Part of understanding how men think

I have had some conversations where I've been helping out some friends by telling them how some men think.

This list was recommended by a friend Craig admittedly he didn't write it, but it is still a good list.

It isn't gospel, so don't get angry if you don't like what it is suggesting, but I'm sure lots of guys actually think along these lines.

Rugby night out

When work gives you free tickets to a quaint British game called Rugby, what should be the response?  Especially if you get fed too, and have to chat with clients at least some of the time.

I think the right answer is yes.  Was a nice game too, until the Waratahs decided at some point in the second half to play like it is Round 11 of the Super 14. (rather than round 7).

One wag in the crowd yelled out "So do you want us to come back next week?"

In the end they won, but much more troubled than it should have been.

Planning

Well, another part week has come and gone.  I have been working too hard though, and sometimes it just feels like well, work.

I've been planning the holiday bits after my mission trip (if it happens - God willing) so that I can book appropriate flights to get back. 

That has been lots of fun, as has been catching up on chat with some random friends... God has been good.

Off topic:  I have bought a few The Christ Files DVDs.  One has already been sold.  I think another has already been spoken for.  I have a feeling this is something I'll have to get a few more of almost straight away, let me know if you want one.

Consumed by excitement

I have got to a really weird situation when it comes to my church now.

After years of struggle and toil, effort to get things happening, I actually like what God has done. I like my church, I like what has been happening, and I probably spend too much time when I see my friends sharing how wonderful God has been.

But in the middle of all those good things, and all the big things that have been happening in my life, there is a need to keep concentrating on the little things.

When things start going well, there is a temptation to think either that we have reached heaven, that the work can stop, or that it was all our work in getting it happen.

This side of heaven, we will continue to struggle with sin (even the sin of pride - that is taking the credit from God and giving it to us) and will find this in the hard times, and the good times.

I guess the right response (which can sometimes be hard) is to thank God when he gives us any blessing, and to keep serving him with all of our hearts.

What do I do during the week...

The following quote was not said by me. It wasn't even said by someone working in tax. But it seems to reflect my job, albeit that I work for companies (which in the end are owned by wealthy people) but it takes an axe to what tax people actually achieve from a broader societal perspective.

"....become a tax consultant!! Does no good for anybody but gives you a safe income. And there's always a need for you - you'll never lack a job if you're a tax consultant. We've got some of the brightest people in our land working hard so that we can minimise the amount of tax that wealthy people have got to pay. So we're actually employing some of the cleverest people in our society to rob us from our own taxes and our own wealth. Now that's a really sensible society isn't it.

And I'm so glad you're training to be one. But excuse me for suggesting to you that your education in accounting is not an education. It's just a technical training - you could actually get a bright monkey to do it. Not a matter of thought or deep reflection; its a matter of getting a job. It's about getting a career. Rise, rise, rise...through the path, up the career - that's what it's about. That's what university's about. It's the love of money."

Just because you have a job that earns you good money, does not mean that you love money. But it has been interesting, in the past little while to realise how much money can become loveable, and how quickly it can become a force to be used for good and for bad.

My job pays the bills, and pays them very adequately, but it is no wonder that occasionally I'll have an Ecclesiastes moment... and contemplate the futility of it all.

Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-8)

Please pray for people with prosperity. Pray that their eyes would be satisfied, that their trust would be in their King Jesus, and that they would continue toiling, not for themselves, but instead for the growth of the kingdom.

The Shiny City - Glimmering with light, rescued from sin by a shining knight!

Growing up, a trip to the Sydney CBD was a rare treat, an occasional joy, but it was rare enough to feel the magic of Sydney. The trip over the Harbour Bridge after an Easter show as we headed back to my grandmother's house. The bright lights really were bright, everything seemed so important, although there always seemed to be just too many people everywhere, and the streets never seemed safe (even though they probably were).

Tonight heading home from work, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the whole thing. Sydney simply is a beautiful city. Especially if you leave via the Harbour Bridge (you might see the "above view" of this one).

Somehow though, I don't think that a bit of a comment about how strange it is to catch a taxi, and how wonderful the city of Sydney is, is enough to deal with Easter.

You see, in my bible there is this bit about a spectacular city, a city that looks like a priceless jewel, a city prepared as a bride on her wedding day.

Well, Sydney has nothing on this city! This city is full of people, people rescued by God. People who were cleaned up from the inside out, so that they could live with him.

And get this, the guy who did the cleaning up, he was the sort of guy who probably belonged smack-bang in the middle of a beautiful city. He was the guy who you would want to be running the show. But he cleaned us up by being executed. He was executed outside the great city of Jerusalem, treated like a criminal, so that I and many more could go free.

So this weekend, instead of thinking about the city I work in, and the city I live in. I will be trying to think of the city he cleaned up, and the city I'll be forever in. The heavenly Zion.

Riding in Taxis with Cab Drivers

Perhaps the strangest thing about my new life at work is how many times I have caught a taxi in the past twelve months. I've never really done it before this year, and it sometimes seems an indulgent luxury in the light of the fact that I have a relatively workable and safe public transport system (but then again, I do live in Sydney).

The weirdest thing is the different type of cab drivers and cab trips you get. You get the ones who love a chat, and the ones who just drive.

I like cab drivers who like to chat, but it is only every so often I get to have a good yarn.

I guess cabs aren't that exciting after all, though I'm sure other people are better at having chats than I am (well, I guess there has to be someone else).

Is a big church better than a small one?

This is one of those contentious issues that sometimes comes up between different godly caring Christians, and it can sometimes cause fights. My gut reaction and answer to this question is "No, but..." but then again, maybe that is just me and my experiences.

Definitions:

• Small - up to 70 people
• Large - more than 200 people
  

Some thoughts that I have in coming to the "No, but..." conclusion are as follows built upon a couple of images of Church coming from the New Testament, but in the end, if your church does these four things well, then there is no reason it is bad to be big:

1. Church - a gathering of God's people in community
2. Church - a gathering for prayer, praise, making disciples and teaching
   
3. Church - a gathering focussed on the community hearing the gospel
4. Church - a gathering generously sending others out to proclaim the gospel to the world

Ok then, here goes (sorry in advance if it gets a bit long, I haven't been preaching much lately).

1. Church - a gathering of God's people in community

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

It may go without saying, but a practical aspect of this is that you need to "meet with people". But further than this, a gathering of Christians should involve the encouraging of each other.

The level of intimacy required for such encouragement is a bit more than just feeling part of something big. You need a different kind of intimacy in a church gathering than a concert. You should feel warmth between people, and a vulnerability between people that reflects real relationships.

It is probably easier for smaller gatherings to foster an intimacy than larger ones, but large gatherings can get around this through organising small group bible study (see, there is that small church thing again :P)

2. Church - a gathering for prayer, praise, making disciples and teaching
If you re-read that passage from Hebrews quoted above, you will find that church is about encouraging each other and all the more as you see the day approaching.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

That directive flows from this bit in 1 Corinthians 11 about they way they meet together.

Prayer, Praise (a hymn), Making Disciples (encouragement) and teaching (a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation) of themselves can work better in a larger group, but the key concept in the scriptures is the whole idea of them being in a gathering that is not being divided.

Yes a small church may divide and may not show love. But I think genuinely loving is easier to do in the smaller group. But then again, I've been in some pretty loving larger churches, so can't say it necessarily works the same way.

3. Church - a gathering focussed on the community hearing the gospel
This is probably my key feeling about why churches work best when smaller (though not necessarily small) - and yes it is less founded on scripture and more on personal opinion.

Note: I have discussed here issues arising for "broad population communities" (otherwise known as parishes) but a similar principle applies in practice for "ethnic based communities".

I understand that in many parts of the world, many gatherings of Christians do not proclaim the gospel at all, but where there are multiple gatherings that do proclaim the gospel, it would be wise to join a gathering that proclaims the gospel into your own community, the community you live and play within. It makes it easier to invite neighbours and friends along, and it allows a long term prayer commitment for the people of the local area.

Throughout history, this has been the core driver of what would effectively be a large "church-planting movement". In Sydney Anglicanism, this movement has involved regular planting of branch churches from more established ones, and often to reflect new development areas. In the post-war there was a push for a church to be built within walking distance of most people, and led to a multiplication of churches. With lower levels of church attendance, this policy has been reversed in some areas, but it does help a local church to know what community they are to primarily focus on proclaiming the gospel to.

Good larger churches also normally have this focus too, but it can become hard for a person who lives in one part of a city to spend their whole time trying to reach people of another area with the gospel.

What would be ideal instead is if a large church notices a significant group of their gathered people come from a particular area which isn't the "target to reach" area, they could work to have those people form a new gathering to reach those people.

4. Church - a gathering generously sending others out to proclaim the gospel to the world
I love 1 Thessalonians:

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10)

The people heard the gospel, understood it and became messengers for it to the local area, the surrounding region (actually this may help point 3 as well) and their local churches, and also so far around.

A genuine gathering of Christians, looking forward to the day of the Lord and giving up some of their best people to go tell other parts of the world. Now there is a strategy to get big - make your church smaller!! Imagine how many people will come if they know that your church is one of those churches where people give up high paying (and even low paying) jobs so people in other parts of the world can hear about the Lord Jesus. One of those churches which gives away teams of people to help other churches reach their communities.

Conclusion
In the end, it doesn't really matter that much whether a church is small or big. But it does matter a lot to God what that gathered people do and why you choose to gather with those people.

Small or Big, just gather with local Christians to hear the word of God, to encourage each other, to share in the love of Christ, and to proclaim the gospel to the local community and the world.

Random happenings

This week the following has happened:

• A friend has decided to leave work (and been told tomorrow is her final day);
• XLS Ministry Resources received an order from the USA;
• I have come back to earth (with a thud) after an awesome concert;
• I am trying PayPal for my business;
• PWC had their sign go up in flames;
• I got to experience relative blindness (without my glasses) at soccer training;
• I visited a church;
  
• I went to Orange;
• I considered buying a ute, and then thought better of it;
  
• I went to bible study for the first time in a while at my church;
• I found out I'm better than average at guitar hero; and
  
• I submitted an application to go overseas.

I guess this is a bit crazy, but it has been one of those weeks.

What a relief to keep remembering that in all the big and little things, God is still in control. I need to keep trusting him in every little thing in life.

Blogging about Sex - why not!

You may have noticed that I have been in the mood to blog very recently. Maybe that reflects a restlessness in my life, or just that I've reached a new stage in thinking. A whole heap of choices about my life have been made in the last month, and I guess that the certainty in these big decisions helps me think through other issues, and move back into thinking about life in general.

I was at the Kelly Clarkson concert the other night, and had a great time, though I found myself a bit saddened by some of the stuff that happened in the concert.

Afterwards I found myself reflecting on pre-marital sex. This may be a strange admission, but the thinking had nothing to do with me desiring sex. I was thinking more about the tragedy that comes about when people take sex without strings.

I understand that this is controversial. Not everyone who reads my blog, especially on facebook will agree with this sort of discussion. Many guys and girls struggle with this sort of issue, and many more simply ignore it for the benefit of convenience.

But when 1 in 4 teenage girls have an STD, and when the concert I was watching was built on tales of broken hearts (for the female singers) and cheap lust (from the male singers) it is hard to ignore the issue.

I get frustrated when girls get excited and scream for the cheap stunt comments like "you girls are so sexy in Australia", even when those comments come from someone with a degree of popularity. I get even more frustrated when guys (myself included) get so caught up with a girls looks that they fail to even notice her heart.

Over time God's wisdom in things seems so nice. Knowing the angst and pain I feel every so often when I like a girl or when a relationship ends, it would only be worse with more strings attached too early. Love that endures comes from the blood, sweat and tears of hard work, but immediate sexual pleasure is available so cheaply, only to tear at the heart so soon after.

Sex was designed to express two people becoming one, a way to express at the same time the ultimate vulnerability as well as the ultimate joy that comes when you truly can trust your husband or wife. While we humans tend to muck around with God's design, pretending we know better, it is right for us to listen to God, hear his voice and honour his authority.

A short trip - but hopefully a worthwhile one

I have just applied to go on a short term trip into Northern Asia to meet with local Christians, and for us to be mutually encouraged by what God is doing in his world.

At the moment, this is an exciting thing, but it is only at the application stage. Please pray that God would give wisdom to those who would consider this application, and if it is his will to give me the opportunity to go. Please also pray that I will handle the culture shock that may come with the trip if all goes to plan.

I will be putting more information out for my friends when the application and other formalities are settled. But for the moment, I would just again appreciate your prayer.

"So you're single then - That's great!"

While visiting a church last night, I had a quick conversation with a man I played soccer with in a church yard when we both were boys. He's always been bigger than me, for as long as I remember (even when he was in Kindy and I was in Year 3), and time hasn't changed anything in that regard.

One of the things he said was helpful, even if it wasn't intended to be. He asked if I was married, then asked if I was engaged, and then went "so you're single then - that's great."

The opportunities I have now, especially opportunities for serving Jesus, simply because I don't have to feed a family, support a wife, or live out of home, have been great.

The flexibility brought by singleness to get involved and doing things, and the opportunities to serve allow people to take risks that they would be less likely to take when in a relationship.

Further, when I remember the pain of past dating relationships that have ended, and when I see some relationships that are very difficult, it should be easy to be grateful for where I am at.

Things may change or they may stay the same in this regard, but in the end, there is always a need to thank God for how things are, and not just thank God for what may be.

I am genuinely glad for the chance to develop myself which I have had for the past couple of years. I have considered things that were never what I expected to be doing, and have taken opportunities unimaginable.

God is the loving creator, who showed so much love to me that he offered forgiveness to me through the painful death of his son in my place. He has looked after my greatest need, the need to be forgiven by him, having looked after that, it isn't as if he is suddenly not concerned about all the other things I need.

God gives, and God takes away, but in the end, God is to be praised. He is a great and wonderful creator, and a mighty saviour, and he as a loving father cares for his children. Being married isn't the most important thing, being single isn't either, being God's chosen one, the one to inherit with the church all of creation is what matters in the end.