Lecture on the Truth and the Word of God

We spent this weekend with the good folk at Randpark Ridge United Church. They put together a series on the Bible with an excellent exhibition in the church. The hospitality of this congregation is unbelievable and I would encourage anyone looking for a welcoming community in Johannesburg to give this congregation a visit. Below is a picture of the staff at RRU Church. From the left is Rev. Quentin Smith, Rev. Les Green and in front is Pastor Brendan Asch.



My good friend, Dr. Neill Oosthuizen, gave a talk on the Old Testament earlier during the week, a lecture that was received very well.



Here's an action shot of me giving the talk on the Truth and the Word of God. This lecture was based on the chapter in Dion and my book soon to be published, entitled "What are we thinking?". Now, many people knock us academics by asking "How many people have ever come to faith as a result of a lecture?". Well, I'm pleased to say, at least one. An elderly lady came to me after the lecture and told me that her friend felt God speaking to her during the talk and that she has returned to faith. God can truly make good what we do badly! Praise the Lord!



On Sunday I led all three services. I think I'll stick to lecturing.

Bon appetite!

Freshly chopped basil. Garlic. Fried aubergine. Chopped Roma tomatoes. Balsamic vinegar. Red wine. A symphony of flavours. An opera of smell.

 

There is only one person who can make Penne Rigate with sweet tomatoes, aubergine and mozzerella. Me. Okay, and Jamie Oliver.

But what a wonderful feeling when the boys are quiet and my wife walks into the kitchen speaking Italian (not swearing, because I know those words and phrases).

Bon appetite!

ps. For the recipe, buy Jamie Oliver's "Jamies dinners". It's a winner!

Thank you for the support.

Bottling-up one's emotions and feelings is not a wise thing to do. There are a few places where I dare vent some feelings and thoughts, one of these places is this blogspot. For this reason, please do not take this blog too seriously. In the process of venting, the feelings portrayed come across as more intense as what they may be. No, that is wrong. The feelings are very real and are a true reflection of what is going on inside me. But the feelings do not stay the same. In letting go, by asking the honest questions, by praying the brutally honest prayers, a metamorphosis takes place. Healing is found. I took the risk of releasing my feelings concerning Saturday's funeral. Many people have responded and I sincerely thank you for your prayers, calls and e-mails. I eventually put my phone on silent and left it at home, so please forgive me if I missed your call. I just needed some time-out. Again, sorry Pete. Now, I'm going to one of my sacred spaces, a place where no-one is allowed until the product of my creativity is finished - the kitchen. Thanks again to everyone.

I can't

Lord,

I can't do it anymore.
My heart is shattered. Why do you ask this of me?
Today was the most difficult service ever.
To bury someone's son is a responsibility greater than what I can bear.

I felt faint. Did you notice, Lord? Did you see Shaun's mom, dad and brothers?
Why do you think I'm strong enough? I can't do it Lord.
I almost got sick in the pulpit. Where do you expect me to find words to bring them comfort? There is no comfort. It is lost, far removed from anything we can ever say or do.

Then those words to his dad, his last words to his dad "Love you lots". Lord, when I read it, my heart shattered. All of a sudden tears streamed down my face. I don't cry Lord, you know that. I cried once for Matthew and couldn't stop. That was the last time. Why did you call me to this, Lord. Choose someone stronger, a David, a Paul.

I depend on you. Thank you for helping me through that service.

I'll pray father Martin Luther's prayer: "I am yours, save me".

Amen. I think.

I am employed!

Today I signed on at UNISA as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Systematic Theology and Ethics! I've been praying for this day since I first set foot on the UNISA campus. I can remember asking God, that if it is in God's will, if God would mind steering me to a place where I could be employed at this university. That was 12 years ago, but I remember it like yesterday. Every time I drove past UNISA, I prayed that prayer, not demanding anything of God, but merely expressing an inner desire.

Working at a university is not easy. I don't expect it to be, but I'm willing to give it my best. My contract is for 10 hours per week and will last until December. There is a possibility that it will be renewed, but I won't stress about that now. I'm just enjoying the moment! The 10 hours per week is luckily not a big issue. I will merely replace my informal writing time with more focused and directed (and payed) work.

Please celebrate today with me.

Counseling

Counseling is a big part of my work. I enjoy it. There is something very meaningful in being asked and allowed to travel with folk as they try to make sense of their identities and/or situations.

I am very thankful to be studying psychology. My ministerial training did not cater sufficiently to empower me for counseling and so I chose to empower myself. Like all things, it is a skill that one will never be able to master. During the past month I have come to realize how valuable the training has been. It has helped me to identify times when people would rather have sympathy than help. It has helped me to identify underlying psychological problems that can be successfully treated by professionals. Most of all, it has helped me to counsel without getting emotionally involved - some may object to this, but it is essential when you have to counsel different people with different needs in a short space of time and still treat your family with care and affection.

People try to take ministers and the church for a ride and I have learnt to be very honest and direct with people who think they can manipulate their way to easy handouts. And so, a drug dealer got the fright of his life when he heard some home truths ala Dr Phil. A lady who wanted sympathy, but no healing left empty handed, perhaps with a bit of a kick under the jack.

But counseling is also difficult. What do you say to the mother of one of our confirmees who died in a car accident on Monday? Let me rephrase, how does one listen? Listen we did. No answers. No quick fixes. No meaningless images of her son gaining some wings and resting in the arms of Jesus. No. Hopefully by listening and by sharing empathy, she experienced Jesus losing some wings and sitting with her. Not that I am Jesus.

I think the time is drawing near for me to go for some counseling myself. Going to the shrink should be as natural as going to the toilet. Everyone has to offload sometime - excuse the image.

Matt is doing great.

Today we went to Dr. Dansky for Matt's six-monthly heart checkup. It is always an anxious time. Although we know that he is doing well, there is always the hidden fear that things may not be as it seems. This time we were once again blessed with good news. There is a feeling of relief when seeing a real doctor looking at Matt's history on paper, looking at today's test results, looking at Matt, shaking his head and saying that this boy is doing remarkably well for someone with such a complex heart condition. If you want, do a Google image search of Transposition of the great arteries (TGA), VSD, ASD, PDA, Upstairs-Downstairs Ventricular orientation to see what is going on in our boy's heart. You may have to search each condition seperately as it is very rare for these things to all hit one individual at the same time.

 

Our Matt is now 4 and doing great. After spending the day in Johannesburg (and envying my friend Dion who only has to pass two cars on the way to the beach) we witnessed a beautiful sunset. We told Matt that Jesus made it especially for him. We prayed and gave thanks.

When granny goes to court

A little something from Beryl's blog.

Virtues

What makes a good minister? I don't know, but I have some ideas. These are not the only virtues required to be a good minister, but Im sure it counts for something.

Today I marked a trial service. On the panel was a minister with 40 odd years experience, a local preacher with over 50 years experience, a theology professor, a well recognized local preacher and me. As we gave feedback to the minister in training, our comments were shrugged off as "old-fashioned", "out of date" and "not where modern people are". And so I thought: A sign of a good minister, no, let's go further, a good human being is to adopt a teachable attitude.

I had to learn this the hard way. Coming into the ministry I wanted to change the world and wanted to get the "training" out of the way as soon as possible so that I could get on with business. Then I worked in Ventersdorp, Soweto and the streets of Johannesburg and slowly discovered that the world didn't fit into my pocket. I met Tim Attwell, who although is a library on legs, is always willing to listen and able to express appreciation for perspectives other than his own. I remember sitting next to my friend Rory Dalgliesh at the Synod which recommended us to be ordained. Rory knew my journey. I turned to him and said "I don't know if I am ready to be ordained." I'll never forget his words. He said "Wes, at the start of your journey when you wanted to save the world you weren't, but now you are".

I know I am not always teachable, and I pray that people will point out when I build my kingdom based on my own arrogance. But I felt cheated today. I might as well have stayed in bed, because this was not a learning experience for this person. It was just another hurdle on the road to ordination.

To be a good minister, one needs to be teachable. If you aren't, you can't listen. If you can't listen, you can't serve.

Raising boys - Shares in the ER.

Visiting the Emergency Rooms is synonymous with raising boys. Well, Nathan has somehow avoided them - don't know how, because he is the much more daring one!

Matt bust his left big toe open, and he did a very good job of it. And so, it was another trip to the emergency rooms thinking that he would need stitches. Luckily he didn't, but they cut off a whole flap of skin, which looks gross and is pretty painful.

What astounded me most was my little 4 year old's confidence! Sitting in the waiting room, he was getting a bit impatient with the delay in his medical treatment. He stopped the first nurse that walked past and said: "Excuse me, I have an appointment. (then pointing to a bare wrist added...) I have to fly to Scottburgh in twenty six hours (he is actually flying down to Durbs with his granny in two weeks time). Can you fix my toe now, please.". Somehow we jumped the queue and he found himself on a bed. He then proceeded to tell the doctor (a very pretty one at that) how his toe should be fixed. After bandaging the toe, he looked at it, looked at the doctor and said: "I think my toe is broken, can you give me some crutches, please?".

The staff then burst out laughing.

On Monday he is going for his six-monthly heart check-up. I hope he will be as entertaining.

God bless you all, especially if you have boys.

Most unfortunately funny wedding announcements

When I saw this (and others) I laughed so much I fell of my chair. Some are a bit riske', but have a laugh. Click here.

Methodism in Southern Africa.

Dear friends,

The time has arrived! Dr. Dion Forster and I have been working on a book about Methodist mission. The title of the book is Methodism in Southern Africa: A celebration of Wesleyan mission. Contributors to this book include Rev. Dr. Stanley Mogoba, Rev. Dr. Gavin Taylor, Rev. K.K. Ketshabile, Prof. Joan Milllard-Jackson, Rev. Gcobani Vika, Rev. Dr. Sol Jacob, Rev. Peter Grassow, Rev. Kevin Light, Rev. Dr. Dion Forster and myself.

This book explores different forms of mission that have found expression in Southern African Methodism and we hope that it will contribute towards our continuous search to be effective agents of the Good News. It is an "easy read" book, and so, is accessible to lay and clergy alike.

I include a link to the order form which can be used to order copies from Upper Room Ministries. The official launch of this book will take place at Synod 2008, but you will most likely be able to get your own copy before then by using this form. All proceeds of this project will be going to EMMU (Ministerial Students Fund), so the more copies we sell, the more work can be done in assisting our ministers in training. Please note that whether you order 1 copy or 50, the postage remains the same.

To download the order form, click here.

So, I haven't updated for a while...

Sorry, I didn't give blogging up for Lent, so this is going to be a bit of a newsletter in bullet form.

1. Happy Easter everyone. This week is always a bit crazy. We had wonderful services during Holy Week and the congregation is traveling the Lenten journey with a deep sense of renewed, or should I say re-awakened awareness of the meaning of Easter.

2. God blessed me with 4 DVD players packing up in the space of 3 days. My first DVD player crossed into the eternal, luckily still under guarantee. So, I took it back to Hi-Fi Corp, paid in a bit of money to get a relatively good machine (with 5.1 surround sound). I hooked it up, only to be greeted with "white noise" (TSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH for those who don't know what that is). So, I took it back and got another one. Same thing. So, I took it back to get another make. Same thing. It just so happens that Hi-Fi Corp load the same software on the "Warfedale" and "Sansui" machines. I Googled the model numbers to find that these machines do not even feature on these brands' stock lists. Wonder why? So, now knowing that it was a software problem, I checked all the DVD players and Googled them. Now I have a Philips (a real one) and it works just fine - touch wood.

3. Dion and I worked on a book about Methodist Mission which will be launched in a couple of weeks' time. I'll keep you informed on developments.

4. I am now appointed as a part-time lecturer in Ethics at UNISA! I am so happy about this! For one, I will now get some research funding for each article published in an accredited journal. Back to my computer!!!

5. My family is doing well. Please pray for Nats. Please pray for me. Our family is strong and intact, but as individuals, we are taking a bit of strain at the moment.

Until next time, enjoy Easter, buy selectively at shops, buy our book, enroll at UNISA and pray for us.

God bless.

How disappointing!

I read the article below, thinking "WOW, a visitor in lingerie and a mac!". Then I discovered it wasn't the kind of mac that I was thinking about. DARN, this had potential!

See the article here.

Los Angeles - Lily Allen visits male friends wearing just sexy underwear and a mac.

The Smile singer - who recently split from Chemical Brothers star Ed Simons - loves the look on her pals' faces when they see her standing outside their home in skimpy lingerie.

Lily, who was recently dropped as the face of lingerie label Agent Provocateur, said: "Agent Provocateur is good for turning up at a male friend's house in a mac with underwear underneath.

"It is something I have grown to like. The stockings, the suspenders - you've got to have the full kit.

"It works for me anyway. I get turned on by myself and I love the expression on their faces. Pure panic!"

The 22-year-old star also admits she often spends days browsing the internet for the perfect underwear set.

Lily added to Britain's Glamour magazine: "My retail therapy is buying pants. I have been on the Bodas website all day.

"They look attractive and they feel nice. More practical than Agent Provocateur." - Bang Showbiz.com

Wish I had more fingers.

I know, this blog is not being updated as it should. I have been typing away everywhere but here.

So far, I finished a chapter for our book on mission (to be published VERY soon), translated a prayer book (of which I received the first copies yesterday), finished a chapter for Dion's Zeitgeist (chapter on truth), writing a chapter for the UNISA ethics textbook, writing two Lenten devotions books, two advent devotion books, an article for TSSA in June, considering an article for the SATS conference...

Meanwhile Nathan started walking, UNISA psychology assignments are creeping closer, avoiding a nervous breakdown, and trying to keep away from being moved at the end of the year!

Please pray for me. I love writing and I love where I am at the moment. Hope that doors will open locally.

Cheers. Please buy my books!

Confused.

By the way, with this post I'm passing the 200 posts mark.

A member of our congregation popped in seeking guidance. I met with him and after our session escorted him to his car. He then piped up with the question: "Moruti (minister in Sotho), do you work here (at the church) full-time?", to which I responded: "Yes", not quite knowing where this was going.

So, he tried again: "Moruti, do you work here the whole day?", and my answer was again "Yes.". So he tried again: "You work here and you have a PhD?". As soon as I responded with another "Yes", he burst out laughing and looked at me in disbelief. I must admit that I was a bit stunned by his response. Who did he expect to find at the church to help him with his problem? The Easter Bunny?

He went on: "Don't you teach or lecture?" and I told him about my work at John Wesley College. "How much do they pay you?" "About R60 per month". "Hahahahahahahahaha".

Ouch.

He then climbed in his Volvo 4X4, reminding me in passing that in the modern world one should earn enough to retire at 50.

And so I returned to my office, writing articles, chapters for books, sermons, bible study material, an order of service for Sunday, listening to old ladies complaining about the speed of the ceiling fans in the church and waiting for the next person to arrive seeking counseling. Later, I'll climb in my small Atos to fetch my son from school and then take him to gymnastics, which we can barely afford, but which he loves.

Do I mind? No.

A nice house R2mil, a nice car R300 000, feeling fulfilled - priceless.

Makhulu swim

I'm starting to get the hang of this.

Today I swam the Makhulu swim (1km) at Leisure Lakes, Midrand and finished it in just over 26 minutes. It was a much better swim than Midmar (1 mi) which I finished in 52 minutes two weeks ago.

I think this is the last open water event for the year that I will be able to attend. Can't wait to do it again.

I don't get it...

Read the story here.

A judge declined to give a killer a life-sentence, because the killer came from a "disadvantaged background".

HUH?

Does this say that people who are poor and/or have a poor education and/or... are by nature immoral people?

When should a person be fully accountable for their actions, when they have a degree?

Can someone please explain this one to me?

11519

It's been a busy weekend...

Yesterday I presided at a good friend's wedding. Here's a picture of Matt.


After the wedding, Matt, my Mom and I drove down to the Drakensberg and slept at Catepillar Catfish Cookhouse. Excellent place.

This morning I swam the Midmar mile (my race number was 11519).


I swam it in 52 minutes. Not a good time, I know. I freaked out about 200m into the race, called the lifeguard and held onto his paddle-ski while I cleaned my goggles. I then told him that even if I drown, he is not allowed to take me out of the water. And so I took a deep breath, braved the choppy water and finished the race. I'm thrilled!



We then jumped in the car and spent the rest of the day at uShaka Marine World (my favourite place at the sea).

We then dropped my mom at DBN international airport. My sister-in-law happened to be the pilot of her plane. Matt and I proceeded to Scottburgh where we will stay at the family flat until Wednesday.

Now I must go sleep.

Article published

Here it is. One of the articles stemming from my thesis is published in HTS (Hervormde Teologiese Studies) Volume 63, no 4, November 2007.

The colour is a bit peachy, but hey, my name is in there!

ZZZZzzzzzz

Look, I enjoy our annual ministers' summer school. It is a wonderful time to catch up on friendships, a time of constructive thinking. BUT, it doesn't help if there is a snorer in the dorm.

I literally did not sleep last night. I had to listen to the monotonous tones of a person snoring in B-flat minor for about 5 hours without fail. Thank heavens I have some movies loaded on my Powerbook, so I watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" again. What a movie! You can see the similarities between the American and South African Health Care industries very clearly.

I am now sittng in a lecture by Prof. Klaus Nurnberger. What he has to say is very interesting, but if I don't carry on typing, I will fall asleep.

Here we.............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

From the Mail & Guardian

Legal concerns over treatment of church refugees
Johannesburg, South Africa
03 February 2008 07:36

Click here for the original site.

There are serious legal concerns over the treatment of immigrants who were arrested this week at the Central Methodist church in the Johannesburg CBD, the Legal Resource Centre (LRC) said on Saturday.

Detainees were apparently delayed in receiving medical and legal assistance, appeared to have been physically mistreated and were allegedly asked for bribes by police, said LRC director Janet Love.

She also said the LRC was concerned at the vagueness of charges brought against the detainees and the apparent lack of preparation by the prosecution and police before their first court appearance.

The LRC was appointed as legal representation for the detainees after the church -- known as a haven for Zimbabwean refugees -- was "raided" by police on Wednesday night. More than 300 people were arrested and held at the Johannesburg Central police station.

Love said legal representatives were told the church offered shelter and basic sustenance on a nightly basis to homeless people, including many immigrants and asylum seekers.

The LRC was asked to consult those arrested and, if they so requested, seek their release on bail.

Love said a team of lawyers that went to the police station where the accused were held found a nurse from Médecins sans Frontières trying to get access to the cells to determine the health status of the detainees.

"Extensive delays were experienced in obtaining access to the police cells in order to consult with the detainees. Initially access was refused but, after three telephone calls and the threat of an urgent application to the high court being lodged, it was eventually agreed that we could consult with the detainees in groups of no more than six at a time."

Love said various junior police officers indicated that a number of the detainees might be transferred directly to Lindela repatriation centre without appearing in court.

Warrants
She said that at the court, LRC lawyers found a clerk preparing 19 warrants for detention -- known as J7 forms. LRC lawyers apparently found that 12 forms had already been completed, indicating that "no bail" had been granted, despite the fact there had been no bail application yet.

When queried about this, the clerk said it was "an error" and prepared new forms. "However, only 15 of the 19 prisoners appeared."

Love said that when the defence team requested permission to consult the accused, the magistrate first denied this because she said there was not enough time and then again denied it because she said there was no interpreter -- "this despite the fact the accused had said they did not need interpretation".

The magistrate finally allowed a "five minute" adjournment to allow the defence to consult with the accused.

During this consultation, all the accused waived their right of interpretation and indicated that they wanted to apply for bail.

Love said the prosecution allegedly did not know the specific wording of charges under the Immigration Act, saying only that the charge against the accused was for "being illegal" under section 49 of the Act.

According to Love, the prosecutor said she opposed bail but could not proceed with the bail hearing because the investigating officer was not there.

Love said the magistrate allegedly spoke to the accused in an "aggressive manner", sometimes repeatedly asking whether an accused spoke English or Shona with "increasing aggression and loudness".

"The defence counsel objected to this procedure on the basis that all the accused had indicated that they wished the proceedings to be conducted in English. These objections were not acknowledged."

Postponement
A postponement to the matter until Monday was eventually granted, despite fierce opposition by the defence. For example, one accused was due to have an operation on a scrotal hernia on Monday.

Love said the postponement put the liberty of the accused at stake, and that it had been indicated to the counsel in chambers that the matter should be postponed because "the officers of the court wished to go home to be with their families".

She also said LRC lawyers were allegedly variously by the magistrate to "sit down -- I don't want to hear you any further", before the magistrate apparently "simply started doing paperwork on the bench when defence arguments were being made".

LRC said other lawyers had been contacted to help with the court appearances on Monday.

On Friday, Central Methodist Church Bishop Paul Verryn said the detainees had been denied adequate food and water.

He said the people arrested were in exile in South Africa from African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, and they were allegedly assaulted and their property destroyed during the raid.

Verryn said that although the police were looking for criminals in the building, "they themselves became the perpetrators of criminal action". -- Sapa

Some clever protest signs

Creepy Album covers

How's this? Ministers sure have a bad reputation when it comes to this sort of thing! Choose another title, PLEASE!!!

Ray of Hope

Many have levied criticisms against Bishop Paul Verryn and the Central Methodist Mission community's approach to the harboring of refugees. On the church's website Paul had the following to say. I am deeply moved by these words. (Cross-post from Steven's blog - thanks Steven)

There is abundant precedent in the history of two millennia of the Christian Church's existence of the Church being used as a shelter for the destitute and vulnerable in society. For instance, during the second world war, about 450 000 people stayed for a night or five years at Central Hall in downtown London . Throughout Africa the Church has stood as a symbol of hope to those devastated by war, disease, poverty and any number of natural disasters. Ultimately the Church expresses a preferential option for the poor and marginalized of society.



For the past twenty years, Central Methodist Mission has quite specifically been engaged in a ministry to the homeless on the streets. This ministry has included a feeding scheme, primary health attention, a support group, counseling, advocacy and searching for appropriate job opportunities. The prevailing value is that we show compassion, but do not create dependency; we engage the fundamental humanity in all people and refuse to stigmatise people because they are poor. These are not heroic principles, they are fundamental to an understanding of our faith. In fact, it would be ludicrous to imagine that you call yourself Christian and sustain an immovable prejudice against another human being for whatever reason, whether it be that they come from another country or are of a different age or gender. This was the foundation of the Church's critique of apartheid. This does not mean that as Christians we have succeeded in winning the struggle against these evils. They can domicile themselves subtly in all of us.



When the tragedy of displacement for people from all Africa became more evident in South Africa it was a natural and obvious imperative for the members of Central Methodist Mission to engage the challenge as part of its ongoing ministry to the inner city. To say ‘no' to those asking for shelter when there is no alternative available would be to deny our reason for being. It would present a Christian community with a contradiction which would belie the essence of the gospel. This does not mean that all who call themselves members of Central Methodist Mission applaud the approach and enjoy the “invasion” of their posh church premises. Despite the fact that they may never have lifted a finger to dust a pew, their unhappiness has been vitriolic and intolerant.



A recent anonymous letter to our Presiding Bishop captures well the fact that xenophobia and racism belong to the same stable.

The letter was a shameful exposure of violence, prejudice and deceit and all in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ. Let us not pretend that some of the instruments for massacre and unrelenting hatred are not evident in our rainbow South Africa .

What should the Christian response be to the marginalized?



I would be the first to recognize that the building is overcrowded. I am also concerned about the cleanliness and hygiene of the building. I am deeply worried about whether a building that was never designed for this present condition will survive. Health, nutrition, warmth and safety are constantly on the agenda of committees that have been meeting every week to ten days. The murder that took place earlier this year has deeply traumatized us all. We have always tried to ensure careful conflict resolution strategies, insisting that to talk will lead to better resolution of differences. Every person that stays in the building is registered on a database which captures next of kin, educational qualifications and skills. Each person is told the following is not permitted in the building:



* No drinking of alcohol
* No smoking of anything
* No fighting
* No stealing
* No illegitimate sex ( married persons are accommodated in a separate area).



All persons staying in the building, are required to keep the place clean and worship every day.



If a resident chooses not to observe these valued principles they are evicted. These rules have emerged from our experience of what creates problems in community. In some respects they are not unlike the commandments. We have more than 25 people who constantly monitor the sustaining of these disciplines. They themselves are subject to the rules even though they may not always succeed in keeping them. Furthermore, it would be an absurdity to imagine there is no conflict. It would be even more bizarre to think that more than 500 people can co-exist without stealing taking place. But considering the strain of the circumstances the results are remarkable.



Not to put too finer a point on the fact, it is important to note that as soon as one crosses the threshold of a church, nationality ceases to matter. Any reader of the New Testament will quickly discover that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, bond nor free. Therefore, what politically is called an asylum seeker, in the church is a member of the family. We are reminded that the first refugees in Central were in fact South Africans. They may not be running from an exploitative dictator, but they are refugees from poverty and hopelessness in the country of their birth.

Is there a building out there?





This is a unique moment in the Church's history in the inner city, this is a unique moment for South Africa in its relation to its mother, Africa . We cannot underestimate the honour of needing to care for those seeking refuge at our hands. Amongst the people that we host are school principals and teachers, accountants, mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, financiers, people with careers in marketing, journalists, politicians, people from the medical professions to name a few. This is a chance for us to provide hope for families who have been completely dispossessed in their homelands. If recent figures released are accurate then one in four of the Zimbabwean population is now in South Africa and the impact of our caring responsibly could produce no less than a small miracle for our context. It is not a matter of skilled labour stealing the jobs of South Africans. It is an opportunity for South Africans to be skilled by people who have an experience of building a nation free of colonialism and oppression. In fact, the skills that have been driven into this country miraculously match exactly what is needed in our present economy.



Some of the most amazing giftedness has emerged in the building. We have a ballroom and Latin American dancing class. We have supported a group of journalists in establishing a website and office in Braamfontein. We have a fly fishing project in the building. We would like to establish a firm of accountants; sewing and cooking projects are underway and several of the group are engaged in a farming project near Randfontein for the District Women's Manyano Organisation. We have established a registered clinic in the building and hope to launch a computer ABET centre.



Many dreams are in the pipeline. Obviously the intention is for individuals to gain independence and economic sustainability as soon as possible so that measurable contributions can be realized in an inner city that is exploding with potential and vitality.



Although people who enter our building think that they are simply seeking a shelter or needing a blanket or wanting a plate of food or requesting start up finance, in fact they are engaged in a profound confrontation of the status quo which says that the poor are irrelevant and the dispossessed have nothing of value to offer. In fact the Mission stands in sharp contrast to capitalist mindset and seeks to overthrow a precarious economic paradigm.



Ultimately a nation can be judged on what realistic hope it offers to its poorest people.

How can we be more effective?



What is the Christian response to the marginalized?
Is there a building out there?
How can we be more effective?

BBC Video/Audio: SA church raid Zimbabwe refugees

Bishop Paul Verryn from the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg has given his account of the raid.
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Click here

Stop the madness!

On saving electricity, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica suggests: "Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer."

On legalizing prostitution, MP George Lekgetho: “It is one of the things that would make it [the tournament] a success because we hear of many rapes, because people don’t have access to them [women],”

On Zimbabwe: Silent diplomacy for years, then raiding Central Methodist Mission without a warrant, arresting all destitute people seeking shelter.

On the electricity crisis: Government chooses to spend R60 billion on weapons at the same time that it is warned about the looming energy crisis.

And then there is the Zuma quote which I blogged on Sunday.

The news is so freaky, I wouldn't be surprised if I wake up tomorrow morning to hear that Bafana Bafana managed to win a game.

Here's my desk

Ok Gus and Dion, here's my desk.

It is not always this messy. This is what it looks like while I'm writing, hence all the books on the desk, otherwise it is tidy - promise!

On my desk is my iMac G4, Lexmark laser printer and PowerBook G4.

Have a good day.

SA Politics explained

Thanks Pete, this is helpful!

Bushisms - it's contagious!

Zuma said: "People like Bishop Tutu, a few others, might have their views. I respect him," he said in the interview. "My understanding is that clergy people are there to pray [and not] take political stances."

This coming from a recently "ordained" minister.

EEIIIISSSSHHHHH!

A wonderful prayer

Here is a litany for Sunday. I found this very helpful website: http://www.gbod.org/worship/lectionary/

We can't do everything, but we can love.
We can't speak the final word, but we can love.
We don't quite feel like we belong, but we can love.
When better days are a faint memory, still we can love.
When we don't have the answers, still we can love.
When we can't agree about gay and straight, still we can love.
When we feel awkward and restless, still we can love.
We're frustrated with the constraints of youth and aging, but we can love now.
We let petty irritations trip us up, but we can love.
We choke on our faith songs, but we can love.
We limp in our worship and service, but we can love.
We are embarrassed at how messy our lives are, but we can love.

God has a sense of humour

Ok, this week I'm a bit slow in preparing my sermon, but I almost fell off my chair reading the Old Testament LECTIONARY reading.

Isaiah 9:1-4

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light..."

I can't wait. This should be entertaining.

I hate being a Christian!

Sorry for the cross-post, Dion



I hate being a Christian if it means believing like this. I read this notice and became physically sick.

I am thankful that I am not God.

Lord, have pity on me.

Lord, have mercy on all who assume they can speak for you.

Tribute to a friend

This afternoon we were introduced to the new students at John Wesley College. Dion went to great lengths to introduce us and did a sterling job. When it came to my turn, Dion gave a very inflated picture of Wessel Bentley, far beyond what I believe to be true. Included was a part which described our early friendship, the one between a phase 2 minister in Carletonville and a youth leader. I had to give a response. At first I thought to say “You know, friends like Dion are like nappies. They should be changed frequently. Perhaps for the same reason.” But this is not true, because I do not want to change my friendship with Dion for anything.

Instead I told another untruth. I cited John the baptist’s description of Jesus where he says something to the effect of “The one who comes after me has…” you know the rest. It was in jest. I repent. I repent not only because I cannot put myself and Dion in John and Jesus’ shoes, but because it simply cannot be.

I have a deep respect and love for my friend. I cannot surpass my friend Dion and have no intention of doing so.

This is why.

Dion has always been a kind of “older brother” figure in my life. He has always looked out for me and I can honestly say that whenever I’ve phoned or visited, I’ve always been greeted with a welcoming smile. Needless to say, Dion has opened many doors for me. Being a quiet person, opportunities are not always taken, but Dion has the knack of pushing me through an open door long before I even thought about entering. For this I am grateful.

His honesty and sincerity is something which I treasure. He is able to stand for justice and truth in ways which are different to mine, perhaps ways which require a lot more courage and conviction… and faith.

Having Dion as a friend is a lifechanging experience. I have fallen in love with a Mac, I got a Vespa, but most of all, if it weren’t for Dion, I think God would have had a difficult time finding another person who could lead me to the Lord.

Why this tribute? Why here? Simply because he is worth it. Dion, thanks. No, really, thanks. You have a very special place in God’s heart. I’m sure. I read Church Dogmatics.

By the way, seeing that all the proceeds of our book will be going to the MSF, you are more than welcome to take 60% of whatever is left. In fact, make it 80.

Prof. Rieger

Today we listened to Prof. Joerg Rieger from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University (Dallas).

You will notice his book in my reading list (to the right) and it is also readily available from good bookshops.

His lecture was on this book, Christ and Empire. He is truly a remarkable person with deep insights into the finer forces at work within society. I invite you to get a copy of this book and to be challenged.


By the way... today is also the fourth anniversary of our little Matthew's operation. All praise be to God!

Bad timing

Humour during loadshedding

Matt's bedtime prayer.

"Dear Lord Jesus
Thank you for all the bread and drink at church tonight.
Amen."

AMEN.

Anybody got a Kleenex?

Why divorce?

And in other news...
Man runs into his wife at brothel
Warsaw, Poland


A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment's employees. Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.

"I was dumbfounded. I thought I was dreaming," the husband told the newspaper on Wednesday.

The couple, married for 14 years, are now divorcing, the newspaper reported. - Reuters

Wisdom of children

Well, only a minister's child will come up with the following.

Wednesday was "back-to-school-day" for Matthew. At breakfast I gave him the usual pep-talk regarding appropriate behaviour, a talk well needed seeing that he was going to a new teacher's class and would relish this opportunity to chance his arm.

So, I told him to be good, to look out for new friends, to show them where all the toys are, etc. etc. I ended the conversation with "You are going to have a new teacher. When I go and fetch you, I'm going to ask her how the day went. So, Matt, what is your teacher going to tell me?".

He responded: "Well fella, I've got good news and I've got bad news...". He then got up, and left the table and a dad who couldn't eat any further.

Blue screen of death

Oh, how I love owning an Apple...





For more pics that will make all the Apple owners gloat, click here.

Creepy Ads

How creepy is this?



For more creepy ads, click here

Bush- Drunk

Watch it and laugh!

Life

I have just arrived back from visiting with Bill and his family. Bill is dying. He does not have long to live anymore. It is never easy to do such visits.

In an hour I will stand in front of two people who will pledge their loyalty and love to each other. "...in sickness and in health...".

Life is strange. One tries to make the best of each opportunity, live life to the fullest, yet we live with the illusion that we somehow own that which has been given to us.

I pray that Bill will experience peace. I pray that the couple will treasure each moment that they have with each other. I pray that I will get through today.

Can't do it well all the time...

The rock group U2 have a philosophy. They will stop making music when they have two unsuccessful CD's in a row. Spot the open door? If they do manage to create a flop (perhaps Pop Mart came close) they could always make a comeback.

Besides Easter, Christmas is a very busy time in a minister's life. Preparing for multiple services in one week is not easy. But the congregation always expects new insights, an "aha" moment, and so the minister has to be on top of his/her game all the time. Would we expect any less from any other occupation? I would surely hope that my car mechanic or banker perform at their best all the time. But performing at one's best all the time is simply not possible.

Last week Sunday we had a good service, Christmas was a winner, but today I felt as if I was wading through peanut butter and syrup. I am sure the congregation noticed. I am certain that they felt the same.

UUGGGGHHH it felt terrible. Then I try to console myself by saying "Hey, you can't hit a home run every time.". It still feels terrible.

I'll prepare better this week. Like an out-of-form batsman spending a few more hours in the nets. Luckily congregations on the whole are forgiving and I'll probably see the same faces in the pews next week. Hopefully I didn't scare the newcomers away today.

An atheist’s Christmas wish

Here is a very interesting article from Mail and Guardian. To go to the link, click here.




An atheist’s Christmas wish
Lev David: A QUIET RIOT

24 Dec 2007 23:59

Michael is a recently lapsed Jehovah’s Witness living in my block of flats at the end of the corridor. Since he split from his wife of five years, he’s been dabbling in Anglicanism which, from his description, sounds less like a faith than a hobby. He tried Catholicism first, but found the hymns grim and the sermons hard on his knees. Now, as before, Michael is an affable guy, though he is still affable a little too frequently. So, there’s the knock at my door on a Saturday afternoon. Luckily, Anglicanism isn’t the only new thing Michael is trying; he has, in each hand, a cold beer. The kind of cold that sticks to the palms of your hands.

If only he’d thought of this technique when he was trying to covertly slip Watchtower magazines on to my coffee table. In fold-out chairs, our feet up on the balcony rail, I feel the deep, dull satisfaction of heterosexual male bonding. Tedious, yes. But comforting too. Somehow we land on that old conversation about the commercialisation of Christmas. “Are you trying to save me again, Mike?” “I’m not! It’s just ... since when is it all about the gifts?” Feeling the yawn coming on, I suggest that it might have started with frankincense, myrrh and gold. “Surely the three kings could’ve just given Baby Jesus a nice homemade Christmas card,” I say. Michael laughs and I feel very hip and edgy. “If Jesus were around today,” I continue, “do you think he’d wear Crocs? They are, after all, holey.” Michael stares me down and I know that I’ve crossed the line by suggesting that the Son of God would wear plastic shoes. Then he mumbles: “There’s nobody more religious than an atheist.” He has a point. And we’re only getting more religious. It’s been a good year for the Smartypants Squad.

With Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion and Christopher Hitchens’s God Is Not Great, we have the kinds of books we can tuck under our arms, as snug and as obvious as Bibles while we wander about airports looking for converts. This past year, I’ve even found a couple. Now, I’m busying myself by putting the X back into Xmas. But I’ve hit a couple of wobbles. Two things are testing my faith. One, there’s something quite ugly about the new atheism. It carries a petty, childish tone. Every sentence of Dawkins’s big red book seems to end with an implied, “Ha!”, “I told you so!” or “So there!” Two, there’s something quite appealing about that old time religion. That thing is ... denial. And denial isn’t all that bad. Seems to me that religion is one way of denying our animal nature, of thinking ourselves beyond our biology and beyond the obvious. It’s obvious, looking at a dead body and observing the disintegration that follows death, that the human being that was, is no more. But, we imagine something beyond that.

It’s obvious, looking at the way human beings are built, that we cannot fly. But, we imagine something beyond that too. Both the invention of an imagined afterlife and the invention of human flight began, I believe, with a still moment of “What if?” Sure, we believe a lot of things that are untrue. Religious nuts and atheistic nuts alike have waged wars and been nuisances at dinner parties as a result of their mad convictions. But this species also routinely makes wild dreams real by the sheer will of that same unreasonable human imagination. We defy our physiology and demand that we will fly, not only as far and as high and as fast as birds, but all the way to the moon and beyond. We bake cakes, whip cream, pick cherries and imagine that they might all go well together. And, yes, we dream up rain dances and elephant gods and men in the sky who part seas and write books. We cling to them beyond their usefulness too. But, hey, who’s perfect? So, here’s a thought. More than that, an atheist’s Christmas wish: let’s be less snotty. Let’s do better than “So there!” and “I told you so!” If we think a scientific view of the universe is useful for any reason other than being able to feel superior, then we need to spend less time snuffing dreams out and more time inviting people to dream bigger. Carl Sagan described our planet as “a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam”. There are pictures taken from space of that mote of dust; our mote of dust stranded in a vastness almost completely unknown to us. And to see such a picture is to realise that the idea of an ark filled with all the earth’s animals, two-by-two, for all its human poetry, is just not big enough. Being such a finite, tiny part of something so infinite is not meaningless.

It’s just meaningful in a way larger than religion has ever imagined.

Something for Christmas

Christ is Born!

John Banister Tabb, from A diary of readings by John Baillie

A little boy of heavenly birth,
But far from home today,
Comes down to find His ball, the earth,
That sin has cast away.

O comrades, let us one and all
Join in to get Him back His ball!

Thanks Alec.

The 12 days of Christmas (in South Africa)

Click on the image to enlarge.




Used without permission. Sorry. Please buy the Madam & Eve books!!!

Hilarious! Barth in a hip-hop nutshell

When wealth and poverty collide

This is a picture of an area in Sao Paolo.

It might as well have been a picture of the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg and Diepsloot or Silver Lakes and Nelmapius.

This problem of economic disparity seems to be everywhere. The middle class seems to have ceased to exist. Now we have wealthy and poor. I am using this picture as a focus-point during my mediations in preparation for Christmas. I try to imagine how a person would encounter the Christ-child while playing tennis on the court. Is there any guilt? Is there a sense of justifying their wealth? How does this person view those across the fence?

I imagine the person in the shack. How does this person encounter the Christchild? Is there envy when hearing the ball being hit on the other side, on a court which is the same in area-size as a dozen shacks? Is there a sense of anger, desperation, or has this person decided that this is his/her lot? How does this person view those across the fence?

The Christ-child comes into this world and does not discriminate. He is the Saviour of all and in His lifetime had a lot to say about economic disparity.

Quote of the day

John Bardis, a member of the Bartian milieu group made the following remark, something I will treasure for a long time:

"But having a stupid, cold and stony heart doesn't make one a heretic.
It just makes one stupid, cold and stony--and one moreover to whom we
need not listen."

Ain't politics strange?

Let me put it out there. I don't think that the word "integrity" exists in politics. To me, politics is about self-enhancement, self-enrichment and the exercise of power. Democracy is flawed, but at least it gives people the opportunity to put the least corrupt people in power... or so I thought.

Today Jacob Zuma was elected president of the ANC. Need I say more? You've read the headlines, so form your own opinion about him as a rolemodel for our children. For the first time I will shudder if one of my sons turns to me and says "Hey, dad. I want to be president of the country! I want to be like him!" - Granted, he is not the president of the country yet.

What is also interesting are politicians' views on Zuma before and after the elections. I cannot recall one opposition party politician speaking well of Zuma before the election, but now? The only person who is sticking to her guns is Helen Zille. It is as if politicians choose their battles well. It might seem the right move to now make friends with him and his allies.

Well Mr Zuma, congratulations. You have played the political game well. I hope it is in the interest of all people.

How's this for Auld Lang Syne?

(A. D. Cridge)

We're Communists and Socialists
And dynamiters, too;
We're slaves of walking delegates*
Who tell us what to do,
There's nothing we should kick about,
We've all got "cheek" sublime;
But we're "bone and sinew of the land,"
About
Election
Time.

We're howlers of calamity,
We're crazy flat fools,
We're lawless scum and foreign scruff,
And "stubborner nor mules."
They threaten us with Gatling guns
And in our "hair to climb";
But we're "thinking toilers of the land,"
About
Election
Time.

We're wild-eyed hayseeds, lazy shirks,
Alliance traitors, knaves;
We're looters of the vaults of wealth,
And our speaker always "raves";
We're a danger to the country
And Republic all the time;
But we're "honest, sturdy farmers,"
About
Election
Time.

We're everything that's vile and mean,
For twice three hundred days;
Nihilists, thugs and Pinkertons
Are urged on us to blaze,
If we but demand justice,
As against a gilded crime;
But we're "valiant hosts of labor,"
About
Election
Time.

They tell us of protection,
And the glory of a tax;
The right of honest capital
To ride upon our backs;
Our comfort and prosperity
(Though we haven't got a dime),
And to once more save the party,
About
Election
Time.

They tax us, and they drive us,
And mock us in our woe;
They tell us we're responsible,
Though they know it isn't so;
And we stand right up and take it,
While the "bloats" their pockets line,
Oh, we're several million darndest fools,
About
Election
Time

Nathan is baptized.

When Martin Luther felt tempted by the devil, he would audibly respond "I've been baptized!". We pledged to raise him in a Christian home and vowed to provide an example of Christian living so that one day he may respond in faith to God's grace. Hopefully his baptism will be as meaningful to him as Luther viewed his.

Quote of the day

"A lot of aeroplane accidents have happened since people started flying." - My wife.

 

My response: "Really?...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

 

Now, because of "hahahahaha", I'm sleeping on the couch. No, not really.

University of Pretoria

As I am writing this, I am sitting in front of the Faculty of Theology building at the University of Pretoria. This is heaven to me. It is quiet this time of the year. There are only a few postgrad students walking around. You can see that they are thinking, debating with themselves.

There is no better place to be than here.

I am at peace.

Children!!!!!

Children have the most peculiar way to embarrass their parents. Our children are no different. Anybody who knows us will know that we are trying to raise children who respect and treat all people the same. South Africa needs a generation which does not discriminate, especially when it comes to inter-racial relationships. But today our little Matthew became aware of race and made his observations known in the most inopportune moment: in the shops.

We were walking down the sweets isle, and came to a stop very close to an Indian lady and her son. Matthew looked up and at the top of his voice said: "Hey pappa, those people have brown skins!". He meant it very innocently, but I know that those words could be interpreted in a different way which causes pain. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to just turn around and walk away, but decided not to. I turned to the lady and her son who were chuckling away at my son's boldness and apologized vehemently. I tried to explain that we try to raise our children in such away that race should not be an issue. They both reacted very graciously, acknowledging that he is learning and that this was a discovery. They also hinted that we should take him out more often so that he can see more people from a different cultural background. I wasn't going to debate that point, but all too humbly made the best of the situation.

I later explained to Matt that this "pointing out people's skin colour" is not polite, in fact, although true, some things remain better unsaid.

I still feel nervous about the whole incident. Please share your stories of embarrassing moments to help me through this one. I have learnt a lesson though. Communication is complex. What we say and where we say it may mean different things to different people. The hearers' own perception also aids towards their interpretation of the spoken word. This will make me ever more vigilant in sermon preparation, because good communication is the ability to convey a message where the interpretation of the message correlates with the intent and focus of the sender's conveyed thoughts.

Tutu compromises the Gospel?

Headlines like this do not surprise me. This headline concerns recent comments by Desmond Tutu relating to his acceptance of gay people and the church's general negative and unwelcoming approach to them. In fact, statements like these build within me the belief that religion per se has a severely debilitating effect - It makes people believe that they possess, own and have sole custodianship of truth.

Let me say this: My faith starts from the premise that I have not arrived, that may faith is as St. Anselm of Canterbury stated "Faith seeking understanding". Although I hold firm that Christ is the centre of God's self revelation, I cannot for a second think that I have understood God, God's revelation or Jesus Christ. Furthermore I hope and pray that when I meet God face-to-face one day that my mind will be blown! My faith, a journey, a pilgrimage, stands open to correction.

For these reasons I find these utter moralistic proclamations beyond comprehension. If others are so sure of this faith, then please let me in on the detail, but according to the Gospel which I have studied and still do, I cannot particularly find the way in which Tutu compromised it. In fact, the Gospel which I read speaks of one who was persecuted, questioned and eventually crucified for being "a friend of sinners". The irony is thick.

Help mend a heart.

This is our little Matthew. His heart was fixed due to the generous giving of many. I invite you to watch the following short clip to meet those who contributed towards his healing. In this clip you will see Dr Kinsley and Dr Mamorare (Surgeons) and Dr Dansky (Cardiologist).

View the clip here.

The team at the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa would appreciate any donation. Come on, get your church to direct a part of its tithe to this worthy cause.

Don't you feel like this?

In a letter to Karl Barth, Emil Brunner wrote the following concerning his struggle in faith (the original is in German, therefore the numerous brackets, etc.):

This is my experience: Either I will completely be at the center...: God lives, let God matter. But then I soon find that all I have in my hands are four letters [G-O-T-T]..., an abstract thought, with which I can neither understand nor master my life. I can say, Let God matter. But, in reality, what matters is not God but my thought that "God should matter."... Or, on the other hand, depressed from this experience, I... fall into the other extreme: "God should matter" [becomes] "The Good should matter," [faith mixed up with] a moral-cultural lifestyle, a system of ethics, that, up to a certain point, shines through one's life, but naturally (as little as "the law" in Paul) has no power...I've always had the feeling - and my moral experiences confirm it - that I have still not yet penetrated to God, that my faith has produced nothing.

This quote was taken from the book "For the sake of the world" (see my library in the sidebar).
Barth later responded with the formulation "God is God and God is God". Food for deep thought.

Matt is doing well.

Today Matt went for his six-monthly heart checkup. We have good news to share.

Besides his heart being on the opposite side of his chest, everything looks healthy and normal. The heart-noises have disappeared, meaning that his VSD and ASD have completely healed. Roundabout now he should have had a second operation as the extra parts which they implant usually calcify by now. There is no sign of calcification anywhere!

Doctor Colyn is very impressed with his progress and so are we. Thanks be to God and God's wonderful doctors and nursing staff.

Nathan Daniel (Nataniel for short) is 1!

Hey, our big boy!

You are one today. The first year of your life has passed and you will most probably not remember much of what you have achieved, but that which you did will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life.

We thank God for you. You have added joy, happiness and a greater sense of humour to our family. May God bless you richly and may you be obedient to his grace.

With lots of love,

Pappa, Mamma and Matthew (and Chrissie and Calamity)

Sunday School theology

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING. IF YOU ARE EVEN REMOTELY FAMILIAR WITH HOLY SCRIPTURE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A ROMAN CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RE-TOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPEL LING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.


1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.
4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIM SELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS .

8, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTER WARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA .. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL ..

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BE FORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE..

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE A POSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.


24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE . THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY

One small hurdle

By the way, this is my 150th post on this blog.

My eyes are burning, my hand is cramping, my handwriting is becoming more and more illegible, I don't sleep much and when I do, I dream about neural pathways in the brain, optical illusions, the workings of memory, reasoning and problem solving. Today I am writing my last exam for the year - Cognitive Psychology (III). This is the last exam that will allow me entry into the Honours programme. This year I have achieved a lot. I finished my Ph.D. , studied Social Psych, Abnormal Psych, Psych research, Interpersonal skills and Cognitive Psych. I have written 3 articles which will all be published this year, taken over the administration of our church, lectured, enjoyed my family and started practicing for Midmar. It has been a full year, but now I am tired. One paper to go, then we will go to the Spur for supper, have a good sleep, and then start working on my Vespa (and write an article for TEEC, and edit our book, and write a chapter for Dion's book...).

Yes, I'm a Facebook addict.

Here's a cross-post from Dion's blog:

NEWS

Please don't see this as self-promotion. I am posting this out of excitement, so, use it-don't use it. I just got news that the electronic copy of my thesis is published through the University of Pretoria. The title is "The notion of mission in Karl Barth's ecclesiology".

If you are interested, you can download it from: http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10162007-151230

Regards.

The quest for meaning.

In 2005 I met Prof. Wessel Stoker. He is a Systematic Theology professor at the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam. I had the privilege of presenting a paper on a chapter from his book "Is the quest for meaning the quest for God?" (See my booklist to the right) with him sitting in. The feedback was very positive, but that's beside the point.

I started reading this book again, mainly because my sense of connection to God is increasingly leading me down a path which recognizes that the church does not own God, neither does it exist as the sole custodian of God's ability to reveal Godself. So much for Sola Ecclesia. Let me say this, I am not even sure why I am entering this as a blog, nor do I actually know what I want to achieve with this post, but here it is: raw and unsolicited.

Paul Tillich was a chaplain during WWI. One evening, a night-attack took place which left most of his friends either injured or dead. Reflecting on this event, he states that in that moment he felt a disconnection between himself and the God of religion. He was aware of God's presence, but in a different capacity (I am quoting from memory, but if someone would like the reference, I'll be happy to look it up).

Paul, in his letter to the Romans (which I am busy writing a Bible study on), is clear about the obstacle which caused the Jewish lack of recognition of who God is - not a God owned by institution, religious acts or the law - but a God of love and compassion who called Israel to be a witness. A witness. A witness to who, a witness to the world! Why should they then be upset if gentiles responded to the Gospel? This was the aim!

Let me not even start on Barth!

So, yes, there it is. Fragmented thinking, once again, but I think you catch my drift. I wonder if the ultimate ecclesiology is not one of creatio in nihilum - that the church should work itself out of an institution. What if the church became a witness, which would not get anxious if those who do not "look" like orthodox christians respond to the Gospel. What if the whole world is "saved"? Would the church still exist, or does it exist purely because it is an alternative to something else?

Think, think, think...crawl, crawl, crawl.

Nathan crawled today!

Our son has already achieved something which I didn't do. He crawled. It may not seem like a biggy, but I have come to understand the importance of this milestone. Crawling is one of the essential activities which facilitate cross-lateral neural pathway development. Crawling further helps visual guidance (the use of eyes to guide movement of the hands and other parts of the body - like reaching for and grabbing glowing objects in a dark room), depth perception (ability to perceive objects and surfaces in three dimensions) and visual cliff (the ability to assess depth), not to mention hand-eye coordination.

This is a biggy! Congratulations Nathan! He must have got this from his mother, as I said, I never crawled and now have to count the steps whether I'm going up or down a flight of stairs. Failure to do so leaves me in a prostate position with a hugely damaged ego.

Then for the one thing he got from me - the ability to quickly calculate less complicated alternatives: the first thing he crawled to was his walking ring. Well done Nathan!

The human brain

I'm busy studying Cognitive Psychology and found the following diagrams quite interesting:-)

Barry Hilton on Stupidity

People should have to wear signs that just say, I'M DOF." That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you?
You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, "Excuse me... oops, nevermind. Didn't see your sign."

It's like before my boeta and I moved.. Our house was full of boxes and there was a Pickfords truck in our driveway.
My neighbor comes over and choons, "Hey, you moving?"
"Noooit bru. We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week to see how many boxes it takes. Here's your sign!"

A couple of months ago I went fishing with a mate of mine, we pulled his boat into the ramp, I lifted up this big whiting and this idiot on the ramp goes, "Hey, you catch all those fish?" "Nooit cuzzi. Talked 'em into giving up. Here's your sign."

I was watching one of those animal shows on the Discovery Channel. There was a guy inventing a shark bite suit. And there's only one way to test it. "Alright Jimmy, you got that shark suit on, it looks good... They want you to jump into this pool of sharks, and you tell us if it hurts when they bite you." "Well, alright, but hold my sign. I don't wanna lose it."

Last time I had a flat tyre, I pulled my car into a petrol station. The 'pomp jockey' walks out, looks at my car, looks at me, and I SWEAR he choons, "Tyre go flat?" I couldn't resist. I said, "Nooit Baba. I was driving around and those other three just swelled up on me. Here's your sign."

I was trying to sell my 'jammie' about a year ago. A guy came over to the house and drove the car around for about 45 minutes. We get back to the house, he gets out of the car, reaches down and grabs the exhaust pipe, then says, "Jislaaik, that's hot!"
See? If he'd been wearing his sign, I could have stopped him!

I learned to drive a 18 wheeler in my days in the 'mag'. Wouldn't you know I misjudged the height of a bridge. The truck got stuck and I couldn't get it out no matter how I tried. I radioed in for help and eventually a local cop shows up to take the report. He went through his basic questioning... ok.. no problem. I thought sure he was clear of needing a sign...until he asked "so..is your truck stuck?" I couldn't help myself. I looked at him, looked back at the rig and then back at him took my sign off and chooned, "No. I'm delivering a bridge. Here's your sign."

I stayed late at work one night and a co-worker looked at me and chooned, "Are you still here?" I replied, "No. I left about 10 minutes ago. Here's your sign."