IGNITE your passion for GOD

Bowling Fun

2009-06-18T21:14:00.000+10:00

It was a fun night bowling last night. The bowling alley was full when we got in, but we managed to take the rest available. Well, we took out 5 lanes and there were a few of us who preferred watching than playing.

Some of us were really good and some just got lucky. Someone who couldn't get over 60 points in the 1st game got 3 strikes in a row at the start of the 2nd game, and ended up getting over 100 points before even half way through the game! There were also hilarious moments such as when someone decided to roll down the lane with the ball; and another landed on top of another.

Powerful Worship Experiences

2009-04-18T12:33:00.002+10:00

It was a powerful experience for me attending Easter and church services over the Easter weekend. It was also a different kind of experience because both services taking place at different churches included a lot of hymns, which hasn’t been a normal occurrence.

Whether hymns, chorus or modern day songs, they all try to praise God and speak of His wonderful acts. But after singing hillsong style songs for years during our church service, it was both a refreshing and really challenging moment when faced with the intensity and richness of what the words of hymns present.

At the end of the service, a hymn with the words asking if you’re there when they crucified the Lord moved me to tears with unspeakable gratitude and shame at the same time. I could see the cross, I could feel His pain, I couldn’t understand why He loves me to such an extent, and I was ashamed at the gravity of my own sinfulness that nailed Him to the cross. It was a really soul searching moment that demands my mind, my soul and my all in response to His great love and unselfish act.

Couple Sundays ago, I put curious to put on a CD by a band that I haven't listened to before. They were singing hymns with their own modern arrangement. I remembered the hymn book that’s been gathering dust on the shelf for years, so I took it out to follow the singing. It turned out to be such a wonderful experience that called me into deeper worship and reverence to God. The lyrics really convey the greatness, wonder and awesome power of God as well as the different aspects of God’s character. It has such depth and richness that our modern day songs suddenly fades in comparison. God asked us to worship Him not just with our heart and strength, but with our mind also. And it’s through understanding of who He is that we could respond in kind. Beautiful music can arouse emotions that draw us to God, but it’s a deep knowledge of God and His truths that keeps us close to Him in all circumstance.

I like the melodies of a lot of the modern day songs, but the lyrics of some of the hymns won me over. I thought it’d be such a blessing if we could combine the rhythm and sound of today to the powerful lyrics of yesterday. Or having a balance of both hymns and modern day songs in our worship service. Wouldn’t that be great? In a way, it’s happening with some Christian singers already producing albums of traditional songs with new sound and arrangements.

Easterfest's Here!

2009-04-01T22:46:00.000+10:00

Only 1 week to Easterfest!

It's on again at Toowoomba next weekend from April 10 -12. Headline artists include Rebecca St James, Paul Colman Trio, Audio Adrenaline as well as international artists from America.

Tim Costello and a strong lineup of speakers will discuss hot and popular topics. Also celebrity cricket, illusion spectacular and many more activities for everyone. Check out www.easterfest.com.au for event details.

Someone who moved up there last year offered us free accommodation. We can also book as a group and pay less if we get 10 or more people, so contact us if you're interested in going.

Cash Handout the Right Approach to Financial Crisis?

2009-04-01T22:36:00.005+10:00

In our small group a few weeks ago, we had quite a discussion on work/labour after watching a lesson of the Truth Project, a worldview study by Focus on the Family. The subject of labour/work reminded us that work is good and is part of God’s design. He worked (Genesis 2:2) and He put Adam to work in the Garden before the Fall (Genesis 2:15). In the 4th commandment, we’re to work 6 days (Exodus 20:9-11).

Work is closely tie to the economy and thus inevitably led to our discussion of our Government’s stimulus packages in response to the current economic crisis. The government has been swift in passing out cash to individuals to stimulate the economy. The idea is to encourage people to spend, and when they consume, the money will flow through to businesses to keep the jobs going. It sounds reasonable on the outset and people are more than happy to receive a cash bonus.

The 1st stimulus package of $10 billion was before Christmas, giving cash out to the selected groups of carers, pensioners, students and mothers with young children. The 2nd package is happening right now where a one off payment of up to $900 is given to everyone living here or overseas, dead or alive.

Debt
Most of the debate have been around whether the stimulus packages are effective. But to me, this is more than just a question of economics, it’s an issue of a moral nature.

Our society has enjoyed such wealth and affluence in the last decades. We are used to the comfort and indulgence that we expect the good times to continue. Recent statistics shows that our debt to earnings ratio has tripled since the 1990s to 160%. We’re spending way beyond our means and we’re willing to rack up huge debts to fund our lifestyle. In view of this, the government’s stimulus packages are counter productive and the encouragement to spend and get into more debt is against the Bible’s view on debt (Proverbs 22:7, Romans 13:8).

Irresponsible Spending
It may not appear so for a start, but what many don’t think about is that there are follow on costs with what they’ve purchased. It’s not just a one off purchase in many cases. I personally know someone who are unemployed but went to buy a motorcycle with the cash bonus. While money can be put to good use, they can also be misused. I know about students who planned to spend the money on alcohol. Someone also witnessed a group recently spent their cash bonus on drugs and had a week long party.

This too violates God’s principle of how to be a responsible manager of His resources. It’s more pressing and wise for the government in my view to use this opportunity to help people develop their skill in money management and learn to be responsible with what they have. And if the government wants to encourage responsible spending, they could have restrict the money to be only spent on certain things that benefit the country and others. Unsanctioned and undirected, the money can be used in myriads of ways that does more harm than good.

Biblical Responsibility
You see, we’re called to be God’s steward of all that He entrusted to us. With which the government is entrusted with a bigger share of the country’s resources to manage and look after. Getting into a big hole of debt to provide cash handouts isn’t a wise manager of His resources.

What’s more? Our responsibility is for the poor, but not in the form of a cash handout, we’re to create opportunities for them to work. In the OT, farmers were asked not to gather the leftovers but leave it to the poor to pick (Leviticus 19:10) and Elisha didn’t just give money to the widow, but helped her by giving her the resources to work and pay off her debt (2 Kings 4:1-7).

A Fun Filled Night

2009-03-15T20:19:00.004+10:00

It was a great time at the small groups get together. There were a lot of us there, and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with one another and meeting those who we don't know in other small groups. The pizzas came after a while and not to mention, they were all snapped up within minutes.

We had a few games on the night to help us remember people’s names and a few of us ended up eating chillies for not getting it. It was meant to be a joke, but people took the opportunity to display some bravado.:-) It certainly cracked us all up. There was so much laughter there. It was a fun filled night and we're all touched by the joy of being able to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ this way.

Small Groups Dinner Social

2009-03-09T09:40:00.003+10:00

We did it last year and enjoyed it, so we're doing it again!

Small groups, cell groups, home groups, growth groups...however you want to call it, and in whatever size and shape they come, are all part of the body of Christ. They're about real relationships and real people who have much to offer.

How can you miss the opportunity to get to know people in other groups, meet new friends, and catch up with old ones, within our church family? I know I won't. So lets come together and encourage each other in love, sharing a little of ourselves and our lives with brothers and sisters in Christ while having fun eating pizzas and playing games.

Bring yourself, your group and your friends! You don't have to belong to a small group to come along. Everyone's welcome, and maybe you'll find a group to fit in to!

What: Pizzas and games
Date: Wednesday, March 11
Time: 7PM
Place: 1 Lacerta Ave, Robina
Contact: Your small group leader or Mable at 0413 248 321

Is Women Elders/Deacons Biblical?

2008-12-23T14:25:00.005+10:00

Women in ministry, women leadership, female ministers/pastors, women elders and deacons. These are not exactly the simplest topic of conversation to many. And certainly in the environment and culture that we’re in today. You can’t seem to talk about this issue without some controversy or disagreements.

Many like myself grow up under the influence of postmodernism, feminism, individualism. And in seeking gender equality, we are told that we have many abilities and skills and can do what men can do. We can climb the corporate ladder and be company executives. We are encouraged to be independent and take on the role of men in many ways. Even as a Christian, I struggled with the notion of submission and women’s role in the Bible. It just seems so unfair to not be given the same opportunities to use our God given abilities and somehow feel restricted or feel like 2nd class citizens so to speak.

But as I grew in my knowledge of God and His word, I came to understand His design and plan for males and females, their roles to compliment and complete one another. A lot of the discussion on women in leadership today that surrounds cultures and practices are somewhat different if not distorted interpretations of the scriptures in my opinion.

To me, the instruction for women not to be ministers, elders and deacons is quite clear in 1 Tim 3 and Titus. Not only were the criteria for elders and deacons specific to include those who are the husband of one wife (1 Tim 3:2, 12). But in earlier verses, Paul said that he doesn’t allow women to teach or to have authority over a man. And all these clearly apply in the church context, if not in other settings. The reasons Paul given are historic rather than cultural. It’s because Adam was created first (1 Tim 2:13) and Eve was the one who was deceived (1 Tim 2:14). Whether we’re more talented or gifted isn’t quite the issue here, and it doesn’t mean that gifts and talents can’t be used other than in church governance. One important fact that I tend to overlook at times is that the woman in Genesis 1 was created for the man and as his helper.

In response to this issue, some people point to the mention of a deaconess in the bible and the fact that there are females residing in those offices in our churches today. This could be a sticky point for many, but thinking about it a little more, I realized that what was stated as a fact doesn’t necessarily in any way support the case. There’s a mention of a deaconess, but we don’t know the circumstance surrounding it. It’s simply describing what is or what happened. But the instructions in 1 Timothy are very clear and not circumstantial. The language used is plain and direct and it applies to those who’s seeking such positions. Also, what has been done before, in other words traditions or practices don’t naturally make something right or biblical.

When I was thinking about this, the example of David and Bathsheba came to mind. In the bible, adultery is a sin and we’re asked not to commit adultery. So if we were only told the fact that David and Bathsheba committed adultery but not any information surrounding it. It’d be like the case of the deaconess. But could we then say that it’s ok to commit adultery because David and Bathsheba did and they were ok. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if 2 options were given, clear instructions and a circumstantial description, which one has more authority and which one’s more likely to be right.

I don’t know a lot and I wanted to make sure that my understanding is correct, so I was doing a bit of research and discovered that the Greek word for deaconess is actually a word meaning servant and used in the New Testament in a variety of ways. Paul used the same word to describe himself as the servant of God. A detailed explanation can be found at http://www.carm.org/womeninministry/deaconess.htm. I also found a lot of useful resources on this subject at http://www.carm.org/womeninministry.htm.

At this point, I’m satisfy that my understanding of the passages isn’t mistaken, and that the positions for elders/ministers and deacons are reserved for men and not women.

How Christmas Has Changed

2008-12-18T22:37:00.005+10:00

Only 1 week to Christmas!

Everywhere’s bustling in the Christmas atmosphere. Packed shopping centres, busy crowds, mailbox full of enticing junk mails, pretty lights, gift cards, decorations, Christmas carols, parties, travels, presents, food...We are all so busy buying gifts, preparing for family get togethers or enjoying the holidays that Christmas has become a festive season. Its original meaning has shifted from Christ's sacrifice to human generosity, from gratefulness to indulgence.

We’ve seen Christmas being gradually stripped of its meaning over the years. Happy holidays has become the preferred Christmas greeting to avoid any religious connotation; carols depicting the birth of Jesus are slowly replaced by the almighty Rudolph the reindeer and the ever popular jingle bells. Kids are taught anything about Christmas but the story of Jesus’ birth.

In the midst of all the frantic activities and busyness, are we forgetting what Christmas is about? Are we taking the opportunity to tell others about the birth of Jesus and what that means to us? Have you entered a church building this Christmas and the only things you see are Christmas trees, flowers, presents and all sorts of decoration, except the very signs that remind us of the object of celebration? Have you wondered where the cross, (baby) Jesus, wise men, manger, angels, Mary or Joseph's gone? I have and for a moment I wondered if someone new who came into buildings like that would be inspired to think about God or know that it's a place of worship?

It was under such commercialism of Christmas that we decided quite a few years ago to have a nativity scene rather than a Christmas tree as the centre stage at our home. It was difficult to find anything like that back then, so we made puppets of the characters, complete with stuffed animals. To gain back some perspective and to remind ourselves of what Christmas really is about, we’ve also introduced a time to reflect upon the past year, remembering the goodness of God and thanking Him for what He has done before opening the presents.

How can you put back some of the meaning that’s been lost in your celebration of Jesus’ birth this Christmas?

Which Principles?

2008-12-03T23:24:00.005+10:00

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8

I really like this verse in Colossians 2 from today’s devotion. It’s so true as I came to think of the issues and practices of Christians and churches today, and how many of us have given way to the ideas and practices of the world rather than based our judgements and decisions on the unchanging principles in the Bible.

Satan is very clever and in many ways have deceived us without our noticing it. A lot of times when we tackle a difficult issue or situation, we tend to base our reasoning on what the majority is doing, how it works in our culture or what we think is right. It’s not common for people to ponder upon the scriptures and seek to understand how to apply it and actually put it into action in real life. Our solutions tend to be influenced by the world around us, and they are often so different from what the Bible teaches.

I think some of the controversial issues in Christianity and in our life such as abortion, homosexuality, divorce, women leadership, church growth etc. wouldn’t be much of an issue if we truly look at those issues in light of the scriptures, and take seriously God’s principles laid out all through the bible rather than relying on the wisdom of this world.

Are we and our churches being true to what we have entrusted? Are we relying on God’s wisdom rather than men’s? Do we meditate on God’s words and careful to carry out what He has instructed us? Do we live our life based on a biblical worldview? the world’s or a mixture of both?

An Interesting Lunch

2008-11-26T22:35:00.003+10:00

Well, well, well. What an interesting day on Sunday!

It was our year end lunch and praise God for the good weather. He has definitely answered our prayer considering that it has been raining for the whole of last week and has just started again yesterday.

We were going to have a picnic at Hinze Dam, but unbeknown to us, it was closed. What's worst? The official contact person (yes, that's me) left her mobile at home, so a new person who was going to come couldn't contact her for the new location.

After a bit of checking out Hinze Dam, deciding on new location and letting people know, we ended up at the Little Nerang Dam. It was a quiet road into the park and we weren't expecting anyone to be around. So it was quite a surprise to see the carpark full of cars. It was a nice little area with bbqs and picnic tables, so it was good. Someone bought along a bbq in a box. Thought that was interesting.

We all had a good time.

Year End Lunch

2008-11-17T22:22:00.007+10:00

It's almost the end of November, can you believe how quick the year has gone!

As the year is drawing to a close, lets get together and celebrate the year's passed. Invite your friends, bring your own lunch and enjoy some fun and relaxing time by the waters.

There's a kiosk if you want to get food there. Don't forget to bring a ball or frisbee along to have a kick or something after lunch.

Here's the details:
Date: Sunday, Nov 23
Time: 12pm
Location: Hinze Dam

If you need transport or need help with directions getting there, give us a yell.

Islam and the World

2008-10-15T12:03:00.003+10:00

The world has changed forever since September 11th, 2001. Many now live in constant fear of terrorist attacks. The threat of 'radical' Islam has been brought to the forefront of people's minds. With so many other religions out there, why has Islam bred both terrorism and a hatred for the West?

Consider these statistics:

Islam is the 2nd largest religion in US.
More than 7 million Muslims live in France alone.
Today, over 2 million Muslims live in Britain (and London has been dubbed 'Londonistan').
It is predicted that by 2040, more than 55 million people in Europe will be Muslim.

Many 'moderate' Muslims live peacefully among people of different religions than their own. Others however, live with hostility towards non-muslims, whom they call 'infidels.'

So what do we really know about Islam? Does it really seek world domination? How would it affect us if Islam actually ruled the world? Are our fears justified, or are they based on misunderstanding and propaganda against a 'peaceful' religion?

We are showing an award-winning documentary called Obsession the Movie. Come watch it together and stay for a chat afterwards. Here are the details fof the event.

What: Obsession the Movie
Where: Peter & Anchalee's place, Mudgeearaba
Notes: We'll have snacks and drinks, but lunch isn't included. Feel free to bring something for lunch if you'd like.

Another Great Recharge

2008-09-27T16:59:00.003+10:00

Everything about the Recharge camp this year was great! We all had a really good time at the camp. The messages from the key speaker Tim Hein were excellent. The worship led by Andrew Sercombe of course was great and awe inspiring. The electives were relevant and the speakers were good too. There's always something new to learn and we were eager to share with one another what we've learned from the different electives. The major theme this year seemed to be around engaging the culture and being missional.

It was raining a bit last week, but the weekend was beautiful. It was so warm and perfect for the activities Saturday afternoon. There were jumping castles, climbing wall and other fun things to do. Some of us opted for a walk around town. We all had a wonderful time fellowshipping, getting to know one another. But we also got to meet new people from other churches and places which was great.

Those who gone up for the first time this year didn't need any convincing. They saw it, experienced it and couldn't wait for next year's Recharge to come!

Recharge 2008

2008-09-08T22:17:00.005+10:00

Spring is finally here, and so is the Recharge camp up on Mt Tamborine. It's on next weekend 19-21 September. Less than 2 weeks away!!

If you haven't been before, this is one event not to be missed. Its getting bigger each year and those who have been to one will tell you that you won't be disappointed with great worship, solid teaching, fantastic electives and excellent opportunities to hang out with other Christians and make new friends. You'll be recharged and feel refreshed after that.

Make sure you check out their website for info on the programme, speakers, and other activities. Some of us from the church will be going up, either for a day or camping for the weekend. If you prefer not to camp, let us know and we can help arrange other non-camp accommodation.

There's a cafe at Recharge that you can get food there. Or you can get food from the town's many food places and supermarket. We're planning a bbq on Sat night, so remember to let us know if you'll be there.

Contact Joshua or Mable if you are interested in coming along.

Quick info
When: 19-21 September 2008
Where: Mount Tamborine Convention Centre
Cost: Camping packages start from $50. Accommodation and meals packages from $110
Website: www.recharge.org.au

Talk on financial principles

2008-08-28T22:28:00.003+10:00

The event last Sunday started off with some yummy freshly made pizzas.

Then our speaker Cathy took us through the basic principles of God’s ways of managing money with a video from Crown ministry. It highlights the importance of being debt free and brought home the reality of how loans of any kind can end up to our disadvantage depending on how much we borrow. Many of us borrow not knowing the physical cost of the debt we service. Cathy personally shared with us her amazing experience of God’s provision when she waited rather than borrow to purchase things.

Someone referred to the scripture pointing out that people failed because of their of lack of knowledge. This is so true, because we spent an awful lot of time thinking and researching the details of the things we want to buy, but not many of us go to such extent digging into God’s words to see what He says about money. The video also highlights the verse in Proverbs 22:7 about those who borrow are slaves to those who lend. To be blessed and free is to owe no one anything.

We had a good discussion afterwards touching on mortgage, credit cards, personal loans, investment, our financial responsibilities and the basic principles of budgeting and debt repayments.

We were also encouraged to do the Foundations for life series to understand more of God’s perspective in managing our finance. Visit www.crown.org.au for more details on the course as well as resources and radio broadcasts on the subject.

Money Talk

2008-08-16T16:34:00.010+10:00

Petrol prices up.
Foods getting more expensive.
Interest rates going up.
Money's getting less value.
Rent's more expensive.
Bills are piling up.

Fortunately, there are interest free loans, credit cards, buy now pay later schemes and other ways to help us cope with the ever increasing living cost. But are they really helping? What does the Bible say about debt? How could we be wise in our spending?

Join us for our next Ignite event, Money Talk, and get some insights from our in-house speaker who've studied and thought a lot about these issues over lunch. Here are the details:

Date: Sunday, August 24th
Time: 12pm
Where: GCCF training centre, room T1
Cost: $7 for lunch

Book your spot by Friday, August 22!

Bowling

2008-07-16T21:39:00.002+10:00

Well, we've decide to have some fun and get our bodies moving a bit more. So lets go and roll some balls down the lane. Do you know that there are 6 different types of indoor bowling? Yes, there's candlepin, duckpin, 5-pin, 9-pin and bumper bowling. But unfortunately, we only have 10-pin bowling here. So that's what we are doing this Sunday 20/7 after church. Bring your friends and enjoy a good time. Contact Brett for details.

People's stories

2008-07-06T22:41:00.001+10:00

I like hearing people’s stories and reading about people’s lives. I remember going on long distance buses across provinces in high school, and like sitting beside elderly people so I could hear their story. Every person has a story to tell and it always fascinates me hearing other people’s experience.

The last year, I read a few auto/biographies including the former deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, the famous evangelist Billy Graham and the founder of the flying doctors John Flynn. All have interesting stories, but what struck me the most with all these Christian men are their unshakable faith, their absolute integrity and their genuine humility. It’s hard to be honest in the political arena, we all have seen corruption in the highest level of governments, yet John Anderson is regarded by his colleagues to be a man of integrity above all else. Billy Graham despite his enormous success in bringing so many to Christ, was grateful and humbled for God to use him at all. And John Flynn, facing such an impossible task and in such unfavourable conditions, never doubt that his God given vision would be fulfilled, and it did.

I’m encouraged to know and grateful for these godly men who have made such an impact in the world we live in and be examples that we can follow.

Separation & Oneness

2008-07-02T21:23:00.003+10:00

I was worshiping at my old church in Sydney this past Sunday. It happened to be a special family service celebrating the 4th anniversary of the Korean congregation. The Korean congregation was started by a Korean pastor who linked up with the church and hold their service after the English service each Sunday.

Among the many things in the service was a segment showing videos of various church members congratulating the anniversary of the Korean congregation. One of the messages was that the church, both the English and Korean congregation, would become one in Christ. This made me think about how this unity could be achieved if the 2 congregations meet at different times and therefore hardly see each other.

I can fully understand that the older generation would want to worship God in their native language, and rightly so. But that separation or segregation which exists in our churches today goes beyond the context of language barrier and cultural difference. It extends to ministries, age group and worship style etc., all encourage coming out rather than coming together. I recalled someone pointing out the many ministries in our churches today are but unnecessary because they separate people rather than bringing people together. I think there’s some truth in it. Although I won’t go so far as to say that ministries aren’t needed. They do serve their purpose in building up the body of Christ. But in order to maintain balance and bring unity, the church needs to put in place ways to actively and intentionally draw and bring people together.

Back to the Korean congregation, I thought the younger generation all speak English fluently, and would be good if their youth and young adults could work cross congregation. And I was glad to find out later that they do work together. Looks like their youth groups are combined which is one way to cross the great divide.

Let's have a picnic!

2008-06-03T11:24:00.003+10:00

Ignite Queen's Birthday picnic is on June, Monday 9th . So come along for a great day out together, catching up with friends and meeting new people.

We will be meeting at Burleigh Beach. So look for a large group of familiar faces somewhere on the esplanade near Justin Park around 11:30am.

Each small group is to bring enough food for their own group and share it there. You can also get fish and chips or other food from the local shops. If you feel up for it, you could also bring meat for BBQ!

Hope to see you there for food, fun and great time of fellowship!!!

Hillsong Worship

2008-06-01T17:22:00.010+10:00

I came across Darlene Zschech’s book "Extravagant Worship" and was reading it with interest. No doubt many would know who Darlene is. As the worship leader in Hillsong, her songs have been used and sung by churches around the world.

I too have been singing many of her songs, but it wasn’t until this book that I got a glimpse of this woman who has influenced so many in recent years and understand where her songs are coming from. Darlene’s passion for God is evident in the book, so is her desire to see others becoming excellent worshippers. She explained what worship is, the importance of praise, the difficulties and trap faced by musicians and practical advice for those who involve in music ministry.

While her book is encouraging and uplifting, and full of bible references, I’m afraid many of the references are taken out of context and I couldn’t help but noticed some of the incoherencies that are potentially dangerous to our walk with Christ.

Praise a weapon?
First, the book suggests that there’s power in praise. There is no doubt that God delights in our praises. But to think that praise and worship has the power to cause God to act is something new to me and which, I believe is a misunderstanding of the scriptures.

The book uses the story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:22 to show how God defeats the enemies as the men appointed by Jehoshaphat were praising God. It says on p52 "When we, God’s people, come into His presence with thanksgiving and praise, warfare is waged against our enemies, and our battles are won by the supernatural power of God." It went on further to say in p53 that "If you need to have the Enemy flee from your life, then you need to praise your pathway to victory!"

This is misguided because earlier in the chapter, we know that Jehoshaphat upon knowing that his enemies are coming, he inquired of the Lord and called for a fast for all Judah. Then, he prayed before the assembly in the temple. In response, through the Levite Jahaziel, God told them that the battle is God’s and told them what to do. Then, Jehoshaphat led the people to bow down and worship God before encouraging the people to have faith in God and appointed men to sing and praise God as they went out. God set ambushes against the enemies just as they were going out to the battle field. It’s not praise alone that causes God to act. It’s because of their seeking God’s direction, prayer, worship, faith and trust in God that led to the victory.

It is therefore incorrect to say that "When you sing, praise, dance, and rejoice in the face of opposition, you are using the spiritual warfare weapons against the devil." (p 57). There is no where in the Bible that talks about praise being a spiritual weapon. And in 2 Corinthians 10:4, it didn’t mentioned praise as a weapon. If any, what follows on in v5 indicates that it’s God’s words rather than our praises that has the power. In fact Paul urges us more than once in Ephesians 6:10-18 to put on the full armour of God in order to fight against the spiritual forces of evil. And the weapon that we have is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (v17). So not only is praise not a spiritual weapon, it doesn’t cause God to act. Praise is merely our response to God’s goodness and greatness.

Thanksgiving brings peace?
It’s interesting that Psalm 100:4 and Philippians 4:6 are used to conclude in p61 that, "Thanksgiving paves a way for us to go straight into that awesome throne room of the King of Kings. When you enter into praise with true thanksgiving, the peace of God, which passes all understanding, accompanies your thankful heart." They sound ok on the outset until you look into the passages. God can use anything to draw us close to Him. But the reality is, thanksgiving doesn’t take us straight to God, Jesus does. God delights when we come into his presence with a thankful attitude, but a thankful heart is certainly not the way in which we could come into God’s presence. Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the way and no one can come to the Father but through Him.

Now, Psalm 100:4 is a song of praise that mentions entering God's temple with thanksgiving and praise. Philippians 4:6 is Paul's advice to the brothers in the Philippian church urging them not to be anxious of anything, but to bring their anxieties and worries before God by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This is saying that when we leave our worries and burdens to God, our knowledge of His character and our trust in Him will give us peace. It's flawed to connect the 2 passages together and it's in no way indicating that praising God with a thankful heart will bring peace.

Power in shouting?
What I found dangerous is the belief that shouting has power and will cause God to respond. It’s true that there are numerous places in Psalm 95:1, Psalm 47:1, 98:4 mention shouts. But one has to look at them in its context and nature to understand that many of the Psalms are poetry and they are the lyrics of what they were saying or singing, not actually shouting. Darlene’s song ‘Shout to the Lord’ is a good example. We sing shout to the Lord, but I don’t think many of us actually shout while we sing or sing while we shout.

She uses the story of the fall of the walls of Jericho as the people shout and took the city in Joshua to advocate the practice of shouting when things don’t go right. As an example, she says in p105 that "In times when I feel overwhelmed, I shout to the Lord! I bury those melancholy blues in a shout and declare that it will bow down to the name of Jesus." She compares shouting as a prophetic cry in p66 "A shout of joy is like a prophetic cry to break obstacles in your life." And on p70, "A tenacious, explosive shout of praise is a punch in the face of the devil."

This is dangerous because we're saying that we can rise above our circumstances and winning in life through shouts of joy rather than Jesus. We're saying that shouts and praise have power and not the blood of Jesus. There is nothing in the New Testament or what Jesus said or in fact the whole bible that indicates a shout of praise or joy is a means for us to get God's attention when we are up against our enemies or hard pressed with our problems. On the contrary, when we are discouraged, facing trials of many kinds or in difficult situations, we are instructed to pray. Elisha, Nehemiah, David, Jesus and many others in the Bible when pursued by their enemies or in difficult situations, they pray rather than singing praises to God. Shouts of joy don’t have power and can’t deliver us from evil, it’s Jesus’ death and resurrection that has power and that can deliver us!

There’s a good review on the book by Matthias media, raising some issues associated with the Hillsong worship ‘revolution’.

Fishing

2008-05-21T21:43:00.007+10:00

We all had an enjoyable day on the water Saturday. It was a nice day and we went up to Mariner's Cove, which is next to Sea World, and onto the Broadwater. We drove the boat 40 mins north to Wavebreak Island, a popular spot for diving. It was pretty quiet and there were only a few boats parked there. People couldn't wait to start fishing, and you can see plenty swimming around and ready to be hooked up.

We had a bbq lunch on board and decided to change location for more variety of fish. So we headed south through the canals around Cronin and Chervon Islands in the direction of Surfers Paradise. It was there that someone who just learnt to use a fishing rod, very surprisingly caught the biggest fish of the day.

The funniest thing happened at the end of the day when one of the guys standing by the side of the boat accidentally let loosed his slipper on the water. So for the next 10 mins or so, it was a chasing game as we circle around, go forward and backward trying to get the slipper back. Eventually, it was fished back with a BBQ tongs.

On the way back, we saw the dark clouds and the coming of a storm as forecasted on the Southern end of the Coast. It was getting quite windy and looked like it could rain. But the storm didn't come till much later when we all got home. Praise God for holding the rain back so we didn't get soaking wet. ;-)

Movies on Bible Characters

2008-05-09T17:28:00.001+10:00

I recently discovered a movie series on Bible characters and have since watched Jacob, Solomon and Jeremiah. Both Jacob and Solomon are a good 3-hour long, but are good quality movies. Unlike most Christian movies made today, they were big budget movies filmed on location, got good acting with famous actors and actresses and good quality.

What’s most impressive is the Biblical accuracy in these stories. It wasn’t just a contemporary interpretation of the Bible, but the characters in the stories are often quoting straight out of the Bible. Not only are they enjoyable to watch, but each one gave me new insights into these stories that I’ve read so many times in the Bible.

For example, it wasn’t until “Jacob” that I connected the prophecy of Abraham’s descendents to the biases of Rebecca. It made sense to me that because she heard the prophecy of the 2 nations and the young will rule the old that Rebecca decided to help fulfill that by encouraging Jacob to use deceitful means to get the birthright.

These are available from the public library, but only 3 out of the set of 12. I wonder why they aren’t in any of the major Christian bookstores here? At least I haven't seen or heard about this series before, although it looks like you can easily buy them online.

Boating and Fishing Trip

2008-05-04T08:04:00.002+10:00

We are going boating and fishing again! It was a lot of fun when we did that last year. You can read about it and see some photos here.

So come with us this year and share a great day out together.

When: Saturday May 17th.
Cost: $30 (including meals and boat hires)
Space are limited so please RSVP by May 14th.

Jesus in China

2008-05-01T21:57:00.008+10:00

Just finished watching the 2nd episode of Jesus in China. It’s a documentary about Christianity and the Christian church in China, mostly through testimonies of Chinese Christians there. Much has been heard about the rapid growth of Christianity in China in recent times, but despite that, persecution and suffering are still very real.

The documentary is full of ministers of house churches, missionaries and ordinary Christians who have endured and still continue to be under persecution. Getting arrested and going to jail more than once and for 10 or 20 years are common occurrences. Under the Communist government, Christians meeting outside the government approved Three Self Church is illegal. Those who were jailed were asked to denounce Jesus. Yet none of these persecution, suffering, jail or risk of dying seem to chip away their faith in God or convince them not to be followers of Christ.

What really moved me and stirred my spirit is to see Christians of such strong faith, conviction, devotion, boldness and gratitude in the face of imprisonment, suffering, hardships and ridicule. Their determination to carry the cross and follow Christ no matter what. Their hunger and thirst for God’s words. Their eagerness to meet with other Christians to pray and study God’s word everyday. Their sincere and authentic Christianity. Jesus is truly precious to them, and they show and demonstrate it in their daily life. They truly live like passers by rather than taking up permanent residency in this world. It is a picture of the early Christian church in the Bible.

How I wish our churches and Christians in the western world today to regain their focus and dedication to Jesus like these Christians do. We are blessed with freedom and abundance in this country, but that blessing could also become a curse. We simply become too comfortable and let our surroundings and busy lifestyle take our focus away from God.

It’s so wonderful to see Christians, like those in the documentary, to be so consumed and captured by God. Imagine if we and our churches are on fire like that, how much more God could use us in this sick and troubled world? How much more our testimony will mean to the world around us?

May we get back to our first love. May Christ capture our mind. May we hunger for God’s word and thirst for His righteousness. May we be people of conviction and fervour.

This documentary is available from the public library. You can also download or watch the 4-part documentary or read the scripts from their website at www.chinasoul.org.

Divorce & Remarriage - God's Design? (part 4)

2008-04-28T08:45:00.001+10:00

Implications
In our world today, we are taught to be our own person, to decide what’s good for us, to do what feels good. And I feel sometimes we Christians and our churches have so bought into the world’s ways of thinking and handling things that we’ve given the authority and power to make life’s decisions to our own senses, feelings and intellect rather than to God and His true and unchanging words. Feelings come and go, but only God’s words last forever. By this, we aren’t discounting the hurt and emotional turmoil that some may have experienced. They are very real. But all the same, it doesn’t make God’s command on this issue less real or less applicable. Homosexuality and abortion, like divorce involve a great deal of emotions. But if they are considered wrong, why aren’t divorce and remarriage, that have even more explicit references and instructions in the Bible, be treated the same?

In making concessions to divorce and remarriage, whether on emotional or other grounds, we are saying that we know better than God. At the same time, we’re telling others that we can take only those parts of the Bible that we like and ignore those bits that we have difficulty with. Not only that, but it also paves the way for more concessions, all based on our human wisdom. Isn’t this what the world’s doing? Everyone has their own standard. What’s right for you doesn’t necessary apply to me. Soon, God’s word is no longer valued and the church ceases to be a light to the world. The Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 119:105 all speak of the scriptures being God breathed and powerful in judging our thoughts and attitudes. The Bible is God’s wisdom, standard and morality, and therefore should be our guide for life decisions.

Finding excuses will only establish us as hypocrites in the world’s eyes and prevent the furthering of God’s kingdom. As mentioned before, if as Christians we fare worst than non-Christians in our standard and morals, why would any non-Christians want to be like us? After all, they’ve succeeded conforming us and there’s no reason to reverse that position.

Being silent or turning a blind eye to the issue that causes much grief to God and our church today will only exacerbate the problem. We simply can’t afford to stay ignorant to this anymore, not with the state that our churches are in today. For those that are placed by God in a position of influence, there’s all the more concern that they shouldn’t take God’s words lightly, for they’ll be accountable to God. And for all Christians, we have the responsibility as instructed in the Bible to tell our brothers and sisters in Christ if they’re doing what’s not right in God’s eyes (Galatians 6:1).

Are we showing our love for God by obeying His words? (John 14:15, 21, 15:10, 20, 1 John 3:22, 24, 1 John 5:3) Are we courageous enough to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) and be blessed by Him as a result? (Luke 11:28) Lets take God’s words seriously by not undermining His authority, showing it in our actions and encouraging one another to do what pleases God.

Let me wrap up with this hymn just came to mind: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way. To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Tolerance and Being Judgemental

2008-04-26T22:51:00.005+10:00

It's amazing how there have been so many recent disputes and arguments over the topics of intolerance and judgmentalism displayed by people (and not just Christians) who verbally disagree and question this society's thoughts and actions. This is because there has been great misunderstanding of the definition of “tolerance”. The most logical and correct definition is:

tolerant; to accept the person regardless of their worldview (but not necessarily accepting their worldview).

Now, at this point, you’re probably wondering what I'm on about but let me explain. The modern definition (that will probably seem most correct to you because modern society is being indoctrinated with this false and most misleading worldview) is:

tolerant; to accept the ideas and beliefs of the person, regardless of the validity of those ideas.

Let me explain the difference between those definitions. Accepting someone but not accepting their ideas means that that person may be wrong. Yes, you heard me, the person may be incorrect in what they believe and there is nothing wrong with telling them what they believe might actually be invalid. That’s one of the big no-no’s of modern tolerance, isn't it? Telling someone they’re wrong. The funny thing is, when a person (who believes this misleading definition) calls me intolerant, what they’re really saying is I’m wrong. That’s pretty intolerant, don’t you think? If telling someone they're wrong means we're being intolerant (which is obviously a grievous sin), we can’t tell someone stealing is wrong, because then we are being intolerant of their belief (that stealing is okay). If we can’t tell them that stealing is not okay, then we can’t call the police and get them arrested and send them to jail because it would be intolerant. If tolerance was defined in the modern version, the whole legal system would not be respected because people in the legal system are the most intolerant people of all!

So, as you can see, the modern definition of tolerance is not only impractical but self-refuting (calling someone intolerant makes yourself intolerant). The only logical and practical definition of tolerance is the first that I stated.

An issue closely linked to intolerance is judgementalism. Being judgmental is to pass moral judgment on a person by defining what is morally right and wrong. The problem with this is that not only are we living in a society which does not believe in moral absolutes (which is basically the root of the problem) but judgementalism has a negative connotation attached to it because it relates to intolerance. Most of the time, modern people show “intolerance” by being judgmental. In our society, telling someone they’re wrong registers as a direct and personal attack on them – not on their worldview. They take it as an insult. They think you are not accepting them because you disagree with their beliefs. That’s why people have now reinvented or misinterpreted the words “intolerant” and “judgmental” to make people (who are probably doing the right thing) feel bad because our society believes we are personally attacking them every time we tell them what they believe might be wrong. In any case, it is inevitable that we (as humans) would pass moral judgement because, subconsciously, we all have a moral standpoint. What our society must understand is that there's nothing wrong with pointing out to a person that their worldview may be inconsistent with reality. In fact, it's healthy that we do, so that we'll always keep ourselves in check.

Now you can tell someone they’re wrong and not feel bad about doing so (just so long as you’ve got good reasoning behind your accusation). It’s ironic that the person the world considers the most “intolerant” is actually the most tolerant person of all, and that would be God. No matter how the human race behaves because of our sins, God still finds a way for us to be accepted into His kingdom. Now that's amazing.

Follow up: Keys to Fulfilling Relationships

2008-04-26T15:22:00.005+10:00

It was a great day learning about relationships while at the same time fellowshipping with friends. And lunch was lovely too!

It was interesting to hear about how self-esteem plays an important part in our relationships. This isn't something I personally think about much, probably due to how the world portrays it. But the speaker made it clear for us that this wasn't the same kind of self-esteem. We do need to realise our intrinsic worth, in addition to admitting our fallen nature. And we should value our differences, rather than trying to change other people to be like ourselves.

Some other principles from the talk were:

In relationships, we should be on different boat, but still heading in the same direction. What this means is that for married couples, each individual should remain themselves, while at the same time working towards joint goals with our partners.
As individuals, we should be able to handle our own problems, rather than relying on our spouse all the time.
When we argue as a couple, we should remember that we are working towards the same goals.
Don't keep digging up the past in arguments! Always focus on the present.
When you have a problem, take turns talking and listening. Don't try to fix the problem then and there, but try to listen and understand each other properly.
Be authentic about who you truly are. There's no point trying to be someone you're not. If people don't know the real you, they can't love the real you!

Divorce & Remarriage - God's Design? (part 3)

2008-04-26T14:55:00.000+10:00

Remarriage
On the issue of remarriage, the Bible is clear on the condition in which one could remarry. 1 Corinthians 7:39 and Romans 7:2 said that we are free to marry another if our spouse dies. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 couples who separated are instructed not to remarry. In Romans 7:3, Matthew 5:32, and again in Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:11 and Luke 16:18, those who separate from their spouse and marry another person while their spouse is still alive are said to commit adultery. God’s word is loud and clear on this issue, and yet the remarriage rate among Christians in the US according to statistics is a staggering 82% and higher than the 66% among non-Christians. I was told that in Australia, 60% of Christians who divorced remarry.

“God in his forgiveness and love won’t continue to punish a divorcee.”, “God wants us to be happy”, “It’s not for us to judge them but to love and have compassion on them.” or “The spiritual bond of a husband and wife is broken once they’re divorced.” are all common reasons for supporting remarriage. It’s true that God’s nature means that we’re forgiven the guilt of being divorced, but it doesn’t say we’re exempt from the consequences (or cost if you like) for taking that action. God has forgiven our sins and therefore we aren’t punished for that, but we’re bound by the consequences which come with that, and in this case it’s the prohibition of remarriage unless the spouse dies, not to mention other consequences of family, personal and financial issues that may follow.

Of course, I myself had difficulty with what the Bible says at first. Because like some put it, it seems so cruel. But as I thought more about the issue, I began to understand the reasons behind the Bible’s strict stance. If remarriage is an option,

It encourages non-commitment and reliance on self to solve our immediate problems
It doesn’t encourage humility, often required in a sticky situation to seek God and think of others better than ourselves
It forever takes away the opportunity for reconciliation and God’s purpose for marriage.

As for the spiritual bond being broken, I found no mention in the Bible about this. When God established His covenant with the Israelites, it was a lasting promise. Numerous times, the Israelites abandoned God and worshipped other gods and were referred to as adulterers. I wonder if it isn’t similar that, when we place our adoration, love, devotion and commitment on someone else (remarry), rather than the one we originally married, we commit adultery. But we find nowhere in the Bible that indicates the Israelites' rebellion has in anyway broken the covenant or their spiritual bond with God. In the same way, a marriage covenant is an everlasting covenant for the couple who God put together. That one of them decided to end or shift their attention away from the relationship doesn’t make it invalid. Our human law says it’s finished, but in God’s law and design, it doesn’t end until one of them dies.

Divorce & Remarriage - God's Design? (part 2)

2008-04-24T21:05:00.003+10:00

Divorce
On the subject of divorce, most people would have heard of Malachi 2:14-16 where God says He hates divorce. In this passage, He also asked his people not to break faith with their spouse because He made them one in flesh and spirit. In 1 Corinthians 7:27, 7:10, married couples are instructed not to separate from each other, it asks that those who are married not to get a divorce. Matthew 19:6 shows that divorce is against God’s will. Jesus said clearly in Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 that adultery is the only acceptable ground for divorce. So not getting along, incompatibility or other problems shouldn’t be valid reasons for a divorce.

Many think abuse is a valid reason for divorce. I personally know someone who was in such a situation and was encouraged and supported to go through the divorce process by her church friends. This seems to be a difficult situation, and many Christian counselors would have said that under that situation, it’s ok. I found this issue difficult before, but as I looked into the scriptures, I saw many were persecuted. Ok, you could argue that they’re persecuted for their belief and not applicable in this case. But what about the slaves? Some of them suffered mistreatment from their masters. But they were asked to submit to their masters whether they are good or harsh (1 Peter 2:18). 1 Corinthians 7:28 warns us that those who marry will face many troubles in this life. Jesus also said that there will be troubles and persecution in our lives, but He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He also says we’re to rely on His strength and wisdom and not ours. In James 1:2-4, it says that we will face troubles of many kinds, but to treat those as opportunities for growth and tests that mould our character.

It’s mind boggling to learn that the divorce rate among Christians is higher than non-Christians. According to statistics, in the US, divorce rate within the church is 60% versus 50% among non-Christians. In Australia, 1 in 3 first marriages end in divorce and 1 in 2 second marriages end in divorce. If the only allowance in the Bible for divorce is marital unfaithfulness, and if the high level of divorce we see in our churches today is a result of that, we are in serious trouble. If the high divorce rate isn’t because of that, is it then because of our ignorance, disobedience to God’s commands or something else? Either way, as Christians, we have reasons to be greatly concerned. If we’re no different and in this case worst than the world that we’re trying to witness, you’ve got to ask why even bother to be a Christian, since our witness is powerless and only serve to turn people away from Christ.

Marriage isn’t unlike adopting children into our family. But when things don’t work out as well as we hoped, do we abandon our adopted kids? Divorce is like abandoning our family because we don’t get along with our brothers and sisters or have difficulties with our parents. Marriage relationships are often said to be a mirror of God’s relationship with the church. Is the church today then being pure and holy and acceptable to her bridegroom?

No intelligence allowed!

2008-04-23T14:08:00.003+10:00

A new documentary is coming out questioning the dogmatism of Evolution in academia. Scientists and researchers who believe in Creation or Intelligent Design are being ostracised or ridiculed. Some were refused having their papers or works published, or even denied tenure.

'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' by Ben Stein questions not whether Evolution is correct on the question of Origins, but how Evolutionists obstruct free inquiry in this area, not allowing people to follow the evidence wherever it may lead.

It is encouraging to see this type of documentary coming out. At least the wider public will be made aware of how Evolution is believed to have unquestionable authority.

Be sure to see it, and start healthy conversations with your friends!

The Church of Oprah

2008-04-23T14:05:00.002+10:00

Millions of people around the world religiously tune in to her show everyday. If she recommends a book in her book club, it becomes an instant best-seller. And if she features a product on her show it becomes everybody's favourite. There is no doubt that Oprah has the power to influence. But what kind of influence is it?

On the surface, it seems quite harmless. She advocates love, acceptance, tolerance and second chances. She is all for the poor and the less fortunate of the world. She's keen to help people put their lives back together, and to be the best they can be. Sounds like a Christian message of love, hope and redemption, right? Well, not really. Her very palatable message is fooling people, posing as a substitute for true redemption, found only in Jesus Christ.

Oprah's gosel is a feelgood message about what humans can achieve on their own, through empowerment and realization of their own abilities. It is basically the New Age message of a divine self, or the god within. According to this view, human potential is unlimited! We really can create a utopia for ourselves, living together in peace and harmony. Why? There's no such thing as sin! No need for repentance, no need for Jesus.

It's no wonder her show is so popular. It feeds our pride and confidence in ourselves, ignoring our true need to rely on God. And it fits right into the popular views of our culture, which says that tolerance is the highest of virtue, and the only truth is that there are many truths (relativism).

So what should we do as Christians? Don't buy into it! Be alert and aware. Pray for discernment. Understand the times we live in, and equip our minds. Engage people in conversation, guiding them gently to the truth. Stand strong in the true message of Christianity, which is that salvation comes in the name of Jesus only!

Divorce & Remarriage - God's Design? (part 1)

2008-04-22T22:58:00.005+10:00

This subject has been on my mind a lot lately. We are all surrounded by people who are in either of the situations or affected by it. And it doesn’t seem to be slowing at all. If any, it’s on the rise. What’s scary is that the church isn’t immune from society’s ills. We too, the bride of Christ, are taking the stand of our world rather than God’s it seems at times.

As I ponder upon the reasons for the state of our churches today, the very fact of Christians getting divorced is very evident. Even Easterfest this year has an extra ticket type, which is for single parent family. I’ve witnessed Christians divorced and remarried and wondered how that impacts their walk with Christ. But recently, my thoughts have been on the role of the church on this issue.

It’s not hard to see many churches today, while not encouraging divorce, are accepting it and not discouraging remarriages that follow. I seriously thought about this a few years back when this subject was brought up in the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship, an intensive bible study group) class that I was attending. They uphold the teaching from the Bible and believed divorce is wrong and remarriage isn’t acceptable. There were group members at the time presenting a counter viewpoint supporting remarriage. I searched through the scriptures and came to the conclusion that indeed divorce and remarriage are not in God’s design and should be avoided.

Marriage
In Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:9 and Romans 7:2, it clearly tells us that God created marriage, that marriage is a life long union/commitment and that what God puts together no man or woman is to separate or break that bond. In other words, when a man and woman come together in marriage, they promise to be together for a lifetime. It is a contract that they agree before God and friends and family. The contract doesn’t have conditional clauses saying if you feel like you can’t handle the job anymore, or you realized that you aren’t the right person for the job, or you’re fed up by it that you can terminate this contract anytime. In fact, there’s a conditional clause saying if one of the parties chose to dishonour the agreement by abandoning it, s/he will be denied of further privileges to be involved in a contract of the same nature.

Keys to Fulfilling Relationships

2008-04-11T16:27:00.004+10:00

We were made to have relationship with God and with one another. Before the fall, we didn't have any relationship problems, either with God or with each other. How things have changed since then!

It doesn't take much to see the effect of the Fall on human relationships. We have all experienced the hurt, the brokenness and the frustration. Thankfully, God didn't just leave us to struggle without help. He has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit to guide us into fulfilling relationships while we are living in this fallen existence.

So what are the keys to those fulfilling relationships? Come to our next event for some insightful answers, drawn from a biblical perspective! The talk will mainly focus on the relationship between a man and a woman, the first human relationship God created. However, the principles will be useful and applicable to other relationships as well.

What: Ignite relationship talk, "Keys to Fulfilling Relationships"
When: Sunday 20/4 after the service
Where: The church house
How: Lunch and talk, fellowship and discussion
Cost: $7 for lunch (including drinks and dessert)

Mark your calendar, and we hope to see you there!

Matt Maher's Free MP3

2008-04-11T14:13:00.005+10:00

For this week only, you can listen to the whole album of Matt Maher's new CD "Empty and Beautiful" free on Worship Together's new song jukebox at www.worshiptogether.com/
multimedia/index.aspx.

The Sound of Music

2008-03-25T21:15:00.003+10:00

Someone asked about Easterfest last night, and we got talking about the sound level of music. Christian music in live performances is no different to any other concerts. They are loud and sometimes makes me wonder if my ears got damaged. I remembered going to a Rebecca St James concert and the opening gig performed from another band was so loud that it literally pounded my chest with every beat. It made me feel sick.

I also remembered the much loved band Petra at AGMF 3 years ago. It was so loud that you couldn't hear the words, but only high pitch sounds screeching in your ears. It was obviously unbearable for some who left after a while. I just had to fend off the sound with my hands on my ears.

One thing I don't understand is why music has to be loud to be enjoyable. It doesn't make sense at all. Music when too loud becomes just noise. It becomes irritable rather than enjoyable. The thing that got me is, it's not even necessary to have it loud. For what? Don't think I've got a satisfactory answer from anyone yet other than the difference in generational preference. It's not like we can't hear it. But what really got me is churches are following the lead of the youth culture and our music in churches is getting louder and louder. It's not like God can't hear us, so what is the reason behind the need for high volume? I heard of churches handing out ear plugs for those who desire, doesn't that sound terrible?

And if we're talking about worshipping God that requires focus and a quiet heart, isn't loud music distractive and counter productive? It's a concern to me not purely because of the sound level, but the indication of churches following world's practices without thinking it through. Rather than being an influence to the world, the church today like the Truth project says, is conforming to the world. What hope have we then to be salt and light of the world if we're losing our saltiness?

Easterfest Weekend

2008-03-25T09:27:00.003+10:00

It was a great weekend in Toowoomba. The weather was nice, hardly a drop of rain. Although it was a bit cold at night. But with the presence of the world famous bands, nobody seemed to care too much.

Among the many musicians and bands there, the most prominent would have to be those at the Main Stage. The Lads from New Zealand definitely has a big following and after a 3-year absence at the festival, people just don't want to let them go. But none beat the Newsboys. The venue was jam packed. It was quite an experience being in the midst. People loved the music, but more so find a connection with them when they presented a short history of the band. Some of us don't know that Newsboys is actually a Queensland band and started up from Toowoomba. It was a great night.

Another biggie was Jars of Clay who sounded like they haven't been to Australia before, at least Easterfest. Their music was different but equally good. And the mix and sounds were excellent. There were couple songs that really spoke to the heart. The fans were elated when they stayed not only for a song at the encore, but in their graciousness sang a few more songs because as they said, they rarely came over.

Of course, there were those who are the Easterfest favourites, and who didn't want to see the Lads, Alabaster Box and Compliments of Gus? Compassion was bigger than ever this year, and there were over 300 kids got sponsored compared to the 70 last year!

What was really awesome was the combined church service Sunday evening with a whole orchestra and ended with a closing song of How Great Thou Art. There were thousands of people there all singing together. Could you imagine how it's like? It gave us a taste of how heaven will be like with the saints and the heavenly hosts all praising God! I wonder how far it reached and if people at their homes would feel the awe of God through that.

The organiser had done a great job this year. There were a variety of activities including an Iona Passion Play, political forums, womens and guys only forums, focus on the family, free rides, yummy food and all that we didn't get a chance to see it all!

Legalising Drugs

2008-03-19T22:46:00.003+10:00

A few days ago on the news, a minister was calling for the legalisation of drugs so that few will die of overdose and there could be more control. It was a Wayside Chapel minister and I gathered from the name that it must be a place helping drug addicts or people off the rail. So I had a search and confirmed my hunch about Wayside Chapel.

They are famous for running the first injection/needle exchange centre in Kings Cross, Sydney a few years ago when it wasn't legal to do so. There is no doubt they've done a lot for the down and out in society and those who are struggling with addiction of any kind. Very well you say on compassionate ground. But no amount of legalising can make the problem go away. What is harmful is still harmful, what is wrong is still wrong. By making it lawful doesn't mean that it won't hurt. On the contrary, it gives the opposite signal because it's legal and easily accessible. Just look around the world and we'll see no amount of legalising brothels, drugs, or same sex marriage actually improve the situation.

The laws are there for a reason. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And that the law is to help us become conscious of sin, and God's grace. (Romans 3:20b, 7:7, 21) Accepting and loving a person is different from accepting and allowing the person to continue to do what is not right and harmful (Romans 6:12-13).

In their recent newsletter, the Pastor said

“I'm sick of having my heart broken when I learn that some young person has made a brave attempt at life, made real progress in a rehab programme only to fail in the first few weeks after discharge. At least half of the people who have taken this brave journey, fail in the first couple of weeks. Imagine if we could cut that failure rate in half? I reckon we could do it. We have the passion and the skill and one day, we'll have the resources to do it.”

This is all the more evidence that we're battled against the spiritual forces rather than the physical of this world. We could try whatever human methods and would succeed to a certain extent. But it won't last. Because no matter how hard we try, it only addresses the superficial level that relies on self, rather than the transforming power of God that cleanses and reaches to the core of our being (Romans 7:22-25).

Young but not weak

2008-03-01T22:41:00.004+10:00

How great it was to catch up with Beka and listen to her real life experiences in Central Asia in our small group this week. We were all curious about the place, but more particularly the life of a believer in such a hostile environment. We were particularly interested in the role of women in that society and how a female believer survived under the watchful eyes of men.

But what made the most impact on us is the strength of Beka's faith, her undying devotion and trust in God, her obedience to God's calling and her sacrificial service to God. When one has such focus on God, our actions, plans speech and thoughts become a reflection of God himself. Everything else in this world becomes irrelevant. All that matters is fulfilling God's mission for us.

It humbles, encourages and challenges me at the same time. Humbled to see the power of God at work in someone younger than I am. Encouraged to know young people with such passion and earnestness for God. Challenged to have the same level of devotion and obedience in doing whatever and wherever God called me to.

Easterfest

2008-02-25T17:44:00.005+10:00

Only 3 weeks to go!

This year's big acts include Newsboys, Jars of clay and Alabaster Box. There's also forums, combined church services, night concerts, street festival and more during the weekend. Check out the Easterfest website for more details.

Where: Queens Park, Toowoomba
When: Friday 21/3 - Sunday 23/3
Cost: 3-day pass with camping $120, 3-day pass only $90, 1-day pass $45

There's a 10% discount for groups of 10 or more. This only applies to 3-day pass though. If you're going for 3 days and don't mind a bit of discount, let us know and we can get tickets together as a group.

If you're going for 3 days and not camping but need accommodation, let us know too. But you've to be quick, 'cause we're making bookings end of this week and you need to tell us by this Friday for us to include you.

Great Night Together

2008-02-23T07:57:00.008+10:00

It was a pleasant evening outside on Wednesday night. There were people from all the small groups and we all had a great time of fellowship and meeting new people.

There were some uninvited guests - the mosquitoes, but it didn't spoil our night with plenty of laughter and opportunities to get to know one another.

It's such times as this that gives us the joy and a taste of what it means to be brothers and sisters in Christ.

Scientology

2008-02-17T23:50:00.004+10:00

People in my small group were interested in knowing more about Scientology after seeing it on the media a bit lately. I was doing a bit of research on it, and while it's still fresh in my head, I decided that I should share it with others at work. So I went around and told people that I'm a pre-clear and I need to get rid of my engrams so I can be clear and become an OT. People just looked at me frowning, looking bewildered and asked me what I was talking about. It was actually pretty funny.

After learning more about Scientology (you can view the BBC video at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm) and heard what the founder Rob Hubbard said, it really was unbelievable how anyone could have believed such crazy things. It sounds like something you see in movies like Matrix, where people use a machine to detect and erase images/pictures (engrams) that part of your mind (the reactive mind) scanned in so you become clear of bad and undesirable things. And allow the spirit (thetan) to reach the state (operating thetan) where you can control the physical universe (matter, energy, space and time) and separate from your body.

I guess all these shouldn't come as a surprise if you know that Hubbard was originally a popular science fiction writer. He was quoted as once saying,”Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wanted to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” The following year, he published “Dianetics: A Modern Science of Mental Health” that became the basis for Scientology's beliefs and practice.

Scientology came about as Hubbard discovered the common denominator of man is survival and the discovery that man's primary purpose is to survive. Therefore, the scientific method of helping people to increase their IQ (which he talks about a lot in his video interview) and more able to fix their own problems thus leading happier lives. He also claimed the discovery of man being spirit that established Scientology as a religion. Unfortunately, Scientology as Hubbard put it, is for the capable and not for failures.

I wonder why so many people were attracted to Scientology, and came to the conclusion that it fits into man's fallen nature of self focus and self help with the promise of immortality.
• It places 'man' as the object of focus.
• It elevates man as having unlimited potential and abilities.
• It gives you confidence and makes you feel good to be recognised as intelligent.
• It doesn't condemn sins. They are simply undesirable behaviours and emotions.
• People aren't responsible for their actions. They are but results of the reactive mind that caused them to go insane.
• Salvation is effortless. It doesn't require sacrificing of oneself, but only through auditing therapy to become a better person.

All these are so completely opposite to Christianity, and so not make sense that you can't help but question the intelligence of those who believe. Oops I'm risking being an SP (suspicious person)! ;-)

Ignite board

2008-02-15T18:38:00.002+10:00

The Ignite notice board beside the church kitchen disappeared last Sunday morning, after a few years' residency there. After some asking around on Monday, it was revealed that someone saw it in the food bin Sunday night and thought it strange. Unfortunately by then, it was too late for it to be rescued as it was already emptied out that morning. Not sure who or for what reasons the notice board was trashed. We'd very much like to find out, so if you saw or heard anything about it, please let us know.

Young Adult Small Groups Get-together

2008-02-12T14:09:00.000+10:00

Things are starting to get busy again and it's only February! Home groups, courses and other church programs are all re-starting. Let's get together for a time of food, fun and fellowship to kick off the year refreshed and encouraged.

Young adults small groups get-together
Where: 1 Lacerta Ave, Robina
When: Wednesday 20/2, 6:30pm
What: Pizza and fun time together (please come prepared to contribute to pizza cost)

Not yet in a small group? Come along anyway, so you can meet us all and join a group!

Let's brainstorm!

2008-01-15T15:11:00.000+10:00

The Ignite ministry is having a meeting to plan for the year 2008. We need fresh ideas for activities, events, talks and any other suggestions to make this a year of fellowship, fun and spiritual growth.

So if you want to be involved with the planning, please come along this Sunday (20/01/08). We are meeting after the service (11:30am) in the church house.

See you there! Looking forward to the fellowship and serving together in 2008.

Daily devotionals

2008-01-10T07:28:00.000+10:00

At the start of a new year, you may be looking for resources for daily devotions. Apart from the popular ones that you can get from Christian bookstores, you may also want to check out some online resources below. Some of these are online versions of what's already in print.

Crosswalk has quite a good selection of devotionals that you can choose based on author, type and area. It includes classics like Streams in the Desert and Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening as well as devotions suitable for couples and women.

These are some good ones not on the Crosswalk list.
Daily Bread by Scripture Union
Our Daily Bread by RBC Ministries
Upper Room by Upper Room Ministries
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chamber

If you haven't yet read through the whole bible, you can follow this guide to read the bible in a year in the approach that you prefer: chronological, historical, old and new testament together, beginning to end or blended.

The Global Warming Madness

2008-01-08T12:39:00.000+10:00

It seems there is no issue hotter than global warming at the moment. No matter where we turn, the message is loud and clear: we have made a mess of this planet and we are doomed, unless we do something about it! So these days, it's all about reducing carbon emissions and energy-saving. It is true that we should look after the earth, since it is our home. Besides, it is God's (since He made it) and we should be good stewards of it!

But how are we supposed to do that effectively? Is it enough to use energy-saving light bulbs and appliances, plant more trees, drive a Toyota Prius and plug into green energy?

Well, it's not, according to some 'people in the know'. What they suggest is that you should reduce the amount of children you plan to have to just one! Or have none at all, since children are evil carbon emitters. If you choose to have lots of kids anyway, you should pay a tax per child, to cover the cost of offsetting their carbon emissions. Better yet, maybe we should kill off a large chunk of the world's human population, so the planet can once again return to a healthy, green state.

These are no jokes! They are some people's serious suggestions, of how we can save this planet from its biggest threat... us! According to this twisted worldview, it would be just fine if we all died out, leaving the animals to enjoy this planet without us.

Read more about this madness in these two great articles:

Human-Hating Humanitarians
The Global Warming Suicide Cult

Pilot Radio Show

2008-01-07T18:17:00.000+10:00

Worship Together has launched a new radio show online. This week's show features the No.1 song on the chart from a new band as well as other popular songs.

What's more interesting is to learn about the stories and songs that started the era of Modern Christian worship.

Year End BBQ

2007-12-17T21:28:00.000+10:00

A BBQ with yummy food, great company and a relaxing environment, that's how we celebrated the end of the year.

It was a nice day, and people enjoyed catching up with one another or making new friends. Over dessert, we watched a presentation and had a bit of a discussion about the Jewish nation and traditions and how they relate to Christianity today. A good time for all, enjoying the opportunity to learn, it seems.

As the year is truly drawing to a close and Christmas only a week away, remembering what it's all about among the frenziness of parties and shopping.

The Extraordinary

2007-12-15T07:43:00.000+10:00

It was a beautiful morning. Most people were still asleep. I was sitting outside, looking at the blue sky, the green trees and birds dancing around. In the quietness of the surroundings, I closed my eyes hearing the birds sing, quiet my heart and praised God for His great and wonderful works.

I remembered in high school once, our small group went to the University nearby. It was a beautiful and calm day. The grass was so thick and green and hardly anyone around. I don't remember who suggested this, but we were all lying on the soft grass, looking up to the blue sky and started singing 'How Great Thou Art'. As we were singing and focusing on Him, the sky seems like a big screen moving before me. Its vastness and God's majesty overtook me. It truly makes me appreciate the greatness and power of God.

How often in our busy life today do we get a chance to quiet down and appreciate the God that we love? A message that I heard 3 months ago still stick in my mind. The Pastor was speaking on Sabbath, the importance and reasons for it. We all know that God rested from his work and we were asked to do the same. But more than that, the Pastor explained, it is so that we can get connected back to God.

Lets face it, who wouldn't agree that we are surrounded by the world's ideas and views during most of our week? They are like loudspeakers at shops or advertising plastering everywhere, all competing for the attention to convince you. After some battling with the world, it really is a good idea to rest, reflect and prepare for the next round. If we can't get back to the base, where do we get the ammunition or instructions to deal with more?

The Pastor puts it well, people are bored, looking for things that are different and extraordinary because they lost touch with God and can only see the things around them. But when we are connected with God, the source of our being, we see, hear, think, speak and act with a purpose. We can find the extraordinary out of the ordinary.

The Golden Compass

2007-12-10T13:44:00.000+10:00

You would have seen either the preview or TV ads promoting this movie, which is opening on Boxing Day. On the surface it looks very similar to movies like Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. But The Golden Compass could be quite dangerous, especially since it's being blatantly marketed at impressionable young children.

The movie is based on the first book (The Golden Compass) from the His Dark Materials trilogy, written for children by outspoken atheist Philip Pullman. The books are strongly against Christianity and especially the God of the Bible. At the end of the trilogy, the main character and her companions kill God (the tyrant) and decide for themselves how to live.

There are some good Christian reviews/articles about this movie and the trilogy. Listed here are just some that you may find helpful.

'Golden Compass' movie opening to controversy
FIRST-PERSON: The sweet deception of 'Compass'
The Golden Compass -- A Briefing for Concerned Christians

Third Day/Foundry

2007-12-08T18:58:00.000+10:00

Some songs including those from Third Day's first Christmas album now playing at Worship Together:

Born In Bethlehem - Third Day
Lord You Are Good - The Foundry
O Come All Ye Faithful - Third Day
Contagious - The Foundry
Jesus Light Of The World- Third Day
Pour Out Your Spirit - The Foundry
Holy Spirit - The Foundry

You can also download Born in Bethlehem's mp3 for free on their site.

Hilter & the Holocaust

2007-12-06T07:20:00.000+10:00

I've been doing a bit of reading on Hilter and the Holocaust after a recent visit to Terezin, a ghetto and concentration camp in Czekoslovakia. The more I read about Hilter and the Nazis, the more I couldn't get over not only the cruelty, but the extent of their destruction and disregard for human lives. But at the same time, it doesn't cease to amaze me how one man could have such impact in the world. All because of his ideology, passion, focus and determination to fulfill his mission. In the same way, I wonder how much God can use and do through us to impact the lives of many if we have the same passion and determination that Hilter exhibits. Of course, in this case to fulfill God's plan.

In one of the documentaries that I watched, a German civilian asked a SS officer how he could do that (meaning killing the Jews). His reply was "We are Fuhrer's faithful servant. For Fuhrer, we will do even more terrible things". Put it in the Christian context, can we say we are God's faithful servant and do things that we find difficult because God asks us to and because of our love for Him?

New Song Jukebox

2007-12-03T22:25:00.000+10:00

The latest streaming worship music at http://www.worshiptogether.com/multimedia/index.aspx

Oh The Glory Of It All - David Crowder band
O For A Thousand Tongues - David Crowder band
Now Is The Time - Delirious
O Praise Him - David Crowder band
For Your Glory - Matt Maher

Ignite Year Break BBQ

2007-11-17T22:13:00.000+10:00

The year's gone so fast - Christmas is only weeks away! Ignite will meet for the last time this year for a BBQ on Sunday, November 25th. Don't miss this chance to hang out before the break!

The recent visit from Rabbi Greg has stirred up interest in our Jewish connection, and prompted lots of questions about how Christians should understand and relate to Israel. When we meet we'll have a chance to discuss these things together, and watch a slideshow of photographs showing Jewish persecutation under Hitler's Nazi regime. It promises to be a thought-provoking discussion!

We'd love to see you there before we break for Christmas! Here's the details:

What: BBQ Lunch
When: Sunday 25th Nov, 12pm
Where: The church house (Gold Coast Christian Family)
Cost: $7 (including lunch and drinks)

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus!

2007-10-02T13:23:00.000+10:00

We've heard that phrase many times before! And we've all experienced it ourselves. It's official: men and women are different. And that's because God made us so! Because of sin and the effects of the Fall, instead of our differences always being complimentary, they can become a source of tension and frustration! Sometimes it seems like we're speaking a different language, as though we're both from totally different planets!

But God has given us His Word to show us how to live together in harmony, despite our differences. Next time we get together, someone from the Carearm ministry will be sharing with us some biblical principles and insights for relationships, whether friendship, courting or marriage. So come along! Here are the details:

What: Talk on Relationships
When: Sunday 28th Oct, 12pm
Where: The church house (Gold Coast Christian Family)
Cost: $7 (including lunch and drinks)

Recharge Camp

2007-09-03T14:32:00.000+10:00

Hasn't this year gone fast?! Already, it's September. Winter has gone and spring has come.

The Recharge Youth & Young Adult Convention has crept up on us quickly! For those who haven't heard, it's on between 21-23 September at Mount Tamborine Convention Centre.

Make sure you check out their website for info on the programme, speakers, and how you can register. There will be a group of people from our church going up, either for a day or camping for the whole weekend. So give us a yell if you are interested in going.

Personally speaking, the Recharge Camp last year was great. It's fun to hang out with other Christians. A great place to meet and make new friends. A wonderful opportunity to learn and converse with others who love God!

So mark your calendar and get yourself ready for some serious fun!

Quick info:

When: 21-23 September 2007
Where: Mount Tamborine Convention Centre
Cost: Camping packages start from $40. Accommodation and meals packages from $97
Website: www.recharge.org.au

Self help church

2007-09-01T12:38:00.000+10:00

Self help is big business. Everywhere you look, there's people, books, seminars, websites or dvds teaching you how to achieve your financial success, reach your potential, be happy, win friends and influence people, and the list goes on. The movies, songs and media also reinforce that idea of self fulfillment. We're persuaded to think that we are invincible, that we can achieve anything and dreams that we put our minds to. Like this song from the Disney movie Prince of Egypt,

"...There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe"

And so we believe in our abilities, our intelligence, our will and our own infallibility. This mindset encouraged by the world we're surrounded by each day is slowly creeping into our churches today. Going to church is like going to Bunnings or watching a DIY program to find the missing pieces and the tips for the project of 'me'. It's as if the church has become a centre for self help. 7 ways to handle conflict, 3 steps to spiritual contentment, 5 methods to unlock your potential... If you have a problem, the church has the solution. And often it's practical and doesn't conflict with our lifestyle, only improves it.

Ok, an example. In the book excerpt of Bobbie Houston's I'll have what she's having, it uses Diana and Mother Theresa as examples to encourage us that "We too can take whatever is in our hand, and believe for it to bring healing to others". Very well. Except that it's God who heals, not us. How about "Imagine a friend in need, and your immediate response being, "I HAVE THE ANSWER!" How awesome would that be?" It would be awesome to be so resourceful, but would also kill our need for God and make us God to others, if you know what I mean.

Churches are turning into inspirational self help gatherings. We go there for motivational speeches to heighten our emotions and lift our spirit. We judge it by whether we come away feeling good and positive and having our needs met. Rarely are we confronted and challenged with the bad, ugly and reality. A lot to tackle the problems we have, but not the problems in us.

To me, they seem awfully similar to the 'Secret' for positive thinking and the law of attraction. Ophrah says, "You can really change your reality based on what you think." You can see how she blends God and self help together in her interview with Larry King.

Another example is successful programs, courses and methods that spread like fire and are being used by other churches who are seeking the same success. Churches can easily slip into self sufficiency and human reliance, creating our own reality rather than submitting to God's plan. That's the difference between self and God reliant.

I feel that in our modern churches today, the fear of God's disappearing, the hunger for His word's diminishing and the desire for holiness got pushed aside. Churches no longer hold the attraction or the power in our world today not because it doesn't have anything to offer, but that the same offerings can easily be found somewhere else.

God's blessings

2007-08-25T22:21:00.000+10:00

A friend was wondering this week if a random telemarketing offer of a bargain travel deal is God's blessing for tithing faithfully. In the face of consumerism and increased exposure to prosperity, I'm wary of any Christians making such an assertion. Not that I don't believe God could bless us in such a way, but it seems too hasty to draw that conclusion out of such circumstance.

We can easily fall into a trap of thinking that it's God blessing us every time say, for example, when I see something I want go on sale in the store. Or something that I think is good happens. The danger of this is that we are making God our excuse for granting ourselves desires of our heart. What we think is good doesn't necessary mean that God thinks that it's good too. In Luke 6:20-26, Jesus told his disciples who are to be blessed and who will be in trouble. This clearly doesn't only include good things.

It's true that the scripture also says all good things come from God. But good in a way that causes us to ripe spiritual benefits and that include bad things in our eyes. Or else why would James asks us to count it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds? Because as he explains, it will build our character so that we may be mature spiritually.

So if something, however good it may look to us, if it doesn't deepen our relationship with Christ, I'm more inclined to think that it's from us and not God.

An old hymn "Count your blessings" sums it up well.

When you look at others
With their lands and gold
Think that Christ has promised
You His wealth untold
Count your many blessings
Money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven
Nor your home on high

Blood Diamond

2007-08-16T23:44:00.000+10:00

The Ladies Beyond Diamond conference reminds me of a diamond of another sort and a conference of another kind.

Blood Diamond
Set in Africa and against the backdrop of Sierra Leone's civil war, Blood Diamond is a movie that shows us the workings of the jewelry industry and the human exploitation and bloodshed that's involved and so intricately linked to satisfying the demands in life. Whether it's basic survival (killing for diamonds, exchanging diamonds for money), power (trading diamonds for arms), accomplishing one's ideal (funding civil war with diamonds) or greed (smuggling diamonds, bringing illegal diamonds for higher profits).

Not only the imagery of child soldiers, but what the main character Danny said when he was confronted by his conscience lingered in my head for a while. He was reflecting upon his past and wondered sometimes "if God would forgive what we [Africans white or black] did to each other. And then I realised that God has left this place long time ago." I couldn't help but wonder if God could leave a place full of his creation behind. The country as portrayed in the movie clearly has no fear of God. And it's not hard to find such a place in our world today.

Has God abandoned them? I think not, but He won't and can't interfere when He isn't allowed to. Because they refused even to think about God (Rm 1:28), so God let these people go their own way (Rm 1:24), let them follow their own evil desires (Rm 1:26) and let their useless minds rule over them (Rm 1:28).

Child Soldiers
It's not hard to see how evil manifests itself in kidnapping and turning children into ruthless killers. It's not just in the movie, but in real life, there are up to 200,000 child soldiers in Africa alone.

It's hard to imagine how once happy, innocent and hopeful boys could turn into cruel people disregarding human life and gaining respect by killing. The scriptures came to mind about the influence that the people we surround ourselves with have on us. It says The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray (Prob 12:26) and He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Prob 13:20).

This also reminds me of the movie Ripley's Game where in one scene, Ripley said to the "innocent" man he forced into killing that the good thing about doing terrible thing is: you don't remember it after you've done it. It speaks of the state of our evilness as in Romans, the more we entertain it, the easier it gets. And so it's the same in our daily life that the more we focus and surround ourselves with things and thoughts of the world, the easier it gets to be one of them.

Women's Conference
I've been to quite a few women's gatherings, but one that I attended 8 years ago stood out in my mind. In this weekend retreat, all women are divided into groups that they learn and share and look out for one another for the weekend. The talks are by different speakers and topics mirror the stages of our Christian growth followed by a discussion. There are also other activities where all women can have fun together.

I distinctively remember the volume of gifts we received throughout the weekend. We were all showered with gifts constantly and most evidently at the dinning table. But the difference is these gifts all contain messages that reminds us of God. I also remember very well one activity that was very powerful in helping to draw me closer to God.

The talks, the meals, the activities and the gifts during the entire weekend were designed to build up the body of Christ and growing stronger Christian women. To me, that's the kind of gathering that's worth spending my time in. And I wish there are more of this kind of conference in churches today.

Small Groups Get-together

2007-08-13T16:38:00.000+10:00

Small Groups are not just lists of names, and the times and places we meet. They're about real relationships and real people who have much to offer. People like you (as leaders and participants), who are part of the Body of Christ.

This Small Group Get-together is a great opportunity for groups to get to know people in other groups, within our church family. This is a great time to meet new friends, and catch up with old ones. So let's come together and encourage each other in love, sharing a little of ourselves and our lives with brothers and sisters in Christ. Let's have a great time out in God's beautiful Creation, sharing a meal and enjoying each other's company.

Bring yourself, your group and your friends! You don't have to belong to a small group to come along. Everyone's welcome, and maybe you'll find a group to fit in to!

What: A BBQ
Date: Sunday, August 19
Time: 12:00PM
Place: Shuster Park, Heather St, Tallebudgera (click here for directions)
Food: Please talk to your small group.

Insider story of Hillsong

2007-08-11T12:41:00.000+10:00

There's a bit of publicity surrounding the launch of Tanya Levin's People in Glass Houses, an insider story of a former Hillsong goer.

The book is a recount of Tanya's spiritual journey and her experience at Hillsong. Before the book release, Andrew Denton interviewed her on Enough Rope about her experience and her book. And the Sydney Morning Herald has written a review on the book.

Hillsong is the biggest church in Australia and the most influential among the Christian community with its music widely used by churches. Its popularity of course has attracted some attention over the years. The main criticisms are mostly about Hillsong and their counterparts' view on money and wealth that has obviously prompted BRW's article God's millionaires in 2005.

Prosperity doctrine is foundational to the growth of the Pentecostal movement now gaining momentum as our society is getting richer. My first taste of this was during my visit at Hillsong about 9 years ago. Brian Houston was speaking that day and what left me with a lasting impression was his illustration using a front row audience's $10 note. Lifting the $10 note, he presented the message of tithing by emphasizing on the giving of $1(10%) to God and the rest of $9 being ours. And God will multiply that and bless us with more. I remember thinking that that $9 isn't mine, it's all God's and it's not to be used for my pleasure but for God's purposes.

Jesus came so that everyone would have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). But that abundance or fullness is in knowing Christ and not in material possessions. In other words, being rich spiritually. Being successful is living a life that is in line and fulfills God's plan in our lives. It doesn't necessary equate to a good life.

The disciples in the early church go from place to place preaching the word of God, enduring persecution and relying on others to support them. They were poor materially but rich in spirit. Their focus was on fulfilling the mission that God has given them and not on the reward that they may receive. As in Psalm 56:16-17, God delights more in a broken spirit and a contrite heart than material sacrifice that we can offer.

I wonder why Jesus wasn't wealthy. Was he not giving enough that the Father should reward him financially? Or did he simply placing his priority in fulfilling God's mission in his life?

Prosperity doctrine appeals to our fallen human nature and our desire for a good and comfortable life. But it's at odds with the examples we see in the Bible (see my earlier post riches in God's eyes). What's of concern is many churches in other denominations today are modelling their church on the success of Hillsong without careful consideration of its validity from God's perspective or realising the danger or implications it may have.

David Collis' Kingdom Coffee: (mega)church means business provides some good insight in this issue and Jim Reiher’s The eye of the needle is said to be a must for those who wants to think through the teachings of prosperity. There's also The lord's profits and Hillsong's own website for those who have further interest.

What about welcoming?

2007-08-06T08:01:00.000+10:00

What does it take to welcome someone? I've been hearing about people from our church not feeling belonged or included.

To be able to show interest to unfamiliar faces requires maturity and effort. It's never hard to stay in your own crowd, but church isn't for social purposes. And if we're all brothers and sisters in Christ, wouldn't we want to know one another? And if the church is a body, doesn't it make sense that the better we know our fellow hands and feet and eyes and ears... the smoother and effective our body will function?

I remember the sermon by Pastor Bill a few months ago on unity using the story of Cain and Abel and Cain's question of his role as his brother's keeper. What struck a chord with me from that is the message to extend our welcome and friendship to one another, whether they are strangers or people who we seemingly have nothing in common. We aren't expected to know everyone in one day, but as part of the family, shouldn't we be as Pastor Bill puts it, to show interest and care in one another?

The welcoming team does a great job in making people feel welcome especially for new people. But that's not enough. That mindset needs to permeate into everyone who claims to be in the family of God. That's what the scripture talks about being in one mind. For me, I've long made it my personal policy to meet new people and catch up with those I don't get to talk to for some time. My small group knows about this and everyone is encouraged to do the same.

Yes, it's not easy because it takes us out of our comfort zone. And requires a focus that's on the 'other' and not 'us'. With my moving around a bit in my earlier years, I've been to many churches. You may have felt the same as I did when you step into a new church knowing no one and feeling a bit awkward or strange and not surprisingly opted to be the first one to leave after the service. But the experience of people coming up to befriend me has blessed my heart and forever changed my way of treating others. It makes me want to do the same to others.

Are you interested in those who you don't know well or have seemingly nothing in common? (btw, isn't having the same heavenly Father the most awesome common ground we share?) Have you been looking around for those who're standing on their own and make an effort to talk to them or are you too absorbed in your own circle? If you're serious about God's kingdom, won't you be your brother's and sister's keeper and lavish them with your interest, attention and care?

Affluenza is spreading fast!

2007-07-05T12:04:00.000+10:00

This World Vision video clip is a great parody on our materialistic culture. Coming from Thailand, where extreme poverty is a reality, I know how hard life can really be. Now that I'm living in Australia, it's easy to forget how hard life is for most of the world's population. This is a country of plenty, and most of us are very comfortable - our struggles here really don't compare!

Watch the clip. It speaks louder than words.

God's way of managing money

2007-06-26T22:04:00.000+10:00

People must been hungry or was it the allure of Thai food that brought everyone at the door right on the dot on Sunday? It was an unusual sight to see people waiting at the door of an Ignite event. The food was a little late, but the great taste more than made up for it.

It was a great time of fellowship over lunch too and we had to squeeze to fit everyone in. Then someone suggested introducing ourselves before getting into the talk. And so we did with some interesting detour.

Our speaker Denis worked in one of the big banks for 15 years and has been in the mortgage business for the last 7 years. He showed us a video from Crown ministry stating how important it is to manage our money from God's perspective.

Do you know that there are 2,350 verses in the Bible dealing with financial matters? Well, most of us didn't know that before the seminar.

We all had a chance to think about our life purpose and jot down some goals to help achieve that. Then the 5 basic principles and a sample budget sheet to help us work towards handling money God's way. And a lively discussion followed.

We all learnt something from it and hopefully all put into practice what we've learnt. This seminar is only the introduction of what is a 10-week course. If people are keen to have Denis come back for another session, let us know and we'll organise something.

Connection or prejudice?

2007-06-19T22:36:00.000+10:00

I was getting pretty frustrated at work lately because of non-responsive people. One particular project involves a big company in Europe and getting their attention at all is hopeless. The only contact that I have in this company has been non-responsive himself in helping to locate the person responsible for our case. I finally identified a new contact who could help and emailed him twice in the last 3 weeks. No response. A journalist gave me another contact in the same company that may be able to help, so I emailed him with a reference to this journalist early last week. I was hopeful for a reply. But no response. My journalist associate did mention that if email fails me, try contacting via an introduction through him on an online networking site. After 4 days, I decided to try the online networking site. My message to the contact hasn't changed. But voila, I got a reply immediately! This contact refers me to the original contact so I emailed him for the 3rd time, but this time through the network. And voila, an immediate response the next day!

It's amazing how well this channel works. But at the same time, it annoys me to the max that it should work this way. I just can't understand how the same message from the same person (me) delivered the same way (email) and for one even have the same referral (the journalist) could illicit such different reactions just because of how it came.

People say it's who you know and someone was using it as an analogy for salvation through Christ. Relating to that, I thought my case wasn't dissimiliar to Catholics who can only get through to God through their priests. I also thought unlike these contacts, Jesus doesn't treat people who approach him differently. They all have equal access to him, which is clearly not the case with my contacts.

Perhaps in business, you have to behave differently. But last week, I also emailed a VP of a big company in the UK and I got immediate response. So I concluded that it's the individual's value of others and partly the company's culture that shape the way people treat others.

I relate that to the Church and came to think that in the same way, how our church react and treat each other shows how much we value each individual. It also reflects our understanding of the scriptures and how and what the leadership of the church encourages its flock.

Jesus was interested and value each individual because everyone is made in the image of God. Whether we are at church or at work, are we treating and valuing people the way that Jesus would? Or do we relate and treat them based on the world's understanding?

Worship Wars

2007-06-14T12:10:00.000+10:00

This article on worship by Steve Camp (yes, the musician) is excellent. Here, he talks about what biblical worship is not in such a clear and uncompromising ways. We know that Truth is the foundation of worship because the bible tells us that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

But what truth, and how does it relate to worship? What about spirit? Is it what we experience emotionally when we worship?

And what about music and worship? Contemporary Christian tunes or hymns?

You can read the article here.

:: Worship Wars
. . . seven perceptions of what biblical worship is not

Spend Wise, Spend Right

2007-06-12T16:55:00.000+10:00

If someone gave you $100, how would you spend it? What's the first idea that comes to mind? If we asked around, we'd probably hear ideas like the following:

1. Go shopping for clothes, shoes, DVDs, CDs etc.
2. Spend it on petrol!
3. Buy some groceries.
4. Pay some bills.
5. Donate the money to charity.
6. Deposit it into a high-interest bank account.
7. Put it towards savings for something more expensive.
8. Go out to a restaurant, or the movies, or maybe a theme park.
9. Buy something special.
10. Put it in the church offering.

As Christians, we know that everything ultimately belongs to God, including money. So how do we use God's money wisely? Should we stop spending it on ourselves to buy clothes and CDs? Should we save it, invest it, or give it away?

Join us for our next Ignite event, Spend Wise, Spend Right. Over a yummy Thai lunch (from an authentic Thai chef!) we'll hear from some people who've studied and thought a lot about these issues. Here are the details:

Date: Sunday, June 24th
Time: 12pm
Where: GCCF church house
Cost: $8

Book your spot by Friday, June 22!

The Life of Upgrading

2007-05-31T12:17:00.000+10:00

My letterbox at home is always overflowing with catalogues. Every week it's stocked with fresh temptations, begging a new 'To Buy' or 'Must Have' list to be made.

We live in a world that encourages us to live unceasingly for our "wants." We want, but are never satisfied. That's because by the time we get whatever it is we want, something else is packaged and advertised to us as the latest desirable.

If there's one word I notice over and over on TV, it's "upgrade." Upgrade your PC! Upgrade your TV. Upgrade your wardrobe. Upgrade you sofa. Companies keep rapidly pumping out new styles, trends, designs, models and versions. What we bought last year, or even last week, is already out of date. Our 5 Megapixel digital camera seems so inadequate now that there are better ones out there. There is a new generation of Ipods, better GPS systems, new PlayStation, Wii, Xbox, LCD monitors, plasma TVs and DVD machines that play the latest Blue Ray discs... and the list goes on!

And ladies, how's your wardrobe holding up? If you don't want to be embarrassed by a fashion faux pas, you'd better upgrade before it's too late! Ditch everything with polka dots, because they're so hideously yesterday. Think mod prints, roll necks, Pinafore and opaque... and be quick, because they won't be around for much longer. Watch the trend-setters. What's Kate Moss wearing? Grey is the new black. Touch up your makeup!

What about your home? Is it "winter ready?" Upgrade your furniture to a winter range now! And no bright colours please, it's all about winter hues.

This is the kind of living the world wants us to buy into. This is the way "happiness" and "fulfillment" is packaged for us. And to keep us in its grip, it must always demand our attention, so it's constantly updating and changing. Desires are constantly being created, reinforced, and stirred up in us on a daily basis. In fact it's so prevalent, not only is it a part of our lives, but maybe even part of who we are. As though we'd feel incomplete without it.

In all this we're becoming shortsighted, losing sight of eternity and living only for the temporal, for now. Our time and finances are limited - why are we wasting them in this way?

Being kept busy with upgrading our lives only in a materialistic way, leaves us numb to the need to develop ourselves spiritually. Retail therapy, though it seems to help, is really just avoiding our deeper problems. The thrill of consumerism distracts us from taking care of our real needs, and from caring for the real needs of others. When material things become the centre of our focus, God fades into the background. Let's face it, spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word lacks the lights, sounds, bells and whistles of buzzing shopping malls. Developing a strong, biblically-based understanding and character seems like so much effort, especially when alternatives are much easier, like reading a fashion magazine or catalogue.

Does this mean we should become hermits and misers, living with an absolute bear minimum? Well, no. That's not what the Bible teaches. Are our desires so out of control that we are eagerly chasing after the latest upgrade? Do we just absolutely have to have whatever is the latest and newest trend, style or technology? Jesus said "only pagans run after those things," and warned us not to "store up for ourselves" treasures on earth. Are we pursuing these things, and always accumulating them? We need to just be content with enough, not always more.

And if you still feel the need to upgrade? Develop your character - the person you are. Study the Bible, instead of all the latest catalogues. Pursue God and His purposes, and accumulate spiritual treasure. Live a life of gratefulness, for the precious gifts God has given you!

8 Reasons why I don't Share My Faith

2007-05-29T10:19:00.000+10:00

Watch this hilarious clip that exposes the reasons we don't share our faith. We showed this at the Worldview Evangelism event and it became an instant favourite!

Watch. Laugh. And reflect on all the reasons...

Worldview evangelism

2007-05-28T21:25:00.000+10:00

A good night on Saturday. The "Why I don't share my faith" clip was really funny and someone just couldn't stop laughing after watching that. Tell you what, it's funny to see someone laughing like that too. ;-)

As promised, it was a very informative and fun night. People had to put on glasses to find out what 'worldview' they've got. Once people figured out, the speaker just wasn't going to let go, they had to experience how much fun (for the activity organiser) or how annoying (for the audience) 'relativism' could be.

Then we went on to explore the difference between 'ice-cream' and 'insulin'. Don't be surprised if people start telling you that you're talking ice-cream rather than insulin. You wonder how that relates to relativism or worldview? Ahh, they do and if you missed Sat night, you'll just have to find out from those who went or catch us next time we're doing it.

Best of all, we got to learn how to talk to people about Christianity without being on the defensive all the time. That's such an insightful clip that people wanted to keep watching. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to show the whole video. But some time in the future, we may show it again in full length.

We were going to put a clip up here, but the internet connection is too slow, so will leave it for now.

Anyone at the forum wants to share with us your thoughts on the night?

Riches in God's eyes

2007-05-25T12:38:00.000+10:00

There was an attractive flyer in the junk mail yesterday. With the words Millionaire success conference going across the top of the flyer and the image of a person looking up the yardstick measured in $$$, I immediately dismiss it as yet another one of those get rich seminars to be chucked. Having another look however, I found that it's from a local church and was a bit surprised.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to wealth or riches, but I've a problem with Christians focusing on getting rich in monetary terms. And the flyer truly conveys and encourages the idea of being successful when you've got lots of money. I've seen my Christian friends fallen away because of their focus on getting more wealth. And God clearly says that we can't serve 2 masters, because the love of money is the root of all evil.

There are many wealthy people in the Bible, like Abraham, Job and Solomon. Interestingly, the Bible focuses on their love for and obedience to God rather than the wealth they have. And it's not the level of our obedience or the strength of our faith that determines how wealthy we become. This is evident in Job's case where God gives and takes away according to his plans and purposes. So I believe people are mistaken and undermining God's authority if they think that their money reflects their faith in God or their success as Christians.

Paul was strong in his faith and achieved much for God, but he wasn't rich. Peter was influential in the founding of the early church and he was but a fisherman. Jesus is the King of all kings and he was a carpenter. The rich young man in Matthew 19 was asked to give away his wealth rather than accumulating it. Jesus said that it's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. James described a rich man as a wild flower, fades and passes away.

Are we not supposed to have money then? I don't believe so. But I do think that like in the parable of the talents, we are to be managers of God's resources whether it'd be money, possession, skills, gifts, talents or time. So, it's more than just money. And it's up to God to decide what and how he'll give us. We're responsible in looking after them and making good use of them. And that's where the difference lies: stewardship versus ownership.

Our goal should be putting to good use what God has given us for his purposes rather than accumulating to make our lives more comfortable or successful in the world's terms. After all, is having a million more satisfying than touching a few people's lives? I'll let you decide.

Death

2007-05-16T20:34:00.000+10:00

"Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)

This came up my mind a few times in the past few weeks. I guess it's because I've been hearing about deaths lately - death of a cousin in late March, death of my grandmother couple weeks ago, and hearing the news of the possibility of a life threatening illness of my mother last week.

The death of my cousin made me think about death. But it was that Sunday when Pastor Russell described a young person's funeral he conducted the previous day that puts my train of thoughts on the roll...What will happen in my funeral? Who will be present? Will my friends be too busy to come? Will they find it too expensive to come? (thinking about all my overseas friends) How will they remember me? Will my life mean anything to anyone? and so it goes.

I was sharing this with my small group that week and people were just laughing at my premature thoughts of death. Ironically, 2 weeks later we were all forced to think about death in light of our Christianity as we progressed in our bible study series of Psalms to Psalm 90.

When I was in my early 20s, I thought living life to 40 is enough for me. I hate to see myself getting old and weak and unable to do anything. There were times in my life that I wish for God to take me. I remembered one day when I was driving home after Uni. On that long and quiet road to home looking at the setting sun, I quietly whispered to God to take me home. But I'm still here! So obviously God's saying, "I'm not done with you yet."

I was joking with a girlfriend the other day saying that I can die now. And in response to that, my husband was telling people that I'm too lazy to live. Come to think of it, that's a good way of putting it. I mean, there's so much to do here on earth and I'm never going to finish it. Why labour so intensely when I could enjoy the comfort of heaven watching people work down here? This, of course, as I come to realise has nothing wrong if I'm living for myself. But if my life has a greater purpose as God intended, then retreating from God's team is saying that "I" and not "God" is in control of my destiny.

I've also learnt that genuinely wanting Jesus to come again because of our desire to see God's kingdom come is a worthy call. But if the motive for wanting to be with Jesus is to escape from this world, then it is selfishness.

Understanding my role in God's creation and his kingdom helps me to enjoy life according to his design. For me, my focus and my priority now is to live for and in the will of God. It'd be a great privilege to be used by Him for his glory and be a blessing to others.

This reminds me of an afternoon a year or two ago when I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from a long lost friend. We met in our church in Japan. The church has a welcoming corner where most of us hang out after the service to meet new people and chat with others. I remembered him, a very quiet American working on the base there, sometimes stand there looking a bit lonely. I used to go up and befriend him whenever I see him. Soon after, I left Japan and lost contact.

10 years later, he found me on the internet and emailed me. He recounted his stay in Japan and how I was a friend to him during a difficult period of his life. That was a revelation to me because I never had any inkling that he was going through a hard time, I was just trying to be friendly. But it really moved me to know that I've made a difference as small as it is to someone, that God has seen me fit to use me for his purpose, that I could be a blessing to others.

And that is how I see my life in light of death. I'm here for a reason, and as God's vessel to contribute and be a channel of blessing to the people that he has placed in my life. At the end, the only reward that I wish is to hear my Father saying, "Well done, my child."

Sharing the truth of Christianity in everyday conversation

2007-05-15T17:10:00.000+10:00

We've all tried, and probably felt like we failed. It just doesn't come easily – feels a bit forced, and not natural. And if we do give it our best, it often doesn't end well.

Yes, I'm talking about evangelism! Trying to share our beliefs with our friends. Trying to overcome shyness and fear. Shooting “arrow prayers” to God asking for a chance to share. Awkwardly blurting out our statement of faith into an existing conversation. Even being hit by a barrage of questions, like being attacked with a machine gun and left barely alive!

It's not a pretty picture, but it can be that way, can't it? Sharing the truth of Christianity isn't exactly a walk in the park. And it shouldn't be. Even a hostile reaction is to be expected, since we live in a world that is hostile towards to Truth.

Most of my experience trying to evangelise goes something like this:

Me: Yes, I believe in God.
Anonymous: How can you believe in God when he's not even real? People have made him up.
Me: He is real. (I then go on talking about Creation being proof of His existence, and about Jesus who has made God known to us.)
Anonymous: Jesus? I don't think he's real either. And if he was a real person, he was just a man.
Me: No, Jesus wasn't just a man, though he was a man. See, Jesus was... (then I go on talking about the evidence for the historical Jesus, the fact that he was who he claimed to be.)
Anonymous: Wow, you really believe in this stuff. Good for you! I'm so happy for you. I think it's a good thing. People should believe in something as long as they are passionate about it and sincere, especially if your belief teaches you to be a good person. I think that's what counts.
Me: ...

If you've ever found yourself in a similar position, you will know how tiring it can be. It's always us who have to answer a string of questions. And let's face it, some questions are hard to answer. Sometimes, the questions are hostile attacks. We're never really in the driving seat of the conversation. No wonder we lose control! Sadly, that can make us feel inadequate to do our Saviour Jesus any real justice.

Well, these days I've discovered there is a smarter and easier way to evangelise. It completely upholds the truth of Christianity, and doesn't water down the gospel message. This method doesn't make people we talk to feel like we're trying to convert them, or preach to them. It's just about normal conversation, and the best part is, you can remain in control! You can steer the conversation so that people start to think through their own beliefs, and begin to find inconsistencies and flaws.

That's what we mean by “Worldview Evangelism.” If you think sharing your faith is important, but sometimes struggle like I did, then this event is definitely for you! Sharing the truth of Christianity is perhaps the most important thing we can do, this side of eternity.

So here are the details of what will go down on the night.

Event: Exploring Worldview Evangelism
Where: Gold Coast Christian Family
When: Saturday May 26th, 7pm
What: A short and interactive presentation, giving the gist of what “worldview” is all about and why it's important. Then we'll watch a couple of really interesting video clips. After a break for food and drink, we'll get to practice what we've learned together so far. Afterwards we'll hear a testimony, showing how worldview evangelism really does work. We'll finish with an open discussion/forum/chat.

We hope to see you guys there!

King Herod's Tomb Found!

2007-05-09T14:48:00.000+10:00

Read the news story, with some photos from the excavation site here.

Israeli Archaeologist May Have Found Tomb of King Herod

King Herod the Great was appointed by the Romans to rule in Judea around 37 B.C. When Christ was born, Herod ordered the execution of boys in and near Bethlehem, who were two years old and under (Matthew 2:16). It has been debated whether or not this event actually occurred, since at present the only mention of it in ancient literature is in the gospel of Matthew. Even the Jewish historian Josephus, who recorded the life of Herod, made no mention of the event.

But there are is a simple explanation for why this event wouldn't have been noteworthy in the ancient world, except within Christianity.

Firstly, Bethlehem was a quite a small town of around 300-1000 people. Experts estimate that its population indicate that the number of baby boys two years old and under, at any given time, would have been around. Also, many accounts of King Herod's ruthlessness are recorded. He had a reputation for being willing to do anything to protect his throne and authority. While the infanticide described in the Bible is shocking in our modern context, it is entirely consistent with the types of things Herod did.

So while the Bible mentions historical events that have some relevance to the life of Jesus, other historical records, such as Josephus, give a more general account. For Josephus, whether or not he'd heard of the infanticide at Bethlehem, it wouldn't have been something out of the ordinary in the life of Herod, and there were plenty of other events to record, with more significance for Rome and the region as a whole. Even from the general Jewish perspective, events related to Jesus were not really noteworthy, because they didn't consider him significant. Jews were expecting their messiah to be an earthly king, like King David. A cruel but seemingly isolated event in Bethlehem would be soon forgotten.

Are you driving with God today?

2007-05-08T21:45:00.000+10:00

What do you normally do while you are driving? Listen to your favorite music or radio station? Or maybe you might talk with someone in the car. As for me, sometimes I'm driving with God. It was about four years ago when I started to know Him. I used to drive to work alone. My work usually finished late at night and the car that I drove had no radio or CD player (actually it had but it was broken). So in the quietness of my car, with nothing elseto do, I started to talk with God. I told Him about my day and asked Him for his help. It made me feel like He sat in my car beside me. Since then, I've moved on to a new (2nd hand) car. It has a sound system which means I can listen to my favorite songs while I'm driving. But sometimes I choose to turn it off and talk or listen to God instead.

Living a full life

2007-05-07T08:28:00.000+10:00

What does it mean to live life to the full? This was brought up at different occasions recently. We hear a lot about this. A life is considered well lived if it's lived to the full. But what is full? It seems that if you're always doing things and active, then you've a full life. In that case, my life is overflowing at the moment. Having a full life as such is often admirable and equate to a successful life. To many people, a successful life is about achievements may it be sport or other academic, business or personal pursuits.

Everyone has become so busy nowadays that we hardly have time to spend with people, do things for others or simply have some quiet moments alone. We are all caught up in our busy little schedule evolving more or less around us. You see, there's this notion that if my week is filled with things, that means I'm busy and that shows how important, significant or popular I am. We feel good when we're busy and the busier we get, the more we think we're a better individual. But how many of those activities are necessary? Does our busyness get us into heaven or draw us closer to God? Is our busyness self generated or God motivated?

I've been thinking about this lately and wonder how my life will look like under God's perfect will. Does God intend us to be busy like bees? Definitely not. Does he want us to have a fulfilling life? Definitely yes, but not in the way that the world portrays it. As Christians, we are to live for God and not ourselves. So, living a full life means living a life that is filled with God's purposes. In other words, we can do as much as we can in life; but if they aren't in line with God's will or serve God's purposes, then they are but self serving and pointless.

New song jukebox

2007-05-04T08:52:00.000+10:00

The following new songs now on worship together's song jukebox. For those who play an instrument, you can get the music sheet of the first 3 songs for free at their site.

Holy Is The Lord - Chris Tomlin
Almighty God - Tim Hughes
How Can I Keep From Singing - Chris Tomlin
Beautiful One - Ocean's Above
Suddenly - Vicky Beeching

Tweed river boating photos

2007-05-03T22:09:00.000+10:00

We all had a great day out on the Tweed river. It was cloudy and a threat of rain, but it only drizzled for about 10 mins and at the end, it was just the right weather to be on the waters. It was the first time for everyone to be on that stretch of the Tweed river.

Tumbulgum is a beautiful place as you can see in the photos. The tributary from there is so picturesque and so serene. There wasn't anyone there when we were there enjoying our lunch. We could only see the birds flying, the magnificent Mt Warning from afar, the greens all around us and the fish jumping out of the water.

People loved the food, the chat, the fishing, the company and of course God's beautiful creation. We forgot to get proper bait, but managed to catch a fish using some bread. Everyone enjoyed the day and wanting to go on it again. If you missed this one, join us for the next event.

Replica of Noah's Ark in the Netherlands

2007-05-01T10:39:00.000+10:00

A Dutch Creationist, Johan Huibers, built a one-fifth scale model "replica" of Noah's Ark as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.

Read the actual news here:

New Noah's Ark Ready to Sail
Johan's Ark draws curious crowd

Hopefully this replica will help people relate to the ark as something more than a flimsy little boat, as it's often portrayed in Children's books. The bible records real historical events, not legends or Aesop's fables!

If you are interested to learn more about Noah's ark and the evidence for a global flood, Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International have great resources on this topic. They also have lots of public ministry events that are always worthwhile, so check out their websites for tour dates.

Great news!

2007-04-30T07:09:00.000+10:00

Vanessa and David announced their engagement yesterday. Congratulations!

Someone commented couple days ago that things happen fast at our church. Indeed.

For those who are yet to be in the same situation, be encouraged that God has your best interest in mind and will surprise you with the very best when you're ready. Yesterday's sermon was a good reminder for us to be patient, to put our trust in God and to strive to please Him first. And if you haven't prayed for your future mate before, it's not a bad idea to ask God to prepare the both of you and bring you together in His timing.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Tweed River Outing

2007-04-26T08:24:00.000+10:00

Are we ready for a relaxing and fun Sat on the water? There's still 2 spots left, so if you want to come or have friends who'd like to come. Let us know.

Ok, here's our plan:
Pick up boat at Murwillumbah at 12pm, drive to Tumbulgum to pick up people at 1pm, continue upstream or south towards Tweed for an hour or so, stopping at nice spots for swim, fishing or other activities, then head back to Tumbulgum before 4pm and return to Murwillumbah.

Now, meeting points:
For those who want a more leisurely ride, meet us at 12pm sharp at 161 Tweed Valley Way, Murwillumbah, located on the river side of the road, midway between Condong Sugar Mill to the north and the Murwillumbah town centre turn off to the south.

Directions: Take the exit for Murwillumbah and the Tweed Valley Way (old Pacific Highway), at the signposted Oak Avenue interchange, just south of Chinderah and the heavy vehicle inspection station. DON'T continue on the Pacific Freeway or you'll end up in Brunswick Heads! For more details, look at their website at www.tweedriverhouseboats.com.au

For those who can't make noon, meet us at 1pm opposite Tumbulgum Hotel (easy to find, ask anyone). Straight across the road is a jetty/beach which you'll be picked up.

Any questions, ask us.

What could I have done?

2007-04-24T14:12:00.000+10:00

When I read commentaries on the profile of Seung-hui Cho, the Virginia Tech gunman, I am reminded of someone I knew back in Grade 11.

A loner, he was a person everyone picked on, especially girls. The girls had no reservations over talking or giggling about him right in front of him. I felt sorry for him and befriended him as best I could, making extra effort to be mindful of him, saying hello whenever I could. At one point I remember defending him from some of my girl friends' cruel remarks. However, there was something about him that made me feel unsettled, mostly in the way he looked at people and the way he grinned.

After high school, I went to university in a different part of the country. One day I received a letter (this was before email) from this person, asked me how I was doing. Though it did bother me that he actually tracked me down, I replied just to be nice, knowing friendliness was what he needed. His second letter came, telling me that I had a crush on him and was hitting on him back in high school... and yes, he would be my boyfriend! I replied to set him straight, and asked him not to write any more (I was scared). Then came another letter, telling me how I had hurt his feelings and how he felt rejected - that it was my fault, because I started it. Then he went on telling me about how poor he was, and how he worked hard for his family and cared for them. Finally, he told me how my rejection letter almost made him take his gun out of his drawer and kill himself - but the thought of his family stopped him from doing so.

I felt quite scared. Not that he could commit suicide because I strongly felt he was just being dramatic to make me feel guilty (and guns weren't easily available where I come from). I was scared by how his mind could so easily imagine all of these untrue and ungrounded things about me. How he blamed me for causing his pain. What he was implying was that if he did die, his blood would be on my hands. And that's something Cho actually said.

Cho was a loner, but people wanted to make friends with him. They wanted to reach out to him, but he shut himself in and pushed them away. Maybe the friendship extended to him were sometimes misinterpreted - maybe that's what happened with the girls he stalked.

What can we do with such a person? In my case, could I have done anything differently, after my friendliness was misinterpreted? Was I cold and insensitive when I said no and told him the truth? Was I not quite friendly enough? How much would have been enough? He was the one who defined what was acceptable in his relationships. It was all about him.

This is not to say what he suffered through high school wasn't real, or that people weren't cruel to him. Those things happen to many people, and they do hurt. We all could have done a lot better. However, other people could only do so much for him. In the end, it was his own responsibility to be the caretaker of his personal thoughts and feelings, choices and actions. He needed to admit his own brokenness apart from everything and everyone else. He needed to stop shifting the responsibility and blame to everyone else and to the world.

This is true of all of us. We're not perfect, and neither are our relationships. We're broken. But there is good news! Recognising our own wretchedness leads us to acknowledge our need for Jesus to forgive us, and restore our most important relationship, with God. This is the true foundation for establishing right, loving relationship with our fellow human beings.

Mental illness - science or cope out?

2007-04-24T08:28:00.000+10:00

I was reading about the expert opinions on the mental conditions of Cho Seung-Hui. Diagnoses haven't been made yet, but the possibilities abound - bipolar depression, schizophrenia, psychotic depression, avoidant personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, feeling of powerlessness, grandiosity...

People with avoidant personality are described to avoid social situations for fear of disapproval. I thought, that's me when I was a teenager and a non-Christian. People with paranoid personality disorder have a deep distrust of others. I thought, that's me too! Another psychologist identified acute rejection as one of the common factors in school shooting. And yes, you guessed it. I, too, suffered from acute rejection in my high school years. I was a loner like Cho was. I was dead quiet to the terrifying and that's what my friend wrote on my graduation memoir. My mother took me to the doctor when I was 2.5 fearing that I was mute because I didn't speak. I rarely smiled and withdrawn, because I found nothing to be happy about in this world. In fact, I didn't think it'd make a difference whether I live or die, nobody would care.

So, I've the traits of a killer! And I could be one too. I mean, who on earth could withstand the hurt that caused by your best friend who you went to school with everyday and suddenly one day decided that you can be replaced by new found friends and completely ignored you? Well, I can tell you how much it hurts, that acute rejection that drove me to tears every day for 6 months. It didn't help that I was away from home for the first time in a foreign land knowing no one. Up to this day, emotions still swell up within me when I recount this. But it was precisely this painful experience that led me to God.

My point is, most of what identified as mental conditions are really not all that uncommon to all of us, just the extent of it. Psychologists and psychiatrists may come up with a new mental condition every day. But are they really sickness? No doubt there are people with genuine physiological problems. But sometimes, it feels as if we're just trying to get rid of the problem by giving labels to the behaviours that we don't want to see or have no answer for. We seem to have more and more people with psychological problems and mental illness, and no solutions for it. Is counseling and drugs enough? I'm afraid not, otherwise it'd have made a difference to my friend who's being counseled for years.

The problem with psychology and psychiatry is its basis on humanistic belief that reduces all human emotions and behaviours to statistics and graphs. It believes only humans can have the power to change the world. The supernatural isn't in the equation.

That's why no amount of mental instutionalisation, counseling or profiling can solve the problem. Because the answer doesn't lie in science or rational thinking, but in the missing spiritual element of Jesus. That incident in high school has left a scar and affected my life more than you can imagine, but to let that excruciating pain of rejection drives me deeper into my own world is suicide. And I know without God, I would choose to go down that path, like drugs, slowly eats me away and eventually destroys me.

What shape our young people today?

2007-04-21T20:55:00.000+10:00

There's a lot of attention on the mental problem of Cho Seung-hui, the Virginia Tech killer. When I watched Cho's video playing on TV couple nights ago, I didn't see a person with mental illness, I saw a young man filled with anger and frustration. What he said revealed a deep anger towards the world and the people around him. Never once has he blamed himself.

In trying to explain his behaviour away with mental conditions psychologists and psychiatrists called psychotic depression, avoidant personality disorder and schizophrenia etc., are we putting all the blame on him as he did to us? Are we as a society partly to blame for the tragedy that happened?

I remember feeling bewildered hearing a day after the video was broadcast that it was pulled out because the media was under heavy criticism, fearing that the video may inspire others to follow Cho's footsteps. I couldn't see why it should be a problem when substantially more violent video games are allowed to poison our young people's minds everyday. Not only are video games, but movies and TV programs that encourage violence as the answer to our problems.

And then there is individualism, the me culture. We are taught to think about ourselves first and encouraged to just do what we want and what feels good. Never mind whether it's right or beneficial to others. Consequences isn't in the equation. Just do it. Does it remind you of some ads?

How about victim mentality? If I'm screwed up, not getting along with people, couldn't hold down a job or get what I want, it's everyone else's fault except my own. We are too consumed and self absorbed to see past ourselves. Personal responsibility is a foreign concept, commitment is old fashion.

To make things worst, nothing is ever right or wrong. You've got your opinion and I've got mine. What's right for you doesn't necessary mean it's right for me. It's all relative. And if that's not enough, there's political correctness that we can no longer say what is right but what people want to hear. So is it any wonder why our young people are the way they are today?

If our society and media creates that environment and shape our young people to be individualistic, self absorbed and irresponsible persons who make their own rules and act on their impulse, why then are we startled when they behave as a result of the very culture that nutured them? I'm not saying Cho's behaviour is acceptable in any way, because he has a choice to choose to do right or evil and he chose the latter. But as a society, are we not in some ways reaping what we sowed?

What concerns me is to see those traits displayed in our church today. Christians, young and old are embracing the world's practices to interpret the scriptures to fit in with the way they live. There is no absolute truth anymore, God's words is subject to reinterpretation based on each person's situation.

Under the influence of our culture, young people are aspired to be cool and exclusive. They befriend people who look cool, dress trendy, speak the same language and act like them. They look out for each other in the group, but only accept those they like to include. Soon, there are little clicks appearing here and there. The church is supposed to be one body, but is as fragmented as the society of our day. The bond that unites Christians and the love that compels us have been replaced by spiritual individualism and tribalism.

I've experienced the joy of fellowship and unity in fellowships and young adult groups in various churches. It was a wonderful experience to have friends who come from different backgrounds and countries, have different interests and personality. Yet we could all share, enjoy each other, encourage, help and pray for one another and feel included because we all have one thing in common - our love for God.

That, in essence is what Ignite is all about. I long to see young people, striped of worldly influence and being grounded in the solid foundation of God's words, to express their love for God through extending their friendship to those around them and because of their love for one another, non-Christians will be attracted to the amazing God we serve. And that, is what I pray for the young adults in our church.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35

Becoming a blogger

2007-04-21T11:42:00.000+10:00

A few people asked about how to write post to this blog and expressed their frustration of unsuccessful attempts.

If you want to comment on a post, just click on comment at the end of the post and start writing. But if you want to contribute and be able to create new post, it's a bit more tricky. The system won't let you add yourself to the blogger list on the spot. So you have to tell us if you want to be one of the writers and we will send you an invitation by email. To accept the invitation, you'll have to create a google account first if you don't already have one. It doesn't automatically go back or remember where you came from, so after you created a google account, you have to go back to the invitation email and click on the link again to accept the invitation. After that, you can blog for your life. :-)

Remember to ask us for an invitation if you want to be one of the bloggers.

US school shooting

2007-04-18T07:21:00.000+10:00

No doubt you'd have heard about the massacre at Virginia Tech in the US by now, with 33 dead and 15 wounded. It saddens me to see yet another brutal act and the many lives lost in a place as George Bush said, should be a place of learning and a sanctuary.

What saddens and bothers me more is looking at the history of shootings in the US to find the majority of cases in the past 20 years either initiated or aimed at young people. There are 20 school shootings in the last 10 years and 3/4 of them are by teenagers.

I can't help but wonder why a country, known to be Christian would have so much killings at such a young age. Are Christians not having the impact that they should have in their society? Or is it because of their faith that Satan gets into overdrive? Or perhaps it is something else?

There's a fundamental problem with the right to bear firearms. Where's that coming from? Some will say "self defense". Ok, but doesn't God said He'll protect us? Doesn't God ask us to live in peace with one another? And if, as they declare in their coins and around the world that it is "in God we trust", how does carrying firearms then support that belief?

This leads me to think about the issue of "rights". I remember going through my young adult years being told to fight for my rights. Rights to do and behave the way I like, rights to challenge and dispute ideas and practices not agreeing with the way I live. Basically, rights for everything. Of course, there are something that's universal to every human's existence. But as a society, are we pushing individual rights too far to the extent that it's coming back to bite us? Look at the right to bear firearms in the US and what it leads to? What about gay rights? Rights to die? Rights to be happy? And rights to vent my anger on others because they make me unhappy? Can you see a pattern there?

What are rights anyway? Is it based on God's principles? Paul took advantage of his privileges as a Roman citizen, and others also enjoy privileges that come with their work or role in the society. But privileges isn't a one way street, it comes with obligations and responsibilities. What's more, I can't honestly find anyone in the Bible exerting or claiming their rights. And I wonder why not. I guess because rights really exist to protect our own interests, it's self focused and contrary to God's principles.

If we're all created in God's image, that means we all possess values and characteristics of God and the ability to achieve godliness. And if we follow God's moral law in the Bible such as those in the 10 commandments. What needs do we have for rights? In fact, I don't see Jesus fighting for his rights. When Jesus was questioned by the high priest, he didn't object by claiming that he has a right to free speech, or the right to choose his own title. Jesus asked us to be meek, humble and turn the other cheek.

I was actually surprised to hear that the right to bear firearms is enshrined in the US Constitution. I soon find out that their bill of rights traces its origin to natural rights which is based on natural law and has its roots in Greek philosophy. It aims at human happiness and says that we all have a natural tendency to look after our own interest and seek what's best for ourselves. Therefore we have the right to follow our nature. It's not hard to know what that leads. If we are to follow our nature and our nature is fallen, then it'll inevitably lead to rebellion against God, whatever form they come.

The Virginia shooting is an example of what following our fallen human nature results in. But it also highlights the danger of mixing scriptures with worldly ideas. I also note that other factors come into play in this tragedy. Pressure to succeed, individualism, the media are just some of them which I won't comment here.

Gone Fishing

2007-04-16T15:45:00.000+10:00

The weather is just too lovely this time of the year for us to stay inside (especially when we do that most of the time). So get your outdoors gear together, because we're going cruising and fishing! For those of you who don't fish, don't worry, there are other fun things to be done, like eating fish somebody else caught, letting our hair down in the breeze, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the fresh air and getting our feet wet and sandy! All the while, enjoy each other's company. Who knows, we might even spot a dolphin or two!

So give us a yell if you're interested in coming, because there are limited spaces. The cost is $30, which includes a BBQ lunch. Deadline for booking is this Sunday (22/04/07).

Movie night photos

2007-04-14T18:45:00.000+10:00

How about revisiting the movie night in photos? For those who missed it, let us retell the story of the night visually, in comics. Enjoy.

Tim Hughes holding nothing back

2007-04-05T07:36:00.000+10:00

Tim Hughes new album Holding Nothing Back is out!

You can listen to all his 11 new songs this week only at Worship Together. Just click on the new song jukebox button on the top left.

Being a Media Savvy Christian

2007-04-04T14:02:00.000+10:00

We live in a world dominated by communication media. Whether it be movies, TV, music, books, magazines, games, internet or radio, everyday we encounter at least one of these. The scary thing is that the standards presented in the media are mostly worldly. At best they are like junk food to our souls, and poison at their very worst.

So how should we live in the age of media? These two articles have some pretty good insights.

:: It's Never 'Just a Movie'
Frequently we use media simply for a diversion. How often do you sit down in front of the tube and say, "You know, I want to find something on that is mindless and I can just veg out to"? We think it's harmless enough. Yet research shows...(read more)

:: Like to Watch
Wherever we look, technology blasts us with the world's values, attitudes, and false definitions of reality. The popular media lie to us about the nature of goodness, truth, and beauty. They offer counterfeit versions of what a family is supposed to look like, what romance is, what success is all about, and where we should spend our money...(read more)

Have you got food?

2007-04-04T07:39:00.000+10:00

If you don't have a habit of reading God's word daily, it's time to start. God's words are food nurturing our soul. Imaging you go hungry for a few days, how would you feel?

So, here's your Daily Bread. And if you prefer, you can Encounter God and Get Closer to God (click on notes and select the day). For those who prefer King James, there's a daily devotion on Proverbs at the moment on Bible.com.

The good news is your daily bread and encounter are all free. ;-)

Great Quote

2007-04-02T14:54:00.000+10:00

This quote is from God in the Wasteland by David Wells.

"Worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange."

Ethical Marketing

2007-04-02T07:24:00.000+10:00

What left me thinking from the movies night was more about the way marketing works. As a marketer, the marketing techniques showed in the Merchants of Cool video isn't anything new to me. I've seen it, I've heard about it, and often struggles with it.

They are based on marketing principles that strive to identify and satisfy people's needs by communicating those needs to the inside of a company and the benefits of the end product to the market outside. To put it simply, marketing is like an interpreter/agent between companies and their product/service consumers.

Sure, I do a lot of research to find out what people want in my industry, so we can improve our product offerings to suit user needs. But I thought...hang on...we do marketing on things that we humans create and they are not perfect, that's why marketing is important. But the good news of Jesus, isn't that a perfect truth? How else can we improve it?

Of course, we need to communicate that message to the world and that's where marketing comes in. The problem is, a lot of our churches today are applying worldly marketing practices rather than the principles. We package the church with bells and whistles to make it more attractive, sometimes to the extent that the reason for being there got lost or becomes second place.

What's more, to suit people's needs, the content is altered and changed to make it more appealing, and in the process the word of God is watered down without our knowing it. Suddenly, Christianity looks like just another consumable in the market. If it suits me, I'll take it, if it doesn't suit my needs, I'll shop somewhere or something else. No wonder someone describes going to church is like going to a theme park, to be entertained.

It's not hard to find mega churches using worldly marketing methods to appeal to the senses of their audience or Christians employing marketing tactics to milk the Christian community. Think multi-billion dollar Christian music industry. Think endless variations of a Christian book.

Worldly marketing is about doing anything to get attention - big, flashy, cool, outrageous, celebrity, wow factor... MTV has demonstrated how marketing is done solely to increase the company's bottom line regardless of whether the consumers have the need or will benefit from it. In doing what the world's doing, I can't help but wonder if our churches today are attracting consumers of religion or followers of Christ. How often do we talk about success in terms of spiritual growth rather than numbers?

I looked at the scriptures and it tells me that Jesus isn't handsome, but ordinary. So he wasn't cool in his time. I looked at the apostles, they didn't use healing or food to attract people to their midst, so they weren't being attractional. I looked at Paul or Peter, they were straight forward telling their people to repent. So they weren't packaging the gospel to be more palatable.

In an effort to make Christianity more relevant today, I think we are treading on dangerous ground. Marketing is a tool when used properly has great benefits. But as Christians, we need to be careful of the context that we are using it in and to use it based on Christian principles, not the world's.

I was even thinking about this very early in my career and wanting to do marketing from a Christian perspective. I was searching on the internet on ethical marketing about 10 years ago and found nothing. I just did a search again and was glad to see that it's now a topic worthy of discussion.

Well, I've more thoughts on this, but I'll leave it to another time.

We are on a slippery slope

2007-03-27T16:54:00.000+10:00

I have some thoughts to share following up on what Simon Hunter said during his presentation at the Movie Night, and also to jq's post.

Simon mentioned that the next big thing coming out of Hollywood is pedophelia (movie Hounddog) which is one of the last taboos Hollywood hasn't really ventured into.... yet. Another one is bestiality. There's a documentary that premiered at Sundance this year called Zoo. Of course, Hollywood elites hailed it as ground-breaking. But the subject, we know, is sick.

This is not the only case where pedophelia and bestiality are being rolled out by the "sexual freedom" agenda. Outside of Hollywood, a Dutch court ruled last year that pedophiles can form a political party to push their agenda, which is to reduce the age of consent to 12. This is not surprising considering that the Netherland is one of, if not the most, liberal countries in the world today. However, this kind of thing is popping up everywhere. Also last year in Massachusetts, USA, legislators introduced a bill that softens the crime of bestiality!

How did we come to this point? How did we come to being on the verge of accepting even these kinds of horrific sexual depravity? Many argue, at least in the area of human sexuality (and I agree), that it's been a natural progression since society accepted homosexual behaviour. Once we legally (and socially) accept same sex unions as normal, we abandon any standard or reference point by which to gauge any issue of sexuality, and we are on a slippery slope. If marriage and sex between a man and a woman isn't the "normal" and morally good standard, there must be none. When there's no absolute, we have no reference point to refer to or judge things by. Everything becomes relative. If homosexuality is ok, then what's wrong with polygamy, pedophilia or bestiality? Even if we don't want to allow them, how can we raise any objection? Nothing can be really wrong anymore. So it's only a matter of time before everything becomes acceptable.

Film, TV & Christians

2007-03-25T07:31:00.000+10:00

That was the theme for last night's movies night. Thanks for all those who come and those helped out. It was a great night and a big eye opener for many.

Simon showed us couple clips on subliminal advertising and mind control to show how easily the media can manipulate us. You can see the clips here. The second one is really funny.

He gave us a quick and
insightful run through of what shaped our TV, films and music industries today. He then went on to show us a documentary "merchant of cool" about teens/young adults and pop culture and the giant machine that's creating and propelling it.

At the end of the night, some people indicated that they want to hear more. So, tell us what you think of the night. If there's enough interest, we may get Simon back for another round.

Mobile phone & worship

2007-03-22T08:04:00.000+10:00

We often sing songs during our small group. Last week, I found a new song but didn't have time to format it nicely on paper and print it out. So I decided to make use of our technology today.

I looked up the lyrics from the internet, sent it to my phone. Then beamed it to everyone's phone. There we go, worshipping God with a mobile phone. ;-)

In another small group, we didn't have the song sheets. But someone has songs on her phone. So we were all singing to a familiar tune from the mobile. How's that?

Decisions & consequences

2007-03-22T07:41:00.000+10:00

Psalm 51 is a plead from David after he had an affair with Bathsheba. After studying that in our small group last week, the thing that kept coming back to me in the past week is the magnitude that our decisions has on future events.

I think of Abram who agreed to his wife's proposal, which is perfectly acceptable socially and culturally at his time. I also thought of King David's moment of weakness. In Abram's case, his one act has led to centuries of turmoils in the middle east. David's one act has led to the split of his own kingdom.

We're no different today. It's easy and often logical and reasonable to follow our own instinct, knowledge or experience to do things that are acceptable in our society today. But how often do we think of the possible consequences when making decisions or including God in the picture?

What is acceptable in our culture today doesn't mean that it's right in God's eyes. Shall we put God's consideration last when we make decisions?

AGMF? Anyone?

2007-03-15T08:18:00.000+10:00

Thinking or planning to go to AGMF this year? Someone in my small group is. There's The Lads, Planetshakers and Michelle Tumes this year, plus a new attraction Cirque de AGMF. Check out their website at www.agmf.com.au.

It's only 3 weeks away and there's group discount for 10 or more people. So, tell us if you're interested and see if we can get the tickets together.

Movies, anyone?

2007-03-09T14:06:00.000+10:00

Does anyone out there like movies?! I can imagine many hands going up.

Movies certainly entertain us, but they can also really challenge and inspire us. Mostly, the ones that go beyond entertainment make it into our top ten lists, because they leave some kind of lasting impression. But because of such potential to impact us, some movie makers end up trying to indoctrinate their audience with their own particular worldviews.

We have a film industry insider from our own church, Simon Hunter, who's actually got great insights into all this stuff. Simon knows exactly what's going on behind the scenes, and is able to spot many things hidden to most of us. In fact, there are so many tricks to the trade used to persuade us, that a chat with Simon might just change the way you watch movies forever!

And that's the idea behind the Ignite movie night. Come and join us at the church, whether you're a serious movie buff, or you just enjoy renting the latest DVD for a night in. The details are right here:

What: At the Movies with Simon Hunter
Where: Gold Coast Christian Family
When: Saturday 24th March, 7pm

There is absolutely no cost involved. We'll even throw in a couple of biscuits and drinks after the movies, if you want to stay around to chat!

So, we look forward to seeing you ... at the movies!