Down 2 Earth

Circles or Dots

I just came back from listening to Ravi Zacharias at a conference held by the C.S. Lewis Institute. I truly enjoy listening to Ravi and can't help being challenged each time he speaks. And this time was no different...

What does it mean to be Christian? The challenge comes from how we live our faith. How important is it for us to be Christians? And how is that reflected in our lives? They are pertinent questions that we sometimes ignore. We take it for granted, and sometimes treat our faith much like the t-shirt we wear or the pair of sneakers we put on without thinking about it. In other words, there's me, and then, a part of me or within me, there's the Christian me. 

In reality though, the opposite should be the case. I am a part, I am within, Christianity. All of me being emcompassed by the big picture of my faith. So that instead of my faith being the sneakers I wear, it's me. It's all of who I am.

Even though these two pictures may look the same, there is a significant difference...

Getting the "m" & "e" out of "me"

                   

Me is something that encompasses everything about me. Me is selfish. Me is self-centered. Me is the giver. Me is the taker. Me is the center of attention. Me is the hero, the one everyone turns to in time of need. Me spends money on me. Me is always looking out for me. Me is all about me.

...but me needs something more than just me. Me can't do it just relying on me. Me fails me more often than me can accept...

...to be all me can be, the me God wants me to be, I need to give up me...

                                               (Psalm 147:10-11)

Me & the Croc Hunter!

How do you deal with cultural differences!!? I'm having a real hard time settling into the American culture, which I guess explains why Monica and I have had to work so hard with it in our marriage. She's American, I'm Aussie, and we frequently communicate on different wavelengths. Not to say that's unusual in marriage, but it feels at times more amplified in ours, we simply just don't "get" each other sometimes! I talk and she just looks at me as though I've spoken in a foreign language, and vice-versa (so I guess it's not always English to me!!). Over time though, things get better. But in a work situation (and especially in a pastoral position) you don't have the time to iron out the cultural differences with everyone. And that can make your job real difficult! 

If we spoke a different language (and I can hear some of you say we do!), or looked dramatically different (and I won't get into that one!), I think people would be more sensitive to the culture. But the more subtle the differences, the greater the chance of misunderstanding, and the greater the chance of cultural assumptions. It doesn't help here in America when most people first think of the Croc Hunter when it comes to Aussies! But that's not a bad analogy, mainly because Steve Irwin spent most of his life being misunderstood!

...And church culture in general doesn't help, it relies more heavily on gossip (sometimes hidden under the guise of perception, as though the word "perception" gives people the right to talk about you and not to you!), and less on seeking to understand (much like the tabloids did with Steve). It's difficult to grasp at times but it can be a really lonely affair being different and it's something we as Christians are not doing a good job dealing with.

So how do you deal with cultural differences?   

How Old Would I Be...?

It's Watercooler Wednesday... and if you don't know what that is, check out Randy Elrod's Ethos blog...

If you did not know how old you were, how old would you be? Right now I feel very old. I just came back from Costco and dodging suicide cart pushers. Both my wallet and me have a splitting headache!!! For those of you that don't know, Costco is a huge wharehouse full of stuff that requires a crane to carry. You can't get anything small there. You want a chicken, you can only buy them six at a time. Cheese comes in 5 pound bags. Toilet paper comes in a yearly supply. It's a great place to stock up but it also means you walk away having spent your life savings!

What age would I be if I had a choice? 17... no questions! 17 and 1988... The Church came out with "Starfish"... most probably the best album of all time. "Die Hard", the original, came out. It was also the year my dad died and everything in my life changed. We left Australia and moved to Italy, so my life went on... I wouldn't change anything, but it would be nice to see him again.

Right or Wrong

I had a pretty long conversation today with William Attaway, the senior pastor at our church. He's a pretty resourceful guy and has an annoying knack of being "mostly" right all the time!!!! The question I've been mulling on after all that was said, is not so easy a question... 

Right or Wrong? Is there a defined black and white answer to all matters or does grey account for the majority?

Any first year philosophy student will think me childish for thinking such a question because the answer can only be subjective. But I believe in God, and that He created me and this world in such an orderly way that it is driving most secular scientists batty trying to hop, skip and jump around the obviousness of His intelligent design. And believing that God's concern goes right down to the subatomic level, why would He leave something to be interpreted as "grey".

Each situation is different and I am not arguing whether or not a right decision in a situation be the platitude for all future decisions. But in society today where we embrace the "grey" as being a standard for living, decisions are becoming so subjective that community is dying and individuality increasing. Basically each human is becoming his/her own island in the archipelago of life, living to their own "feelings" with little to challenge their lifestyle.

I believe God has given us the "grey" to challenge us to think. To use our minds continuosly, not only in the quietness of our solitude, but also in the communal interactions with our friends and neighbors. To challenge each other to live the right and reject the wrong. "Grey" may be the initiator, but ultimately there has to be a right and there has to be wrong.

Becoming Who You Are

There are times when I really have to question... Am I really that dumb?

How can I continue to fall?

     ...make the same mistakes...

          ...continue to be the fool...

And yet if I want to learn more,

     ...the more I want to grow...

          ...the more I want to mature as a Christian...

I got to get use to the fact that I will slip up. There is no better life lesson than learning from our failures and mistakes. Reminds me of the lyrics to Mainstay's songs "Becoming Who You Are":

I Keep on learning the hard way from every mistake

and I'm finding each time that you fall

You're just becoming who you are...

Witness...

I'm a big fan of Ravi Zacharias and in particular, of "A Slice of Infinity", a daily apologetic devotional. Today's word was quite a challenge, speaking about us being God's witnesses but are we like Peter who stood around quietly while false witnesses were brought forward to accuse Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:55-59). There was one quote in particular by Albert Holtz that struck me deeply...

"We speak about God without opening our Mouths. What are the chances that by watching me a person can learn that God is love?"

What are the chances?

Southview is Home... Amen!

Last week was the first Sunday in almost a year that I had missed Southview and boy did I miss it... being at church this morning was like being back home. The familar faces, the smiles, the kids running around... the business of trying to get everything in order!

This morning I reconnected with the people whom I call family.

Introducing Revive

I had the pleasure of having Revive over when I was working at Parkside. That they have a break now to hit the US music scene is awesome. It's always been a tough thing for Aussie Christian music artists to make it. Some have like Paul Colman and the Newsboys, but they are definitely the exception.

I can name you so many Aussie bands that deserve to make, Revive is definitely top of the list. They are going on tour with Third Day, check out the dates and locations and make an effort to see them, take my word for it, it is well worth it.

Questioning Authority

Has there ever been a time where you've found yourself questioning authority? In Italy, questioning authority is an institution! Here in America questioning authority is sometimes hampered by perception...

What will people think? How will it be perceived?

What are your thoughts?