Lingering

Popping into Woolworths around 8:30pm tonight, I was hurrying to get a few things on my way home.

As I walked in, I glanced at a little willy wagtail bird which had flown down to the tiled area and was hopping around.

But I did a little more than a quick glance – I lingered. I looked at this bird just a little bit longer than usual (only 5 seconds really) and as I took that extra moment, I realised afresh just how intricately and beautifully God had created it. And I was grateful to my awesome God.

Who would have thought that when rushing into the supermarket, a few moments of lingering could have created a worship moment...

Be still and know.

Fresh meaning to an well-known verse

In the midst of a great big storm on Sunday I was standing at the front screen door looking out and saw two of our fence panels blow out of the fence. They were blowing over toward the car and I was worried they were going to scratch or dent the car.

I was about to run out and grab them when Stephen told me in no uncertain terms to close and lock the front door and sit down.

It was only after the storm passed, and I had to try 4 different routes to get to church (due to fallen power lines and trees) that I realised the immensity of the storm.

And suddenly I had a fresh understanding of "The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".

I had almost not given the very powerful storm the reverence it deserved. That would have been very unwise.
In the same way, we have a very powerful God - much more powerful than the storm. And to treat Him with reverence and the respect He deserves truly is the wisest thing we can do.

Once born into childlike faith...

"Once born into childlike faith, brimming with belief, typical people begin to lose their faith. Society mocks them. Their friends smirk. They come to change the world, but over time the world changes them. Soon they forget who they were; they forget the faith they once had. Then one day someone tells them the truth, but they don't want to go back, because they are comfortable in their new skin. Being a stranger in this world is never easy."

pg 283 Saint, by Ted Dekker

Thoughts about Obama's presidency

I think it is wonderful that America has it’s first African-American president. The racial history of the States, and the quite disturbing racism that still exists, is a sad indictment on the USA.

I think Obama is incredibly charismatic and a brilliant orator, who loves his wife and daughters (and is even buying them a puppy!) That is a very nice thing to have in a leader!

I think it is time for a political change in the States. Too long of any party and things can become too far skewed in one direction. (I think the same was true for Australia as well.)

And let’s face it – what a fairytale story ripe for amazing headlines such as “From Slavery to the White House”. Seriously, the media will be in heaven for a while! There is a lot of hyperbole and some very grandiose statements being flung around at the moment. But hey – it’s America – they do big, bold, and spectacular like few other countries.

I don’t know who I would have voted for if I was American. I wasn’t too interested in the election for a long time and was leaning Obama.

But here’s the thing....

The difficulty with American politics is that ‘some’ segments of the christianised culture in the States forgot to be prophetic rather than partisan. This has had the effect of galvanizing other ‘segments’ of the christianised culture to rightfully denounce that position.  And sadly, it sometimes feels that we have to choose between being Christians who oppose poverty, or Christians who oppose abortion.

Why can’t we love and help the poor AND the unborn? Why do we let political maneuvering define the issues for us?

Globally, 26 500 children die every day from poverty-related issues.
Globally, 126 000 children are aborted every day.
Both of these statistics are tragic and should compel us to continue to speak for those who do not have a voice.

Obama’s voting record on matters of abortion are dismal.  Obama’s voting record on matters pertaining to infants born alive after abortions is possibly worse.
And you know what – that’s not ok.
So in our breathless rush to celebrate a fairytale ascension, let’s cheer the good, but not gloss over the bad.

For there is both good and bad in Obama’s espoused policy, as there was in Bush, and Clinton, and Bush, and Reagan, and Carter........
And as there is in my own heart, and in my own actions...

Political change is always possible. And we should never abandon the systems which govern our countries. But political change will never effect the heart of man. And poverty, and abortion, and all the other tragic circumstances of our world ultimately need solutions birthed and sustained by transformed hearts.
Change – true change - is possible. It comes through Christ and his power to transform lives and hearts each and every day.
And His plans for us are for ‘a future and a hope’.

So let’s smile and rejoice in Obama’s historic win.
Let’s continue to seek the good of the lands in which we live.
Let’s continue to speak for those who have no voice.
And let’s pray and play our part in influencing society.

From Lisa Bevere

I was listening to a Lisa Bevere podcast the other day while painting and she was talking about the importance of realising that
we live not just for ourselves. She related a question God asked her...

"What will the next generation inherit from you? My promises, or your fears?"

Selah....

An issue of concern

I know that a candidate’s views on abortion are not the sum total of their candidacy.

However, the views that Barack Obama is expressing, and the ‘first act of office’ he has said he will do, are a concerning insight into the philosophy and worldview held by a man who may become the leader of the USA.

Something to think on...

http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000008450.cfm

A favourite blog

Stuff Christians Like is one of my favourite blogs. It is one of the few things I read that can make me laugh out loud. 

And of all the posts on this blog, this one is my favourite!

A brilliant thought

Below is a statement I just heard - you can think on the following for days...

Whatever the season, what you do in the current season, positions you for the outcome of the next.
: Ps Gary Swenson

One of the less-quoted books...

Nahum!
1:7 The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.

Facebook status updates

When there isn't enough room for all the status updates you feel like putting.....

Ruth is... very excited for Dean and Vanessa's new house

Ruth is... loving her cute little puppies

Ruth is... needing to get back on writing track

Ruth is... so desperately sad for a friend's loss

Ruth is... going to Melbourne soon to get her award

Ruth is... pretty pumped for her ski trip

Ruth is... pretty nervous about her ski trip

Ruth is... looking forward to a friend's wedding

Ruth is... asking God to come through in a few things for a few people

Ruth is... trusting God

Ruth is... starting 21 days of exercise so she doesn't collapse on the slopes

Ruth is... loved and known by God

A change of view

I am sitting at my desk working on an assignment. I'm looking out over my pool, watching a bird in a tree, hopping around from branch to branch and enjoying the sunshine.

However, last week, I would have been looking at out a fence and shaded grass and dirt.

Why the change?

I moved my workspace to a different room in the house. Now, instead of looking out at a very uninspiring and slightly depressing view, and being in a cold room, I have a lovely view and it's much warmer.

We can bring significant changes in our life and how we feel simply by changing where we are looking.

'Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!'
Hebrews 12:2-3 (The Message)

To think on

"How you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win."

— G.K. Chesterton

"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
— President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Horizontal and vertical thinking

"Some people are unhappy about lateral [horizontal] thinking becausethey feel it threatens the validity of vertical thinking. This is notso at all. The two processes are complementary, not antagonistic.Lateral thinking enhances the effectiveness of vertical thinking byoffering it more to select from. Vertical thinking multiplies theeffectiveness of lateral thinking by making good use of the ideasgenerated."  - Edward DeBono, author of 62 books on creative thought.

When in crisis - thoughts from J John

I received an email today from J John and it was a reflection on crisis. It included this:
"Pastor Andrew Murray of South Africa once faced a particularly bad crisis. Taking himself off to his study, he sat quietly for a very long while; prayerfully and thoughtfully.
Then he wrote this in his journal:
1. I am here by God's appointment; in that fact I will rest.
2. He will keep me here in His love and give me grace to behave as His child.
3. He will teach me the lessons He intends me to learn.
4. In His good time He can bring me out again."

There are two ways to live

There are two ways to live.

The first is easy. It's staying connected to people to a certain level - attending parties, making small talk, staying in the safe zone. Don't ask too many questions. Let people live their lives and live yours. That's one way.

The second is harder. It's staying connected to people on a deeper level - opening your heart, living deeply, taking risks. Asking the questions. Being willing to live intertwined lives. That's another way.

The second takes a commitment, from each of us.
And it may be harder, but it's also a source of joy.

Isn't it interesting...

... that when faced with researching a uni assignment, I have a strong urge to blog.... or facebook... or look up travel websites?

Not really the answer.... but what is?

Euthanasia is back on the Australian political landscape.

I also spent a long time on the phone with a lady last week who has a chronic illness and was considering suicide.

Mix the latest news from Belgium - euthanasia for terminally ill children - in to the mix and we have a complicated, emotive situation.

From the linked article: In the words of the late Dutch euthanasia opponent Dr. Karl Gunning,'Once killing is seen as the answer to one problem, it soon becomes theanswer to 100.'

The problem with euthanasia being considered an answer is that it removes all incentive for better answers. Killing is cheaper than funding medical research into pain management, cures and certainly cheaper than palliative care.  But in a situation where parents will be able to have their sick children killed......... I do not think we are capable of understanding the complex emotional and mental consequences of such an action.

An 'answer' it is not.

A thought around Easter

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. (John 20:1)

While it was still dark....

Her Christ had risen
The price had been paid
Death had lost it's sting
Yet Mary was unaware
For where she stood

it was still dark...

Explaining God

When an 8 year old boy was given an homework assignment to "Explain God" this is what he wrote!

"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think that's because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off.

God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.

Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.

Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK.

His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore - He could stay in heaven. So He did.

And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important. You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.

You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God. Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.

But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.

And that's why I believe in God."

more to think on

Speaking at last week's National Pastors Convention in San Diego, John Ortberg related a conversation with Dallas Willard in which John posed the question: How do I determine how my spiritual life is doing?

Willard responded by saying you should ask yourself two questions:

Am I growing more or less irritated these days?

Am I growing more or less discouraged these days?

If your answer to those questions is "more," it may be that you have allowed your own ego to become the driving force in your sense of personal and ministry identity. Instead, our lives and ministries should be centered on a vision of God. As Willard observes, "Our life is not an object of deep concern" when we have abandoned ourselves to a vision of the Kingdom of God.

A lovely quote from "Googling God"

This was just sent to me by my sister and is lovely...

 

"God, for me, is like someone who's already up when you've come downstairs in the morning and you're stumbling to get that cup of coffee and he's already there with his. And you sit on the front porch in a rocking chair and the sun is just starting to rise over the horizon and he says, `It's a beautiful sunrise!' And I say, `Yeah.'"

A public health problem

Another report has come out today in The Australian about the state of the teenage drinking problems we have here in Australia. Levels of dangerous drinking are higher than previously thought. 1 in 5 16 and 17 year olds binge drink weekly.

It's a really interesting predicament with a complex and layered causal effect.
A link which is not discussed often, but which has been observed by paramedics and youth workers, is the changing nature of the 'alcohol environment'. In just the last 5 years, young people have moved away from drinking beer and wine and now drink spirits and mixers, particularly alcopops - premixed in bottles or cans. These are highly alcoholic yet don't taste like alcohol.

With the higher alcohol content in these products young people get drunk more quickly. They are also more likely to become violent as they end up highly intoxicated yet have consumed less overall liquid and so are not 'weighed down' by the quantity they have consumed.

One wonders - particularly with the marketing campaigns targeting youth drinkers - whether these products should be the subject of conversation.

Community

We have our young adults formal soon and It's got me thinking about the power of community.

There is something about the 'one another' that is almost indefinable yet infinitely important.
Simply put - we need each other.
And we really need each other as part of the community of faith.
While we like to think we'll be fine by ourselves, separation from fellow journeyers in the Kingsom leads to a slow death - almost imperceptible as it occurs, but occurring nonetheless.
Such interdependency is the ultimate antidote to pride and the greatest challenge to individualism.

Life is ultimately also way more fun when traveled in the company of others!

Tagged from James Mac

So James just tagged me - I have to get the nearest book, turn to page 123 and reprise the sixth, seventh and eighth sentence.

Here we go!

Bonhoeffer's consecrated life is a model for us all - a total giving of self to Christ. Most of us will not be tested in this way, but he has set the standard for us. Now, of course, this consecration doesn't happen all at once - "The Faith" Charles Colson

Brilliant stuff!

From lifechurch.tv

Inspiration from Starbucks

Sitting in the airport, beginning the 5 hour wait till boarding...
So we're in Starbucks getting a coffee and they have all these quote on their cups. I really like this one from Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives - it's worth blogging.

"On the battlefield of ideas, winning requires moving toward the sound of the guns."

Mark Mittleberg

We have a crisis of faith. It's not that people have faith - they have many faiths - but they don't know how to think about
faith.

How people process and evaluate faiths determines how they choose.

6 Faith Paths
1. Relativistic faith path
Where most people are.
Something becomes true because they believe it. ..... So at the same time, God does exist for a Christian yet doesn't exist
because of an athiest?

However, truth is simply what is.
The key to life is to discover what is true and then to adjust your life accordingly.

2. The traditional path
I have always believed this - a hand me down faith

3. Authoritative path
You better believe this.
Authorities are only as good as their credentials

4. The intuitive faith path
I can just feel it....

5. The mystic faith path
"God told me" what is true

6. The evidentiary faith path
Is there evidence to this system of thought being correct?

Ben Stein

We break faith with those who died for freedom when we give up free speech in science, value of life, etc

Rethinking the importance of creation and evolution

Evolution is a theory, yet if you question it in academia, it is like questioning Stalin in 1925.

What are the social and economic implications for society of darwinism? Man = mud. You can do with him or to him what you
want.
The belief in creation says God created, so people have a spark of the divine within them - therefore, when you kill them you
are attacking God.

Bill Butterworth

Rethinking balance

The first key to being an effective leader is being not dead!
Avoid burnout.

Who would applaud someone who only ran 3/4 of their race?

3 aspects:
Attention (tasks)
Connection (relationships)
Reflection (how was today?)

George Barna

Rethinking why we become who we become

You can only make a genuine difference when you help transform a life.

America is culturally crippled by an addiction we deny having. Media exposure has become America's most widespread and
serious addiction today. Of the most dominant influencers in the USA today, 5 of the 7 are media.

Addictions
: they change our brain function
: they cause withdrawal symptoms
: we lose control of how much exposure we have
: we have a desire to reduce it but we are unable to
: it causes us to abandon or reduce our involvement in normal, heathy social activities
: the denial of an addiction

4 things
1. Recognise you cannot fix a problem that is not on the radar
2. Ask - What is our view about media?
3. Address the issue of parental responsibility
4. Can we raise up a new class of missionaries to the media world?

Ben Vereen

Rethinkers
Rosa Parks - because she sat down, a nation stood up.

Dr Ben Carson

Rethinking risk
The vast majority of people do not achieve a lot because they are afraid of risk.
Others do not achieve much because they take an inordinate amount of risks without analysing them.

Historically, pinnacle nations become enamoured with sports, entertainment, celebrity, lose their moral compass and then fall in power.

Rethink our passivity
We have as much, or more, evidence for God than those who try to extract God from public life.

For a country to remain great
T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G.
Talent (intellectual)
Honesty
Insight
Nice
Knowledge

Books
Indepth learning - to understand
God

It really doesn't matter where you are, it's where you are going that counts. You get there by aligning yourself with God.

Google Carsons Scholar Fund

Erwin McManus

The weaving together of tragedy and beauty.

Humans are meaning machines - we add meaning to everything.

Sometimes we make the meaningless meaningful - superstition

Sometimes we make the meaningful meaningless.

Sometimes we can't make sense of the mess, and we must simply know that there is a master artist at work.

Lee Strobel

Rethinking the evangelism effort of the American church

It requires 2 things: truth and experience

1. Truth
Spreading the gospel must always be grounded in the absolute truth of the christian message.

We have a defensible faith.
We have an unfair advantage in the marketplace of ideas - we have truth on our side.

Debate has a place but mostly dialogue is more effective than debate.
We do not begin dialogue by assuming the equality of all truth claims, but by the equality of all persons.

How do we facilitate this? Seeker small groups and using stories.

2. We must usher people into an experience with God.
Blaise Pascal - the night of fire.

There must be a connection between truth and experience.

Rupert Murdoch

His two most important qualities which have contributed to his success-
: Persistence
: Curiousity

Why they bought Myspace -
: to lead through it
: to help people express themselves
: to learn from it

In response to a question regarding the future of newspapers, Murdoch said they may not exist on paper but will exist as journalistic enterprise to deliver news: "If you have done your job right, people will come to you because they rely on you".

Encourage innovation

Larry King

Engaging with people
How do you ask a great question?
1. Be curious
2. Leave yourself out of the question
3. If you start with 'why' it can't be answered in one word.
4. Listen, listen, listen

Jason Illian (God tube)

Tradigital thinking - endless interconnections between things that are seemingly unrelated

It's no longer about getting people's time or attention - it's about getting people's hearts.

Tomorrows leaders will be meaning makers.
People are tired of chasing cool.

Don't chase cool - infuse meaning.
This generation is willing to leave their job, parents, country to find meaning.

How do we infuse meaning? Reinvent FIRE
Ferocious
Imaginations that
Revolutionise
Everything

We must push responsibility to those on the outer edges.
Break habitual cycles - do something creative

The power of inconsistency!
If inconsistent- can't be predicted
If unpredictable- can't be duplicated
If can't be duplicated-it is valuable
Jesus was inconsistent.

Phil Cooke

Rethinking media

It's all about influence and how we use media to impact culture.
Why branding?
1. Perception matters: if you don't control your perception in the community, you will be at the mercy of others who will
2. Choice : so many options

Branding is the compelling story surrounding you and your organisation. In a media rich world, we need an easy handle.

1. Visibility is as important as ability : visibility=voice
2. You can't brand a lie- we need to live more transparent lives than ever
3. Being different is everything

Questions to ask when working out branding
1. What's the point? Why do you do this?
2. Who are you?
3. Skills/ talents
4. What makes you different?

What can we do right now?
1. Understand the power of a name - your name matters
2. Put a lot of effort into logo and look - design matters
3. Be careful with humour
4. What is the overarching theme of your life and ministry?

Dr Stephen Post

Giving creates a sense of abundance in your own heart.
If you want to get somewhere, hostility won't get you there.

Study
High hostility - 20% death rate over 20 years
Low hostility - 2% death rate

When evil men plot, good men must plan - Martin Luther King Jnr

Dr John Townsend

Rethinking love

To the extent that we love is the extent to which we will bear good fruit as a leader

3 aspects of love as a leader
1.You must love what you do - enough to inspire others
2. Love people outside of their work
3. Love people enough to push them

Nancy Ortberg

1. The most difficult person to lead is yourself
Figure out how you connect deeply to God.
Jesus didn't journal :)
What restores the wonder of God in you?

2. Vision is created by the stories ee tell and the heroes we create.

3. Defining God moments are only as significant as the lifestyle they produce. Get it into the rhythm of your life.

4. Teamwork is a strategy not a slogan.
Our job is not to get involved in artificial harmony but to debate and make decisions

5. Stop being surprised that leadership is difficult.
Max Dupree - leaders are only right 50% of the time - this allows resilience...

Kay Warren

Rethinking discipleship

Deny yourself, take up your cross, follow me.
Rephrased

1. Surrendered
Learn to say yes to God in every area of your life
Why don't we? We are scared and we are selfish

2. Disturbed
We must be willing to die

3. Ruined
Be gloriously ruined for something that lasts

How will people know God is with them if we are not with them?

John Ortberg

What is God's big calling on your life?
How big is your God?

How we live is determined by the size you perceive God to be.
When we shrink God we offer
: prayer without faith
: worship without awe
: suffering without joy
: service without hope

Gideon looked at himself in a way that rationalised his passivity and say no to the big call.

What is unthinkable on my own is unstoppable with God.

God will be, this day, as big a presence in your life as you allow Him to be.

Dr Henry Cloud

Rethinking integrity

Integrity is not just the policeman against bad things happening- it is to be an integrated whole.

When a leader hits a wall, it is often because there is something not whole

Miles McPherson

Rethink the starting point of evangelism...
Don't go to tell - go to listen.

Learn to listen to the cries of those around you.

Robert A Schuller

The only way you can walk through life successfully is to walk in your own shoes.

1. Don't go to work and do a job: go to your destiny and fulfil your calling.
2. If you've got the faith, God has the power
3. God is answering your prayers

Donna Schuller

You must rethink who you are daily, reframing yourself according to Christ.

Replace wrong thoughts with God's thoughts and words.

Jesus was the ultimate reframer.

Gary Smalley

If you want good relationships, rethink trying to change your spouse or friend or colleague.
Change yourself

The things that control you are your beliefs.

The more I memorise and meditate on God's word, I hide it in my heart. The more I do that, the more His word becomes my beliefs and then He controls me!

Bill Dallas

Rethinking failure

We make mistakes
God allows consequences
God redeems - our soul and our failures

Ps 138:7 and 8

Lou Holtz

If you want some great advice, listen to your spouse.

If you didn't go home, who would miss you?
If you didn't go to work, who would miss you?
It's all about meaningful relationships.

3 simple rules
1. Do right
2. Do everything to the best of your ability
3. Show people you care

Jon Gordon

Rethinking purpose

People are most energised when they are using their strengths for a bigger purpose.
Purpose is the ultimate fuel for an energised life.
Negativity brings inefficiency.
We have a choice between 2 roads - positive or negative.

Filled with divine (enthusiastic) and filled with purpose.

Bring purpose to what you do everyday

Dr Les Parrott

Rethinking healthy relationships

Your relationship university was the family you grew up in.

This generation has a hunger and thirst for information on healthy relationships.

If you try to build intimacy with another person, before you do the hard work of getting whole yourself, all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself and will fall flat.

Your relationships can only be as healthy as the least healthy person in them.

How do you be healthy?
Lock in the following.....
1. Profound significance - understand your profound significance to God and His deep love for you
2. Unswerving authenticity - your relationship with you (not pleasing others)
3. Self-giving love - recognising other's needs. Walking the extra mile.

Your internal dialogue is the most significant conversation yo have. 73% of your self-talk is negative.

Tim Clinton

2 Cor 11:1-3
Trading our freedom - losing our heart with God and life

How do good people lose heart?
They are assaulted by pain. This makes them feel angry or anxious. If they can't solve their pain then they feel alienated or arrogant. This leads to adulteries of the heart to calm or soothe their heart. This leads to addiction where I am dependant on this.

1 John 5:21
Idols - when we give ourselves to something else to calm or soothe ourselves
Gal 5:1

Mark Kvamme rethink tank

Simplicity of message.

A good website listens carefully to people.
Iterate always - significant change every 2 weeks.

We addresses should have around 6 letters or 2 syllables and be spelt like they sound eg yahoo, google, amazon

We are moving from the information age to the attention age. How do we get people's attention?

What does this technology overload mean for preachers - the power of communication in person, real life connection and telling stories.

Michael Guillen

How do I label the person I have become? 'Christian' used to hold a cherished place in America. 84% of Americans identify as Christian. Who keeps the abortion clinics busy? Who are the ads celebrating consumerism aimed at?

The spiritual me generation is saying all roads lead to a god of my own making.

Christian? Religious? Spiritual?.... Lovestruck.

NB this is strongly contextual to USA

Chris Seay part 2

Prophetic acts happen when we live into the story. The Bible is our story.

The Advent Conspiracy
What does it mean to be a global christian?

Chris Seay

Prophetic communication is painting the world as it is, and as it should be

Dan Kimball

Are we so busy with religious activity that we are in a bubble of sub-culture?

Answer that by asking - Who are you praying for right now?

Mark Kvamme

Silicon Valley Executive - Sequioa Capital and start up investor in youtube, yahoo etc

60 seconds

The average website has 10 seconds to get your attention.
The next 10 seconds answering 'what is this'?
The next 10 seconds answering 'can I navigate this?'

If people spend 3 minutes on your website, it's great!

In 60 seconds you can
: read 250-300 words
: type 33 words
: write 22 words

Everything is going digital and getting shorter.
Once it goes digital, it never disappears.

Communication is now becoming asynchronous. Technology was created to bring those who were far away closer. Now it is starting to move those who are closer further away.
"We will soon reminisce about evenings as a family gathered around the TV" Michael Moritz

Where to look in the future? The iphone. If it's not in my phone,does it exist?

Rethink how do I reach people who are bombarded by media?

HB London Jnr

We need to rethink how we live and what our motivations are.

Be an example

Give God the first-fruits of your time
Have healthy relationships
Get adequate rest (or you make poor decisions).
Be in a supportive relationship (accountability)
Like what you do
Be happy
Be vigilant

Bishop Charles Blake

Currently sponsoring 100,000 African orphans.

What go you here, will not get you there.

We live on a planet with great problems. We need great dreams and great faith.

Great dreams mandate great resources. Unless your dream requires a miracle, He will reduce your resources until He gets the glory of a miracle.

Charles Colson - my favourite so far!!

What is Christianity?
A view of total ultimate reality.
All of life is under the sovereign creator God.
Get away from 'God and me'

Christians need to
: understand the basic truths of Christianity
: defend the truths
: live out the truths
: explain these truths lovingly to others

It must affect the way you live.

First impressions

Faith built this place. This campus is incredible and the ladies bathroom is sensational! (They were made possible by an anonymous cash donation from someone who wanted the women of the church to know they were valued.)

Everywhere there are small written testimonies of people who have helped build this facility. One showed a lady who first got saved when she was 6, and came to one of the early services Dr Schuller ran at a drive-in movie theatre. Many years later,she gave the first $1,000,000 gift to build the welcome and hospitality centre.

It is inspiring. Faith and possibility thinking.

Christian Cultural Centre

A great church in Brooklyn - mainly an African American congregation of around 28000.
We attended the 10:30am service (although it started around 11).

Couple of observations:
1. Ushers are SO important! Having no idea what the culture is here, or where to go, and feeling a little overwhelmed having lined up and joining thousands of people coming in, it was so great having competent and helpful ushers. Those who took the initiative to notice we looked a bit lost, and help us out, were a real blessing.

2. Baby Dedications. I loved the way they did this. All the families, relatives and godparents (who had been prayerfully chosen) came up on stage. Elders and pastors all came and prayed for each family, even though the Senior Pastor lead this section. What I really loved was the way the parents all repeated (like wedding vows) a really meaningful vow of dedication of their children. Then, the families and whole congregation repeated a vow as well, relating to how they would pray for the child and care for the family.

3. Change is lead well. This was the last time baby dedications would be done in a Sunday service and this was announced while we were there. Dr Bernard had been doing a series on change, as well as obviously teaching the importance of change over years I would say. The pastor who made this announcement did in such a positive way, and reminded everyone of what Dr Bernard has always taught them. The dedications will now happen on a Saturday afternoon once a month and in a smaller venue and would be done in such a way as to make it special for the families - gifts, video of the service, worship etc. You could tell in the way this was announced, and in the way people responded that this is a church that is lead well.

4. Dr Bernard's 5 levels of renewal:
Personal renewal
Relational renewal
Renewal of purpose
Structural renewal
Cultural renewal

Rethinking....

I will be keeping a record here of some thoughts while attending Rethink...