Foolishness

This blog has moved

2009-03-15T22:22:00.002+11:00

Hi all,

Thanks so much for encouraging me to continue blogging with your encouraging feedback. This is my last post on blogger. The inevitable has happened and I am shifting to Wordpress.com. I've been using wordpress for the other blogs I magane and, well, I just like it better. My entire blog has been exported to a new location, archives, comments and all.

Foolishness is now located at www.markriessen.wordpress.com

I hope you continue to read and interact with my blog. Thanks again

Mark Riesen
Signing out from blogger

Lent - part 1

2009-03-12T17:37:00.002+11:00

We are well into lent by now and I've finally made some space to blog some thoughts and reflections on the season. I thought I'd break this into stages so if anyone wanted to have a dialogue about it I'd love to hear from you.

I have had many robust discussions with colleagues about lent, why or why it is not practised and the value of it and I can tell you that among these conversations have been passionate disagreements.

I come from a fairly conservative Churches of Christ up bringing and am currently engaged in ministry with the Churches of Christ in South Australia. I have never really been exposed to much of the traditional liturgy or rituals of the church because it has never really been a core focus of our restoration movement - that's not to say that the rituals aren't important, they just never played a major role in the life of the church I grew up in.

As I was emerging out of my final year of college I began to participate more and more in ecumenical conversations and where possible would attend services held by other denominations so I could learn and appreciate the different forms of worship and why they practised in this way. Some things I didn't quite get and others I knew wouldn't gel with me but I learned to appreciate anyway, while other worship practices enriched my Christian experience. A Church of Christ colleague of mine who was a couple of years ahead of me in college and is still a very dear friend helped me a great deal not only to appreciate different traditions but exposed me to how to recreate variations of these worship practices so our Church of Christ congregations could appreciate something of richness of alternative forms of worship.

So for the past few years I have chosen to take my congregations through the Lenten journey, each year is different and each year we learn something new about ourselves and who we are called to be. I came across a blog as lent was beginning titled - 'why Baptists don't observe lent'. I found the title intriguing so I read on. To cut a long story short I found the blog post to be short sighted and arrogant towards a tradition that might not be fully understood. The blog author referred to lent as a '40 day period preceded by the most intense gluttony and occupied with the setting aside of trivial pleasantries and followed by a return to the same old same old'. I disagree.

I have since had conversations with Baptist, Church of Christ, Uniting Church and Catholic communicants all of whom have a different reflection on why they observe lent. Yes that's right a Baptist observing lent! The author of the blog I read said that Baptist don't need lent because they repent 365 1/4 days a year (that's the bit I found arrogant) accusing all others of only repenting on the first day. My Catholic friend told me that she has spiritual practises 365 1/4 days a year and lent enables a heightened sense of the awareness of God and the journey towards Easter. I take offense at the implication that those who observe certain seasons of the church calender are merely drones who don't lead spiritual lives but hang out for ritual so they can finally receive absolution for their sinful lives.

I have also been criticized for giving something up for lent. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting. The 40 days of lent identifies with Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time of humbling one self and a time of discernment. I have chosen to give up coffee and alcohol for lent. For those who don't know me, no I don't have a drinking problem with alcohol, however I do enjoy a beer or a glass of wine with friends once or twice a week. I was put to the test when I attended a concert with my brother, brother-in-law and a friend and they offered to buy beers for me at the bar before we went in. I kindly declined and it created an interesting conversation around the table as they drank their beer and I went without.

Many of my friends were in shock when I told them what I was giving up. It's bound to come up in conversation because drinking caffeine and alcohol is a social thing. This has no impaired my socializing but my point in doing this has nothing to do with anyone except me and God and my own spiritual development. In case people didn't realize this, both coffee and alcohol contain addictive drugs, I hear friends joke about how they 'need' a coffee or hanging out for a drink. It made me think - can I do without it and not replace it with something else? Sometimes I think i enjoy these indulgences too much so it was the obvious choice for me to set myself the challenge. At the end of the second day of having no coffee I had an amazing headache. My mum (who works in a pharmacy) told me I was having caffeine withdrawals! Now that's got to tell you something about the substances we pump into our body! After all isn't our body a temple within which the Holy Spirit chooses to dwell? My spiritual discipline for this season is to cleanse and look after my 'temple' so it may be fit for God's service. I hope that after Easter I will be able to maintain some discipline around drinking (caffeine in particular) in moderation because after all do I really need it?

So I've gone without caffeine and alcohol for 16 days now and I feel so much better for it. I feel like my body is being cleansed and my focus is renewed. I told my congregation what I was doing and how the idea of lent was to give up something we think we needed (traditionally food). Rather than replacing it with something else we repeat the words in our head, 'God is enough'. It becomes a chant that helps us identify with Jesus' 40 days of discernment in the wilderness - God is enough. It works for me because at least 3 or 4 times a day a little voice in my head says 'I need a coffee' and the voice that replies says, 'God is enough'.

In addition to giving up something I have taken up a spiritual discipline which I plan to continue in some shape or form beyond lent. I have increased the regularity of spiritual direction and have locked in weekly retreat time at a local Christian spirituality centre. My wife and i are attending a whole day spiritual Lenten retreat in a couple of weeks. I will blog about these experiences later.

I think it's arrogant and naive to be quick to criticize an old Christian ritual simply because it's old (a hangover from the middle ages is what one colleague called it) or you think it bears no relevance. For many Christians, many of whom have much more specific spiritual disciplines than me 365 1/4 days of the year, find lent a very helpful discipline to heighten their sense of connection with God. Don't disrespect the ritual just because you don't practise it or understand it.

More to come...

Shalom
Mark

A Glimmer of Hope

2009-03-12T17:30:00.002+11:00

A chaplain I connected really well with while I was visiting the bushfire zone in Victoria contacted me today via email with the following comments:

We had more rain this morning, which'll help to ease some of the anxiety in the areas we were in recently. Mary and I walked up near Kinglake on Tuesday - the area is one of our favourite bushwalking haunts... and amongst the black and devastation, there are blades of grass emerging... and tiny bush violets that somehow survived... and wattles that are beginning to sprout from seed... what an amazing capacity the creation has for regeneration!!

Thanks Randall.

Shalom
Mark

Churches of Christ 200 years on

2009-03-06T18:26:00.004+11:00

This year marks 200 years since the birth and shaping of our movement, Churches of Christ as it is known in Australia otherwise known as the Disciples of Christ or the Christian Churches elsewhere around the world. 200 years ago one of our founders Thomas Campbell gave a declaration and address stating what is distinctive to our movement and the essentials for being true to the Christian faith.

I won't get into it to much now and I may come back and post a few more times on this topic throughout the year. I have mainly posted this blog to direct you to another blog I have created specifically for the purpose of celebrating this 200th year and to create dialogue and discussion around the topics that define us as a movement of Christian churches.

Please visit www.shapingidentity.wordpress.com and participate in the discussion. Once a month a different Churches of Christ minister from South Australia will post an article for discussion. The article for May was written by retired minister, Richard Lawton on 'Unity'. I've got the April gig so stay tuned.

Churches from our movement around the world and gathering for celebrations on October 4th at an event called the Great Communion. Check the ';Shaping our Identity' site for more information.

Shalom
Mark

Photos from the edge

2009-02-26T15:44:00.010+11:00

I hadn't downloaded my photo's from my phone when I posted my last few blogs so I thought I'd share some with you. Obviously I don't have a whole lot of photos from the heart of the bushfire zone because taking snaps up there would have been nothing short of insensitive. However I have some photos from 'the edge' attached with stories you might find interesting.

The above photos were taken from teh cellar door of De Bortoli Winery. Verity and I used to enjoy visiting here when we lived in Melbourne. You find it on the left of the Melba Highway as you drive out of Yara Glen. i thought I'd drop in on my way up to the relief centre on the second day I was there just to see how they dealt with that horrific Saturday. As i drove towards the cellar door i could see the smoke haze hovering over the fire burnt vineyards off in the distance. Up on the hill from the cellar door lookout you can see the entire scrub on the hill blackened. What wasn't burned in the fire was scorched by the sun on that Saturday. Staff told me they spent late afternoon dousing spot fires while a wedding reception was being held in their function room.

We drove past this old pub on the Tuesday night and I thought I'd take a quick pic as I drove back past the next day. It's on the corner of the Melba Highway/Flowerdale turnoff (Just past Kinglake). The pub was flattened by the fire, it was an icon and popular local hangout. On Tuesday night locals gathered in the carpark with beers in each hand. It was a necassary ritual for them to reclaim community and some of the normalities of life amongst so much that had been taken away.

On the Sunday before we left Melborune Verity and I visited one of her favorite spots just up the road from where we used to live, Sassafrass. We walked down one of the bushwalk paths and I was astounded at how think the growth was. It kind of set you on edge a bit knowing how quickly the fire ripped through scrub on the next range across the Yara Valley.

The next day Verity dropped me off in Upper Ferntree Gully to have coffee with a friend. Afterwards i walked down to Burwood Hwy to meet her in the car and as i walked I found myself walking the path through the Ferntree Gully fire zone that very nearly ripped through the Dandenongs on that 'Black Saturday'. It's amazing how close it got to the National park and the houses.

'One last look' says Verity as I indicated I'd like to get back down on the flats because this fire danger day was making me nervous. Verity looks out from the lookout in Olinda in disbelief at the hills across the Yara Valley still burning 16 days later. Half an hour later we were at the bottom of the Dandenongs in Ferntree Gully among the wailing CFA sirens and seeing the smoke fo the new Upwey fire in our rearvision mirrors.

Mark

'Dear Westboro Baptist Church'

2009-02-25T16:02:00.004+11:00

I was updating my video bar to reflect some of the footage taken of the National Day of mourning service when the YouTube link I've posted below poped up in the search. I wonder what you make of it. I'm kinda scared and a little bit freaked out by it, no wonder I saw no sign of Westboro Baptist Church at the service. This cute little animated puppet is one scarey dude. Have you seen Child's Play with little Chucky?

Seriously though, how helpful do you think this is? I link this post back to my post on foolish compassion. Sure we don't agree with the inhumane and outrageous views of a small minority that call themselves Christians yet hate everyone. There is something seriously wrong here and I mean some serious pshchological issues going on there with Fred Phelps and his followers.

It's interesting that I note within myself that I think I was more fired up about 'Pastor Danny's' comments from 'Catching the Fire Ministries' than I am by Fred Phelps. I just find it hard to take that guy even remotely seriously but he explains the bushfires in Australia quite simply saying, 'God hates Australia'. Of course he links it to the film Heath Ledger stars in when he played a homosexual character, saying that Australia is full of fags and we deserve it. I know I used to get angry too but I just can't take this guy seriously enough to get angry with him anymore.

Back to this video link however. What disturbs me is the assumption of attack by Australians and the condoning of violence against anyone who aligns with this thinking. We are Australian and we are better than that...I hope. Otherwise we may be just as bad as the people of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Remember the words of Jesus to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. These are the actions I would hope we as Australians would aspire to over violence and revenge. Let's have a conversation about what that kind of love and compassion look like rather than ways in which we can hurt people who enrage us with their views and opinions.

Check the video and if you really want to see what the Westboro Baptist Church are saying you don't have to look far to find out.

Postcard from Rod Laver Arena

2009-02-25T11:11:00.007+11:00

Verity and I were in Melbourne when it was decided that a memorial service would be held in the Rod Laver Arena to honour the people affected by the bushfires in Victoria. We decided, since we were in town we may as well go down to the general area and see if we might be able to get in and be part of the service. The media had hyped it up so much expecting more than 100,000 people to turn out that we thought we'd be lucky to grab a spot near a screen outside the Arena. When we showed up about an hour and a half before the service people we're literally chasing us trying to give us tickets. It seems not as many turned out as were expected but that's understandable as many people from affected communities preferred to stay where they were and watch it on the big screens. Verity and I ended up sitting directly to the left of the stage inside the Arena about 10 rows up - close to the action. It was the closest I've ever been to royalty or the Prime Minister.

Now I'm not a royalist, I'm not even very patriotic but it was amazing to be in that Arena surrounded by the atmosphere that had been created. For instance, I've never been to see a live orchestra before. They were amazing! And the Australian anthem was spectacular! (now that's saying something coming from me) So there we sat with our yellow ribbon, little bell and the order of service. Symbols of our liturgy and memorial in this 'non-religious' service of remembrance where Aussies from everywhere (even a representative of the Queen) gathered to make meaning of their grief and helplessness.

I'm sure that by now most people have seen the service and if not you can find it on YouTube. So rather than give a commentary I just wanted to reflect on a couple of things I found meaningful in the service.

The welcome to country by Aunty Joy Murphy was more meaningful than maybe what many may have appreciated. A good reminder for us is that us Europeans who have taken this land and think we know how to manage it still have a lot to learn from our indigenous leaders about appropriate stewardship of the land. When she mentioned that for generations her people had managed the land with ceremonious burning every 7 years, I was heart broken to think of the wisdom we have neglected. The people of Israel had similar customs like resting the land where they rotated their crops, every 7 years, or forgiving debts every 7 years to ensure people weren't plunged into a cycle of poverty. This wisdom we have neglected is our demise. However she followed through by acknowledging that there was nothing good or ceremonious about what happened with these fires. 'The land was tortured', she said and we now bare the scars of the consequence. But hopefully we can also learn. We wish a tragic fire like this had never happened but all the ingredients were there, the heat, the fuel, the wind. Not much could have prevented such tragedy but will we now tune in to the words of the wise, those who have lived on and cared for this land for so many thousands of years. What can they teach us? Will we listen?

I was interested to see how the government would manage a non-religious service in such a spiritual environment. At times of grief the majority do look to spiritual guidance from various faith traditions. I found it interesting to note that out of 4 speakers representing religious reflections, 3 of them were Christian. I wonder if the organizers consulted inter-faith networks for a greater representation or is our government sending the message that we are dominantly a Christian country? We had no words of comfort from Muslims, Jews, Hindus or Buddhists. The sounding of the rams horn was powerful, a Jewish symbol of calling people to mourning and prayer.

As much as I resisted at the end (whether that's because I'm an Aussie male who feels the need to suppress feelings in public, or because I'm just a cynic when it comes to emotionally charged public gatherings) it was difficult to hold back tears. When Bruce Woodley and his daughter Clare began singing 'I am Australian' and the 2 Kinglake survivors Merelyn and David Carter came out to sing the new verses, you could just feel the emotional intensity rise up in the Arena and the people around you. People spontaneously jumped to their feet to stand in solidarity, and burst out in song as if this was the national anthem before they were invited to sing, it really was amazing. Then finishing with the song 'Touch', sung by Michael Paynter, everyone stood again, this time strangers were grabbing one anothers hands and putting their arms around each other. Vertiy grabbed my left hand while myself and the guy on my right resisted (it's a male thing) but you could tell we were edging subtly closer together so we were touching just so we weren't left out.

Verity outside Rod Laver in smokey Melbourne

It was an amazing day and atmosphere to be a part of. Verity and I headed straight for the train afterwards back up to the Dandenongs. We were meeting friends for lunch in Upwey. As we sat around the table on the deck eating and sharing about how Victoria make meaning of such tragedy we also lamented about the conditions that surrounded us in this dense Dandenong bush. Little did we know that the next day them and their neighbours would be evacuating from a fire in their very suburb. The past couple of days have continued to be a harsh reminder that even though the ceremony is over and the media has moved on to other stories, we mustn't be complacent about the danger that surrounds us. Maybe we can led some time to tuning in to the wisdom of those who have known our land for so long and give them the credit they deserve. Please teach us, our indigenous friends.

Shalom Mark

Smoke in the mirrors

2009-02-24T11:30:00.003+11:00

Verity and I sat at Melbourne airport last night feeling very distracted and helpless as we waited for our plane to Adelaide and chaos broke out around our friends and previous home in the Dandenongs. We had been stay with friends in Lysterfield and spent the last couple of days with friends in Upwey so the chaos breaking out was close to home.

For our last day in Melbourne Verity really wanted to visit one of her favorite places for lunch - Olinda. We knew it was a high fire danger day so we ensured we were tuned into ABC radio for updates. We could not believe that the places we saw covered in snow only 5 months ago were now crispy dry ferns and half dead trees amongst a dense forest of struggling life, scorched by the extreme heat Melbourne has endured this summer. I remember saying to Verity how nervous I was when we drove up through the unsealed roads of Upwey to visit friends on Sunday. We lamented with our friends that day how much of a fire trap this was and what their evacuation plan was should they ever need it. They told us stories of close encounters on the Black Saturday as spot fires broke out around Belgrave and people scrambled to extinguish them.

I expressed my nerves to Verity once again as we drove to the lookout at the arboretum in Olinda that looked out over the Yarra Valley. We didn't stay long as we could well and truly see the fires still burning out on the other side of the valley. At around 2:20 we made our way down the Mt Dandenong tourist road to the lights waiting to enter Burwood Hwy at the boarder of Upwey and Upper Ferntree Gully when we heard that noise that all hills and bush residents tread and fear - the CFA sirens were wailing loud and clear.

We drove past the Upper Gully CFA to see 3 trucks waiting for crews and as we drove further down the highway CFA trucks pulled out in front of us as they raced to the affected area. We got down to the Ferntree Gully/Stud Rd intersection as we headed towards the city and there in the mirrors i could see the smoke. It's terrifying to see how fast in billowed into the sky and how close we were to it. We were on our way to Chadstone shopping centre and continued in that direction as we listened intently to the ABC waiting for them to acknowledge the fire. At 3pm they confirmed that on the opposite side of Upwey to where we were, a grass and scrub fire burned out of control. We arrived at Chadstone just after 3pm and the plumes of smoke were large and very obvious. We contacted friends in Upwey and Lysterfield to let them know about the alert issued to residents. They weren't aware of what was going on but luckily were able to action their fire plans.

While Verity went for a wander around the shops, i couldn't disengage, I couldn't relax as i realized what we had just driven away from. I kept tuning into the ABC reports and heard that a house had been lost and 2 CFA trucks burnt injuring 3 firefighters and i began to acknowledge what many Victorians must have been feeling this past couples of weeks - the total and utter sense of helplessness.

Reports were coming through the radio of the chaos that surrounded the reaction to the fire as residents evacuated. Confused and disoriented people had car accidents and were running red lights just to get off the mountain. People raced down that stretch of Burwood Hwy Verity and I know well from Upwey to Upper Gully they called 'the mad mile'. Then we began to hear that the community we once called home was being turned into a refuge with relief centres set up in Ferntree Fully, Knox and Kilsyth.

We drove up towards the Eastern Freeway to escape the chaos of the traffic trying to get from the city to the SE suburbs as people raced towards homes surrounded by smoke. As we headed up around the north of the city of Melbourne, the wind changed direction and the smoke began to blow our way. It was a reminder of what and who we were leaving behind. We were flying back west as many of our friends were caught up in the chaos and we had no idea how bad it would get. One of the announcers on ABC radio summed up our feelings well when he reflected on his own. He acknowledged that here he was in a studio in the city, while once again on a high fire danger day in Melbourne's 3 weeks of fire tragedy, people scrambled to battle and escape new fire outbreaks. He described his state of being as helpless.

What heightened the anxiety was the fire outbreaks in Dalesford and Warbuton and we wondered if this tragedy that had impacted Australia so much would unfold again. Thankfully new learning's had been actioned, conditions were not as bad and firefighters were working diligently. Yet that still doesn't suppress the feeling of helplessness for most who watch on, wait, and wonder what the outcome will be.

we continue to think of those affected by the fires in Victoria. Verity and I think of our friends who came way too close this time. we think of the people who lost their home in that fire yesterday and the firefighters injured trying to save others. We also think of that one person who yesterday lost their life in hospital due to extensive injuries received in the Black Saturday fires. It may have just been a number that clocked over from 209 to 210 in many reports but it was a valued human life just like the others who were lost.

We continue to think of Victoria as many fires still burn out of control as they head towards another extreme fire danger day on Friday. We are also aware of a heightened awareness and anxiety here in the Adelaide hills as we brace for similar conditions. may we all be aware of one another as we see out this fire season. May we be aware of the heightened sense of helplessness, grief and anger. May we have patience with each other and be gracious towards one another. And may God's comfort and love embrace all who are affected in anyway.

Shalom
Mark

Foolish Compassion

2009-02-19T13:41:00.000+11:00

As everyone is well aware by now, the man charged with arson over the Churchhill fire is probably the most disliked person in Victoria. Here is yet another example of poor journalism, the court has ordered his identity be protected yet the media in all their wisdom pretty much hand him to the public on a silver platter guiding them to sites like facebook and myspace where his picture and details are in full view.

Greg Barnes who is a human rights lawyer has criticized the media saying not only have they hurt his opportunity of getting a fair trial and possibly destroying the investigation all together but he has been horrified at how this tragedy has brought out the worst in Australians. He said with every tragedy you get to see the best and the worst in human nature. While the best has been seen, yes we are seeing the worst with the reaction to accused arsonists with hateful threats of violence and suggestions on how we should treat such people.

Well I have a suggestion, how about we treat such people with compassion? I don’t mean we ignore the actions or even that they shouldn’t face justice, but no amount of revenge or hate will reverse or the circumstances or satisfy hurt and anger. Revenge is not justice, it’s just another crime.

I suggest compassion because it was to choice of Jesus to act with compassion towards people. Sure Jesus got angry at circumstances but never did he seek revenge. He urged his followers to do outrageous things like love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Jesus’ sermon on the mount is probably the most famous yet outrageous sermon recorded in his ministry. It’s a mission statement for his ministry and his suggested way of life. While a natural reaction to anger and feelings of injustice is to react and get even, the Jesus model is quite the opposite.

Christians are called to stand for far reaching love, outrageous grace and foolish compassion. It may not make sense but it is the only alternative to a world of people who still insist of solving problems with revenge attacks, violence and getting even. In all of human history these methods we insist on are yet to be fruitful and work. So as a Christian, a follower of Jesus I join the voice of many who have gone before me and ask that you tune in to the values of the kingdom of God try a method that takes patience and understanding.

True compassion comes from a changed heart, one moved with pity for a person who finds themselves in a tragic place, either by their own doing or through some other circumstance. Have compassion and let the justice system determine the punishment.

Shalom Mark

The media circus moves on

2009-02-19T13:37:00.001+11:00

I was driving in Melbourne reflecting on the time we spent as chaplains in the bushfire affected areas the previous day and I switched on ABC radio to listen to any further coverage. There was an interesting topic being razed regarding media ethics, particularly in covering the Victoria bushfires. They had media ethicist Dennis Muller on to comment on how some of the stories have been covered. It was interesting when he talked about guidelines for reporting that reporters must ask themselves, is this story necessary to report in the public’s interest or is it purely to satisfy public curiosity. I find that an interesting and helpful guide in terms of my own discipline as a consumer of information.

Sadly, most of the time, media speculate, dramatize and use inappropriate emotional lures in order to get your attention, sell a story and make lots of money. While the coverage of events such as the bushfires are essential for raising awareness and support from the community I think this question needs to remain our guiding standard, Do the public really need to know this or is it purely to satisfy curiosity?

This guide may even form how we conduct our face to face conversations out of respect for those who are deeply affected. Not only are methods for sourcing information absolutely appalling but motivations for sharing information need to be checked.

Papers like the Herald Sun are nothing better than a gossip tabloid and even The Australian and The Age have let it slip a little in the frenzy of securing the most excusive story with the most shocking information. The way some have described how and where human remains have been found and who is more important than another in recognizing and name those who perished is deplorable. So far only one paper has published a public apology on their inappropriate coverage of a story. Dennis Muller wrote in to The Australian to complain on behalf of a family he was close to who perished in the fire. The Australian covered a story about them with speculative information and no actual facts. They made the bold move of publishing Dennis’ letter with an apology. Now I reckon that takes guts and integrity to do that so well done The Australian.

While callers rang the ABC during the program and shared their views (some criticizing even ABC’s coverage but most applauding their sensitivity) some were mentioning the TV media and how inappropriate they have been. Then last night I saw one of the things they were complaining about with my own eyes. Channel 10 news had a still picture of a burnt house displayed behind the news reader. As the news reader talked they had these graphics that some brilliant drongo had concocted of computer generated smoke rising from a few areas in the photo. Not only does it look tacky but have they thought about the on going trauma that causes people?

I’m critical about this because I have now spoken with survivors, volunteers and professionals and I have some idea of the effect the media is having on them. And for all of the positives that our coming from coverage with the raising of money for survivors etc, there are so many negatives with their methods and practices.

I heard stories of media personalities from all TV stations doing things like bribing Red Cross people for the red arm bands we were wearing so they would have access to restricted areas; stealing CFA uniforms and posing as firefighters so they could get in and get a good story; sneaking past road blocks and finding people who hadn’t left their burnt homes yet and badgering them for a story. If you have a problem with the way the media are covering stories, write in a complaint, stop watching their news channel and stop buying their papers, they need to learn how to display real journalism with integrity not tabloid speculative gossip.

The worst part is the way the media created a swarm of activity, they pounced on people and relief centres from day one. Channel 7’s Sunrise program did the noble thing of setting up camp in Wittlesea and even flew their weather presenter down from Queensland where she was covering the floods (because they don’t matter any more, there’s a better story down the road). Now Mel from Sunrise might put on an emotional show and maybe she was deeply affected by the devastation, but the problem that Dennis Muller raises is that media personalities are not trained for this, they are not counselors or relief workers, and they don’t have the experience to deal with these things.

So they get in peoples faces and share their stories. What we don’t see however is what all the other onlookers see, the media scrum harassing for a story like seagulls running and squawking for a chip as devastated people look on bewildered. When we were there working with the Victorian Council of Churches as chaplains, the media had disappeared and the impression we got from people was that if they came back they wouldn’t be very welcome. Not only did people survive a firestorm but then they had to endure a media storm for a full week. They have no ide the effect they have on people when they all pack up camp at once and leave the people they have exploited behind.

The media circus moves on to the next attention grabbing story. Have they learnt anything? Will they alter their practice? Only time will tell.

Mark

Postcard from the bushfire zone

2009-02-19T13:28:00.001+11:00

This week I am in Melbourne. I was originally here for a meeting and a ministry induction. Since they were 6 days apart I thought I would stick around in Melbourne for a while. That was until the bushfires devastated areas around Melbourne and I felt compelled to help in some way.

I got in touch with Brian Tunks (a friend and former colleague from SA) who was appointed by the Victorian Council of Churches (VCC) to co-ordinate volunteer chaplains to help counsel survivors, other volunteers and professionals working with the bushfire relief effort. I ended up joining a team made up of other ministers and chaplains volunteering their time (Some old friends and colleagues I’ve worked with before). So on Tuesday February 17^th a few of us travelled together early in the morning to meet up with Brian and the other chaplains stationed at the relief centre in Yea.

The drive up there was humbling. I couldn’t believe how far south the fire had come, it didn’t take long from the beginning of our drive in Boronia to reach blackened paddocks and the town of Yarra Glen surrounded by black and a few houses burnt to the ground. Driving through Kinglake was eerie just knowing how devastating this fire had been.

Once we had arrived at Yea we signed in, debriefed and were split into two teams. I went with the team appointed to the Alexandra relief centre. While at Alexandra we discovered that on this day even 10 days after the fires first started, people were coming into the relief centre for the first time. They haven’t wanted or being able to leave their fire affected homes until now due to trauma, fear of looting, or fear of not being able to return to their still standing homes because of road blockages due to crime scene investigations and unsafe areas.

Even with my experience as a CFS firefighter and as a chaplain I stood there in the centre still feeling as helpless as I was when I was back in SA. You see people coming in but you don’t want to intrude or impose, yet you know many want to talk. Then all of a sudden I felt something grab my hand. I looked down and saw that a 3 year old had adopted me. He just calmly looked up at me as if he thought I needed looking after. He seemed to be alone and I tried asking him if he had any parents around. He just took me by the hand and started leading me around the centre, giving me the tour. (This was amazing because in our morning briefing when we were talking about our strengths and weaknesses in working with people I said ‘don’t put me with little kids’. It seems there is a divine sense of humor about this situation)

This child eventually led me into where all the people were seeking assistance from DHS, Centrelink, insurance companies and other government departments and this is where my conversations with people started. I felt completely humbled as I met people from Marysville, Buxton and Tagartey who had lost everything and wanted to talk about it. Then I finally got to meet the mother of this child I found out was called James. The mother, Judy rushed into the room in a panic to find James (still holding my hand) and her first reaction was a sigh of relief and she said, ‘thank goodness he’s with you’. ‘What’s going on here?’ I thought. How did I earn any sense of respect or right to even be there? I found out why when I went outside to talk with security guard Jon.

Jon called me over and wanted to chat. He had been on security at the centre for 9 days straight. After a bit of a chat he told me how much respect he had for the VCC chaplains. He said he was a Vietnam veteran and he always respected the ‘padre’ (army chaplain) He said, ‘you guys are like padres’. I knew how much of an honor that was to be called such a thing but I didn’t feel I deserved it, I was an outsider, from interstate even. But I give credit to the other VCC chaplains who spent time there the days before me. The VCC were the only recognized Christian organization (apart from the Salvos) that had jurisdiction to provide assistance during the bushfire relief at the centres. It was a permission that was given reluctantly as well as government departments are very suspicious of the agendas of Christian groups. I have to particularly commend Brian Tunks for an outstanding job in building relationships and managing this valuable ministry.

Jon also told me about what he and others had referred to as ‘cowboys’, well meaning Christians coming to fly their flag with the agenda of promoting their church and evangelizing people. I know it’s sickening, as bad as the media taking advantage of trauma victims. One story that really took the cake was the one about the 2 pastors who drove down from Queensland in a supped up V8 Commodore with loud colours and all the trimmings with ‘Chaplain’ plastered along the side of the car and both of them dressed in matching uniforms promoting where they are from. They were not trained to deal with this crisis and made a nuisance of themselves. They were turned away from every centre (yes that’s right they would get turned away from one them move on to the other).

Even while I was there, there were about 3 different Christian groups who shall remain nameless. All of them wearing their badges, all of them well meaning yet ill prepared, all of them flying their own banner and all of them turned away by security because they pose a hindrance rather than a help. I just felt sad because they potentially damage the relationships that have been built by the VCC with suspicious government organizations and survivors.

It was amazing to find people of such strong spirits there and such positive outlooks on the future. The government departments have done a brilliant job in processing so many people. Our role was to be there for them as well. We were chaplains to the CFA, Police, volunteers, security, survivors, government department personnel, insurance & bank reps, the works and it was a very enriching time for all.

You may realize that I use the word survivor to describe those who have lost. I do this because I came across a note on the notice board among many others which was posted for the people seeking assistance by one of the agencies. It was addressed to the bushfire ‘victims’ and someone had come along and crossed out victim and wrote ‘survivor’ above it. I thought that said a lot about the spirit of the place, it wasn’t full of victims but survivors. It reminded me of the words we posted on our screen during our service last Sunday, ‘helpless not hopeless’, but these people were showing that now 10 days on they were not entirely helpless either.

Myself and another chaplain were sent out on house calls in the afternoon. Amazingly it was one of the government departments that was originally suspicious of the idea of chaplains that sent us out. She had gained a respect and understand for what we do. So we visited people in homes still standing in Tagartey and Buxton (weren’t allowed into Marysville) It was amazing to see one house disintegrated and the other untouched. People embraced us like long lost friends.

We finished our day gathered together at a pub in Yea where we invested our money back into the local economy and enjoyed the company of other volunteer workers around us. On the way home we passed the site where the old Golburn pub used to be on the corner of the turn off to Flowerdale. It was burnt to the ground but that night there was a gathering. All the people that used to gather at the pub for drinks were getting together on this night. A whole bunch of people were pitched in the pub carpark with their beers in the dark enjoying the company they once shared in that old pub.

People all over the affected region are doing rituals just like this, the rituals are important and necessary for continuing the value community and build on their hope for the future together.

This was my day as a VCC chaplain working alongside some great people at the bushfire relief centres in Yea and Alexandra following the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria February 2009.

Shalom Mark

Responses to the bushfires

2009-02-13T12:27:00.004+11:00

I came across a post on Mark Connor's blog which I thought I'd direct you to. Mark is the senior pastor of Citylife Church on Melbourne. Certianly a more diplomatic and insightful response to the comments made by Catching the Fire Ministries. I recomend a read and look at his related posts about how to respond. Thanks Mark

Shalom
Mark

God is not angry!

2009-02-12T09:49:00.007+11:00

I was talking with a colleague yesterday and reflecting that I have been sitting on this post for a couple of days now because I wanted to be as diplomatic and concise as possible in responding to some of the actions and speeches in relation to the bushfire's in Victoria. I nearly titled my post 'STOP IT!' which about sums up my cry as thoughtless and insensitive people do and say stupid things in the wake of the greatest natural tragedy on Australian soil. So I'll do my best.

Having said that I am so comforted and encouraged by the thousands upon thousands of people making so many sacrifices to help, donate, sit with, talk to, comfort and encourage the victims of the fires. Being a former CFS member myself I am still astounded at the amount of volunteers who would give up so much of their time day and night, to put their lives on the line in the hope of saving others.

But back to the title of this blog. I was appalled to come across the article in The Age that reflected on Pastor Danny's words as he presumes to speak on behalf of God, "'My wrath is about to be released upon Australia, in particular Victoria, for approving the slaughter of the innocent children in the womb,now call on My people to repent and pray". Yes thoughtless and insensitive is my thought too. Pastor Danny from Catching the Fire Ministries, probably thinks he's doing a noble thing...I don't know, how do you get into the mind of a heartless comment like that. I went to the CFM website to see they have the full prophecy and response displayed on their front news page. I can't stomach it enough to actually post the link here. But they actually have the audacity to write in the first couple of paragraphs about the resources they're gathering to contribute to the relief effort, then they go on to explain that Victorians have brought this tragedy on themselves and that this is God's wrath, then they finish by saying, 'May God bless Australia with His rains of mercy.' So which is it Danny, is God condemning Australia or blessing Australia? GOD IS NOT ANGRY! I refrained from posting a comment on their site but I felt like saying, 'don't be surprised if the victims of the fires throw your donations back in your face.'

I can't even begin to imagine the damage this does to the great work christian organizations like the Salvation Army are trying to achieve through the grace and love of God. Yes that's the kind of God I know, gracious and loving, any kind of reflection that God is vindictive and vengeful is a very poor theology and insensitive. Stop it!

There are dozens and dozens of churches and christian denominations that have pulled together for the greater good in order to provide unified support for the tragedy that is still unfolding. This is God's intention and how God's mercy, love and grace is being expressed, through the common unity and love that Christians normally divided by difference of opinion can work together to express the love of the one true God who only wants to love us and be in relationship with us, not vindicate and destroy us. I feel like I need to apologize for those rouge insensitive theologies that do not represent the majority.

(I know I do not speak for everyone, these are my thoughts and opinions because this is my blog and I do not pretend to represent anyone other than myself. I say this because I know friends of mine who I love will take up issue with some of the things I am saying here. Happy to chat if you want).

I understand that some people have more literal views and alternative interpretations of the biblical texts and well, that might be a whole other conversation. I am normally very tolerant of theological difference and textual interpretation and often sit at tables in cafes over coffee with various colleagues and friends entering into respectful debate and dialogue over such issues. But I guess you've realized by now that Danny's comments have disturbed me . They are divisive and hurtful in an already divided and hurting context. This is not God's doing or a result of God's favour being lifted from Australia. this is the result of some twisted human act in using free choice to light a match and watch things burn. It's disgusting and we can't imagine why someone would do such a thing. Any God who would actively or deliberately allow such a thing, I really want nothing to do with. As my Old testament lecture would say 'God suffers with the suffering people'.

It's time now for the people of God to work together and show the world what God really looks like in response to a devastated people. A God who comforts the afflicted, brings hope to those who mourn, brings release to the oppressed, and proclaims Good News (funny that sounds a lot like the Jesus of the Gospels I read about).

As a footnote to all of this I'm still trying to reconcile other unbelievable news I am hearing in relation to the fires. I cannot comprehend the thought of looters going into devastated areas and helping themselves to other peoples' property. It's stealing! STOP IT! Have a heart.

And to some of my friends who have been cynical of the news coverage and the stories being aired. Stop it! Give it a break guys and let the nation grieve in the best way they know how. Yes you'll miss some of your precious programs on TV while many victims miss their precious loved ones they'll never see again. We all feel the need to identify with those who have lost, and we need the stories of hope. I know what it's like to fight large and devastating fires and stand helplessly 100 metres away from the 100+ foot flames of an out of control inferno with your heart in you mouth and your fellow crew members scrambling to do what they can. Holding the fire hose and pointing it in the general direction as it pales to insignificance, the radiant heat burns your face and you realize the limits we have to control such a monster. I know what it's like to be evacuated from a home while flames enter your property threatening to take everything (my family and I were fortunate).

As a gathered nation we mourn the tragic loss of life and the devastation of communities and we look to a God of comfort and hope as we imagine what kind of future could possibly lie ahead as come consider the possibility of rebuilding their lives.

Our gathering of churches here in the Adelaide hills where i am in ministry remember all too well what Ash Wednesday was like 26 years ago. Each church here (including the one with which I am in ministry) is responding in various ways. find out how at www.mhicc.wordpress.com

Give blood www.donateblood.com.au

Think about volunteering with a work party www.govolunteer.org.au They'll need help with the clean up in the second half of the year

We'll be posting updates on our site as to how we are responding at www.blackwoodcc.org.au

And of course give money www.redcross.org.au

Shalom
Mark

Are we in control?

2009-02-07T11:51:00.004+11:00

Did you know that more than two thirds of the world population live under impoverished conditions? Yet we still refer to them as the third world rather than the 2 thirds world. Impoverished means they suffer from a lack of access to meeting basic needs. Lack of basic health care (malnutrition, dehydration, death from common curable diseases), insufficient supply of clean drinking water, lack of education, lack of community sustainability and housing due to civil war, genocide and climate...and that's not even scratching the surface.

By 2015, the year the UN have committed to halving the effect of contributing factors to world poverty, it is predicted that about three quarters of the wold population will suffer from lack of sustainable living and about a quarter of the world population will live in urban slums.

Statistics are disturbing, but maybe they are not disturbing us enough. I just came across a website with an 'Earth Clock' on it. Check it out. It's scary to see all those numbers changing so rapidly. I don't know how they do it but it calculates population growth in real time. It also calculates incidents of malnutrition, HIV/aids and cancer. You can see how many species have become and are becoming extinct, deforestation and desertification statistics and more. You can look at an annual view to what the stats say for a single day. You can even click on 'NOW' and watch the numbers run and see what happens within one minute.

Now here's the part I find most disturbing. I clicked on a link that predicts population growth for as far into the future as you want to look. it starts at 10 years and you can see we've added another billion people to our population. Then if you click on the up down arrows you can go into the future one year at a time to see how huge our population is really predicted to grow. I was curious so I did. I was heading up to 50 years from now and noticed the population growth rate slowing significantly, then at the 50 year mark it peaks at nearly 8.8 billion people. The next part isn't so exciting as from then on the population begins to shrink. So if this prediction is correct we will see a negative population growth rate within our lifetime, well before the turn of the century.
In 300 years time the entire world population size is predicted to shrink to the population size of New South Wales and in 330 years time the size of South Australia's current population. In 500 years from now there will be one person left on earth. That person will last 7 years then gone. Interesting conspiracy theory? Is there maybe some element of truth to population decline and if so what is the cause? The rapture? Is Christ coming back again in 50 years and then begin to cart us off in groups over the next 450 years? What does that say about the poor one left behind? Are we going to finally tip nature over the edge with our relentless unapologetic consumption of our resources?

We don't know what the future looks like, we can predict it and we can't control it. But we can learn a few things from our past. Our history tells a story we can learn from and learning is pointless if we don;t change. So you tell me, what does our future look like?

Shalom Mark

Hot, hot, hot!

2009-01-29T10:50:00.007+11:00

We are beginning the fourth day of an unforgiving heatwave here in Adelaide, South Australia and we can't yet see an end in sight. It all began on Australia Day with a top temperature recorded at 35.9 degrees Cecilius. The next day, Tuesday January 27th 2009 the bureau of meteorology (BOM) recorded 30 degrees at around 8:45am and as I type more than 48hours later, we are yet to see the thermometer dip below 30.

The top for Tuesday 27th was officially 42 according to the BOM and yesterday the 28th was our 3rd highest on record, the hottest day in 70 years, 45.7 degrees Celcius. That just seems absurd until we endured the worst sleepless night on record last night. The lowest temperature recorded before sunrise over night was 34.1! Just after midnight! It was already back up to 36.7 by 4:30am!

So my question on this fourth day of the heat wave and 3rd day of temperatures above 40 (it's already 39 degrees at 10:30am) is, will we break a record today? Will the temperature topple 46 degrees? This time yesterday it was 40.7 so not far behind.

We thought last year was bad when in March we recorded 15 days in a row over 35 degrees with 4 of those over 40. However the outlook for this week looks worse. We still have another 3 days of predicted 40 degree heat after this one but the 7 day outlook only has the temperature dropping to 38 by this time next week.

So here's my next question, one that still divides many. Have we as consumers and polluters of this planet caused such extremes? Can we as responsible citizens of this world do anything to reverse it or endure it but help it slow and recover?

My own personal answer is yes and yes. However I still don't think we have the collective will to really do anything real just yet. The Premiere of our state caused an outrage a couple of days ago when he suggested that we use air-conditioning sparingly. I actually agree, however I do understand the young, the old and the sick take priority. My wife and I haven't turned ours on for heating or cooling for 4 months until 2 days ago. It's not about saving money for us it really is about being mindful of our impact on the environment. But we had to fold and turn it on because our animals could not survive in the heat in our backyard which currently has little shade and our house was up to 40 degrees inside. (We moved the cat and the rabbits into the coolest part of the house, however my fish tank reads 34 degrees and the heater is unplugged! I'm dropping massive iceblocks into my fish pond and fish tank twice a day to keep the fish from boiling)

So what can we do to find alternatives? I struggled to bring myself to use the air-conditioning here at the office because our units are old and energy suckers. I moved my office down to a local cafe in a shopping centre yesterday and enjoyed the air down there. I'm about to move back down there this afternoon. Last evening when we arrived home we put the fan on for the animals inside then went to a neighbours to cool in the pool instead of sitting in air-conditioning at home. This evening we're going to another neighbours place to sit in their pool. Mind you the pool temperatures are between 30 and 35 degrees. It's weird!

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts that we will have more of these heatwaves more often in the near future. I even had a friend tell me there is a prediction of a 50 degree day here in Adelaide in the next couple of months (I hope not!). So how many more heatwaves will it take for us to change our ways? We need to reserve our energy for those who need it most (elderly, young and sick) and those who are able need to think twice before switching on the luxuries we take for granted.

Save the planet! Is that a corny cliche or do we need to actually take that statement seriously now?

Shalom Mark

Friends in Israel

2009-01-08T11:13:00.002+11:00

Just thought I'd direct you to a blog I just discovered in case you're interested in another perspective on what's happening in Israel at the moment. A bunch of my friends are part of a work party in northern Israel at one of Elias Chacour's schools.
Their blog is http://nazwparty2009.wordpress.com

I enourage you to check it out and leave a comment for the team.

Shalom
Mark

Fighting for Peace?

2008-12-31T12:43:00.003+11:00

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians seems to have gone on longer than many can remember and with each new news report it escalates and gets worse. It seems to be a complicated conflict rooted in significant historical events, one of the most recent being the resettlement of Jewish people in 'Israel' following the holocaust of WWII.

I feel largely unqualified to speak on such a topic as this but as i sit there and watch the news reports of Israel's conflict with the West Bank and now it's all out war on the Gaza strip, I can't help but wonder what both sides are hoping to achieve. I mean come on, fighting for peace is the ultimate oxymoron so peace can't be the goal.

It's interesting the sorts of images and statements that make our headlines. We get the picture that the Palestinians are the bad guys and Israel are the powerful nation with the big weapons seemingly with the support of some of the most powerful countries. USA sits in the background egging them on (let's hope that changes when Obama takes office) while most other remain silent. There's a school yard name calling match between Middle Eastern leaders playing the blame game and talking up who has the bigger gun, while innocent civilians on both sides become the casualties of war.

What we don't see in the news in the efforts of peacemakers in these regions. The ones who condemn fighting altogether and advocate for a better way to acknowledge the pain of the past and to move forward together. There are some wrongs that will never be righted so it seems because we are now into a 3rd generation of Israels settlement in Palestinian land. Some leaders may never say sorry in our lifetime (God know it took Australian leaders a couple of generations to say it after the fact). But there is at least one Palestinian, Arab, Christian leader who is bringing a light of hope to the region. He grew up in Galilee during the time of the 2nd World War and underwent the suffering of take over and resettlement as a child. He lives in Israel as a peacemaker, surrounded by conflict, a voice of hope and a voice of reason. He is the Archbishop of Galilee, his name is Elias Chacour.

I met Elias earlier this year at a conference. He was the keynote speaker. He is an amazing man with an amazing alternative to offer the region. In the school he started in Galilee Israelis & Palestinians; Christian, Muslims & Jews all sit side by side in the classroom, learning together and appreciating one another. His hope is that they will be the future leaders of the region. Elias Chacour is doing so many things to bring peace to the region so I encourage you to pray for him and his community as they become a force of great influence and bring an alternative solution to the violence and bloodshed. Pray also for the UN and other influential world leaders because they still don't seem to get it.

I have been reading Elias Chacour's book 'Blood Brothers: the unforgettable story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel'. It's an autobiography with a powerful message. I strongly recommend it, it will change you.

A summary on the history of the conflict you may find helpful can be found by clicking this BBC link.

Shalom
Mark

Sponsor a Child, it's not a scam

2008-12-31T11:56:00.003+11:00

Recently I heard about a documentary that was screened on TV that painted a fairly dark picture of World Vision child sponsorship. My understanding of the documentary is sketchy since i didn't see it but I certainly had a few concerned members of my congregation tell me all about it.

A brief summary is someone who was sponsoring a child through World Vision for a couple of years thought they would go and visit the child in whatever country they were living in. The person was surprised and disappointed that their child wasn't excelling as much as they had expected and from my understanding was considering pulling their sponsorship as a result. I've heard other stories like this where people have told me they are going to cease sponsorship because the organization they sponsor through either spends it all on administration or doesn't do what the sponsor expects they are going to do with it.

I want to say clearly from the start, particularly for those who have come to me with concerns, do not pull your support, it's not some scam. And for those who are not sponsoring a child or community I hope this post will encourage you to do so. My previous post is a part response to this so check the tags below to find other posts.

Not only do I do some volunteer work with World vision but I also work with other similar organizations who are doing as much as they can to alleviate the crisis of poverty half our world faces. Verity and I not only give financially through sponsorship and other means but we have also seen with our very eyes the changes that can come about in communities because of our support.

In our western way of thinking we do something like sponsor a child so we can have a personal connection with an individual. because the problem of poverty is so big we think we can focus our attention on just one person and see that one be lifted up, fed, immunized and educated. What we don't understand is that the rest of the world don't think like us. You see they have a greater understanding of community well being and equal distribution of wealth than we do. I have learnt a lot from my work with Africans in particular, they just do life differently and there is something valuable we can learn from this.

For instance it would be unethical for me to expect that the child I sponsor would get a better life than his or her neighbour or class mate just because they have a sponsor and other don't. While my sponsor child will get the basics they need (that they wouldn't otherwise if I were not a sponsor) some of the money I give will also go into the community to make it a better place for all, not just one person. It's hard for westerners to understand because we are used to looking out for number one. Do we really care about our neighbours? In many communities that these organizations support, one individual in the community cannot sit by and watch another suffer. It's just the way they are geared. If they are to benefit from something then it's a natural response for them to share the wealth.

Verity and I sponsored an individual (and still do) in Bangkok. We later found out from the organization that that individual was giving everything to the people in his community before himself. I got a buzz out of knowing that we now support an entire community. We also gave a significant donation to a project in this community. I have no idea how the project went or if the money even went to that project. When I bought a goat through the TEAR gift cards I found out that my money might not actually buy a goat but it will go towards some kind of sustainable living project TEAR are involved with in that community.

The point of my giving is not for my own gratification, or so I can get constant reports to see what they are doing with 'my money'. No that's not the point, first of all the attitude we must have to money we earn and give is, it's not mine in belongs to God from the start. secondly I give in faith, it doesn't matter where it goes, I trust these organizations to do what they need to do to empower these communities.

I do not speak of behalf of World Vision in this post but I speak as an individual who wants to re butt the complaints and encourage everyone to sponsor a child or a community. The more children that are sponsored in a community, the better off the children will be and the better off that community will be. I hope that clears up any doubt people have about this issue. These organizations are not stockpiling your money so their staff can get rich, they really are changing the world.

Shalom
Mark

It's all relative

2008-12-31T10:22:00.004+11:00

Well, tonight Paris Hilton will appear at the much talked about New Year Eve party in Sydney. I'm not sure what disturbs me the most, the amount she is being paid to appear at the party, or the shallow entertainment news reports of her visit, anticipating how the night will unfold.

But the news item that seems to have caught the public eye this past 24 hours is Paris' $5000 spending spree on clothes in Melbourne yesterday. It was significant enough to attract comment from Tim Costello on how else that money could be spent. Many people say 'get over it, it's her money let her do what she likes'. Yet it's that attitude exactly that keeps the world stuck in this impoverished cycle of the rich who continue to be out of touch and acknowledge no real responsibility towards the poor whose choices are limited to basic survival.

You might say, 'well it's all relative', $5000 is nothing to a rich girl like Paris, but for someone whose income is less than $5000 a year and has to feed and look after a family, it's everything. So Paris' excuse is, she already does her fair share of charity work, but I say it's obviously not enough while people are still homeless, starving and dying preventable deaths from disease.

This is where community living back in the days of the newly established nation of Israel had great benefit for all. Those who earned more gave more and in theory, no-one was in need. It's called the equal distribution of wealth. Call me an idealist, but I don't think we are going to see poverty become history in our lifetime while we continue to idolize selfish brats with too much money than they know what to do with.

I heard Tim Costello comment on the world financial crisis recently and he said it's not a financial crisis, it's an ethical crisis. I agree. The greed of the greedy reached tipping point and this is the result of too many people trying to make an easy buck. Seriously we need to ask ourselves, whether we are investors, consumers, developers, whatever...are the financial choices I make ethical choices. For the everyday consumer go to www.ethical.org and test it out. When you invest or make a purchase are you asking yourself the right questions like, how does my choice affect the person at the other end of the line? The producer, the grower, the maker. My wife Verity has written a song in response to this ethical consumerism dilemma. Visit her website www.verityskye.com and if the song isn't already added, ask her to add it. It's powerful.

In response to Paris Hilton's spending spree Tim Costello reminded people that $5000 would be enough to help sustain an entire village! Verity and I support a slum community in Bangkok through UNOH. In the new year we are extending our financial focus to supporting communities in Africa. For the past few of years we've been making conscious ethical and fairtrade choices about every product we buy. We don't earn millions of dollars but we know we reside comfortably in within the richest 10% of people in the world. Our wealth can be distributed and help so many if only we are willing. It's all relative I guess.

It's not about 'doing our bit for charity', so I can sneak through life without a guilty conscience. it's about having a heart for the suffering people of our world and believing against all the odds and negativity that I too can contribute what I can to make a difference so that all the people of the world may enjoy life, not just me. Verity and I and both our families got a real buzz out of giving all kinds of gifts to each other from TEAR, Wolrd Vision, Oxfam and COCOA this year knowing that our gift was a life changing gift for someone in an impoverished community. I bought my Nana a card from Oxfam that had this title on the front, 'More power to granny'. My gift helps financially resource a group of indigenous Australian women elders provide support, education and encouragement to the indigenous youth so they might learn their customs and language and become future leaders in Australia.

This new year forget the self indulgent new years resolutions, make a commitment to change the world. You'll feel so much better for it and make a difference at the same time.

Shalom
Mark

A weary traveller

2008-11-21T15:00:00.002+11:00

Hi everyone, miss me? I can't believe it's been 3 months since I posted a blog. I did spend a couple of months travelling around Europe so that explains my absence. It's taken me a while to get back into the swing of things. I ended up posting my Europe updates on Facebook but now I thought I'd reflect on the journey through Italy, France, Ireland and UK here on my blog. I'll be including photos and maybe some video to keep it interesting. So if you're interested, that's mainly what I'll be posting for the rest of the year. I'll also post on some current events here and there as well, like the 'Walk against Slavery' I'll be participating in tomorrow.

Stay tuned
Mark

Nooma - a just voice for the feminine

2008-08-21T18:02:00.004+10:00

I love the Nooma DVD presentations featuring Rob Bell. Since I've been on Facebook I have signed up to be a 'fan' of Nooma which means I am invited to watch the premieres of each new video they release. They usually have them available to watch for free for 2 days then they take it off and the only way you can see it is to buy the DVD.

The latest Nooma DVD is called 'She'. It's hard to say which is my favorite Nooma but this one certainly grabbed my attention. I think it actually gives a welcome and liberating voice to the women of this world who have suffered marginalization and oppression at the hands of the church (dominated by men in leadership). I am grateful for Rob's voice of justice and I know many women (and men) who would welcome this message. Sadly I know many women and men who would not welcome this and i hope they would be open to dialogue and teaching on this issue.

Rob Bell speaks of a number of feminine images and metaphors use in the bible to describe God that may come as welcome relief to those who feel alienated by the dominant masculine images we have of God. Is that attributed to the male dominated leadership we have had over the centuries? We have only been taught a half truth about who God is and now our language and our songs refer to God in the masculine where in fact much reference to God in scripture is gender neutral language or as Rob says, 'God transcends and yet includes what we know as male and female'. He talks about how in the Genesis 'poem' created man in the image of God and female in the image of God. There is a masculine dimension to God and there is a feminine dimension to God.

I think it's a shame due to the constant oppression of women in all levels of church leadership that we have in a sense being robbed of much teaching and pastoral ministry expressing the fullness of the nature of God. What's worse is that the bible in which we find so much Good News about the equality of gender and the diversity of the gifts, has been used against women to shut them down and hold them in a lower class when it comes to authority on scripture, teaching and expressions of ministry as gifted by the Spirit of God.

And what about women in leadership? If you get a chance in the next 12 hours to view the screening of this presentation 'She', have a look at how Rob describes women as integral to the leadership of the early Christ movement. And if you think the Apostle Paul is against women in leadership i encourage you to not only read your bibles again but take some time to learn about the context into which he is speaking and the culture. We do great injustice to scripture when we can't be bothered even with a little exegetical work. Rob Bell even argues that Paul was the first person in history to argue for the equality of the sexes when he writes to the Galatian Church stating that 'in Christ there is neither male or female.'

Rob says, 'if you don't have her perspective, if you don't have her wisdom, if you don't have her leadership, you're not just missing her, you're missing out of something central to who God is'. He goes on to apologize to women who have been made to feel second class by the church. Good on ya Rob, we need more voices like yours.

If you are female and reading this and can relate, I want to encourage you. We desperately need more women taking up ministry with the church. We need more women preachers, teachers and pastors. I look forward to experiencing something more of the fullness of the expression of who God is through God's people.

Shalom
Mark

Healer - exposed or misunderstood?

2008-08-21T16:24:00.004+10:00

I don't normally buy into scandalous stories that come out of failure's of the Christian church, but this one has caused quite a stir not only in the media but among my friends and colleagues. I've even had a friend from new york email me wondering if i can confirm the rumors they are hearing in the USA about Michael Guglielmucci.

In responding to this story I am aware that I have as much trust in the integrity of the media to report a true story as much as I do trust in the integrity of the mega church culture in Australia. I am suspicious of both and their practises concern me.

For the story and the video Hillsong apparently don't want you to see, click on this link

So is the story true? (this was the question posed by my friend in USA). I can only assume at this stage that it is given the stir among my friends. It's interesting that when you go to YouTube to take a look at this infamous video of Michael Guglielmucci singing the song 'Healer' at Hillsong Church in Sydney, with an oxygen tube strapped under his nose, you get this message:

"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Hillsong Publishing"

I have friends and acquaintances who like to bag Hillsong at every opportunity but I don't think they need any help this time. So why have they taken it off air? What don't Hillsong want you to see? Are they trying to protect their faithful believers from being misled or hurt? Most will have seen the video already so why rip it off? Why is it so hard for the Christian church (in general) to let their 'dirty laundry' air, show that yes we too can have egg on our face, we're prepared to be held accountable for it and yes we will journey with the untidiness, uncomfortable exposure and hurt together. It's all just a bit much to ask I guess. As the story allegedly exposes, we Christians like to create our own alter realities that we can control. We don't really want to deal with the cold hard facts. It becomes a political game of avoiding truth and we construct our own version of it.

Even tough I don't live far from Edge South Church and I have friends who attend the church so deeply affected by this controversy I really don't know much about the whole situation. All i knew was that Danny's son Micheal was very sick and it was hard on the family and now this story comes out in today's paper. I guess more truth will be shed on the issue when Michael himself gives a statement to the media tomorrow.

However here is my reflection regardless of the outcome. The damage is done. not only does this story damage the reputation of the church, and it's ability to operate with integrity and transparency, but Michael's family must really be struggling right now as is his church. I agree with the spokesperson, Michael and the church really need our prayers. But I would broaden that out to the Church in general. It will take so much longer to restore trust in those who have been hurt by misleading claims and even harder for all christian communities to gain the trust of those who sit on the fringes a criticise. Yes it's easy to criticise the Church particularly those who have built themselves up on a culturally acceptable model of raising pastors and musicians into celebrities and making promises about the impossible them seemingly making it happen. And the critics will show no mercy now that the media has exposed one as (allegedly) lacking in integrity and falling from the pedestal on which one has constructed and the church around them has allowed them to construct.

My sadness extends far beyond this single story and towards the greater issue of the belief among some Christian Churches that they must build their own kingdoms and draw hordes of people towards it by any means possible. I've heard stories from friends who have been involved in some of the more well known mega churches that make me shiver and my skin crawl. Stories about method and theological reason behind some bizarre practises that seem to be counter Gospel.

The Jesus movement to me seems to be counter cultural as I read in my bible, yet there are Christian communities who seem to be confused and in doing everything to be 'relevant' and attract the crowds, they lose integrity in the message.

Last I checked, when a couple of disciples said to Jesus they wanted to have celebrity status and power he shut them down and said that if they want to be great they must be humble, they must be transparent in their motives, they must serve as a servant not be served, because the first will be last and the last will be first.

We have a lot to learn still about getting it right. It's not about making up dramatic stories to attract the sympathy of the masses, it's not even about getting people to come to 'church' (I have a whole other reflection about the church so stay tuned). And the foolishness of the Gospel is this; that we have integrity in presence and relationship with others, that our lives be transparent so that those who look at us with judgemental and criticising eyes will see ordinary broken people just like them, struggling along but at least struggling honestly, together. It's to not conform to the ways of the world but to live counter culturally as a transformed expression of the Spirit of God.

Shalom
Mark

Life is crazy

2008-08-21T16:16:00.004+10:00

Hi all,

Did you miss me? Well I certainly missed blogging. Life just got crazy and I neglected my blog. Well I'm back! I've got so many blog posts just waiting to burst out of me so I'll attempt to throw some out now and wait for some responses to interact with.

Some of the extra curricula things that have kept me really busy lately have been the UNOH conference which was held last month. That rocked and I have a few reflections about that I wouldn't mind getting down. The other is the campaign I've been driving to get residency for my two friends Etienne & Adolphe (from the band Vox Congo). i have some updates on that I will blog as well.

But first I have some more pressing reflections bursting to come out so here goes...

Hope you enjoy my blogging and I look forward to your feedback. Oh and I just realized this is my 100th blog since I started blogging, woohoo is there some kind of prize for that like when an AFL player plays 100 games?

Mark

Win a Wii - name a church

2008-07-04T14:49:00.003+10:00

Today I did one of those things that I do when I'm working hard all day and I miss lunch, I took a few minutes out mid afternoon and very naughtily sunk across to the fish & chips place across the road. i ordered a small bag of chips then sat on the bench and waited. As I sat there I noticed a pile of magazines (I love these trashy things always entertaining). So as I was flicking through the pages to see if there was anything interesting and this half page ad caught my eye with an intriguing title, "We want help naming a church..."

Yes I did double take on that one. And here's the punch line, offer a good name for a church and they give you a Nintendo Wii, no strings attached. Hey it got my attention! I'm interested in what people think about this one.

I must admit, it's a clever marketing campaign. Nowhere in the add is there mention of who this nameless group is or where they meet, just a couple of punchy statements about what they believe, which by the way, I was impressed by. No creeds or ancient churchy statements, just the facts. First up, they follow Jesus. Then there's a few statements about Jesus. He was radical, outrageous, hung out with trashy people, a non-conformist and a revolutionary, to sum it up. They then left a website at the bottom www.nameachurch.com.

I was curious enough to look up the website which is very simple and invites you to enter the competition. Thee are some subtle options like, 'would you like to know where we meet', so if you check the box they will contact you. But hey, the add go me in, not because I want a new game console but because I thought it was a daring way of coming up with a name for your church for one. It actually takes the ownership of the church's name away from the church (no member of the church is allowed to enter, the name is purely up to others). So I'm tempted to offer my suggestion and see how far this goes.

So is there an ethical dilemma here? Does Jesus need a marketing campaign? Or is it just us who need that? I wonder if our church needs a new name?

Mark

Dismiss or discern?

2008-07-04T14:30:00.001+10:00

Just recently I heard a message from a speaker who visited Adelaide. While I couldn’t tell you everything he said, there was a profound challenge that stuck with me. He shared some stories in his message which were a bit beyond my scope of experience or understanding. They were stories that talked about the work of the Holy Spirit in some peoples lives, including his own. They were stories that for a reasonably conservative Churches of christ boy like me were difficult to take on board, process and reason with. Does God really work like that? Can that really happen? Can the Holy Spirit really give people visions and cause people to do things out of the ordinary?

The challenge he issued at end of his message was this. Try not to be so dismissive of everything thing you see or hear but be discerning of what might possibly be the work of the Holy Spirit. Once upon a time I would have given very little time to a thought or experience that was outside my accepted theological understanding or logical thinking. As I have matured I have learnt to listen and as I listened I heard this message, ‘be discerning rather than dismissive.’

This certainly doesn’t mean I have to believe everything that is thrown my way, but what is God is trying to break through to me in a new kind of way. Will I be open to meet God on God’s terms or will it always have to be on my terms? The classic default mode of approach for many young adults (from my experience of myself and my friends) is that of cynicism, sarcasm and ridicule. Maybe that is a protective defensive mechanism so as to not draw attention to one self so you don’t look like a fool (this behavior is not limited to young people). Yet sometimes as followers of Jesus, we are called to foolish behavior such as hope, love of the unlovable and faith. In fact it shouldn’t really surprise us that God would could be revealed to us in ways we do not expect.

Scripture is full of stories of people who when faced with evidence of the living God we serve, defaulted to dismissing the event or experience. Moses came up with a number of excuses not to respond to the experience he had of God in the burning bush. Thomas had a hard time believing that Jesus could live after being crucified and buried. And then there was the day the Spirit of God resided among the disciples on the day of Pentecost and everyone thought they were nuts.

Imagine just how much we would be missing out on regarding what God is doing among us and what God wants to do among us if we just dismissed everything that seemed abnormal or unexplainable. In my experience of the work of the Spirit of God, the revelation of the Spirit is always challenging, sometimes not welcome or expected, usually disturbing to our comfort zones and always moves us in love towards a concern for furthering the work of the kingdom of God.

So I rest this challenge with you. When the Spirit of God attempts to speak to you next will you dismiss it as something you don’t understand, or will to take time to discern just where God might want to take you.

Shalom Mark

My mum the fool

2008-06-18T15:23:00.002+10:00

My mum just arrived back in Adelaide this morning from Africa. 5 weeks ago she set off on a journey to an orphanage in the north of Uganda...yes that's right, Uganda.

I must say it is great to have her home again, we did miss her and probably worried about her a bit while she was gone, but most of all I am proud of her and the example she is to all who might look on.

You see many would say she's just an ordinary woman. She's been married 35 years, mother of 3 (great) kids, has a part-time job as a pharmacy assistant and is actively involved in her church. However, I've always known her as an extraordinary woman. Not only did she see me through my teenage years (she deserves a medal for that!), but she is known as 'mum' to many many other people. She has always embraced the stranger, always cared for others with a huge heart and always dared to think beyond herself.

Hence when my dad suggested she go with 3 other South Australian ladies to visit and help an orphanage in Uganda, naturally she went. This is a move taken, not without it's anxieties but always with a heart and concern for the other and an obedience in faith to a God who calls us to do justice and love mercy.

So, was it a foolish move? Did she put herself in harms way unnecissarily? Many thought so and in their wisdom tried to convince her to stay here where it's safe. That kind of makes me laugh. Show me anywhere in scripture or in history where there is a guarentee that following Jesus is safe and I will stand corrected.

So my mum did a foolish thing. An ordinary extraordinary humble middle aged woman from the Adelaide hills dared to join the jesus revolution, sadly one that far too many avoid, and went to the other side of the planet to bring hope to those who would otherwise be hopeless and be part of the story of what Christ ia already doing in Uganda. She was embrassed and educated as she learnt that she is part of a bigger story of the mission of God and now her journey with Christ is richer for it.

I'm proud of my mum for being foolish enough to step in to the zone where God needs us to be saying, 'here I am Lord, use me'. Good on ya mum!

May none of us be secure enough in our comforts, or to certian about who we think Jesus is. May our fears be over come with anticipation and our participation in the kingdom of God. May we never scoff at or talk down to those who would dare to walk the line with Jesus, rather may we have the courage to join in the life giving journey that matters.

Shaolm
Mark

What Matters Most

2008-06-13T12:34:00.005+10:00

Hi friends,

It's been so long since I posted a blog (6 weeks in fact) I bet you've given up on me. A couple of my blog friends have hinted a few times that I haven't written anything lately. I had an extremely busy month through May ministry wise, then I got quite sick, then went on leave for a week at the end of May. On my return from leave both my work and home computer died within hours of each other, so there's my excuse. On computer fixed, still waiting on the other.

In the meantime I’ve had so many ideas fro blog posts that I can't keep up and now don't have the time to wrote them all. However you will see a few appear over the next few days.

Speaking of computers, isn't it amazing in this wonderful world of ours, how much computers have helped us and now how much we rely on them. Seriously, my computer now organizes my life, all my documents and address book and diary are on my computer and it sync's with my phone so I can take everything with me where ever I go. In fact I can pack so much into my day because my diary has every moment planned out. I cute little tone rings from my phone reminding me of what I have to do next or where I have to be. As long as there is an allotted space in my outlook diary I can say 'yes' to almost anything. That is of course until part of my technology breaks down and suddenly I find myself in a chaotic panic as has been my experience this past 2 weeks. However without my computer I've actually found more spaces. I don't have instant access to email for example therefore people don't have instant access to me and I find it has actually been more relaxing. In a way this imposition has forced me to say no to some things in order to say yes to more life giving things.

A colleague of mine I use to work with had a saying, ‘say no to the good to say yes to the best’. He said this too me as I first began my vocation in ministry and I didn’t quite get what it meant until I began to realize in my youth and enthusiasm, that I was saying yes to far too many things. I got a reputation in college as being an over committer, I was involved in too many ministries, on too many committees and could not give my best to any of them.

Rob Bell is a speaker I have come to enjoy. He is the minister of an alternative ‘emerging’ church in the USA and has become more famously known through his DVD series called Nooma. On these DVD’s Rob offers commentary on the everyday things of life out of which emerges a great hermeneutical reflection of how the Gospel might speak to us today. His latest DVD addition to the series is called ‘Shells’.

In ‘Shells’ he shares this story about a boy who was walking on the beach with his parents. As he walked he noticed all these beautiful shells, so he begins to pick them up. As he collects his prizes, his hands fill up with all these shells. Then, in the shallows of the water he spots the ultimate prize, a starfish floats waiting to be claimed. His parents encourage him to go after it so he does. He wades into the water then in utter frustration he turns around and comes back. This happens several times, he gets a little closer to the starfish then in frustration turns and comes back. His parents ask him, what’s wrong? Why won’t you pick up the starfish?’ The boy responds, ‘my hands are full of shells'.

I can relate to that! It’s so easy to pick up all those amazing and wonderful things either because you’re needed or because you’re passionate about it or, just because you can. But how often do you get to the point where your schedule is so full that you no longer have the time. No time for friends, no time for family, no time for life. The most common phrase that escapes your mouth is, ‘I’m just too busy!’ Are you really? Or are you just saying yes to the wrong things? There are plenty of things that demand our time that don’t really matter.

As we read the stories that unfold through the Gospels, we get the impression Jesus had an amazingly busy schedule yet there are times when you read, Jesus actually said no. There are times when Jesus says no to the crowd and turns them away so as to have time to pray, time to be with his Father. We look to Jesus as an example for living our lives, but how often do we see Jesus as the one who sometimes says no in order to say yes to the best?

It would seem very countercultural for many of us if we were to say no to something that most would expect you to say yes to, because you needed time to be, time to pray and reconnect with God. It almost seems abnormal to have big spaces in your week where your not committed. Let me ask you a question. What are the priority tasks and appointments you schedule in your diary? Work? Sport? Parties and celebrations? A favourite hobby? Time with the kids? Meetings for work, church or community groups? When was the last time you opened your diary to the coming week and you blacked out a section just to be in communion with God? Foolishness I know, but I reckon Jesus did it regularly, he knew he had to it's what gave meaning to his mission.

This all raises questions for me about what matters most? What takes priority in your life and how's that working out for you? One of my greatest offenses against my soul and being is opening my diary at the beginning of the month and making sure I have all my work meetings scheduled in. scheduling retreat time to be aware of God's presence sadly drops down the list some way. Being without my diary for a time has at least given me that opportunity to step back and contemplate what matters most.

May your hands not be too full. May you say yes to the things that give you life. May you be blessed with a balanced life.

Shalom Mark

Trading lives...at what cost

2008-04-29T12:31:00.002+10:00

It seems I'm struggling to find the time to blog of late but there's plenty of topics and thoughts flying around in my head as life rolls on. I'll get to sharing them some time I'm sure. In the meantime here's a reflection I wrote after attending a World Vision breakfast that stirred me.

As I sit here eating my eating my organic fair-trade chocolate from Bolivia and drinking my organic fair-trade coffee from Africa I am consciously reminded of the glimmer of hope that is emerging through an unjust industry which still largely dominates the market today. My heart sinks once more and I think of the many thousands of families who are not getting a ‘fair go’ and will not be able to afford to put food on the table tonight.

I attended a World Vision breakfast a couple of weeks ago where Tim Costello and David Batstone were the speakers. The purpose of the breakfast was to launch their new campaign ‘Don’t trade lives’ to compliment a USA campaign called ‘Not for sale’. I have always being a passionate advocate for fair-trade and the abolition of modern day slavery but attending this breakfast just reignited my passion for this cause all over again. It also highlighted for me some disturbing facts with new stories.

We reflected on the celebration of the 200th year since William Wilberforce, the most famous abolitionist, passed the bill in British parliament to finally abolish the slave trade and make it illegal. Yet we recognize today that there are now more people trade as slaves than in the entire history of the slave trade from the Africa's. In fact statistics put the number at 27 million people today are currently in slavery. That statistic has got to blow any one’s mind. More than two thirds of them are under the age of 18. Not only are they people who work in the coffee and coca farms, they are traded for slave labor in many other industries, one of the biggest is the sex industry. Human trafficking generates $31 billion annually and guess who the majority of the customers are? You guessed it, the middle class of the western world.

What brought this issue home to me even more so was hearing the story of slave trading happening right here in Adelaide. Not only are we buying the products from companies who have brought us globalization, but humans are being sold into slavery right here in our city and we don’t even know it. We heard of a restaurant in the CBD who used slaves to service their restaurant and when they weren’t required they were stored in the underground den. Fortunately the federal police discovered that one, but there are many more.

Those of us who attended the breakfast were very stirred to take action to combat this epidemic. I felt confident as I walked away that I was part of a Christian community that would have no problem getting on board with such a cause. The challenge was put to us to raise a ‘generation of justice seekers’ who will not be satisfied with the standards we put up with but would outrageously take the next step to end injustice. It compliments our vision as a church to do justice and love mercy.

So how do we respond? What can we do? The Don’t trade lives campaign has called Australians to 3 commitments.
1) be aware of what you buy and how it gets here. Ask questions.
2) Encourage your workplace to advocate for change in countries where they work. Check the products you buy for your tea room, where do they come from? What are the fair-trade alternatives?
3)Stay informed about human trafficking and take action by visiting www.donttradelives.com.au.

Verity and I go out of our way to buy fair-trade in our grocery shopping. It costs us a little more but if we didn’t, at what cost is it for those who provide the products we buy at bargain prices? You will be disturbed to find out with just a click of a button on the above website.
My prayer is that we will all aspire to be part of a generation of justice seekers. You will see elements of this campaign being promoted throughout winter especially as we hold special awareness events at this church. David Batstone’s book, ‘Not For Sale—The return of the Global Slave Trade and how we can fight it’ will be available in our resource centre shortly.

Shalom Mark

A bit of a laugh or cause for concern?

2008-04-22T22:38:00.003+10:00

Is anyone else as disturbed by this as I am? Do Christian ministers get any more ignorant than this? From Ninemsn news

Mark

"Small church lands itself in big controversy

Tuesday Apr 22 21:00 AEST

By ninemsn staff

A church in a small US town has landed itself in big political trouble with a sign that suggests a link between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.

The Jonesville Church of God's pastor Roger Byrd has plastered the controversial message across a billboard.

"Obama Osama humm are they brothers," the sign asks passers-by.

But the pastor of the church said the message was "never intended to hurt feelings or to offend anybody".

"It's just something to try to stir people's minds," he was quoted as saying on WYFF4 television.

"It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ."

Pastor Byrd said he hoped Obama — a committed Christian — was not a Muslim.

Byrd said his small congregation had decided to keep the sign up, and he would not take it down despite the stir it had caused among locals — and now the world's media."

Zimbabwe on a knife's edge

2008-04-11T15:01:00.003+10:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted on my blog. I try to be disciplined to post at least once a week but Easter was busy and I've been snowed under ever since.

I've got a stack of things I'd love to write about but time does not permit right now. The election in Zimbabwe has been on my radar for some time as we hang in the balance waiting to hear and see how Mugabe responds. Here's the latest from a group I subscribe to. I hope this serves as a valuable source of information for your prayers and advocacy.

May you never cease to foolishly go where no-one but a Jesus follower dares to go. Longing for Shalom

Mark

Zimbabwe is on a knife's edge between democracy and chaos. Results still have not been released from the 29 March elections--and each day, more signals emerge that Mugabe will resort to violence and fraud to hold on to power.

Mugabe is unlikely to listen to the world's outcry--but he might listen to his old friend and powerful neighbour Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa. Click below to add your name to a petition calling for the results to be released, verified, and peacefully honored, and we will do all we can to deliver it to Mbeki--through diplomatic channels, over the radio, and in a public event when Mbeki travels to New York for a United Nations meeting next week.

The more of us sign the petition, the powerful the message that South Africa's reputation as a world leader is on the line.

Click here to add your name, and then forward this email to friends and family: http://www.avaaz.org/en/democracy_for_zimbabwe/7.php?cl=74697854

South African president Thabo Mbeki said on Monday that "it's time to wait" on Zimbabwe. But the more time passes, the greater the danger grows that the will of Zimbabwe's people will be ignored. Avaaz launched this petition earlier in the week to its African members, and thousands signed on; now, we need people around the world to add their voices in solidarity and take the pressure to the next level.

In a crisis like this, a petition is just a small step--but it's something all of us can do, to raise our voices and call for what's right. And as history shows, international solidarity can be a powerful thing.

With hope,Ben, Graziela, Ricken, Galit, Paul, Iain, Pascal, Milena, and Esra'a--the Avaaz.org team

PS: Here's what to expect this week:

On Saturday, leaders of the Southern Africa Development Community will gather in Lusaka, Zambia to discuss the crisis. We're working to buy radio time to reach these regional leaders with Avaaz members' global message.
On Monday, the Zimbabwe high court has promised to decide whether to release of the voting results. But a lawyer for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said Wednesday that it would be "dangerous" if the court did order the release, raising fears of violence.
South Africa is chairing the United Nations Security Council this month, and Mbeki will be joined by other world leaders for a special meeting in New York on Wednesday. Expect Zimbabwe to be high on the agenda.

Burma - what you don't see on TV

2008-03-15T22:52:00.002+11:00

It's late and I don't have much time for blogging but I thought I'd throw in a quick one. I've been reflecting on the plight of the Burmese people since I posted my thoughts on Rambo 4. i thought I'd add a few more thoughts abou Burma.

I didn't write this in the original post but it's important to note that in Septembers pro-democracy protest where over 100 monks were arrested, the junta unleashed a wave of horrific violence on the protesters. The junta put the death toll at 15 but the human rights watch put the death toll at over 100 and another 100 missing or unaccounted for.

Following the protest there were sanctions put on Burma by the US and Europe. There is hope that a referendum will be put before the people in May. Thailand are unhappy with the sanctions posed on Burma and are offering assistance for negotiations. If all goes to plan, Burma will hold their first election since 1990 in 2010.

There is much to hope and pray for, for Burma. In the meantime, millions of innocent people are killed and displaced, thousands are held as political prisoners and Burma has a long way to go until freedom is realized.

"Use your liberty to promote ours" Political prisoner and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who led the National League for Democracy to a landslide victory in the 1990 election.

Help Free Burma. Check my "Rambo 4 & Burma" post for more

Shalom
Mark

New deadly sins

2008-03-13T13:07:00.004+11:00

I'm not sure what has disturbed me most with the latest media frenzy around the Catholic Church's release of the '7 new sins', the fact that they have been so easily dismissed by Christians and the general public alike, or the amount of mockery which has come with the delivery of the story from many media personalities. I mean headlines such as, "Drug pushers, the obscenely rich, environmental polluters and “manipulative” genetic scientists beware – you may be in danger of losing your mortal soul unless you repent." are not helpful, it just stinks of media poking fun. Then again this may still be the common belief of God fearing people!

In case you haven't heard, the 7 new sins are as follows:
1. "Bioethical" violations such as birth control
2. "Morally dubious'' experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty

I would like to debate the first two, however the next five I think would naturally coincide with what it means to be a Jesus follower. Happy to discuss this if anyone cares to comment.

The media on the other hand have chosen to have fun with this and ask the public what 'social sins' have been left out. Responses have included road rage and going through the express checkout lane with a full trolley. I found this comment page entertaining.

In all seriousness though, are we going to continually be so dismissive of some serious sinful behaviour on our part, behaviour (as I mentioned in the previous post) we continue to be unrepentant about. The Catholic Church name some pretty serious social issues here. Some that have burdened my heart for some time now include poverty and the gap between rich and poor, and the deterioration of our environment. When I look around the world in which I live, common behaviour suggests to me that we are still not prepared to address these issues because they require major lifestyle changes and shifts in basic philosophy and behaviour.

And so we remain in our sin.

Longing for Shalom
Mark

Deadly sins

2008-03-13T11:54:00.004+11:00

I thought I'd move on a little from my previous couple of posts and expand the conversation. I have responded to the previous posts comments if you're interested in my extended thoughts on the issue of what has been largely determined by the church as 'sexual sin'. I'm still fascinated however about the general Christian obsession with sexual sin over many other 'sins'. In my experience it seems to be the evangelical trend to focus on the personal moral 'don'ts' over anything else.
However, the Catholic Church centuries ago had determined what the 7 deadly sins are and even had punishments for them. As a 21st century protestant theologian I find the whole process scandalous. As I understand it, the seven sins were named the sixth century by Pope Gregory the Great. The sins have remained unchanged since. They are: Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed & Spiritual apathy (Acedia). There were creative and painful punishments in store for you if you were found guilty for such a sin (so much for Good News and grace). Your punishment was your penance and pathway to forgiveness and reconciliation with God. The more corrupt end of the Catholic system allowed people to pay their penance with financial wealth to the church. You could buy your forgiveness while making the church rich. While my summary may be lacking in political correctness and may upset some, these kinds of actions and controls were enough to upset reformers such as Martian Luther, hence the reform of a different way of being the Church reinstating the meaning of grace among other things.
I'm not dismissing the sins by the way, I'm just criticizing the way in which they used to be responded to. There are sins listed here which have personal and communal consequences, yet we tend to ignore them to a large extent in our middle class, western churches. In fact you could say that in many Christian circles some of these sins are dressed up, disguised and passed off as virtues. Take the ever popular prosperity theology for instance. I have visited churches where such theology is encouraged and have heard things that have horrified me. Apparently when God blesses you, you become filthy rich. I can see 5 of the 7 sins dressed up in that one right there.
Allow me room to may gross generalizations here. Western (Christians) are guilty without repentance, of Gluttony; consuming the majority of the worlds resources, and eating so much that obesity is an epidemic. Am I sorry that I scrape my leftovers into the bin after a meal because I'm so full? Not really, it's generally acceptable behaviour where I come from.
Pride; we have become far too proud of our achievements, particularly of our large buildings and extensive programs. Very rarely do I hear of a church getting rid of their building(s) to pursue the mission of Christ. Our pride has led to idolatry. We're not sorry for that either.
Envy; we constantly envy one anothers achievements. If you've ever been to a gathering of ministers, far too often has it been about comparing numbers of attendees in churches and the next big amazing thing they've got going. There is always someone who walks away from the conversation wishing with desire in their hearts, 'if only I could have that...' Not only do we become envious but we have no problem making others envious of us.
Anger; It's our God given right to retaliate, why else would we have so many troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? I would love to see more of the practice of the virtue of kindness (mercy)
Acedia; this can be described as a failure to love God with all your mind, soul and strength and loving neighbour as self. I think I've blogged on this before. As Western Christianity has become more and more narcassistic we have failed to repent, even acknowledge our apathy towards God and concern for our neighbour.
Lust & Greed; more, more, more and it comes at us in the sexiest and most subtle of ways. We make excuses because we can. Take this clip for instance. I love Weird Al Yankovic, he just has a way of stating the obvious in such a colourful and entertaining way. Go Weird Al...

Darn it, now I really want that alf alarm clock and the smurf TV tray. Have you ever bought something on Ebay? I have so I get the references and jokes. However, this is a classic example of the lust, gluttony, greed, envy and pride I have been talking about. We buy stuff because we can. Out of the 6 things I have ever bought on Ebay, I still use them today, but I have friends who are Ebay junkies, buying stuff just because they can.
Friends, give the gay community a break, and while you're there let off on the defacto couple in your community who have had kids but aren't yet married. Millions of members of Christians in churches have sinful acts in their lives they have not yet addressed. In fact they are completely aware of it in many instances, because it's ok to want to desire a life of comfort with a half million dollar house, 2 cars and a 6 figure income. Beware of the subtle lure into a promoted way of being which is not complimentary of the call of the Gospel. Maybe our greatest sin (and I do include myself by the way) is our constant resistance to follow the call of Jesus truly and honestly. Often that means embracing virtues such as justice, mercy, humility, temperament, patience, abstinence and the like. Virtues which are not popular in today's western culture. They are the virtues of absolute foolishness.

Shalom
Mark

Sex, marriage, commitment and the problem with western thought

2008-03-06T18:18:00.003+11:00

Well, my friend anonymous chooses to remain anonymous and not respond to my request for conversation which I think is a shame because I believe conversation leads to learning and understanding (please note I have not said conversion or persuasion to anothers way of thinking).

I thought I might broaden my response to the 30 day sex challenge and to certain other challenges thrown my way by first establishing my position on the subject stated above (which I think is grossly misunderstood by many) and then give you some food for thought if you're interested.

I am and plan to continue to be a man reserved for one woman and that is my wife. I chose to share all intimacy, emotionally & sexually exclusively with her within (what is understood in the culture I live) the western institution of marriage. It is a lifestyle choice I long for for others and a lifestyle I encourage. This is a desire I uphold as a minister of a church and I certainly encourage with the young couples within my ministry influence who are getting serious about the relationship in which they are intimately investing.

However (yeah I know you were waiting for this), I will not under any circumstances, treat differently, or exclude any person who is living in a defacto relationship or same sex relationship just because I have chosen a certain lifestyle for myself. The advice I have given to such couples is to remain exclusively committed to one another in their love for each other. Yes it is possible for a gay couple to be exclusive to one another in love. Hence take note of the final paragraph in my last post.

As for theological reason for marriage...this is an interesting position for western Christians to take when quoting scripture out of a cultural context which may not be understood. I believe marriage was invented as a social tool long before theological thought came into it. That is certainly not to say that marriage isn't God given, although some may disagree with me as that could be interpreted by some in some contexts as God punishing them (and no that wasn't a joke).

On a theological note, I don't believe the bible is a weapon we use against one another to prove our own position therefore I refuse to quote scripture verses because tey are too easily taken out of context. I believe the people of Israel we read about in the early pages of our bibles are not the only society on the planet at the time who are writing laws for living and wondering about their existence (and certainly in the context of the bible their existence in relationship with a theistic being and the cosmos). Marriage by the way, in this context is very different to what we understand now. Marriage in ancient cultures, not only Israel, was based on convenience, social balance, bloodlines, royalty, power and possession, not love! I could make this a long post by explaining that but instead I'll leave the link and you can see for yourself The Origins of Marriage And check this one out. It might be too much for some to take in but I found it a very interesting read and it is enlightening to be aware that there is so much outside my own culture we don't understand Marriage, A History.

Anonymous mentioned that Jesus had something to say about this subject. I think we need to be careful what words we choose to put in the mouth of the one we follow. It has been done many times over the centuries and not necessarily with good intentions. Jesus' comments on marriage (as stated by the Gospel authors) are very limited. In fact Gospel writers probably wouldn't have deemed it necessary to expand on what is already understood in culture and law. For instance Jesus reinterprets the law in the sermon on the mount in the context of adultery and divorce. His comment would seem to promote wholeness for community living more than anything. The divorce one is a doozy! I had a couple come to me last year who wanted me to marry them. They had a very conservative view of scripture and so had a problem because one was divorced and the other never married. The never married person was afraid that he was committing adultery if he married is divorced partner because the reason for divorce was not due to unfaithfulness. Now in our culture there are so many more reasons why people get divorced that are not outlined by Jewish law or the bible. I married them by the way, as there was no legal reason or reason otherwise to prevent them from getting married. There is another Jesus example when he's sitting with the Samaritan woman by the well and it is uncovered in conversation that she has been married 5 times and the man she is with is not her husband. Does Jesus condemn her? No

I've heard it suggested by many that marriage is for life. You try telling that to some traumatized people I have counselled. Marriage has not got a good reputation in our western culture. The problem with western thought on marriage is that most westerners think that this is the way it's always been since the beginning of time. There is a romantic belief that you meet your life partner, abstain from physical contact that may be deemed too sexual, get married and live happily ever after. Yet at no other time in human history has this institutionalized union of a couple been so destructive. Our 20th/21st century commitment to marriage is a blip in history and yet through extensive anthropological research it is found to be the most unhealthy form of institutionalized covenant of relationship. It's only been in the last 2-300 years that love has been the basis of marriage in western culture. And it has only been during this time that the church has had prominence of place in sanctioning marriage on this basis and church buildings have been the locations for wedding ceremonies.

I don't mean to be unhelpful in deconstructing an institution and may be the only one you know, but i say this to tell people, 'pull your head out of your bum' and acknowledge the eclectic, diverse, multi cultural bid wide world we are part of with a history we know very little about and have very little appreciation for.

I once counselled a couple who had been married more than 20 years and my heart broke for them. One member of the marriage relationship felt they couldn't remain exclusive to a monogamous relationship, the other felt that was the only way. In some cultures that would be perfectly acceptable but in ours it's not. I felt for them because it is my desire to remain exclusively monogamous in a relationship with my wife. Yet I chose to journey with them and support them suspending any judgement so them could understand each other and try to work through this.

I recall having this sex before marriage conversation many times before and I can't for the life of me find any direction from scripture that spells out that two people in a committed relationship for life may not have sex with one another outside the institution of marriage. Therefore I'm am struggling to understand why some church communities condemn and exclude people who are committed in a defacto relationship. I know many in such relationships both gay and straight who have a much more solid foundation, are much more committed and are much more in love than many I know who are 'stuck' (another person's words not mine) in marriage. The church is yet to display good health marriages in some contexts and convince others that marriage really is the way to go. Instead we want people to comply, even if we have to drag them kicking and screaming.

As for my further thoughts on same sex relationships, you'll just have to read my Australian Christian article 'Open and Affirming' or my comments on the article 'Australian Pastors Offer Apology To Gay Community'. yeah you can probably guess what I had to say there.

Anyway, this is by no means a comprehensive exploration of the subject I have attempted to engage with and I do not intend for everyone to agree with me. It's just the beginnings of a conversation piece if you choose to participate.

I think I might choose a completely different topic for my next post.

My final thought. I remain committed to the institution of marriage as the primary context of relationship for which I advocate. However I stand with those who have chosen to live in a committed relationship, but for whatever reason are not married. These are often people who have been hurt or are suspicious of such an institution. In the context of gay couples it's just not legal in Australia...yet. I will not exclude them from participating in worship, leadership and the life of the church or the mission of Christ. I believe quite foolishly that Jesus would also be standing with these people. I don't choose to be foolish out of recklessness or lack of education. I will not blow where ever the wind blows, or as some had put it be influenced by culture for the sake of 'being relevant.' I think that is simply naive convenience. No, I will as I once heard Tim Costello say (although not in this context) be one who will influence and 'change the direction of the wind' to be counter to that of popular religious thought for the sake of tradition and promote the cause of the kingdom of God. Because Jesus is a fool who would stand where no righteous religious authority would. He dared to go there for the sake of the human condition where ever people were at.

Shalom Mark

30 day sex challenege

2008-02-25T11:22:00.007+11:00

Now I've heard of churches doing some amazing and bizarre things to get attention but there's nothing like a church holding a sexathon to liven things up a bit!

Check out the promo pic to the left, a bit raunchy for a church with seemingly quite conservative, 'biblical' views on sex and sexuality. So what's it all about?

I first came across this on Weekend Sunrise when I heard them talking up an upcoming story last Sunday morning (before church), saying that a pastor in USA was urging his church members to hit the sack. Naturally I was curious.

A new church in the USA, Florida, called 'Relevant Church' is taking the challenge to either get busy or abstain from sex depending on your marital status. Pastor Paul Wirth has issued this challenge to his church and as I understand it they are about a week into the challenge. The challenge (as the picture tries to portray - I think...) is for married couples to make intimacy with each other the number one priority for 30 days. I gather this includes meeting one anther's emotional and particularly physical needs as there is also a challenge issued to 'singles' that is all people who are not married to abstain from any naughty physical intimacy 'reserved for marriage' and focus on meeting the emotional needs of another person. It is hoped that at the end of the challenge singles will choose to continue to abstain and 'choose God's way' according to Pastor Paul on one of his Youtube clips.

Here, let this guy (a representative from Relevant Church) tell you about the challenge. He seems to know more about it than me.

Unfortunately I can become cynical of such a challenge as this because Pastor Paul and start on a different page theologically. His theological approach through scripture is quite simple and black & white. Basically it's this: sex is reserved for marriage and only marriage 'according to the bible' and anyone engaged in sexual activity outside of marriage is not living God's way! However i argue the context of scripture is always set within cultural context and principles which suited a culture in a certain time are not so easily transferable to this culture and this time. For instance is it broadly acceptable in western culture today that a couple would live together and 'share physical intimacy' together before they are married (if at all). Many churches push against this by saying that your relationship with God is flawed if you live in such a way and they bring in the institution of marriage as the only way, 'God's way!' This can be oppressive in some contexts.

I do however agree with Pastor Paul and Relevant Church from a sociological perspective. I agree that we do need to spend far more time understanding one another within committed relationships and meeting one anther's needs, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. It is far too easy to jump in bed with one another these days and instantly gratify physical sexual need. We mustn't deny that we are sexual beings who have needs that must be met, but there is much more to our being and relationship with another than sex. This is what I think is the ultimate desire of the 30 day sex challenge program. Relevant Church want people to invest in their relationships in healthy way that actually gives to another person as the primary agenda rather than getting what gratification you can out of a relationship.

You could say there are aspects of this program that are a little presumptuous, however they are motivated by a statistic that says more than half of marriages in USA end in divorce. In many cases it's due to unfulfillment of expectations, communication break down and other similar long term deficiencies. There are however many other reasons why relationships breakdown, for married and unmarried people. Reasons the bible doesn't necessarily have a transferable answer for and reasons that a program like this can't fix.

I am curious however as to what kinds of responses and questions this raises for you. How out of touch is the church really with sexuality and the context of committed relationship? What is acceptable and what's not? I'd direct you to the 'Relevant' blog but it seems (on my scanning of the posts and comments) that is pretty one sided and typically conservative. I'm looking for difference of opinion and diversity of reflection.

One of the blog posts by the way had me a little concerned. It was titled, 'I'm dating God'. I dunno about you but that sounds kinda whack to me. I wonder, where would you take God on a date? So are singles to transfer all their sexual urges toward a dating relationship with God? How does that work? What does that say about the meaning of relationship with God? This is a whole other blog post I think.

I think we need healthy approaches towards sexuality among Christian communities. I for one believe in committed, exclusive relationships as the context for sharing sexual intimacy. Whether that be married or unmarried relationships, same sex or opposite sex relationships. Exclusivity to one significant other in sharing the emotional, sexual, spiritual, intellectual journey in life certainly must be the the ultimate way for human companionship.

Let me know your thoughts

Shalom, Mark

Rambo 4 & Burma

2008-02-22T00:31:00.019+11:00

'Live for nothing or die for something...it's your call'. Yet another corny phrase being made famous by a Hollywood action hero.

Yes I know, I actually went and saw Rambo 4 on it's release date. Why? No not because I'm a Rambo fan (or Stallone). in fact I don't recall ever watching a Rambo movie in my life. Maybe there's a good reason for that. The simple fact is, a friend contacted me a couple of hours before the movie started and said he was booking online, did I want to come? Of course I said yes to a night out with the boys if for no other reason. So i guess if I was going to take the foolishness angle here it would be this...I went and saw the darn movie ok, so call me a fool! I've never done a movie review before but something captured me about this movie that I thought I might reflect upon so here it goes.

So 20 years on from the classic 80's genre Stallone is still the bad ass Rambo, although like Rocky Balboa (yes I saw that too - that was a freebie what could I say?) Stallone plays his character a little differently. A little wiser and seemingly demure. Maybe the best word to describe him is a lot more mysterious. Yet you still get the action you came to see, eventually. It's interesting, every movie review I read about an hour before I went to see it said one of 2 things; Either people hated it and wondered where the hell the story line was, or people loved it because it was a classic blood and guts Rambo shoot 'em up. Well I thought both those reflections were quite shallow and neither of them came close to what I thought. So all jokes and sarcasm aside, what did I really think?

Nothing could have prepared me for the opening scene and it was during this time that I questioned whether I was going to make it through the movie, so before you go and see it I'm warning you now. It was a gut churning scene of actual footage from scenes of the aftermath of Burmese army assaults on jungle villages. It's the kind of war footage media film but never show. It became loud and clear to me why this movie was rated R 18+. I'm surprised it made it through classification. It's certainly a reality check on what the people of Burma still face today - decaying bodies in villages, torture of all kinds, cruel games soldiers play with people, it's horrific! Then there's the fighting scenes choreographed by the director. If you've seen this opening battle scene of Saving Private Ryan, well this tops it in terms of the graphics of war choreography. This movie leaves nothing to the imagination!

So is this movie just a violent blood bath? Well there is actually a story line and if you bothered to have an awareness of the world around you, you'll notice there is a story behind the story. In fact it's a 46 year old story of the plight of the people of Burma. The movies' story line is basically about a bunch of American Christian missionaries who arrive in Thailand and are searching for a way to bring emergency relief and supplies to a village in Burma. They are directed towards Jon Rambo living in a remote part of Northern Thailand down stream from the Burmese boarder. Rambo is living a peaceful monastic lifestyle on the rivers edge where he makes a living catching snakes for a village sideshow and salvaging old PT boats and tanks for scrap metal. When the missionaries find him they try and convince him to take them upstream within the Burmese boarder so they might bring supplies and aid to the suffering. There is immediately a tension build up between Rambo and leader of the missionaries, Michael, as they exchange philosophies on how 'change' really comes about. Although Rambo is a man of few words he makes his case clear. After Michael delivers his speech on how they will change the world for these suffering people (they want to go to) through love and non-violence and with the supplies they are bringing, Rambo simply responds with,
'did you bring any guns?'.
Michael replies, 'No'.
'Then you aint gonna change anything', comes Rambo's reply.
That reply pretty much sets the scene for the movie. I must admit, that line made me laugh, you could see it coming.

So the first 10-15 minutes of this encounter with Rambo and the missionaries is a series of conversations. A number of pleas from the missionaries to Rambo for him to take them up river in his boat, are met with Rambo's repeated replies (with dead pan serious face) 'Go home!'. Eventually the good looking blond missionary Sarah convinces Rambo to take them up river and he reluctantly complies.

Rambo drops off the missionaries and they part ways. The missionaries go about their business of healing, feeding and bible teaching and all seems well. Then out of nowhere mortar shells start hitting the village and body parts start flying. The Burmese army show up doing all kinds of horrific things leaving no human or animal alive. They take the missionaries prisoner and burn the village. The next scene has the pastor of the church the missionaries come from showing up in Rambo's hut pleading with him to take a bunch of mercenaries into Burma to extract the missionaries (so much for the Christians' non-violence conviction). The next 45 minutes is the unfolding of an horrific journey, lots of death, Rambo coming into his old self again. 2 out of 8 mercenaries survive and 2 out of 8 missionaries survive. (I gather you're not all hanging out to go and see the movie so I'm sure you won't mind me spoiling the ending - it's pretty predictable anyway)

I walked away from the movie most disturbed, not because of the violence of the movie itself but because it highlighted to me all over again the struggle of over 2 million internally displaced Burmese and the countless thousands of Burmese refugees who pack the detention camps on the Thai/Burma boarder. Many of the children growing up in these camps don't know life outside a refugee camp.

I googled the latest news and images on the Burma conflict thinking I might post some pictures or youtube video here to raise awareness but I can't bring myself to do so. I feel a sense of responsibility to confront and disturb you, but at the same time I don't want to offend anyone who may be unprepared when they visit this blog. All I can say is that Rambo 4 is tame compared to what I found easily able to access on the internet. So I warn you before you go searching, that there are sites that contain graphic images of dead bodies, and video footage of actual village raids by the Burmese army, actual killing (or what is referred as ethnic cleansing or genocide) and the protests in Myanmar. I dare not even post web links here but I will tell you that I googled 'Burma conflict news and images' if you're prepared to search for yourself.

So will it really take shock tactics such as what we see in Rambo 4 to make us stand up and listen and notice the plight of Burma. We're talking an almost 50 year civil war where it seems there has been little international intervention. The people who dare to protest in Myanmar hold signs written in English to try and capture the attention of the Western superpowers through whatever media is daring enough to film it. The signs read, 'We need UN intervention now'!

Friends of mine who are living with the poor in a slum in Bangkok as part of a UNOH chapter (missional order) are very aware of the plight of the thousands of Burmese refugees who cross the Thai/Burma boarder every month. Their heart for these people is huge but it seems that so little is being done to help them all. Check out the UNOH site for the free Burma campaign. The statement on their site begins;
" UNOH has received an urgent plea for help from our Burmese friends. We cannot say we have not seen their plight. The recent machine gun fire, tear gas and brutal imprisonments have been shown on all our media."
It includes with the words of imprisoned democracy leader Aung San Sui Kyi,
"Use your liberty to promote ours"

Jim Carey's call to free Burma and Aung San Sui Kyi

I can't think of any reason why we, as incredibly lucky and free people wouldn't go out of our way for this simple request. Put your foolish Jesus following to good use and jump on the free Burma campaign. Help the displaced and put pressure of world leaders who have the power to intervene.

Here's a youtube clip titled 'Free Burma'. It's about the most tame one I can share. It contains images of last years protest when thousands of monks marched peacefully in Maynmar to protest against the brutality of the Burmese army. Over 100 monks were arrested as the peaceful protest became violent when the army intervened. I've added a couple of videos in my sidebar.

So would I recommend Rambo 4 to you? Yes and No. If you don't like violent movies don't go and see it. However I would recommend it because we all need t be confronted and disturbed somehow about the realities that face the people of Burma today as you read this blog. Rambo 4 took more than $18 million at the box office in the opening weekend in USA. It's obviously popular enough. Will it take a character like Rambo to capture our attention? Or will we just be entertained, walk outside the cinema and move on? I hope you will be moved and disturbed.

Longing for Shalom in Burma
Mark

Spielberg plays the fool

2008-02-14T12:07:00.002+11:00

Well done Steven Spielberg for wearing your integrity on your sleeve.

Many will disagree and think that what he has done in pulling out of the Beijing Olympics as artistic advisor for the opening and closing ceremonies is a foolish thing. Well maybe so but for him it's the right thing.

While China continue to exchange weapons for oil with Sudan, Darfur continue to suffer. It has been acknowledged by Steven Speilberg and other human rights activists that China can do so much to ease the conflict and help bring about peace in Darfur. Sadly, the consensus says, China isn't doing enough yet.

Speilberg has petitioned the President of China, Hu Jintao, in a letter prior to his pulling out from the role. Speilberg has said in a statement, "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these ongoing crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more."

A number of high profile celebrities including current and former Olympic athletes have also written to the President saying "We are all aware of the tremendous potential for China to help bring an end to the conflict in Darfur." Actress Mia Farrow, goodwill ambassador for the UN says "We are all aware of the tremendous potential for China to help bring an end to the conflict in Darfur", "Time is running out for the people of Darfur."

I continue to find it amusing that celebrities such as actors, singers and athletes are the leading and most prominent voices on human rights issues but they raise great points and a pertinent challenge to those of us who profess to follow Jesus.

So what would it take for you to make a stand and say 'no, I will not participate in this activity'. Afraid that you'll stand out in a crowd? If you do stand out are you afraid you make not be able to give adequate or convincing testimony for why you're making a stand? Don't want to stir the pot or make a fuss? Come on people I've heard these excuses before and they are not excuses that should come from the months of Jesus followers.

Yes the Jesus way is a foolish way, you may look like a fool standing out in the crowd because you've turned down that job for ethical reasons, you refuse to buy certain brands for the sake of fair trade or you choose to sell all your possessions and go and live with the poor because you want to be in solidarity with how 70% of the worlds population live. Don't just be a fool be an educated fool. It is our responsibility as Jesus followers participating in the Kingdom of God here on earth, to be educated on current affairs and the plight of our brothers and sisters who are suffering.

As my wife would say in one of her latest songs, 'stand and be counted'. So stand and be counted as a fool for Jesus, even if everyone else around you is sitting on their hands and criticizing you. Stand and be counted and know why. Play the fool so that those who need a voice may be heard.

Shalom
Mark

Sorry - sori tumas

2008-02-14T10:05:00.003+11:00

For the past few years I have participated in organizing sorry day events. During the leadership of our former PM the media didn’t even say boo to recognize that there was a day marked annually in our diaries for such recognition.

Today I say, well done PM Kevin Rudd on an amazing and well worded speech. However the wrist band on my arm reminds me daily of the commitment this ‘sorry’ really means. The band reads ‘close the gap’ which is a reminder of the commitment which is required for raising the standards of health care to be on par with anglo-Australians and hopefully extend the life expectancy of indigenous Australians. This is the kind of cost that will be required of us and our government. A cost it seems our government is aware of and committed to, a cost our former government shied away from.

Yet today, the day that has gone down in history as the most celebrated ‘sorry day’ has been marred by some individuals. On both sides of the political parties there has been immaturity and lack of respect. Labor representatives encouraging the famous back turning incident on Brendan Nelson’s speech and a Liberal MP openly mocking the gesture of saying sorry. Yes we all acknowledge that Brendan Nelson’s speech was 20 minutes too long and inappropriate (the first 60 seconds would have been plenty). Today is the day for sorry not justifications or excuses. But I will dare to foolishly say what no media personality was prepared to acknowledge:

‘Thankyou Brendan Nelson for saying sorry!’ Did anyone else get that or was it just me?

The opposition could have lived up to their reputation of being ‘opposition’ and gone the other way on this issue, but they acknowledged sorry too. The biggest celebration here is that our 2 major parties seem to be working together on this critical defining issue that faces Australia.

One of the things that really agitates me about some peoples responses to sorry day is the arrogance and apathy they have displayed. First of all let me direct you to a great site where Kevin Rudd’s speech has been posted here. I’ve found that one of the problems among some of my uneducated friends is that they haven’t been bothered to be informed. People are saying things like, ‘why should I be sorry, I’ve done nothing wrong’ and other more insensitive comments. If this is your complaint then you’re missed the point. Here’s another great article written by a friend of mine on this issue titled ‘Apology: Is it necessary?’

I’ll add my own little commentary to this from my own experience. There is a cute cultural quirk I discovered about Ni-Vanuatu culture when I spent some time in villages in Vanuatu a few years ago. If you were to so much as stub your toe or trip over or take a fall, immediately half a dozen voices would respond in sympathy of your disadvantage – ‘sori’ or 'sori tumas' meaning I'm so very sorry for you. If you were to tell a story of something that happened to you no matter how trivial or tragic, the response of your Ni-Vanuatu listeners would be a heart felt ‘oooo sori’. You see when they say sorry it’s not like their saying, ‘I take responsibility for what has happened to you’, it’s more of an empathetic, ‘I’m sorry for you and I feel your pain’. This sorry almost sounds like a request, ‘will you allow me to journey with you and understand your pain?’

Our government on this sorry day has acknowledged the people, their story and their pain. Our government has also acknowledged responsibility for the past hurts of the government they represent. They have asked our indigenous friends, ‘will you let us journey with you in the pain so we may together come to a new place of discovering who we are and our identity as a nation.’

As a foolish follower of Jesus I understand that reconciliation and the discovery of a new identity can come at great cost. This is the part that makes people nervous. So what if it costs us financially? We are a wealthy country and a generous people. Human rights are far more important than our own hip pockets.

Check out our Churches of Christ statement and commitment to this issue:

Churches of Christ Declaration for Reconciliation

As followers of Christ, and part of Christ’s Church

1. We acknowledge and value the inherent status of Indigenous Australians as the traditional owners and custodians of Australian lands and waters.
2 We make a commitment and take courage to own the truth and learn from our shared history.
3 We acknowledge that this land was colonised without the consent of Indigenous people, and that colonisation involved violence and force.
4 We acknowledge the injustices that have continued since colonisation. We regret the loss of Australian Indigenous people, their land, their culture, their children, their health and their lives.
5 We express our sorrow and profoundly apologise to Indigenous people for the injustices of the past, and for our shortcomings and mistakes.
6 We therefore pledge ourselves to take our part in making restitution [return, restore, renew, regenerate, resurrect, reinvest]; to ensure indigenous people are rightful custodians of their land, their culture, their children, their lives.
7 We pledge ourselves to stop injustice, address inequities, and to respect the rights of indigenous people to determine their own destinies
8 We pledge ourselves to build Conference structures and local churches that encourage the participation and the gifts of Indigenous people in life and worship.
9 We recognise the significant contribution of Indigenous People in this state and nation; and we make a commitment to move forward toward a future of mutual respect and harmony.
10 We look forward to being a reconciled and united people who
· respect our land,
· appreciate and value the heritage of Indigenous People and their relationship to the land and waters.
· recognise and value all people whatever their race or background.
· seek justice and equity for all people.

Having made this declaration, we as a family of Churches have committed ourselves to attitudes and actions which reflect, in a number of ways, the spirit of our Prime Minister’s stated intentions today. Let us reflect deeply on how we, as Churches of Christ in SA and NT can be, with our elected leaders, part of a mutual ministry of reconciliation.

Shalom

Mark

Prime Minister opens parliament for 2008

2008-02-12T22:36:00.000+11:00

Well I have been more than impressed with the change of government so far.

Well done Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for your most unorthodox more to open the first sitting of parliament for the year with an indigenous Australian welcome to country and traditional ceremony. Hats off not only for pulling a political stunt but for the unconventional move for doing something that has never been done in the history of Australian government. Also for the gesture of showing our indigenous brothers and sisters that they are important to us at all levels of society. Foolishness at it's best!

I like millions of others eagerly await the historical landmark 'Sorry' speech tomorrow morning and will blog (like thousands of other bloggers no doubt) my thoughts and reflections post speech.

Shalom,
Mark

Why the journey?

2008-02-07T16:19:00.000+11:00

Am I too young to say, ‘I’m not as young as I used to be’? Or maybe, ‘I’m not the person I used to be’.
On Wednesday I became reacquainted with my mountain bike. It’s been living in the shed, neatly stored away for some time now. For the last couple of months I’ve managed to neglect it with excuses like, ‘I’m too busy’, or ‘it’s too hot’. For lent this year I decided to re-connect with a discipline which has been valuable for me. I will pull out my bike, dust it off, abandon my car and ride daily to and from the places I need to be everyday.
Sounds like a great idea doesn’t it? I soon encountered a hitch in the journey that I wasn’t quiet prepared for. I live in a valley and my office is about 4 or 5km away at the top of the hill. I was about half way up this hill when I realized just how unfit I had become. I must admit I did glance down the hill a couple of times and wonder at the ease of turning around to go back and get the car. But I pushed on because I knew this journey was an intentional discipline that will not only get me back into shape and help the environment by taking one more car off the road, but it was a discipline about recreating space. This recreating space was about taking time for the journey and understanding a bit more about this journey that I take from the bottom of the valley to the top of the hill. This journey involves hard work, discipline and pain. However I know with the practice of the discipline the journey will get easier.
Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, was the first day of lent. Lent is about revisiting the disciplines that define us as the people of God. It may be about reconnecting with or revisiting the journey less traveled. We do this by taking on disciplines that help focus us on the journey towards the cross and the commitment to the kingdom of God. But is the fasting or the abstinence from certain things a bid to impress God or others? It seems that over the centuries of this practice it has become so. Even Isaiah recognizes such a thing in Isaiah 58. He says that if your disciplines don’t change you or redirect your journey then they are discovered for what they really are, a poor attempt to win favor with God.
However Isaiah responds on God’s behalf,
‘This is the kind of fasting I choose: cut the bonds of oppression, undo the yoke of injustice, set the oppressed free. Share your bread with the hungry, open your doors to the homeless. Give your coat to those who shiver, and don’t hide yourself from your own family.
Do this and light shall begin to dawn, and very quickly healing will be yours, my righteousness shall go ahead of you, and my glory shall follow your every step. Then you will call out for help, and I will answer. I will say to you, “Here I am, my child.”’
Lent isn’t just about a pious abstinence from the things of this world, it is a solid commitment to participate in changing it. May you commit to the journey of such things that melt the heart of God, and may your heart also be transformed as you participate in the journey God longs for us.

Shalom, Mark

Check out my new column

2008-01-31T18:24:00.000+11:00

Hi faithful readers of my blog. Just letting you all know that I am now writing a monthly column for an online Churches of Christ magazine called 'The Australian Christian'.

I have the honor of taking over an old column and renaming it. The old column is 'Christ and Today'. The new name is 'The foolish way'. The inference here in the re-invention of a column title is to say that the call to follow Jesus is foolishness. A careful read of the Gospels will certianly reveal as such and invite you on an exciting adventure. Such will be the nature of my monthly articles...I hope. So I won't say too much now, you're just going to have to check it out and have a read.

The first on my articles has just been published today and I have the article also posted on this blog so you get this one for free! It's titled the otherness of God.

So click on the link above, the AC online is a great read. Check the side bar for 'The foolish way' to find me. You can't read the whole thing unless you're a member so sign up and support our online mag.

Let me know what you think. Cheers Mark

May we overcome indifference

2008-01-31T18:23:00.000+11:00

Another year has kicked off to a flying start and today marks the first Sunday of the year that everything kicks back into full swing. We have all returned to our work, study and play routines, and we’ve all returned back to worship after a period where many of us have been away. Welcome back everyone!

Let us not be too comfortable in routines however but let us expect the Spirit of God to take us on an adventure. Let us expect new things to happen to us and around us as we continue to participate in the church of Christ. I’m not just taking about the denominational version of Churches of Christ we may lovingly dedicate our loyalties to, I’m talking about our participation in the broader movement of Christ.

I have enjoyed some of the conversations myself and other clergy in the area have been having about our outlook on 2008 and our participation together in the kingdom of God. There is an energy swirling as we prepare to also invite our congregations into the conversation with one another through post-Easter ecumenical studies. However it seems that not everyone is looking forward with the same enthusiasm. I was saddened to see an email land in my inbox last week that made my heart sink. It was from a clergy member in our network who began by encouraging me for my enthusiasm about ecumenical studies which lifted my spirits. The email then went on to read why their congregation probably won’t participate. Apparently the church already have small groups who are comfortable ‘sharing and having fellowship’ among themselves and are reluctant to give this up. They suggested that maybe they’ll grab their own copies of ‘ecumenical’ studies and do it among themselves (which defeats the purpose of what our SA council of churches are trying to achieve).

The spirit within me groans deeply and the inner voice once again reminds me that the church was never intended to be a group that existed for fellowship among ourselves, nor was it intended that we would separate out into communities (denominations) of like minded people for our own comfort for fear of someone having difference of theological opinion.

We only have everything to be gained from participation in dialogue with our friends from other Christian traditions. It must be a task at the front of the agenda of every Christian church that we go out of our way to embrace one another in guided conversations such as these. Our commitment to embracing one another in love is imperative for making meaning of the movement of Christ. Maybe then, that which gives us meaning may be known to the wider world through the language of unity, grace, hope and love. Hopefully by understanding one another we may learn something more about what it means to embrace the other. Then ‘fellowship’ with Christ wouldn’t be confined to the groups of people we know and are comfortable with but would be shared as it ought to be, with others.

Shalom
Mark

The otherness of God

2008-01-31T18:08:00.000+11:00

I became deeply intrigued with the TV program Lost, especially with the introduction of ‘the others’. The directors of Lost really do capture the true essence of human nature when the survivors who crash-landed on a mysterious island discover ‘the others', who existed on the island before them. The discovery of the others by the characters we as viewers have come to like and identify with is met with a classic reaction of fear and suspicion of what they do not understand. What’s more is they cannot see, manipulate or control the others, which frustrates our beloved survivors. It’s not until the series unfolds that we discover that the others have a story, too. So herein lies the question: can we cast aside our fears and suspicions long enough to actually hear and - maybe - understand the story of the other?

I once heard of a Christian congratulating an atheist on being liberated of their atheism because they admitted that there is a possibility that God could exist outside their understanding. While many of us would like to applaud our Christian friend for pointing out the limitations of the human mind and experience, we mustn’t be too smug in our deliberations or ownership over the nature of God. Many who claim to have the inside word on who God is and how God chooses to reveal Godself often struggle to participate in the on going dialogue and discovery of who God is, who we are, and who we are in relationship with God and one another. I would dare to expand on that and say that God can exist beyond anyone’s understanding. In fact it is in that which we do not understand that we could discover something new and profound about the nature of God. God is most often revealed to us through that which we cannot explain, or outside our experience. Let us not forget the wisdom in the question, ‘Is it possible that God could exist outside your understanding?’

There is room to discover that God is much greater than the explanations, names and descriptions we give. In fact, all that we do not know or are yet to understand about the nature of God is found in otherness, that is, the other. While we are called to care for and seek justice for the other we have an ethical hesitation towards the other because of difference of opinion, doctrine or choice of lifestyle. The other may be that which we are afraid of or do not understand, it may be the conversation we’ve failed to have or the person we struggle to love. If we open our hearts and minds we discover that God is revealed in the other and we must acknowledge that God exists in relationship with us intimately but also in the distant other we are yet to discover. We do not contain all knowledge and understanding which makes our journey so enriching and new each day.

We discover the nature of God revealed in human form through Jesus, yet even that has its limits for us. It is through Jesus’ example that we are called to continue to discover justice, love, grace, compassion and mercy as we interact with the other. It is through this practice that we continue to discover and rediscover the nature of God and the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. The Spirit prompts and calls us on to continue the journey, discover ourselves and what God truly wants from us.

I believe Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is about so much more than we sometimes understand. God’s tick of approval on the life and ministry of Jesus must remind us of a life of faithfulness lived not only as an example to us all but hopefully as a beacon to help show us where our sin really lets us down and is the cause of our failure to also live such a life. We acknowledge that we need a savior but do we know what we really need salvation from? I believe that one of our greatest sins is displayed in the expulsion, exclusion and segregation of ‘the other’ because of our fear or lack of understanding.

Is it possible that we could learn something profound about the nature of God by embracing the other? May we always be embracing of otherness and may your life be enriched by the colourful tapestry of the nature of God.

Shalom Mark

Another member of Vox Congo becomes a permenant resident in Australia today

2008-01-17T19:42:00.000+11:00

I invite you to celebrate with me friends once more as I have tears in my eyes yet again (what a sook).

Martinse Kanda member of Vox Congo (the little shy guy who plays Rhythm and drums) is now a permanent resident in Australia as of today when he received his letter in the mail. This news comes 6 months after Papy received his full residency. This is a huge celebration for Vox Congo and testimony to their faith. I have developed a very close relationship with these 4 guys since they arrived in Melbourne in 2002 and have seen the many heart breaks and disappointments time after time as they we’re told they couldn’t stay, they were told they were non-persons and even their closest advisors told them there was no hope.

Not once did their spirit or faith falter under the pressure. Depression lured many times but their faith and hope lifted them. Martinse and Carmen as well as the rest of the guys have asked me to thankyou all for your tireless support and for never giving up on them. Thankyou for you letters, petitions, friendship, showing up at concerts, your meals, clothing, financial support and a roof over their heads. Often we don’t get to see the impact we can have in lives or hear the good news stories, well here they are, a testimony to your efforts in standing by the neglected and the cast aside in their time of need. Well done.

We ask for your continued prayer and support for Etienne (band leader) and Adolphe (the unforgettable Bass player). I had a series of meetings with them in November last year and they were not traveling well. They miss family, they are feeling lost and confused, yet they still have great hope. I am concerned for my friends and I ask that you please stay with them in prayer and support. After their visit to Adelaide in November I was at a wedding with them in Melbourne and Etienne asked if I could launch an appeal for him and Adolphe to the new immigration minister. Asylum seekers and refugees have a new found hope in our new government who seems to know the meaning of compassion based on recent actions like the release of the prisoners (unlawfully detained refugees) from Naru.

I will be in touch with you when I have something put together which will include information and format on how to write to the minister for immigration. If anyone would like to help me with this I would be grateful. I am still a learner. I will be relentless and will not give up until each member of Vox Congo are heard and have received residency in Australia.

Until then please share this message through your networks as I don’t have contact with everyone who wants to be kept up to date on Vox Congo.

Blessings
Mark Riessen

Where are they now?

2008-01-17T19:38:00.000+11:00

I never thought I’d hear myself saying this but, ‘my how times have changed’. I often catch myself watching or reading certain news items or tabloids about the new generation of ‘celebrity’ and the following they have. I hear commentators talk about the influence they have and my jaw drops.
It seems in this day and age anyone can be a celebrity, and for all the wrong reasons. They are then glorified to positions of stature and looked to for leadership on how to live, how to party, what to wear and who to hang out with. It seems the mentors, teachers and leaders of old are few and far between and society has very easily replaced them with celebrity ‘wanna be’s’.
It’s just so hard to fathom what good leadership and mentoring used to be like and how we can continue to duplicate it. When Jesus was a boy he would have sat at the feet of the great mentors and teachers of his day, and like any Jewish boy would have strived with great ambition to be one of those teachers. Someone who taught the law of society, the law which was to bring harmony to community living and bring out the best in each person, a law which each person was expected to meditate upon day and night.
The Rabbi would pick out the best of the best to continue on as his disciples, to follow in the footsteps of the Rabbi and know and understand every aspect of his teaching so that they may one day be like him.
Every single child of the day had a mentor, a teacher, a leader who would invest in them and build them up to one day take on that mantle. Sadly it seems that mentors and teachers like this are becoming thin on the ground. A position which was once vied for and considered a position of great honor, is now considered a burden or an imposition. With the relinquishing of the honor to influence our younger generation with the teachings about God, faith, justice and community living – the vacant spaces have been left to whoever wants to be the next big thing for their own personal gratification. Society has let this happen and young people will let them be their leaders.
Where are they now? Where are those leaders and mentors who would consider the great honor of teaching the next generation of people who will one day be influencers and world changers?
Next time we has a call out for Kidzone leaders, boy’s brigade leaders, youth leaders and the like, I would hope with great expectation that a number of people among us would put up our hands and say, ‘I would consider it an honor’.
I thank those all people who invested themselves in me during my developmental years because without them I would not be a leader.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Uninvited and unexpected

2008-01-17T19:37:00.000+11:00

Many people I know are really struggling to come to grips with celebrating this Christmas. Some won’t at all. So I ponder the Christmas story and I try to think of an encouraging or comforting word.

I find it interesting in the two Gospel accounts we have of the telling of the birth of Jesus, that even though the coming of a Messiah is expected in Israel, the Jesus event was still somewhat unexpected in many ways. In Matthew this nearly caused Joseph to break off his relationship with Mary before it started. In Luke Mary was deeply troubled when coming to terms with the news that this was about to happen. Everyone we read of who learnt of Jesus birth had to be prompted in some way. No-one expected such an event.

So this Christmas reminds me of unexpected happenings and not exactly events that bring us joy but rather anxiety, pain, questions and bewilderment. I am also reminded however that the Christ breaks in, in an environment where there is uncertainty and instability, where people wait in hope yet have made no room for his arrival. So Jesus comes anyway, and what is it exactly that we expect? Does Christ come invited or uninvited? Whatever the case is Christ’s presence welcome?

I have found the following reflection from Thomas Merton very helpful.

‘Into this world, this demented inn, in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ comes uninvited.
But because he cannot be at home in it, because he is out of place in it, and yet he must be in it, His place is with those for whom there is no room.
His place is with those who do not belong, who are rejected by power, because they are regarded as weak, those who are discredited, who are denied status of persons, who are tortured, bombed and exterminated.
With those for whom there is no room, Christ is present in this world.’

If you won’t be joining us at Blackwood this Christmas, may your Christmas be filled with the unexpected peace, love and presence of Christ our Savior.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Are you really the one?

2007-12-13T12:43:00.000+11:00

We held a ‘Blue Christmas’ service at our church on Thursday night in partnership with our two local Anglican and two local Uniting churches. We name it Blue Christmas for those for whom Christmas will not be so great this year. Maybe there is an empty chair at the table for Christmas lunch that would normally have seated a loved one you have shared many Christmas’ with. Maybe there is no tree or presents this Christmas because mum & or dad suddenly find themselves unemployed. Our service was held with these people in mind.
It’s times like this that bring memories of expectations you once had flooding back, and the questions you long to be answered begin building up. Expectations like, ‘I thought it would always be this way’, ‘we still planned to do so much together’.’ They are shattered by the unexpected and sometimes the misunderstood assumptions of what seems to be according to the realities of the world we understand and know.
In Matthew 11:2-11 John asks the question of Jesus on all our lips, ‘Are you really the one, or should I expect someone else?’ The question comes as a deep personal question of doubt under circumstances where life has taken a turn for the ‘not so great’. While many commentator believe John’s question is for the benefit of his disciples learning and choose to leave John as the all knowing prophet, I disagree and here’s why.
Jesus’ response to John’s disciples is: ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.’ (Matt 11:4-5 NIV) So I guess that settles it, it’s all good news and Jesus is the guy we’ve been waiting for. Or is it really as simple as that for everyone? John’s changed circumstance is that he is in prison which is why he sent his disciples to ask the question of Jesus. Jesus’ response lacks one critical thing that John is waiting to hear. What I discovered (with the help of a colleague) is much of Jesus’ response comes direct from the book of Isaiah, the prophet who speaks the promises all of Israel are waiting for. You’ll see Isaiah 61:1-2 quoted nearly word for word in Luke 4:18-19, but what’s missing in Jesus’ response in Matthew is the line, ‘proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners’.
John is still captive and will continue to be held captive. ‘Is this the guy Isaiah was talking about, or should we expect someone else?’ Often tragedy strikes us when it’s actually supposed to be a joyful time and we are stuck with a hit in the guts and a crisis of faith. So what do we do with that, when we know the good news is come yet we are still held captive? The only hope we have is that we awake to a new day with a new reality in which the one who bears good news has come and we long even more to share and experience it with one another.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Is there any joy in the Christmas insanity?

2007-12-07T17:55:00.000+11:00

So what do we make of this silly season we call the lead up to Christmas? Our TV’s radios and junkmail are yelling at us, ‘buy, buy, buy!’ and we groan one more time as we frantically try and fit in another meeting and get our last scraps of work done before the office closes for the Christmas break, and we lament the calendar that tells us we will no longer see our home except to lay our heads on our pillows at night because we have yet another gathering to attend.

Does this kind of thing give you much joy at all! I find it interesting that the majority of people I talk to don’t find any joy in these activities at all, in fact they can’t wait until it’s all over. So why on earth do we subject ourselves to such grueling and painful rituals? Because it’s tradition? Because that’s what is expected of us culturally? I suspect we’ve lost the meaning of tradition to an extent and in fact we no longer even acknowledge the traditions that were supposed to bring us life, hope and joy in the Christmas season. The traditions we subject ourselves to and desperately try to keep up with today have been around less than 100 years.

Let me draw your attention to another tradition. These weeks leading into Christmas is called advent. The fist Sunday of advent (last Sunday) is traditionally the beginning of the church year. It is also the beginning of the 40 days leading up to the feast of Epiphany, the day of celebration when new believers were baptized. There are a little over 4 weeks in the advent season when believers are called to a time of praying and fasting. It is actually a time to slow down and prepare for the coming of Christ. Very countercultural to the 21st century, maybe shopping centre advertising wasn’t so aggressive 1600 years ago.

For me advent is a time of slowing down long enough to recognize that actually, Christ is among us. It is only in the slowing down that we can acknowledge this and truly sense the hope, joy, peace and love we celebrate for the Christmas season. Next time to bump past someone in the shopping centres in your frantic Christmas rush, remember this pondering from the late Archbishop Oscar Romero:

‘Advent should admonish us to discover in each brother and sister that we greet, in each friend whose hand we shake, in each beggar who asks for bread, in each worker who wants to use the right to join a union, in each peasant who looks for work in the coffee groves, the face of Christ. Then it would not be possible to rob them, to cheat them, to deny them their rights. They are Christ, and whatever is done to them, Christ will take as done to him. This is what Advent is: Christ living among us.’

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Give me a reason to praise

2007-11-15T15:07:00.000+11:00

The Psalmist writes:
‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?’ (Psalm 137:1-4)
When Verity and I first met the 4 men (musicians) from the Congo, we lovingly came to know as ‘the Congo boys’ in 2002, this was the lament we heard from them almost word for word. Being an asylum seeker in Australia on bridging visa type E is one of the most difficult and oppressive processes any foreigner to our shores will face. Australian policies and attitudes towards refugees and asylum seekers are atrocious and embarrassing. As I (and my church at the time) have journeyed with them providing housing, food, medical assistance, financial assistance and advocacy (they have no rights or access to any of these through our government) there have been times where I have been angry and ashamed to be an Australian. While my frustration at the system spurred me on to fight harder for the Congo boys they were quietly in their own way teaching me much about the presence of God in adversity and the meaning of faith.
One day Verity and I had Etienne and Adolphe over for a meal and they shared some of their struggle with us as they often would. They had broken through the language and cultural barriers settling in Australia, had learnt to accept that sleepless nights due to the memories of what they had endured would now become a way of life and learnt how to handle the depression of missing home & family. Through all of this they were still able to look us in the eye, bring a grin to their faces and say, ‘but God is good’. That statement just about knocked me off my chair.
In 2006 Verity and I helped the ‘Congo boys’ now calling themselves ‘Vox Congo’ (the voice of the Congo) release their first CD – ‘Kinanga’ meaning ‘stand up people and hear the good news’. Vox Congo had found their song in a strange land. Their testimony is that they do not feel abandoned by God during this difficult time of displacement. One of their songs, ‘Captivity’ written by Etienne while in Australia is based on Psalm 137. It turns a lament into appreciation by saying, ‘You (God) are the source of human dignity and it’s in your image we are created. Give us the spirit of love and compassion, enable us to love every single person, and to appreciate those who differ from us and share the resources of our nation. And to receive the gifts offered by other people from other cultures, may we all respond to justice as God creates peace and harmony.’
Vox Congo have an infectious faith and positive outlook on life which is enlightening coming from a group of guys who truly understand persecution and oppression. Last time Vox Congo visited Adelaide, Papy was waiting to hear about his residency application. When he returned to Melbourne he found us his application had been accepted. Vox Congo are here again this weekend and Martinse awaits a reply on his application. Let us hope the same answer is waiting for him when he returns home. Etienne and Adolphe are still hanging in the balance seeking asylum.
I chose Psalm 136 for this mornings service because Vox Congo have given me cause for everyday praise.
Shalom
Mark Riessen

Let’s settle this!

2007-11-08T15:17:00.000+11:00

Have you ever heard the saying, “revenge is a dish best served cold”? What is that? Have you ever really thought about what that means? Is there ever a best way to serve up revenge to someone? Come on, really, is there anything good about revenge at all for anyone?
The Psalmist writes, “I cry to you for help, O Lord, in the morning my prayer comes before you. Why O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?” (Ps 88:13-14) Here is part of a reflection of utter despair, anguish and lament appealing to God for sympathy, intervention, something that will not only take away the pain but bring swift justice against whatever is causing the pain.
Unlike many other Psalms, we don’t get any impression from this one that God has turned the situation around to give the Palmist any cause for praise. In fact it’s quite the opposite. God is silent and seemingly absent. So what must one do when your appeal to the most powerful of forces of intervention seems to fall on deaf ears, when justice is not served and the wrongs against you are too much to bare? You take revenge of course!
Revenge is about taking matters into your own hands. Revenge is about gathering all your hurt, anger and frustration into a nice little cluster, then unleashing it with all its fury towards someone who ‘deserves’ it. Feels good doesn’t it…or does it? What does it achieve really? A short rush of adrenalin?. Maybe a stronger counter serve back at you. What has it achieved really?
Rob Bell, presenter on Nooma, talks about this in one of his presentations titled ‘Luggage’. Referring to Romans 12 he says, ‘don’t take revenge, but leave room for God, in other words let God take care of it.’ Then he goes on to say, ‘Revenge is really saying to God, “God I don’t trust you to deal with this situation, this person has wronged me and I don’t know what you’re going to do here.” Because if we can control revenge then we get to determine the outcome, it’s like you’re saying you don’t trust God to handle this. Well we know best of course. You could think of this handing over to God in the sense that God will take revenge for us because of course God is on our side. Surely, I mean that’s how it was for the Israelites wasn’t it?
This theological interpretation doesn’t sit well with me because it assumes that God’s action will be exactly what I expect, but if I take a broader theological reflection from what I understand of scripture, God will not act in ways we expect. That’s the whole point isn’t it, about handing it over to God? There are times when we do not have the capacity to handle a response to something like this. We could cause serious harm to another by taking revenge, is that what is really going to make you feel good? Is that going to bring you peace?
The Gospel writers have Jesus speaking some crazy language like love your enemies, and turning the other cheek. Surely this alternative could bring about more hope than retaliation could. In the moments when we’re screaming into the darkness for justice and all we get is silence, remember that God is with you and it’s not that God isn’t speaking it’s that you may not be ready or willing to hear what God has to say.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Habits that give cause for praise or lament

2007-11-01T13:23:00.000+11:00

Have you ever seen a nun in her habit? Have you ever wondered what on earth possesses them to wear such outrageous fashion? I have often wondered at the mystery of things I don’t understand. This has been part of my motivation for watching the latest series of Compass: ‘The Abbey’ on the ABC Sunday nights. I decided to park my cynical mind for a moment and watch the unfolding of the stories told by nuns who have chosen to live a life of solitude dedicated to prayer, silence, service and private community. My eyes have been open to appreciate many amazing things about the monastic lifestyle.
The habit a nun wears is not just a bad fashion statement, in fact it is a symbol of the rebellion against conformity. The habit is a sacrament in itself, each part of the garment carrying significant meaning (as acknowledged in a ceremony of receiving the consecrated garb) that reminds the nun of the lifestyle she has chosen to live. A life clothed not in the things of this world, in fact they have renounced the things of this world, but clothed in a habit which would display the life of Christ. The habit reminds her each day that she has reason to praise God and she will praise God through her every action.
We have many habits in life that display who we are. So what are habits? You know, it’s that thing you do when you don’t know you’re doing it, like biting your nails when you’re nervous, or biting your tongue when you’re concentrating really hard. I have this habit where I jig my right leg rapidly when I’m stressed or have a lot on my mind. This habit was discovered by my wife one day when she noticed the dining table was vibrating along with the floor and the things on the table were migrating all by themselves to the edges. It was not until the obvious questions of curiosity were asked by people sitting around the table that my wife and I discovered my habit and stopped.
We all have habits even when we don’t know it, habits that cause certain behaviors. Some people’s habits are constructed deliberately like the habits of those who want to give thanks and praise God through acts of service and worship. There are habits that are counter productive for us that can be self-destructive. They can cause us and others harm. Some of us don’t like the habits we have and we try recondition our lifestyle but fail. Many habits give us cause for lament. Each habit creates a rhythm in life, but how often do we stop and ponder our habit? How happy are you with the habits you have in your everyday life?
‘The nun does not get up in the morning and go to the closet and think to herself, hmmm. I wonder what to wear today. The habit is what she wears.’[1]
What kind of habit will you don today? Will it be a habit of lament or a habit of giving praise to God with your everyday life? This habit is clothing you’re self with Christ intentionally each day and allowing your life to speak out of it.
Shalom
Mark Riessen

[1] Crowder, David, ‘Praise Habit – finding God in sunsets and sushi’, Think 2004, Colorado Springs, p39

Conformity can destroy us

2007-10-25T15:54:00.000+10:00

In Paul’s letter to the Roman church he urges the recipients to be careful not to conform to the standards of their world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Paul says, this is how God’s will, will be tested and understood. Eugene Peterson pulls out all the stops in his paraphrase of this text but saying, ‘don’t allow yourselves to become so well adjusted to the world around you that you’re dragged down to their level of immaturity and just simply fit in’.

Richard Lawton wrote an article for the Australian Christian online recently which has created some discussion about what it really means to love our enemies. After all this is one of those outrageous teachings we understand as coming from Jesus that many of us aren’t sure what to do with when confronted with a situation where we cannot reconcile a love for someone we are completely at odds with or has done something terrible against us.

It is times like these when someone raises a topic or a popular teaching we have come to know as a follower of Jesus, that a button is pressed within us and something stirs and rises to the surface. Our temperature may rise a little, our heart might start beating a little faster or tears may begin to well up in our eyes and we begin to defend why we simply cannot do what the Gospel teaches us about the outrageous lifestyle of loving our enemies and forgiving those who have devastated us. It is in the quiet places of renewal that we begin to check in with that which rises up within us and have the opportunities to test it against our understanding of God’s will. That simply being… a place of shalom (peace). Jesus’ forgiveness of sins or love and acceptance of the other (who is unacceptable) is what deeply offended people. This is non-conformity at its best.

So where do we find the models of such lives in our modern day where people are forgiven extraordinary debts and the worst of the worst criminal or deviant is loved? We certainly don’t find such leadership displayed in many of our world leaders. Perhaps this is why many who look from the outside in to the Christian way criticize and call us hypocrites, because they know what we are supposed to be doing but we’re not doing it. It is hard to find many people of influence who testify to the Jesus way, who are prepared to put their reputation and ego on the line for such a way of life

Yet it is this way of life that is freeing of everything of this world that would cage us such as anger, revenge, resentment and vengeance. The way of conformity is to retaliate, get even, take matters into our own hands. If you conform to the standards of this world it will surely destroy you. The way of the Gospel (good news) is to let our very being be renewed by letting go of that which consumes us and imprisons us. Don’t conform because you’re able or the expectations or our world allow you to, allow yourself to be transformed by spaces of renewal which move you to such actions as bringing the light of hope into the shadows of a world which so desperately needs it.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Life changing spaces

2007-10-18T10:30:00.000+10:00

This past two weeks I have been taking you on a journey of listening to life. It’s been about finding the spaces, the stillness and the silence, the spirit within us longs for and taking a journey deep within to find and reconnect with true self.

My desire is not to take you on a touchy feely, feel good journey of narcissistic self satisfaction, in fact my own practices of this are anything but. It is a journey towards the heart of the soul where we discover what we have neglected or hidden away hoping to ignore. In many cases it is the voice/call of God, and/or the yearning of our vocation, that being which is truly who we are.

The challenge is to emerge with a sense of truly engaging that which we have encountered and allowing it to change us and form us into the true sense of who God has called us to be. It is never an easy journey but it is the most rewarding. It is the journey we must take to truly have an impact on the world around us as a disciple of Jesus called to serve and to be in community with the other and one another. Beginning with this regular practise in life is the best thing we have to offer of ourselves in our mission and ministry as people of Christ.

I could not resist sharing this reflection below with you:

‘One must do it (pray) for God’s sake; but one will not get any satisfaction out of it, in the sense of feeling “I am good at prayer. I have an infallible method.” That would be disastrous, since what we want to learn is precisely our own weakness, powerlessness, unworthiness. Nor ought one to expect a sense of the reality of the supernatural of which I speak. And one should wish for no prayer except precisely the prayer that God gives us – probably very distracted and unsatisfactory in every way.
On the other hand the only way to pray is to pray.
And the only way to pray well is to pray much.
If one has no time for this, then one must at least pray regularly. But the less one prays, the worse it goes. And if circumstances do not permit even regularity, then one must put up with the fact that when one does try to pray, one can’t pray – and our prayer will probably consist of telling this to God.
As to beginning afresh, or where you left off, I don’t think you have any choice. You simply have to begin wherever you find yourself. Make any acts you want to make and feel ought to make, but do not force yourself into feelings of any kind.
You say very naturally that you do not know what to do if you have a quarter of an hour alone. Yet I suspect the only thing to do is to shut out everything and just give yourself to God and beg for God’s mercy and offer God all your distractions.’
From The Spiritual Letters of Dom John Chapman OSB

Shalom
Mark

Riding the wave

2007-10-11T12:08:00.000+10:00

Last week I reacquainted myself with the surf down south for the first time this season. It was a perfect day with a good sized solid swell and offshore breeze. I suited up and went down onto the beach. The shoreline was covered with large rock that the wave would eventually come crashing into. There was a narrow sandy channel where if you timed the waves right you could paddle out to the break safely.

Once I was out there sitting on my board among the other surfers the waves suddenly looked a lot bigger than they did from the car park. I could see a set brewing on the horizon and as it approached I began surveying the situation in my mind. There was no escape I was sitting between the rocks and the waves and when it’s your first surf in a while a healthy dose of anxiety creeps up inside you. The anxiety begins to step up a couple of notches when you see the expressions on the other surfers faces change and suddenly they slip from sitting to lying on their board and paddling like crazy for the waves at the back.

As the waves got closer I could see them lining up one after the other with the crest of the wave feathering in the wind. The waves loomed closer and closer and I found I was faced with two choices. Follow part of the crowd that was scrambling like crazy to get behind the waves before they broke or brave it like few others and face the inevitable. I managed to clear the first but knew that the ones behind were bigger and would break sooner. I caught the third wave of the set fro the ride of my life.

As I cut across the face of the wave the wall began to build and build as it edged closer to the shore. I knew I wasn’t going to make the section so two more choices faced me, turn out in front and risk riding the whitewash being smashed into the rocks, or duck in under the wave closing in on me. Either way I was going to get pounded.

I chose the latter…boom! After a couple of seconds I popped up on the other side of the wave in calm waters and braced to duck the next couple of waves of the set. I saw that no-one had escaped the brutal pounding of the surf during that set. While some like me had braved it and taken the plunge on one wave, others who tried to avoid it ended up taking a beating from every wave of the set and they were left weak, coughing and spluttering, heading for that narrow opening to shore.

Sometimes things loom up in our lives and line up like waves on the horizon. Often every instinct within us tells us we must avoid getting pounded at all costs, yet they’re there on the horizon and we’re sitting in the water and we know eventually we’re going to have to face whatever it is we are trying to avoid. We always have choices, do we go with the crowd or do we listen to the voice within that says with reason, ‘you must deal with this eventually’?
Eventually the wave catches up and our character is tested as to how we will ride this wave or are we still scrambling to avoid it. You will come face to face with it eventually, it’s either take you unwillingly or you’ll be prepared for the ride. It’s amazing the confidence we can get out of facing that which causes anxiety within us and popping out the other end still in tact. The looming wave on the horizon will inevitably hit the shore. When you’re sitting between it and the shore the question is, what are you going to do with it?

Shalom
Mark

Stilling the soul

2007-09-28T16:11:00.000+10:00

The weather report wasn’t joking when a gale force wind warning was issued for coastal areas on Friday.

I had been watching the swell charts on the coastal watch website all week as a massive swell was building off the coast, looking for a surfing opportunity. Having already had a taste of this swell on my day off this week I had been anticipating Friday morning when the swell was at its peak. I had built up these images in my mind of the perfect big waves I might encounter.

I had it all planned out. I was going to get up early Friday morning and hit the surf at dawn before coming into the office. Reality hit when I arrived at the cliffs overlooking Southport. The massive squalling 2-3metre swell was completely wind blown and unforgiving. As I stood there the gusts of wind literally knocked me off my feet. Once I was sitting back in my car I knew this was getting ridiculous when the car was violently rocking back and forth with the force of the wind and the rain was coming at me sideways.

Well so much for that! Don’t you hate it when you build up expectations in your mind about how things could be or ought to be? It’s even worse when you’re met head on with an uncontrollable, uncontainable storm that leaves you feeling powerless and defeated.

I find moments like these to be deeply spiritual moments and I’m not talking about those warm fuzzy feelings with God, I’m talking about those Psalm 88 feelings. You know, the kind of lament that wonders ‘what on earth is happening here? Is this real? Where are you God?’ The wind is so strong, the ocean is unforgiving and things are blowing in at you sideways and there is no way you can even find your centre let along find God in it all.

The writer of Matthew's Gospel inserts a story about a storm immediately following an explanation about the cost of following Jesus. This story doesn’t exist so much because early Christians decided to retell a story about a bunch of fishermen in a boat with Jesus during a storm. The language alone in many English translations tells us there is much more to this than a story about a storm. The story teller uses dramatic language like ‘without warning’, ‘ferocious storm’, being ‘overcome’, ‘we are perishing’! It communicates the language of the cries of the soul when we are unexpectedly overcome with the challenges life throws at us from left field.

One thing we can often overlook or not realize in the chaos of it all is that in our story as in the Gospel story, Jesus is present in the storm. The knowledge that God is present is comforting for some but not enough for others. It is the words uttered by Jesus in the midst of the storm in Mark’s Gospel that offers us the greatest hope in the midst of the storm, “Quiet! Be still!”

May you find time for the stilling of your soul.

Shalom Mark

The Greatest Love

2007-09-07T10:28:00.000+10:00

Have we relinquished our responsibility to uphold the greatest commandment? I’m not talking about any old commandment, I’m talking about the ‘Greatest’! Each of the synoptic Gospels have more than one account of someone asking Jesus the all important question, ‘what is the greatest commandment?’ Whether in whatever context the question is asked, the answer is blatantly untamed and unforgettable. ‘Love God with all your heart, soul and mind & love your neighbour as yourself.’ Jesus dares to suggest that not only is this the greatest command but that it defines all others. If every single thing we did was motivated by the greatest commandment to love God and others, we would be living exactly as God intended in a state of shalom. But the reality shows that we are far from shalom in our world, so what has gone wrong, what’s wrong with living the greatest commandment?
In case you haven’t noticed the APEC Summit is being held in Sydney. The media frenzy seems to surround and follow the leader of the ‘greatest’ nation and hang on his every word. Among many things I continue to hear this reverberating echo of propaganda that perpetuates the fear that has captivated us since 2001. The answers from the greatest leaders of our day is war, tighter security, dominance, more power and more fear. Whatever happened to the greatest commandment as a strategy from our great leaders?
I turn my attention towards a popular singer who by the way seems to have more swing with the general public than any politician. Bono from U2 sings one of his songs with the late Luciano Pavarotti called “Miss Sarajevo”. When introducing the song Bono says, ‘We would like to turn our song into a prayer, and the prayer is, that we don’t become a monster in order to defeat a monster.”
Bono sings the words:
“Is there a time for changing values, is there a time for wearing a blind?
Is there a time for keeping your mouth shut, is this a time for human rights?”
While behind him the words of the UN declaration begin scrolling behind him starting with article 1; ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a Spirit of love’.
The translation of Pavarotti’s piece in the song reads;
“You say that the river finds the way to the sea, and as the river you'll come to me Beyond the borders and the thirsty lands, you say that as river Love will come And I cannot pray anymore, and I cannot hope in love anymore
And I cannot wait for love anymore”
Have we relinquished our responsibility to love? Have we given up because it’s too hard? The greatest commandment is far from being the greatest in today’s climate. Yet I believe that the love Jesus speaks of can still be the greatest. While there are still millions of people in our world who claim to be followers of Jesus, I would hope that a large percentage would seek to take him seriously at his words and actions. You can by loving one person at a time.
Shalom Mark

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt; sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." – Mark Twain

Where church and community meet

2007-09-07T10:27:00.000+10:00

I had the most amazing opportunity to be in a room and engage in conversation with some amazing people last Wednesday night. Nina and I had organized a meet and greet between Kids Hope mentors and the parents of the children we were mentoring in the staff room at the Hawthorndene Primary School. All but one of our mentors made it to the gathering and more than half of the children were represented by their parents.
As Tania (school principal) and I shared with the parents and mentors the details of the Kids Hope program and our vision for it, I felt a real sense that we were united as one with a single purpose and vision and that was to invest in the lives of children in our community and help them become the best they can be. As we broke into more informal conversation I took a moment to step back and take a snap shot of the room in my mind. In every conversation I saw a member of my church deeply engrossed in conversation with a stranger in the community. There was laughter and deep and meaningfuls. I saw one mentor having a laugh with the school principal who had previously been suspicious of these church folk and another mentor in a joyful conversation with the child she was mentoring and the child’s mum.
Our local newspaper ‘The Messenger’ has been highlighting the persona and presence of the church in stories over this last couple of weeks. A couple of weeks ago it published some glum but true figures of percentage drops in church attendance then went on to ask questions of relevance, ‘is the church old school?’, ‘is it dying?’, and the like. In this weeks Messenger I notice they are playing to the tune of the larger churches in our community saying how successful they are. While attendance in churches are up you could say that what attracts the crowds to the churches is nothing short of Christian consumerism.
We can run sexy church services all we like but what difference is that really making in the community around them? I love Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica because in the letters introduction Paul states some amazing things about the nature of this faith community. Not only had they become an example to the other believers but their faith in God had become known everywhere. People were turning from the idols of the old life and toward the living God. My guess is they weren’t running sexy worship services in the synagogues but were doing life with their community is such a way that inspired love, faith and hope and people were being transformed by their daily interactions with followers of ‘the Way’ who were simply imitating Christ in their community.
On that Wednesday night I was so proud to be part of a church that isn’t defined only by what we do on Sunday. It was a real celebration for me to hear a parent suggest that we should meet like this more often and the principal to applaud it. After an hour and a half I was the first to leave and everyone else looked as if they were settled for the night.
There are so many places where churches are and ought to be meeting and getting to know the community around them and it isn’t always on the ‘churches turf’. Even in our local primary school the Spirit of God goes before us and prepares a place where mentors, children, families and staff and transformed by hope.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Finding our confession

2007-08-23T14:50:00.000+10:00

Becoming transparent to ourselves is not the easiest of disciplines to master. In the frailty of our humanness we constantly struggle for balance to be the kind of person that others will like. Yet there is the voice within, that often quiet suppressed voice within that asks whether you are acceptable to you and we are confronted with realities we would rather not acknowledge.
Parker J. Palmer, author of my favorite book, ‘Let your Life Speak’ is confronted by moments that cause him to acknowledge, ‘the life I am living is not the same as the life that wants to live in me.’ He uses an old Quaker saying to speak encouragement and sometimes confrontation of self into peoples lives, ‘let your life speak.’ The most confronting yet most life giving statement I’ve ever heard.
When we begin to acknowledge the true self that is emerging from within we are sometimes hesitant because we may not like what we see or are apprehensive about how our true self may be received by others. I once heard a friend of mine say to another, ‘receive yourself’.
I think it is difficult to find your self, your true self unless you can find and speak your confession before God. Until we are able to do that we deny the self that exists within and impose our denial on others. It is not until we can find our confession that we can receive ourselves and in turn receive others.

‘God help me find my confession;
The truth within me which is hidden from my mind;
The beauty or the ugliness I see elsewhere but never in myself;
The stowaway which has been smuggled into the darkness of my heart,
Which puts my heart off balance and causes me pain,
Which wearies and confuses me,
Which tips me in false directions and inclines me to destruction,
The load which is not carried squarely because it is carried in ignorance.
God help me find my confession;
Help me across the boundary of my understanding,
Lead me into the darkness that I may find what is concealed;
That I may confess it towards the light;
That I may carry my truth in the centre of my heart;
That I may carry my cross wisely
And bring harmony into my life and into the world’
Author unknown

May you be encouraged to find your confession, to let your life speak and allow harmony to prosper in your life and the world around you.

Shalom
Mark

Reclaiming sacred spaces

2007-08-22T14:43:00.000+10:00

Where did those sacred spaces?

As a child I remember complaining to my mum or dad that I was bored and had nothing to do, as if to think they would drop everything and create an exciting activity or take us somewhere to do something.. I reflect back and I remember days when the whole family was at home, they were called Saturdays, sacred days of rest. Dad would be outside pottering in the shed or around the garden, mum would be pottering around the house maybe doing the laundry or preparing food in the kitchen and my brother and sister and I would get on each others nerves. I know for me I would wind up my brother and sister for nothing more but entertainment. It’s amazing how impatient I used to be with boredom. Now in my adult years I long to reclaim those sacred Saturdays, those carefree days of rest I had little to no appreciation for as a child.

So what happened? Where did all those Saturdays go? When was the point in my life when I auctioned off my sacred spaces and replaced them with busyness, with always doing something? What could have possessed me to do such a thing? Even as I write now I find I am struggling to find a space where I am not interrupted.

I wonder, as we develop into young adults and our vision grows to take on the world, whether we even stop to consider the sacrifices we might make in order to peruse the various things that capture our hearts and minds. All I can do is speak from my own experience and admit that my passion for the mission of Jesus is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it is a motivating factor for my call to ministry and a curse because I constantly find myself in places where my time is consumed with all the things I’m passionate about. I had sacrifices my spaces.

One of the primary causes for my loss of space in my life was my inability to associate myself with the word ‘no’. Not only did I allow myself to feel the guilt trip of even wanting to say no to someone else, I couldn’t even say no to myself.

By my second year at college I was on so many committees and had aligned myself with so many causes on top of being a full time student, part time student minister and a part time Kmart worker while balancing a relationship with my fiancée in another state, I had pretty much lost myself. It was our second year of formation for ministry and a local minister was invited to present to the class. He said these wise words which I’ll never forget, ‘Never should on yourself and never should on anyone else.’ That wise old minister was Mark Bulter. He was talking to us about self care and giving permission for us to release ourselves from those things that clog up the spaces in our lives.

From that time on I began to gauge each movement or ministry I was giving myself too by asking myself whether it was life giving or not. If something was life giving for me I would give myself to it knowing that in turn it was giving to me. However when things began to suck the life out of me I knew it was time to revisit the ‘should’ theory and let go of that which was not life giving for the sake of my own being. At the recent Magarey lectures there was a particular comment that came from both presenters that has stayed with me. It was more of a ‘heads up’ comment for me than anything, ‘be aware of the self that I inflict upon others’. If I am not caring for myself who am I then inflicting upon those I am called into pastoral ministry with? Whenever I ‘should’ something upon myself I also ‘should’ upon others

Space to be

The evangelist who wrote the Gospel we call Matthew records a couple of exciting events in chapter 14. Slotted in there between the feeding of 5000 and walking on water is a couple of verses that if we are not careful can so easily look past. Jesus sends his disciples away in a boat and works at getting rid of the crowd so he can have the space to himself that he originally intended to have. A solitary space for prayer and reflection. I remember reflecting on this passage with the elders of the church recently, and expressing to them my longing for the spaces and the desire to send the crowds away just for a moment to create that space I need to have. It was a stark reminder of the fact that old habits die hard and it is a real discipline to claim the spaces to be.

When I was 20 years old, right at that time in my life when I was ready to launch and take on the world; in my pursuit for wanting to really ‘do’ something with my life I signed up for this new program being piloted by OMB called the Discipleship Development Program. There was part of me that was looking for meaning in what I was to do with my life and part of me just searching for me.

As I participated in the program, myself with 6 others my age journeyed with different leaders and ministers through a year of formation and preparation. Towards the official end of the program we ended up in the strange land we knew very little about called Vanuatu. Even though I spent 9 weeks immersed in the culture I don’t think I really appreciated what this experience was doing for the formation of my being until I went back as a leader of the DDP in my final year at college.

While the language of Bislema wasn’t too difficult to pick up there was another foreign language that took me a while to understand. It was a language that was very attractive to me and I began to learn how to speak it, but because it was so foreign to my context of living I struggle everyday to relearn it. It was the language of ‘being’. There is a saying in Vanuatu. When someone passes you by and the ask you how you are or what you are up to today a common response is, ‘stap nomo’. The literal translation of this attractive Bislema saying is, ‘I’m just stopping, or being today and nothing else.’

We tend to need to qualify our existence with responses that indicate how busy we are in our culture today. We define ourselves as human ‘doings’ rather than human ‘beings’ as if there is shame in not being busy with something. Sometimes we elaborate or make something up just to sound impressive, particularly when it comes to sharing stories about our ministry (one colleague confessed this to me the other day). Why have we sub-consciously deemed it socially inappropriate to stand in conversation with a group of other ministers and respond to the question, ‘what have you been doing with your church?’ with, ‘we’re being with God’. There is no shame embodying all aspects of the nature of Jesus in ministry, including those of self care as shown in Matthew 14 where Jesus took time to be with by himself and spend time with God.

While in Vanuatu the most prominent passage of scripture I began to dwell with and continue to do so is from Psalm 46. As Eugene Peterson translates it, “Be still, step out of the traffic and know that I am God.” This have become a crucial passage of scripture for me to dwell on as a reality check. More and more as I am getting to know my new congregation I hear the groans of busy people not being able to find the time to tune into God, or any space of being for that matter. I met with a couple over coffee the other day and one of them began lamenting the fact that they have no space in their life at all for anything other than work. As I found myself offering counsel on how to create those spaces I realized I could not unless I too had created those spaces in my own life journey so that I had spaces of re-creation not only to speak into the lives of others but to speak into my own life.

Re-creating spaces

At the age of 19 I engaged a spiritual director for the first time. I wasn’t really too sure why I was seeing a spiritual director except for the fact that I was going through a tough time, searching for meaning and vocational direction and it was recommended to me. It took me a little while to warm to the idea of meeting regularly with a spiritual director but once it was established there was no way I would be without it. Spiritual direction helped me discern my call for ministry and as a consequence relocating my life to the CCTC campus for 4 years. It didn’t take me long to secure spiritual direction for my formation journey through college and my continual formation as a minister out of college. It is a discipline that is not only helpful for listening to that voice within, that voice of vocation, that suppressed voice not often heard yet is screaming out for you to listen to the life your inner self wants to live but is not living; it is also a discipline in helping me identify the spaces I need for the re-creation of my soul.

Once I had built a relationship with my last spiritual director we began to learn together what the appropriate trigger questions were to ask me to discover whether I was giving way to my re-creating spaces or not. For some reason these are the spaces we relinquish far too often for ‘more important things’, yet are the spaces we need the most for our being. Ever session I would have with my spiritual director would begin with these questions which once unpacked would burrow down deep into my being where my soul was encountering God all over again, being refreshed, renewed, recreated. This begs me to ask the question, ‘why would I compromise those re-creating spaces for anything?’

Together we discovered there were at least three questions that needed to be asked; ‘Have you spent time staring into your fish tank?’, ‘Have to spent time sitting on your surfboard?’, ‘Have you spent time in the garden?’ We discovered the three spaces where my soul encounters and re-creates with God. As you may be able to discover from the questions, the three solitary spaces I enjoy the most and have the ability to create on a regular basis are my hobby in keeping fish in aquariums (it’s serious but relaxing business), surfing, and gardening. If I hadn’t made time for any of these spaces in the time between spiritual direction questions then there was something wrong with my being and believe me I knew it, the self within me would groan in agony that it hadn’t being cared for. So my spiritual director and I would spend time discovering and exploring the blocks that are preventing my soul from re-creating and making my spirit groan. In the times of spiritual groaning I remember naming some disturbing images that described how that which was within me was feeling and while helpful the reality was not good.

Why am I like this? Why do I allow my spirit to be caged and suppressed? Ministry isn’t supposed to be like this! So I made more of an effort to create the spaces I needed and met with my spiritual director more regularly for a time until we had worked through the groaning of my spirit so that it was celebrating life again.

A final thought

A book that I read in college and am reading again now is called ‘Let your life speak – listening for the voice of vocation’ by Parker J. Palmer. It is easily in my top 5 books of all time because it has helped me so much with listening to the voice within. Parker reflects on a poem in the opening pages saying that it helps open his eyes the fact that, “the life I am living is not the same as the life that wants to live in me.”[1] That is a sad reality that Palmer goes on to explore is such helpful ways. I particularly find it sad that too many of us are not living the lives we are called to live both in our ministry vocation and life in general. We find ourselves living in ways we never set out to live, in ways purely to please the expectations of others and not true to the call God has placed on our hearts.

Palmer, who has journeyed through the valley of doubt and depression, writes, “self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others.” [2] It’s after re-reading of a pearl of wisdom such as this that I say to myself, ‘if I don’t look after the greatest gift I have to offer I have nothing to offer anyone at all.’ More importantly I would have nothing to offer my beautiful wife who in many ways is the person I am most accountable to for my own self care and waits so patiently at times as well as supporting me to put in place the disciplines that help me become the best of that which I am called to be – Mark.

Those sacred spaces we reminisce about once having and dream of one day having again don’t have to be figments of imaginations. In fact we have a responsibility to our selves and duty of care to others in our life to reclaim those spaces with no apologies so that we can continue to re-create and renew that which is within us and be the people God has called us to be.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Published by Churches of Christ ministry work group for 'Shaping for Ministry'

[1] ‘Let Your life Speak’, Parker J. Palmer, Jossey-Bass 2000, p2
[2] ‘Let Your life Speak’, Parker J. Palmer, Jossey-Bass 2000, p30

Shaping our story for transformation

2007-08-22T14:41:00.000+10:00

Last weekend I spent 3 days being disturbed and inspired at UNOH’s Surrender conference. We were stirred by speakers such as Tim Costello, Shane Claiborne, Jackie Pullinger, Mike Frost and Ash Barker. Attending this conference unlike many others I have attended, is not designed to give you a feel good experience or equip you with the ‘10 steps to grow your church’. It is purely and authentically and raw and unapologetic call to each person to surrender everything and follow Jesus with a particular focus on serving the poor.
Every year I attend the conference I need serious debriefing because it really shakes me up as to whether I am being true and authentic in my calling. There is a process of recontextualizing the challenge put to me to serve the poor, and understanding how that is lived out in Blackwood. So far I’ve managed to identify a number of ways I/we can authentically live out the Gospel so that it is good news to the many who need to hear it here in the Adelaide Hills. However our service is much more than just random acts of kindness, we are driven by a deeper calling.
I went to a work shop at the conference titled ‘How to overcome your fear of the ‘E’ word.’ That’s right the ‘E’ word…’evangelism’! It’s a word that makes me nervous because I associate it with many negative experiences friends of mine have had with Christianity. People in the workshop were asking questions of the panel such as, ‘once I’ve evangelized someone how do I disciple them?’ or ‘do I need an ongoing relationship with them?’ Questions that just seemed ridiculous to me.
Evangelism is derived from the Greek word euagelion. It literally means great or joyful news. I would suggest that if what we do in the name of Jesus in our community, whether it be in word or action, is not joyful news to the ears and experiences of the people we interact with, then it’s not evangelism and certainly isn’t the Jesus way. Many people think evangelism is a sales pitch to get people to believe the same things as you as if you offer a tight little package they sign up for.
Good news is spoken into peoples lives in all shapes and forms. As followers of Jesus we must committed to sharing good news in relationship with others, inviting them into a discipleship journey. The good news in the context of the Jesus experience is life transformative. I would suggest that we as followers of Jesus need to become astutely tuned into understanding the shaping of our own story of formation because it is that story of formation or transformation that captures peoples hearts and minds. It is that story that helps people understand why this Jesus movement is so captivating, uplifting and life giving.
All the speakers at the conference were speaking to the theme of ‘Fools for a revolution’. The message was clear that this Jesus movement is a revolution for those who are foolish enough to believe that the world could be turned on its head. A world where the marginalized are integrated into society, the oppressed are set free and those who experience poverty in any aspect of life are liberated by good news. And the leader of this movement is the biggest fool of all, we know him as Jesus, the one we all testify to as being responsible for the way we live our lives.
May you live your lives foolishly through a story, your story, that is shaped to transform the lives of others.

Shalom
Mark Riessen

Helpless & fragile

2007-08-22T14:38:00.000+10:00

My cousin Kylie gave birth to a boy on Tuesday June 26th. He died on Sunday July 1st. After church on Sunday I received a call from Kylie to come down to the Women’s & Children’s hospital as soon as I could. Her and her partner wanted me to perform a baptism and blessing for their fragile baby as they had now come to the point of making the decision of turning off the machines and letting their fragile little boy die.
It is so hard to come to terms with the fragility and mortality of life. We watch on helpless to do anything at times but we live in a world of possibilities and amazing medical and technological break throughs. There is always that lingering hope in our minds that the miracle we’re looking for will come through.
But what about when it doesn’t. How do we face the reality of our own inadequacy and helplessness? How do we embrace the reality of accepting that there are things we cannot control and allow ourselves to grieve appropriately?
For this fragile little life there was nothing that could be done. He was born with an underdeveloped heart that even a mercy flight to Melbourne couldn’t fix. I preformed a ritual beside the tiny bed where he lay with his parents beside me. It was a ritual of letting go and handing this fragile life back to God. And we were left with our own fragile emotions that we’d rather push deep down and our helplessness that we don’t know what to do with. Yet helpless is not hopeless and so we live on in the hope that God gives strength to the helpless and holds onto the fragile and we learn that little bit more how precious the gift of life is.

Shalom, Mark

From the very beginning I loved you,As I made plans to hold you and rock you:You were tiny and helpless as you lay in my womb,But something went wrong and soon you were gone;My young heart was broken, my tears fell like rain,I'd never known such heartache and pain.
I wonder who you look like, me or your dad,Do you have my smile and his eyes?Would you have been big and tall or tiny and small?We had dreams for you that reached to the skies.It was long, long ago and I still miss you so,Thanks to Jesus, I'll see you in heaven.
I'll hold you in heaven someday,When my trials on earth pass away;The angels have rocked you, the Father watches over you,I know you're waiting for me;I never could hold you or tell you "Goodbye",But I'll hold you in heaven someday. .
(c) 1998 Jo Ann Taylor

Great news for Vox Congo - Papy a PR

2007-06-28T14:49:00.000+10:00

For 4 or 5 years now the band Vox Congo have captured and warmed the hearts of thousands of Australians not only with their amazing energetic music and strong Gospel message, but also with their tragic story of fleeing their country (DRC) to seek asylum here in Australia. It is a story that tugs at the heart strings and their past 5 and a half years here in Australia have been a real rollercoaster ride of appeal and rejection. Not only had their plea for asylum in Australia been rejected but their home country didn't want them back. They refused to reissue passports after they had expired so when the guys were ordered to leave our country they could go nowhere. They were labeled as non-persons with no country. This means no health care, no government assistance, no rights.

Etienne, Adolphe, Martinse and Papy expressed deep faith and determination to continue hoping in a hopless and helpless situation. They appealed to the compassionate hearts of people who make desisions within our immigration system and waited patiently in prayer. My wife Verity and I, journeyed with them through the uncertianty and the heart ache, as week after week we would ask, 'have you heard anything yet?', only to meet long faces and a sadened response. Yet through it all they continued to play their music with energy, to sing their song of joy in a strange land and Adolphe would always say to me, 'yet God is good and we have faith'. It has been an awe inspiring journey.

We shared in celebration with Papy and Martinse at the end of last year and early this year when immirgation informed them they were allowed to apply for residency. We then went through the gruling task of preparing the application which wasn't guarunteed to succeed and wondering where on earth they were going to find the $3000 each to lodge the application.

It is with great excitement and tears in my eyes that I share this amazing news with you.

Papy Mbikulu Wena (keyboard player and drummer for Vox Congo) received a letter from immigration yesterday, Wednesday June 27th, to say he is now a PERMANENT RESIDENT IN AUSTRALIA!!!! This great news has been 5 years and 8 months in the making. Through much heart ache and struggle we have journeyed to this point of celebration.

Praise God for the amazing journey, the prayers, the persistence, the courage and the hope we have that yes we can actually make a difference when we stand with those who cannot and ought not stand alone.

I had the privilege of sharing in tears of joy with Papy on the phone last night. He would like me to spread the news far and wide that he is now free to make a home with his family here in Australia. His wife Rebekkah is relieved to say the least and daughter Jael will continue to grow in the comfort of knowing that her dad will not have to leave her behind.

On behalf of the family I extend special thanks and gratitude beyond what words could ever express to Urban Neighbours Of Hope and the Knoxfield Church of Christ for their endless support and tireless efforts in standing with the ‘Congo Boys’ as they appealed to our government again and again for compassion. Your advocacy support, compassion and prayers made all the difference. One particularly special thankyou goes to Robyn for her amazing financial gift to help Papy apply for residency. Robyn, you are truly amazing and will not be forgotten.

I am still overwhelmed with the news and can’t wait to bring similar news once Martinse finds out the answer to his residency application. We are yet to find out if Etienne and Adolphe are allowed to apply for the same rights, they continue to seek asylum in Australia. Please continue your prayers for them. They now have even greater hope and expectation for this great news to flow through all of their stories.

Please share this story through you networks and newsletters as I have lost many contacts through my move to Adelaide. I promised people I would let them know when these guys reached the final goal they had been praying and hoping for, for so long. When citizenship comes up I’ll make sure you all hear about it so you can go to the ceremony. I know I’ll be there.

Post your comments at www.myspace.com/voxcongo so papy can receive your encouragement.

Shalom
Mark

Minimum Chips

2007-06-28T14:29:00.000+10:00

I arrived at my office after being out on Wednesday afternoon to find a homeless man sitting on his bag at our office doorstep. He was asking for some assistance and I immediately went into defensive mode, I have a strict policy on not giving money to people who ask for it. Before I reacted I responded with, ‘can I get you something to eat?’ He was very appreciative and in fact that is all he wanted. I went across to the fish and chips shop with him and gave him a choice of anything on the menu. All he wanted was minimum chips. I wonder what the guy behind the counter thought as I placed the order. Here was a young man in a spiffy long black coat with a dirty old, smelly homeless guy beside him. We shared a chip and a chat and Alan (the homeless) guy said to me, ‘so are you the minister over there.’ I said yes and he responded by saying that I had restored his faith in people and the church.

I have mixed feelings about my encounter on Wednesday. There is part of me that cannot bear to see someone suffer or go without and another part of me that is suspicious of those who like to take advantage of compassionate suckers.

As Jesus walked the road through Samaria to Jerusalem he encountered all sorts of people along the way. Some were keen to follow him and others were reluctant but to all he explained that to join the Jesus movement it would come at a personal cost to them. He also explained the urgency of service for the Kingdom of God right here on our doorstep. Right here on our doorstep!

Sometimes it’s in the little things, like in a bag of minimum chips, that help us to become the people of God we are called to be, people who are not afraid to exert some sense of personal cost so the kingdom of God can truly come, a sense that our life counted for something. Whether it be a financial cost, the cost of our time, the cost of lending a compassionate ear…

I got a call yesterday with some amazing news. One of the asylum seekers Verity and I had journeyed with for 5 years, Papy, a band member of Vox Congo, was granted his permanent residency yesterday. What an amazing celebration it was for us to share in the news after sharing in a long journey of doing lots of little things to help and advocate for the guys. It gave me a deep sense that my life counted for something and that it was worth spending some of my time and energy on the little things that make big differences in peoples lives.

Shalom
Mark

Jesus with skin on

2007-06-28T14:27:00.000+10:00

I just spent last Tuesday and Wednesday in Melbourne at the World Vision headquarters doing Kids Hope Co-ordinator training. I know, when is this guys going to stop! It was a very enriching couple of days and even though I’ve been involved with Kids Hope for more than 2 years I was enlivened once again by the stories and possibilities of what can happen when a church and a school develop an active relationship through one church member mentoring one child for one hour a week.

The idea of the 2 day training was to equip me with all the resources to train and equip mentors to participate with this ministry. The Kids Hope directors are excited that Blackwood Church of Christ will be the very first church in metropolitan Adelaide to run with the program and they are excited that we will be the example to others in SA about how a successful Kids Hope program is run. Furthermore, if our conversations go well with Hawthorndene Primary School, they will be the very first school and will be the example to all the other schools. What an awesome responsibility and privilege we have to impact the broader metro Adelaide area through such a simple ministry of compassion and love.

Through the stories I kept hearing over and over during this couple of days, I kept hearing the phrase, ‘We have an opportunity to be Jesus with skin on’. This phrase began to grow on me as I realized what it meant to the many schools around Australia to see Christians actually doing something practical to serve their community with no expectation of recognition or bum’s on seats in their churches. The stories kept flowing from story tellers with tears in their eyes as we heard about schools, families, children and yes even churches being transformed through the power of building effective and quality relationships of service. For the churches it was about embracing the opportunity to be Christ in the community. Or as St Francis of Assisi says, ‘to preach the Gospel at all time, but only if necessary use words’. It was about embodying the Good News through their actions.

As I listened to the stories I drifted for a while and began to image Blackwood and Hawthorndene having such stories to tell. Stories where parents, teachers and principals speak with utter amazement about these people from the church who have invested so much into transforming one life and not being able to put their finger on their motivation for it, but knowing that it must be good. And members of our church telling stories with tears in their eyes saying, ‘I had an amazing opportunity to be Jesus with skin on’.

Shalom
Mark

Unexpected Transformation

2007-06-28T14:26:00.000+10:00

At the last UNOH Surrender conference, Ash Barker said this; “In many ways Urban Neighbours Of Hope was not an idea, it was a place to be in solidarity with those who are poor and to be converted by them so that the Good News of the Gospel can truly come.” Ash’s words have resonated with quite strongly as it is quite counter cultural to or more well known practices of mission where those who are sent with the ‘Good News about Jesus’ are the ones who do the transforming. What Ash is suggesting resonates more strongly with my own experience of cross cultural exposure where I have profoundly encountered the presence of Christ in the other.

I wonder what our expectations are with our approach to mission. Is mission still a term we associate with the few Christians who are sent to far away lands to convert the ‘heathens’? Do we expect that our church will have a profound impact on our local community through the mission of the church? Who do we expect to be transformed and how? In fact I believe it is the call on every Christ follower to be engaged in the mission of Christ and I would suspect that all who do so will never be the same. I believe that when we engage in that which is so much bigger than ourselves , we too are converted by the experience.

Mal White from Kids Hope Aus, was here in Adelaide for a couple of days. Part of his reason for being here was to inspire those of us who are considering being involved with the mentoring program with our local Primary School. On Wednesday night he shared an amazing story with us of how a church was transformed by a school and a community. Yes that’s right…an unexpected transformation happened. In fact it wasn’t even the church that initiated the missional encounter, it was a school from the ‘wrong side of town’.

The church (which hadn’t changed its ways in around 150 years) couldn’t say no to an opportunity to be involved in Kids Hope with their local school. About 6 months into the mentoring program the church was encouraged by Kids Hope organizers to hold a ‘Kids Hope family fun night’ for all the kids and parents. The leadership decided to go with a safer option of inviting kids to Sunday school. Much to their surprise the kids came and the church found that their traditional Sunday school structure didn’t cut it so they had to experiment with alternative methods of conducting their children’s ministry. Another problem developed from there, the parents of the kids started hanging around. The church didn’t expect that more adults might join their small community. To cut a long story short, this church soon found that they were radically transformed by this encounter with their community. All of the old ways of doing things went out the window and they became the church the Holy Spirit had called them to be.

It’s amazing what can happen when a church relinquishes their control of the outcomes of the Spirit. It is not us that does the transforming but the Holy Spirit and we must expect that we are the ones who are transformed by Christ in the other as much as anyone. As Ash would say, when we are converted by them, the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus can truly come.

Shalom
Mark

What is yet to come

2007-06-06T23:04:00.000+10:00

I pondered on a passage of scripture today from John 16 where Jesus is having a conversation with his disciples of what is yet to come. My mind is captured by two things that Jesus is recorded to have said; first of all that there is so much more to talk about and discover together, ‘more than they can bear for the moment’; secondly the Holy Spirit will settle in among them to be an advocating voice and presence on behalf of God and will tell them of ‘what is yet to come’.

I find this to be an exciting, empowering and affirming concept. It also helps alleviate the anxiety of someone like me who may have vision of unwarranted optimism and worried about what to do with it. So the comfort I draw from Jesus’ conversation with his disciples is that we will not be given anymore than we can handle and the Spirit will be with us.

However my mind runs wild with ‘what is yet to come’. Will we be open to the possibilities of what is yet to come through the body of the gathered community of Christ? Or will we dismiss dreams and visions of future possibilities either out of fear of the unknown or fear of leaving the familiar behind? Do we believe the Holy Spirit is among us advocating on behalf of God through our thoughts and imagination? Do we believe that God still expects to see amazing things unfold through the imagination and hearts of the people of God?

Last week I began to release a vision I have for the Blackwood Church of Christ. For the days to follow there was a stirring of imagination and dreaming being fed back to me from various members of our church. The vision continues to grow because I believe we are giving permission for the Spirit to show us what is yet to come. I continue to look forward to the conversations we are yet to have and I encourage you to share not only with me but with others in our church so that we may build on what the Spirit of God is stirring among us and expect that the best of God’s work with and through this church is yet to come.

Shalom
Mark

Learning to surf

2007-05-24T14:13:00.000+10:00

I’m back! What an adventure it has been 3 weeks in the USA. I had experienced some amazing things and have plenty of stories to tell. This particular reflection however is from the end of my trip. On my way back from the USA I stopped in at Hawaii for a couple of days to fulfill a life long dream of surfing in Hawaii.
It was the off season for surfing so the waves all over were small to flat. My usual board of choice is a bodyboard but due to the small surf conditions I decided to hire an 11 foot longboard at Waikiki and go for a little stand up surfing. You need to understand that for a bodyboarder to revert to a surfboard requires a huge amount of humility.
So here I was sitting on a board that was not necessarily my wave surfing tool of choice, in unfamiliar territory, in a strange country with locals and tourist alike who were strangers to me. My usual experience of surfing is that it is a loners sport, you battle for every wave and once you claim it there’s no sharing it, and whatever you do don’t make a fool of yourself, you’re out there to impress. So the first wave I get, I stand up and find there are a dozen others sharing the wave with me, then what do I do, I get the wobbles and fall off, oh great, just made a fool of myself. Much to my surprise no-one seemed to care or really notice, in fact the atmosphere out there was friendly, encouraging and had a real community feel about it. My next wave I rode a long way with 2 locals on boards either side of me encouraging me to ‘walk the plank’ and ‘hang 10’. In this strange and foreign zone I encountered an atmosphere of encouragement and friendly community, not an ounce of possessiveness or ridicule.
We still have so much to learn from Polynesian cultures and the like, from their expression of hospitality to the way they embrace the stranger. If only our ancestors of the Christian faith could have appreciated such approaches to mission.
Often when it comes to the missional expression of the church, we prefer to encounter the world out there on our own terms, imposing our own culture and using the methods we are comfortable with. I wonder how much more receptive to the Gospel message people may be if we were more willing to become learners rather than experts, if we were prepared to be fools for God, prepared to be taken by the hand by a ‘local’ of which ever context we find ourselves in, learn new methods and use new tools.
An encounter with my new Hawaiian surfer buddies certainly impacted my outlook on mission and what it means to embrace the stranger. May we be willing to be learners.

Shalom
Mark

My last 10 days in the USA

2007-05-17T20:18:00.000+10:00

Well, here I am in Sydney airport, scabbing some free internet from the Qantas Club hotspot. Sorry i haven't posted much while I was abroad. This was partly due to a very busy schedule but if it wasn't for that it was the dodgy wireless internet connections always dropping out, but hey, what can you expect for free? However, while I was online I got addicted to my myspace, it's like a whole new world opened up for me and I was like a little kid with a new toy so check it out if you get a chance www.myspace.com/markriessen

What an amazing time I had in the USA, 20 days all up. shortly after my last post we ended our official leadership tour and i went my own way for another week in the USA. I had an absolutely amazing experience the night we parted but I'll save that story for a seperate post when i have more time and my laptop battery isn't nearly flat.

I stayed a night in LA then headed up to Seattle for 3 days to catch up with friends. I met with an old friend from Camp Counsellors USA (haven't seen him in 11 years). Then I stayed with some old friends I journeyed through my final year of college with. I was so appreciative of the hospitality from Doug and Kathy Dornhecker and am forever grateful. I was able to be there for some significant moments in their life. One church they took me to was an 'open and affirming' church. In other words, the majority of the congregation were made up of those who 'don't fit', gay & lesbian couples and singles, homeless, mentally ill. I was speaking there that day, I found it to be the most welcoming and embracing church I came across in USA.

For my last couple of days I fulfilled a life long dream and went to Hawaii. I stayed on the main island of Oahu in the Waikiki resport area. I hire a big mal both days and went surfing at Waikiki. On one day I hired a car and drove to the north shore where I saw Wiamea Bay, dabbled my feet in the water at Pipline and went body surfing at Sunset. I couldn't believe how flat the surf was here, but then again I was warned it was the off season.

What an amazing 3 week adventure. I have so much more to blog particularly from my learnings as a result of leadership 21. However I must leave it there or I'll miss my plane. Stay tuned, I will reflect some more. Pictures will be on myspace (yeah sorry Chris I love it)

Shalom
Mark

USA update

2007-05-09T05:06:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

Just so you know I've been playing around with Myspace. i have a site but it's pretty basic at the moment. What you can find on my space however is pics from my experiences of LA and Las Vegas. Arizona pics are coming.

Go to www.myspace.com/markriessen I'll still be blogging here but am playing with the myspace thong for pics, youtube and music. My myspace blog will be the same as this one.

If there's anyone out there who can give me myspace tips I would really appreciate it. Please post your helps and ideas in the comments.

Cheers
Mark

10 days in the USA

2007-05-06T15:25:00.000+10:00

Well for those who are interested, I'm finally finding time to update the blog. I don't have long so I'll give a brief update of where I've been and where I'm going. Really keen to post some reflections however on the leadership, ministry and ecclesiological models I've been exposed to and reflected upon. The real challenge will be the processing and contextualizing, then composing the imagination that continues to develop as I consider vision and direction in my context of ministry back home.

I've been in the USA for the last 10 days with 17 other ministers from Churches of Christ in Australia. Many may ask 'why USA?' which I admit has also been my question. Why on earth would ministers from from Australia want to travel to the other side of the globe to be inspired by churches and ministries in a completely different culture and context. Now on day 10 of the trip my reflection is, 'is has been worth travelling to the other side of the world for the experience and the conversations.

Anyway, more on that later, here's a basic run down of where I've been and where I'm going from here before heading back home.

We arrived in LA Thursday week ago. We spent 5 days there checking out churches and talking with the pastors. Some of the facilities and conversations were mind boggling. Of course we couldn't visit LA and stay right next to Disneyland and not take a look, so we squeezed that in. Then we drove to Las Vegas for 2 days and checked out 2 amazing ministries. While in Las Vegas we 'walked the strip'. What an experience that was, those casinos are monstrosities. It was so hot in Las Vegas, even at night. Then we moved onto Flagstaff, Arizona for 2 days, checked out another church. Went to the Grand canyon for half a day, hard to really explain a site like that. This morning we woke up to a blanket of snow over everything. What a contract to Las Vegas, and it's not even that far away. We wound our way through the mountains to check another church on our way to Phoenix. It snowed while we were standing in the church car park. I'm now in Phoenix and back into shorts and t-shirt. It's hot here. We're only a few hundred miles from Vegas and the fluctuations in weather have been amazing.

We'll be in Phoenix for 5 days checking out churches and more conversations before driving back to LA where the tour ends. On Friday I fly to Seattle to catch up with friends for the weekend. Touring a couple more ministries while there and speaking at a friends church. Sunday night following I fly back to LA then the next morning to Hawaii for some relax time. I'm hoping to fulfill a life long dream by standing on the beach of Pipeline. i don't care what the surf is like, I just want to go there. Then I'll look around for a wave I can handle and fulfill another dream to surf in Hawaii. I have 2 days there then i fly back home.

I look forward to seeing all back in Oz soon.

Shalom
Mark

3 weeks in USA

2007-04-29T17:02:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

Sorry I've been absent from my blog lately, I'm on a leadership/ministry conference in USA for 3 weeks, and I'm 3 days in. I may post the odd reflection from time to time depending on where I hit a wireless connection or internet cafe.

I'm in LA at the moment. The locations on the leadership tour are Las Vegas, Flaggstaff, Phoenix in the next 10 days then I'm out on my own for a week visiting Seattle and Hawaii before heading home.

As I I'll try and keep in touch. Please post your comments while I'm away, I'm less homesick that way. I have many reflections stirring from my experiences of churches over here, and leadership styles and challenges. Hopefully I'll spit some out on the blog soon.

Stay tuned

Shalom
Mark

Radical Christians, radical churches

2007-04-21T12:46:00.000+10:00

The word radical makes many Christians I know very nervous. What is it about being radical that people get nervous about? Is it that radicalism requires action outside of the conservative mold of polite confirmative expectation? Now that’s got to make people uncomfortable. Yet from the stories I continue to read and re-read, that’s the kind of Jesus I encounter. For 2000 years it seems many who proclaim the name of Jesus are trying to pacify him and mold him into an image we’re comfortable with, a nice predictable ‘tuck Jesus in my pocket and take him out when I need him’ Jesus – a Jesus who suits our personal needs.

Tony Campolo writes a compelling foreword in the latest release of Mick Duncan’s ‘Costly Mission – following Jesus into neighbourhoods facing poverty’. While I haven’t read the book yet the foreword at least has grabbed my attention. Here’s a snippet;

“Sadly, Evangelicalism, instead of being defined by those outside the church as a compassionate movement, committed to living out love on a personal level and justice on the social level, has earned the reputation of being anti-gay; anti-environmentalism; anti-women; pro-war; and power hungry triumphalism. Most people in society have a great respect for Jesus, but see little similarity between what he was and taught and what is expressed in contemporary Evangelical Christendom.”

Will we really follow Jesus into places he would go? It’s certainly safer to pacify Jesus then take him with us for our own triumphal, colonialist agendas. Christendom has controlled the Christian tradition for hundreds of years. I have encountered many conversations, authors and speakers who are predicting the end of Christendom is upon us and the Jesus movement is being re-birthed in many diverse and creative ways all of which are attempting to re-engage Christian discipleship through the radical lenses of the Jesus of the Gospels.

Where does a new movement of radical Jesus followers express themselves? Some who are on the edges of the emerging church movement tend to reject the established ‘traditional’ church as the place of such rebirth and belonging. I suggest there need be no other place for it. The way forward for the established church is not to survive but to thrive by embracing this resurrection. We do this not by trying to be relevant but by being the people Jesus calls us to be – radical expressions of a God who wants to pour his heart out for a hurting world.

I can’t wait to see this scattering of a few radicals become a host of radical churches doing everything in their power to be a ‘compassionate movement, living out love on a personal level and justice on a social level’. Just imagine what the church of Christ can look like if we were to embrace the radical seriously.

Shalom
Mark

How's your reflection?

2007-04-19T09:33:00.000+10:00

Lent is over, Holy week has past, and the Easter event lingers on in our memories and our experience for another year. So what did it all mean for you this time around? Have you been inspired or touch by the Easter event in a new kind of way?
Our Good Friday service is still etched in my memory. I actually appreciated not taking part in the service for the first time in years and I was able to be, and ponder the message that Jonathan Moore gave. Having said that I now pause in my day to ask myself, ‘how’s your reflection?’
Jonathan spoke on the text from John 19:1-16 and his message was inspired by an article written by Barbra Brown Taylor titled ‘The Perfect Mirror’. I would like now to reflect once again upon an extract from Jonathan’s sermon:

“According to John, Jesus died because he told the truth about everyone he met. He was the truth, a perfect mirror in which people saw themselves in God’s light, for who they truly were.
What happened then goes on happening now; in the presence of his integrity our presence is exposed, in the presence of his courage and consistency our cowardice is brought to light, in the presence of his fierce love for us our hardness of heart is revealed. Take him out of the room and all of those things become relative.
In his presence people either gather around to worship him or do everything they can to shatter him.”

As part of the service on Friday we were all given a shiny, reflective piece of card that resembled a piece of smashed mirror. I look at mine everyday and wonder if I live my life with truth, integrity and honesty as Jesus did? If not, why not? What do we fear in seeking to live the way Jesus lived? When I look at my reflection in the mirror am I happy with what I see?
Now that the discipline of Lent has past, what does my reflection in Christ continue to reveal to me?
How’s your reflection?

"Meek and mild teacher or mysterious rebel with a cause?"

2007-04-17T21:10:00.000+10:00

Thanks for the blog link Jeff I checked it out and followed a link to find this article that Cheryl Lawrie had written for The Age which was published on Easter Sunday.

If anyone is interested check out the blog here and the article here. I find it helpful and complimentary to my ongoing conversation about who Jesus was, what he lived and died for, and what is really important for followers of the Risen Christ to be concerned about today.

Here's a quote from the article "Meek and mild teacher or mysterious rebel with a cause?" I prefer the latter personally, that's the Jesus I follow:

"As the stories of Jesus show us, it's rarely those in positions of power and influence who understand who God is. They have too much to lose. Instead, look for what the poor, the prisoner, the women, the children would tell us of who God is, because Jesus says it's with them that God is to be found. And trust it most if they speak of love."

Cheryl Lawrie works with an alternative worship project for the Uniting Church.

Shalom
Mark

Christ is Risen – He is Risen indeed!

2007-04-10T10:43:00.000+10:00

Fact or fiction – proof or faith?

Was Jesus really risen from the dead?
The Christian confession in the resurrection of Jesus has been at the core of the Christian faith for nearly 2000 years. Although it is the confession of most who profess a faith in Christ, what are the thoughts and questions going on behind the scenes that lead people to such a conclusion?
I have encountered many Christians during this past 38 days of lent who wrestle with or accept the confession of the resurrection of Jesus in different ways. Was it really a bodily resurrection? What really happened to Jesus body afterwards if that is the case? Did Jesus really rise from death? These are legitimate, yet for some disturbing questions, that Christians of today are wrestling with in order to try and understand a tradition, a creedal statement, a confession that has been around for so long.

I think it is healthy for Christians today to be in dialogue with one another on such a topic and be allowed to sit with the questions for a while. Why is it so important for us to believe in such things? Can we actually sit with one another with different views on this and still respect one another and get along?

The authors of each Gospel (the four we have in our bibles anyway) pay particular attention to the final week of Jesus life, including death and resurrection. Only three of the original Gospel accounts have extensive resurrection stories. It certainly becomes apparent in these accounts that the authors go to great lengths to share eye witness accounts as proof of the resurrection. Skeptics would say that this is just the way the author tweaks the story to get the reader to believe. However even the resurrected Jesus in the stories say, ‘how happy are those who believe yet have not seen’.

I particularly like the original ending of Mark’s Gospel which has no such appearances of a resurrected Jesus at all. In fact, Mark leaves the reader with an empty tomb and the women who found it fleeing from the scene trembling and bewildered and not telling anyone about it because they were afraid (Mark 16:1-8). What I love about Mark’s Gospel is that he leaves us, the reader, to make up our own mind.

Our lectionary focused it's attention of the Gospel of John...again (surprise, surprise) this Easter Sunday. I am always captivated by the characters John chooses to focus on in the story. In fact for John the resurrection is a personal event for each of the characters - Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Peter and 'the other disciple' (the one whom Jesus loved, or the one who loved Jesus, depending on how you read your Greek). Each of them experienced the resurrected Jesus differently. I am particularly interested in Mary's experience - she didn't even recognize Jesus. This is not unlike the story told by Luke when Jesus walked to Emmaus with 2 disciples and 'they didn't recognize him'. So I go, 'what's all that about?' when those who were closest to him in life and ministry either don't believe Jesus was raised from death (Thomas and Peter) or don't recognise the resurrected Christ. No wonder it's a hard story for people to swallow 2000 years later.

I suspect they may be looking for the Jesus of their own construction. It's not unlike what we do to Jesus today, we construct an image of Jesus that suits us, an image that may be an untruth, a Jesus that we are comfortable with. Regardless of facts, or historical/eye witness 'proof' the Jesus we often meet is Jesus on our terms. So what happens then when we are confronted by the resurrected Christ, the Jesus not our our own construction but of God? What happens when we encounter that which cannot be proven or explained? Sure we can be left bewildered, confused and afraid failing to recognise - after all, that's exactly what the Gospels tells us of the experiences of those who actually experienced the risen Christ 2000 years ago.

Another thing I find fascinating in the accounts the resurrected Christ has with certain characters is this, even when they don't recognise him him recognizes them. He calls Mary by name, that is the point of her revelation. The hope Christians have is not based in evidence, nor does it need to be. The hope on this day of resurrection is that Jesus recognizes us even when we don’t recognize him.

Proof is not needed at all in order to testify to the resurrection. While I think it is healthy for us to debate such a topic there is no need for us to oppress one another with 'proof text's' or forcefully twist anothers arm to think the same way. In fact we may even learn something about resurrection of Jesus from another persons experience that can teach us something more of the nature of God and the hope we share.

Confession in the resurrection of Jesus has always been a matter of faith. Those who have faith in such an event proclaim it is God’s divine ‘YES’ to the faithful life Jesus lived. God raised Jesus in an action that defied death, so those who believe could have hope in a God who can create something new out of a devastating event. This would lead us to understand why every Easter Sunday, Christians proclaim that Jesus is alive which is why we have hope and life in Christ today.

Shalom Mark

On the edge

2007-04-04T15:48:00.000+10:00

It was day 28 of lent and instead of going for my usual bike ride to find space to reflect, I headed down the coast with my board for a surf.
It was a reasonably large swell for Southport which meant the breaks were packed with surfers. I sat on the beach and pondered for a while what kind of approach I would take to getting past what looked like a terrifying shore break. I eventually got out there. Paddling out for me is not without a healthy sense of fear particularly in big and rough waves. It’s always comforting once you get to the group of other surfers and you can sit there on your board bobbing up and down knowing you’re reasonably safe beyond the break zone.
Surfers, ‘real surfers’ are usually adventurous types and will try anything at least once. It usually involves doing something daring. As we were waiting for a set of waves to come through I noticed two surfers paddling a little further out. They were heading for the Port Norlunga reef which was becoming more and more exposed with the outgoing tide. Large waves were crashing up against the reef making for spectacular viewing. These two surfers climbed up on the reef for a closer look, not because they were dared to, and not to gain respect, but purely because they could and because surfers love to live on the edge.
A big set came through and we all scrambled for positions. It’s always interesting to see which way people scramble. While some line themselves up to catch the wave, others paddle as fast as they can further out to sea to avoid the wave. This is what makes or breaks a ‘real surfer’. The waves that day were really sucking up and when you look down from the top it’s a long way to drop. All kinds of questions conger up in your mind as you discern whether you could make it or not.
In surfing circles there are playful ways of giving your mates a hard time if they continually dodge the wave. They are given name labels like grommet, scrubber, poser or try-hard. They wear these labels until that day they can paddle to the edge of that wave and take the plunge and not just a little one either, there has to be no hesitation and no fear shown when dropping into even the big monster waves. That day is called graduation day when they can call themselves surfers with integrity and not just pose as one.
Similarly, Jesus calls his disciples to pretty radical decisions daily. Jesus borders on the edge of acceptance never thinking twice about taking the daring plunge to stand with those who are marginalized or oppressed. It didn’t matter what people thought of him, what mattered was that these people had a chance to be liberated from their condition.
There are those who like to wear the label of being followers of Jesus, or in today’s terms ‘Christian’. From the time many followed Jesus on that final journey into Jerusalem, how many were really able to follow through with integrity?
To earn your right to be a Christian of integrity, is to be prepared to make radical decisions to follow Jesus daily.

Shalom Mark

God takes us by surprise

2007-03-28T10:32:00.000+10:00

When Ash Barker was here a couple of weeks ago, we had an amazing experience after visiting a church one Sunday night. Ash had an amazing encounter with a person he knew from 15 years ago. Out of this encounter sprung a conversation between Ash and I about the impact you often don’t realize you have in ministry because you often plant many sends, tend to them, and help them grow, but hardly ever see the fruits that result from your labor. Here Ash tells an amazing story of this encounter…

A few weeks ago I experienced an unexpected joy. It was my last night in Oz as I faced my fifty-first meeting, in my third city, in fourteen days. My tongue felt six inches thick, my throat was cracked red and my head was dizzy longing to hit the pillow on my sixth bed for the trip. This wouldn’t have been so bad, but a couple of hundred smart dressed 15 to 20 year olds started to arrive through the church doors ready to hear me speak. I was so spent that I wasn’t even sure I could put an intelligible sentence together never mind persuade any-body of God’s heart-beat for the poor.

That’s when it happened. A huge Islander walked across the room and shook me by the hand.
“Remember me?” My mind was tanked, but I did know this guy. His eyes smiled.
“Huh. Its me Anthony, well Anton now. I used to live with you fellas.”
My knees buckled, nearly toppling over as I realized who this was. This was not the fuming, angry, skinny fifteen year-old Anthony, I’d last seen fifteen years ago. Here was a weather beaten, but peaceful man, now known as Anton. He was the last person I’d expected to see at this church, not least because last time I’d heard he was doing a very long jail stretch.
Anton spoke fast, letting me know how he found Jesus in solitary confinement. He had remembered how I had bought him fishing rod for his birthday and how we caught plenty of fish that day of a hired boat. I’d said, “one day you’ll be a fisher of men.” Alone in jail Anton said to God, “If you get me out of this jail I will speak your truth for the rest of my days.” Anton did get out of jail, tried to find me and for the last four years as well as holding down a steady job he has been sharing Jesus with all who will listen in a kind of gutsy, street-level way. Anton saw this new life as a kind of fulfillment in those words I vaguely remember saying years ago.
A kind of joy instantly sprung up, lifting my spirits. As I got up to speak in front of so many fresh faces, a torrent of stories and insights splashed out of me. Some I hope will find their mark and make some difference. Few there that night would need to be transformed the way a fifteen year old Anthony had after all.

After the service I went back to a mutual friend’s house for dinner and Anton told me his whole story. I met too some of his friends and neighbours who band together to love and serve Jesus in their inner-city Adelaide neighbourhood. They kept prompting Anton to tell this story or that. “Aye, you’re the fishing guy then, are you? Heard that one a few times!” one said. Like, Anton, none had easy lives, but like Anton all were seeking to find a fresh way forward with Jesus and desperate for other to know this transforming power too.

Within 24 hours of that dinner I was dragging my luggage through our slum neighbourhood’s narrow lane ways toward my home. I often feel flat and empty after such crazy trips, questioning their worth. When I rest up I do see their value, but this time even this long, dark walk carried a deep sense of joy. Sure speaking, writing, lecturing and scheming for the kingdom has its place, but nothing beats hearing how God uses our small deeds done with a lot of love to bear fruit in ways you least expect it. Viva the revolution of the small Jesus-deeds!

Ash Barker UNOH Director – Bangkok Chapter

Check out more of UNOH's Wild Ones stories on the Wild Ones blog

Shalom Mark

UNOH's Wild Ones hit Adelaide

2007-03-18T18:10:00.000+11:00

From the 9th-11th of March (sitting on the bench from left)Ash Barker (Director UNOH Bangkok), Shobie Owen (UNOH Melbourne), and Dan (FORGE Melbourne), came to Adelaide to unleash a message, the call to radical discipleship with Jesus. Last year the UNOH tour of the churches was called 'Wild Ones'. The quote on our T-shirts (in the pic), from Erwin McManus says, 'There is within each one of us, a raw and untamed faith waiting to be unleashed.' These guys have no problem unleashing theirs in action and word, hence I had no problem hosting them in Adelaide last weekend while they interacted with various communities from the hills to the north of Adelaide.

What a quality weekend, beginning with a small group of gathered people at our place on Friday night for a meal. What a quality group of people it was, here we were, about a dozen key leaders from Churches of Christ in SA passionate about standing in solidarity with the poor and marginalized. Margaret Mead said, 'never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has.' I felt a strong sense of that in the room that night, the possibility that this conversation could be the beginning of an exciting venture.

Saturday began early in the morning with the first public gig for these guys a breakfast at Blackwood Church of Christ. It was a great turn out and the Blackwood church put on an awesome breakfast. Verity Skye (my beautiful wife) shared some of the challenging songs she had written. Shobie played and sang songs from her new CD 'Digging through the roof', accompanied by Dan on percussion. You've gotta hear these songs, each tell a real story from the heart of journeying with the poor, songs that will tug at your heart strings and challenge you to act not just listen. Get a copy of her CD here. Ash spoke to the theme of his book title, 'Make Poverty Personal'. Again another quality must have resource, get Ash's book here.

Our afternoon was spent in and around the far northern suburbs of Adelaide (Elizabeth), enjoying the hospitality of Les and Helen Colston. I've never been out to this area of Adelaide before, it's a different world. It almost looks rural with red sand and wide open spaces. Ash & Shobie mused over the possibilities of a UNOH presence here. Saturday night we were at Hewitt Church of Christ for a Thai dinner. The church's aim was to raise awareness about UNOH and particularly the Bangkok chapter. The drive home late that night was the most entertaining I've ever had. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life with Ash, Shobie and Dan, over tierd travellers, in the car.

Sunday morning didn't start so early. Wild Ones were back at Blackwood Church of Christ where Ash shared a deeply moving message and Shobie, Dan and verity inspired us with their message through music. UNOH received such a warm and encouraging welcome from the Blackwood church.

Later that evening the guys made it to their last gig, Hope Valley Uniting. I was so impressed that after 3 weeks on the road these 3 were still able to stand on 2 feet and deliver their message of God's heart-beat for the poor, with integrity and enthusiasm. Ash had an amazing encounter with the past (I'll talk about that on the next post) and as a result of that Ash and I ended up in the city tucked away in a lettle place in the south west corner near Westcare having a meal with strangers who soon became friends.

What an amazing weekend, i have a feeling we have only seen the beginning of the adventures of Wild Ones here in Adelaide. Already we are planning Jon & Lisa Owen to hit some churches in April, Jon Smith in May and wait for it...Mick Duncan with Vox Congo in June. That's right people we're working on Vox Congo coming to Adelaide with the Wild Ones tour, how exciting.

Watch this blog for more stories and updates of UNOH Wild Ones in Adelaide as well as my occassional lenten reflection.

Shalom

Mark

One fragile life

2007-03-16T12:37:00.000+11:00

It was a very dark and eerie morning on day 21 of lent. The fog was think and I received a deep sense of the changing of the season from Summer to Autumn. The days were getting shorter as we head towards the end of daylight saving. Although the fog was as think as pea soup there was a strange warmth and humidity in the air from the day before.
Last night was a night that some will never forget. There was a car accident on the other side of the ridge less than a kilometre away from where we live. I decided to ride my bike in that direction again this morning to reflect upon the the incident that occurred only 11 hours ago in my neighbourhood. As day began to break the fog continued to swirl around me. I cut a single rose to take with me on the trip.
At about 8pm last night my dad (still a member of the local CFS) was paged and the siren from the station began to blear out across the hills and valleys. As dad left for the station he said it was a car accident they were being called out to. The firetruck came roaring past our place with the siren sounding, up the hill and to the other side where we heard it stop. A couple of hours later dad called home and said he was going to be a while as they were waiting for the coroner and the tow truck to arrive. That didn't sound good.
At around 10:30pm I drove up to see how dad was holding out. On the way up the hill i bumped into a couple of old CFS mates who were blocking the road and re-directing traffic. They let me through to the CFS truck about another 100 metres up on the top of the hill. Dad was sitting up in the drivers seat of the truck manning the radio. I climbed up to the passenger seat to engage the conversation with dad about what was going on and how they were all holding up. A lot of memories came flooding back as I climbed into that truck about the amount of fires and accidents I've been out to as part of that CFS team.
As the story goes, the 18 year old driver of the car (his dad's BMW) had just broken up with his girlfriend and in his grief had run his car at a high speed into a tree at the bottom of the other side of the hill. He died instantly. It took a rescue crew about 3 hours to cut him out of the car which had been compacted to about half it's original length.
The CFS crew had been out there for a while so when food came I helped distribute the ice coffee and raisin bread to dad and the 3 other guys redirecting traffic. These volunteers do it tough sometimes, and the nature of the incident meant they needed to talk, that is, talk about anything that would take their mind off that night.
As I rode my bike up over the ridge this morning and headed down the hill towards the scene of the accident I felt a deep sense of sorrow for all who were involved. A young man, his family, his friends, the CFS crew, the rescue crew, the police, the ambulance officers, the old man in the house next to the tree that stopped the car in it's tracks...so many had been deeply affected. This neighbourhood is like a little country town and an incident like this is not easily forgotten.
How do you begin to imagine the deep sense of pain that would lead someone to take their own life like this? So many in this young man's life will be feeling so helpless right now. Is there something that could have been done to prevent this tragedy? Did they have a chance to tell him how much they really loved him? The questions keep rolling on. Yet in that moment last night sat a young man, alone in his car blinded to anything outside of his immediate reality, the reality of the pain he felt in that moment. Herein lies one of the greatest depths of poverty that exists in our society. Yet what can be done about it? There are no easy answers yet there is plenty to explore as we begin to address the issues of the poverty of helplessness, hopelessness and loneliness in our society.
I don't know the young man who chose to end the pain in this way however, I took the rose I had cut and placed it in the trunk of the tree that was hit to acknowledge this one fragile life.

Shalom
Mark

Finding Rhythm

2007-03-15T16:52:00.000+11:00

Reflecting back on day 9 of lent I remember the sense of achievement I felt in completing the ride from my parents house in the valley of Ironbank, to the top of Mt. Lofty. I certainly had my doubts at the beginning of the journey however as riding a bike up some of these hills can be quite unforgiving on the body, particularly now that I’m 15 years older than when I used to do this.

I followed the roads that round up through Stirling and Crafers to get there. Along the way I began to notice a different in my attitude compared to when I was younger. For me everything used to be a competition, not only was the goal to get to the top of the mountain, but I had to do it in record time. I would almost kill myself doing it too. My body would yell and scream at me with all it had to tell me to slow down, take it easy, I was pushing beyond my limits.

This time was different, there was more of a sense of adventure about it, sure it was hard, but it didn’t seem to be so much a competition anymore, I had nothing to prove to myself. As I climbed that steep long stretch from Crafers to Mt. Lofty I found that I had found my rhythm in the ride, I was pacing myself in such a way that it didn’t seem so hard anymore. Sure there were times when I had to stop so I did. The fact that I was in pain ranked higher than pride on my priority list now.

Reaching the top was breath taking. Even though I worked at the restaurant there for 2 years day in and day out, I still had an appreciation for this early morning view that stretched out over Adelaide, across the sea and to the Peninsula on the other side.

How often is it that we want to rush through life to the next goal in sight? I realized that I can have a habit of doing this all too often. Not often enough to I stop in the journey to appreciate my surroundings, or pause for long enough to enjoy the view. Yet finding a particular rhythm in life allows us not only to appreciate what’s around us but also to find ourselves.

It’s times like this I reflect back on my days in village life in Vanuatu and I remember the phrase we coined and integrated into our life, ‘stap nomo’. Or in the English translation, ‘just be, nothing more’. Part of a Psalm I dwelt with the first time I went to Vanuatu was from Psalm 46, “Be still, and know that I am God”. May you find the rhythm in your life that helps you be still for long enough to know God.

Shalom
Mark

Barbed wire fences

2007-03-08T18:04:00.000+11:00

Early on day 8 of lent I decided to ride my bike up to the top of the big Ironbank Rd hill (it’s legendary in Ironbank…trust me). Each day of lent I’ve taken a different path on my bike. Much to my lament I soon worked out that there is nowhere I can ride from my parent’s place that doesn’t first require a grueling uphill ride. My parents live in a valley and there are hills all around in every direction.

I reached the top of the hill and paused for a while to appreciate the view. It’s amazing how my attention was immediately taken by the vast expanse of the big picture before me. The thick tree tops followed the shape of the rolling hills all the way to Mt.Lofty. As a glanced down to my left through a valley I could see the ocean. What a view! I could see from the highest peak of the Adelaide hills to the lowest valley to the ocean.

After I had appreciated the view I began to notice the little things like the properties that were laid out before me in the foreground. These were quite picturesque and full of character. Grazing land for sheep and cattle, fruit tree orchards and rusty old sheds near big old farm houses. I also noticed that everything was surrounded by barbed wire fences.

It’s nasty looking stuff. I’ve had an accident or two with this barbed wire as a kid. I wonder where the idea of barbed wire fences came from? Was it a need for protection, security, prevention? Actually I noticed that most things were protected in some way, like the fruit trees covered with nets to protect the fruit from the birds. And the hay bails in the barns to protect them from the weather. But what is it about barbed wire fences? Are they to keep things in or keep things out?

There’s a story about fences that goes a little like this; An American tourist visits an outback cattle station and is over awed at the size of the property which stretched from one horizon to the next. The American wasn’t used to this, they have states in America smaller than the size of this property. He was used to masses of people confined to small spaces. However he noticed something that puzzled him, there were no fences to keep the cattle from straying. “How do you keep your cattle from straying when you have no fences?” the American asked the farmer. “We don’t need fences, we have wells. Our cattle know which direction to go to stay alive.” replied the farmer.

To take the metaphor of the fences further I’ve noticed people put up ‘barbed wire fences’ (boundaries) to warn people to stay away or keep their distance. Churches tend to want to construct fences to keep people in, make sure they don’t stray too far.

I find it interesting that Jesus used the world around him to teach people about the nature of God, the kingdom of God and the community of God’s people. John chooses to tell a story of Jesus sitting by a well talking to a stranger, an outsider about the life giving water available to all. We don’t get any sense from the Gospels that Jesus was intent on fencing people in to an exclusive club he founded. Instead we find Jesus in the places where he knows people gather for that which is life giving.

After focusing on the little things for a while I cast my eyes back over the landscape one last time before I took the fast downhill ride home. Mt. Lofty, the furtherest peak in the distance, the highest peak in the Adelaide hills, caught my attention. 'Tomorrow', I thought to myself, 'I will take on Mt. Lofty.'

Shalom
Mark

Vox Congo urgent news

2007-03-07T19:35:00.000+11:00

I interupt my lenten reflections with an important Vox Congo update.

Check it out on Vox Congo's blog

For anyone new to my blog, these guys are Congolese asylum seekers Verity and I have journeyed with for the last 4 years. They play unbelieveable music. They have become close friends of ours. I used to manage their band but gave that away when I moved interstate. I keep people posted on their immigration status on their blog. Check it out.

Mark

Companions on the journey

2007-03-03T10:30:00.000+11:00

I emerged from another ride in the scrub on day 6 of lent and arrived back at the roadside about 500 metres from my parents property. I thought to myself, instead of going home I'll go for one last little ride up to the end of the road and back. As I headed up to the colder sack at the top of the hill I came across a familiar face. It was my dad and he had our two dogs with him.
I said g'day and stopped. I guess my early morning rides have inspired someone to take the dogs for early morning walks. Instead of going on my way I stayed with dad and the dogs chatting with dad on the way home. Dad's a good mate.
It wasn't always this way with dad. In my late teenage years I was a right little punk. I gave my parents absolute hell. I remember having some run ins with dad that I thought our relationship as father and son would never recover from. Sometimes I can't imagine what I put my parents through with some of the choices I made and the arrogance by which I lived my life. I could tell story after story about things I did that strained my relationship with my parents almost to the point of disrepair. There was a time there where I thought, either they were going to kick me out of the house or I would leave.
Yet through all of this my parents loved me, they provided for me and they prayed that through some divine intervention I would wake up to myself. There were times in my life back then when I felt very alone yet my parents were the unfailing companions all the way.
When I saw dad on the road with the dogs it reminded me of that sense of companionship. Being Labrador and Border collie, they are the most loyal dogs, they'll stick by you through anything. We need companionship like that through the journey of life and discipleship. May we all be blessed with loyal companions.

Shalom
Mark

Death and new life

2007-03-03T09:34:00.000+11:00

Day 5 of lent and I've headed back out into the wilderness down the fire track I've been exploring. I remember, when I was younger there was another track that came off the main track only a few hundred metres from the gate. I used to walk this track all the time but now it seems to have disappeared. I had a careful look for it today and found it. Ever since the fire new growth had been springing up on that track and it was grown over, but you could still make out a path.
I decided to give it a go and see just how far I could ride along this track. I made it about a few hundred metres along the track before it started to feel like I was in the middle of nowhere with no place to go. Instead of getting worried about the track and how I was going to find my way, I took some time to notice and appreciate my surroundings since I was now deeper into the scrub away from the main track.
The scrub here isn't as dense as it used to be. I remember trees and bushes so think the sun could hardly break through. Now 12 years on (from the fire) and in the middle of a drought, the bushlands here have not recovered as well as they could have. This time instead of noticing the new life I noticed more of the trees and bushes that were left as skeletons and hadn't recovered. There was so much evidence here of death that interestingly I did not recognize when I first pedaled in on day 1. It's interesting how we look past the death to see the new life right away because we don't 'do' death very well, we'd rather go straight to resurrection moments and forget that which led to it.
I began reflecting on this some more in the context of what some of mine and Verity's friends are going through at the moment. A few of our closest friends are suffering this tension of holding the reality of a death in the family along with the expectation of a new birth. One couple lost their uncle to cancer just last week, they are also expecting their first child in a few weeks. Other couple are dealing with the loss of a parent. His mum died of cancer last week. His dad died just a few years ago. They are expecting their first baby in a few months.
How do you journey with such tragedy in the context of expectation of new life? How do you find the appropriate spaces for grief and for celebration in their own right? It's interesting, death and new life, it's part of everone's reality and some time or another. It's also Christocentrically at the core of our theology. Having said that, it also seems to be that part of the Christian faith we deny the most. Why don't we do the suffering, grieving, death stuff very well? We generally don't journey with it or acknowledge it well at all, it's too painful. Yet it is there and the scares are always left as a reminder even in the presence of new life.
I eventually emerged from the track I struggled to follow through the fire and drought burdened scrub. It actually brought me out of the track that leads to the grapevines. Now I was back on the main track and I new my way home. My vision was clearer now. My legs were a bit sore so I look down and noticed my legs were covered in scratches and black ash. A reminder of the journey through new life still emerging from a once dead and desolate wilderness.

Shalom
Mark

Grapevines

2007-02-25T22:10:00.000+11:00

I set out along the same path for my morning ride on day 3 of lent. This time it was a much warmer, clearer morning and the sun was breaking through the tree tops with bright beams of light. The once fire devastated scrub was lit up much clearer than the last time and I could see just how much was really missing from the density of the scrub from what I remember when I was younger.
I eventually came to the same crossroad again on the fire track. This time I decided to go right, I knew the track was not as steep and there was a great view over green fields through a clearing at the end of the track. As I approached the fence that marked the boundary and the end of the track the view that awaited was not what I expected.
I cast my eyes over rows and rows of grapevines as far as I could see. They ran parallel to the fence line, down the hill into a valley then back up a bigger hill to a house which sat at the top. Half way up that hill, right smack bang in the middle was a huge gum tree. I remember that house and I remember that tree. Actually last time I gazed upon that tree was from the back of a CFS truck on that day the bushfire came through the area. I remember the tree was surrounded by spot fires and the land where the vines now grow was a black desert.
These vines were young, they couldn't be much older than 10 years. I crept through the fence to the other side, I just had to see if they were bearing fruit. I got close enough to see that there were tiny grapes growing. Wow, what a sight to see these grapevines growing on once barren and devistated land. It has now become quite fertile.
Hence my reflection for lent today. Isn't it amazing that even out of the darkest, most hopeless moments, unexpected new life can surprise you in amazing ways.

Shalom
Mark

Crossroads in the mist

2007-02-23T10:39:00.000+11:00

It's day two of lent and I am actioning one of my disciplines for lent. At 6am I woke up before the sunrise to organize myself for my everyday Lenten activity.
My wife (Verity) and I are currently living with my parents in the wilderness of the Adelaide Hills called Ironbank. To cut a long story short, we bought a house which settled in January but we can't move in yet as we have agreed to allow the tenants in the house to see out their contract which ends in June. Until then we live in a small accommodation block on my parents property with one bedroom a lounge and a humble little kitchen.
My parents own a 3 acre property which borders with a large conservation park. The backyard beyond the boundary of the fence line is a thick wilderness of Australian scrub and wildlife. Every night we hear the grunting of Koalas marking their territory and every morning we wake to the squawks of dozens of different species of parrots. The wilderness beyond the boundaries of the fence line is a bush walkers paradise. It also holds many, many childhood and young adult memories for me.
I am a keen mountain bike rider. I decided that each day of lent I was going to venture into this wilderness with my mountain bike and use the time for contemplation, reflection, and listening for God.
I geared up and rode my bike to the top of the driveway then turned down towards the gate that gives access to the fire track that leads into the conservation park. It was a very cool misty summers morning. It was becoming lighter as the morning broke through the darkness. the mist filled the tree tops and there was an eerie silence in the air. As I glanced down the path of the fire track disappearing into the thick bush I stood in amazement at what I saw before me. I recounted other moments I had stood at that exact location gazing into the bush.
On one such occasion I was dressed in yellow overalls, black boots, gloves and a white helmet. On my face I wore goggles and a scarf around my nose and mouth. In one hand I held the nozzle of a hose and in the other I supported a canvas line pumping water at the rate of knots. Although I had the training and the equipment to fight a fire nothing could prepare me, or my crew, for the monster that stood in front of us. The fire had engulfed everything in our sight and it was beginning to close in on us. Even though we stood 40-50 metres from the blaze the water we were spraying at it vaporized before it even got close. We stood in helplessness as we watched flames leap 50 feet above tree tops and listened to the trees exploding under the intense heat.
It was another 2 months before I ventured back to that spot and stared into a desolate expanse of ash and black sticks left as the remnants of trees. As I ventured into the scrub alone the fire track now 12 years later, I was in awe of the regrowth but also reminded of the past by the black scars that remained on the trees. The mist in the trees was even more eerie now as my ride took me on a slight incline. The more altitude I gained the thicker the mist. I kept riding until I came to a crossroad.
Since this track was familiar to me I knew where each track led. But was I going to encounter the familiar sights I expected from my childhood or has it changed? I chose the track to the left, a steep long incline to the top of a hill. When I got to the top I came to a clearing where the sun was beginning to break through the mist. At the edge of the clearing was a boundary fence and running alongside that was the Evans Drive track. More memories came flooding back. This was the track I used to use as a short cut whenever I walked or rode to high school.
As I sat and rested in the nostalgic moment God gave me a vision, a memory. I was 18 and and doing year 12. I was riding my bike home from school along Evans Dve. However this wasn't just a leisurely ride I was riding like a bat out of hell. You see I had encountered someone on the track, a guy I vaguely recognized from school. I stopped to say hi and he offered me a smoke (not of the tobacco variety). From that moment on I rode high as a kite. I couldn't get home fast enough as I was paranoid someone was chasing me.
At that moment of contemplation I imagined myself stepping back in time and encountering my former self. I just wanted to grab him and knock some sense into him. Why did I make the choices I made when I was young? I was such a young punk with no rhyme or reason. That vision was just a glimpse into a window of a past I would rather forget. That time of my life was a time of turmoil and destruction. Sometimes I wonder how I survived it. Yet here was a young man wandering in the wilderness searching for God.
That vision I had, that vision of the past began another wilderness journey on another level. As i contemplated the me I was and the me I have come to be I wondered, 'who is God for me now?'

That was quite an adventure into the wilderness and maybe a necessary journey of self examination in the spirit of lent. Lent is a time of recounting and showing remorse for our sin. It is also a time to let it go.

Shalom
Mark

Lent

2007-02-23T10:30:00.000+11:00

It is the third day of lent. I have had good intentions to commit to certain disciplines this lenten season, one of those is to blog my lenten reflections as reqularly as possible.
It been a while since I've blogged at all but no doubt if you're back checking this blog you'll catch up on what's happening in my new ministry and journey of discipleship since I moved from Melbourne to Adelaide.
For now over the next 6 weeks I'll be posting my reflections about my spiritual journey towards Easter. I hope this may be helpful for you.

Shalom
Mark

Love makes the world go ‘round

2006-12-22T13:56:00.000+11:00

Not long ago a popular band ‘Black eyed peas’ released a song titled ‘Where is the love?’ The song reflects upon a very loveless world. While it’s a catchy tune and I like it, the words of the song can be quite depressing as they reflect upon the general reality of the state our world is in.

There is a large majority who tend to operate out of self serving motives. ‘If it makes you feel good, do it’. This generally seems to be perpetuated around Christmas time when the item at the top of the agenda for many is, ‘what can I get for Christmas?’ Then, ‘what can I give?’ may come in second. I do struggle with the consumeristic culture encouraged by our media, particularly when you hear the predictions of the billions of dollars that will be spent on ‘stuff’ for Christmas presents.

So where is the love in amongst all of this? Is it expressed through how much ‘stuff’ we can get and give? That all depends on your wealth I guess. Or does it?

Love like Peace, is a word that when translated from the Ancient Greek often doesn’t carry it’s intended meaning with the translation. There are 4 words commonly used to describe love in the New Testament. We only have one word – love – to describe them all. Yet the love used most commonly to describe the love of God is agape (αγάπη). This love is a love that transcends all others. It is greater than a romantic love or a love you might have for your family. It is a love that God chooses to express toward us, to draw us into his presence. It is a love the New Testament writers describe as the greatest attribute even above faith and hope. It is greater than an emotion, it is a state of being in relationship with God. Ultimately it is the same love we strive to express among one another. Agape is the greatest gift at Christmas

The apostle Paul writes to the Roman church saying, that even when we were lost and undeserving, God chose to express this love anyway. The Gospel writer express the Christmas story in such a way as to tell the reader that God has such a deep love for the world that he chose to express in the most profound way possible, the only way that would truly touch and transform people. Godself, expressed in human form, born to a humble couple in a humble town in desperate times.

God’s love is actualized in all it’s fullness through the life of Jesus. God entered this world so we may truly experience God’s love and learn how to express it toward one another. Imagine if this really was the primary way the world operates. It starts with you.

May you experience and express God’s love this Christmas.

Shalom

Mark

Hope dawns on Vox Congo this Christmas

2006-12-19T06:22:00.000+11:00

This past 48 hours have been a massive emotional rollercoaster for me. Not only have I been saying goodbye to Vox Congo as their manager but I am saying goodbye to ministry with the Knoxfield Church of Christ and to Melbourne. Vox Congo held a dinner for Verity and I and the church has said their farewell last Sunday. But the all the emotion began for me on Saturday night the 16th of November at around 8pm.

If you notice the time on this post it is very early in the morning. While I have not had a chance to sit down at a computer since I found out this great news, I can now no longer sleep properly until I tell the world what is happening. It's around 5:30am and the sun is rising on a new day, quite powerfully symbolic for one of our members of Vox Congo and his family.

On Saturday night, Etienne so casually leant over to me as we were eating dinner and said,

'did you hear, Papy got a letter from immigration and few days ago.'

'Well what did it say', I said excitedly and impatiently.

'It is very good news, he's not an asylum seeker anymore.'

As you could imagine I nearly fell off my seat. Papy and Rebekah were sitting just a few spots up the table from me. I got up out of my seat and went straight to them, I wasn't sure whether to just throw myself at them with a huge hug or calm myself just for a moment to confirm the news with them. I chose them latter, then threw my arms around them.

People hear this, PAPY IS NO LONGER AN ASYLUM SEEKER! Is that loud enough! Go and shout it out your window right now, tell the world.

After 5 long years of seeking asylum here in Australia, finally one of the 4 has received the news he had been longing for. Papy is the first to receive such news as his timeline with immigration was slightly ahead of the others. This has given the other 3 guys a huge dose of expectation and renewed sense of hope. What I find most amazing is how they all take it in their stride, like they really expected this to happen. Their faith in Jesus never faltered, they never gave up praying and the never gave up hope. The Good News 'Kinanga' this Christmas is that God reveals himself in suh ways. The journey with the guys has taught me a few things, like what' the use in hoping if you don't expect the thing hoped for to be realized? These guys have helped me realize hope in a new light.

So I bet you're wondering where to from here? Well they're not out of the woods yet. Even though papy is on the other side of the asylum seeker line there is still a long process to come. He now officially has the status of 'tourist'. he has a 6 month tourist visa and within this time Papy has to apply for a temporary spouse visa. I had the privilege of marrying Papy to Rebekah in 2004 and they brought their first little girl into the world almost one year ago today. As soon as I fill out a statutory declaration for them, thy can begin the process of applying for the next visa and the Wena family will be on their way to becoming a complete Aussie family. If they are successful in securing the temporary spouse visa then Papy becomes a temporary resident. It's another couple of years before he can then become a full resident and then another few years after that to becoming a citizen. I tell you what though, no matter where I am in the world I will be attending that citizenship ceremony.

Your prayer works in amazing ways. Keep praying for the Wena family and for Martinse, Adolphe & Etienne and their families. We hope the others will hear soon. By the way, I was so caught up in the excitement that I nearly forgot to tell you that Etienne sent me an SMS yesterday to say he has received study rights. I've been trying to get in touch with him to find out what this means. I will be posting again soon after I catch up with him. It's all happening for Vox Congo!

Watch this blog over the next few weeks as I expect it to be active with posts. If you have questions or comments please post them in the comments section and I'll do my best to respond.

Shalom

Mark Riessen

P.S. For some reason pictures won't upload on this blog (too early in the morning) so check out the ons I've loaded onto the Vox Congo blog.

Peace on earth - Shalom

2006-12-15T10:59:00.000+11:00

Everyone knows that it is the dream of every beauty queen contestant to have ‘world peace’. So what does that mean? Do they know what it means? Is it just about the absence of war and everyone coexisting together, or is it deeper than that?

Many followers of Jesus in the western world would not appreciate the meaning of the word ‘shalom’ due to our separation of language, culture and time. Yet shalom, often translated simply as ‘peace’, is a theme we seek to engage with in the advent season. From my understand of the ancient languages that have influenced our scripture, and from the research I’ve done, our English translation of Shalom does not do justice to it’s true meaning therefore our action to proclaim peace and followers of Jesus may be ill informed.

From what I can gather together from various sources, to proclaim or speak shalom into someone’s life is to pledge to live for the others well-being, to seek security, contentment, sound health, prosperity, friendship, peace of mind and heart, a covenant to desire and seek the good life of God’s favour together. This is what peace is really about in it’s entirety and it is a ministry all Christians are called to.

I came across this quote from Rabbi Yisroel Miller;
"When the United States and the former Soviet Union co-existed for decades without declaring war on each other, that armed truce was not shalom. If neighbors in an apartment building never exchange cross words because they never exchange any words, that is also not shalom. The word shalom comes from the word shalem, meaning complete, all parts together. Shalom is when all parts of the whole, all people in the group, blend together in harmony."

This Christmas I have not only been reflecting upon the advent themes, but as my term of ministry with the Knoxfield Church concludes I have been reflecting upon how I’ve seen this church engage these themes in real life over the years. Whether we have named it in this way or not, this church has embraced the ministry of shalom and knows how to speak it’s language.

Remember that time when John Owen from Urban Neighbours Of Hope came to our Refugee Sunday service in August 2002 and he brought Adolphe with him? Our encounter with this shy Congolese asylum seeker resulted in us providing housing for 4 Congolese asylum seekers, Vox Congo, to this day. By doing this we were able to speak shalom in profound ways.

Remember the time when I came to the church one Sunday in December 2004 with a request? Christmas was only a few weeks away and the Chaplain I work with at Scoresby Secondary College came to me with a tragic story. A year 11 student who is an only child living with his dad woke up one morning to find his dad passed away during the night. This students life was in turmoil with the burden of preparing and paying for a funeral and everything else that goes with it. This church responded by paying for the funeral and the chaplain and I conducted it here at the church. Throughout 2005 you continued to speak Shalom into this students life and I have heard recently that he was deeply impacted and appreciative of the message of good news he received from the church at that time in his life.

We began the Kids Hope ministry with Knox Park Primary last year. I have been mentoring a boy for the last 2 years, he will be in years 6 next year. He gave me a present this week. It was a framed picture of him and with it was a letter. The letter expressed his heart felt appreciation for journeying with him through issues of bullying, blended family transition, helping with school work and being his friend. As a tear came to my eye I realized that I had been speaking shalom into his life.

These are some of the memories I will always take with me from my time in ministry with the Knoxfield Church of Christ.

Our participation in shalom goes much deeper than the wish for ‘world peace’. It is not merely an absence of civil disturbances but an active pursuit of the well-being of others. Shalom continues to find its expression in a sharing and caring community involving compassion for the needs of others which ultimately extends to mercy and justice.

This Christmas I hope you experience shalom in your life and through this experience you are able to extend it to others. May you continue to be a church who proclaims the Kingdom of God.

Shalom
Mark

Joy for the unlovely

2006-12-08T09:37:00.000+11:00

"Jesus loved and accepted others without approving of everything they did. That's our position too, but it upsets a lot of people ...."
- Rick Warren

I was pleasantly surprised to open up my weekly subscriber email from Sojourners this week to find this awesome quote from Rick Warren. This was his response to conservative Christians who didn’t like his tact when he issued an invitation to Sen. Barack Obama to attend an HIV/AIDS conference Rick Warren was hosting.

To me this is a great reminder of the Good News that is brought into the world through the Christmas event. What I find absolutely amazing is that more often than not, it’s the Christians, the ones who claim to follow Jesus, that are offended by his actions. At least this is true in Rick Warrens experience in this instance. However, I can relate to his experience. It is disturbing to me the amount of Christians I’ve come across who take offense at or exclude those whom Jesus embraced.

This Christmas the Foothills Neighbourhood Community (a Churches of Christ church) are embracing people such as these for the fourth year in a row (at least I think it’s four years). Their minister Steve Barrington, started something called ‘Christmas Day Lunch’. Very simple really, they invite everyone in the Ferntree Gully neighbourhood and surrounds, to lunch on Christmas Day. This includes the lonely & excluded, the isolated elderly, homeless, people with mental illness, drug addicts, alcoholics, unemployed, the list goes on. All of these people are invited to have lunch on them. I really admire Steve’s vision for this ministry. Verity and I have helped out a couple of times.

What I love about this is interacting with people who just aren’t used to being loved or accepted. Just to see that smile, that expression of joy on their faces makes it all worth it as we see the message of Christmas unfolding in it’s essence before our very eyes.

All Christians have been called to unveiling and proclaiming the Kingdom of God in ways such as these. We are not called to judge but to love and accept. The advent season of Christmas is about those who celebrate the birth of Jesus living out the attributes the advent themes represent; Hope, Joy, Peace & Love.

Wherever you are this Christmas, whether it be the usual crazy ‘relative run’, a quiet Christmas at home, or even helping out at Christmas Day Lunch please do not neglect to love and accept all who cross your path. Let this be a habit that sets your trend for the new year and continue to discover the Joy in Christ in yours and others lives.

Shalom
Mark

A Glimmer of Hope

2006-12-07T12:40:00.000+11:00

Does hope carry much meaning for us today? Is it a real and tangible thing to grasp onto and look forward to? Or is hope the kind of thing reserved only for fairytales.? How important is it for us to place our hope in something? Do we really need it?
I guess the answer to that question needs to be placed within context. Hope looks so much different through the experience of an asylum seeker with no country and no identity, than it does through my own. While one child hopes for a new bike this Christmas, another hopes to live to see tomorrow. So what use is hope? Is it real? Is it beckoning something on to be realized in reality? While I could so casually hope for a particular gift for Christmas, another might invest all their faith and energy into the hope for life. What does that glimmer of hope look like?
Verity and I had the opportunity to attend a preview screening of ‘The Nativity Story’ on Wednesday night. I will say from the start, ‘what a fantastic film! Go and see it’. This movie will help you engage the Christmas story all over again with fresh new eyes. One very strong theme that came through the movie for me was the message of hope, hope for a generation who had nothing left except hope.
One of the many prophets of Israel, Jeremiah, is one who is responsible for instilling this hope in the people of Israel. He writes (among many things like this):
“”The days are coming”, declares the Lord, “When I will raise up to David a righteous branch, King who will reign wisely, and do what is right and just in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety…”” (Jer 23:5-6)
This was written in a time when the small nation of Judah was located in the middle of 3 big nations at war. They still dwelt under the shadow of the Babylonian super power. In the years leading up to the revelation of prophecies such as Jeremiah’s, the people of Israel lived under the extremely tough and oppressive rule of Caesar.
Yet into this world God broke through, a glimmer of hope in the form of a baby born in the humblest of places to the humblest of parents. Those who were alerted to his birth were not the prominent and the powerful but the helpless and near hopeless.
There are millions in our world today who hold on to hope in a million different ways. What will this hope look like to them. As followers of Jesus 2000 years after his birth, we celebrate the glimmer of hope that has broken into our lives. We don’t have blind hope, we hold onto a hope which has already been and is still yet to be. We have received a special and unique gift.
Christmas is about giving. You have received a glimmer of hope in Jesus, now in turn share that glimmer of hope with those you encounter in your week. Lord knows, there are a million reasons why you should.

Shalom
Mark

Wherever the wind blows

2006-12-07T12:07:00.000+11:00

This past week has been a very profound one full of significant events and a range of emotions. My two all-time favourite band front men, Bono (U2) and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), stood together at the Make Poverty History concert for a cause I believe in on the day the G20 summit met in Melbourne. The following day was a sad day to remember with violent protests in Melbourne. Vox Congo played at another MPH concert in Melbourne that day. What a weekend of action, filled with massive political statements by some of the biggest bands to visit Melbourne, lots of pleas from many sympathisers to make poverty history and opportunities to actually make a difference.
All the while I was across the border in South Australia missing out on the action, but gaining appreciation for a different kind of action, learning how to be an uncle. My sister gave birth to the first of a new generation of my family and I was in Adelaide to be a part of the ‘moments’.
It seems that when significant things happen in life it gets me thinking quite deeply about life, purpose for being, etc. Tim Costello spoke at the Make Poverty History concert and said something I had heard him say before. From what I can remember he said, when politicians make decisions they lick their finger and put it into the air to see which way the wind is blowing. His purpose for this example was to say that we have the power to change the direction of the wind and influence the decisions politicians make.
Last year at the global launch of the Make Poverty History campaign Nelson Mandela said ‘all it takes is for a generation to be great, you can be that generation, you can be great’. There were threads of this quote in the movie ‘the Girl in the café’ when Gina gave that famous dinner table speech.

And so this has prompted me once again to consider, will this current generation of leaders and citizens decide to be great? Or will we just coast along and ride with the wind wherever the voices of influence dictate the direction of its breeze; whether we think it’s just or not?
I wonder what my niece, Samantha Grace, now 10 days old, would think when she grows up and begins to engage with the world? I really hope she never has to see a current image or hear of another human being who is dying in senseless poverty that we have the power to prevent. Yet I fear she will, and she’ll wonder why we didn’t do enough to address a problem we could quite easily have tackled if only we had the will. We certainly have the way and the resources to do so.
So will you be part of a generation who will be great? Not only great for those who currently need our immediate help, but great examples to our future generations. Will you use your influence to help change the direction of the wind? Or will we leave it for another generation to be great? Hang out another 20 years and wait for people like Samantha to pick up the baton?
Jesus wasn’t one to sit back and go wherever the wind blows, in fact he (one person) set the direction of the wind. At times it became a wind storm and today has powerful influence. The Holy Spirit moved in like a violent wind among the disciples on the day of Pentecost and amazing things happened. When the disciples allowed it to move them freely, no one in the community was in need and they shared everything in common.
Let us be finely tuned to the direction of the wind that blows Jesus’ way. Be a great generation of influence. Set the direction of the wind.

Shalom
Mark

G20 - Melbourne

2006-11-13T23:01:00.000+11:00

This week the eyes of many across our world will be on Melbourne. Representatives from the 20 most economically influential countries in the world will gather in Melbourne for the G20 summit. While the G20 gathers where will also be many other happenings in Melbourne trying to draw your attention towards this summit.
Bono being the front man for U2 has come out with guns firing. U2’s first concert for their Australian tour in Brisbane was laced with strong political messages (what else would you expect from a rock band) highlighting the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. U2 will hold concerts in Melbourne during the weekend of the summit and no doubt this is deliberate to coincide with the summit.
You’ll also see Make Poverty History slogans everywhere as they have named this Make Poverty History Week and focus on the Millennium Development Goals which are a commitment to halve poverty across the world. Festivals and concerts will be held in the city over the weekend of the 18th & 19th of November. There will be protests, outspoken celebrities, differences of opinion and lots of talk about our combined effort to make poverty history.
My question to you as followers of Jesus is this: Will you shut all knowledge of these events out of your mind and lay low until it all blows over, or will you engage with the issue, provide a voice and contribute to making a difference?

Last Sunday night we gathered for a nice movie night in the chapel. We kicked back in the couches with our popcorn ready to be lightly entertained by a romantic comedy about a guy who meets a girl in a café in London.
While the movie ‘the girl in the café’ is light hearted and funny at times it hosts a mixture of disturbing messages that we cannot ignore. Lawrence meets Gina in a café, two lone unassuming strangers. Lawrence is the financial advisor to the Chancellor and Gina is just a regular everyday person. As their relationship develops the very nervous and shy Lawrence invites Gina to accompany him to Iceland where he will be part of the 2005 G8 summit – the gathering of the 8 most powerful leaders to discuss issues including the Millennium Development Goals.
Lawrence and Gina’s characters represent such powerful parallels to the way our society operates. Lawrence is the polite people pleaser however Gina is not afraid to say what she thinks. As Gina learns of the issues facing the poor and the agendas of the world leaders she begins to develop a deep personal conviction for making poverty history. Because of her relationship with Lawrence she rubs shoulders with some of the most powerful influences in the world. While it is social edict to smile and be polite Gina begins challenging the consciences of those who have power to make decisions that can change our world.
While many are disgusted at Gina’s unorthodox behaviour, I find that there is a bit of Gina in me that’s just busting to come out but the Lawrence in me may be afraid of what people think. Gina exchanges social grace for standing for what she believes in. She is just one ordinary person with one voice yet she had the guts to use it.
We are in a climate of change in many different ways and in the words of Tim Costello we have the power to change the ‘direction of the wind’. If Jesus is any example to go by, one man, with one voice who’s actions changed the world. Surely Jesus’ followers have no other option but to do the same.
Never think you can’t make a different, knowledge on these issues is not hard to come by and your federal MP’s are always open to conversations and letters, they just need enough voices to bring these issues to the front of the agenda.
Nelson Mandela said that ‘all it takes is for a generation to be great, you can be that generation, you can be great’. This week seize the opportunity to be great for the Kingdom of God.

Shalom
Mark