Short but with a Punch

November 11, 2007  - Ian

Philemon is the shortest letter that we have of the apostle Paul. But in it there is an amazing amount of ideas to think on and act on. It is a short letter but jam packed with wisdom...and a punch.

It is a letter that challenges us about repentance and forgiveness. Both of them come with a cost. Onesimus was a slave who ran away from his Christian Master – Philemon, and stole from him on the way. Onesimus did the wrong thing criminally, financially, morally and spiritually. But Onesimus becomes a Christian through Paul the apostle and so realises that he must go back to his Master and say “sorry” for doing the wrong thing.

And not only say the words but face the consequences. ... Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

The Chocolate Slave

November 4, 2007  - Dale

One could be forgiven for thinking of this as the year of William Wilberforce. The latest appearance of the great agitator occurred this week at Hull when the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu gave the Annual William Wilberforce Lecture and  homed in on chocolate. Apparently the Brits are addicted and spend more than 4 billion English Pounds on chocolate each year (= 8.2 billion USD).

However the lecture wasn’t about addiction or health but slavery. Ruth Gledhill reported in the Times, “More than 12,000 child slaves and trafficked child labourers are working in Ivory Coast harvesting 43 per cent of the world's chocolate cocoa beans, according to Stop the Traffik.”

The Archbishop appealed not for a boycott on firms that source their cocoa from such areas, ... Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment  [1 Comment].

Christians engaging with our world

October 28, 2007 - Ian

This week I read an article on Christendom and violence, I watched the film “Amazing Grace” about the work of William Wilberforce ending slavery in the British Empire exactly 200 years ago, I have worked, for this Sunday’s sermon, on the letter in the Bible called Philemon (have a read of it, it won’t take you long). All these three “works” have challenged me to think about how a Christian should engage with our world. Throughout history there has been a diversity of approaches; from complete disengagement with the world and so living alone on top of poles, to being so involved with the world that you mount armies to conquer in the name of Christ “for Christendom” (like the Crusades of the 11th -13th Centuries). Most of us fit in between these extremes.

Focusing now on the issue of slavery...  Read the rest of the Article, Post a Comment.

Is preaching worth the effort?

October 21, 2007 - Dale

One morning this week I was thinking about preaching, and reflecting on the difficulties of preaching to those who aren’t listening, or who don’t want to understand the scriptures, or who don’t turn up to listen in the first place. It was a gloomy kind of reflection as you can imagine. It is made worse when one looks not just at the way people behave during the sermon but what kind of life changes are seen after listening to many sermons.

That night, at the home group I am part of, we discussed the famous parable recorded in Matthew 13 (and Mark 4). Some editions of the Bible call it the parable of the Sower, others the Parable of the Four Soils, and some the Parable of the Seed. But which is it (at least one person in the group was keen to go for all three)? It certainly has reference to those three things. And the first telling of the story ends with the instruction to those who have ears, to hear. So it could be about the kinds of responses the hearers make.

On the other hand in the context of the gospels, it seems to be about the success (or actually the lack of success) of Jesus as the preacher of the kingdom of God.  Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.

A Common Word between us?

October 15, 2007 - Dale
The open letter written by 138 Muslim scholars to the Pope and other Christian leaders has received a mixed response from Christians around the world.

Its main thrust is to urge peace-making between Muslims and Christians. The letter sets the stakes very high. :...The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake." (p16).

At that level it is to be welcomed as an irenical overture to Christian leaders. Any dialogue which promotes mutual understanding and respect it to be welcomed. It is encouraging that the letter focuses on those passages in the Qur'an which focus on good relations between the followers of the two faiths. Christians should have no argument with an appeal based on loving one's neighbor.

The letter has other emphases as well. One of the repeated themes, and what is stated as the ground from which the two Great Commandments rise, is the Unity of God ...  it is in this appeal to the common belief in the Unity of God that the letter shows one of its strengths as an inter-religious document.  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment [1 Comment]

Christian self-discipline

October 14, 2007 - Ian

Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri! Gifts, money, holidays, traffic jams… As a new comer to Indonesia I have learnt a lot about the culture this last month. It was a fascinating month of seeing people not drink nor eat during Ramadan (but I did see some sneaking a little on the side), and then the partying as the fast is broken, seeing the men, women and children who collect rubbish lining the streets to receive food and money from passers by and now the holiday period where people Muslim or not, seem to leave Jakarta. It seems to be an all-consuming celebration for everyone.

Fasting and giving to the poor are two of the five pillars of Islam, of working hard to ensure salvation from Allah. During this period there is also the asking for forgiveness from your elders whom you have wronged during the year, again seeking insurance for a favourable hearing from Allah on the last day. The people in the city around me are very religious.   Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment

Book Review

October 14, 2007  - Dale

The Language of God:  A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

by Francis S. Collins, published by Free Press New York.  2006, 234 pages of text,  37 pages of Appendices, 8 pages of notes, 7 pages of Reading Group Guide.  ISBN 978 1 4165 4274 2
 

Francis Collins is the head of the Human Genome Project.  He is a geneticist who has moved from being an agnostic to a convinced atheist to a Christian believer.

The book is an interesting weaving together of the story of his faith in Christ with the story of the development of science, especially genetics. However Collins purpose is more than to describe events and science. He makes a plea that science and faith can both be understood as aspects of God's truth. 

The first part of the book describes Collins own changes in belief. He then provides a number of Christian answers to common objections from atheistic scientists: religion as wish-fulfilment; the harm done in the name of religion; why a loving God allows suffering; can a rational person believe in miracles....  Read the rest of the Article

What do you see?

October 7, 2007 - Dale

The way we see Jesus makes a difference to the way we see ourselves. We model ourselves on what we think he was like. This makes life difficult because Jesus is not easily understood. We can see him in different ways – some of which we understand better than others. Or at least some of which fit more easily with our own character and interests.

Was John the Baptist disappointed with Jesus? (Luke 7.18) Maybe he thought Jesus should have been more decisive and have taken action more quickly. Maybe he felt let down after all his preaching about judgment – to see Jesus not doing too much judgment. Perhaps Jesus’ activity called into question what John had been doing.

Was he satisfied with Jesus’ answer, which was all about healing and preaching the good news to the poor? ... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

Translation Sunday

September 30, 2007 - Ian

As I sit in my office to type, I am surrounded by bibles, bibles in English but different translations and bibles in different languages, bibles, bibles everywhere. We often don’t appreciate the time, the work, the struggle that it takes to get a bible translated. We just put it on our shelves.

With many brothers and sisters at All Saints who are working as part of Wycliffe Bible Translators, and today being a day when we thank God for bible translators then we need to be reminded of their hard work and be thankful to God for them and what they produce – the word of God in our heart language. The heart language is the best way in which we hear God speak to us.

We should be thankful to God for the way that He preserved the documents of the Old and New Testament. ... Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.

A Generous Fellowship

September 23, 2007 - Dale

We had a very strategic fellowship event last Sunday – not the excellent welcome lunch for the Hadfields - but an appeal to the congregation at Don Bosco by the Church Council. And there will be another one this Sunday at Menteng.

It may not seem like a fellowship event, but that is what it is. The Church Council is asking the fellowship of All Saints regulars to continue to share together in the ministries of this church. Of course there are many ways to share. You could help with the Christmas choir, or volunteer to be an Outreach Project Assistant Coordinator, or teach Sunday School, or be an usher, or join a small Bible study group. ... The fellowship events this week and last are strategic because they give each of us (and especially new members) good information so that we can thoughtfully decide how the Lord Jesus wants us to share in the ministries at All Saints. ...   Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment.

Partnership

September 16, 2007 - Ian Hadfield

Think about the partnerships around us; families, marriages and friendships; between organisations such as schools and businesses. Then there are partnerships between governments and even between nations such as the European Union, Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation - APEC, Association of South East Asian Nations - ASEAN and the United Nations etc. Partnerships are all around us. They function for the benefit of all involved. They require trust and co-operation.

As Christians we are in a special partnership – one that involves not only humans but the divine. Our partnership is with God the 3 in one – the role model of all partnerships where the Father, Son and Spirit work for the benefit of all with full trust and co-operation. What a great and amazing privilege that we- sinful and frail humans are able to work in partnership with the God of the universe and the Lord of history. This should make us aware of how gracious and generous God is and how much he values us... Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment

Reading in the dark

September 9, 2007

Some of you will have read about the publication of Mother Teresa’s private letters. Apparently they spanned more than 60 years of her life and were written to her Confessors and spiritual advisors.

The discussion about her private letters raises lots of questions. The first one that came to my mind was whether we should read the private letters of someone who had asked that the letters be destroyed and that they not be published. Is it voyeuristic to read this kind of thing? Looking but not exposing ourselves to the person? ...

One of the issues debated in the discussion concerns the so-called “dark night of the soul”. Many Christians have a sense of loss or failure in their relationship with God...  Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.

Christians without borders

September 2, 2007

Last weekend I attended a conference together with about 300 others from around South East Asia. Some were young and seemed eager to find out how the Lord wanted to use their lives in his service. Many were in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and were already serving in a variety of interesting ways in business or the professions.

And there was a significant group of grey heads. Some were leaders or founders of Indonesian ministries and churches. Others were foreigners, some of whom had been in Indonesia for a long time.

Three things stood out for me. One was the different groups who attended representing different SEA nations. The most moving group to me was the 20 delegates who stood up representing Japan. A second thing was to see so many older Christians who were full of energy and zeal and vast experience still serving Christ with passion.

The third thing concerns an old discussion topic.  Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.

Who knows?

August 26, 2007

Trouble. Suffering. Answers require Questions. Solutions need Problems. First define the trouble then look for the answer. Problems and Questions are one of the ways to make sense of our troubles.

Sometimes the Answer comes from experience, precedent, what has been observed before. Sometimes it comes from ideology, theory, dogma that prescribes how a thing should work. And sometimes it comes from tradition, what others have always said in the past.

All of these methods often produce good answers or solutions. Sometimes not. But whether they do or not depends also on how the Question is understood. Or how well the question is understood. When it comes to giving advice (whether over a coffee or for fee) it helps if we know what the matter is.

Job understood this. His friends were full of advice, but misunderstood the problem. Which is very surprising because they spoke on the basis of experience, tradition and  theology. Their failure exposes two problems: ... Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.

The Open hand

August 19, 2007

Giving! It must be one of the most sensitive issues in church life. "The church is always after money," some say. Even the core members can start feeling defensive when money is the topic. But discussions about giving do not have to start arguments. They could start a revival. Christian giving is a blessing.

Giving is one of God's favourite subjects. It is also an exciting subject. There are riches in this subject that are much greater than money. Giving takes us to the heart of being a Christian. It also brings us up against a very powerful idol...   Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment.  [1 Comment].

The next chapter

August 12, 2007

On Sunday we welcome Ian, Narelle and Beth into our fellowship. What for? To work with us to keep the story going. Ours is a long and old story.

In Jakarta it began around 1819 when some missionaries bought some land in order to start a school for local people. They also built a bamboo chapel which was replaced with the core of the present church in 1831. The beginnings of the story are about missionary work to Chinese people as well as to what was then called Malays. Walter Medhurst and others had pioneered not only Chinese schools but the printing of both Javanese and Chinese texts (possibly using the present Menteng vicarage as the printers shop). The chapel also served as a place for the English community to worship. The story is fascinating and has many episodes (you can read it in Andrew Lake’s book Changes and Chances).   Read the rest of the Article. Post a Comment

Where is heaven?

August 05, 2007

The short answer to this is that heaven is where God is. That is what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven…”, although the rest of the Sermon on the Mount seems to toggle between referring to “our heavenly Father”, and “our Father in heaven”. In this case “heavenly” is way of describing the kind of Father he is – one who exists in the heavens, i.e. not of the earth.

Other parts of the Bible give us the idea that this heavenly world is a place where many spiritual beings exist – including even Satan for a time (eg see Job 1). Paul says we have ascended there already (Eph 2.6) – in Christ. Read the rest of the article. Post a Comment.

What about the pearly gates?

July 29, 2007

One of the difficulties with summarising what happens after death is the wide variety of images that are used to describe it. The difficulty is made worse by the fact that many of the passages in the Bible are not focussed on us, or what we experience.

Take the pearly gates for example. Theses gates are described in Revelation 21. There were twelve of them and they were never shut. Each gate was a single pearl, and they were set in the walls of the city (three on each side). Each wall measured about 2,200 kilometres long – about from Jakarta to Ambon (the city wall was also 2,200km high!). One presumes this is not describing what was actually there, but rather .... Read the rest if the article. Post a comment.

Does anyone go to heaven?

July 22, 2007

Discussions this week over dinner at our house have raised some interesting questions about heaven. Especially about the idea that Christians go to heaven. The phrase is a well used and popular shorthand. Most of us who use it know what we mean by it. It is meant to summarise the hope we have of what will happen to us when we die.

But explaining what it is supposed to mean is not as easy as it first appears. For one thing there seems to be little evidence in the Bible that Christians do go to heaven. They go somewhere for sure – but if not heaven, where? Read the rest of the article. Post a Comment

Book Review

July 15, 2007

A Biblical approach to Chinese Traditions and Beliefs

by Daniel Tong, published by Genesis Books Singapore.  2003, 133 pages of text,  34 pages of Appendices, 14 pages of notes, 6 pages of bibliography.  ISBN 981 4045 92 6
 

Written by a Singaporean Anglican minister, this very helpful book looks at the major Chinese cultural events and issues from within the culture and from a biblical point of view.

Tong provides a straightforward summary of the traditional religious beliefs of the Chinese, Confucianism (and discusses whether it is really a religion), Buddhism, Daoism and what he calls Shenism, which he defines as the indigenous tribal folk religions of China. As well he summarises the present state of play of Chinese religious practice (a kind of amalgam of them all). In each topic he has a section entitled "Biblical Approach" in which he puts forward a biblical way of assessing the subject matter he has just described.

The section on The Main Events, gives very helpful explanations and biblical perspectives on what he calls the festivals of the living. These include Chinese New Year (Chun Jie), Dragon Boat, and Moon Cake festivals. For each of these evens the author separates out what is superstitious from what is good and from what is religious in a way that Christians could not take part.   Read the rest of the article. Post a comment.

Mega-city Churches 10: Multiplying

July 8, 2007

The problem that faces the larger meeting also faces the small meeting. Fellowship relations in the group tend to close the group to new people. And in fact although new people can be drawn in, there is a numerical limit. More than about 12 people in a small group means that some will become non-participants, and will gradually drop out. 

The solution to this brings us back to one of the main issues for disciples in the church. The multiplying of disciples implies the multiplying of churches. And just as the making of disciples is an intentional activity, directed by the Spirit of Jesus. So is the multiplying of churches... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

Mega-city Churches 9: How to meet

July 1, 2007

Developing strategies for meeting as God’s people is important if the church is to grow in the big city.  But strategies for meeting also imply strategies for multiplying meetings – after all where will the new disciples go when they change their mind and start following Jesus?

So far I have referred to meetings rather than church services. Church services ought to be a form of meeting. In the Anglican tradition they are meant to serve the goals of building up God’s people by the regular hearing of the Word of God, by the confession of sin, by the prayers and by bringing our praise and thanksgiving together.

These traditional Sunday meetings of the church serve valuable purposes because they bring many together to hear the scriptures and to praise and pray together.  But they do not need to be restricted to Sundays.... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Mega-city Churches 8: Facing up

June 24, 2007

Disciples need to meet if they are going to be built up together. And when they do meet, they need to be able to talk to each other about what builds them up – that is the word that has come from God. And they need to pray for each other, and encourage each other, and bear each others burdens, and teach each other. So now we are getting closer to the problems of mega-city churches.

Large cities usually have serious transport problems. In order for people to meet together they need to travel. And travel is one of the things that tire people in big cities. So there is often a reluctance to make yet another journey. Especially if the journey is over an unfamiliar route.

But a difficulty is not an impossibility. .. Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

Mega-city Churches 7: Facing in

June 17, 2007

Disciples are always going out with the message from the Father and gathering together in the body of the Son where the Spirit of God meets with them and builds them together as one body. And that building together is one of the hardest parts of discipling.

We began this series by asking how the church can grow in a mega-city. One of the difficulties concerns making disciples. But this difficulty is not peculiar to the mega-city. Indeed it may be easier in a big city where traditional customs and habits are looser and where people are already adapting to new ways of life.

However another difficulty concerns the gathering of the disciples into churches where they can build each other up. .. Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

Mega-city Churches 6: Facing the world

June 10, 2007

The Son willingly laid down his life for us. That is part of the core of the message that gathers people into churches. But it places disciples in an entirely new position.  Paul put it this way, “we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Cor 5.14.

Disciples are dead people granted a new life by Jesus who took them to death in his death, and raised them to new life in his resurrection. So disciples have no claim over their lives anymore. They owe their life to Jesus. In fact the life they are living is not their life but rather his life which he is living in them. This means they can only sustain this new life by trusting Jesus to  continue to live his life in them.

They are on a perpetual life support system... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

Mega-city Churches 5: What to say?

June 3, 2007

And what if some are not very good speakers, or not very bright, or too frightened, or too ignorant? Or live in what we could call a restricted context?  None of this seems to trouble the Father because he calls all those kinds of people to be disciples of Jesus, and places them just where he wants them. And gives them the message that fits them and their context.

So does that mean the message varies? Undoubtedly.... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment [1 Comment]

Mega-city Churches 4: Help for disciple-making.

May27, 2007

Disciple-making involves bringing into the public sphere the wonderful story about Jesus.  But who is responsible for this? The excellent answer is, not us.

This is God’ s responsibility, but we are his agents, servants, messengers, explainers, persuaders, witnesses. We are his help. He is the great evangelist who comes himself into the public life of his world and into the secret places of the hearts of humans to whisper and shout and shine his own light.

He does this because he is Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit sent from the Father who brings the Father’s message. But he does this through human speech and words, spoken and written by humans. It is as though we human messengers and the Holy Spirit work together in the great task of making disciples...  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Mega-city Churches 3: how does disciple-making happen?

May20, 2007

How does disciple-making happen? Mysteriously I suppose, but essentially through talking. You can see the pattern in Jesus’ ministry – he was always talking. Even his miracles of healing involved discussion, explanation, rebuke.

Jesus taught his disciples to talk, to proclaim, to announce a great event. He gave them the words for it, he spoke about the Kingdom of God being on their doorstep. He taught them how to make sense of the promises in the Old Testament. He taught them what the key ideas were, and what was the basis of their life as disciples.

And he left them to it – to talk about him. And talk they did, and write. And as they spoke many who heard them believed what they had to say... Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Mega-city Churches 2: making disciples

May13, 2007

Asking how the church can grow may not be the best way to express the question because it leads us to think about particular congregations getting larger. While this is generally a good thing, the main question is not primarily about the church.

A better way to approach the question may be to ask how the disciples of Jesus can multiply in a mega-city, and if they did multiply, what would be the best way for them to meet as the church.  

Once we talk about multiplying disciples we are taken back to the mandate Jesus gave his followers (Matt 28). And we are faced with a personal decision about whether we want to do what he said. In some ways talking about church and especially about church services is much easier...  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Mega-city churches.

May6, 2007                                                                

One of the questions I have often pondered is how the church can grow in a mega-city?  There are plenty of people for sure. In some ways the modern city is like the first city of refuge, Babel,  in that it is a place where people congregate for their security and livelihood. But mega-cities are at the same time scattered places. Distance, the tyranny of traffic, the isolation of high rise apartments, and the ubiquitous security defences tend to separate rather then bring people together.

How could the church grow in such an environment? With difficulty, is the short answer. The external and internal constraints are great. But before I get too far ahead of myself, some will ask why does the church need to grow? And which church are we talking about?

  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment [1 Comment]

Working for love.

29 April  2007                                                                

Every now and then the dedicated worker pauses and asks herself, “Why am I working like this?” Sometimes late at night as he leaves the office, the business man asks himself. “Who am I working for?”

There is more than one answer to these questions. Money, house payments, children’s education, retirement, holiday, alimony, the “cause”, promotion, status, no other choice, a slave driver, a dysfunctional organisation…

My mother (the traditional housewife) used to say that she was working for love – meaning she didn’t get any other pay. Although she was also describing her motivation. Of course some workers work for money as well as love. That is, they are looking for payment in terms of love. Or at least approval. Well, let’s be honest – acclaim, status.  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment

A story about a story about ...

22 April  2007                                                     The tragedy at Virginia

The terrible killings in Virginia have concentrated our attention again on the profound grief of a community suddenly robbed of some of its finest young people. News media have brought all kinds of reports and commentary on the tragedy. Including religious and theological perspectives....

As one might expect some of the speeches at the memorial service related to people’s reactions of anger and grief. But a number focussed on the problem of evil. “It's impossible to make sense of such violence and suffering.”, according to the President. There was encouragement to overcome evil with good. And to have courage in the face of suffering.

But there may have been a ghost in the reporting...  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

A basis for good practice

15 April  2007                                                                

DEfence! DEfence! DEfence! You know the cry if you have been in a basketball stadium. Reaction! is another way to think about what to do when we come up against something that looks like a threat.

In the world of debates and arguments, reacting in defence against what appears to be a mistaken argument is a normal and natural way to cope – at first at least. Although some people prefer to go on the offensive. But in the to and fro of a debate it is possible for both sides to defend their position so strongly that they deny the true aspects of the other position.

Churches are no exception.  Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Hope or fantasy?

8 April  2007                     Easter                                                    

“You did not leave his soul in hell, nor did you suffer your holy one to see corruption.” This is a famous aria from Handel’s Messiah, but the lyrics have been adapted from King David.  In fact David wrote, “…you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.”

Was David talking about two different people? Or did he think he was the holy one? And in any case was he left in the grave or not? A thousand years later, the apostle Peter thought that David was certainly dead and buried – they even had his tomb to look at if they were in any doubt. So was David talking nonsense? Or was it the kind of sentimental wishful thinking that is common when people face death?   Read the rest if the Article   Post a Comment  [1 Comment].

A different music

6 April  2007                     Good Friday                                      

One of the many differences between the Christian faith and others is its music. Christians sing and rejoice and give thanks. We learnt it, of course, from the people of the Old Testament. The scriptures that formed the basis for the Christian faith had at their heart hundreds of songs (not all of them in the book of Psalms). Songs of grief, of joy, of thanksgiving, of praise.

Christians developed the practice, and in fact had many more reasons to give thanks than the people of Israel did. Christians were encouraged to sing, and new songs seem to have been sung from the very early days of the church’s life.

One of the best examples is in Philippians 2 which celebrates the big event that makes the difference between the old and new - the death (and exaltation) of Jesus. A death we celebrate on a day that is paradoxically named Good Friday...   Read the rest of the Article.  Post a Comment  [1 Comment].

Analyzing the search results

1 April  2007                                                        Palm Sunday

Secret signs. Palm branches, donkeys, old words. A swelling crowd. A recent report suggested that the US intelligence organisations were not able to predict the disaster of 9/11 because they were not able to read what each other was reporting. They would have done better if all their data was accessible to a search engine like Google, according to one analyst.

The data about Jesus is quite small by comparison to modern collections of data. It is also much more valuable. And it can be searched by anyone who can read (or hear if you use one of the audio versions of the Bible).  But it does contain some hidden clues. Hidden at least until they are discovered. The good thing about these hidden clues is that anyone can uncover them if they read the data. Some of us have discovered more than others, but all of us can discover it.

Christianity is not a secret society with special knowledge only available to the inner few. All its information is public. So what about the palms and the donkey?....   Read the rest of the Article....Post a Comment.  [1 Comment],

What is the issue?

25 March  2007                                                         

In an article on the Ministry Health website http://ministryhealth.net/ , Thomas Fischer discusses some of the factors involved in congregational conflict.  He states again an old principle, that “The issue is not the issue”.

He identifies some of the common issues that emerge in congregational conflicts. My list might include conflict about music, money, evangelism, leadership style, and buildings. But my experience agrees with his, the presenting issues are never the real issue.

He identifies five more fundamental causes...  Read the rest of the Article ... Post a Comment.  [1 Comment]

Substitutes?

18 March  2007                                                         

What is necessary for All Saints to grow as a church? Numerically or spiritually do you mean? The distinction is false. A church can’t grow numerically as a church unless it grows spiritually. It could grow numerically as an association or centre of human interest. It could even grow numerically as a source of entertainment – but then it would not really be a church.

... If it grew spiritually in its devotion and  love for Jesus as a church, then it would also grow in its internal fellowship relationships.  That is what a church is – a fellowship. It may be possible to think of individual Christians growing in their own relationships with Jesus without the church growing. But in that case their real spiritual growth would be seriously stunted because they would have neglected one of the chief aspects of Christian life – fellowship...  Read the rest of the Article.... Post a Comment  [1 Comment].

Making a difference.

11 March  2007                                                         

How may pessimistic discussions have you had this week? It is quite easy to start one. Think of tax, transport, corruption, law, business, bureaucracy. Take any country you know. And then ask, can anyone make a difference?

Our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Church in Indonesia have made their theme for this year, “Making a Difference”. But what does it mean? – in English.  Or how would you translate it into Indonesian? Or how could we make a difference? ... Read the rest of the Article.... Post a comment   [1 Comment]

When forgiveness is difficult.

4 March  2007                                                          See also  Healing blog

Can you forgive someone who doesn’t think they did anything wrong? Or who won’t admit to it? Or who is not able to admit to it because they have already died?

Does not forgiveness require repentance? Usually it does. The desire of one person to be forgiven and the willingness of another to forgive is the normal means of restoring relationship. To understand this better it may be helpful to clarify what is involved in forgiving.  ...   Read the rest of the Article..... Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

The bones of Christ?

2 March  2007                                                        

It appears we are about the receive the benefit of a documentary about some boxes (ossuaries) that are supposed to come from a Lost Tomb (lost since 1980 anyway when it was unearthed for construction of new buildings) and which allegedly have names similar to the names of Jesus, Mary etc.   Read the rest of the sad story and Post a Comment. [1 Comment]

I'm on your side. (Tears and fellowship)

25 February 2007                                                 

“When you're weary, Feelin' small, When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all”. Human tears. Humans have tears, and they have friends to dry them. Usually. Sometimes there are no others to hear our cries or dry our tears. Sometimes we feel alone.

“I'm on your side, When times get rough, And friends just can't be found” says the Paul Simon song. But who is it that is on our side when there are no friends?  God will wipe away every tear from our eyes – in heaven, according to Revelation. But what about now?

The song promises a friend to the friendless. So they are not actually friendless. But who is this? Is the song offering an empty hope, or is it a seduction song? Who can come to our side when times are rough? Does God have a plan for this? ...

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Liberte? ... Egalite? ... Fraternite? (Work and relationships)

18 February 2007                                                 

Part of the history of labour movements has been the fight for better conditions for workers. Famous battles between unions and governments/employers have been fought over the length of the working week, about fair wages, and about other important matters to do with employment.

Part of the aim was to give workers time away from work for rest and family. But the world keeps changing and long hours creep back – especially among the so called professional classes. There are many reasons for this, including the use of work as a retreat from home. Actually as a retreat from difficult relations at home.

Last week Greg spoke at the Men’s breakfast about the book, The Man in the Mirror. One of the things I think he reported was that one of the temptations men face (and not only men) is to use work as a diversion from responsibilities and relationships.  More... Post a Comment.

Forgiving God

11 February 2007                                                  See also  Healing blog

“I’ve forgiven him many times, but I still feel hurt and angry. Why can’t I forgive him?”  Many of us know about this question. It is a dilemma. We try to put something out of our mind and it keeps coming up.

Part of the solution is to see that it may not be about forgiveness but about anger. Anger is normal, and often legitimate. But in some cases our anger feels wrong. Especially when it is anger towards a parent. ...

The dilemma escalates when we discover that we are angry with God. Can that be right? Are you allowed to be angry with God? Many people do feel angry with God – whether it is allowed or not – because they feel he has let them down, or not helped them, or caused something bad to happen to them.    More.... Post a Comment

Forgiving ourselves

4 February 2007                                                  See also  Healing blog

Forgiving ourselves is both simple and difficult. Forgiveness is just a matter of deciding not to hold blame against someone. It is deciding not be the accuser of someone any more. A consequence of it is that we also stop trying to punish them.

But when it comes to ourselves the problem gets a bit more complex. The reason is that there is a hidden step in forgiveness which involves admitting that the other person has done wrong...   More.... Post a Comment  [1 Comment]

Answers to Questions

30 January 2007

My church  experience in Jakarta

Hi, I'm an Indonesian who have been away overseas for a long time and have started attending several of the churches in Jakarta.... More...   Post a comment. Ask a Question

Healing through forgiveness

28 January 2007                                                   See also  Healing

A surprising part of the ministry of healing involves the confession of sin. For many people this is not only surprising but also threatening – even unbiblical. But confession and forgiveness is given a central place in healing by James (5.14-16). Confessing sins to one another is one of the means of healing. Such confession aids healing by removing barriers between people, as well as removing the guilt that people carry around with them. To own up to sin and know God's forgiveness is very liberating in its own right. Many of our inner burdens are associated with unresolved guilt and its effects.

Another way to think about this is to acknowledge that not all sickness and healing is simple. In fact some people find that when they become Christians their life seems to get worse. This is sometimes because they are now in a place in which God can begin to heal serious harm that they have experienced (or done) in the past. Part of this involves forgiveness for holding on to resentment or anger, or for continuing to act in ways which are no longer helpful or godly. It sometimes involves facing up to the habitual denial of relationship problems.   Read the rest of the article....   Post a Comment

Healing hurts

21 January 2007                             See also  Healing

 Mention healing to a group of Christians and different feelings and opinions are sure to be expressed. Some have had bad experiences. Others just don’t believe the hype, some really wish that they or their friend would be healed, and some have been healed.

Lots of people want healing in their inner life.   All of us have experienced psychological hurts. Physical trauma has an effect on our feelings and sometimes on our inner self. Verbal abuse, and the traumas associated with loss, disappointment and rejection all have an impact on our inner person. Some of us have suffered major ridicule, or opposition, or injustice. Others have been physically or mentally attacked or abused. Others have been witnesses to horrific events.

These experiences can make a major impact on the way we think about ourselves and how we behave. But getting free from them, or finding healing is not easy.   Read the rest of the article....             Post a Comment   [2 Comments]

Pray or delay?

14 January 2007                            See also  Christian Life

When I was in my 20s I went on a mission with a man who was a member of the Free Presbyterian Church (the ‘wee frees’ they were called). He was a godly man who prayed amazing prayers. I was very impressed by the way his prayers started.  No jumping straight into requests. He took his time recounting the wonderful character of God, as he had learnt to do from his reformed heritage.

I learnt a lot from his prayers. But there was a temptation to pray for the sake of the beauty of the language. It was a tricky question. Was the prayer composed out of respect for God – to honour him by the way I spoke to him? Or was I myself the real audience? Or worse still –was I praying to the people who were listening?   More....  Post a comment

Book Review: Responsible Dominion: A Christian Approach to Sustainable Development. By Ian Hore-Lacy. Regent College Publishing. Vancouver. ISBN: 1-57383-342-8                 

7 January 2007                       See also  World  Books               

A book by the Director of Public Communications  for the Word Nuclear Association may be suspected of being a public relations exercise for the nuclear industry. Certainly nuclear energy is part of the discussion and receives strong support in the book.

But it would be a mistake to write the book off (or buy it) just for that reason.  More...   Post a comment.