The Ups and Downs of a Fall !!

Recently, as I was contemplating my navel about the approach of Fall (or as we call it down under:autumn); I started to think about what I liked and will miss in Fall 2008. Things like slightly cooler (it is Florida!) weather (but I love summer); the end of hurricane season (but we need more rain); the leaves put on a color festival (but then they drop!); the growth of the garden slows (but the pruning begins!); the Rays made the World Series (great job, guys!); we wind the clocks back (but it still gets dark too early!); Halloween candy is everywhere (sadly I am not a dentist! Plus I really am not fond of how ghoulish it has all become) - you get my mindset, right?

As I wandered in the garden one evening, there was no breeze at all, only a beautiful stillness - it felt like the quiet after a long hot busy summer. Which is good, because in America, when the 'Holiday Season' kicks in, the pace becomes quite frantic and doesn't slow till New Year!

Feeling tired again? Let me offer you a bible verse that came to my mind and which is sage advice for this season: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10). For me this keeps the next two months in perspective.

As soon as Halloween is done (enjoy, but be careful), America will elect a new President. There are courageous decisions to be made to move this country to a better place, I pray daily that the person God needs to lead will emerge and that the whole country will unite to work for a better situation for all 300 million of its citizens that will bring back the joy!

Moving right along, the next things to come out are the cornucopias and the turkeys ready for Thanksgiving! There will be dinners in homes and all over the community, the desire is for everyone to have a Thanksgiving feast in thanks for God's provision - and God's provision is awesome indeed! If only we would share it more equitably and more often!

Now we need the running shoes, for the day after Thanksgiving is 'very-early- morning-get-up-and-stand-in-line-to-get-great-bargains-for-Christmas-gifts-day!"
They are promising great bargains this year, but please remember the true spirit of giving is not only the gift but the meaning of giving. It's a Christmas thaanng!

Speaking of Christmas, the very best part of Fall is that we start the season of Advent, the time to prepare our hearts to celebrate again the coming of the Christ-child. Starting with the lights in the garden, and ending with Christmas Eve candlelight services - this is truly a time to 'be still and listen for God.' Which leads me to tell you that as I contemplated the excitement I know I will feel as the season begins, the words of a beautiful Christmas carol came to mind:

"It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old

from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold

Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious King.

The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing."

Personally, I can't wait; and I hope you are the same.

Shalom

Pastor Greg

Choose Well to do Well

Catchy phrase! In a world where we are bombarded by 'catchy phrases', let me throw this one into the pot. The goal of course is to draw your attention to whatever is being promoted, sold or written about. They are prevalent in political campaigns; advertising for products, TV shows and movies; lifestyle choices and much more. My catch phrase is all about priorities, choosing them carefully and wisely and then sticking to them.

There is of course much heated debate and discussion at the moment about the priorities of government in America - what should be addressed most urgently and by whom. I regularly pray for wisdom, courage and the empowering of God's spirit for all leaders in this country.

Recently I attended a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ministers retreat where 300 ministers fervently prayed and sought God's guidance in setting priorities that will help the church to become a more effective ministry presence in our communities. Even more recently I attended the Centennial Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Florida, in Orlando. The emphasis was again setting priorities that will guide and inspire the church to more powerful mission and witness in Florida. Both events had moments of inspiration and moments of struggle for these are urgent and difficult times and to be a witnessing church is high priority.

However (ah yes, the big 'however'!) setting our priorities is but the first half of the adventure! The true adventure and inspiration is in our efforts to maintain them! Evidence the huge lack of success of most New Years resolutions! Or those who continually complain that there are 'just not enough hours in the day!' Well, I did some in depth research on this and found that there ars still 168 hours in every week, plenty of time to get done what we need to do; provided our priorities are well chosen and our commitment to them is also a priority! It has been said by many that a good way to discover the priorities by which you are living is to study closely your diary and your checkbook. How and where do you spend your money and your time?

This is for me a daunting task, balancing preacher, husband, father and friend (not to mention a Brisbane Lions fan!) What I want to say is that I whole heartedly and faithfully agree with Joshua who stated as his #1 priority in life: "As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord!" And do you know, when I do this, life is good!

Shalom
Pastor Greg

What To Do After Beijing?

Now that the closing ceremony is over, the red is slowly disappearing from our eyes as we catch up on all that lost sleep! Of course the question is.... what do we watch when the Olympic games are done??

The obvious first response is 'the political race', what with conventions and all. Without getting into this arena, all I will say is 'don't just watch, get involved, make a difference!'

Also now, school is back in, new adventures are beginning for millions of our young people. Listen to the warnings and watch out for the kids! But not just when you are driving; we have some serious work to do in relating to our kids and we need to give them a much better grounding in life as they grow, educationally, socially and emotionally. And when you get a chance, listen to the kids, they need you to. They have great things to say and they can teach us and keep us young.

Of course, the new TV viewing season is almost upon us; lots of our favs returning plus many new programs. There is a lot of great entertainment and learning to be enjoyed on TV, but please, be a little discerning about what you watch and what you let your kids watch. TV can be as great or as awful as you allow it to be. By the way, don't forget that reading is also a glorious adventure and very relaxing. (oh boy, oh boy, #14 is coming!)

What else to watch? Well, the weather reports for one. Be careful, be safe, be in prayer for those having a rough time of it around the country. And help where you can. For two, watch your garden grow; you can discover so much of God's love by observing his beautiful creation. And do what you can to preserve and keep it green. For three, if you are lucky, watch the Aussie rules football final if it's available, round the end of September.

Well, that's my potpourri of what to watch for a while, and remember the Winter Olympics are only 2 years away.

Shalom

Pastor Greg

A Little Perspective Needed!

Numbers are fun, informative and beguiling; but they can blur our vision sometimes! You have probably heard about the value of time:
To realize the value of one year, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth prematurely.
To realize the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly newsletter.
To realize the value of one hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who just missed a train.
To realize the value of one second, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of one millisecond, ask a person who won an Olympic silver medal.

As politicians and financiers talk more casually about one billion dollars, think about this:
A billion seconds ago, it was 1959.
A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive on earth.
A billion hours ago, our ancestors were living in the stone age.
A billion days ago, no one walked on the earth on two feet.
But a billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate the government is spending.
There are more than 300 billionaires in the US alone!

The basic wage was recently raised to $6.35 an hour - at that rate it would take a person more than 18,000 years to earn one billion dollars!

Which brings me to the subject of the inequitable distribution of wealth, the love of money being the root of all evil, you can't serve God and money.......

Kind of makes you go hmmm!

Shalom

Pastor Greg

What Are We Telling the Kids?

Hi out there!
Long time no blog, sorry about that. Firstly I want to say g'day to Ian in Tassie, go Oz! Thanks for the comments, I will write more on the Lent series about reviving churches today. My comments were in response to a book by Paul Dixon called "I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church"; if you are passionate about the church being revived and renewed, you need to read this book.

However there is something else on my mind, and again it relates to our youth. You may have guessed that long long ago back in Australia I was involved in leading youth groups in several churches, and I loved it, I did quite well at it, too! In fact I planned to become a full time youth worker, but pastoral ministry intervened! A recent survey showed that the current generation of adolescents distrusts the church and christians more than any other in American history, but that same generation is more spiritual than any other in American history! Our youth are looking for God, but not in church!

In my view, they see an adult generation that does not enjoy life (even the christians!), has questionable values and cannot be trusted. For example, they work hard, graduate from college and then we tell them there are no jobs for them; so now the dropout rate is increasing, even from high school, to an alarming rate! And worse, kids who are involved in a good church youth group during high school, are walking away from the church when they go to college.

Again, in my opinion, the adult generation has spent a lifetime trying to prove that we can live without God, and yet proving the opposite! As a result, mostly we are not happy campers! So what do we do? What do we tell them? What should our youth ministry be about?

Firstly, let us stop offering 'cotton wool christianity' - your faith is OK only if you avoid the big bad evil world! So read only christian books, listen to only christian music, watch only christian movies, and go to church every Sunday! The absolute joy and power of Christianity is that it gives us a fulfilling, joyful way to live and witness to in the real world and in our real lives!

Secondly, be available whenever opportunity arises to listen to them, kids crave a sensitive, listening, understanding ear while they wrestle with how their life is turning out. And they are honest and forthright, let us return the compliment!

Thirdly, remember the words of 1Peter 3:15, 'in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (NIV) In other words, tell them your 'Jesus story'! Tell them how having Jesus in your heart has helped you to make the most of the life God has given you. Surveys have aso shown that the large majority of adult church attenders have never done that! So, grab your favourite (low carb!)snack and a cool drink, go to a quiet place, spend time in prayer about your relationship with Jesus; then write your Jesus story. It's a great way to spend time during the slow hot summer days (or in Ian's case the long cold winter nights!); and there are kids out there waiting to hear your story, from you.

Shalom

Pastor Greg