Prophecy, preaching and poo

Many christian leaders draw a distinction between prophecying and preaching. preaching is seen as the main teaching function of the leaders, which is to be accepted by the pewfodder. Prophecying is some other kind of speech which is weighed up and judged by various people.

Now I study at an institution that trains church leaders. Here's my problem, whenever one of my esteemed colleagues speaks on an issue, I reckon 30% of the student body thinks he is speaking utter bollocks. For theological students, this isn't really a problem, it is part of the fun. But us guys are going to be pastors over congregations pretty soon. What will we do with the parishoners who disagree? What kind of forum do they have to question our blindspots, other than walking away from their christian community? Why don't we have some kind of forum for weighing up what we say? Perhaps it might lead to greater transformation when we are right.

They will not change their ways

Over on the Sydney Anglicans site, Bishop Glen Davies has posted an article lamenting the weak disciplinary action of Archbishop Williams against the TEC.
I get his frustration, and certainly wish more was done.

Still, it seems Davies has given up on the possibility of repentance for the TEC. This is a bit theologically suspect. We don't boot people out of the church because we have given up hope for their repentance. we boot them out in the hope that it will lead to repentance.
Now, the TEC is unrepentant, so sure, call for their removal, but don't give in to the temptation to place them beyond the grace of God.

I advise you to ignore advice

I have a lingering hunch that people who offer advice on how to 'reach your culture' are full of it.
I wonder whether saying to people, 'What do you like?' 'How did you become a follower of Jesus?' 'what has helped you grow as a christian?'....now find people like you and do the same thing, might have far more profound results.

Why do we care about gay marriage?

Why do Christians get upset about the state recognising gay marriage?
If we really don't like it, then we could just stop being the states marriage celebrants and have our own ceremonies in the church.
What we call marriage and what the state thinks of marriage is pretty different anyway.
Please enlighten me

Building bridges

Byron had this video on his site, it is worth watching, especially for thinking about mission

No one sings statistics

I've given up asking God to give life. Month after month the blood flows. It's faithless, and those who rarely watch and pray can look down their nose. Not that he cant, or even that he wont. But I'm sick of watching him not.

Meanwhile the peaceful pray for peace, the strong for strength, survivors survive to sing songs of survival. No one sings statistics.

Johnny Cash: Look unto the East

The teacher of truth told tales of trouble times that would begin
And the cynical suer sowed the sorrowful seeds of seven sins
The people placed a prize upon the prince of perfect peace
And the one who wooed the world was wounded, look unto the East

The morning moved in mournfully with many moments smart
My brawny beast who beat the beauty, bound and bit and barred
They laid the lash upon him low, his lips moved not the least
Watch him come from where he did go, look unto the East

The devil threw his darts and the dearest dove came droppin’ down
But the spirit slips in soft and sweetly, unseen with no sound
The comforter, the counsellor with us till time is ceased
And the groom will return for his bride, look unto the East

SM Lockridge on evil

It’s Friday
Jesus is praying
Peter’s a sleeping
Judas is betraying
But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
Pilate’s struggling
The council is conspiring
The crowd is vilifying
They don’t even know
That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The disciples are running
Like sheep without a shepherd
Mary’s crying
Peter is denying
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s a comin’
It’s Friday
The Romans beat my Jesus
They robe Him in scarlet
They crown him with thorns
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
See Jesus walking to Calvary
His blood dripping
His body stumbling
And His spirit’s burdened
But you see, it’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The world’s winning
People are sinning
And evil’s grinning
It’s Friday
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands
To the cross
They nail my Savior’s feet
To the cross
And then they raise Him up
Next to criminals
It’s Friday
But let me tell you something
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The disciples are questioning
What has happened to their King
And the Pharisees are celebrating
That their scheming
Has been achieved
But they don’t know
It’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
He’s hanging on the cross
Feeling forsaken by His Father
Left alone and dying
Can nobody save Him?
Oh
It’s Friday
But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The earth trembles
The sky grows dark
My King yields His spirit
It’s Friday
Hope is lost
Death has won
Sin has conquered
and Satan’s just a laughing
It’s Friday
Jesus is buried
A soldier stands guard
And a rock is rolled into place
But it’s Friday
It is only Friday
Sunday is a comin’!

More Kissinger in Argentina

So, we have been part of a big peaceful system that we occasionally need to go to war to protect.
Here is some more Kissinger

"State Department documents obtained by the National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act show that in October 1976, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and high ranking U.S. officials gave their full support to the Argentine military junta and urged them to hurry up and finish the "dirty war" before the U.S. Congress cut military aid. A post-junta truth commission found that the Argentine military had "disappeared" at least 10,000 Argentines in the so-called "dirty war" against "subversion" and "terrorists" between 1976 and 1983; human rights groups in Argentina put the number at closer to 30,000."

This isn't conspiracy theory stuff, it is from the documentshere







"The teaching and actions of Jesus nowhere show a concern for 'social justice'. The reason is that the call for social justice springs from envy rather than from compassion"
DB Knox

Sower divine, send forth thy word

This could make a good song/prayer before the Bible readings at church



SOWER divine, send forth Thy word
by Mrs. Hazel Dixon


1 SOWER divine, send forth Thy word,
Here let each heart the ground prepare;
Fulfil Thy glorious purpose, Lord,
And give Thy people ears to hear.

2 No wayside heart be here today,
Still barren, hard and unforgiven,
Lest Satan come and snatch away
The seed that bears the life of heaven.

3 Nor, as in dry and stony ground,
At once to spring, yet, by and by,
Rootless in trial's heat, be found
As swift to wither and to die.

4 Lord, from this world our hearts set free,
Its riches, cares and pleasures vain;
Lest growing strong, they prove to be
Like thorns that choke the precious grain.

5 But to Thy wise and gracious ways
Patient and meek we would be found;
Thy Spirit's streams, Thy love's warm rays,
Making that good and fruitful ground.

6 Then shall Thy word, the living seed,
Accomplish that for which it came,
Spring up a hundredfold indeed,
A harvest worthy of Thy Name.