very global.
The hope then for our planet lies directly with our relationship with God. Jesus said that if we want to really live, we'd need to let go of our lives and let Him lovingly lead us. In doing so, He sets us free to be part of the solution instead of the problem because we no longer have to worry about what is best for us. Jesus saves us from ourselves. That is incredible
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Bible
I recently read an article in the Telegraph about Nobel Prize-winning Potuguese author, Jose Saramago. Apparently he had created quite a stir by saying that we all would be different and better as people if it weren't for the bible, denouncing it as a "handbook of bad morals." While I totally disagree, I can sort of understand where he's coming from, because over the centuries people have used the Bible to endorse almost every kind of evil behavior imaginable: slavery, male dominated societies, antisemitism, war, killing of native peoples and hating homosexuals for example. Yet it has also inspired countless others to start schools, universities, hospitals, charities, clothe and feed the poor, care for the sick, bring justice for the oppressed, and bring freedom, peace and love to the world. So what are we to do with the Bible?
The Bible never refers to itself as the word of God. It couldn't since the Bible is a collection of 66 or 72 books compiled in 382 AD. In fact the words that some Christians use to describe the Bible ( infallible, inerrant, absolute) it never once uses of itself. Even if every single word is divinely perfect, people cannot agree on what it is that God is actually saying and still have the ability to make it say what they want it to. Many want the Bible to be an answer book with exact details for every question we may have; or a rule book that makes objectively clear what behaviors are right or wrong for all time, in all places and amoung all cultures. But the problem is, to “Just do what the Bible says” is a far too simplistic and ignorant approach. It must be wrestled with, questioned with humility and understood in the context of the time, place and the reason it was written.
The Bible is true and to be trusted, but as Brian McLaren says “We need to reclaim the Bible as a narrative. The Bible is a story, and just because it recounts (by standards of accuracy acceptable to its original audience) what happened, that doesn't mean it tells what should always happen or even what should have happened.” Reading the Bible as a narrative helps us see the ongoing story of God at work in a violent, sinful world, calling people beginning with Abraham into a new way of life.
To read the Bible for what it is, is to realise that it is inspired by God to benefit us in the most important way possible: helping us relate to God and to benefit others, so that we can play our part in God’s ongoing mission on the earth. It is certain that God speaks to us through the Bible, and it is the most valuable resource we have in forming a relationship with Him. It is a treasure above all others not because it is perfect but because it leads us to the real "word of God" which is Jesus.
The Bible never refers to itself as the word of God. It couldn't since the Bible is a collection of 66 or 72 books compiled in 382 AD. In fact the words that some Christians use to describe the Bible ( infallible, inerrant, absolute) it never once uses of itself. Even if every single word is divinely perfect, people cannot agree on what it is that God is actually saying and still have the ability to make it say what they want it to. Many want the Bible to be an answer book with exact details for every question we may have; or a rule book that makes objectively clear what behaviors are right or wrong for all time, in all places and amoung all cultures. But the problem is, to “Just do what the Bible says” is a far too simplistic and ignorant approach. It must be wrestled with, questioned with humility and understood in the context of the time, place and the reason it was written.
The Bible is true and to be trusted, but as Brian McLaren says “We need to reclaim the Bible as a narrative. The Bible is a story, and just because it recounts (by standards of accuracy acceptable to its original audience) what happened, that doesn't mean it tells what should always happen or even what should have happened.” Reading the Bible as a narrative helps us see the ongoing story of God at work in a violent, sinful world, calling people beginning with Abraham into a new way of life.
To read the Bible for what it is, is to realise that it is inspired by God to benefit us in the most important way possible: helping us relate to God and to benefit others, so that we can play our part in God’s ongoing mission on the earth. It is certain that God speaks to us through the Bible, and it is the most valuable resource we have in forming a relationship with Him. It is a treasure above all others not because it is perfect but because it leads us to the real "word of God" which is Jesus.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
2 lists
Last month I was privileged enough to get to hear my all time favorite author speak while he was in Australia. I was most challenged by a story he told centering around his experience at a Christian youth camp. He had asked the kids to tell him all the issues their friends were most concerned about and their response was things like: Climate change, extinction of species, aids, terrorism, world food shortage, etc. He then asked them to tell him all the major issues their church was focused on. They said things like: How and when the world was going to end, style of worship, electric guitars and drums in church, speaking in tongues, ordination of women, getting people to come to church, money etc. Ever since, he has been greatly troubled with the fact that the second list has absolutely nothing to do with the first. His point to the audience was “How is this possible when the mandate given to those who follow God was to be a blessing to all nations? Surely if Jesus was here today He would have something to say about the things that most concern the people of the world.”
He went on to show us the 4 major crises in the world at the moment:
1.The crisis of the PLANET – We live unsustainably and are destroying the earth as a result;
2.The crisis of POVERTY – The small percentage of those who have the resources are getting richer, while the majority who have nothing are getting poorer;
3.The crisis of PEACE – Tensions are mounting between the “have's” and “have not's” resulting in increasing conflict around the world;
4.The crisis of PURPOSE – Instead of actively resolving the above crises, the worlds main religions are actually making them worse.
President JFK once said, “We have the means to end world poverty...all we lack is the will.” Religion has let us down in this regard because instead of painting an incredibly compelling and beautiful picture of the way life was meant to be, it has become distracted and consumed with pursuing selfish things which has only added to the worlds problems.
We need to understand that Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, but to tell a very different story about how this life was supposed to work. The simple reality is that the message of Jesus really is as relevant and needed today as it has ever been and it speaks straight to the heart of all 4 crises. Jesus transforms hearts and minds and so deals with the core issues of pride, greed, consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and evil...not by condemning us, but by appealing to who we were meant to be and calling us into a higher place where we have the opportunity to join Jesus' revolution of love to the ends of the earth. This leads people not to do what is best for themselves but what is best for everyone. This is the hope for the world
He went on to show us the 4 major crises in the world at the moment:
1.The crisis of the PLANET – We live unsustainably and are destroying the earth as a result;
2.The crisis of POVERTY – The small percentage of those who have the resources are getting richer, while the majority who have nothing are getting poorer;
3.The crisis of PEACE – Tensions are mounting between the “have's” and “have not's” resulting in increasing conflict around the world;
4.The crisis of PURPOSE – Instead of actively resolving the above crises, the worlds main religions are actually making them worse.
President JFK once said, “We have the means to end world poverty...all we lack is the will.” Religion has let us down in this regard because instead of painting an incredibly compelling and beautiful picture of the way life was meant to be, it has become distracted and consumed with pursuing selfish things which has only added to the worlds problems.
We need to understand that Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, but to tell a very different story about how this life was supposed to work. The simple reality is that the message of Jesus really is as relevant and needed today as it has ever been and it speaks straight to the heart of all 4 crises. Jesus transforms hearts and minds and so deals with the core issues of pride, greed, consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and evil...not by condemning us, but by appealing to who we were meant to be and calling us into a higher place where we have the opportunity to join Jesus' revolution of love to the ends of the earth. This leads people not to do what is best for themselves but what is best for everyone. This is the hope for the world
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
God v science
At some stage most young people will have to face the issue of what to do with God when the theory of evolution is presented in high school . Has science ended the need for Christianity? Are we now so smart that we can answer all life's questions out of our science text book? Is religion for dummies? - These all become very real questions
It seems that most people approach the subject just like the state of Origin – you can go for the Cockroaches, or the Cain Toads, but not both. If you believe in science, then that rules out God and if you believe in God, then scientific understanding is seen as some kind of evil.
Are these really the only 2 options available to us? a) The world was made by God in 6 literal days, 6000 years ago and God created all life just as we know it today. or b) The universe originated from a cosmic “Big Bang” billions of years ago, and all life forms have slowly evolved from a single cell, by nothing more than chance and survival of the fittest.
Both extremes seem somehow empty. To look at the wonder, complexity, and beauty of all that is around us and then conclude that it is a giant, random coincidence surely is beyond all logic. It seems equally as bizarre to read the start of the Bible as though it was a science textbook, and to assume it is giving us the precise time and date of the origins of the universe. The bible is true and to be trusted, but it's primary goal is not to inform us of biology, physics or astronomy. The bible must be read for what it is, not made into something it was never intended to be or do. Genesis tells us “Who” and “Why”, not “How”and “When.”
There must be a middle ground that acknowledges and understands God to be the creator and sustainer of all that science can discover. Science could never disprove God and in fact every new discovery simply proves how amazing He is.
Psalm 19:1 says
“The heavens declare the glory of God,
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Surely science and faith must work hand in hand. We should definitely cheer on scientists to find out as much as they can and tell us all that they know, but we should also allow an understanding of God to answer the questions of purpose and meaning that is forever beyond the realm of science. Science and faith both present aspects of the truth and so should dance with one another instead of fighting. Both are hopelessly incomplete without the other. Albert Einstein once said “ Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. To believe in God does not mean you have to cut out your brain and feed it to the dog! God is not threatened by scientists, nor should Christians be.
It seems that most people approach the subject just like the state of Origin – you can go for the Cockroaches, or the Cain Toads, but not both. If you believe in science, then that rules out God and if you believe in God, then scientific understanding is seen as some kind of evil.
Are these really the only 2 options available to us? a) The world was made by God in 6 literal days, 6000 years ago and God created all life just as we know it today. or b) The universe originated from a cosmic “Big Bang” billions of years ago, and all life forms have slowly evolved from a single cell, by nothing more than chance and survival of the fittest.
Both extremes seem somehow empty. To look at the wonder, complexity, and beauty of all that is around us and then conclude that it is a giant, random coincidence surely is beyond all logic. It seems equally as bizarre to read the start of the Bible as though it was a science textbook, and to assume it is giving us the precise time and date of the origins of the universe. The bible is true and to be trusted, but it's primary goal is not to inform us of biology, physics or astronomy. The bible must be read for what it is, not made into something it was never intended to be or do. Genesis tells us “Who” and “Why”, not “How”and “When.”
There must be a middle ground that acknowledges and understands God to be the creator and sustainer of all that science can discover. Science could never disprove God and in fact every new discovery simply proves how amazing He is.
Psalm 19:1 says
“The heavens declare the glory of God,
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Surely science and faith must work hand in hand. We should definitely cheer on scientists to find out as much as they can and tell us all that they know, but we should also allow an understanding of God to answer the questions of purpose and meaning that is forever beyond the realm of science. Science and faith both present aspects of the truth and so should dance with one another instead of fighting. Both are hopelessly incomplete without the other. Albert Einstein once said “ Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. To believe in God does not mean you have to cut out your brain and feed it to the dog! God is not threatened by scientists, nor should Christians be.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Prayer
“Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant Jesus,don't even know a word yet....Help me Jesus! Help me Jewish God! Help me Allah! AAAAAHHH! Help me Tom Cruise!...Help me Oprah Winfrey!”
Just like Ricky Bobby in the movie 'Talladega nights', people have all sorts of weird ideas about prayer. I once offered to pray for my friend’s bad back and was quite surprised when he stopped me, fearing that one day he may need a favor from God and so didn't want to “use it up” on something trivial like a sore back.
So what is prayer and why do we do it? Does it work, or does it just make us feel better about ourselves? Some people seem to treat God like a fairy godmother – “Please God make my life perfect, fix everyone around me so that no one is in any kind of pain or has any problems and make my footy team win.” Others seem to treat prayer like a trip to the dentist – they only think about it when they’re in pain, otherwise it is the furthest thing from their mind. But surely there is more to prayer than this?
The obvious question – “Does prayer work?” may actually be the wrong place to start. That question sort of assumes that prayer is its own separate thing and has nothing to do with a relationship with God i.e. I'm going to pray for something and then God is obligated to do it because I'm doing “the prayer thing.”
I bet you don't ask president Obama for anything, even though he is the most powerful man in the world, yet I'm sure his kids ask him for things all the time (and they get what they ask for!) Prayer then is all about relationship. God wants to be involved in your life, in the good and the bad, just like a loving father. He wants you to ask and He wants to answer your prayer.
I have this friend who tells me stories every time we are together of God doing miraculous things in her life and answering her prayers. In direct contrast, I also know plenty of others who complain that God ignores them. So why would God answer one friend's prayers, but not the others? I'm sure it’s the same as the Obama thing, prayer is no science but it has to be about the relationship my friend has with God. She wants to follow God and she actually listens to what he says. She has given God the right to direct her life and welcomes him doing just that! When she prays for things, it is a natural part of her relationship with God.
God is not an impersonal force to be harnessed and manipulated for our own ends. Nor is he a genie in a bottle. Prayer is not about secret formulas or making sure you say the right words, it is conversation that comes from the heart of those who trust God with their very lives.
Just like Ricky Bobby in the movie 'Talladega nights', people have all sorts of weird ideas about prayer. I once offered to pray for my friend’s bad back and was quite surprised when he stopped me, fearing that one day he may need a favor from God and so didn't want to “use it up” on something trivial like a sore back.
So what is prayer and why do we do it? Does it work, or does it just make us feel better about ourselves? Some people seem to treat God like a fairy godmother – “Please God make my life perfect, fix everyone around me so that no one is in any kind of pain or has any problems and make my footy team win.” Others seem to treat prayer like a trip to the dentist – they only think about it when they’re in pain, otherwise it is the furthest thing from their mind. But surely there is more to prayer than this?
The obvious question – “Does prayer work?” may actually be the wrong place to start. That question sort of assumes that prayer is its own separate thing and has nothing to do with a relationship with God i.e. I'm going to pray for something and then God is obligated to do it because I'm doing “the prayer thing.”
I bet you don't ask president Obama for anything, even though he is the most powerful man in the world, yet I'm sure his kids ask him for things all the time (and they get what they ask for!) Prayer then is all about relationship. God wants to be involved in your life, in the good and the bad, just like a loving father. He wants you to ask and He wants to answer your prayer.
I have this friend who tells me stories every time we are together of God doing miraculous things in her life and answering her prayers. In direct contrast, I also know plenty of others who complain that God ignores them. So why would God answer one friend's prayers, but not the others? I'm sure it’s the same as the Obama thing, prayer is no science but it has to be about the relationship my friend has with God. She wants to follow God and she actually listens to what he says. She has given God the right to direct her life and welcomes him doing just that! When she prays for things, it is a natural part of her relationship with God.
God is not an impersonal force to be harnessed and manipulated for our own ends. Nor is he a genie in a bottle. Prayer is not about secret formulas or making sure you say the right words, it is conversation that comes from the heart of those who trust God with their very lives.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Religion
I'm not sure if you've ever counted how many churches there are in town, but we have stacks. There's gotta be at least 15 and most, if not all of them have seen better days.
I recently read a book called Pagan Christianity, which rigorously examined every common practice within the modern day church, questioning their origin and how they became part of mainstream religious practice. The main point of the book is that most of what present day Christians do in church each Sunday, has its foundations not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals introduced into the church at different times in history. The idea of a weekly sermon, sitting passively in pews, identifying yourself as a Christian because you go to a Christian meeting, paid professionals, religious clothing, burning incense, any many more current traditions, all have questionable foundations that just can't be found in the bible.
In the not too distant past, it was highly inappropriate to question the institution. People did what they were told and accepted whatever came from the top down. Yet the world we live in today affords us the freedom to ask questions and not just swallow whatever we are fed. To stop and ask 'Why?' is one of the most powerful things someone can do. Therefore those of my generation must take this opportunity to ask questions of the validity of what we have inherited. It is not a sign of rebellion or disrespect; instead we are motivated by the thirst for what is real, authentic and trustworthy.
Karl Marx once said “Man is incurably religious” and I reckon he's probably right! I think people love the thought of a clearly defined set of requirements so they can tick the box and feel that God must accept them on the merit of what they've done. Yet people use their religion to justify themselves and their own behavior while condemning those who disagree or don't measure up to the same standards. Religion gives us man made laws, guilt, god in a box, restrictions on life and relationships, and hoops to jump through. It may be safe, comfortable and manageable, but it is not where God lives.
The apostle Paul once told the Jews that Jesus has truly set us free, therefore make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to religion. It interesting to see that while Jesus was on the earth, the only thing he attacked were religious systems of control as they actually keep people from finding God.
The Reality is that there is so much stuff within the Christian tradition that is seen as sacred that is actually a hindrance to people genuinely being connected to God. We need to take a fresh look at what it would be like to authentically relate with God - here, now, today.
I recently read a book called Pagan Christianity, which rigorously examined every common practice within the modern day church, questioning their origin and how they became part of mainstream religious practice. The main point of the book is that most of what present day Christians do in church each Sunday, has its foundations not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals introduced into the church at different times in history. The idea of a weekly sermon, sitting passively in pews, identifying yourself as a Christian because you go to a Christian meeting, paid professionals, religious clothing, burning incense, any many more current traditions, all have questionable foundations that just can't be found in the bible.
In the not too distant past, it was highly inappropriate to question the institution. People did what they were told and accepted whatever came from the top down. Yet the world we live in today affords us the freedom to ask questions and not just swallow whatever we are fed. To stop and ask 'Why?' is one of the most powerful things someone can do. Therefore those of my generation must take this opportunity to ask questions of the validity of what we have inherited. It is not a sign of rebellion or disrespect; instead we are motivated by the thirst for what is real, authentic and trustworthy.
Karl Marx once said “Man is incurably religious” and I reckon he's probably right! I think people love the thought of a clearly defined set of requirements so they can tick the box and feel that God must accept them on the merit of what they've done. Yet people use their religion to justify themselves and their own behavior while condemning those who disagree or don't measure up to the same standards. Religion gives us man made laws, guilt, god in a box, restrictions on life and relationships, and hoops to jump through. It may be safe, comfortable and manageable, but it is not where God lives.
The apostle Paul once told the Jews that Jesus has truly set us free, therefore make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to religion. It interesting to see that while Jesus was on the earth, the only thing he attacked were religious systems of control as they actually keep people from finding God.
The Reality is that there is so much stuff within the Christian tradition that is seen as sacred that is actually a hindrance to people genuinely being connected to God. We need to take a fresh look at what it would be like to authentically relate with God - here, now, today.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Can you know God?
I recently stumbled across an article called "The Secret Life of Mother Teresa.". The story, in Time magazine of September 2007, based on letters between Teresa and her superiors tells of this beloved holy woman's 50-year crisis of faith. She revealed that for half a century she felt painfully distant and separated from God to the point of even doubting his existence. It is a startling contradiction that one of the great Christian icons of the past 100 years could feel so spiritually empty and totally isolated from the God she pointed countless others to. At one point she cried out to God: "If this be the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few of them."
To some, this makes her more of a saint because even in the midst of such pain and spiritual darkness she kept on faithfully doing the work of the Lord, while for many others her story proves that Christianity is a load of horse manure and that thinking about God is a waste of time.
If God is supposed to be so personal and loving, why didn't he make himself more known to one of his most devoted servants? If the most saintly person of our time can't connect with God, what does that mean for the rest of us? ? Is it even possible to know God or is He distant, abstract, and altogether unknowable?
I don't want to play judge on Mother T, but I think God was equally as devastated if not more so at their non-relationship. The point is that its not how He treats His friends at all, but it seems that in the midst of her fervent religious effort she sadly missed the friendship with God that is graciously and repeatedly offered each of us.
Relationship with God is not a formula. Religion sets us up for failure in this area because it says if you do this and this for long enough, then God must do this and this for you. It just doesn't work like that. His love, His presence, his nearness has nothing to do with performance. Even 60 years of your life given to helping the poor clearly still isn't enough to earn a place close to God.
The bottom line is that each one of us can know God, and as spiritual beings it is the only thing that will ever really satisfy us, yet no amount of religious activity or work can make God come near. Instead, when we abandon ourselves to God in a place of honesty and openness, desiring only to know Him and recognizing that even our best effort is never going to earn us any credit – in those moments it allows the God of love to become very real to us and it is the platform from which a real relationship is built.
To some, this makes her more of a saint because even in the midst of such pain and spiritual darkness she kept on faithfully doing the work of the Lord, while for many others her story proves that Christianity is a load of horse manure and that thinking about God is a waste of time.
If God is supposed to be so personal and loving, why didn't he make himself more known to one of his most devoted servants? If the most saintly person of our time can't connect with God, what does that mean for the rest of us? ? Is it even possible to know God or is He distant, abstract, and altogether unknowable?
I don't want to play judge on Mother T, but I think God was equally as devastated if not more so at their non-relationship. The point is that its not how He treats His friends at all, but it seems that in the midst of her fervent religious effort she sadly missed the friendship with God that is graciously and repeatedly offered each of us.
Relationship with God is not a formula. Religion sets us up for failure in this area because it says if you do this and this for long enough, then God must do this and this for you. It just doesn't work like that. His love, His presence, his nearness has nothing to do with performance. Even 60 years of your life given to helping the poor clearly still isn't enough to earn a place close to God.
The bottom line is that each one of us can know God, and as spiritual beings it is the only thing that will ever really satisfy us, yet no amount of religious activity or work can make God come near. Instead, when we abandon ourselves to God in a place of honesty and openness, desiring only to know Him and recognizing that even our best effort is never going to earn us any credit – in those moments it allows the God of love to become very real to us and it is the platform from which a real relationship is built.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Life is spiritual
For many years there was a scientific institute in Moscow where the brains of the great communist- leaders, scientists, artists – were preserved and analysed. The hope was that the secret of these great personalities would be found within the tissue of the brain. Yet even though the brain is an incredible piece of machinery, nothing of intellect, creativity, or character can be found inside it, and so the scientists search for the distinctions of greatness proved futile. If you had some rubber gloves, a sharp scalpel and a willing subject, think for a moment about exactly what part of the body you'd dissect in search for the essence of who they are. The eye, heart, brain and lungs are all vitally important yet they don't house our personality nor the things that truly set us apart as unique individuals. Is it possible that inside each one of us there is something entirely invisible and impossible to touch or feel, that at the same time is completely real, obvious and unquestionable ? Some may call it a soul, others a spirit and others still, life itself yet the common thread is we are more than just physical bodies, that much is sure.
Life is such a wonderful mystery. I don't know if you've ever stopped and pondered what life actually is. We know when life stops and starts but where exactly is this life contained within us and how can be be explained? We understand that if one of our vital organs stops or we run out of blood - that life stops. But these organs and the blood that supply them do not equal life itself. We are more than just the cells that make up our body. We are more than our ability to think and feel, run and jump, laugh and cry. We have this stuff inside us that separates from the animals and links us firmly back to God.
What if the life inside us was evidence of God himself? - The breath of God, the essence of God, the power of God? What if we were actually more connected to Him than we'd ever dared to believe, and nothing we could ever do could possibly change that. It is from Him that all life flows and though Him that all life is sustained and if it weren't for Him we would simply cease to exist. Life is spiritual. We are inextricably linked to the God who created us.
To those who are convinced that unless you can see it, feel it, touch it - it's just not real, what do you do with the thought that the essence of who we are as people cannot be pinned down to scientific rational? To maintain the idea of secular humanism by saying that I will only believe what I can see with my eyes and prove with my science text book, is a very narrow place to live that seems incredibly difficult to sustain.
Life is such a wonderful mystery. I don't know if you've ever stopped and pondered what life actually is. We know when life stops and starts but where exactly is this life contained within us and how can be be explained? We understand that if one of our vital organs stops or we run out of blood - that life stops. But these organs and the blood that supply them do not equal life itself. We are more than just the cells that make up our body. We are more than our ability to think and feel, run and jump, laugh and cry. We have this stuff inside us that separates from the animals and links us firmly back to God.
What if the life inside us was evidence of God himself? - The breath of God, the essence of God, the power of God? What if we were actually more connected to Him than we'd ever dared to believe, and nothing we could ever do could possibly change that. It is from Him that all life flows and though Him that all life is sustained and if it weren't for Him we would simply cease to exist. Life is spiritual. We are inextricably linked to the God who created us.
To those who are convinced that unless you can see it, feel it, touch it - it's just not real, what do you do with the thought that the essence of who we are as people cannot be pinned down to scientific rational? To maintain the idea of secular humanism by saying that I will only believe what I can see with my eyes and prove with my science text book, is a very narrow place to live that seems incredibly difficult to sustain.
Friday, April 24, 2009
TRUTH v's REALITY
Not everything that feels real is true.
I heard a radio prank call recently where the caller rang a women pretending to be her husband's boss. He called to let her know that they were forced to end his employment. The wife was understandably upset, arguing that he was a good man who worked hard to support his family, and that this was totally unfair. When the wife pressed the caller as to why her husband was being sacked, the pretend boss told her it was because they had caught him having sex with the secretary in his office. The wife responded with an outburst of fury at her husband and told the caller to tell him to collect his belongings from the lawn of their home, because their marriage was officially over. In an instant the wife's reality had totally changed. In her mind, she had changed from being in a loving, faithful relationship with a good man, to totally hating everything about him and ending their relationship on the spot.
The truth was very different from her reality. Her husband had actually done nothing wrong. Her feelings of hate and hurt were very real, yet they had nothing to do with truth. This sort of thing happens to us all the time. We also can be living out of a reality that is simply not true. “The Matrix” highlights this principal incredibly well. In the movie, everyone assumes that all they see and feel is totally real, yet they are being deceived and controlled by a clever system of lies that keeps the truth hidden from them.
Every day, people go about their lives with the assumption that if it feels real it must be true, yet sometimes we too live in a web of lies that we believe about ourselves and our world.
I spoke to someone recently who was convinced that they were worthless. She felt that others were important and valuable but she was of no value at all. This sad picture describing her reality was reinforced even by her family. Although her feelings are incredibly real and strong, they are based on lies not truth. She is an incredibly valuable person. The actual truth of her existence is still hidden from her. If only she could see what is true.
The same is true for you and I. We all live with the possibility that the story we tell ourselves is based on lies, or at least on something that is far less than the truth. It is possible that the actual truth of your existence, significance and happiness is still hidden from you and yet to be discovered. Just because we believe something is real doesn't change whether or not it is actually true. If you were to put aside all your well trained thought processes , ideas, insecurities, fears and hurts and seek what is really true about life, about God, about who you are and why you are here, you would never be the same again. The truth shall set you free!
I heard a radio prank call recently where the caller rang a women pretending to be her husband's boss. He called to let her know that they were forced to end his employment. The wife was understandably upset, arguing that he was a good man who worked hard to support his family, and that this was totally unfair. When the wife pressed the caller as to why her husband was being sacked, the pretend boss told her it was because they had caught him having sex with the secretary in his office. The wife responded with an outburst of fury at her husband and told the caller to tell him to collect his belongings from the lawn of their home, because their marriage was officially over. In an instant the wife's reality had totally changed. In her mind, she had changed from being in a loving, faithful relationship with a good man, to totally hating everything about him and ending their relationship on the spot.
The truth was very different from her reality. Her husband had actually done nothing wrong. Her feelings of hate and hurt were very real, yet they had nothing to do with truth. This sort of thing happens to us all the time. We also can be living out of a reality that is simply not true. “The Matrix” highlights this principal incredibly well. In the movie, everyone assumes that all they see and feel is totally real, yet they are being deceived and controlled by a clever system of lies that keeps the truth hidden from them.
Every day, people go about their lives with the assumption that if it feels real it must be true, yet sometimes we too live in a web of lies that we believe about ourselves and our world.
I spoke to someone recently who was convinced that they were worthless. She felt that others were important and valuable but she was of no value at all. This sad picture describing her reality was reinforced even by her family. Although her feelings are incredibly real and strong, they are based on lies not truth. She is an incredibly valuable person. The actual truth of her existence is still hidden from her. If only she could see what is true.
The same is true for you and I. We all live with the possibility that the story we tell ourselves is based on lies, or at least on something that is far less than the truth. It is possible that the actual truth of your existence, significance and happiness is still hidden from you and yet to be discovered. Just because we believe something is real doesn't change whether or not it is actually true. If you were to put aside all your well trained thought processes , ideas, insecurities, fears and hurts and seek what is really true about life, about God, about who you are and why you are here, you would never be the same again. The truth shall set you free!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
BEING A GOOD PERSON
If you want to try hard to be a good person and you do believe that God is real, don't let me tell you that's bad, but please don't call it Christianity. And please don't be lulled into the false sense of security often given at funerals that would lead you to feel confidently that being good is all that God requires of us.
I talk to so many people who assume that Christianity is simply about believing in God and trying to be a good person. All they feel Christianity offers, is what they've already taken – some sort of moral guideline about what's right and wrong in life, even though they seem to chuck it out it when ever it suits. It's kind of like the lifestyle equivalent of a mullet haircut - clean cut up front, but there is a party going on out the back.
Do we just need to believe that God exists, and that he's a good bloke for him to accept us? Does being a Christian have anything to do with the kind of person you are once you’ve decided that you believe the right things or can you go on living how you like? After all, doesn’t the bumper sticker say “Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven”
Does God offer some sort of legal transaction where he scans our brain to see if we believe in Him, and then if so, fills out some paper work, clears out some more space in the clouds and then sends out our prepaid ticket to heaven?
If all that mattered was working hard at being good, then most of us are, "OK with God"
right? Everyone knows 99% of people really are good folks trying hard to make the most of
their lives. It's only psychopaths and politicians that are really bad. If that were the case, Jesus could probably have saved himself a gruesome death and stayed in heaven while we carried on our merry way.
The point is that he did come, he was crucified and he now offers us everything we really need, yet as C.S. Lewis, the author of the Narnia series says
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
To be connected to God here and now will never happen by just being a good person and believing some stuff about God. You need what he did for you on the cross. If you believe the chair can hold your weight, then sit in it. If you really believe that God is real, then trust Him and open yourself to him. God invites you to allow him to be present and powerful in your world today. It’s what we need. It’s what He offers. It’s why he came.
I talk to so many people who assume that Christianity is simply about believing in God and trying to be a good person. All they feel Christianity offers, is what they've already taken – some sort of moral guideline about what's right and wrong in life, even though they seem to chuck it out it when ever it suits. It's kind of like the lifestyle equivalent of a mullet haircut - clean cut up front, but there is a party going on out the back.
Do we just need to believe that God exists, and that he's a good bloke for him to accept us? Does being a Christian have anything to do with the kind of person you are once you’ve decided that you believe the right things or can you go on living how you like? After all, doesn’t the bumper sticker say “Christians aren’t perfect just forgiven”
Does God offer some sort of legal transaction where he scans our brain to see if we believe in Him, and then if so, fills out some paper work, clears out some more space in the clouds and then sends out our prepaid ticket to heaven?
If all that mattered was working hard at being good, then most of us are, "OK with God"
right? Everyone knows 99% of people really are good folks trying hard to make the most of
their lives. It's only psychopaths and politicians that are really bad. If that were the case, Jesus could probably have saved himself a gruesome death and stayed in heaven while we carried on our merry way.
The point is that he did come, he was crucified and he now offers us everything we really need, yet as C.S. Lewis, the author of the Narnia series says
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
To be connected to God here and now will never happen by just being a good person and believing some stuff about God. You need what he did for you on the cross. If you believe the chair can hold your weight, then sit in it. If you really believe that God is real, then trust Him and open yourself to him. God invites you to allow him to be present and powerful in your world today. It’s what we need. It’s what He offers. It’s why he came.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
What is True?
While teaching a year 6 scripture class a few years ago, one of the kids told the class that while he definitely believed in God, he didn't believe in heaven and hell, and he certainly didn't believe that Jesus actually died and rose again. I responded by asking him if he thought you could just choose what you want to believe and then call it true? If His teacher was introducing the class to 12 x tables, and this bright spark put up his hand and said “Miss, I can cope with 12x1 and 12x2, but there is just no way in the world that I can believe 12x3=36, I'm sure his teacher would be upset with him for being so arrogant and tell him that you can't change what is true just because you don't believe it. Truth is truth, all we get to do is discover it.
My great ambition in life is to follow Jesus with all my heart and to help others do the same. My parents feel exactly the same, and I've always deeply admired that about them. Growing up in their house, I saw how real their faith was and wanted that for myself. But what If I was born in a remote village in Pakistan and my parents were devoted Muslims, would I now be a religious leader teaching the way of Islam?
So then if all religions claim to own “the truth” how do we decide which one is right? Are all religions basically the same? If you are in the market for a new religion, how do you know which one is best? Is it just about personal taste or preference like choosing cereal from the supermarket? Can you just choose the best bits from each of them?
Karl Marx said “Man is incurably religious.” People feel the need to be seen doing something to actively work towards their own salvation and to try and keep the God's happy. Yet I think our basic problem is that no amount of self control, hard work, and good deeds can ever make a person clean and new. We do actually need someone to help us, maybe even to save us from ourselves.
Look I don't know everything, but If someone were to ask my advice, I would always say that although Christians don't have a monopoly on truth or on God, there is only one savior and that is Jesus, so if our basic problem is that we do actually need rescuing its probably going to be a good plan to trust Jesus to save. I'm not going to tell anyone to trust in Buddha or Mohammad, not because they are dodgy blokes, but just because they never claimed they could save anyone
Whether you grow up in a Christian culture or a Muslim one, the question remains 'Do I blindly follow a religious system of beliefs and practices, or do I seek, ask, search, for what is real and true?' God is not insecure, He promises that if anyone really goes looking for him with their whole heart, they will find Him.
My great ambition in life is to follow Jesus with all my heart and to help others do the same. My parents feel exactly the same, and I've always deeply admired that about them. Growing up in their house, I saw how real their faith was and wanted that for myself. But what If I was born in a remote village in Pakistan and my parents were devoted Muslims, would I now be a religious leader teaching the way of Islam?
So then if all religions claim to own “the truth” how do we decide which one is right? Are all religions basically the same? If you are in the market for a new religion, how do you know which one is best? Is it just about personal taste or preference like choosing cereal from the supermarket? Can you just choose the best bits from each of them?
Karl Marx said “Man is incurably religious.” People feel the need to be seen doing something to actively work towards their own salvation and to try and keep the God's happy. Yet I think our basic problem is that no amount of self control, hard work, and good deeds can ever make a person clean and new. We do actually need someone to help us, maybe even to save us from ourselves.
Look I don't know everything, but If someone were to ask my advice, I would always say that although Christians don't have a monopoly on truth or on God, there is only one savior and that is Jesus, so if our basic problem is that we do actually need rescuing its probably going to be a good plan to trust Jesus to save. I'm not going to tell anyone to trust in Buddha or Mohammad, not because they are dodgy blokes, but just because they never claimed they could save anyone
Whether you grow up in a Christian culture or a Muslim one, the question remains 'Do I blindly follow a religious system of beliefs and practices, or do I seek, ask, search, for what is real and true?' God is not insecure, He promises that if anyone really goes looking for him with their whole heart, they will find Him.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
What about Hell?
If I could have a dollar for every time someone has asked me “How could a loving God send people to hell?”...well I'd still be scratching for money, but it certainly is one of the most common complaints against Christianity. Yet in addressing the issue, I'm sure most people's immediate assumption is that God is some sort of cosmic bully. i.e: “here is what I want you to do - believe in me, be a good person, go to church etc and if you don't do what I want, then I'm going to destroy you and send you to suffer in Hell.” It seems that God is determined to punish those who won’t do what he says.
I know some Christians who feel that people need to be constantly reminded about the dangers of Hell for the sinful person as a way of motivating people into joining the church. Yet when is avoiding punishment or pain ever an appropriate basis for a relationship? Think of a marriage where the only reason she hasn’t left is because of the fear of what he’ll do if she walks out.
Ultimately people resent being judged. I think there is built up anger towards the church from most non Christians because they feel as though they are constantly hearing that their life is wrong, they are bad and that they had better change big time. So if God is just going to reinforce the guilt and judgment then why bother at all. 'Turn or Burn' doesn't sound very much like good news!
Yet while Jesus was on the earth, His message was one of acceptance and inclusion especially toward those who were labeled sinful and were rejected by society. In fact, the only words of judgment were reserved for the religious leaders who were making it impossible for people to really experience the love of God.
Now as much as I wish it wasn't so, I do think that Hell is a reality. But as for God sending people there, I'm really not sure that's how it works. Just like a loving father would be devastated if one of his kids chose to leave home at 15 to do whatever they want, so a brokenhearted God, feels the same at our choice to reject His love and choose independence from Him. Maybe the choice is up to us? If someone willfully chooses to live their life totally independent from God on this earth, then why would they be with God when they die? It's not what they wanted.
Hell will be a terrifying place not because people are being punished, but because they've chosen to be in a place where God is not. If He is the source of all good, then if He is not present then only only evil and darkness will remain.
Instead of seeing God as the mean bully, what if God is constantly reaching out to us in every way, exercising mercy and love, forever drawing people close, forgiving, always giving more time, more chances, more mercy, but never forcing our hand, hoping, waiting, longing for us to choose Him...until it is too late and He can do no more.
I know some Christians who feel that people need to be constantly reminded about the dangers of Hell for the sinful person as a way of motivating people into joining the church. Yet when is avoiding punishment or pain ever an appropriate basis for a relationship? Think of a marriage where the only reason she hasn’t left is because of the fear of what he’ll do if she walks out.
Ultimately people resent being judged. I think there is built up anger towards the church from most non Christians because they feel as though they are constantly hearing that their life is wrong, they are bad and that they had better change big time. So if God is just going to reinforce the guilt and judgment then why bother at all. 'Turn or Burn' doesn't sound very much like good news!
Yet while Jesus was on the earth, His message was one of acceptance and inclusion especially toward those who were labeled sinful and were rejected by society. In fact, the only words of judgment were reserved for the religious leaders who were making it impossible for people to really experience the love of God.
Now as much as I wish it wasn't so, I do think that Hell is a reality. But as for God sending people there, I'm really not sure that's how it works. Just like a loving father would be devastated if one of his kids chose to leave home at 15 to do whatever they want, so a brokenhearted God, feels the same at our choice to reject His love and choose independence from Him. Maybe the choice is up to us? If someone willfully chooses to live their life totally independent from God on this earth, then why would they be with God when they die? It's not what they wanted.
Hell will be a terrifying place not because people are being punished, but because they've chosen to be in a place where God is not. If He is the source of all good, then if He is not present then only only evil and darkness will remain.
Instead of seeing God as the mean bully, what if God is constantly reaching out to us in every way, exercising mercy and love, forever drawing people close, forgiving, always giving more time, more chances, more mercy, but never forcing our hand, hoping, waiting, longing for us to choose Him...until it is too late and He can do no more.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The power of the choice
I’m a sport fan through and through. Where there are two individuals or teams battling it out against each other for the glory of victory – I’m there glued to the T.V. Hey I’ll even watch a game of netball if it looks like a close contest! The thing about sport, in particular winning at sport, is the battle to overcome all odds and opposition to prove to be the stronger, fitter, faster man or woman on the day. The thrill of victory is made most real in the presence of the genuine threat of defeat. It’s just not the same if you rock up to the SCG to see the Australian Cricket team do battle, when their opponent for the day is the under 13 girls B team from Mudgee. (Although on current form you’d be a brave man to bet against the young ladies) The point is – if there is no possibility of defeat, then victory loses all meaning.
Now even though God is a fanatical Sydney swans fan, I'm sure He loves all sport, and it was Him who actually invented the concept of victory and defeat in the first place.
People so often site the fact that there is so much evil, pain and suffering in the world as their major case against the existence of God. However, what if God’s most powerful act of love was to wire within our hard drive the capacity to make real decisions that have real consequences. I’m sure God could have made us to be entirely good without the option of doing anything wrong, yet could you imagine being a robot that could only do what you were told?
God knows there can only be love if there can also be hate, there can only be good if evil is also an option and there can only be victory if it is possible for us to be defeated by life's temptations. There's just no other way.
It seems like such a risky plan to let us choose whether we will accept and return His love, but when we do, it is actually real. God waits longing for us to choose Him, but he never forces our hand, You can’t very well choose to open yourself to God unless you can choose to reject him.
You were made with the incredible capacity to choose how you will live. There is so much evil in the world because people choose it all the time and God does not take that ability away from them. Sure God could stop evil, but in doing so he would violate who he has made us to be. In the words of a friend of mine “God has given you a free will, let that be a warning to you
Now even though God is a fanatical Sydney swans fan, I'm sure He loves all sport, and it was Him who actually invented the concept of victory and defeat in the first place.
People so often site the fact that there is so much evil, pain and suffering in the world as their major case against the existence of God. However, what if God’s most powerful act of love was to wire within our hard drive the capacity to make real decisions that have real consequences. I’m sure God could have made us to be entirely good without the option of doing anything wrong, yet could you imagine being a robot that could only do what you were told?
God knows there can only be love if there can also be hate, there can only be good if evil is also an option and there can only be victory if it is possible for us to be defeated by life's temptations. There's just no other way.
It seems like such a risky plan to let us choose whether we will accept and return His love, but when we do, it is actually real. God waits longing for us to choose Him, but he never forces our hand, You can’t very well choose to open yourself to God unless you can choose to reject him.
You were made with the incredible capacity to choose how you will live. There is so much evil in the world because people choose it all the time and God does not take that ability away from them. Sure God could stop evil, but in doing so he would violate who he has made us to be. In the words of a friend of mine “God has given you a free will, let that be a warning to you
Thursday, February 19, 2009
What is a Christian anyway?
If Jesus were to rock into G town tomorrow with plans to stay for the weekend, which church would he go to?
The funny thing is that when Jesus came to the earth 2000 years ago, ( I recently overheard a yr 2 kid complaining to his scripture teacher “No way miss, it can’t still be 2000 years, they told us that last year!”) it was the religious people who hated him and who eventually killed Him. He was a major threat to their systems of control and ancient traditions - and I reckon it might just be the same today. As hard as it is to say, I really don’t know how comfortable he would be in any of our churches, instead you'd probably find Him at the Astor!
There is approximately 1.2 billion people around the world who would call themselves Christians, but without the title, what do they look like and how should they act? And if it's so good, why is there often just as much evil in the church as there is outside it? So what is a Christian anyway? Is it just about believing in God, faithful church attendance, not drinking smoking or swearing, belonging to a club of like minded believers that makes you feel better about yourself and better than others, a ticket to heaven, trying to keep the 10 commandments, or being a good person with good morals who gives to charity? While this may be the experience of a lot of 'Christians' I'm just not sure these things sum up what it should look like to live a life connected to God.
At the core of the real Christian message is the fact that at some stage everyone has chosen independence from God which has left us separated from Him. We have blood on our hands and dirt on our hearts and the only way back to God is to receive the forgiveness He offers each of us made possible by Jesus taking the punishment for wrong in our place.
So then Christianity is to have your life transformed by the power of that gift and as a result be genuinely plugged into God, then to follow Jesus all the way home. It is to be so changed by love and forgiveness that you no longer are driven by what is best for you, but filled with the love of God for others. Life then becomes a clear demonstration of all the things Jesus was about – love, justice, freedom, inclusion, hope, helping the poor, embracing the social outcasts , confronting the systems of control and injustice, real peace, truth, and generosity. Now that is really living!
The funny thing is that when Jesus came to the earth 2000 years ago, ( I recently overheard a yr 2 kid complaining to his scripture teacher “No way miss, it can’t still be 2000 years, they told us that last year!”) it was the religious people who hated him and who eventually killed Him. He was a major threat to their systems of control and ancient traditions - and I reckon it might just be the same today. As hard as it is to say, I really don’t know how comfortable he would be in any of our churches, instead you'd probably find Him at the Astor!
There is approximately 1.2 billion people around the world who would call themselves Christians, but without the title, what do they look like and how should they act? And if it's so good, why is there often just as much evil in the church as there is outside it? So what is a Christian anyway? Is it just about believing in God, faithful church attendance, not drinking smoking or swearing, belonging to a club of like minded believers that makes you feel better about yourself and better than others, a ticket to heaven, trying to keep the 10 commandments, or being a good person with good morals who gives to charity? While this may be the experience of a lot of 'Christians' I'm just not sure these things sum up what it should look like to live a life connected to God.
At the core of the real Christian message is the fact that at some stage everyone has chosen independence from God which has left us separated from Him. We have blood on our hands and dirt on our hearts and the only way back to God is to receive the forgiveness He offers each of us made possible by Jesus taking the punishment for wrong in our place.
So then Christianity is to have your life transformed by the power of that gift and as a result be genuinely plugged into God, then to follow Jesus all the way home. It is to be so changed by love and forgiveness that you no longer are driven by what is best for you, but filled with the love of God for others. Life then becomes a clear demonstration of all the things Jesus was about – love, justice, freedom, inclusion, hope, helping the poor, embracing the social outcasts , confronting the systems of control and injustice, real peace, truth, and generosity. Now that is really living!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
God is at work in the world
I was on my way to a Church meeting, walking along Auburn st when I noticed to my dismay that I was about to by confronted by someone from green peace trying to squeeze me for the moths in my wallet.
Now I'm no red neck, but I'm sorry to say, my thoughts about green peace were that they are all a bunch of tree hugging, dolphin kissing, hooch smoking hippies, so my attitude toward this guy wasn't fantastic, yet as soon as he opened his mouth I was shocked to discover that he was an intelligent, passionate, compassionate bloke with a lot to teach me. He seemed compelled to act on behalf of the poor and needy, to speak for the oppressed, not to be blind consumer and to oppose greedy multinational companies who leave a trail of destruction in the pursuit big bucks. I tried to deflect the heat I was beginning to feel by mentioning that I happen to sponsor two children from the third world, unimpressed, he continued on saying his organisation was tackling the issue from a much bigger level, by addressing the corrupt governments in these countries that lead to the horrendous poverty in the first place.
In the course of the conversation he discovered that I was a Christian and proceeded to tell me that he'd be the first person going to hell, when I asked him why, he explained that he'd grown up in church with this passion stirring inside of him for the world and its sustainability, but there never seemed any common ground between his religious world, and his real world. When he was 16 his minister had shown him the door saying that he could go save the trees, but the mission of the church was to save souls.
I think it was at this point that something happened in me that really has changed the way I live. I was all of a sudden able to see God in this “hell bound hippie”. I asked him if he thought it possible that the burning passion for the world and its people might just come from the one who created that same world and that if he were to open his heart to this God, then this God inspired passion and energy for this task would only increase.
The bottom line is that for too long my Christianity had been about trying to make others like me. I was right and they were obviously wrong, God was with me and not with them, and so my job was to conquer them with my view of the truth.
I never did end up giving him any money, but since that day my eyes have been opened to see God at work in the world in all the places and with all the people I'd never thought He'd be.
God is at work in all of us... maybe we should open ourselves more to what He's doing.
Now I'm no red neck, but I'm sorry to say, my thoughts about green peace were that they are all a bunch of tree hugging, dolphin kissing, hooch smoking hippies, so my attitude toward this guy wasn't fantastic, yet as soon as he opened his mouth I was shocked to discover that he was an intelligent, passionate, compassionate bloke with a lot to teach me. He seemed compelled to act on behalf of the poor and needy, to speak for the oppressed, not to be blind consumer and to oppose greedy multinational companies who leave a trail of destruction in the pursuit big bucks. I tried to deflect the heat I was beginning to feel by mentioning that I happen to sponsor two children from the third world, unimpressed, he continued on saying his organisation was tackling the issue from a much bigger level, by addressing the corrupt governments in these countries that lead to the horrendous poverty in the first place.
In the course of the conversation he discovered that I was a Christian and proceeded to tell me that he'd be the first person going to hell, when I asked him why, he explained that he'd grown up in church with this passion stirring inside of him for the world and its sustainability, but there never seemed any common ground between his religious world, and his real world. When he was 16 his minister had shown him the door saying that he could go save the trees, but the mission of the church was to save souls.
I think it was at this point that something happened in me that really has changed the way I live. I was all of a sudden able to see God in this “hell bound hippie”. I asked him if he thought it possible that the burning passion for the world and its people might just come from the one who created that same world and that if he were to open his heart to this God, then this God inspired passion and energy for this task would only increase.
The bottom line is that for too long my Christianity had been about trying to make others like me. I was right and they were obviously wrong, God was with me and not with them, and so my job was to conquer them with my view of the truth.
I never did end up giving him any money, but since that day my eyes have been opened to see God at work in the world in all the places and with all the people I'd never thought He'd be.
God is at work in all of us... maybe we should open ourselves more to what He's doing.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Keep it real
I've grown up in Goulburn . It's my home and I love the place, I tell people I was born here and I will die here. I've been the pastor a church for the last 6 years and my observations about the spirituality of young people in this town is that religion of any kind is irrelevant, boring, weird, and most of them “just don't get it”, and are “ just not into it”.
This follows an increasing trend all over the western world, yet in Goulburn it seems the issues are magnified as our youth on the whole are are just not into God.
The reality is we have everything we need and all we could ever want at our fingertips, we are smart, savvy and successful. We are the master of our own destiny, what need is there for God?
Maybe that's right. Or maybe the main reason a whole generation of young people feel like that is because too often those who have called themselves God's people, have dropped the ball, let the team down, and sadly done such an ordinary job at representing God on the earth.
We've blown it, and I'm so sorry.
We've turned so many people off God and repelled them from meaningful spirituality because a lot of what has been seen from the church is just plain ugly and has been about everything other than what Jesus was on about.
The real tragedy however is , that at some stage soon, you are going to need a spirituality that connects you to God in a real way. I'm going to go out on a limb here, you may be clever, but you don't have enough inside you to make this life work. You actually do need God.
People these days hate talking about God. I think the problem is that when God is brought up it always seems to be about someone forcing their opinion of God onto you, and people just get tired of that.
I remember trying to talk to someone about Jesus in the park one day and as soon as I mentioned His name they went bug eyed and totally freaked out. I don't want to put anyone through that kind of pain, I mean who knows what would happen if I scared someone half to death twice?
But heres the point: What if our young people need to talk about God?
There is a whole generation of young people growing up today who are facing all kinds of issues and problems that even their parents never encountered and they simply have to do it alone because God is off the radar.
The new year is a great opportunity for some reflection and a chance to rethink a few things - so lets go there. Lets try to have a fresh look at what it would look like to be connected to God in this world. Lets cut the nonsense, ask the hard questions, deal with the inconsistencies and keep it real.
This follows an increasing trend all over the western world, yet in Goulburn it seems the issues are magnified as our youth on the whole are are just not into God.
The reality is we have everything we need and all we could ever want at our fingertips, we are smart, savvy and successful. We are the master of our own destiny, what need is there for God?
Maybe that's right. Or maybe the main reason a whole generation of young people feel like that is because too often those who have called themselves God's people, have dropped the ball, let the team down, and sadly done such an ordinary job at representing God on the earth.
We've blown it, and I'm so sorry.
We've turned so many people off God and repelled them from meaningful spirituality because a lot of what has been seen from the church is just plain ugly and has been about everything other than what Jesus was on about.
The real tragedy however is , that at some stage soon, you are going to need a spirituality that connects you to God in a real way. I'm going to go out on a limb here, you may be clever, but you don't have enough inside you to make this life work. You actually do need God.
People these days hate talking about God. I think the problem is that when God is brought up it always seems to be about someone forcing their opinion of God onto you, and people just get tired of that.
I remember trying to talk to someone about Jesus in the park one day and as soon as I mentioned His name they went bug eyed and totally freaked out. I don't want to put anyone through that kind of pain, I mean who knows what would happen if I scared someone half to death twice?
But heres the point: What if our young people need to talk about God?
There is a whole generation of young people growing up today who are facing all kinds of issues and problems that even their parents never encountered and they simply have to do it alone because God is off the radar.
The new year is a great opportunity for some reflection and a chance to rethink a few things - so lets go there. Lets try to have a fresh look at what it would look like to be connected to God in this world. Lets cut the nonsense, ask the hard questions, deal with the inconsistencies and keep it real.
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