Wessel's place

News from the Bentley's

2012-02-01T09:53:00.002+02:00

Dear friends

Just to share some news (which may be of no interest to most - apologies for cluttering your inbox)...

It is now official that I have been granted secondment to work as a senior researcher at the Research Institute for Theology and Religion at the University of South Africa. The offer from the university came as quite a surpise in the middle of December and we had literally three days to respond.

The Research Institute is a very exciting part of the University. We do not have any undergraduate students, only Masters and Doctorates, and it is our function to publish, publish, publish. My areas of focus are twofold. First of all, I will be looking at the faith-science discourse. This is an area of tremendous growth and requires a lot of reflection in the fields of systematic theology and theological ethics. Second, I will continue my research focus on the relevance of church in society, particularly pertaining to the Wesleyan tradition. I keep myself anchored in the local church and will be assisting at the Glen Methodist Church until such time that another minister is stationed (and hopefully beyond, in accordance with the requirements and needs of this congregation).

Friends, I strive to serve God and the Church to the fullest of my abilities and ask for your prayers and guidance as we venture on this new path. Natalie, Matthew, Nathan and I are in agreement that this is where we believe God wants us to be (for now), knowing fully well that God sends and we follow.

Kind regards and lots of love.

Wessel Bentley

- Theology is grounded in the church, serving God.

Theology and making noise

2011-09-29T22:32:00.000+02:00

I have recently been marking a few post-graduate dissertations. One of them impressed me very much, not because the argument was good, but that one can clearly sense that the writer was not only writing about spirituality, but that the writer was sharing spirituality. Do you know what I mean?

I notice spirituality in the writings of several other writers: Wesley, Barth, Moltmann, Bell... none of whom were or are saints, and one does not agree with everything they say, but there is an honest journey with God, based on love, which is reflected in their sharing. I think one of the tests every theologian (whether "professional" or not) should undergo, is the test of self. Let's be blunt. There are those in the spirituality industry, whether in churches or academia who do theology, but it barely makes it out the office door along with them when they leave for home. A lot of noise, or the aim of making a name for themselves by trying to be shocking with controversial statements, articles or presentations. But when one looks at their lives, it is difficult to see...love.

Let me not judge, for I must undergo the same test each day myself. But I think you catch my drift. It reminds me of that passage in 1 Corinthians 13:1 "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (NRSV). 'A noise gong', a powerful symbol. A lot of noise, but that is all it is. No integrity, no integration between belief and knowledge. No integration between life and faith. A noisy gong.

Now, if one gives a gong attention, it aims to make a louder noise. If one tries to stop it, it keeps clanging away, trying to drown out any question. It is not subject to scrutiny or investigation, for its own sound is the only sound that seems valid. Gongs try to dominate relationships and conversations. Gongs can make a contribution through.

Take for instance the cymbals in an orchestra. There are points in a musical movement where the cymbals clash. It does so occasionally, under control, but in harmony with the rest of the instruments. One does not find any musical movement where the cymbals dominate. If they do, the audience will leave with a headache.

Love. If love does not saturate and direct one's life, then whatever comes out your mouth and performed through your actions, will be nothing but noise.

Feeling affirmed...and confused...and appreciated

2011-09-13T18:54:00.000+02:00

Tonight at our Bible study we watched Rob Bell's DVD "Dust". It is all about what it meant in Jesus' times to be a disciple. We were all challenged by the insights shared on this DVD.

At the end of our hour together, I felt the need for us to share with our neighbour in one sentence, something that we find inspiring in that person. Call it an act of affirmation. We were supposed only to share with the person on our left and on our right. Needless to say, people bubbled over with compliments and insights for people sitting across the table, in the corners, etc. What hit me the most were the words of affirmation passed in my direction. I sat there feeling overwhelmed.

Working as a minister is not easy. It is much easier to slip into cynicism and a general disguntled sttae of being than feeling motivated and affirming. I must admit, that at times I have wondered whether this much time and effort is warrented when one seldom sees results. But here it was. Things that I did not see, gifts which I did not recognise as such were and are making a diffference in someone else's life. And then I think, "Man, I hope I can do this for the rest of my life". I am not a good minister by any means. I follow my own gut way too often for the liking of people who are around me. I follow the path of discernment rather than the path of policy, belief rather than plotting a journey, playing it by ear rather than having fixed objectives. I know it irritates some people, but I am more instinctive in ministry than aims-driven. This does not mean that I don't plan or don't have a vision. Quite the contrary.

Tonight was special and I wish to thank my Bible study folk for such generous sharing, not only to me, but that everybody left that place feeling affirmed. I think this is the Jesus way.

So, "may you be covered in the dust of your rabbi".

Retreat

2011-09-07T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I went on a day retreat with my colleagues. This was one of the best retreats ever. This is what I did:

Reclined under a big tree, looking at the sun shine through the leaves and branches

Read Psalm 139

Silence

Listened to Mozart's Requiem

Silence

Listened to Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64

Silence

Left in peace.

Farewell to Sungarden school

2011-07-28T18:55:00.000+02:00

Last night I said farewell to Sungarden Nursery School.

I had served as the chairman of the Board for the past 3 years and served as an ordinary boardmember for 3 years prior to that.

Sungarden School had become part of my life. Along with an excellent team of people, and largely by the grace of God, we managed to build a new school in record-time and now look forward to expanding the school into a fully fledged, affordable, community primary school. Grades 1 and 2 are visioned to open in 2013.

To anybody who does not believe in miracles, I invite to simply come look at this school. Last year this time, we heard God's call to build a school on the property of Eastside Community Church. By end of August we got plans together and estimated that it would cost in the region of R1mil. Nobody had the money and we were smack-bang in the middle of the global economic recession. Furthermore, the plans needed to be approved and the necessary government and municipal regulations had to be met.

Well, where plans usually take months to approve, our were passed within 48 hours of submission. This in itself is a miracle. No special contacts, no bribes :-), just prayer and people committed to walking with the papers. The last outstanding amount on the building was paid in April. NO DEBT!!!

Was it a stressful time? Absolutely! Did it keep us on our knees? Like you cannot believe!!! The school is now operating AT A slight PROFIT (with 55 children), with room to grow (up to 100)!!! I cannot rejoice enough. Most important, the children are happy. This makes me happy and thankful that I had the opportunity to be part of the process.

The school has now been, with me stepping down as chair, completely handed over to Eastside Community Church.

There were moments in the process when I couldn't wait for this day, as one's patience was continuously tested by people, doubt and a general output of tremendous energy. This is not what I am feeling now. I shed a tear on the way home, but with great hope as I listened to our dreaming continuing of a school which is environmentally friendly, exposing children to the greenbelt which borders the school and allowing them the opportunity to enjoy nature within a safe context. My sincerest thanks go to the staff of Sungarden and of Eastside.

I look forward to sending Nathan to Grade 0 there next year.

Sermon notes on Gen 29

2011-07-25T09:32:00.000+02:00

The deceiver is deceived. Do you remember the story of Jacob and Esau, how Jacob deceived Esau in selling his birthright? Do you remember ho Jacob got Esau’s blessing by covering himself with lamb-skins? These stories and this one seem to be linked. The Jewish Midrash tells of how Leah was destined to marry Esau (eldest daughter to marry the eldest son), but because of the deception, Jacob was now considered the firstborn and therefore designated to Leah. We read that “her eyes were weak” (NIV), because of her constant crying that she actually wanted to marry Esau, and not Jacob. And so, the deceiver has to eat the fruit of the seed he planted, to face, according to custom of the time, the consequences of what he had done. He furthermore goes on to marry Rachel as well, something that would be considered a taboo in Jewish law later on – for a man to marry two sisters. Perhaps this became the reason for such a law. We don’t know. A complex story. Stories of deception often are. How many stories to we hear of public figures caught in webs of deception? Besides our own public figures, the globe is looking on in interest as the stories of deception in “News of the world” are revealed. As one listens to these stories, they become so complex that one struggles to differentiate between victim and perpetrator. The story of Jacob teaches us a few things.

Deception has a way of coming back to you.

Jacob seems so surprised and angered by the fact that someone managed to pull the wool over his eyes. “Why did you deceive me?” The so-called truth of deception only comes at someone’s cost. Esau carried the first cost. Now that Jacob faced the cost, now all of a sudden it all seemed so unfair! You cannot have your cake and eat it! Truth be told, if Jacob only dealt honestly with those around him, especially his brother, Rachel would have been rightfully his to marry (according to Jewish teaching on this Scripture). So, there is a warning to those who deal in deception: Don’t think you will get away with fooling anybody for your own benefit. The very deception you are dealing out will become your own downfall. The seeds that you plant will produce a harvest, and you will have to eat of its fruit as well.

How people try to make their deception right.

Jacob runs to his mom, Rebekah (who is just a guilty as him)
Jacob goes to his dad and says: “Ok, I’ll go away”
Jacob bargains with God: “If you only let this go away, I promise”
Jacob appeals to Laban: “But I paid my dues”
Jacob makes a covenant with Laban
Jacob sends gifts to Esau
If it made headline news, it would probably read: “Problem, what problem?”
The point is that in order to deceive people around you and to think you can get away with it, you first have to deceive yourself in thinking that it will all turn out alright in the end. Fact is, it doesn’t. The seeds we plant will produce a crop from which we too have to eat. So, where is God in all this?

Jesus encourages his followers to sow seeds that will have good consequences.

As Christians, we learn from Jesus that the Kingdom of God is about sowing seeds that will have good consequences, where everyone can experience the love and presence of God in their lives. Jesus calls this “The Kingdom of Heaven”. It doesn’t come about by a sudden change or transformation. It comes about by sowing small seeds of goodness, love, compassion, and in this instance honesty and integrity and it will grow into a tree that will benefit even the birds of the air. So, we start off with doing the small things right.
Secondly, we learn from Scripture that the Spirit intercedes for us so that we can grow in truth and in the love of God, for in God’s presence there is no room for deception. But perhaps the most profound teaching is that despite Jacob’s rich history of deception, God is still able to use him to become instrumental in fulfilling the promise God made to his grandfather, Abram and to his father, Isaac. As the new firstborn and as he grew in his relationship with God, he became a recipient of grace. God did not abandon him, but pursued him, wrestled with him made him painfully aware that God is a God of justice, but also of grace and forgiveness.

PC Scam alert

2011-07-16T20:56:00.001+02:00

I have just been phoned by a lady who stated she was from Microsoft. She told me that they picked up a number of errors coming from my PC and that I should check it. Unknown to her, I work on a Mac, but I wanted to find out what she was on about, so I hauled out my netbook.

She told be to go to Start and in the command tab, to type in cmd. This takes you to the DOS-command panel. She then told me to type in “assoc”. Luckily I know DOS pretty well. This command lists all the associated prompts and files for specific programmes. I was told to look at the third last line, which reads “.zfsendtotarget CLSID” followed by a number.

I opened my browser and looked up the meaning of this number. She told me that the number 888DCA60-FC0A-11CF-8F0F-00C04FD7D062 refers to my specific computer. I responded: “That’s not what Google says!”. This number is not unique to individual computers, in fact, if you are running Windows Vista or Windows 7, it will probably be the same. She then tried to persuade me that it was indeed my computer and that she could gain access at any time. I then read her the “Scam-alert” from www.webologist.co.uk.

Needless to say, the conversation ended rather abruptly. So, friends, this is just a heads-up to be careful when people phone you claiming that your computer is infected with a virus.

Keep your Windows security updates to date, install a good antivirus, make sure you only access dependable websites and you should be safe from harm.

Regards

Wes

If I didn’t

2011-07-09T08:13:00.001+02:00

If I didn’t injure my finger yesterday, I would not have taken my boys’ bicycles to be fixed instead;

And we wouldn’t have gone to MacDonalds for lunch;

I wouldn’t have seen them enjoy themselves on the jungle-gym;

We wouldn’t have meandered around in the hobby shop talking about cars, boats, planes and trains;

The excitement in their faces to get back their fixed bicycles would have been missed;

Excited by being in a bicycle shop, we wouldn’t have thought about going for a “long ride” to the park;

We wouldn’t have had our first downhill-race;

Natalie wouldn’t have met us at the park, cheering the boys on as they played their hearts out;

We wouldn’t have promised each other to do this again.

Now, if I woke up knowing that I would experience the excruciating pain of pinching my finger with a pair of pliers, I would have refrained from even opening the garage.

Moral of the story: Be thankful that you don’t know what lies ahead. Even the most painful experiences can colour your day with good memories.

South African launch of "Praying through a child's illlness"

2011-05-25T08:22:00.000+02:00

Dear friends

You are invited to the South African launch of my new book "Praying through a child's illness: 28 days of prayer"

Date: 8 June 2011
Venue: Glen Methodist church (corner of Keeshond and Hilda Botha Streets, Garsfontein)
Time: 19:00-20:00
Dress: Casual
Refreshments available after the presentation.
Books available at R80 each
RSVP by 5 June 2011 - wbentley@telkomsa.net or 082 374 4360

A humbling synod

2011-05-19T18:19:00.001+02:00

The 55th synod of the Limpopo District is meeting on the outskirts of Mbombela. Besides being surrounded by beauty, one sees the obvious commercial endeavours by business as shopping centres appear on every corner. There is a certain safety one feels when surrounded by commerce. I can’t quite describe this feeling, but I think you know what I am talking about. Then we arrived and after travelling for 3 hours, one needs to find relief. I saw some temporary toilets positioned outside the hall where we are meeting, but didn’t take much notice. I looked for the real toilets, the ones that flush, smell clean and have a mirror over a basin so that I can check my face. But to no avail. The decent toilets were for the ladies only. “C’mon, how can they expect us to use these facilities? Didn’t they plan properly?” And then it dawned on me. Our country has been rocked by the scandals of “open toilets” given to poor communities. By open toilets I mean that municipalities of several towns have simply planted toilets on the sidewalks or in the properties of the poor without enclosing them. People were therefore expected to do their business in the open.

My denomination, the Methodist Church, has proclaimed that we are a church in solidarity with the poor. How can we be so if we meet in the luxury of a place with flushing toilets? So, humbled, but proud to belong to this denomination, I went to the toilets. They stank already. They were dark inside. No water to wash your hands. This is Africa and this toilet would be counted a luxury in many communities.

I am converted again.

Furlough–Part 1

2011-04-26T17:11:00.001+02:00

Every seven years, ministers are awarded a sabbatical. It comprises of 60 days whereby one is encouraged to “do something different". Add this to 30 days annual leave, and it makes for some good time out. I finished the first 30 days of my furlough on Sunday. I’ll be taking another 30 days in June/July, 14 days in October and 14 days in December. This is what I did:

1. Spent a day at Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary and valued my time there greatly!

2. Went on a 3-night cruise with my family on the MSC Sinfonia from Durban to the Portuguese Island off Mozambique.

3. Stayed a week at Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

4. Contended with a break-in at our house. They stole my iMac, Natalie’s laptop and my digital camera.

5. Virtually finished a manuscript for a book of Lenten devotions.

6. Marked about 100 scripts for UNISA.

7. Built half a war-ship (Lego). When done, it will be over a meter long!

8. Played Playstation with my sons, and soccer, and all sorts of other games.

9. Loved my wife by being home for a change.

10. Started on notes for articles I have to write in due course.

11. Spoke at a men’s breakfast in Carletonville.

This is my second furlough. This one started the same as the other. I went into a deep depression for about a week. I suppose it is because of the clean break from being highly in demand to receiving no communication at all. Believe it or not, one has a lot of time to wrestle with the demons suppressed by busy schedules and unresolved complications. I learnt two things. The thing a missed the least: People. The thing I missed the most: People.

After about a week, I started unwinding and began to find myself again. One has to be disciplined to say to yourself: “I am not going to pop into the office today”- a temptation I fell to a few times. I am glad I went on furlough and that I didn’t preach for the first time in 15 years over the Easter weekend.

But now I am back. I feel a change. There is more energy. There is greater assertiveness in protecting myself, my family and my time. And what a great gift it is to rejoin my family at the Glen – a truly amazing community of faith. In 8 weeks time, I’ll press the pause-button again and learn some more things.

Giving up social networking for Lent

2011-03-05T11:33:00.001+02:00

So, I'll be giving up Social Networking for Lent. Some have offered
ways for me to Tweet, update my Facebook profile and blog "without
cheating". These have all been innovative suggestions :-). I have
also met some resistance to this idea from others . Let me explain
why I chose Social Networking. Well, let me first explain my
understanding of a fast, and specifically a Lenten fast. I have found
great value in the Muslim teaching on fasting and have adopted these
for myself. You see, Muslims state that there are three reasons for
fasting. First of all, one fasts as a reminder to yourself that all
things come from God. Nothing and no-one is self-made, deserved or
earned through our own efforts. Secondly, we distance ourselves from
things that have become "the second master". Thirdly, we identify
with those for whom this state of "need" is a daily reality. So, here
is my take on giving up Social Networking:

1. The privilege of being on the internet.

I have come to take for granted that I will always be connected. I
have found myself getting irritated when my cellphone shows low
signal, when the 3G connection drops down to a snail-pace GPRS.
Whenever someone asks a question, I jump on to Mr Google and provide
some knowledge within the blink of an eye. I love seeing what is
happening in other people's lives and, those who are my friends on
Facebook will know that I am equally enthusiastic about sharing my
experiences on the net. But these things are not a given and I need
to remind myself of this. It is not good that my mood is determined
by the speed of my connection, the availability of broadband or the
presence of a wi-fi network. This is why I am giving up Social
Networking.

2. The second master.

Closely linked to point number 1, I thought that if I spend as much
time in prayer as what I do on Social Networking sites, I must grow a
bit in my spiritual walk. It would have helped if Jesus were on
Twitter or was a Facebook friend, but Jesus wants to be in a much
more intimate relationship with me. God longs to hear and feel my
self-expression, not get to know me through a Tweet or an update (and
vice versa). So, during Lent, every time I have the urge to Tweet or
update my profile, I am going to spend that time in prayer. This is
why I am giving up Social Networking.

3. Identifying with the internet-deprived.

How many millions of people around the world do not have access to
the internet? They do not have the privilege of seeing what is
happening around the world. More so, many of their voices are not
heard and their life-situations cannot change. We have seen the power
of Social Network media in Egypt, Libya and other countries where
atrocities are taking place. What about those places where people
cannot or may not engage in Social Networking? Who identifies with
them? This is why I am giving up Social Networking.

I pray that through this Lenten journey I will learn more about God,
myself and my neighbour.

Awkward!

2011-02-06T11:00:00.001+02:00

Today I was invited by the congregation of Eastview Methodist Church
to do the dedication of their new Memorial Wall and to pray over the
ashes of two people that will be interred there in the next few days.
I worked at Eastview almost ten years ago and have very fond memories
of this congregation. And so, we blessed the wall, and then I
proceeded to pray over the ashes. I prayed for Pam and Harold (the
deceased...), and their families and the rest of the community. While
doing so, I saw the minister trying to gesture something, but I did
not quite get what he was saying.

Afterwards, a lady came to me and said: "I'm still here.". "What do
you mean?", I asked. "I'm Pam, it's my husband that passed away."
EARTH, SWALLOW ME WHOLE!!! It was an honest mistake, an error of
miscommunication between me and the resident minister. How it
happened, I do not know. Thank heavens that Pam is a gracious person.
Apologies again to her and her family!

Whites only? No, the only whites

2011-01-29T16:50:00.001+02:00

I had to smile.

"What, if I may ask, are you doing at a Muslim birthday party?", a
congregation member asked when she bumped into us at Zita park. "It's
not a Muslim birthday party, it is little Nawaal's birthday party.",
I corrected her. Yes, Nawaal is Muslim. Will I try and convert her
and her family. Absolutely not. That is another conversation all
together. Nawaal and Matthew are friends at school. It just so
happened that Matthew was the only white child who came to celebrate
her birthday with her. We were the only white parents. It really did
not bug us. We have been the only whites at many different functions
and celebrations. But I could see the older generation were not too
comfortable with us there. We had a wonderful time, chatting to
friends like Lee-Anne, who told us about growing up in Cape Town.
Just then our conversation was abruptly interrupted by a white
hooligan harassing a black child near the swimming pool. He went off
pop, overreacting to this child accidentally bumping into his
precious child on the waterslide. Lee-Anne came to her rescue and
confronted this bully. On her return she told us: "He betta be
careful, I'm from Mitchell's Plain. I'm a township-girl. I'm not
scared of him." The elderly gentleman sitting near us mockingly
suggested that he'll "sommer go fetch my knife from the car". He
really was joking. Then we laughed at how people get stuck in racial
stereotypes.

I am grateful that my children have friends from every different
racial group in South Africa. I must add that there are very few
whites among them. Does it bother me? Not in the least. They must
have friends from different cultures. Embracing diversity helps us
see beyond our own boundaries. By them having friends who are from
other cultures and races, they help is make (more) friends across
racial lines as well. We learn from our children.

I like Stanley Hauerwas

2011-01-24T13:20:00.001+02:00

I don't like theologians or philosophers because of what they stand for. I like them for the people who they are and who they have become. Who they have become does not refer to their station or their position in the realms of academia, but refers to the place they have grown towards in their own personhood. To simply like theologians or philosophers for what they stand for, is not to like them at all, but to like their ideas. This is pretty superficial, for ideas change, situations change and you will find yourself inevitably disagreeing with everyone from time-to-time.

During the past few weeks I have been savouring Stanley Hauerwas' memoir: "Hannah's child: A theologian's memoir". I say that I have been savouring it, because it is like a piece of Belgian chocolate, to be enjoyed for as long as possible, leaving the person feeling and hoping that it will never end. And so, by reading this phenomenal book, I have grown in my liking of Stanley Hauerwas, who happens to be a theologian, ethicist, philosopher and Christian. There are some natural things that draw me to Hauerwas. First, he did not come from a family of academics, but from a family of bricklayers. Same here, except that I grew up in a mining town where my destiny was to follow in my paternal ancestor's footsteps to descend into the black hole on a daily basis. There is a ruggedness in his character, vocabulary and thinking that makes me feel at home. Secondly, he is a Barthian. Enough said.

His passion for following Jesus is inspiring. His criticism of Christianity and of religious Christians, are at times quite scathing, but for Hauerwas one thing is clear: "Jesus is Lord, and everything else is bull[expletive]". There is an honesty in his character where no presumptuous piety can find a place to linger. For instance, in his book, he recounts his experiences at Augustana:

"They were in a generalized way Lutheran, which meant in some vague way that they thought they were Christian. At least one of the missions in Augustana was to reinforce that vagueness. Or as I learned to put it - our task was to give the parents the impression that by sending their daughters to Augustana they would not lose the virginity they had already lost in high school. I had not been at Augustana long before I was drawn into a controversy about whether the doors of coeds could be shut during the times Augustana males were allowed to visit in the women's dorms. A reporter for the campus newspaper asked me what the new Christian ethicist's views might be about this crucial issue. Drawing on my experience as a Texan, as well as having just come from Yale, I responded: 'Well, I guess it's a good way to avoid getting grass stains.' I was quoted in the weekly edition of the paper. I later came to understand that such an observation was not well received by the administration."

I must confess, I read the above passage above in church while listening to a sermon. How I didn't burst out laughing out loud is a due solely to divine grace. This honesty breaks the power of pretense - very refreshing in a world where Christians are not supposed to be human.

Thank you, father Stanley! Must just put in one moment of bragging: Prof. Hauerwas owns one of Dion and my books! One day, if I get the chance to ask him whether he liked it, I hope he will not respond as Barth did to Brunner (?) by saying: "It has a nice cover".

Words to remember

2011-01-20T09:53:00.001+02:00

Read the following and guess where it comes from...

Seek perfection of character
Be faithful
Endeavour
Respect others
Refrain from violent behaviour

What do you think? Does this sound like something from the Bible, the Qur'an or other religious text?

Yes and no. All of these are written in sacred texts, but they are actually written on the wall of most karate dojo's. My son is going to his first lesson today. Some may cringe at the idea. Tough. I did karate for most of my childhood and so did my mother and my brother. We did not pray to foreign gods, in fact, my teacher was a devout Christian.

These words have stuck with me and helped me in my growth as a Christian. I hope that they will make an impact on Matthew's life before he learns to make a spinning-heel-kick.

New year, new look

2011-01-13T13:16:00.000+02:00

Ok, I know. I haven't blogged since October last year. Blame it on
Facebook and Twitter. It takes a bit more effort to blog, but that is
what discipline is all about... a bit of effort.

So, how do you like the blog's new look? I have also changed my
facial features a bit by growing what is known in South Africa as a
"Bokkie". It is basically a mustache and a bit of a beard on the
chin. For your safety, I prefer not to post a photo quite yet.

In any case, I want to take this opportunity to wish all friends,
family and visitors to this blog a blessed 2011. Seeing that we only
have one year to go, according to the Mayan calendar :-) we better
make the most of this one!

God bless

Wessel

ps. This post is especially for Anne, who keeps asking for a new post
on this blog, and who incidentally makes a wonderful cup of tea.

Day at the zoo...and the hospital

2010-10-02T07:52:00.000+02:00

We spent the most beautiful day at the Pretoria Zoo. The boys will be
going back to school on Monday and we thought to take the day and
enjoy the sun, fresh air and God's beautiful creatures. This morning
my shoulders are sore as the boys took turns sitting on my shoulders.
I love carrying them around, because I know the time is short for one
to do this. Soon they will be too big and I will miss these moments.

After our lovely visit, we went for cake and tea. Natalie had another
mysterious allergic reaction which led to a visit to the Emergency
Rooms. We don't have a clue what causes it. The first time she had
this reaction, she had a piece of tuna. The second time, some Italian
tomato sauce. This time, cheesecake. She''s gone for allergy tests,
only for these to come back negative. Eish, I hope we find the cause
soon.

Go fly a kite!

2010-09-04T16:43:00.000+02:00

My wife, Natalie, usually plays the cello at weddings on Saturday afternoons. This leaves me and the boys with ample time to do some "guy"-stuff. (Not that Natalie would mind whatever we do). Today there was a slight breeze in Pretoria. There is always a slight movement of air, but never really strong enough to call a wind.

Today it was a bit stronger and so we decided to dust off our kites and try them out. We have a rather big park not too far from our home, and so, with excitement, we jumped in the car, each with his own kite. Nathan took a kite which he got as a toy when we bought some pizza. Matthew took a bigger kite which his granny bought him, and of course, Dad hauled out his professional kite that has two strings and could do tricks when in the right hands.

Needless to say, my kite didn't take off. Nathan's kite tore, but Matthew's "Bat"-kite, which he calls "Batty", took off on the first try. We all watched in amazement as Batty flew higher and higher until there was no more string on the reel. Passers-by stopped their cars and looked. People came out of their houses, holding their children's hands while watching with smiles on their faces. I started feeling a bit self-conscious, but the boys cheered as they each had a turn to hold the reel.

Then I thought of the saying "Go fly a kite!", which usually means "Go do something worthless and stop bothering me". How wrong they are. The boys and I had a wonderful time and flew the kite for well over an hour. For that moment the troubles of the world ceased. It was all about the invisible force of the wind being the source of joy, relaxation and a feeling of victory.

Tell you what. If you are working during this weekend and feel like life is weighing you down, take my advise and go fly a kite!

That's what friends are for

2010-08-18T21:27:00.000+02:00

It's been three months since I last blogged. Part of the reason is that I went on holiday and took a break from social networking (Twitter, Facebook and blogging). Apologies if this caused anyone any separation-anxiety. It has certainly been an eye opening experience to see how addictive social networking is. Anyway, that is not the reason for this post.

I would like to ask a question. Do you have a friend? Of course you do. But do you have a friend who is honest and who dares ask the tough questions? I was reminded today of two of my friendships where these friends have been hugely influential in my formation. I have a lot of pals, but only a handful of friends. Do you know what I mean?

Friends are there to read between the lines, to encourage, but also to stretch us so that we will be honest with ourselves and with those whom we love. So, today I am giving thanks to God for these friends. My second prayer is that I will be such a friend to others. May I have the courage and the audacity to help others grow in their journey.

So much for now, before I get addicted to blogging again.

Synod Bible study - 21 May 2010

2010-05-21T11:32:00.001+02:00

I had the great privilege of leading a Bible study at our district
synod. Feel free to take a look at my notes here.

Facing Financial Struggle: 28 Days of Prayer

2010-05-07T18:36:00.000+02:00

The international version of my book "28 days of prayer during financial crisis" (South African edition) is available for pre-order on Amazon! Please click here to be redirected to the site. Thank you for your support.

Matthew's winter school uniform

2010-05-06T07:27:00.001+02:00

The pants are too big, the jersey too long, the shoes firm and hard, but doesn't he look great?

Prejudice and the Communion rail

2010-04-19T09:07:00.000+02:00

Read Acts 9:1-20

These past two weeks have been filled with reason for anxiety, fear and increased prejudice. The killing of Eugene Terre'blance... the songs, words and aggression of Julius Malema... Jacob Zuma's chastising of Malema... the list goes on. As a result it seems as if many people are looking for a group where they will feel safe. Lines are drawn, sides are created and the differences between "us" and "them" are described, protected and used as ammunition for discrimination. Sometimes it is explicit, sometimes subtle, but it is there.

As I was reflecting on ET's funeral, I picked up a newspaper and saw an AWB-member in uniform. Immediately labels started flying through my mind, describing who this person is. "Extremist", "Racist", "Person living in the past" were some of my thoughts. I turned the page and saw a picture of a politician. Once again, the labels started flying. Strange thing is that as these terms came up, it was as if I knew these people very well. I could imagine every detail of their history, personality and even their ambitions. And then I heard God ask: “Do you really know this person?”. I tried to justify my thinking of my 'knowledge' of them. But I was completely floored by what I believe God was saying: "Believe it or not, Wessel I formed him in his mother’s womb. I know his mother and grandmother. I have journeyed with them in their past and know where they will be going". God really seems to know us all.

And I realized that human beings are very clever. We spot trends and tendencies in people and we formulate these as our truths. At the same time we are also lazy. We don’t engage with people, we use these formulated truths to dictate our response to anyone who vaguely reminds us of them. Social psychologists call this the use of schema's. Reading the passage in Acts reminds me that I am not alone in this struggle.

Ananias was no different. He heard about this person called Saul. An image was created in his mind of who Saul was and what he was capable of. And so we read that he was filled with fear. He even tried to get out of meeting with Saul. But here God is, saying to him: I know Saul. I have spoken to him. Go to him. Ananias my not have thought it possible for Saul to hear God or for God to speak to Saul. I'm often tempted to think that God doesn't speak to those who are a threat to me or my beliefs. God surprises Ananias by revealing that God is already at work in Saul's heart...without Ananias' permission!

I am so glad that God does not act like a human being. Can you imagine how God would respond to you and me based it purely on a generalized observation? If God were far removed, observed and created a schema of humanity, God may look at me and say: "Wessel belongs to that specie that cannot love and which is destroying my planet, and so I will encounter him as an angry and vengeful God". No, God comes to us with the bias of love, compassion and grace.

Furthermore, God stepped down and entered the realm of humanity as a person to "live our life and to die our death". What enables God to resist generalized schema's? Perhaps the willingness to walk alongside us. For this reason I am convinced that if we are to work for peace in our country, then shouting from the edges won't help us one bit. Perhaps we need to walk a mile in each other's shoes. But before you do that, you have to take off your own.

This means trusting that God loves everyone, that God is at work in everyone. So, this week, I am going to draw alongside those who are a threat to me. I waant to pray with them and for them. Hopefully they will do the same with me. And where we meet as threatened individuals, may even find that place where we can look at each other and call each other "Brother" or "Sister".

Dear followers

2010-04-19T09:03:00.000+02:00

Thank you for following my blog. In the recent weeks I have received a lot of spam comments and people trying to post on my blog.

For this reason I have upped the security on posting and comments. Please accept my apologies to those who often leave very meaningful comments.

Regards

Wes

The Garden Tomb

2010-04-04T19:50:00.000+02:00

On this day I remember our visit to the Garden Tomb. Who knows if this was the actual place where Jesus' body was laid? All that I know is that our group celebrated a very special Communion service here and that the resurrected Lord was very real to us in that moment. I remember this day with fond memories.

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T19:26:00.000+02:00

Every Easter Sunday we celebrate a sunrise service at Eastview Methodist Church. It is situated on the plots in the Eastern suburbs of Pretoria. this morning's sunrise was spectacular. It only became more beautiful as the day progressed. See the mist forming in the valley in the second picture.

During this time we celebrated hope. We prayed for our country, especially after hearing the news that Eugene Terreblanche was murdered by some of his farmworkers. ET was an extremist and very few white people agreed with his views. But his brutal murder does nothing good for exiting racial tensions in South Africa. It sparks more anxiety in the singing of a song with the words "Kill the Boer (farmer)" by Julius Malema, the ANC Youth League president.

We pray for South Africa. We pray that God's answer to human violence my raise hope and love in our hearts so that we may truly be reconciled to each other and to Him.

God is at the craps table again

2010-04-03T08:43:00.000+02:00

This is one of the most entertaining, educating and funny articles I've read in a very long time. Well done, Tertius Kapp. Read the article here.

What a privilege!

2010-03-31T17:09:00.000+02:00

Teaching is my passion! Once a semester UNISA offers group discussions whereby students from all-over come to Pretoria and engage with us, their lecturers.

This morning it was my turn to present a class and I felt such a thrill, stepping into the auditorium with the students eagerly waiting. They introduced themselves and told us where they come from. Some were from Pretoria. Others came all the way from Soweto (about 70km away) by public transport. One person came all the way from Louis Trichardt (about 4.5 hours drive) also by public transport. And I am humbled.

I am always humbled by their commitment and effort to attend these classes. And so I make sure that I am well prepared. I make sure I listen carefully. I remind myself that this is their time at that this moment is about them, and not about me.

Thank you to all our students for making today such a humbling and worthwhile occasion. I hope you feel the same.

A bad day

2010-03-23T21:43:00.000+02:00

What a day!!!

It started off in traffic while taking Matthew to school. In the car behind us was a very pretty lady. At the robot, I admired her beauty, then she stuck her finger in her nose and put it in her mouth. What a day!

Got to the office and met someone in the hallway. Their world had come to an end and I didn't know about it. What a day!

Started marking assignments and am convinced the students do not read a single thing we write. What a day!

Wrote a Bible study on the book of Job. What a day!

Spilled my cup of Milo all over my Bible and textbooks. What a day!

Went to pick Matthew up and he decided to wait at a different gate. After half an hour I found him. What a day!

Went to pick up my wife's new phone. One highlight in my day, another toy to play with. Then they told me they were out of stock. What a day!

Nathan threw up in the car. What a day!

At Bible study I was reminded that someone was not greeted. It was my weekend off and I wasn't there. What a day!

A glass of red wine and some classical music. Ah, what a day!

A lost generation?

2010-03-20T08:10:00.000+02:00

Talk at Cobblecrab workshop

2010-03-15T09:31:00.000+02:00

Last week Wednesday I had the privilege of sharing at the Cobblecrab Publishers writer's workshop.

Cobblecrab is a non-profit company that seeks to publish the stories of people's walk with God. Their books are of a good quality and very affordable.

Here is a link to their site: http://www.cobblecrab.co.za/

Thanks to John Bailey for the invitation and displaying our books so generously for the whole week at the workshop.

Hatespeech

2010-03-10T21:26:00.000+02:00

While Julius Malema was singing "Shoot the Boers" at an ANC Youth league rally, farmers were being killed in the Limpopo province.

And no black political leader said anything.

I find this sad. I find a great inconsistency in our country. If any white person uttered the words "Shoot the Zulu's" or "Shoot the Xhosa's", they would have reason to fear for their lives. In fact, when someone dared finger the presidential convoy, this person was arrested and humiliated by the authorities.

I want to believe in this country. I want to believe in its potential. I want to believe that my children can grow up here without having to apologize for being white.

Somehow we all need to reach the place where we share a common responsibility for building a nation which looks beyond race. This Sunday I am preaching on the Old Testament lectionary reading. The people of Israel had to rededicate themselves to God. They ate of the fruit of the land (God fulfilled the promise)...and the Manna stopped falling (now they had to take responsibility). I think this passage is speaking to us.

Events and organizations

2010-03-09T20:34:00.000+02:00

I belong to a Christian denomination which is renowned for its organizations. These organizations have dress codes, constitutions, membership fees and conventions. They are also dying a slow and painful death. Why? Because we have in our churches a younger generation who live according to the philosophy that "If it is not life-changing, it's not worth it"

Today my friend, Themba, said something profound: "People respond to events, not organizations". It made sense instantly. Thinking about it, I can testify to this phenomenon. We have had so many "events" in the life of our church, and I cannot recall any of these that was not well supported. When we tried to turn these events into a structure, whereby people had to put down their names on a piece of paper, all of a sudden these opportunities would run dry.

I think it is because people want to feel part, but not necessarily bound by anything. Furthermore I was challenged to think about how I live out my faith. Can I describe the practice of my faith as an event, or an institution, a happening or a structure? I fear that if I became clinical in my faith to the extent that I judged others by measuring their commitment to adhering to my organization, I would be deceiving myself.

I'm challenged.

I got spammed

2010-03-09T20:32:00.000+02:00

Dear friends

As you may have noticed, someone, somehow posted spam on my blog. Wonder how they did it???

Please, don't deposit money into anyone's bank account. If you have the insatiable desire to do so, I can send you my details via a secure, encrypted e-mail.

Regards

Wes

ps. I deleted the post. It made my site look cheap.

Cape Town, meeting and sunset

2010-03-03T22:38:00.000+02:00

I am spending a few days in Cape Town. The main reason is for attending meetings. I treasure this time as Cape Town is always good for my soul.

This afternoon, after a 7-hour meeting, my friend, Pete Grassow took me on a a trip of Cape Town on his BMW GS1150. Now let me explain. I am used to a Vespa. My brain knows how to process 70 km/h...downhill. This was a new experience all together, the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. Everytime we neared a bend I would start praying "Our Father". I couldn't get past these words "Our Father, our Father, our Father...Ooooooo VVVVVVVVolkstaat!" Hey man, I have to get myself one of these!!! Thanks Pete.

Here are some photos from Llandudno. The fairest Cape of all!!!

My boys (Sorry, re-uploaded)

2010-02-28T22:46:00.001+02:00

Steve de Gruchy

2010-02-24T18:00:00.000+02:00

Prof Steve de Gruchy passed away. He went tubing with his family in the Mooi river. He fell off and disappeared moments later.

His body was found today.

This is sad, sad news. I knew him from the Theological Society of South Africa and as the editor of JTSA. Although a genius in his field, he always had time for conversation. His sense of humour was sharp and his presence inspiring.

We will miss you, Steve. Our love and prayers go to your family.

Isn't she beautiful?

2010-02-20T19:07:00.000+02:00

I'm the luckiest man in the world!

A delicate tension

2010-02-10T20:55:00.000+02:00

Ministry is tricky. Ministers like being popular and agreeable. We generally don't like confrontation. I certainly don't. But this week has stretched me to the point where I have not been and will not be very popular.

I was told in my Bible study that I have caused discomfort for allowing people to see a different perspective. I know that the person who mentioned it is sincere in her journey and I have to respect her points of view. Furthermore I am in the process of helping a couple realize that they are not ready to make their vows to each other. At this point I certainly can't stand in front of them with a clear conscience when I know they have a lot of work lying ahead.

There are a few other things lined up where I know I will have to speak the truth in love. That is the challenge, isn't it. "Speaking the truth in love". I have to be aware that it is my truth, or the truth I believe that would liberate.

I do not get a kick out of being unpopular or voicing an unpopular opinion. Those closest to me know that I will exhaust all options before drawing a line in the sand. But I believe that in these instances it needs to be done, for there will be more hurt and the cost will be greater if things continue as they are.

Please pray for me to have sufficient wisdom, to be generous in grace and have the courage to say the unpopular things in love.

Some humour

2010-01-26T14:02:00.001+02:00

During the past two weeks the following happened:

1. On the first day of school a little boy walked into his Grade 1
class, looked at all the children, and said: "Hello, all you infidels!"

2. At Sunday school this past Sunday the 5 year old's were taught the
difference between wisdom and knowledge. The teacher asked: "Can
anyone here tell me what it means to be wise?". A little boy
replied: "You are wise if you know when to keep your mouth shut when
there's a woman in the house"

Thought this was worth blogging.

Matt's first day at school

2010-01-13T08:03:00.000+02:00

I won't say too much, except that we are very proud of Matt today. Enjoy the photos.

Taking God out of the Church

2010-01-11T13:01:00.001+02:00

It is interesting how we start seeing patterns. Coincidentally my friend Pete Grassow (www.rockinthegrass.blogspot.com) wrote about his experience outside the church buildings which resonates with a piece I wrote this morning for my book of Lenten devotions. The piece I wrote is based on the healing of Simon's mother (Mark 1:29-34).

The thing that struck me is that Jesus left the synagogue and went to Peter's house. I assume that Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James and John went to the synagogue to worship and that Simon invited Jesus over after worship. It is here that Jesus encountered Simon's mom-in-law and healed her. The thought struck me (with the help of the Interpreter's Bible) that we so often leave God at the place of worship. What would happen if we, like Simon, invited Jesus to our homes or our places of work? Will we be surprised to see that Jesus enters these places and touches the people who need Him most? (I am tempted to play the mother-in-law line here, but I will refrain).

I hope your day is filled with the assurance that God did not stay behind at your quiet time this morning, and neither did God remain at church. God is with us. I will be chewing on this one a bit further today. Please share your thoughts.

Vodacom, E220, Windows 7

2010-01-06T15:00:00.001+02:00

It turns out that if you have a Vodacom E220 usb dongle, running on a
pc with Windows 7, then you might experience some difficulties with
your internet connection. Turns out that the Windows Updates corrupt
the drivers for the dongle, so this is what I have had to do with
another person's computer (I run Mac, which is a Latinese word for
"no problems").

1. Do a system restore on your computer to before the critical
updates were installed.
2. Make sure all Vodacom programmes have been uninstalled on the PC
and disable and uncheck all the Windows Automatic Update boxes
3. Use another computer to download the newest firmware update and
software for Windows XP. To do this, do the following:
3.1 Take the simcard out of the dongle
3.2 Go to www.vodacom.co.za, Services, Broadband, Downloads, pick
the correct file for download
3.3 Insert the sim-less dongle and run the files
3.4 Unplug dongle and insert sim
4. Plug dongle into the Windows 7 pc and follow the prompts
5. IT WORKS!!!

ps. I don't take any responsibility for any loss or damage to files,
hardware or software if you follow this advice. This purely worked on
this computer because it did not have important documents on it.

SHORTCUT: Buy a Mac

Sabbath and rest

2010-01-02T14:09:00.000+02:00

How do you rest? What is your understanding of a time of rest?

A friend and colleague of mine, Schalk Pienaar said something the other day which made me think about the way I rest. Schalk told us that our times of rest should not be there as the time to collapse after we exhausted ourselves by over-committing. Times of rest should be used as moments where we get ready for work that lies ahead.

Think about this for a bit. It impacts on the way we see work, the way in which we commit ourselves to opportunities. If we simply commit, we will work, not being able to wait for that moment were we can simply space-out. This kind of rest is seldom effective. If we use times of rest to gain strength, prepare our spirits and our minds, then work becomes the blessing in which we pace ourselves, and could actually find ourselves being fulfilled by that which keeps us busy.

This past year, 2009, is the first year that I did not write any exams. Usually December is a time to collapse. This year I collapsed for a day or two, but then started to take care of myself and my family. While doing this, I actively spent time getting my spirit and mind in gear for the year which lies ahead. no, I did not plan the year nor did I do anything that can be classified as work. I simply prayed, surrendering things to God. It has been a time of saying: "Lord,..... is yours. I trust that you will let me know how to manage it". I did this with all kinds of things: my health, my family, my work relationships, projects that I know I will have to face". and each time a simple message returned. It said "Take each day as it comes. Do what you can, but don't panic if you do not finish what you set out to do. There may be a next day."

I moved my day-off to a Friday now and hope that this will not be a day of collapse, as Mondays always turned out to be, but rather times of refreshing and renewal.
I enter 2010 feeling ready, rested and relaxed. I pray that this will be the year of good news.

What a nice little book

2009-12-28T18:50:00.000+02:00

Someone gave me a book voucher for Christmas and I stumbled across this little book entitled "Do you think you're clever?". It is a book listing some of the absurd questions prospective students are asked before being admitted to Oxford or Cambridge. It also gives some possible answers to these questions. Some of the questions include: "What happens if you drop and ant?", "Can God create a stone so heavy that he wouldn't be able to lift it?", "If you made a whole straight through the center of the earth to the other side and jumped in it, what would happen?", and my favourite "How would you explain a spoon to a Martian?".

If you're looking for some light reading with good laughs, then this one is for you!

My little red car

2009-12-28T18:41:00.000+02:00

This is the first Christmas without my grandfather. I miss him dearly. We all do. The year was 1978, I was two years old and my grandfather wanted to get me something special. He found a little push-car, red with black wheels. I played in this little car for several years to come.

While visiting my gran over Christmas, this little car stood outside her front door, all rusted and worse for wear. The memories flooded back. She saw me reminiscing and told me she thought it best if I took the little car home. Today I spent a good deal of the afternoon panel-beating, bending and respraying. I then presented it to my boys and they dubbed it their "red Ferrari".

I will treasure this photo alongside the photo's of little Wessel in his little red car.

Looking back at my goals and looking ahead

2009-12-18T21:05:00.001+02:00

At the beginning of the year, I set out t accomplish some goals. Well, now is evaluation-time:

Editing the Ethics textbook which should be published by the end of the year, DONE
Submitted a research article last night, DONE AND PUBLISHED
Wrote a set of devotions for Disciplines 2010, DONE AND PUBLISHED
Writing a book on prayer during financial crisis, DONE AND PUBLISHED
Writing a book of Lenten devotions (long overdue), STILL BUSY, ALMOST FINISHED
Preparing a proposal for a paper which I plan to deliver at the Theological Society in June on Calvin's pneumatology and the African spirit-world, DONE AND PUBLISHED (did not go to TSSA)
Gathering notes for an article on leadership and ethics (due Oct), ALMOST DONE
Planning another book with Dion on the relationship between church and state, ALMOST DONE.

I feel good about what has been accomplished this year. In the meantime my thesis was published as a book, I had to undergo surgery and I'm recovering well. I'm learning how to relax and to enjoy life without its busy-ness.

Goals for 2010:

Finish outstanding projects from 2009
Write a meditation book for those growing older
Write a book for disillusioned Christians
Do 2 courses towards an Honours in Psychology (only have 4 to go)
Publish 4 research articles
Write up our project "Change the world in 15 minutes"
Play more guitar
Play more tennis
Attend all my children's sporting, school and cultural events
Take my wife on a date once a month (at least)
Plan a trip to Turkey
Survive, no live in 2010

Visit to the Voortrekker monument

2009-12-14T14:48:00.000+02:00

Some call it the world's biggest advert for Trotters Jelly. To others it is symbolic of South Africa's racist past.

This is the Voortrekker monument, a monument erected to remember the Great Trek of the first white pioneers in Southern Africa who traveled by ox-wagon from the Cape of Good Hope inland to where we now have the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The architecture is astounding! Built between 1938 and 1949, this monument is structured in such a way that at noon on December 16th, the sun's rays fall directly on a large stone with the words inscribed "We, for you, South Africa". It's walls contain the carvings of the stories of the Great Trek. And so, we spent the morning sharing this part of South Africa's history with our boys.

It was a violent history, but also one telling of the Afrikaner's determination to get away from Dutch and British oppression, surviving, innovating and choosing to travel north. This was met with great battles and conflict against the local inhabitants.

Very few of my ancestors came from these people. My mom is a third generation Dutch immigrant. Her maiden surname is "Van Goeverden", a family related to Dutch royalty. My father's family came to South Africa during the second Anglo-Boer war. Seven Bentley brothers landed in, what is now KwaZulu-Natal to fight the Boers. One of these brothers became a captain in the British military and was stationed at a Boer concentration camp. There he fell in love with one of the captive Boer women and later married. This lady, my great-great-great grandmother was the only one of my family who knew the hardships of the Dutch pioneers. A family name from her family, Wessel, was then passed on from generation to generation. This name has stopped with me, unless my sons choose to give it to one of their children.

I am reminded of how far we have come as a nation. On the walls there are pictures of how the Boers faught against the Zulu's, Matabeles, Xhosa's and others. I now have friends from all these nations, and count them to be some of my best friends.

It was a good visit. I don't know what to do with all the conflicting emotions inside, but for now, I remembered the stories and I am reminded that one's search for liberation and freedom is often shortlived. New institutions are formed, new conflicts, new power struggles. Politics always interferes.

Thoughts for my new book

2009-12-06T08:01:00.000+02:00

I am busy writing the next installment of the '28 days' series entitled "28 days of prayer for disillusioned believers" and came across the following thoughts from John Wesley in his book 'A plain account of Christian perfection'. (These are excerpts from this book). I thought of using this as a basis for reflection. What do you think?

Hereby many are hindered from seeking faith and holiness by the false zeal of others; and some who at first began to run well are turned out of the way.
Q32. What advice would you give them?

• Watch and pray continuously against pride. If God has cast it out, see that it enter no more: it is full as dangerous as desire, and you may slide back into it unawares; especially if you think there is no danger of it.
• Be aware of the daughter of pride, enthusiasm. Oh, keep at the utmost distance from it? Give no place to a heated imagination. Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions, revelations to b from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the devil. Therefore ‘believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God’.
• Beware of Antinomianism; ‘making void the law’ or any part of it, ‘through faith’. Enthusiasm naturally leads to this; indeed they can scarce be separated.
• Beware of sins of omission; lose no opportunity of doing good in any kind. Be zealous of good works; willingly to omit no work, either of piety or mercy.
• Beware of desiring anything but God. Now you desire nothing else; every other desire is driven out; see that none enter again.
• Beware of schism, of making a rent in the church of Christ. That inward disunion, the members ceasing to have a reciprocal love ‘one for another’ (1 Cor. 12:25), is the very root of all contention, and every outward separation.
• Be exemplary in all things; particularly in outward things (as in dress), in little things, in the laying out of your money (avoiding every needless expense), in deep, steady seriousness, and in the solidity and usefulness of all your conversation. So shall you be ‘a light, shining in a dark place.’. So shall you daily ‘’grow in grace’, till ‘an entrance be ministered unto you abundantly unto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.’

State of health

2009-12-02T15:24:00.001+02:00

Natalie: Upper Respiratory Infection, Bladder Infection
Matthew: Bronchitis
Nathan: Upper Respiratory Infection, Middle ear infection,
Conjunctivitis
Me: Getting sick of medical bills... and Upper Respiratory Infection

Maybe I am a bigot

2009-11-28T05:53:00.000+02:00

On my last post "God of bacon" left a message which may mean many different things. If the worst is meant, the comment may infer that I am a bigot and training my son to be one too.

Perhaps I am a bigot and a poor dad. No "but"'s, no excuses. God of bacon, I promise to take your comment seriously and to work at being a better person. I also pledge to become a better father.

I hope to become a better person, because I am at present very disillusioned with our politicians. Let me tell you why, and if you have any suggestions to help me overcome this state of despondency, I welcome your comment.

I do not understand how people who faught against Apartheid for decades can come into power and forget the people so easily. It starts with leadership: from a head of state who has been implicated in dubious financial deals with a known mobster, accusations of having raped a young woman, to Ministers of Parliament who gained financially through the Arms deal, employing friends and family with little to no skill to high corporate positions.

It is these politicians who discouraged the South African people to seek proper medical care and instead of taking antiretoviral medication, to treat HIV/AIDS with "beetroot, garlic and African potatoes". The same people say and do nothing about the situation in Zimbabwe, but welcome Mr. Mugabe with open arms, treating him like royalty.

South Africa's unemployment rate closes in on 60%, the highest it's ever been. There is more poverty now than during Apartheid. By 2012, we will have about 5 million AIDS orphans. Out of a population of 45 million, it is quite a high number. These children will have to look after themselves and if the current trend continues, will mostly give themselves over for sexual favours in order to get money for food. So much for beetroot, garlic and African potatoes. So much for condoms stapled to pamphlets. Did I forget to mention that we have the highest HIV infection rate in the world, the highest murder per capita?

85% of the South African municipal districts are close to insolvency and cannot provide services to residents. In my city, Pretoria, a quarter of the population do not have access to running water, electricity or sanitation services. Yet, when we read the news, there are stories of how government officials spent "$50 000" on hotel accommodation (this was one person), and demand high-end vehicles, each costing in the region of $600 000. We hear of how it is going to cost $1 million to repair the low-cost houses erected by government. These houses were built in the last 10 years, some by contractors who are not registered, but offered "a good deal". Now houses are falling in on people while they sleep.

I can go on. But DON'T take my word for it. Come and see for yourself. And don't visit the "nice" places, but come and see how politicians are systematically removing homeless people from the city centers in order to make it "look pretty" for the Soccer World Cup. Come and see the open graves lined up for the thousands of AIDS burials that take place mostly on Saturday mornings. Come visit the victims of crime who lie maimed in hospitals. Come sleep in a shack for one night, sharing accommodation with those who have been promised houses over 15 years ago (and when the houses get built, they fall in). Come sit in the long queues at state hospitals where the facilities are appalling, taking almost a day to be seen by a doctor.

So yes, as you can see, I am very disillusioned with politicians. And I will be even a greater bigot if I enable these bigots who profess that they care about the people, but conveniently forget them, to think that their actions are ok. I will be a greater bigot if I vote for them.

In the meantime, faith communities and non-profit organizations have to facilitate social welfare, stand up for the poor and care for the displaced. We have to pray with victims of crime, bury the dead and comfort the families left behind. We have to teach people about antiretroviral medication, preventing HIV infection. We have too help the displaced, support, feed and educate those in child-headed families. And when we dare do, as at Central Methodist Mission, government barges in, threatening to close these churches down.

The one thing I treasure, is that even my 6 year old boy can see through this.

Matthew shares my prejudice.

2009-11-20T19:36:00.000+02:00

I discovered my prejudice, well one of them. I don't like politicians. Here follows an excerpt of my conversation with Matthew this morning in the car as I listened to a 702 report on the state of Central Methodist Mission.

Matt: Pappa, can I ask you something?

Me: Matt, I'm just listening here. They are talking about one of pappa's friends.

Matt: Who?

Me: Uncle Paul.

Matt: What happened?

Me: He is the minister at a church in Johannesburg. There are people who do not have homes and he is allowing them to stay in the church. The politicians don't like what he's doing.

Matt: Those politicians are nasty!

Out of the mouths of babes!

My new book!

2009-11-20T07:38:00.000+02:00

Hi friends

Just to mention the release of my new book from Cambridge Scholars Publishers: "The notion of mission in Karl Barth's ecclesiology. It is a bit pricey, but I think worth the investment ;-). Read more about this book here.

The worst our national anthem has ever been sung.

2009-11-16T20:41:00.001+02:00

Didn't someone audition this guy?

Milo's first haircut

2009-11-13T19:51:00.000+02:00

Our Miniature Schnauzer, Milo, got his first haircut today.

Stanley Hauerwas on prayer

2009-11-07T19:37:00.000+02:00

Stanley Hauerwas is one of my favourite theologians, simply because he is so real. No pretense, what you see is what you get. (Thanks Dion for the link)

Simul Joostus et peccator

2009-11-06T07:23:00.000+02:00

Thanks Beryl.

ps. For those not from South Africa, ZANEWS is a satirical series on South African life and politics.

Cooking again

2009-10-29T20:43:00.000+02:00

I stopped cooking for a while. I made food, but didn't cook.

This year had taken it out of me and I struggled to find the energy and creativity to produce something that we could savour over a meal. Glad to say, things are returning slowly.

It came about by first making a deliberate choice to move away from prepackaged meat. It's unhealthy, environmentally damaging and expensive. So, if I want to make fillet, I go to the butcher and want to see how he cuts it from the carcass. The same goes for other types of meat. When I want to cook fish, I go to our local supermarket, choose the fish and watch how the head, tail and fins disappear and how filleting is done. I have been amazed at the difference in taste as well as the difference in price. This week alone I have been able to get Yellowtail at R22.00 per kilo and Hake at R51.00 per kilo. A kilo of fish is A LOT of food.

Secondly, I planted my own veggie and herb garden from which I get fresh greens. Once again, cost effective and really tasty! It is amazing how easy it actually is to plant and produce your own food.

So, tonight I made fried hake. Two hours of preparing batter, cutting the fish, making Basmati rice, cutting and cleaning broccoli... Two hours of not thinking about work, counseling, meetings. Just me, my German knives, fresh food, AMC classic pots and Classic FM in the background. Now, this is chilling. Pity I'm not allowed to drink wine anymore.

Getting something for nothing

2009-10-26T20:08:00.000+02:00

I am spotting a trend in my country. Perhaps it is not just here, but this is where I notice it. It is the trend of expecting something for nothing. Let me explain. In this past week our national soccer coach was fired because the team has raked in a series of poor results. He was the 16th coach in 17 years. We expect the team to win, yet our players are notorious for not arriving at practices, there is constant infighting among those in top structures etc etc. So, the coach gets fired...again. Suppose people start thinking that there isn't a coach problem, but that there is an administration problem, an accountability problem.

Our mayor, Gwen Ramakgopa will probably be fired in the next day or two. She has been accused of mismanaging funds and is well known for her spending sprees. Yet, a quarter of Pretoria's residence do not have access to basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation services. I wonder where those in power thought these things would come from. Heaven?

For 15 years, Eskom, the South African electricity provider had not maintained or upgraded its facilities. Now there is a crisis as demand is outgunning supply. The immediate answer: a 43% hike in tariffs, with the same increase projected for at least the next three years. Where was the electricity going to come from? Thunderbolts? Yet, Eskom's executives have given themselves healthy bonuses over this period. Expecting something for nothing.

Next, there will be the water-crisis. It is not a crisis yet, because the rich have not been affected. But it is coming and sooner than we think.

Every time someone raises these issues, the standard response from those in political power is "Crisis, what crisis?". This cliche has become the running joke among South Africans. But then again, the roof doesn't leak if it doesn't rain.

I'm in love

2009-10-23T18:56:00.000+02:00

Triumph Bonneville T100. They have this bike in this colour at the bike shop around the corner from the church. Aaaaahhhhh.

Nice photo's of Nathan and Lilly

2009-10-15T14:46:00.000+02:00

Nathan and Lilly are best of friends. It wouldn't surprise me if they get married one day. See why...

And then my son made me chuckle...

2009-10-12T19:22:00.000+02:00

Still a bit agro, we started eating supper. Nathan, our two year old lawyer (because he has an unbeatable argument for everything) was struggling to eat his carrots. He started moving from the table towards the T.V., ignoring our every effort to get him back. And then there was a thunderclap and he dashed back to the table. Sitting there with eyes stretched wide, he said "God is talking to me!". Stunned I asked him what God said. He replied: "God told me to eat my food!".

Where do they get this?

What a day!!!

2009-10-12T17:53:00.000+02:00

I don't want today over again. I got angry too many times. I spoke improperly to too many people. This is what happened.

We were driving on the R21 (Pretoria to Johannesburg) to take my Vespa in for repairs. My Vespa was in a trailer, by the way. Travelling no more than 80 km/h to avoid any bumps and bruises to my baby, a guy in a white Jetta came past in the fast lane, but started veering towards my car and smacked off my side mirror. We both stopped and I lost my cool for the first time in years. He admitted guilt, but said that the car was not his. So, I phoned the owner, who was busy at the time, but promised to phone me back.

Dropped off old Bertie and went to our local police station to report the accident. They referred me to another station where I had to report the case. Then I phoned her again. This time she said the driver told her that the accident was my fault and that they would not be liable for damages as there weren't any witnesses. So I phoned the chap and asked him why he lied. No answer. Then I reminded him that my wife was in the car and that she would testify as a witness. Rude conversation. Conversation ended.

On our way to the other police station, a guy sitting on the back of a Bakkie chucked a glass bottle in front of my car. Hooters, ethics lecture on our responsibility towards the environment. Apologies, smiles, moved on.

Got to the police station where I was helped by a Constable who was busy listening to music on her cellphone. No greeting, she just slammed the forms down in front of me. everytime I asked for assistance, she would rudely point to blocks on the paper for completion without uttering a word. Ethics lecture on service to the community. Then she told me "This is not my job". Lost it again. Lecture on work ethic. Then I took her name and told her I knew the process to report her unprofessional behaviour. Conversion happened as quickly as during prayer at a Billy Graham crusade. Unfortunately her superior went home already, but I'll still phone tomorrow, because "It IS my job".

So, needless to say, my patience is running a bit low, my sense of humour oscillating, and I am looking for reasons to be thankful for living in a community where people don't own up to their mistakes, where civil servants find it more fulfilling to listen to music than doing their job and where some will deliberately lie in order to get away with not having to pay for their errors. Lord, help me.

When our children make us cry.

2009-10-07T18:01:00.000+02:00

I mentioned in the car that I felt a bit hungry. Without mentioning anything, my son Matthew (6) made me toast with jam and cheese. What a surprise! I was caught off-guard, not thinking that what I had mentioned was heard and acted upon. I ate my toast, savouring every bit. By the way, when I write during summer, I often take off my shirt and sit at my desk only in shorts and socks.

Another knock on the door. "Look pappa!" His shirt was off. He put on his cream-coloured shorts, like mine. He put on his navy socks, like mine. "I look just like you!" By now I lost it completely. This child listened to me and acted. He looked at me and copied. This is stuff worth meditating on, but for now my computer is going to be switched off and I will be spending time with my boys.

Global Leadership Summit

2009-10-03T20:12:00.000+02:00

I haven't been inspired by church like this in a very long time! For the past two days we've been attending the Global Leadership Summit in Boksburg, South Africa. I must admit, I didn't raise my expectations too much in anticipation of the conference. This is mostly because the synods and Conference I usually attend offer the "same old, same old" - talk without purpose, politics without action, egos without servanthood, careering without calling. You know what I mean. But this was different. Leaders from all different spheres of life shared their experiences of leadership and spoke about what they thought the local church could do to make a difference.

It was truly inspirational stuff and once again, I believe that the local church can make a difference. The key, for me, in this Summit, is to resist the temptation to cut-and-paste ministries into our congregational life. None of the speakers spoke of a "magic formula" or "recipe for success". All of them spoke about God calling them to action in their context, addressing the problems in their local reality. I am inspired by their ability to listen. During this past year, we have had as our theme at the Glen "Listening to the voice of God". This Summit was the cherry on the cake. We will listen some more to the uncomfortable call of the comforting Voice.

This was good for my soul.

Ignorance is bliss

2009-10-01T14:26:00.000+02:00

Ignorance breeds militancy. This is my quote learnt from an encounter with a student during yesterday's class.

Well, we were busy discussing the relationship between spirituality and ethics when this gent raised his hand. He had been quiet all through the class, so I expected a soft-spoken, yet profound input. Much to my surprise he started talking about the "fact"
that the English translations of the Bible are tainted with omissions from the original text in order to promote a "hidden" agenda. He cited the Lukan version of the Lord's prayer and stirred the other students up by proving that this account in the NIV and other translations do not have the "Our" in "Our Father". In fact, many of the other lines (that one finds in Matthew) are not even there.

So, I started by telling him about the Synoptic problem, but did not even get to telling him which Gospels form part of the Synoptic Gospels before he interjected again and rattled on for a few minutes. And then the grand finale... "We must read the King James Version of the Bible, because it is the only translation that is a direct copy of the Dead Sea Scrolls".

I couldn't contain my smile.

Drive-in

2009-09-30T19:21:00.000+02:00

Tonight we're taking our boys to their first drive-in movie show. They are so excited, it's contagious!

The world must think we're a bunch of idiots...

2009-09-19T21:12:00.000+02:00

The world must think we're a bunch of idiots!

Leonard Chuene today admitted that he lied to South Africa and the world about having any knowledge of Caster Semenya's gender issues. And what did he blame the world of? Racism. "You are testing her because she is black". What does that statement look like now in the light of his confession?

Well, let me tell you, this argument is commonplace in South Africa. I hear it more and more when someone dare challenge or question decisions. "I am a victim" seems to be the easy way out without having to debate. Of course not everyone resorts to this argument, but the frequency of its usage is now boring me to tears. ARGUMENTS ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, NOT RACIALLY MOTIVATED, HELLOOOOO! Excuse the double-negative. Every time this excuse is used, I feel that I have to apologize for being white. No, I won't anymore, because I refuse to carry a victim-mentality.

So, the world is racist because it asks for gender-testing. Weak argument. Yes, it was handled insensitively, but racist? I can just imagine the rest of the world scratching its head after Chuene's claim, asking:"Huh? Where did that come from? They must be a bunch of idiots." Then the dear ANC Youth League makes a statement that there is no such thing as a hermaphrodite in nature, therefore Caster Semenya could not be one." "Huh? Where did that come from? They must be a bunch of idiots."

Just a note to the rest of the world: We are not a bunch of idiots. Some of us are liars. Some are so insecure about our racial identity that all challenges are perceived to be racially motivated. Some have absolutely no clue about the scope of human sexuality. We are a complex society still struggling to find our feet. We want everything to appear picture-perfect, and sometimes we will resort to racism, ignorance or lies to defend it. Idiots? No.

Our new book: What is a good life?

2009-09-17T20:00:00.000+02:00

Cost: R200 + postage

About the book:

What is a good life is a question asked by many people. Why can’t the pursuit of money, power or status provide us with a good life? Why is it that who we are as persons and how we relate to others and our environment is important? Why are a spiritual life and a close relationship with God essential? Why are the lives of some of those who claim to be Christians immoral and unappealing?

To become a person of integrity one has to learn how to differentiate between good and right conduct and senseless and damaging actions. This book does not provide all the answers, but it introduces various ethical problems and suggests how to deal with them.

The book offers a model of moral decision-making based on various ethical theories. The model is applied to contemporary ethical problems facing the world, particularly Africa. The issues of leadership, land, the marginalisation of women and children, HIV/AIDS, the environment, the economic problem of debt and the ethical role of the Church in Africa today are discussed.

Authors from various backgrounds who investigated current ethical issues suggest the way forward: how one can make thoughtful and practical ethical decisions; how individuals and communities could be morally formed. They challenge, inspire, motivate and equip the reader to become a moral agent in their community and help to build a better life for all.

Stop hunger now?

2009-09-17T10:40:00.000+02:00

At our Conference, we will join the movement 'Stop hunger now!'. It is a worthy place to participate.

Yet, I wonder as I stand in a breakfast queue for Conference delegates and Bishops... This is what I saw on more than one plate, most of the plates, in fact:
1 fried egg
3 strips of bacon
2 sausages
4 pieces of cheese
Baked beans
A muffin
3 slices of bread
A selection of cold meat
A hashbrown
Fishcakes
And a bowl of fruit and yogurt.

As the delegates balanced their plates to the tables, I wondered where they were going to pack it all. Most of all, I wondered with how much integrity we will pack food parcels tonight.

Water

2009-09-17T09:50:00.000+02:00

Something to think about, stemming from a Bible study presented by Prof. Steve de Gruchy at Conference:

3% of the world's water is fresh water;
0.1% of this water is surface water;
About half of this water is accessible;
It takes more water to produce the plastic bottles which are used for bottled water than the water it contains;
People need about 20l of water, where most of the world's population have to survive on 4l per day.

How do you use water?

Welcome to Themba!

2009-09-09T10:46:00.000+02:00

A warm welcome to my colleague and friend, Themba Mntambo to the bloggosphere! You can follow him here.

After a busy day

2009-09-06T20:46:00.000+02:00

Burying ashes

2009-08-29T19:48:00.000+02:00

Today we buried my grandfather's ashes at Roodepoort cemetery. We decided on this place as my grandfather's father, grandfather and grandmother were buried here. My grandfather's grandfather and father came to South Africa from the Netherlands. We are not precisely sure from which town, but have a hunch that they lived in Amsterdam. There are still quite a few Van Goeverden's listed in this city. My grandfather's father died at age 33 when my grandfather was 3, turning 4. He had a weak heart. My grandfather's mother then remarried. It was strange to see my great-grandfather's grave. My grandfather barely knew him, as he was my age when he died, leaving behind a young wife and a very young child - about our Nathan's age. And so we buried Oupa Goewies' ashes at his father's feet.

I could, for a moment, imagine my great-grandfather embracing his son, spending time to get to know each other and telling stories of all that had happened during the last 70-odd years. Just as I sat on my grandfather's lap, it was now his turn to sit on his dad's lap, to be embraced and loved, to be assured of a love that surpasses the boundaries of life and death.

Not too far away are my grandfather's grandfather and grandmother's grave. I felt extremely sad for my great-great-grandmother as she buried both a husband and a son.

Here lies my grandfather, under a bottlebrush - a plant he loved very much.

As we left the cemetery, I saw in my mind's eye my ancestors, who rest in this place, welcoming Oupa Goewies. I imagined him looking at me, smiling, saying that he was going to be ok. He will not be going home with us today. He will wait here for our next visit. In the meantime he has some catching-up to do.

He laughed.

We laughed as we left this hallowed site, seeing the signboard that welcomes all its visitors. Oupa Goewies must have seen this when he came to visit his ancestors and I know what he was thinking.

Closure.

Meet Milo Bentley

2009-08-26T21:06:00.000+02:00

His name is Milo. We took him into our home today. He is actually Matthew's puppy, a birthday present. Matthew has been asking for a puppy for his birthday now for months. At first we thought it was just another phase, soon to be replaced by requests for a DVD, a Playstation or a skateboard. Not this time. Matt's birthday is on 11 September, but this puppy came just at the right time.

Milo is a Miniature Schnauzer. We had to do our research quite carefully. There are only so many types of dogs that don't lose their hair, and Miniature Schnauzers are one of of them. Matt bought Milo with his own money, and has asked his friends and family to rather contribute towards Milo's purchase than to buy him a present. The Greek blood is coming through.

In any case, welcome little Milo. We hope you enjoy this family.

Ps. If you would like to contribute, drop me a line and I'll give you Matt's banking details.

The August winds are blowing.

2009-08-19T17:03:00.000+02:00

If you live on the highveld of South Africa, you will come to know the August winds. Winters are dry and cold with cloudless skies and a biting chill in the air. There is very little wind in winter, perhaps only a slight breeze that makes it feel even colder.

But then in August the wind starts to blow. Dust is everywhere and you don't dare clean until spring - a real spring clean. It is this wind which signals change. It is this wind that brings moist air from the coast and brings with it the promise of rain, and new life. It signals the approach of spring, calling forth warmth and colour.

This August wind brings more than the usual for me. I have experienced a renewing breath in my spiritual life during the past two months. there is a deeper sense of connecting with myself, with my family and with God. For the first time in my life, and this is really the first time, do I experience the gift of living in the present. Thanks to the prayers of friends, the support of my family and guidance of my friend and psychologist, Rene Cruickshank, have I journeyed through some very painful experiences which have brought to the surface memories, experiences and identities long hidden.

This has led me to revisit some of the things that I considered "touching" in the past. Music played a vital part in my life-experiences and so I turned to my CD collection and found the very first CD I ever bought - Steven Curtis Chapman: The Great Adventure (Live). What a joy to listen to! And then I searched him on Google and found that this man has experienced some hard times during the last year or two and is bringing out a new CD based on his thoughts and feelings. (His little girl was tragically killed in an accident (http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/). The title of his CD is "Beauty will rise".

It reminds me of August winds. God doesn't make life easy, but God brings hope and healing. Not always in the ways that we want or expect, but through the winds there is the expectation, the awaiting of petricor - the smell of rain. My prayer for you is that you will know the renewing wind of God's Spirit bringing hope in places that are desolate and dry.

A word from the Lord

2009-08-11T16:23:00.000+02:00

This Sunday, a lady from our congregation who knows a bit of what has been going on in my life, came to me and told me that she has a word from the Lord for me. I am usually suspicious of these "words", but her sincerity and message resonated well with where I am. I would like to share what she put down on paper. This is a translation from the Afrikaans:

You stood in front of me with your face and whole body creased like a dishcloth that had just been squeezed out. All of a sudden love, peace and God's glory started shining through your face. Peace, relief, faith, love and all that is beautiful to God beamed through you, because God 'squeezed' all the anger out of you, like one dries a cloth. Your path is open and is like that of a newborn child. 'Be of good courage, my son, for God has heard your prayers and they will be answered in His time'. A word of caution: Be careful of head-knowledge. Become like a small child and feed on your Father in Heaven. Be of good courage, beware and spend more time with God to be healed.

As I say, I treat these with caution, but this was something that I needed to hear and I trust that God has heard my prayers. I will continue to look after my health and hope that when the follow-up exam comes in six months time, I will receive good news. This has been a tough year.

Sunday, bloody Sunday

2009-08-09T21:03:00.000+02:00

And so they stuck again. They broke into my car, parked in our driveway and stole the radio and my U2 cd.

We went out for the afternoon t visit Natalie's family. I came back home to get ready for church, at which I had to lead Communion. Needless to say, I did not feel like Communion very much, but in participating felt a close kinship with those who at least strive to live a godly life.

"Forgive us our trespasses..."

Oh, Lord, it's difficult. But I'll try.

6 August

2009-08-06T16:54:00.000+02:00

On this day in 1945, the Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. About 80 000 people lost their lives that day, with thousands more dying since then from radiation-sickness.

The irony is that we live in a world which still strives after nuclear-weapon capability.

And as usual, the ones shouting the loudest about stopping the development of nuclear weapons have the biggest arsenals themselves.

Victims of crime...again.

2009-08-04T21:31:00.000+02:00

I'm starting to get the feeling that you can't call yourself a South African unless you have been a victim of crime...a sort of right-of-passage. Either that, or you must be a criminal.

A week has passed since another friend-of-the-family was killed on his plot. He was an elderly man, shot dead without questions asked. Last night someone broke into our garage and made off with two of our bicycles. I think our dog was making too much noise for their convenience, so they were gracious. The one bicycle was a gift from a widow-friend of ours who lost her husband in Iraq. It was an expensive "Bianci" bike that belonged to her husband, the other, my wife's mountain bike.

I am angry, even though we can consider ourselves not having lost much. We work hard for what we've got, and we don't have much. Everything we have has been saved for, planned for and eventually enjoyed when we got it. Now, some schmuck thinks he can simply march onto my property and take what he wants. And if I should dare ask a question, or poke my nose out the front door, I could expect a stolen gun to be pointing back at me.

What is this? Did I miss something? Am I supposed to feel sorry for the poor person who steal my stuff? I am not even going to try to compose a soppy message about how I should see this creep in a Christian-light... how I should pray for his salvation, because, at the end of the day, Jesus loves him just as much as me. No, I am angry, for this is not the first time... this is not the second time... this is not the third time. There is a part of me that prays that he will fall of that blinking bike while crossing over a bridge, to the road below, only to be met by an 18-wheeler.

Now for a few months of light sleeping, waking at every sound, paranoia about locking and checking, worrying about my family's safety while I am away at evening meetings, spending more to upgrade the security system on our property... I am tired, and did I mention, ANGRY!

Thought for the day...

2009-07-30T16:25:00.000+02:00

In my devotions, the theme of "Sabbath" has come to the fore. The time to take a break and refocus on God. This does not need to be a long stretch, but spaces throughout the day when the demand of the world are put on hold. This past week has been filled with many different challenges and conflicts to be resolved. It has been a time for new deadlines, planning of essential projects affecting the lives of other people, and hopefully new ways of empowering people to be able to live moral and ethical lives.

And so I'm looking at my diary, asking when the next moment will be for a Sabbath. I think I can spot a few days in September after Conference, but for now, it is "close laptop lid", put cellphone on silent-mode and drink Rooibos tea with honey while watching a cartoon with my sons.

Almost forgot, thought for the day: "If you can't fix the problem with a hammer, it is an electrical fault."

Some thoughts on Psalm 14

2009-07-26T17:58:00.000+02:00

Psalm 14
Ephesians 3:14-21;
John 6:1-21

“The fool says in his heart: ‘There is no God’”. There is no God. Who would say such a thing? From a place of faith, one can join with the Psalmist in frustration and anger, saying ‘Surely, only a fool will say such a thing’. With the Psalmist we may very well even become very condemning of such an action, warning that God will show Godself and that those fools will soon come face-to-face with their own foolishness. In this Psalm, we are asked to draw a line in the sand and to separate the fools from the wise. We are asked which side of the line we are standing on. Are you standing with the wise, or are you standing with the fools? I’m afraid that life is not as simple as that. I’m afraid that the Psalmist may have made it seem too easy, for one either to belong to one group or the other. I’m afraid that however strong our faith may be, there are still parts of our lives which cry out “There is no God”. If it were not so, we would be completely Godly, completely perfect, completely holy. Anybody here walk on water latterly? You know what I’m talking about. It is the place where one watches the news, sees the suffering of the innocent and for even that split second entertain the thought :”There is no God”. It is the moment of hearing devastating news that shapes your life forever “There is no God”. Sometimes these are fleeting thought, at other times a whole chapter being written in our spiritual growth. But today, we are faced with other ways in which we claim: there is no God.

There is no God outside my expectations.

In ancient faith there was no such thing. It all depended on the will of the gods. It is a very recent development in human history where we live by the philosophy that we are as big as our dreams. The American dream, the dream team, the dream body, the dream job, the dream wife, the dream husband. It is the modern search for perfection and happiness. With this way of life comes the belief that our expectations need to be met, otherwise we feel we have no meaning or purpose. Realistically speaking, of the 6 billion people in this world only a few will become famous, a few will become educated, a few will experience good health for the majority of their lives. Think about it this way. If you have satellite TV at home, the emount you spend on that per month is almost twice the amount of money that the majority of people in this world lives on per month. Isn’t that scary? Yet, when our expectations are not met, when our dreams don’t come true, we dare to say… and you guessed it “There is no God”.

There is no God outside my control.

This is the art of directing God. On the one extreme we pray as if we need to educate God, instruct God, coax God to do what we believe to be righteous and just. There are the folk who believe that God follows their instructions word-for word. A couple of years ago, a famous tele-evangelist came to South Africa. There were posters all around stating: Be in such-and-such a place and you will witness the hand of God performing miracles. To which I thought “Well, I hope God diarized the event”. But it is the subtle forms of struggle with God which affects us more, and I suppose that this is the crux of spiritual struggle, the struggle between the power of God and the will of self. The place where we are not explicitly stating that God doesn’t exist, but that my Will should count something in terms of God’s action.
There is a new U2 song which has been buzzing in my head, especially when these moments arise. The line in the song says:
“Stop helping God cross the road like a little old lady”
It may sound a bit strong, but I think it carries the just of the situation.

But hear the words of the Gospel and the Epistle:

God’s grace is sufficient for all. The miracle of the loaves and fish? Perhaps we have given it the wrong name. Perhaps it is not about the loaves and fish at all. Another reading of the parable suggests that as soon as the boy brought his food, people were touched by his generosity and starting bring out their hidden food. The miracle of the changing of hearts. If we are tempted to believe there is no God, perhaps we need to open our hearts and we will find God using what we have to ensure that there is enough for all: Enough to live, enough to love. Paul is convinced of the extent of this gift of God’s presence, for it is found in one gift: The gift of love. It is this gift which binds families together,, this gift which forges relationships, this gift which ensures that no-one should ever be in a place where they say “I’m on my own” – a place which says “There is no God”.

The fool says: “There is no God”. Let us surrender the places of our foolishness to the wisdom and Lordship of Christ.

A new chapter

2009-07-20T11:46:00.000+02:00

I can remember my first day in Grade 1. I went to Laerskool Jongspan in Carletonville. My mom was crying and I asked her to leave so I could learn to read and write.

Today we enrolled my little-big boy at Glenstantia Primary.

I cannot say that I felt brave walking down the passage, knowing that my son's primary school days are about to start. The school seems so big, there are so many new faces... will he be ok?

Knowing Matthew, it will only take a few days for all of this to become familiar to him, but as a dad I cannot help but feel a bit scared for his part.

Psalm 91

2009-07-07T09:38:00.000+02:00

In my devotions I read Psalm 91:7-13.

It was a passage I needed to hear today. I am tempted to read it literally, somehow hoping that it is a sign of things to turn for the better, especially after I heard some more bad news regarding my parents today.

And then I wondered: "What a great world it would be if the righteous were blessed and the wicked were punished?", or would it? There are so many good people who suffer tremendously and there are so many, shall I say "bastards", who have it all going for them: "Health, wealth, seemingly not a day's worries". Oh, the world can be glad that I'm not God, especially today.

Perhaps this is why evil prospers; there does not seem to be any incentive to be good. In a world of retribution, especially divine retribution, people would be good, or else... One might say that the reward is in the long-term. Religion would suggest it's either heaven or hell. Problem is, most of the baddies don't believe in the afterlife in any case, so they'll continue in their ways and won't bother seeing the righteous struggle.

Then again, not all people who struggle are righteous, not all people who prosper are evil. Sometimes I feel like I don't want to help God cross the road like a little old lady. I want to get behind this lady, grab her by the back and PUSH, running, with walking sticks flying, just to get to the other side quickly.

Meditation: "Stop trying to help God cross the road like a little old lady". Yes, Lord.

Stop trying...

2009-07-02T15:48:00.000+02:00

"Stop trying to help God across the road like a little old lady..."

I love U2. This is a phrase in one of their new songs. Since my news and operation I have struggled with issues concerning my own mortality, God's will for me and my family etc.

Needless to say, I have tried to theologize God's behaviour in all this, trying to understand who God is and where God is. The more I search, the less defined and uncontrollable God becomes. And then I listened to my favourite band and heard the message loud and clear.

I will not have answers, I will not be able to rationalize all that has been and all that will come. More than that, I cannot patronize God by prescribing how God should act or how God should spare me this struggle. Like Paul, I can ask several times for this "thorn" to be taken away. I still pray for that, but in the end, this becomes a journey where I become strong in my weakness.

So, in all my questioning, in all my hunger to gain some energy to face the tasks that lie ahead today, this sentence is before me, a central point for reflection and meditation. Why not make it yours and tell me what you've discovered?

Oupa Goewies

2009-06-25T16:08:00.000+02:00

His name was Hubertus van Goeverden. To me, and many others he was simply Oupa Goewies. He passed away almost a month ago after surgery. Oupa Goewies was a fireman, and proud of it. I remember as a small boy being put on the fire-engine and my Oupa would arrange a courteous sounding of the sirens. On Wednesdays they used to spray foam in the ambulance parking lot - a fantastic place to play hide-and-seek.

My favourite time was spent boxing with my Oupa in the quadrangle. If more people were like Oupa Goewies, we would not have a tenth of the world's problems. Did he love God? Yes. He loved God too much to belong to a church. It sounds strange, but you would understand if you knew him. A humble man, filled with love, but having no time for lying, cheating, laziness or hypocrisy. The depth of his faith and the level of his reasoning would certainly entertain great minds such as Barth and Bonhoeffer.

As news reached me of Oupa Goewies' passing, one thing struck me. There was still noise coming from the highway near our house. Horns were blaring, traffic was moving, people carried on with their lives. One of the greatest men that I have ever know had just passed away, but the world carried on as if nothing happened. What a pity.

So are all our lives, I suppose. We are all but dust. The things we regard as important are not always so. Working 18 hour days won't help the world to remember you. What do people remember? Things like sitting on top of a fire-engine, sparring in the quad, playing hide-and-seek in foam, taking walks in the park, helping to fix a flat bicycle tyre, nursing a wound, wiping a tear, celebrating life, taking time to listen.

I hope I can be even half the man to my boys as my Oupa was to me.

Hans Kung - a modern Luther

2009-06-10T19:56:00.000+02:00

Hans Kung is one of my favourite theologians, one who is willing to stand by his beliefs despite the influences and powers of the institutional church. He recently published the second volume of his memoirs. For a brief description of the man and his work, click here - it is a fascinating read!

Luther on salvation

2009-06-10T09:37:00.000+02:00

God works by contraries so that a man feels himself to be lost in the very moment when he is on the point of being saved... Man must first cry out that there is no health left in him... In this disturbance, salvation begins. When a man believes himself to be utterly lost, light breaks.

- Martin Luther

Back home

2009-06-05T14:55:00.000+02:00

I am back home after my operation. They call the operation a Nissen-procedure. By the costs, they should have named it a BMW-procedure.

They made 5 holes on my stomach and then did the following by means of telescopic surgery:

1. Pull the stomach down through the diaphragm;
2. Tighten the hole in the diaphragm;
3. Wrap my stomach around the esophagus to make a one-way valve.

This way I will not get reflux into my esophagus again.

It is pretty sore, but the doctor reckons the operation was a success. Now I'm booked off until Thursday.

This was step 1. As soon as the Halo360 technology arrives in SA (a couple of months), We'll discuss zapping the Barretts and removing it completely. Thanks for all the prayers, messaged and telephone calls. It is much appreciated.

Now back to my soup, jelly and fruit juice diet (for a month!)

The night before

2009-06-02T22:16:00.000+02:00

So, tomorrow morning at 7:30 I will undergo an operation to repair my hiatus hernia. This will hopefully stop the acid reflux. If it s succesful (doctors are very positive), then I can come off the Protein Pump Inhibators.

It has been a tremendously difficult month. My grandfather passed way last week and I conducted his memorial service on Saturday. Yet, I can feel God's presence in a powerful way. I feel at peace, yet quite nervous about the operation. The next time I blog it will be all done. God bless, and spare prayer for a brother.

Dear Wallace (and all friends)

2009-05-25T19:24:00.000+02:00

Sorry that I'm not phoning everyone with this news, but please understand that I have a limited phone budget. I cannot thank Wallace enough for his comment a couple of days ago. I spent some time with my GP who informed me that my BE has no dysplasia (good news). I nevertheless have to seriously consider having my hiatus hernia repaired quite soon. It is about 5cm long.

I Googled EMR and the Halo360 therapies and wrote to several medical firms around the world asking whether this treatment is available in South Africa. Nothing was forthcoming. I then spoke to my GI, who told me about EMD, which is very new in S.A. and worth considering.

Then, out of the blue, a gentleman phoned me today who is the director of a company trying to bring the Halo360 technology to South Africa. He got hold of my details through one of the many e-mails I sent out. He told me that my GI and his partner are interested in launching the Halo360 in South Africa (co-incidence?) and asked me whether I would consider being one of the first people in S.A. to receive this treatment as part of a "demonstration" to GI's of what the therapy can do. It entails one half hour treatment, followed by a screening (and possibly a small procedure to get the rest of the Barrett's out) 3 months later. Clinical trials have yielded excellent results and there is a 98% success rate of removing non-dysplastic Barrett's completely!

They are basically waiting for the South African medical aids to approve the therapy, which will take about a month or two, but failing which, the therapy will cost in the region of R45 000.

On Thursday I will see my GI and talk about this possibility. Please pray for me, the GI, our medical aid and all involved to make the right decision for my case. If the medical aid does not cover, then please buy my "28 days book" (My sense of humour is returning slowly).

Thank you to all who have phoned and prayed. It really means a lot to me.

Wallace, you are constantly in my prayers and I do pray that medicine will continue to develop to help us both, and many other people around the world. Thanks again, Wallace, you may just have sparked a new field of healing in South Africa.

During the past week I fell into a severe depression, but as days passed, unexpected people "popped-up" into my life. I felt left out in the cold by God, but looking back I know that God has been with me. I am experiencing healing in my spirit, my soul and my mind from hurts that have traveled with me for a very long time. I hope my body will soon be healed as well.

Barrett's esophagus

2009-05-19T12:13:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I was diagnosed as having Barrett's Esophagus. It is when the esophageal tissue starts changing into the same tissue which represents the intestine. This condition is not reversible and increases my risk of developing esophageal cancer. I now have to eat more meals more regularly, sleep at an angle and have to go for an annual biopsy.

It is a condition which can be managed, and if done well, will not be the cause of death.

I am scared. I don't want this to develop into cancer. I want to see my boys grow up. That's all.

New book: 28 Days of Prayer during financial crisis

2009-05-08T06:10:00.000+02:00

Dear Friends

I am happy to announce that my new book "28 Days of Prayer during financial crisis" is in print and available from Africa Upper Room Ministries.

What is this book about? Well, first I need to make it explicitly clear that this is NOT a Prosperity Theology book. It is a resource providing a 4-week journey in recognizing God's presence, even during global financial crisis. It offers some points for consideration on how we view ministry, management of what is at our disposal and, most of all, the ability to speak honestly to God about that which creates fear and anxiety in our lives. I have incorporated much of what John Wesley said about money and trust that this will provide encouragement for the road ahead. Order forms can be downloaded from the sidebar to the right.

God bless.

A present from God.

2009-05-02T16:33:00.000+02:00

I always think that beautiful sunsets are God's gift to those who experienced a hard day. My friends, Pete and Dion, are surrounded by beautiful scenery every single day. Where we stay, we have gorgeous highveld sunsets. This is taken about 100m from our house. I did not use any filters. This is what you get almost every day as we near winter:

Workers' Day

2009-05-01T16:48:00.003+02:00

The 1st of May in South Africa is a public holiday - Workers' Day. It is a day where "Workers" are acknowledged and remembered.

Strange thing I noticed: Going to the mall, all the shops were still open. People were still working... oh, wait... some people were still working...the workers! Who was sitting in the restaurants with their families? People with label-clothing, expensive cellphones, eating pretty expensive meals. The workers were still working. Today they got double pay, because it is a public holiday. So, perhaps they chose to work today for financial reasons.

So, here's a suggestion: How about on Workers' Day, everybody goes to work, but workers get paid double rates while everybody from managerial level upwards work for half their day's salary?

Just a thought.

Guilt - Believing in God in order to avoid Hell.

2009-05-01T16:32:00.003+02:00

Someone reminded me that "...when something makes us feel guilty, we tend to forget it, not wanting to go back to it".

I thought this was very profound. It is something that we all struggle with. I find it very sad that many preachers and evangelists use the "guilt-trip" method to convince people that they need God. "You are not good enough", "You don't give enough", "You must pray more...believe better...know more of your Bible".

It's amazing that Jesus never seemed to have such a conversation with people who were genuinely searching. The woman at the well met a man who simply asked her for water. All the other Jewish men reminded her that she was not good enough, simply because she was not "one of them". The list continues.

I like the following formula: "Religion teaches that if I do something, God will do something in return. Christianity teaches that God has already acted, we simply respond."

"He does not deal with us according to our sins..." This is what Scripture says. God does not go out of God's way to make us feel guilty. No. I believe in a God who showers us with love and grace. Being exposed to this, we may feel remorse, but not guilt. What do you think?

Use your imagination...

2009-04-30T17:48:00.003+02:00

It is wonderful to be a child. Grown-ups somehow forget how to dream.

My boys found this tree-stump in my in-law's back garden. They are busy building and needed to remove this tree. Next thing I knew, I had to accompany my hunter-sons who "discovered" a dead elephant in the backyard. They proudly showed me its trunk and its amazingly long hair. I had to touch its skin, feeling how rough it is. This elephant apparently had been dead for a while, but we had to be careful as it might just be pretending that it is dead. It might get a fright, jump up and bite you with its loooooong teeth.

It took all of 5 minutes. But dreaming helped me out of a hard day's work and into a place where I could enjoy life with my sons.

Take some time to dream.

Are you judgemental?

2009-04-17T07:38:00.002+02:00

I was. Watch this:

Click here to watch the Susan Boyle clip.

Palm Sunday - How to keep the Messiah out! (A meditation)

2009-04-05T17:52:00.005+02:00

What a wonderful day. Jesus entered through the gates shown in the picture here. It is called the Mercy gate, or the Golden gate to Christians. It was the gate through which the Messiah was going to enter according to Jewish belief. It was to be this gate, because it led straight to the Temple. Jesus was treated like royalty, connected to the great king David in people’s songs. He entered the correct gate. And we know the story. The crowds turned and within a week, this same Jesus was crucified. They did not see him as the Messiah anymore, and neither would their children or children’s children.

In 1540, the Ottoman empire (under Suleiman the Magnificent) captured Jerusalem. He heard about this Messiah (Anointed One) who would come from the line of David and retake the throne. How do you keep the Messiah out? Well, block the gates. And so he used the heaviest stones and plaster to seal this entrance. He had to make sure that these gates would not be opened – ever again! In 1541 Suleiman the Magnificent blocked the gates. Let’s not be too pious in thinking that we do not do the same. Blocking the gates of our hearts to the love of God is a common thing. Holding on to things that we know are wrong, yet cannot quite convince ourselves that Jesus needs to enter here, is a remedy to keeping him from overturning some holy tables – the untouchables. But you know what Suleiman? You know what friend? This Messiah entered through these gates long before we even thought we could block his passage. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.

Suleiman wanted to be double sure that no uprising was going to take place. He knew that no Jew could walk through a cemetery, so he started burying people right in front of the gate, creating very visible gravestones, to let anybody know that this place is a no-go area for any upright Jew.These a visible to this day. As if blocking our hearts to God’s presence is not enough, we try to convince ourselves and God that this is no place for God to enter. The tombstones declaring to God that I am way down the line in my sinfulness for God to even consider stepping foot on this soil. My habits are too entrenched for God to consider me a viable person to be redeemed, my falleness too severe for God to even come close. But Suleiman, dear friend, Jesus entered through these gates long before you could ever bury the skeletons of your past in front of these gates.

Look at this picture today and imagine that this is a picture of your soul. Ask yourself: What have I used to block the gates to my heart? What material did I use to make sure the love of God does not enter through to the center of my being?

What have I planted in front of the gate, the excuses, the behavioural patterns, the habits, to make sure the Messiah will not enter here?

Here is the Good news: He is already inside. He is the one who does not only walk through cemeteries, He is the one who is risen from the grave. He is not held out by doors and locks, for He is the one who meets his disciples, his followers while they hid behind locked doors.

Happy Palm Sunday.