Christ?mas  

1 comments Posted by Andrew


A few days ago I received an email from an online shopping site. It said something that I thought was very telling about how New Zealand society views Christmas...

"With Christmas gone, get down to the real celebration with our Boxing Day & New Year Specials...!"
I knew that Christmas had become very commercialized but I didn't realise it was this bad!

God with Us  

1 comments Posted by Andrew

Wishing you all a merry Christmas. May you know the good news that God is with us, not just in the clean superstar Beckhamised world. But God is with us in the muck and mire of real human life, with saving grace.





"She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them..."



THE MIRACLE OF DREAMS
That night when shepherds heard the song
Of hosts angelic choiring near,
A deaf man lay in slumber's cell
And dreamed that he could hear.

That night when in the cattle's stall
Slept Child and mother in humble fold,
A cripple turned her twisted limbs
And dreamed that she was whole.


That night when o'er the newborn Babe
A tender mother rose to lean,
A loathsome leper smiled in sleep
And dreamed that he was clean.

That night when to the mother's breast
The little king was held secure,
A harlot slept a happy sleep
And dreamed that she was pure.

That night when in a manger lay
The Holy One who came to save,
A man turned in the sleep of death
And dreamed there was no grave.

--Author Unknown

What a beautiful service today, Andrew and team.

The music, the sermon, the choir, the children, the violinist - it all came together beautifully.

Thanks. :-)

How are your Advent preparations going? I've been making use of ReJesus daily prayer. I also normally make use of d365 but it keeps coming up "undefined"...? Goshen College also have some brilliant daily reflections that they e-mail to you for the season of Advent.


I thought I'd post some art that captures something of the Advent/Christmas season. The painting below is painted by Jean-Leon Gerome and is called "The Age of Augustus, the Birth of Christ". It's held in the Getty Museum and I love the way it contrasts the "Peace of Rome" with the "Peace of Christ". Getty writes this blurb about it:

At the apex of this theatrically arranged study, Augustus Caesar sits in front of the Temple of Janus and touches the shoulder of a man personifying Rome. Surrounding him are scholars and statesmen while foreign tribes gather below. The Nativity scene in the foreground illustrates the coincidental moment of world peace under Augustus when Christ was born. In 1852, Jean-Léon Gérôme received a state commission to paint a large mural of an allegorical subject of his choosing. In selecting this subject, Gérôme perhaps sought to flatter Emperor Napoleon III, whose government commissioned the painting and who was identified as a "new Augustus." In preparation for his large mural, Gérôme traveled all over to find the appropriate ethnic types to portray the different peoples of the ancient world. When The Age of Augustus, The Birth of Christ was shown in 1855 at the Universal Exposition, his skill in depicting various nationalities led some to remark that Gérôme gave a lesson whenever he painted a picture.

Okay, so the onther night at youth group, BAndy, Viv, Buzz and some other people were talking about free will and predestination. The same thing that they happened to be talking about, has been bugging me for months. When we finished the conversation, I was more confused than before! So, what better place to get some answers?!
My question is: God has given us all free will, right? We can choose to follow Him or not, what to wear each day, where we go etc. But, He has also mapped out our life for us. He knows what we are going to say and do before we even think about doing it. So, if God knows what we are going to choose, does free will really exsist?? I mean, how can we have to free choice to do something if God already knows what we are going to choose. Like, whats going on here, God??!!!

I decided to put it down to the fact that God has such a big understanding of things that we cant even imagine, so its not in our 'mind capacity' (or whatever!) to be able to understand it all. BAndy reckons I'm just trying to find a way to bail out of figuring out the answer!
So, what do ya'll think?? BAndy might be able to explain a little better what I mean....?!

LOOUUVVEE  

3 comments Posted by Andrew


I'm preaching on 1 Corinthians 13 on Sunday. It's all about love. We use the passage at a lot of weddings (we had it read at ours) but I think it has a bigger picture of love than just wedding days and bouquets. So, what do you think love looks like....?


I've just come back from Baptist Assembly. Like any assembly, it had some ups and some downs but I really enjoyed this year's assembly. I loved hearing from Kerry and Annie who lead Freeset in North India, giving freedom to prostitutes - Kerry was profoundly challenging when he preached to us about the poor. The other person I loved hearing because he was so challenging was Mick Duncan. Mick summed up Jesus' ministry as loving the people no one else likes (lepers, women with a blood flow, Zaccheaus...). And he said so much talk about being outward focussed and missional is still focussed on the people we (and everyone else) like. Jesus' ministry was to the people no one else liked. Something else Mick said really struck me. Mick said Christians are way too predictable. He gave the example of the doctor in Northland who turned his practice into a brothel and Mick said how the Christians responded predictably - protesting. He said Jesus was completely unpredictable and something a little less predictable was needed in Northland. Why didn't any of the Christians invite this doctor over for a meal? What would it look like for Christians to be less predictable? I have wondered what an unpredictable response to the level of child abuse and family violence in our society. What if we sat in Clive Square with placards that read "How can we help?" and "We don't know the answers but want to be part of the solution..." instead of our predictable placards...? I think Mick is right, we are way too predictable - anyone who's read the gospels will see what a travesty it is to Jesus that his followers are so predictable. How can we be less predictable?

The Gathering  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

I'm off to Baptist Assembly today and back Sunday afternoon. It's a good chance to catch up with mates and hear what God is doing in churches around the country. I was encouraged by some of the hints Rodney Macaan gave in his annual report after his first year as National Leader of the NZ Baptist Churches. Rodney's major question for churches is "what of our character/conscience?" Studies on the character of Christians today suggest there's little discernable difference between Christians and anyone else. Rodney suggests this is exemplified by the phenomenon of consumer church:

"(Recently I have been interviewed twice about the phenomena of Christians on the move between churches, looking for the next best thing, the ultimate Christian product. It was suggested there could be 10,000 in Auckland alone [!!!]). I believe we have a vision and there is an encouragement to be adventurous but our [NZ Baptist] statistics over recent years show that most of our growth is because Christians like our brand and why shouldn't they - we're great wuth children, have fine youth work, we're reasonably contemporary (in our own way) but what about our character?
Were not bad at meeting our culture but what about the places where we stand against our culture and say through the way we live - 'this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus' and let me hasten to add I don't mean that we stand on street corners and heap judgement on unengaged passers-by, but rather we reflect a true biblical world view which will almost always mean surprising those who don't know Jesus with our capacity to love."
I'm looking forward to hearing what it might look like for us to surprise people who don't know Jesus with our capacity to love - any thoughts...?


BERLIN (Reuters) - German police had to round up a cluster of crayfish after the crustaceans broke out of an Asian food shop and scuttled down the street, police in the southwestern city of Stuttgart said on Monday.
A surprised pedestrian notified authorities after seeing the crayfish crawling down the road early on Sunday, a local police spokeswoman said.
They had escaped by squeezing through gaps in the grating on their tanks and leaving by the store's front door, which had been left ajar.
I think that this story (and of course the design of his other weird and wonderful creatures - including humans) proves that God must laugh a lot . What do you think?


If tomorrow there was absolute, incontrovertible proof that Jesus was not the son of God, just a great man who lived a long time ago, would you still follow Him?
Would you stick to his ideals of truth, grace, peace and love if there were no eternal reward for doing so?
I have been reading some Philip Yancey, and one of the men he quoted pondered this same question.
After much consideration I feel such deep and overwhelming love for Jesus that I would follow Him.
Would you want to join us???

Context  

4 comments Posted by Andrew


On Sunday I'm preaching from 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. It's a bit of a contentious passage for some. I've found Bruce Winter hugely helpful for understanding some of the context for the passage. He gives a lecture on it here (go down to access the files). BAndy, if you're interested in learning more about the historical context of the New Testament, Bruce Winter would be well worth listening to...

God stuff  

4 comments Posted by Clairey

So, theres been 2 things that have really spoken to me lately and i thought i'd share them with you.....................
As some of you will know i am soon starting my new job after 6months of 'hanging in there' at my old one, and I had felt kind of guilty for celebrating my new job and thanking God for it, cos lets be honest, i didnt exactly 'rejoice in all circumstances' when things werent great, so what right did i have in rejoicing when they were good? Well i was listening to The Lads song "Call my name" and in the middle Mark reads out Romans 8:38 about how nothing can separate us from Gods love that is in Christ Jesus, and it was like God was saying, 'Not even your lack of trust or not seeing my hand at work will separate you from me or the fact i still love you and you can still rejoice.' Its cool to know that literally nothing will separate us from God and his love.

Before youth group last week I was feeling a little burned out, and really wished i could stay at home, pretty much feeling sorry for myself, but of course i had to go anyway, and when we got to Thirsty Worship there was a song with the line that goes "Im taking up my cross, I'm laying down my life, all for the glory of your name...." and since im on this new 'Think about what im singing instead of just getting caught up in the atmosphere etc' buzz, i was thinking what that would actually look like, in real life, today, like what does that mean for me, and God was like 'Duh, you being here tonight when you dont feel like it, when you'd rather be somewhere else, when you feel like you're not having an impact, that's taking up your cross and laying down your life for me, right there. When you put me or something/one else infront of yourself thats what it looks like.' (Not meant to come across as self righteous as it did, sorry! Just meant to be an encouragement to people in the same situation)

So at Young Adults the other night, Hannah and I were discussing the impact that cultural issues of the day have on the bible. Unfortunately, Dad overheard us and challenged me to lead a thing on it one study. Hannah said she would give me a hand, but after about 2 seconds, we realised that it was a enormous undertaking with a crazy amount of things we could go into. So what better place to ask for help than the Internet; the best source of truth in the universe*!

Anyone have any suggestions for specific things we could look at and talk about that won't take the rest of the term/a team of rocket scientists to get something out of? Maybe a book I (Hannah) could read to get some sweet tips?

I realise that this might be a topic we leave for later (or never) but still, even if it was just for personal reading or thinking, input would be appreciated.

* NOT!! (hat tip: Borat)

Luke 10 vs 15  

9 comments Posted by ~Josie~

I was reminded of a verse the other day. I hope Andy P doesn’t mind me saying this, but his daughter, Olivia really opened my eyes to something.
On Sunday afternoons a group of people from church play netball at the Indoor sports centre, and I look after the kids while the parents play. Olivia and some of the other girls were playing this pretend game. I really don’t know what was going on – Micah and Kiana were Olivia’s dogs and they were in the audience at a show Livs was putting on. I think it may have actually been at church…..I really don’t know!
So, Anyway – In the middle of the indoor sports centre, Olivia started belting out one of the songs we sing at childrens church... “Jesus is the way –WAY! Jesus is the truth – TRUTH! Jesus is the life – LIFE!” She was doing the actions and everything for this ‘show’ she was putting on for her ‘dogs’.People were all around us – some of them were watching. Olivia’s little 6 year old mind didn’t care about who was watching. In fact, I doubt she really noticed anything going on around her. With a huge smile on her face, she continued to dance and sing, and her ‘dogs’ applauded her.

I sat there watching this, amazed. I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself, because something in me was embarrassed of Livs. I would never have the guts to sing that song with such gusto in a public place…And yet every Sunday I help teach that song to the kids.
I realised what Jesus meant in Luke 10 vs 15, when he said “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”


If there was more G and T in the world there would be...
  • more love
  • peace in abundance
  • less violence
  • happier communities
  • heaven on earth

There once was a man sent from God, and born a Palestinian Jew.

As Christians we bear His name.

He was full of G and T - Grace and Truth - exactly what the world needs now :-)


I'm glad to be in Auckland after using the pulpit to rib John (a South African in our church) about how they were going to lose to us in the final! How many readers of this blog weren't born when the All Blacks last won the World Cup (1987)?


With French ancestory (Picard is very French) I say GO THE FRENCH!!


Ok, so some people have asked me what my essay is all about. I'll try to tell you without it sounding like a cure for insomniacs. Basically it's about how the church can be faithful in mission today from a Baptist point of view.

I thought I'd post some interesting quotes from what I'm reading. I'm aware that what's interesting to me could well be the cure for the above stated condition, so I will tread with care!

This is the benediction I was trying to remember on Sunday but basically forgot it and made something up... We had a family forum on how we are called to make the kingdom of God visible and how we cold be more outward focussed as a church. The benediction I wanted my tired little brain to remember was this one from Keith Jones (a Baptist theological lecturer):

"In my view, the very best worship services do not end with a blessing "Sit down you faithful community, enjoy your rest". Rather, with a word of dismissal - 'The feast has ended, the world is waiting. Go in peace to love and serve the world.'" - I really like that...

Word Count  

2 comments Posted by Andrew

I have just completed a draft of a major chapter of my dissertation. This section is meant to be 6,000 words. Current word count: 9,500. Some major editing to do tonight!! Tomorrow, I'm hoping, to start on a new chapter where the aim for the word count is 6,000 more words!

I had the pleasure of spending the evening with a new friend last night :)

During the night, we got talking about our worth, and they way we place such important on the things that certain people in our lives say, particularly our husbands. For example, they could comment that we look good that day, and that could set us up for a great day, feeling really good about ourselves. In the same way, if they make a comment that is less positive (!) we could take it hard and it would set us up for a bad mood all day.

As we continued down this track, we realised the following: Yes, our husbands(/wives) are important, but should our value really come from them? If we truly have an understanding of who we are in Christ, and the value He has placed on our lives, should it really matter what others say about us?! Yes, they're always gonna be a big influence, but God should have the ultimate and final say, and He's alreay said that we're perfect!

Enjoy the rest of our week, knowing that God made you exactly as you should be, and that in His eyes you have immesurable value!

I heard this quote while at Capernwray last year and remebered it recently and thought i'd share it with you.....
'Don't let your thumb eclipse the sun' - Your thumb, in comparison to the sun is a relatively small object, but if you hold your thumb infront of your face while looking at the sun, and focus on your thumb, and not the sun behind it, your thumb seems huge and you can effectively block out the sun. This analogy is true for our lives, if we hold our problems, fears,doubts, etc infront and focus on them instead of the sun or 'Son' behind them, they seem imensely bigger than they are. However, if we keep these problems, fears,doubts etc in persepective, focussing on the Son instead, they seem to pale in comparison.
So remember, just like the sun is so much bigger than your thumb, the Son is so much bigger than whatever you are going through, just dont let your thumb eclipse the sun!!

More Study!  

0 comments Posted by Andrew








I'm on annual leave at the moment, trying to complete this dissertation. So, blogging will be a little more sporadic over the next few weeks. I'm relying on a few of my fellow Napier Baptist bloggers to take up the slack. If you didn't get that, this is a not so subtle hint to some of them to get blogging!

I will post now and then but at the moment it's head down, tail up trying to get this thing done...

Some amazingly generous people in our church have gifted me a place to get away and study for a while - it's amazing (see the pictures above) Go and check out Stillwaters... (thanks Murray and Lauren and John - you're legends!).

The Hi-5  

4 comments Posted by ~Josie~

Okay, so some of you may thing I'm completely insain for even having this thought in my head, but Its been bothering me for months and I need answers!!!

Who invented the High - 5 (Not the cheezy Australian little kids group, but the act of slapping hands together,) And where did it come from??!!
For the past couple of months, whenever someone gives another person a high5, I have just been thinking "Why on earth do we slap our hands together as a 'Congratulations' or 'Well done'?"
Like, pretend you were an outsider to this world, imagine how weird it would seem when you saw A Dad give his kid a high-5 because she got a 10/10 in her spelling test.....

Am i actually going insain or do other people understand what I'm saying??!! Dont leave me hanging here guys, help me out!! =)



Stu McGregor has killed his blog and left fickle, loyalty based blogging to we lesser mortals.
The reason: "Blogs are fickle and loyalty based. two things that really don't do much for me really." Thanks for those kind words of encouragement to us bloggers "Pastor Stu", I don't at all feel insecure about being involved in a fickle loyalty based industry ;-)

May he RIP and can others of us hope in Stu's resurrection...?

(grinning)

I've been thinking about the whole worship thing Kina brought up quite a few blogs back, and my thoughts have come down to a question that i'd be keen to hear your answers on, cos i dont know the answer! If you are not going to worship in truth, like if you have ulterior motives, or are not meaning what you are singing/doing, is it better to not worship at all? Like what's worse - Worshipping untruthfully or not worshipping at all (which you are atleast being honest about) ???? Any thoughts?


I've been a Christian for 10 years, 4 1/2 of them were spent at a Bible College, and not once in those 10 years have I heard a sermon on sex or sexuality. In those ten years I've gone from drinking so much alcohol in one sitting that I'd black out and not remember entire evenings - memories that I've never regained (I did this about 3 times a week), smoking drugs, staring at porn and pre-marital sex to becoming a Christian, having a relationship, getting engaged and married, having children, learning to be a father and a husband. These weren't any 10 years they were the incredibly formative years between 20 and 30, and in all that time I haven't heard anything from the churches I was part of to help me understand what it means to be Christian and to be sexual. When you've come from a background like mine, some input about what it means to be Christian and created as a sexual being by God (and that God saw how God created us this way and said that it was 'very good') is crucial because I have a lot of poor images of what good sex and sexuality is. But, the only thing I've heard (other than the silence) was 3 words before I was married - "don't do it" and 2 words when I was married - "do it"! Is this the beginning and the end of a Christian sexual ethic - 2 or 3 words?

We're working our way as a community through 1 Corinthians and we're up to chapter 7 (the sex stuff). We've decided to pause and consider seriously what it means that God created us as sexual beings and said that he's chuffed with it (God saw what he'd created humans to be and said that it is very good). We're doing a series on "God, Us and Sex". I've taken it as an assumption that the biblical view for sex is within the confines of marriage. Some may disagree that this is the direction the biblical witness points (let's be honest, you can mount a pretty good case for polygamy from the Bible), but it is an assumption of mine that this is the assumption of Jesus and the earliest church.

So, I thought as I was doing a lot of reading on this topic, I'd share some of my favourite sources and quotes.

By far the best material I've come across so far is the work of Lauren Winner If you only get your hands on one book on sex, get her book Real Sex, it's a gem. You can also listen to a couple of her lectures here and a sermon series she did at Jacob's Well here (the dates of her sermon series were June 30th to July 2nd).

A couple of favourite quotes:
"If we learn to talk about sex better, we might be able to talk about it less." - Lauren Winner.

"The fact that sex is public does not mean it is mature and healthy. The fact that there are thousands of ``how to do it'' books on the subject does not mean that we know how; in fact, it means the opposite. It is when everybody's pipes are leaking that people buy books on plumbing!" - Peter Kreeft here.

Lauren e-mailed this to me - it's hilarious! BAndy warned me not to put too many u-tube videos on the blog. But this is too funny...

Ethical Eating  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

Frank has finished his two weeks of eating 1 bowl of rice a day. The reason and the best thing that came out of it was: "I feel like the best thing I gained from the experience was a bit of a rebuke about how I conduct myself with food when I support causes directly related to the ravages of poverty. It was also good having a direct two week focus of intercession in this area."

Have a read of his journey, I think it's very challenging.

Fear 2  

18 comments Posted by Andrew


I don't know who does or doesn't read this blog. So, here's an open question for all readers and browsers of this blog. It follows on from my post on fear (see below).

Finish this sentence:
"If I wasn't afraid, I would ................"
n.b. BAndy wondered what the picture above had to do with the topic: what's the opposite of fear? Freedom - hence the image

description
It's nice to be reminded that some of the people we look up to are/were human too. The piece can be found here.

"She was easily one of the most recognizable women in the world. She was seen as a living saint by many. And she was a particular inspiration to Catholics.

But a new book about Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, based on the many letters she wrote to her spiritual counselors and confessors over an almost 50-year period, show a spiritual life that was, as she described it, dry, dark and lonely.

Three months before she accepted her Nobel Peace Prize, she wrote to a spiritual confidant: "Jesus has a very special love for you ... [but] as for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great, that I look and do not see, — Listen and do not hear — the tongue moves [in prayer] but does not speak ... I want you to pray for me — that I let Him have [a] free hand.""

Fear  

4 comments Posted by Andrew


n.b. I'm going to come my haunting question for you, but you'll have to read on and be patient....

"A healthy desire to do well can spill over into a less than healthy need to achieve and a need to be liked." This was a comment made about me by a staff member in an annual review of me when I was training for ministry. Of all the things I was told at college I think it was the most accurate and the most helpful I recieved. It's opened up a massive can of worms for me that I'm still working through, but it's a hugely helpful comment for my own self-awareness. I am someone that puts an unhealthy value on what other people think of me. I'm working through it, but sometimes, out of fear of what people think of me, I do what's popular or take the path of least resistance so that I'll remain well liked instead of standing tall and doing or saying things I believe in. It is a crippling cycle of constant anxiety over whether I am liked or disliked, whether decisions I make, things I say are popular etc. It is an impending disaster for my ministry if I don't learn to unplug from this anxiety and make my peace with myself and God. I shared this anxiousness I have with a group of pastor friends on a weekend away. We had a college lecturer leading us for the weekend (the same one who had made the earlier comment about me when I was at college). The lecturer, someone I admire and totally trust, said that when he feels that sort of anxiety that stops him from doing or saying the things he believes in, he asks himself - "what would I do if I wasn't afraid?" and then he does that. That question has haunted me now for 3 months - "what would you do if you weren't afraid?"

So, what are your fears that are stopping you from doing or saying the things you believe in? And, what would you do if you weren't afraid?


We had Donna Dinsmore with us last weekend. She is superb! What a gracious and amazing woman! So gifted by God and a huge gift to us on the weekend.

I'm going to share some of my favourite "Donna" quotes from the weekend as she lead us to reflect on God, Us and Worship.
Upon asking 'who is God?', Donna said "and give me the real answer, not the right answer. We don't live out of right answers." I love that quote, "we don't live out of right answers." Donna went on to say what would you say to your neighbour who's dying of cancer if they asked who is God?


Then in terms of worship and Christian life, Donna asked is our Jesus fully human as well as fully divine? Are we fully human with Jesus? She used an analogy for worship of going to have coffee with Jesus - "If you had coffee with Jesus do you think he would want you to be real with him? Or would he want you to sit across the table saying 'Jesus you're high and lifted up. I glorify you. I love you. You are great.'" Would Jesus take delight in having his ego stroked? Or would he prefer that we were real with him, sharing our joy and pain, troubles, fears and victories with him? Donna used the analogy of parents with their children. Taking your child for a fluffy, do you want your kid saying 'I love you mummy and daddy. You're so awesome. I love you so much.' Or do you do you want to see your children loving the fluffly, enjoying life, talking with you about the great things of life, sharing their worries and concerns, even sharing when they're angry at someone or even you their parent!' She used the quote from Irenaeus - "The glory of God is humanity fully alive" What does it mean to be fully alive? And what are the implications for worship?

Here's an interview with Steve Tollestrup (Executive Director of Tearfund) about the "Peg" campaign (Hat tip Servant):

Why has an international development agency like TEAR Fund, launched a campaign about domestic child abuse?
For a start we are not out looking for more campaigns or issues. Right now we have so much to deal with in places like Dafur and the current monsoon floods in Asia. These are huge international issues we are dealing with. When we first heard of the Nia Glassie abuse case our immediate thought was to leave it alone and let other campaigners with a focus on New Zealand pick it up. But then it occurred to us, isn’t that just the problem? Isn’t it always left to others? We believe that justice is a seamless issue from Bangladesh to New Zealand, Calcutta to Wellington. Other International agencies like Save the Children and UNICEF have this view and we applaud them for it. Also one of our mandates is child rights and poverty, I believe through the Peg Campaign we are being congruent and aligned with that intention.
Can I also be clear, that this is not a TEAR Fund campaign. We’ve launched it and tried to give it legs, but hope this will catch on and become something of a public movement.

Why a peg?
Much of the abuse reported has happened in the home. Our homes should be safe places for our children. The peg is a clear symbol of the home and the need to ensure it is safe place for kids. It also is a clear reminder of the abuse Nia Glassie suffered. This campaign is not about Nia alone, but all the children who have faced abuse.
The peg makes the campaign simple to organise locally as well. You don’t have to go out and buy a peg, or be stopped on the street to purchase one. They are easy to get as well as attach to clothing. The idea isn’t original. I noted while watching TV news a young guy protesting in Rotorua covered in pegs. At first I was amused, then I saw what a powerful symbol it was.

How should the Peg be worn?
We are requesting that only one peg in an obviously visible place be worn- and with dignity: . Shirt, jacket, lapel, handbag strap, hat. We do not support children wearing the peg.

The Peg has had a negative response from some media, saying it is morbid and ineffectual, how do you respond?
It was never intended to be morbid or crass. In fact it never occurred to us that as a symbol it was. I am getting loads of email in support and very little negative feedback. But I will concede that looked at from one perspective, the peg is a troubling and disturbing symbol. But isn’t child abuse disturbing and shameful? Why hide this fact? I would argue that those who find it disturbing or shocking, are not so much offended by the peg, but the very reality of the abuse that it brings out into the open.
Also in New Zealand we have other disturbing symbols and campaigns Consider the Christian cross, as well as graphic ad campaigns to bring down the road toll or drink driving.

There has been a series of photographs circulating via email showing the injuries from child abuse on a dead child. Isn’t the peg sort of the same?
I was sent the photos and as soon as I saw them I shut down the email. They were ugly and disrespectful. Some images are just too damaging and almost paralyzing. It is for that reason, TEAR Fund doesn’t use exploitative images in fundraising campaigns. The peg never comes close to crossing that line.

Isn’t it an ineffectual campaign though, aren’t you just jumping on the bandwagon of the present hysteria?
There is no one simple solution to this problem of our appalling rate of child murder and abuse– the third highest in the developed world. There is a wonderful saying in India, that drop by drop a bucket is filled. The peg needs to be seen in this light, as part of a wider movement and outrage. I believe emphatically in the goodness and power of ordinary people to change things. What are we to do? Simply sit back and do nothing, simply trust the system? My observation is that people want to do something. This is a simple but powerful gesture. Also the peg carries a pledge to speak out. Our pledge, those of us wearing the peg, is to become more informed, and our web link points to resources for that. It also is a pledge to speak out and be advocates for the children in our sphere of influence. That is our responsibility – no one else’s.
If the bandwagon is about people in this country saying enough is enough then we are definitely on the bandwagon.

You mentioned that this was originally conceived as a specifically Christian campaign, what did that mean ?
Originally the idea was that the peg would be a symbol, worn by Christians as a sign of national repentance and recommitment to action on behalf of our nation. Jesus calls Christians to be salt and light in the world around us. The church and Christian community because of its pervasiveness is in a unique position to educate itself, speak out and intervene where and as appropriate. Christ said, “Let the Children come to me.” As his disciples we are all child advocates.

The campaign carries on until September 21st. Why that date?
The attitudes, values and pledge of the campaign don’t end September 21st but continue on. However the 21st marks the first day of spring and represents new beginnings and seems an apt time to remove the pegs.

What would you like to see happen?
I’d like to see everyone wearing the peg, getting this out into the open and discussing it publicly and resolving to be in some small way, contributing to and being part of the solution.

Campbell Live  

6 comments Posted by Andrew



Did anyone watch Campbell Live last night and see the item about Christians and the internet? It was very good!

What do you reckon about this quote from the show?

Think of the internet and you think of many things - but probably not God. And yet think of missionaries, whose calling was to spread the word to unchristian peoples wherever they might be. Two centuries ago, it was remote pacific islands... now, it's online.

Go here to watch the segment (you'll need broadband).


Tearfund have begun a campaign for people to protest about the shocking rates of child abuse in our country (go here to read more). To join, you simply wear a peg (read below to see why). I think this is a very significant issue that Christians should be involved in.
This is what Tearfund say:
THE PEG PLEDGE WEAR THE PEG AND SPEAK OUT.STOP THE VIOLENCE OF CHILD ABUSE

New Zealand is the third worst killer of children in the OECD.TEAR Fund is calling on people to show their outrage about New Zealand’s appalling record of child abuse by wearing a clothes peg and pledging to stand-up, speak out and stop the violence. The first campaign runs until the first day of spring on September 21st.The symbol of the clothes peg confronts us all with the national shame of Child Abuse and the memory of three year old Nia Glassie who among other things, suffered hanging from a clothes line before her death.Wearing the Pledge Peg ( we don’t sell them, just get one from your laundry ) provokes people to ask why are you wearing a clothes peg. That’s your opportunity to talk openly about our crisis of child abuse in New Zealand and explain that we are all advocates and need to accept responsibility for protecting our nation’s children. Almost every conversation with the Pledge Peg will end with the other person asking for a peg and joining the movement. The Pledge Peg can be a chain reaction. Carry some spares in your pocket.Take the Peg Pledge – Remember the VictimsEnd the AbuseBe informed 1. A UNICEF report has accused New Zealand of having one of the worst levels of child maltreatment in the developed world. OECD has listed New Zealand as the third worst killer of children among its members.2. There are 20 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in New Zealand every day.( ref: Ministry of Social Development report 2005 )3. Between 2002 and 2006 there were 88 child deaths in New Zealand.48 were Pakeha, 28 were Maori, 12 were ‘other’ . (Cindy Koro Children’s Commissioner quoted in the Sunday Star Times August 5th )Further information
NZ Children’s Commission www.occ.org.nz/
How did Jesus the Christ view children? He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me (Mark 9:36-37).


Then the people brought little children to Jesus for him to pace his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there (Mat. 19:13-15).


People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not recieve the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. (Lk. 18:15-17)


A while ago there was a big argument because a couple wanted to call their baby "4real," after seeing the ultrasound scan and realising the baby was actually for real. They were regected though, becase the registrar said a name had to be a sequence of charecters.
So, they have now decided to call their baby Superman, but refer to him as 4real.

What are peoples opinions on this?! I think its pretty awesome; like having a really different name. But i dont know how realistic these parents are being....?!
Your thoughts.....

AFFLUENZA  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

Perhaps here is another topic....

Hat Tip to Servant.

Go check out Micah Challenge New Zealand and especially the Millenium Development Goals. In terms of things our young adults could get passionate about, I'd put these goals very high on the list...

Hat tip to Servant.

Repent!  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

My mate Ali, over Kiwi and an Emu, has sent me an e-mail about my comments on Calvinism and evangelism. He hasn't been able to work the comments function on this blog (perhaps by God's grace for me - by this I mean that Ali would have exposed me!). Ali thinks I've been a little too sweeping and general in my comments. On reflection, he's right and I apologise and repent. One of the hazard of my vocation is that you tend to shoot your mouth off and then apologise later. As Ali pointed out to me in an e-mail, Calvinism doesn't lead to the end of evangelism and many Calvinists are leading the way in evangelism. So, if I gave the impression that Calvinists aren't into evangelism, then forgive me - that's not true (and not what I wanted to say). I stand by my comments that I find the 'mysterious will of God' in Calvinism (where some are locked into heaven and some are locked out of heaven by God's will) very problematic. Ali made a very perceptive comment in his e-mail - "I think you'll find that if a person follows the system of Calvinism alone, then evangelism may fall by the wayside. However, if, as in the case of all the people I've mentioned above, they base their beliefs on the Bible, they understand Calvinism as presented with everything else the Bible talks about, including the need to spread the good news." For some middle ground, I suggested that perhaps there's a distinction to make: Calvinism in service of the Scriptures and not the Scriptures in service of Calvinism?

I don't want to get into a prolonged discussion on the blog about the merits or the problems with Calvinism, I simply wanted to allow a (Calvinist) friend's voice to be heard:-) Ali, I hope you don't mind me putting this on the blog... I posted it because you said you wanted to post this but couldn't. If you want it removed, just e-mail me - here I am again, shouting my mouth off then apologising later :-)

Young Adults  

1 comments Posted by Andrew

Stephen (a lecturer and recent PhD in Theology) over at Greenflame has joined the conversation on topics to help our young adults. He's posted some links to books and topics he thinks would be helpful. To keep the conversation going, do you have any suggestions...

My suggestion is to read one of the gospels, hear the words of Jesus and try, by his grace, to do what he says. I mean that simply but not simplistically. I reckon Mark's gospel would be good - short and punchy. For a resource I reckon Tom Wright's Mark for Everyone would be a good help. It will help you to know who is Jesus, what was his message, why did he die, what is his significance...

Don't you hate it when you open the fridge to make a sandwich for lunch and there's nothing to put on it. Our fridge that we got given from my parents is on the blink and we've spent the last 3 days defrosting it. So today when I go home for lunch and there's nothing in it! So, having had no breakfast, I was starving. I decided to bake some chips to eat - yum. After the hard work of cooking the chips, I was looking forward to devouring them. However, Miss 11 month Picard decided dad couldn't have them all to himself. So she came around scabbing as only an 11 month old can: Mr Picard had been given clear instructions from Mrs Picard Senior NOT to feed the baby... But who can deny such a cute kid, pointing to her mouth for food?

So, I slipped her a chip (or 2...) but Mrs Picard Senior caught Miss 11 month Picard chewing...

BUSTED!

A BUSY MONTH  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

August is going to be a busy but exciting month at Napier Baptist. We have a host of visiting speakers coming to our church and the Hawkes Bay. Being quite geographically isolated, having speakers coming in for other regions is pretty exciting for us

Our first guest is Donna Dinsmore:


Donna will be with us on Saturday 18th August and Sunday 19th August. She will be leading a conversation on worship on Saturday morning and leading our worship at Napier Baptist on Sunday morning. Donna was the Music and Worship Co-ordinator at Regent's College Vancouver for 9 years. She currently works as the Music Director and Organist at St. David's United Church. She's in NZ for a short season and I have never met her (but heard heaps about her). Some of our music team met with her at a conference in Auckland. To cut a long story short, they fell in love with her and she agreed to come to Napier for a weekend. It is very exciting to have someone of Donna's experience, quality and wisdom coming to our church. All I have heard about her from our people who met her is how brilliant and amazing she is - so I can't wait to meet her and learn and grow through her.

Our second guest coming to Hawkes Bay (but not directly to Napier Baptist) is Murray Robertson:


Murray is the Senior Pastor at Spreydon Baptist Church in Christchurch. Murray's a brilliant pastor/leader and has been at Spreydon for around 40 years (seeing it grow from 50 odd people to about 1500). He's coming to lead a seminar on "The Missional Church" (sponsored by the Hawkes Bay Baptist churches) on Saturday 18th at Pirimai Baptist Church's Cafe (1:30-5pm). He will also preach at our combined Hawkes Bay Baptist worship service at Hastings Baptist on the Sunday evening at 7pm.

Our third guest is Paul Windsor, Principal of Carey Baptist College:
Paul will be at Napier Baptist Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th August. Paul's brilliant! A great pastor, principal and friend. I'm really looking forward to him spending time with our church. On Saturday 25th he will be leading a seminar called 'Windows and Mirrors' which uses movies as a tool to see into our culture (window) and a way we can see ourselves (mirrors). The seminar will look at ways a Christian worldview engages with such windows and mirrors. He will also lead a 'missional audit' for our leaders on the Saturday night and preach in our 2 church services on Sunday 26th August.
Make some space in your diaries and I'll see you there...

We're starting a young adults group that meets once a fortnight. I thought it would be a good idea to have something where people can put up a few ideas for what we can discuss. Some I thought might be good are:

-Predestination
-Hell, literal or figurative?
-Is the bible inerrant?
-Maybe something along the lines of critiques of the Baptist church

Much appreciated if you could give feedback on those and also come up with your own ideas on what we could do.

Now here is some pretty powerful writing and mind-bending thinking with honesty, openness and questions of breathtaking proportions. The comments are worth a read too!

This is surely something to discuss or follow up at NapBap Young Adults?

Hat-tip to SmileyChris and RLP


Here's the quote, that I mentioned on Sunday, that's been haunting me ever since I didn't respond to having a Passion for the Poor:

"The individual activity of one person with backbone will do more than a thousand people with a mere wishbone."

Black Ops  

9 comments Posted by Andrew

Sorry bout the poor quality. This is what NBC gets up to on the weekend...

I get very scared when I see politics being baptised. For a frightening example of this go and read here. The problem with this is it is too much of a cartoon picture. It's so ridiculous and weird, it's funny. But, the reality is that politics is the driver for a lot of our theology (views about God). Who you vote for says a lot about your views of the Christian faith. I'm treading carefully here because it's easy to step on landmines on these issues. For some people, they can't believe Christians would vote Labour. For other people, they can't believe that Christians would vote National! Within our church we would have people right across the range: from people who vote for the Greens through to people who vote for the Destiny party. I have 2 questions:

1). How do we co-exist? (Jesus prays in John 17:11b - "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one."

2). Faith and politics are always inter-related because voting is based on convictions just as faith is based on convictions. However, how can faith transcend politics? Could you change who you vote for because of the gospel (e.g. from National to Labour or vice versa)? Or does who you vote for determine your Christian faith?

Will It Blend?  

3 comments Posted by Andrew

Brilliant!

The other day I was listening to the radio, when a regular played song came on. It has quite a catchy beat and I started singing along. Its basically just this guy singing about his girlfriend, and how great she is…. blah, blah, blah. (Aren’t most songs about that these days?!)
Anyway, one of the lines was “She’s always ringing my phone, she’s even got her very own ring tone. If that’s not love, then I don’t know what love is.”
As I was singing along, I couldn’t help but think how glad I was that my God, in whom I have given my life and intend to live my life for, knows a greater love than this guy. The guy that’s singing this song thinks that love is giving someone his or her own ring tone. My God’s kind of love is one in which, he loves me so much that he sent his only son to die for me. His love is so big, that he made a great plan for my life before I was born. He loves every single person in the world with this kind of love.

I am so grateful, that me and the Person that I would most likely sing a song about, that praises them, (just as this one does about the guys girlfriend)- we have such a greater love than giving each other their own ring tone. I feel sorry for whoever wrote that song, because they clearly dont know what real love is! Gods love is awesome!
(No offence to anyone who likes this song – It’s a great song, but yea)

Close to Home  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

I love Real Live Preacher. He is a profound and yet simple writer - unravelling the depths of life in a way that most of us can't - even though we experience them, we can't name them with the clarity he can... He's my favourite author at the moment. He's just written a couple of posts on Foy that in parts are very close to home for me (don't read too much into that, it goes with the territory). If you want to know a little about how easy it is to lose your identity in a church - go and check them out:
Part 1 is here.
Part 2 (my favourite so far) is here.

Shift Happens  

0 comments Posted by Andrew

Following my post on Geekdom, Lauren reminded me not to be afraid of being a 'word nerd' (my new favourite title). BAndy then made connections between 'word nerds' and computer geeks. This clip is for all the computer geeks in the world. Looks like good news BAndy if you're studying I.T.: Shift Happens

Hat Tip: Prodigal Kiwis

Corey Otto, an Australian Indoor Cricket player, was the fastest bowler in the world of Indoor Cricket at the 2004 Indoor Cricket World Cup held in Wellington New Zealand. One News, NZ TV channel, sent a reporter to go and check out just how fast he is. The reporter was fairly cocky and gave Corey some lip. Then he tried to face up to Corey with a bat - bad idea:

Gollygate  

2 comments Posted by Andrew

I've been staying at the Summer St Manse of Ponsonby Baptist. It's a swanky sort of place, full of style and class. But the tension here has been electric - you could cut it with a knife. I innocently came expecting a nice time with friends but found myself embroiled in the turmoil now known as Gollygate! Accusations flying everywhere. Nick (the prosecution) says of Golly (the defendant) "On Thursday Golly (the dog, so named because he’s black) ate an entire apple cake that Julian baked." Go here to find out more...


The fall out of Gollygate has been huge - Nick is refusing to even acknowledge Golly's presence! Now you'd think with a therapist and 2 pastors in the house that Nick and Golly could be shown the way to resolving their their differences. Shake hands, lick each other's faces, sniff each other's butts and get on with it. But no, the tension hovering over Summer St has been like a linguist listening to a George Bush speech! That was until Brian came over for a yoga session. I'd never met Brian but I over the night of yoga and eating pizza I came to love the man - what's not to love about a man who passionately helps you to understand more about Jacques Derrida? (even though he told me I looked 40). Things are different when Brian's in the room - life is good. Brian blew away the dark clouds of Gollygate that surrounded Summer St and now all things have been made new:

Thanks Brian!

Geekdom  

3 comments Posted by Andrew

I've been holed up in a little study corral at Carey Baptist College for the last week. There's books and journal articles everywhere. Now, I could pretend that this is all really oppressive and woe is me but the reality is I LOVE IT! I am a geek and I love reading books and doing study. I am in my element in this pokey study corral. I am a geek and I don't care. I love books and study.

I have books on my desk:
I have another book bag I carry with me with more books in it:
And then there's the stash of books I have in the back of my car that won't fit in my book bag:
I am a geek and I love books!

By the way, if you happen to see Mrs Picard and little Miss 6 year old Picard be extra nice to them. Mr Picard's off fueling his geekiness in the library while they're at home with bad colds. Get better soon female Picards, and then I'll come home....

Here's some more photos from the baptisms the other week. I'm hoping to have some more photos soon of the baptisms and of our famous Indian Night...






I'm up at Carey Baptist College for the next 2 weeks spending some focussed time on a BTh (Hons) dissertation that I'm writing on Baptistic Ecclesiology in the Context of Being a Missional Church. I won't hijack the blog with the details. Great to see Weeza has made it into the blogging world despite being 'computerically challenged'. Perhaps BAndy could be of some help? To any who wanted to know, I've gotten over my illness from Sunday. Preaching with food poisioning is no fun at all! I hope to put up some more photos of the Baptisms soon.

Now, go and check out Lauren Roche's website. Go now and do it! Lauren is a member of our church and was among the 6 awesome people we baptised last Sunday. She is a frequent visitor and commentor to this blog (Lauren, if you're keen to write posts on this blog - let me know). She has written two amazing books on her life and is a truly inspirational person. Lauren's books, so far, are Bent not Broken and Life on the Line - they are inspirational. On the one hand they are an incredibly harrowing read (many parts brought me to tears) because Lauren has been through hell, on the other hand they are an incredibly inspiring and hopeful read (and many of these parts brought me to tears) because Lauren is such a brave and courageous woman that not even hell itself could hold her down. I haven't asked Lauren if this is true, and if you think it isn't Lauren, then please correct me. I wonder if somewhere and somehow in the midst of Lauren's life, God's hand and God's resurrecting power was at work - even when she didn't know it? I have given Lauren's book to a person trying to turn their life around, because Lauren refuses to shrink from being truthful about the ugliness and evil that exists in life while at the same time refusing to give up on hope. This person found her books very inspiring and planned to come to her baptism (having never been in a church for 10 or more years) but at the last minute couldn't make it because of family reasons. Lauren's courage to write about her life from drug abusing teen stripper and protitute to medical doctor helped to give hope to this person's, and many other people's lives and futures.

I love Lauren's excitement for life, her strength, her hope and the ribbon of steel that runs through her that won't compromise on love and hope. Already (see comments on last post), Lauren has reminded us of the significance of staying focussed on the heart of the Christian faith - "Let's not be Christians who tell the world what we are against, but show everyone what we stand for. Rather than shutting down other faiths, let's live The Word and have others say 'I want what they're having'. I'm new to this - perhaps it's all been said a zillion times before. I have a freshness of Faith to believe we can do it. Who wants to start?"

Wow! Who's inspired by this? I certainly am! So who's in? Lauren, and all the people at Napier Baptist, please help to keep us focussed on the main thing and if you ever think I'm shrinking or chickening out of showing the depth and breadth of God's love in Christ, then feel free to give me a swift kick up the bum and get me back on track to keep the main thing the main thing!

Let me not forget to mention Lauren's wonderful husband Murray, who is also a treasured part of Napier Baptist.

Hey ya'll, So, Ive finally added myself to this blog thing, but I SO dont understand how it all works- im so computerically challenged- let me tell you!! I'm hoping that now that Ive made this new post, that my name will appear on the list with all ya'll- here's hoping...
Anyways, hows ya'll doing??- Holidays!!!! fun fun fun- fun for everyone...oh, apart from those that arent on holiday...my bad

"Moments of savage joy are there for all of us to find. If you haven’t seen one lately, you only need to slow down a bit and keep your eyes open. I can give you no counsel beyond that. But if you come across a moment of wild, untamed joy, for God’s sake eat it; drink it; hear it; receive it. This is the stuff of life. It doesn’t get any better."

You've got to read this from Real Live Preacher. With 2 beautiful daughters, I know something of what he describes.

Hat Tip to Maggi Dawn

Hey guys!
Now that I am "super christian girl" I have agreed to join the blog! Haha
It was a really awesome, encouraging and emotional service.
PAndy you did a great job - thanks heaps =)
Tessa got some really awesome photos...







....And there is more where that came from (Theres photos of everyone that got dunked, but I could only fit this many on) , just let me know if you want some.
I know the Beavens got some cool ones too =)



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