Jislaaik, it’s such a lekker place here in sunny S.A.

I got this from a colleague:

AG: This is one of the most useful South African words. Pronounced like the “ach” in the German “Achtung” it can be used to start a reply when you are asked a tricky question, as in “Ag, I don’t know.” Or a sense of resignation “Ag, I’ll have some more mieliepap then.” It can stand alone too as a signal of irritation or of pleasure.

DONNER: A rude word, it comes from the Afrikaans “Donder” (thunder). Pronounced “Dorner”, it means “beat up”. Your rugby team can get donnered in a game, or your boss can donner you if you do a lousy job.

EINA: Widely used by al language groups, this word, derived from the Afrikaans means “Ouch”. Pronounced “aynah”, you can shout it in sympathy when someone burns his finger on a hot mealie at a braai.

HEY: Often used at the end of a sentence to emphasise the importance of what had just been said, as in “Jislaaik boet, you’re only going to get a lekker klap if you can’t find your takkies now, hey?” It can also stand alone as a question. Instead f saying “Excuse me?” or “Pardon?” when you have not heard something directed t you, you can say “Hey?”

ISIT? This is a great word for conversations. Derived from the two words “is” and “it”, it can be used when you have nothing to contribute if someone tells you at the braai “The Russians will succeed in their bid for capitalism once they adopt a work ethic and respect for private ownership.” It is quite appropriate to respond by saying, “Isit?”

JAWELNOFINE: This is another conversation fallback word. Derived from the four words “yes”, “well”, “no” and “fine”, it means roughly “how about that?” If your bank manager tells you your account is overdrawn, you can say with confidence “Jawelnofine.”

JISLAAIK: Pronounced “Yis-like”, it is an expression of astonishment. For instance, if someone tells you there are a billion people in China, a suitable comment is “Jislaaik, that’s a hang of a lot of people, hey?”

KLAP: Pronounced “klup” – an Afrikaans word meaning smack, whack or spank. If you spend too much time at the movies at exam time, you could end up catching a klap from your pa.

LEKKER: An Afrikaans word meaning nice, this word is used by aall language groups to express approval. If you see someone of the opposite sex who is good-looking, you can exclaim “Lekkerrr!” while drawing out the last syllable.

TACKIES: These are sneakers or running shoes. The word is also used to describe automobile or truck tyres. “Fat tackies” are big tyres, as in “Where did you get those lekker tackies on your Volksie, hey?”

DOP: This word has two basic meanings, one good and one bad. First, the good. A dop is a drink, a cocktail, a sundowner, a noggin. If you are invited over for a dop, be careful. It could be one or two sedate drinks or a blast, depending on the company you have fallen in with. Now the bad. To dop is to fail. If you dopped standard two (grade 4) more than once, you probably won’t be reading this.

SARMIE: This is a sandwich. For generations, school children have traded sarmies during lunch breaks. If you are sending kids off to school in the morning, don’t give them liver-polony sarmies. They are the toughest to trade.

HOWZIT: This is the universal South African greeting, and you will hear this word throughout the land. It is often used with the word “no” as this exchange “No, howzit?”, “No, fine.”, “No, isit?”

WHAT’S POTTING: Local vernacular for “What’s happening?” or “What’s up?”. This term has no gardening connotation whatsoever.

BIOSCOPE: A local word now losing a little fashion meaning movie theatre, cinema, flicks or pictures, depending on which part of the world you come from.

JUST NOW: Contrary to its apparent meaning, “just now” can mean anytime from now right through to the next millennium. Asked to do a job you don’t particularly like, you would reply “Ja, I’ll do it just now”

NOW NOW: In much of the outside world, this is a comforting phrase “Now, now, don’t cry – I’ll take you to the bioscope tomorrow. But in South Africa, this phrase means a little sooner than soon. “I’ll clean up my room now now, Ma”, knowing that you will receive a well deserved “klap” if you don’t do it at once. It is a little more urgent than “just now”.

BOET: This is an Afrikaans word meaning “brother” which is shared by all labguage groups. Pronounced “boot” as in “foot”, it can be applied to a non-brother. For instance, a father can call his son “Boet” and friends can apply the term to each other too. Sometimes the diminutive “boetie” is used. Don’t use this term with someone you hardly know – it would be thought patronizing.

PASOP: From the Afrikaans phrase meaning “Watch out!” this warning is used and heeded by all language groups. As in “Your ma hasn’t had her morning coffee yet Boet so pasop and stay out of her way.” Sometimes just the word, “Pasop!” is enough without further explanation. Everyone knows it sets out a line in the sand not to be crossed.

VROT: Pronounced “frot”. A wonderful word which means “rotten” or “putrid” in Afrikaans, it is used by all language groups to describe anything they really don’t like. Most commonly it describes fruit and vegetables whose shelf-lives have long expired, but a pair of tackies worn a few times too often can be termed “vrot” by unfortunate folk in the same room as the wearer. Also a rugby player who misses important tackles can be said to have played a vrot game – but not to his face because he won’t appreciate it. We once saw a movie review with this headline “Slick Flick, Vrot Plot”.

JA-NEE: Afrikaans for “Yes/No” in English. This expression’s origin is believed to have originated when a family member starts talking politics (what else do we talk about in South Africa?) and you don’t want to cause a political argument and get klapped or donnered, then every now and then you mutter, “Ja-Nee” (pronounced yah-near)

GRAZE: In a country with a strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that farming words crop up (pun intended) in general conversation. Thus to graze means to eat. If you are invited to a bioscope show, you may be asked “Do you want to catch a graze now now”.

CATCH A TAN: This is what you do when you lie on the beach pretending to study for matric exams. The Brits, who have their own odd phrases, say they are getting “bronzed”. Nature has always been unkind to South African school children, providing beach and swimming pool weather just when they should be swotting for the mid-summer finals. If you spend too much time “catching a tan” at exam time, you could end up catching a sharp “klap” from your pa.

ROCK UP: To rock up at some place is to just sort of arrive. You don’t make an appointment or tell anyone you are coming – you just rock up. Friends can do that, but you have to be selective about it. You can’t just rock up for an interview or at aa five star restaurant. You give them a bell first, then you rock up.

BELL: South African vernacular for telephone call as in “Ja Boet, I’ll give you aa bell just now” which means phoning anytime from now to eternity.

SCALE: To scale something is to steal it. A person who is “scaly” is not nice, he’s a scumbag and should be left off the Christmas part invitation list.

A day to remember

Yesterday was my birthday. But this birthday was one to remember, thanks to my beautiful wife. It seemed as if the whole universe conspired to make this a very special occassion.

I woke with U2's "Where the streets have no name" playing in my head. You know the feeling: when you have a particular tune in mind that you know will not let you go for the rest of the day. I didn't think much of it, but realized that I hadn't listened to my favourite band for quite some time. So, I started singing along. The muffled noise subsequently woke Natalie and the two boys, who were not too impressed, but delighted in the opportunity to jump on our bed and sing "Happy Birthday" (well, only Nats and Matt sang, while Nathan tried to join in with some spontaneous vocal harmonies which closely resembled his father's attempt to sing melody).

And then it came out... a big, flat square wrapped in purple and blue paper. And, you could have guessed, it was the book "U2 by U2" - something that I have been looking at for quite some time. While Natalie made some coffee and fed the boys, I followed orders to stay in bed and read my new book. It was bliss.

I had to get up sometime and decided to eat breakfast while watching the "U2 - live at Slane Castle" DVD which had been gathering dust for well over a year. Nathan had his mid-morning nap, while Matt and I jumped around the lounge to "It's a beautiful day" and the like. Natalie popped out to go and "run some erands", unbeknowns to me that she was plotting something for the rest of the day.

In between jumping on couches, swinging from a ceiling fan and behaving like a hooligan - something that comes more naturally to Matt than to me - I answered calls, everybody wishing me well, and reading SMS's and thanking God for dear friends.

Natalie returned, loaded the boys, including me, in the car and drove to her mom's house. Her mom recently got married and is still on honeymoon, so I was made to believe that we were going to braai there, because the we would be able to watch the rugby. Fair enough.

It didn't take long before the gatebell started ringing, announcing the arrival of very dear friends. Natalie planned a party! WOW! First, my brother arrived, bringing me a helmet - so now I can ride (of course when my Vespa is all put back together), Melanie came back from flying and gave me a Jeremy Clarkson book - which I have almost finished reading, John, Olga and baby Lilly surprised me with a '95 Laborie Cabernet and a Toblerone chockie (which I've been craving for about a lifetime) and also Rene, whose voucher I must spend on getting the other Clarkson books.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't about the wonderful gifts, but being surprised by friends and family who wanted to spend this day with me.

We braaied, chatted, played a bit of cricket with Matt and then partook in the most divine feast of salads, meat, breads and conversation. Our meal ended as the rugby started, and what a game it was! Shouting for the Boks was only interrupted by opening our mouths to eat some carrotcake and milktart.

As the sun set, friends and family started making their way home, leaving me with great appreciation and memories to last me another year. Special thanks must go to Natalie, for making this a day to remember.

He knows my name!

Nathan said "Pappa"! He has been calling his mother for about a week now, but when I returned home today, he looked at me, smiled and said "Pappa".

At first I thought it was just baby-babble, but when I left the room and went back a while later, he did exactly the same! There is no feeling like this. They truly grow up too quickly.

This experience made me think about my relationship with God. It hasn't been all that great lately, mainly because I have not spent enough time in prayer. But what must God feel like when we call on him for the first time. It may be a call of recognition, perhaps even a call of desperation. In my case it was a call of total surrender.

If God has a heart I would like to believe that it beat strongly in his chest when we call Him by name.

It's time for me to go spend some time with Abba.

Facebook

Just registered on www.facebook.com

See if you can find me there.

Hell, I thought I had a bit of savvy...

Matthew and I went shopping for supper. We stayed out a bit late, because we first HAD to stop at Mugg and Bean for a milkshake...our normal Friday Father-Son routine.

It was getting a bit late, so we made our way back home. Matt suddenly looked up and saw the Evening-star and said: "Pappa, look at that star! It is so bright, hey!". Noting a perfect opportunity to teach him something I asked "Do you know what that star's name is?", just to tell him that this star's name is Venus. And so I went on and said "Can you say Venus? Ve-nus" to which he responded "Ag, pappa... Venus is not a star, it's a planet and Jupiter is the biggest one!"

I decided to keep quiet for the rest of the trip and listen to his enlightened thinking.

6 June 1992

Today, 15 years ago, I preached my first sermon.

It was an evening service at Carletonville Methodist Church. My supervisor, Rev. (now Dr.) Dion Forster sat in the front pew. I was 16 years old and preached about faith. I was sure I knew what faith was, how God called us to faith and that faith had absolutely nothing to do with what we know.

I had a very clear picture of God in my mind and my preaching was filled with conviction. Theologians were doomed to hell, and so were homosexuals, drunkards and anyone who didn't believe as I did. My God was ready to kick some backside!

I wonder what I would have said to myself if I had the opportunity to meet the present "me". I wonder what I would say to the me of the past if I had the opportunity to meet myself-of-old.

Strange thing is, that I do meet my old self in many others, who are just as convinced and passionate about their views as what I used to be.

Time has taught me to listen more carefully, because the me of the future might even struggle to have a decent conversation with the me of the present.

Time has taught me about grace and graciousness.

I do not doom the me of the past. I celebrate today, because it reminds me that I will continue to grow and that the Lord's pruning sheers are active in this life.

Being a man.

I think it was Bill Cosby who said that God gave man a brain and a penis, but only enough blood to operate one at a time.

Being a man demands an understanding of this simple truth, the wisdom to know which organ is in control at any given moment, and the search for the place where one can control your own bloodflow.

I have been looking for a men's magazine for quite some time - mainly to relax a bit while enjoying being a man. Unfortunately, modern men's mag's do not have a balanced approach to manhood, focussing much more on the nether-regions than on broader issues. And so, it is easy to pick up a Men's Health, a GQ or FHM and see that the articles are predictable, monotonous and just plain same-old... "Loose weight, gain muscle fast... 207 things she wished you'd know... Erectile dysfunction, the secret cure...". As I celebrated life today, I came across a Men's Mag with a difference. It is called Manwees (Afrikaans for "Being a man"). I was astonished to see that it dedicated only about 5 of the 150 pages to erotic pleasure. The rest was made up of book and movie reviews, wine-tasting, ideas for quality-time activities with the kids...wife...yourself, bikes and a whole lot more. It is only available in Afrikaans, but is a must-read.

My wife just walked in, saw the mag on my desk and asked "Is this a South African magazine?" She read the title in English. I first had to laugh, not because of her mistake, but to the obvious connection between men and their things, for she did not think the title to be that out of character at all. Then I said a prayer, praying for the wisdom I spoke about earlier.

Good response to my paper.

Dear friends.

Last night I presented a paper entitled "Karl Barth's understanding of mission: The Church in relationship".

This paper is a summarized article of my thesis. Check it out, comment and teach me.

It was received very well by members of the Theological Society, which comprises theologians from various different traditions. I must say that presenting a paper in this forum is quite scary, but I was surprised to hear so much positive feedback. Theologians have the tendency to be scathing in their remarks, but that was not my experience last night.

So, I give thanks, knowing very well that one day my thoughts will be challenged more harshly.

Go Bokke!!!!

What a game! Today we beat the English by scoring 58 points to 10!
A glorious day, but even more so because I could enjoy the game with Matthew. He is enjoying this game more and more and is already able to give a more than adequate drop-kick, place-kick and up-and-under!

I wanted to take him to the testmatch coming up next week at Loftus, only to discover that tickets go for R385 each! A tad ridiculous! So, we will rather watch the game at home, take the money of one ticket and splash out on chips, dip, biltong and all other kinds of nice things.

One of the English made his test debut today at the age of 34. This still gives me a bit of hope that I too could wear the green and gold for real....wishful thinking. (ouch, my knee. I can't get out of this chair....struggling.....ok, there we go).

One way to make this man cry!

Our 3-year old son almost had me in tears the other day. I was carrying him in our local supermarket when he turned to me and said: "Pappa, you know what? I like you." Quite flattered I asked him why. He responded "Because I love you". And so I thanked him and gave him a big hug. After a few moments he spoke again and said "Pappa, thank you for being such a good man". Well, that was the end of me. To keep him from saying anything else that would push me over the edge, I just had to buy him a BIG box of Smarties.

I realized that there is nothing more powerful than being affirmed by a child.

A thought about evangelism

"Evangelism is witness. It is one beggar telling another beggar where to get food. The Christian does not offer out of his bounty. He has no bounty. He is simply a guest at his Master's table and, as evangelist, he calls others too." - Daniel T. Niles

Tag!

OK, it’s on. I’ve just been tagged by Pete to share 7 things that others don’t know about me.

1. In an IQ test I did 2 years ago, I scored above 145 (All I’m allowed to know). My psychologist said that I belong in a university and this is possibly the reason I struggle to feel fulfilled.
2. I re-arrange my study at least once a year, moving my desk against a different wall. I hate speaking or listening to people from the other side of a desk.
3. I have a black-belt in kickboxing and was once ranked second in South Africa.
4. The Dutch side of my family (my mom’s surname was Van Goeverden) is part of the Dutch royal family.
5. My name in German means “Steadfast”. My name says more about me than any title, therefore I prefer being called by my name.
6. Most of my friends are my senior. I struggle in relationships with people more or less my age, except Dion.
7. I own a Ferrari G-string. Being a McLaren-fan, I take the pleasure of pulling it… Let’s not go further.

Love to all. TAG….You’re it!

Communion is very difficult.

Our synods are being stretched in our understanding of community and Communion. I bought a little book from Upper Room publishers entitled "Conflict and Communion: Reconciliation and Restorative justice at Christ's Table". Contributors to this book include Peter Storey, Jan Love and William Everett. I have found this book to be a source of hope and comfort while there have been tense moments in this day, especially when news arrived that some of our friends and colleagues from the Cape of Good Hope District were suspended for their stance on Methodist Discipline.

I would like to share some quotes from this book that have spoken to me in preparation for the debates that we will share, especially those that are highly emotive and that may become a source of alienation.

Brueggemann "It is around that table that we have had our greatest conflicts because we know intuitively that in eating and drinking we are choosing our brand of shalom and legitimating an ordering of our world".

In the chapter "The Last Supper: Naming the conflicts and giving Bread and Wine", Mark 14:17-25 is quoted. "After they have taken their places and are eating, what are the first words that we hear Jesus say? He says 'Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me...' Isn't this startling? What a way to start a dinner party! The first words of Jesus, at this final dinner with his disciples, name the conflict that is the elephant in the room." "What Jesus does next is remarkable, radical, and transforming in the context of his day and ours. After naming the conflict, he turns and offers everyone - Judas, Peter, everyone - bread and wine."

"I have a growing conviction that on some issues we are not, at least in the near term, going to find common ground, but we can find at the Table higher ground, transcendent ground to which we are invited and where we can stand together."

I hope these words bless you.

Synod 2007

Sorry, no photos. I forgot my camera at home.

Synod 2007 in the Limopo district is hosted in Rustenburg in the North West province.

This year's synod will be remembered for ministers' challenge to the church-structures regarding its failure in allowing ministers to preside over same-sex civil-unions. Yesterday, Thursday, saw 19 ministers in the Cape of Good Hope District having "objections" recorded behind their names as they professed that they accept Methodist Doctrine, understanding it to allow them to preside over same-sex unions.

Our synod raised a resolution requesting the church to allow ministers to follow their conscience in this matter. This issue will be debated today. It will be a heated debate, so please, pray for us - that we may love each other, speaking the truth in love and allowing each other to believe that all of us are loved by God, irrespective of our stance. God may nevertheless carry issue with our stances, and so we are open to challenge and growth. 

We pray that we will not blaspheme - ascribing characteristics to God, speaking in the Name of God, when God cannot identify with our proclamation. And so, we are open to revelation, the receiving of this revelation, and in faith, a response to this revelation.   This is just a short summary. I will keep everyone informed.

I failed an assignment!

12 years of tertiary education and now it happens.

I failed an assignment. This year I registered for Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Psychological Research and Interpersonal Skills.

So far I have achieved an average of 80+ for all of them, except Psychological Research, which came back with a mark of 36.

I can't believe it! I don't know what to do with this feeling. I want to fix it, but can't. It is definitely not one of my favourite subjects, but it is no excuse.

I must admit that I haven't spent as much time with it as I should have. It is a multiple choice paper and I eventually got so gatvol that I stopped looking for the answers and just spotted what I thought were the correct choices.

Serves me right!

Our anniversary

It was our 7th wedding anniversary on the 29th April 2007.

Sadly, I preached at two services and so could not spoil Natalie. On Monday we went to my folks, and so we postponed the spoiling again.

Last night, however, Nat's mom looked after the boys while we went for supper at a restaurant named "Heat". A friend of ours owns it and so we decided to support it a bit. It is a bit on the pricey side, but if you are up for a special meal, then this is the place.

We had carpaccio, steak with mustard and brandy-sauce. We drank what amounted to a bottle of wine, and then had lovely mousse and ice-cream covered with Nachtmusik and Cape Valvet.

What was more special, was the opportunity to sit and talk. Nobody else interupting, no crises to attend to, no telephones, but just us. It is strange how one lives past your spouse and at first it felt quite strange to "just talk". We had about half an hour of awkward silence, very much like a first date. But then we got to know each other again and fell in love again.

Thanks my lief for a wonderful 7 years.

And thanks for allowing my to watch the end of the soccer last night. If you didn't hear: Liverpool drummed Chelsea 4-1. "You will neeeeveeeer waaaaalk alooooone!"

By the way, don't you think my wife is just too beautiful?

Catholics and Communion AGAIN!

Yesterday we said farewell to Natalie's gran. She was Catholic, but more important, as she always reminded us, she was Greek - from ATHENS!

Sadly, as we wished to express communion with her, the priest - as is his right - reminded the congregation that only Catholics in good standing were allowed to receive the sacrament. Not only did he remind us, but he rubbed it in, for about three minutes!

I found two statements interesting:

First, he said: "If you do not believe like we believe, then please do not come to the altar".
Second: "If you remain in your seats, please commmit yourself to praying for church-unity".

To me, communion is about community. Community is not about uniformity, it is the celebration of acceptance in the midst of divesity. How can I believe like you believe? How dare you or I exlude each other from celebrating God's act of love based merely on whether we agree or not?

What is church-unity? Once again, did he mean that I should pray that I may reach the point of becoming a Catholic?

I do not understand.

Out of about 250 people, only about 50 went up for mass. This is a statement in itself!

But, as Pete Grassow says, anyone is welcome to receive the elements at the church at which I serve. In fact, the more broken you are, the better.

Ciao nonna. Sorry about the church.

Matt is in love!

My boy is in love! At 3!

Her name is Livia. She is in Matthew's class and I am told that Matthew insists on sitting next to her all the time.

I questioned him about this relationship and he told me that he is going to take her to his granny's wedding (in June). He is going to get her a white dress and that "she will look soooo beautiful!"

Oh boy!

My Vespa restoration blog

Wondering where I am? Well, I'm busy restoring my Vespa. Chech out my new blog and follow my progress. Leave some comments. Check the Link on the right. Cheers

There is something about Peter

Last night, Maundy Thursday, I preached on Jesus' arrest. I was struck by Peter's response to Jesus' arrest. He drew his sword and struck someone.

This is the same Peter, who would later that night deny Jesus 3 times - A bit of a contrast, I think.

It leads me to the following:

I suppose we would much rather die in our defense of Jesus than drink the cup he has called us to drink.

This has been the basis for my Easter-meditations.

Hope you find it helpful too.

I'm coming up for air

So, I haven't blogged for a while. I've been fairly busy during the past couple of weeks.

 

First, I am busy setting up our denomination's Doctrine and ethics blogspot. Go check out this work in progress at www.mcsadewcom.blogspot.com This has kept me off the streets as my good friend Dion taught me how to ftp. Quite simple actually. Most things are if you know what you are doing.

 

On Friday I submitted the second draft of my thesis. Prof Wethmar looked pleased as he scanned through it, but will let me know next week about its acceptability. After that I have to make several copies for the external examiners as well as the defense committee. The defense will probably take place a few weeks after the externals have marked it. Then I have to write an article for a journal (I have already published one from my thesis, so now I don't have to write two).

 

Then there is Bertie (check previous blog-entries). I got him running, but he doesn't want to idle. SO, if there is someone technically minded out there, your advise will be appreciated. Bertie smokes quite a lot, but that is forgivable. When he is running, I have to open the throttle a bit to keep him going. Turning the idle screw does not affect the idling speed at all and when I close the mixing screw, he runs at his best. While running, he also dies when I pull out the choke. I think he is sucking air somewhere, probably through a cracked head. The engine will probably need to be overhauled, because I think the smoke is indicative of rings that need replacing.

 

What boggles my mind is that he has a lot of power. I took my brother for a spin and with 2 adults on, we reached 70km/h. Not too shabby. Any advise before I strip the carb and the engine?

 

Blessings to all.

Crime, South Africa and being Christian

How do Christians deal with crime? Today, three perspectives came to the fore as three different Christians gave expression of their faith in different ways.

As I walked into my office this morning, I collected my post as usual. Among the many letters, I received correspondence from a prominent pentecostal church in our province, calling churches to a national day of prayer against crime. The leaflet contained the following heading: "We declare war on crime!". It is easy to be sympathetic to the sentiments conveyed, especially when a third family member was shot during a robbery in less than a year. But think about the words. Using the framework of a violent act to bring an end to violence and acts that cause distress in our society? WWJD?

The second and third perspectives were on the frontpage of today's edition of the Beeld-newspaper (a national Afrikaans newspaper). The first story on the tells of a man who lives in a suburb next to ours. He chased and caught one of the robbers that broke into his home and who stabbed the domestic worker. On catching the thief he asked him: "Do you know Jesus?". He then prayed for him, forgave him, gave him a hug and asked him to help the injured lady, all while telling him about Jesus' love. An awe-inspiring story!

Two columns below, the story is told a minister who was almost robbed of his bike, fought back, clobbering the robber over the head with his bike. The robber came off second best, the minister landed in hospital, and expressed that he feels that he cannot preach a message of reconciliation any longer.

I am moved by all three these approaches. Each of them resonates with some part of me. First, I want to be proactive in contributing towards the healing of our society. A part of me also wants to clobber any would-be thief over the head, hopefully knocking some sense into what seems to be obvious senselessness. But the story of the lay-person praying for the robber is probably the closest we will come to a Jesus-approach: turning the cards so that the "enemy" becomes an instrument of healing.

I'll have to chew on these approaches some more before I can make sense of them in my own life.

Hans Kung and the church.

When I did my Bachelors degree in Theology, we had to study Hans Kung's monumental work "The Church". Looking at the book, it seems very intimidating, but it is one of those books that I enjoyed thoroughly and will not part with.

I read through some sections again this morning and was reminded of the distinction he draws between the church and the Kingdom of God. He speaks so strongly about this difference that I am sure that he would have been excommunicated for this alone. If you don't know Kung's history, go check it out.

He says that there are two temptations in the Christian faith. The first is to equate the church to the Kingdom of God. If this path is chosen, it will lead to disillusionment, anger and resentment, for the church is not complete and should rather be seen as a mode of spiritual travel than a divine institution.

The second is to dissociate the church from the Kingdom of God completely. This path leads to relativism and a total disregard for mystery and revelation. The church is tied to the Kingdom by being a herald.

I keep this in mind as I listen to those whom the church has put in positions of leadership, who sometimes express themselves in ways that make people believe that they are the sole voice of God.

ps. Dion, I'll post a photo of Bertie soon!

Safe and sound

We landed at 2:15am. Compliments to the pilots and staff of Mango airlines. Better safe than sorry!

 

Furthermore I want to thank the passangers. Of course there were those who grumbled and made scenes, but they were in the minority and chose not to take the second flight. Among those who remained, a bond was created which made me exceptionally proud to be South African. We all had smiles on our faces as we boarded, sharing sharp wit to lighten the moment. Matthew was getting hungry and an Indian man gave him a chocolate. I was loaded with hand-luggage and a stranger offered to push ouma in her wheelchair.

 

Re a leboga

 

Close to death

We were supposed to fly from Johannesburg to Durban. At 21:00 we took off and when we got to Durban an hour later, we got caught in a severe thunder storm. It rained so hard that the pilot couldn't see the runway. We made two approaches while the plan was being thrown all over the place, lighting striking close to the plane at short intervals. We had to turn back to Johannesburg. We are now waiting for a flight at 1am Friday morning.

 

In case we don't make it, let it be known that I changed into clean undies before our second flight. Hope this one goes better.

 

Meet Bertie

Here he is, my own little Vespa. He was born in 1984, his dad was well endowed and passed on the p150x gene.

Oh, I'm so happy, I could sommer gorrel Sunlight soap!

Bertie is named after my grandfather Hubertus van Goeverden (my Dutch oupa) who passed him down to me. I am very fortunate, because Oupa Goewies wanted to get rid of him. I came along, eyed the bike, and the next minute he was all mine!

Please take note, that Bertie is a he. I've got enough trouble as it is.

Nevertheless, Bertie doesn't want to start. This convinces me that there is a measure of gender-confusion in Bertie's psyche. Please note that I deliberately use the term "gender-confused" as this is, unlike homosexuality, a psychological abnormality (according to my textbook on Psychopathology - Sue, Sue and Sue).

I am in two minds about how to treat this problem. I can either send Bertie for professional help. This may cost a bit, but he will be sorted out in no time. Or, I can understake to practice my skills and take Bertie on as a medium- to longterm project. The costs may be less, but you never know - I might just mess him up some more, ending up sending him to a pro afterall!

Pray for me as I make this vital decision.

And Dion, thanks for drawing my attention to the beauty of Vespa's. Otherwise I would have never eyed it in my Oupa's garage.

Lent and crime. Some abbreviated thoughts.

Little Sheldean Human's body was found last week. Pretoria's walls are filled with messages of love and support. Some offer prayers, while others call for the murderer's execution. It is a traumatic event in the life of this community, this nation.

Something has gone terribly wrong with our society. Everyone seems to live lives of caution, suspicion, anxiety and fear. Communities are fighting back, and this is a positive sign, but where has it all gone wrong?

Perhaps we can learn something from Isaiah. This week the lectionary takes us on a journey through chapter 55:1-9. These have offered food for thought, emphasised the themes in Lent for the salvation of the nation.

Think about the following:

1. "Why do you pay more attention to that which is destructive than to what God gives freely? " (v. 1-2).
Is South Africa not falling into the trap of depending on its own successes, legacy or icons? The walls are getting higher, we don't know our neighbours, churches are feeling the pinch as members prefer to go shopping than worshipping in community. Perhaps Lent can teach us as a nation that we depend far more on God's grace than what we think.

2. "My ways are not your ways" (v.8).
The Lordship of Christ is so easily negotiated. The trap of relativism places us in a position where "you can believe in what keeps you happy, while I'll believe in what makes me happy". Who is created in who's image here?

3. "Call on the Lord while he is near" (v.6)
I don't think that God is offering here a window-opportunity. I understand it to say to the nation of Judah that the longer they dabble in self-generated, self-gratifying actions and not acknowledge the role of their relationship to God and community, the more difficult it will become to return to being God's people. Perhaps we need to hear this during Lent and find ourselves rather in the humble worship of God than the worship of ourselves.

I anticipate that the pragmatists and rationalists will find this concept hard to swallow. The journey of Lent is not about finding solutions, but journeying on a restorative path as we come face-to-face with God and discover our own brokenness.

Conquerers of what?

See this story on congregation members robbed of their money by a scam in the church. Ironically the denomination(?) concerned is "Conquerers through Christ ministries".

The transfiguration mystery

A young lady in my Bible study asked why it is that Moses seemed to have appeared in bodily form alongside Jesus and Elijah. Moses is recorded to have died and therefore couldn't appear in flesh. (Elijah is recoded as having been taken up into heaven without dying).

I had to scratch my head a bit about this one, but then found this interesting explanation. According to Jewish mythology (also referred to in Jude 1:9), the archangel Michael and the devil fought over Moses' body after his passing. According to myth, God then stopped the feud by resurrecting Moses and taking him to heaven.

Thanks Julia for asking the question.

Interesting, isn't it?

Lent

Lent is always a special time in my Christian walk. On Ash Wednesday we worshipped together as a congregation, being reminded of our own brokenness and need for healing. The Lenten journey also goes hand-in-hand with the practice of Christian discipline, one of which is fasting. Fasting does not necessarily only relate to giving up a meal or food, but can be the surrender of anything. A little more about that later.

I find this year's fast extremely difficult. It has become blatantly obvious how I rationalize my commitment to God and how I negotiate His Lordship. I do not believe that I am alone in doing this, but this is why I am thankful for a season such as Lent - it is there to remind me of my dependence on God and what it means to be a Follower of Christ. Although fasting is difficult, I am reminded of the reasons for fasting:

1. It reminds us that all that we have belongs to God. We own nothing and we cannot lay claim to any privileges or amenities by virtue of our accomplishments, qualifications or identity. By surrendering something and longing for that same thing, my attention moves away from my own power to the providence of God. By fasting in this way, one becomes acutely aware of how God is at work in one's life.

2. Fasting highlights the way in which people, items or events start replacing God as Lord of our lives. How dependent am I on that which I surrendered? Can I truly not live without it?

3. Fasting reminds me that this state of voluntary need is a daily reality for many people around me. It makes me aware of needs that exist and makes me sensitive to the plight of those who find themselves in these situations.

Lent is there to refocus my relationship with God, my neighbour and myself. It is a Godly journey, and although difficult, is a journey that leads us to the empty tomb. This promise of new life has claimed victory over all that binds us and seeks to separate us from the love of God.

Pray for me as I will for you on this Lenten path.

Recommended reading

Miroslav Volf, H.B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School wrote an excellent little book entitled "Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture stripped of Grace".

In this book he explores our picture of God and challenges modern society to reflect deeply and discover the gift of giving and forgiving that exists within each one of us. It is his view that "We are at our human best when we give and forgive. But we live in a world in which it makes little sense to do either one."

As we embark on the Lenten journey, it will serve us well to become aware of the abundant giving and forgiving that God invests in our lives, while calling us to do the same.

Let me know what you think.

Midmar!!!

I trained for a year, reaching a level of fitness that I have probably never reached before.

This past weekend we drove down to Midmar dam in KwaZulu-Natal (about 600km's) to partake in this international open-water event. My first attempt at swimming the Midmar mile failed last year, but after swimming other races, I was determined to overcome this monster. Sunday morning was cold, about 15 degrees C. There was a light drizzle and a howling wind, which made it feel even colder. Our race was the last race of the day, the grand finale where 13-30 year olds compete.

Somehow the organizers did not manage to get around to organizing the shuttles, taking people to the start of the race, so only armed with our speedo's, about 2000 testosterone and adrenaline filled guys walked barefoot around the dam to the starting post. When we got there, we were quickly sorted into the different caps: red caps for the pro's, then blue caps, yellow caps, green caps (my group - which means we can swim a little) and then the white caps. We stood in the ice cold wind, once again, only in our costumes for about half an hour, watching the ladies (13-30 year olds) completing the event.

By now our hearts were racing, anticipating the launch of the different caps. There is something very special about hearing "Red caps - Go", then the launch of each group with only 2 minutes separating each. But this time was different.

As the last ladies left the water, a violent wind came up (wasn't me I promise!), creating waves in the dam of about half a meter high! Even the lifesavers in the paddleski's were floating way off course. Instead of letting these guys loose to attack the water, the announcement came: "Due to dangerous swimming conditions, this even has been canceled."

"What!? You've got to be kidding!"

No-one said a word. There was a group of schoolboys who came all the way from England for this event! Poor Pommies. After what felt like an eternity, one-by-one we started making our 2 km trek back to the finish-line. Some were angry, others swore and cursed the officials. Others, like me couldn't say a word and felt physically ill for the rest of the day. When we reached the end, the wind subsided and the dam was as smooth as glass - perfect conditions, but too late.

I can't remember much about my walk back to the finish line. I couldn't even feel the cold. This was the most disappointing experience of my life. Please laugh, that is the only way I can cope with it now. What makes it worse, is that this year is the last time that I could have competed in this age-group. At least, next year I don't have to prove a point to the laaities (young chaps in Afrikaans), but I can instead foster the onset of mid-life crisis.

At least I can swim the Makhulu km in Midrand on Sunday. Blessings to all while I go on Minister's retreat.

The church's lies

I preached a sermon based on Isaiah 6:1-13, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 and Luke 5:1-11 at a retirement centre on Sunday with the above as a theme. I thought it well to publish some of the thoughts here and not on the sermon-blog. The crux of the sermon is based on the church's evangelical approach being incongruent with what we celebrate during Epiphany. So, here goes:

1. The church is lying when it sells Jesus like a neatly packaged deal.
Our faith is a faith of revelation. All that we can do is to respond in faith to God's gracious act of revelation. The kind of evangelism that knows what God looks like and what people should look like is prone to fall to its own assumptions. Christian evangelism is therefore not concerned with selling a certain brand of Jesus or Christianity, but its sole purpose is to testify to the revealed God. We believe that Jesus is the full revelation of God and therefore the mystery of Christ plays as important part of the church's proclamation as our inherited understanding of Him.

2. The church is lying when it creates a minimum requirement for membership.
Much of Christian proclamation concerns making people aware of their unworthiness. It is easy to proclaim a message of judgment, hoping that the recipient would turn in their faith. As if God needs an ego-boost!!! What about, if the church stops telling people how bad they are, and focus more on how much God loves them. People feel bad already. People need a Saviour, not a God who rubs it in. Perhaps it is easier for the church to proclaim a salvation based on condemnation, for somehow, we can't stand the thought that God would love someone else as much as what God loves me. Look at Isaiah. He stood gob smacked in God's presence. He admitted his guilt, but instead of God saying "Yes, I know and you will stay like this", he is healed and sent.

3. The church is lying when it claims that Christianity is something extra to our daily existence.
Guess what. Jesus climbed in the boat, made a difference where it mattered and spoke in images that people could understand. True Christian evangelism makes a difference where it matters, it doesn't force people to stop being them and become like "us". Were the disciples even really listening to what Jesus was saying on the shore? What turned their minds? Jesus was relevant right there!

Something for the church to think about in our witnessing. God reveals (Deus dixit for the Barthians), we respond, God loves (Incarnational), God works.

A response to Sharky

Dear Sharky

 

Thank you for your comment concerning the Methodist Church's usage of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

 

I assume that you refer to the "exclusive" act of presiding over the sacrament by an ordained minister, because as you may know, laity celebrate the sacramant wherever it is offered.

 

I do not think that the Methodist church is exclusive to the degree that you hint at. We have, for instance, groups of lay folk who take the elements conscecrated at a communion service to those who cannot attend a Sunday Service. The "Love feast" is also practiced in the context of bible studies and the like.

 

The church, at least the Methodist Church, does not deny anyone the privilege of celebrating the sacrament. In fact, we have one of the most inclusive views on Holy Communion. Children are allowed to celebrate, and women ministers preside over the sacrament every week - something that is unheard of in many Christian circles.

 

Is the Methodist church perfect? Not by a long shot! But my sadness is that people are denied the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament, purely on the basis of venue and denominational affiliation. I also appreciate the recognition of ordination for Word and Sacrament, but this does not mean the denial of others celebrating a special event in the Church's life.

 

Just my simple response to a valid and real question. THANKS for raising this point. I will certainly look more closely at the way I serve and how I allow others their ministry.

 

Regards

Wessel

Francois Fenelon

For the past weeks I have included a quote from Francois Fenelon as a signature on all my e-mails. It reads as follows: "Be persuaded, timid soul, that He has loved you too much ever to
cease loving you.". Thanks to a member of the Barthian milieu group (Yahoo) for drawing my attention to this quote.

So, I decided to wiki old Francois. The following story fascinates me:

"When he was Almoner to Louis XIV his majesty was astonished one Sunday to find, instead of the usual crowded congregation, only himself and his attendants, the priest, and the other officers of the chapel. "What is the meaning of this?" asked the king; the prelate answered: "I caused it to be given out, that your majesty did not attend chapel to-day, in order that you might see, who came here to worship God, and who to flatter the King.""

My prayer this week is for all Christians, myself included, that our worship and service may be sincere and pleasing to God.

Thérèse of Lisieux

Therese of Lisieux is not well known, but the impact of her sincere struggle with her faith has shaped the way both Catholics and Protestants approach the topic of faith and gratitude.

Therese became a nun at a very young age, with the sole motivation of becoming holy. She did not only want to be holy, she wanted to be the most holy. She thought that the convent would provide a sanctuary where this distinct gift would find fulfillment. Very soon she realized that spiritual growth is dependent on grace. The more she tried to become holy, the further away she moved from holiness. The picture she drew of spiritual growth in the convent was that of a person climbing a staircase. It demanded effort, hard work and discipline.

She simply felt too weak for such a journey. If holiness depended on the amount of effort she put in, she would certainly not achieve it. Then they invented the elevator, and this discovery helped Therese in understanding grace. An elevator fetches people. The strong and the weak are all carried to their destination. So, God's grace also acts in a way that demands less of the individual, meaning that even the weakest in faith can experience the uplifting power of God's love. God's grace to all is therefore the "mechanism" that promotes spiritual growth.

Theresa continued on her spiritual journey, surrendering more and more of her life to the grace of God. She wrote an autobiography, translated into English as "Story of a Soul", which became her profound contribution to written theology. She died at the age of 24 from Tuberculosis.

Thanks to those at the Theological Society of South Africa for their insights and Dr Willem Nicol for his presentation.

22 January - Matthew's other birthday

Three years ago we were waiting patiently in a hospital waiting room. Matthew was being operated on at only 4 months old. The doctors swapped his aorta and pulmonary arteries and closed holes in the septum between the ventricles and atria. Matthew suffered heart-failure and needed this operation to save his life. I remember pacing the ward for the whole 8 hours. Natalie and other family were doing the same. Very little was spoken that day. I nevertheless remember thinking "Where will we be 3 years from now?". That question really got me going for hours - sifting through all the possibilities.

Well, here we are! Matt is healthy and strong! At 3 he is building 100-piece puzzles and after completing them, breaks them up and rebuilds them with the pieces facing down! He is well mannered, sensitive and appreciative of all things. Where Nathan is our little Rastafarian (see earlier post), I suppose Matt is our little Buddhist. (just joking for those who take offense).

We thank God today for our boys and their health. We give thanks for Dr. Colyn at UNITAS, who looked after Matt at all hours of the day. She remains a very good friend and Matt's favourite doctor. We give thanks for Prof. Kinsley, Drs Dansky, Mamorare and Colsen, whom through their work give support, comfort, hope and joy to many families. We give thanks to all the nursing staff who always had time to listen and provide a shoulder to cry on. Thanks God.

Right of admission reserved

I have been asked to do a wedding. The bride is a member of my church, while her husband to be is Catholic. When we met for our first interview, they expressed the wish for me to share the service with his priest. The wedding will take place in our Methodist Church. They also asked to share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion - symbolic of their first meal together.

I already anticipated difficulty in conveying these wishes to the priest. I met him this morning and had a delightful conversation, until we spoke about Communion. The priest made it quite clear that he would have difficulty in sharing in a service where Holy Communion is involved, as it would be celebrated outside a Catholic Church. I was surpised, but at the same time, not really. I know the Catholic view on Nuptual Mass, Mass per se. I respect it, but I am hurt by it.

I am hurt by the fact that the Sacrament of grace cannot find its place outside a specific environment. I am hurt by the lack of recognition that God calls all different kinds of people to minister in God's Church. I am hurt for the couple's sake, for they have to make the decision whether to forsake Communion or ask the Priest not to partake.

When the Table is closed, it is not just the Table that is unaccessible. It leads to more things. It leads to bruised relationships, disappointment and an atmosphere of caution, rather than celebration.

I pray for wisdom. And healing.

Homeland Security

A friend bought me this t-shirt. Hope you see the picture ok, otherwise go to www.tribalsovereigntees.com

Finding places

We start by looking at two of the three most beautiful people. Mainly, because I don't know how to move the photo so that I can write above it.

I any case...

I love going to Spier whenever in Cape Town. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places that I have ever visited. There are so many places in the Cape to visit, that if one compares it to Gauteng, it is no wonder that up here we are so busy and stressed while folk from the Cape seem a lot more relaxed.

That was until Sunday. We were invited to go to the Irene farm to have some lunch. To my surprise I found that this place had the same atmosphere as Spier. Open space, people eating, kids playing... bliss.

We have probably driven past Irene farm a million times, never bothering to go inside and take a look. Obviously some great meditation-material here. It made me think about the tendency in rushed living to miss the places of serenity and peace. In our rush, it is easy to slip past the "entrances" to being peaceful, content, the place where one can just "be". Perhaps our names should be changed from "human beings" to "human doings" as an author suggests.

This year, my aim is to be happy with where I am and what I've got. My life is fulfilled only if I accept it as such. To live this way, I believe, makes it easier to go into the places of sanctuary and to be at peace.

Here are some more photos of our time at Irene Farm.

A new year with all kinds of challenges!

Hi friends! Happy New Year!

I haven't posted for quite some time. Reason being that I have taken December and called it "Finish Your Doctorate-month". I am pleased to announce that, after hours and hours of labour, I have given birth to something new. It is a girl. Just joking. Hours and hours of labour is true. I feel that this work is something new. I would like to think of it as a little girl, but the pages are too close together to tell for sure.

This festive-season has nevertheless been a special time in our family-life. Matthew is growing and really enjoyed this Christmas. His wisdom and compassion astounds me. Natalie told him the other day to say "Thank you" whenever somebody gave him a gift. Not that we had to teach him, for he has been doing this for a long time now. It was just a reminder. She also told him about many other boys and girls that won't be getting presents over Christmas.

I didn't know about the second part until last week. Matt's new toys were lying all over the place. Walking-in from my study, with my mind buzzing with Barth's ecclesiological rhetoric, I almost slipped on this pile of toys. Frustrated, I looked at Matt and said: "In one minute I am going to take a plastic bag. I am going to take all toys that I find lying around and I am going to give them to other children!" OK, I know it wasn't the best thing to say. He calmly looked at me and said "Hey, what a good idea!" He then fetched a bag, put the toys inside, handed it to me and said "Thanks papa for taking the toys to the children". Ouch.

Who was taught a lesson? Who needs Barth when you have little 3 year olds?

Let's move on, before I fall into a state of guilt again.

Nathan is growing well. He is gaining about 300g per week, so now weighing 4.5kg. He is still a very quiet baby and laughs whenever he sees me. It must be my nose. Thanks Oupa Goewies!

Natalie is a beautiful as ever and celebrates every day as she is able to fit into her old clothes again. Nathan is sucking her dry! She will start work again in the second term, so she has a lot of time to relax, look after Nathan and make me coffee. He-he

Things are well with me. I can't wait to submit the final bound copies of my thesis! This must happen before the end of February. Until then, I will add a little here and there. It is truly a Christian thesis as the Lord is adding to its number (of pages) every day. I will also be completing my 3rd year Psychology courses and hopefully enroll for the Masters by about June.

Blessings to all and hope that 2007 treats you well.

Nathan 1 month old!

Nathan turned a month old on the 14th. It totally passed us by! Sorry Nathan. Happy mini-birthday, old chap.

Nathan is putting on a lot of weight! He now weighs 3.75kg, meaning that he has gained over a kilogram since birth! Who could blame him? His food comes in such nice containers!

I am convinced that he is not going to be a Christian, but rather a Rastafarian. He is TOTALLY laid-back and I can almost image him with a zol between the fingers. Hence, I have renamed him "Bob" (Marley). He sleeps for about 4 hours, wakes up, looks at the world, laughs, drinks, messes in his nappy and falls asleep again. He doesn't cry, but just lets us know that he needs more food. Sometimes we forget he is even there.

Matthew loves his brother to bits. He is the first to greet him in the morning, the last to say "Goodnight".

We are truly blessed!

God-complex

I know many ministers and pastors. Let us call all of them ministers for now. I am a minister myself, so what I am about to say, although generalised, speaks to me as well. I know many ministers for whom what I am about to describe is not true, but are people devout in their faith and whom I deeply respect and admire.

I am struck, listening to many colleagues (and others on TBN), how responsible ministers feel to convince people about God and the Christian faith. Before reading further, stop now and think about it for a while. My question to them is WHY?

The focus on this point is not so much the message that is declared, but the manner in which ministers tend to take responsibility for their hearers and measure their own effectiveness in ministry in numerical terms. A good service can therefore be described in terms of a good numerical response to an altar-call, the amount of tears shed during a moving sermon or prayer, even the size of a congregation.

The way many ministers take personal responsibility for the entrenching of God’s Spirit in the lives of the faithful is done to such an extent that it gives the impression that the opportunity they have been given to testify to their congregations is the only time God is able to speak to that person or group. It implies that God does not speak to the individual or congregation or society at any other point than when the minister flaps his/her gums from a nicely designed wooden- or Perspex pulpit. This is further amplified in ministers’ lack of being able to facilitate counselling sessions. Many of these events are not opportunities for people to discover their own path for recovery, but are made recipients of another sermon, or hear “What happened to me on-the-other-hand…” quickly followed by an invitation to the surrender their lives to the Lord. It is not surprising, as in my own ministerial training we had two 3-hour sessions “teaching” us how to counsel.

My question is this: I wonder if there is a common psychological profile that can be drawn up of ministers? Perhaps that will be the basis of my Psych-masters – studying ministers? It seems quite possible to me that many ministers find a natural place for control and power in the church as they recognize their own histories being riddled by a lack of control or power. This place of religious conviction and the ability and opportunity to address and influence other people then becomes so strong that no external reality to that of the institutional church is recognized or deemed to be acceptable. Prof Wessel Stoker suggested something to the same effect in his book “Is vragen naar zin vragen naar God?” – an excellent and easy-reading book and also available in English.

Does God really only speak through ministers? Further, does God only speak through ministers’ sermons and teaching? What we tend to forget is that even proclamation is a subjective and anthropocentric approach to give testimony concerning a God who is not confined to the limitations of our dimensions. Is it not arrogance to verbally declare that a specific theology or understanding of God is the full comprehension of all truth? For this reason, I struggle to listen to the convicted sermons of many, and am careful in what I say to my congregations. If ministers were the sole custodians of the declaration of the Word, then we should see much more “conversions” at Synods, Conferences, Circuit Quarterly meetings… but we don’t.

My mother is a lay-person who did not know about the two creation-narratives in Genesis until I pointed it out to her. She nevertheless acted as an instrument of God’s self-disclosure to me as a person. Not that God revealed Godself through her, but the awareness of God’s self-revelation in Jesus Christ was clear in her presence and testimony.

What is impressive is not how many people a person has “won” for the Kingdom, but how “few” people were lost to the Kingdom because of that person. You catch my drift? So what if, for example, either Benny Hinn or John Wesley is responsible for 100 000 commitments at one crusade, but puts millions off from even considering Christianity when listening to that same message? Sorry for comparing Benny Hinn to John Wesley. So, I am not impressed by names such as Webb, Graham or whatever. I may know of a few, or even many who have come to faith through their testimonies, but that is all that I’ll know.

What fascinates me is how responsible many ministers/pastors feel for a particular individual’s soul, when their primary message to the world is that a human being is unable to affect salvation, but that it is an act of grace from God. Ironic.

Do I then believe that ministry is obsolete and that ministers all need therapy. Answer: “No”, and “It wouldn’t hurt”. Ministry is an essential function. It builds community. It creates opportunities for people to be humane, and where they are already humane, even more so.

This is what I believe. I believe in God. I believe that God reveals. I believe that people are convicted of this self-revelation by the power of the Spirit. I believe that all Christians are called to testify to this act of revelation and salvation, verbally and/or non-verbally, but non-judgementally. It is God who reveals, God who convicts and God who saves, God who judges. It is the same God who revealed God-self to Abraham, Isaac and Moses before ministers and the church existed. The same God who revealed Godself through Jesus Christ and convicts through the power of the Spirit.

Then why is it that I hear ministers declaring their feelings of guilt of not taking a day off in order to be the presence of God to others? Can they not be the presence of God to others on their day off? Can it be because of a ministerial God-complex? A powerless childhood? Can ministers allow God to speak for Godself and therefore not having to parade an “answer to all situations”?

I would like to work myself out of a job, so to speak, where people can trust their own encounters with God without feeling the need for it to be validated by a person with a clerical title.

Just some mind-wandering.

Words

A short lesson from a devotional book I'm reading (Thanks Pete, it is great!):

A man walked next to the shore and found a crowd gathered close to the water. As he drew closer he saw a man in a self-made boat getting ready to row across the ocean. As he was preparing, the crowd tried to persuade him to abort his attempt. "You will never make it in that boat!", "You will burn in the sun!", "You don't have enough food" were some of the comments made. As he set off, this man ran to the water's edge, yelling "Go for it! You can make it! We are proud of you". As he turned back the crowd stood silent. They asked him "Do you seriously believe that he can make it?". He responded "I don't know, but when he is in trouble I hope that he will remember my words and not yours!".

Words have the power to motivate or to discourage. Choose your words carefully, especially as we enter this Christmas season.

On a lighter note...

We went to the Lionpark outside Krugersdorp. Here Matt and I are stroking a 3 month old lioness! What an amazing experience.

God is great! To look into the eyes of a lion while scrathing her tummy is something to behold! Just to think that we won't dare do the same to her in a year or two!

Blessingss to all as we start on the Advent journey, recognizing that the world indeed needs a saviour, but that the signs of the Kingdom are here in a little boy sitting without threat next to a lion.

Sorry for the outburst!

Apologies to God and all readers for my outburst.

God answered in the funeral service held today at the Krugersdorp-North Nederduits Herformde Kerk.

Ds. Fourie preached on Habakkuk 1 and the concluded with Habakkuk 3. If you have an Afrikaans Bible, you will find Habakkuk's complaints much better expressed than what is available in the NIV. (My opinion).

Oom George, rest in peace.

Crime Again!

I am sick of this! My wife's sister's father-in-law was killed in his house in Krugersdorp a couple of days ago.

Oom George was a wonderful man who always had a smile on his face, a joke to share and who loved his family more than anything else. He was killed a day after returning from holiday, a holiday that he enjoyed with his wife.

He probably surprised the robbers in his home, who then killed him with a hoe.

What mother's child can do such a violent thing?

This is now the second act of violent crime experienced by this family. The first was Jason, Natalie's cousin, who was shot while sleeping in his bed. They stole R3 and a broken cellphone.

Excuse me for not feeling to ministerial, but I wonder what the hell God is doing while this is taking place. A question of theodicy. Don't feel compelled to try and answer this.

Nathan - news

Tomorrow Nathan will be 2 weeks old.

He has settled in very nicely and is enjoying home. So far, he has given us more than enough opportunity to sleep. He feeds at about 10:30pm and then again at 4:00am and then every 3-4 hours.

Nathan is peaceful and does not cry much - only when he gets impatient (a trait he got from his mother).

Matthew has moved into the role of "big brother" very well. He is proud of his brother and wants to share everything from his yellow motorbike to Smarties with him. In the photo you can see the love.

Thanks for all the well-wishes and interest! We believe that with all the love shown to our boys, they will grow knowing the family that God created which extends beyond bloodlines!

Masks

Last Sunday we had Remebrance services at our church. We remembered those whom we are in relationship with, but who have parted from this life.

Our focus was on our method of remembering, or our lack thereof. So, using the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1, we remembered together about our remembering. It is so difficult to remember effectively sometimes,for we all have our Elkanah's, Penninah's and sometimes critical Eli's wanting to comment on how we should feel.

This poem by Chalres C. Finn proved to be helpful in creating a place where we allowed ourselves to feel what we feel:

Please Hear What I'm Not Saying
By Charles C. Finn

Don't be fooled by me.
Don't be fooled by the face I wear
For I wear a mask, a thousand masks,
Masks that I'm afraid to take off
And none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that's second nature with me,
but don't be fooled,
for God's sake don't be fooled.
I give you the impression that I'm secure,
that all is sunny and unruffled with me,
within as well as without,
that confidence is my name and coolness my game,
that the water's calm and I'm in command
and that I need no one,
but don't believe me.

My surface may be smooth but
my surface is my mask,
ever-varying and ever-concealing.
Beneath lies no complacence.
Beneath lies confusion, and fear, and aloneness.
But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weakness exposed.
That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind,
a nonchalant sophisticated facade,
to help me pretend,
to shield me from the glance that knows.

But such a glance is precisely my salvation,
my only hope, and I know it.
That is, if it is followed by acceptance,
If it is followed by love.
It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself
from my own self-built prison walls
from the barriers that I so painstakingly erect.
It's the only thing that will assure me
of what I can't assure myself,
that I'm really worth something.
But I don't tell you this. I don't dare to. I'm afraid to.

I'm afraid you'll think less of me,
that you'll laugh, and your laugh would kill me.
I'm afraid that deep-down I'm nothing
and that you will see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate, pretending game
With a façade of assurance without
And a trembling child within.
So begins the glittering but empty parade of Masks,
And my life becomes a front.
I tell you everything that's really nothing,
and nothing of what's everything,
of what's crying within me.
So when I'm going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I'm saying.
Please listen carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying,
what I'd like to be able to say,
what for survival I need to say,
but what I can't say.

I don't like hiding.
I don't like playing superficial phony games.
I want to stop playing them.
I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me
but you've got to help me.
You've got to hold out your hand
even when that's the last thing I seem to want.
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
the blank stare of the breathing dead.
Only you can call me into aliveness.
Each time you're kind, and gentle, and encouraging,
each time you try to understand because you really care,
my heart begins to grow wings --
very small wings,
but wings!

With your power to touch me into feeling
you can breathe life into me.
I want you to know that.
I want you to know how important you are to me,
how you can be a creator--an honest-to-God creator --
of the person that is me
if you choose to.
You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble,
you alone can remove my mask,
you alone can release me from the shadow-world of panic,
from my lonely prison,
if you choose to.
Please choose to.

Do not pass me by.
It will not be easy for you.
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls.
The nearer you approach me
the blinder I may strike back.
It's irrational, but despite what the books may say about man
often I am irrational.
I fight against the very thing I cry out for.
But I am told that love is stronger than strong walls
and in this lies my hope.
Please try to beat down those walls
with firm hands but with gentle hands
for a child is very sensitive.

Who am I, you may wonder?
I am someone you know very well.
For I am every man you meet
and I am every woman you meet.

Hope you find it helpful too.

Nathan Daniel Bentley is here!

Nathan Daniel Bentley is here! He was born at 12:45, weighed 2.85kg.

Here is a pic of him shortly after birth.




Here is a proud dad!



Mommy and Son, happy together.



Here Nathan is sleeping.



Thanks for all the prayers!

Almost here!

Our baby boy is almost here. Natalie is scheduled for theatre at 12:30 on Tuesday the 14th November.

We are very excited about the little one's arrival, but a bit anxious at the same time. We ask for your prayers for health and a pleasant birth-experience.

We hope that Matthew and Little One (Name to be announced at his
birth) will grow up in a world that is tolerant, serious about peace and has the ability to love beyond the spectrum of faith and nationality.

Won't be blogging until next Tuesday. Got exams to write, baby to catch, dogs to feed, doors to open for strangers...

A positive experience

After writing on Tuesday, I quickly popped into MacDonalds for a hammy (To console my soul). On leaving the premises, I noticed a black guy heading for the door that I just pased through. Both his hands were full, so I quickly jumped to open the door for him.

Passing through, he looked my way and said "Thank you. I love the new South Africa. I now see you as a brother!".

Well, I didn't know what to say. In typical Dutchman style, I fumbled over my words, just to get the tail-end of "It's a pleasure" through to him. In retrospect, I should have given him a hug.

Just made me think that small things like opening a door for someone who's hands are full can affect the way in which we relate to each other.

Have you got a good story to share?

Another kind of sin

Job 38:1-7; 34-41
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45


These were the lectionary readings for last Sunday. It speaks to me about the types of sin that we do not usually confess. Perhaps we don't because they do not fall in line with our understanding of sin.

Sin, to most, consists of actions, words, thoughts that are contrary to the nature and will of God. To be totally other to God's image is considered to be a place of fallenness. These passages do not speak of sin as being contrary to the image of God, but speaks of the places where we want to be like God too much.

Wanting to sit at His side.
James and John wanted to sit at his side. In other accounts it is their mother that puts forward this request. Sitting on the ruler's side meant a place of authority, a place where commands could be issued in the name of the "king" and to expect other subjects to obey on the weight of this authority. It is not surprising that Jesus responds with "You do not know what you are asking". Can anyone be in a place where they can speak on behalf of God, totally convinced that what they say or do is the absolute will of God? Extreme conservatives in the gay-debate are convinced that "God hates fags", while extreme liberals believe that "Jesus was a homo(sapiens)". It is a dangerous place, trying to speak on God's behalf. Perhaps this needs to be included in our prayers of confession, especially when our words cause unjust pain.

Wanting to tell God what to do.
In the story of Job, Job was frustrated with God and with life. "Why do the innocent suffer?" His frustration led to the point where he believed that he was able to see righteousness where God failed to do so. The natural response was to start telling God what to do and how to do it. A bit arrogant, we might think. So, in our arrogance, we pray that God must rid our society of crime, as if God stands idly by. We pray that God must heal gays and lesbians, as if God made a mistake and should form them in our (heterosexual) image. It raises a few questions. God responds to Job: "Who the hell do you think you are?" - paraphrase.

Wanting to be indespensible.
Perhaps God cannot do without me. Perhaps God would be stuck if I choose this career instead of that one, this spouse instead of that one. We have been caught up in the whole spin of predeterminism. Proving our loyalty to God through our actions, positions and status may be our way of holding on to the idea that if it weren't that way, the world would cease to exist. Guess what, God calls, we follow. See how this is written in Hebrews.

Some things to think about: My place before God, my place as a Christ-follower in society, my place as a person called by God to be a citizen of the Kingdom.

Bluebull country

It's a beautiful day in Pretoria. The Jacarandas are in full bloom, the Bulls are in the final, our congregation's Men's Fellowship braai-ed boerewors and ate it with pap-en-smoor at 8 this morning, talking rugby.

What a lovely day. Good luck Cheetahs!

Exams again!

At the beginning of this year I enrolled for 4 second-year Psychology subjects: Research in Social Science, Child and Adolescent Development, Personality Theory and Counselling Skills. Tomorrow I start with a whole series of exams. Why am I updating my blog? Because I am avoiding the books a bit longer. (Studied the whole day and am now a bit "gatvol").

Please pray for me.

It has been 7 years since I last wrote exams. Having done a lot of post-grad work, writing assignments, journal articles, dissertations, a thesis and presenting papers at conferences, it is now quite akward having to "cram" again. It feels nice - it reminds me of my time at John Wesley College (probably the most enjoyed time of my life) and the history that went along with it.

If you are bored and disinterested with life, then try this: enroll for a few courses somewhere and get an adrenalin-rush that will open up new perspectives in your world. It did so for me.

Blessings to all.

The Kingdom of God is at hand - the end of the church?

The more I read theologians like Barth, Moltmann, Hauerwas and the
Reformers, the more I become aware of the difference between the
institutional church and the movement of the Kingdom of God.

Christianity, represented through the institutional church, expressed
as a religion, is continuously challenged by the world, and I
believe, God, to be a bit more Christ-like. My friend, Peter Grassow,
recently posted a list of questions to the Christian church in South
Africa on one of our chatgroups, and to him I am grateful for nudging
me in this direction.

Karl Barth goes to great lengths to differentiate between "religion"
and "Faith" and does so specifically in Church Dogmatics Volume 1,
part 2. The discussion revolves around the doctrine of revelation and
asks whether Christianity is a religion of revelation or whether it
is a revelation of religion. I am not going to go into too much
detail here - go read it for yourself - but it seems as if the
Christian Church borders on being a religion of revelation, and at
the same time, believes itself to be the continuation of the full
revelation of God through Jesus Christ.

Now, this may sound very orthodox, but it poses a very clear
Christological- and we might add, a soteriological problem! The
Christological problem is found in that such an expression of
Christianity places too much emphasis on metaphysics and takes into
account the divinity of Christ at the expense of Jesus humanity. For
a more detailed explanation of how this takes place, wait for my
doctoral thesis due soon. Even the divinity of Christ in the teaching
of the church is distorted and the teaching itself may be
compromised by the fact that the church indirectly claims ownership
of the revelation in a way which is exclusive and self-centered.

There is a bit of an antinomianist in me, perhaps a rebel or a cynic,
but where institutional Christianity tries to use its structures,
discipline and claimed authority to work change in society, I cannot
help but feel that it is "urinating in the wind" - The word I wanted
to use will be blocked by the server. I similarly cannot help but
feel that when the world watches the church arguing about social
matters (often directed inward as self-evaluation), that this is
precisely how the church is perceived. Who wants to be part of this?
Urinating in the wind might be liberating, it might even feel
fantastic while you are doing it, but it only lasts for a while,
disappears into the ground and the few drops that messed on your
shoes will turn to stench!

What is going to save the world? I fear that it won't be religion,
even more so the institutional church. I nevertheless believe that it
is the little bit of Kingdom-yeast, working through people who do the
basics of the gospel right in their daily living (love God, love
neighbour as self), not under the banner of a certain denomination or
belief-system, which will bring about justice and mercy.

More and more of me believes that the Kingdom of God and the
institutional church are mutually exclusive. Both Moltmann and Barth
express the opinion that the church will cease to exist at the
consummation of God's Kingdom. The Church, even the church, is an
instrument of witness to a Lord who is God's revelation to all. It is
not the Lord, and it is not God's sole instrument of expressing love
and grace to God's creation. The sooner the institutional church
operates from this premise and stops deciding who is loved by God and
who is not, who is part of God's community and who is not, what the
clerics may wear and what they may not, the sooner we might see the
signs of a growing Kingdom here in our midst.

Just blowing off steam.

Every person needs a sanctuary.

Every person needs a place where they can get away and be at peace. My study has been such a place for years and when we moved into our own home at the end of last year, a house that did not have a study, my life was disrupted.

If you've been following my blog, you would have heard about the start of our building operations. Well, here she is:




I moved in about a week ago and have found my EARLY morning conversations with God, Barth, Moltmann and others fulfilling and deeply satisfying.

Here I am with my baby Mac and with Barth's Church Dogmatics conveniently within arms reach. Happy as can be!