Rants-Petroleum and Rice I know I work for a great organisation when the things that quietly disturb the quiet recesses of my mind are addressed. What do I mean? Well for a while now, I have been acutely aware of how rising fuel costs have driven up the *global* price of food.

You certainly know that the price of fuel has gone up as most of us drive regularly and need our cars. You may or may not know that the price of food has gone up.

If you live in a poor community, then you are certainly aware that the price of food has increased. Dramatically. There have been food riots in some parts of Africa and Asia, not unlike the beginnings of some B grade science fiction stories, as a result of rising fuel prices.

So this stuff sits in the back of my mind and I wonder what to do, what to say, feeling powerless. And the along comes an email from Sally at Tear...

The world price of rice has doubled in less than a year. Other staple foods have reached record prices. And, of course, the world's poorest people are being hit the hardest.

You can help a community help itself by investing in a rice bank.

http://www.usefulgifts.org/gift.php?type=447

Please promote this new gift

Labels: Economics, Faith, Politics, Spirituality, Tear, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 12:47 PM   0 comments

::Resources-Structural and Institutional Sin These are the notes for the class I taught last Saturday morning at Tabor Melbourne. For those not there, it is an exploration of the notion of institutional and structural sin/evil.

It was a great class. The thing that made it great was the passion and quality of questions and conversations with the participants. Thanks so much for letting me be part of your learning journey guys!

(Note: You have to click on the white box above to advance the presentation one page at a time.)

Labels: Missiology, Mission, Notes, Resources, Tabor Melbourne, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 1:04 PM   0 comments

::Rants-Making sense of suffering... Having a hard time with the disaster in Burma. When the tsunami struck a few years ago, my feelings of anger, frustration and resignation were significant. My framework for coping was stressed to the limit.

This time around, the stupidity of an elite regime is simply exacerbating a situation that simply did not have to have a death toll that is as great as it is. I don't want to think about it. I want to shut it all out and cope with it in ways that are just unhealthy.

What makes the Burma situation a little more complex for me is the fact that Tear has significant partners and fieldworkers (some I know personally) who are in the midst of it all, and we are being kept constantly updated. Try as I might to distract myself, it is in my face.

I am not sure if it will help you, but I have found that some of the reflections of our partners and fieldworkers has helped my processing. You can find them here...

http://tear.org.au/projects/emergencies/burma-cyclone-relief/

You can also make a donation to some of Tears wonderful and faithful partners in Burma too if that helps.

Labels: Burma, Rants, Tear, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 9:14 PM   0 comments

::Resources-Those wanting to get started with biblical interpretation... I have been asked a number of times after talks that I have given, if there is a good place to start in understanding the cannonisation (how the bible came to be composed of the books that are included) process. One particular person was pretty keen to understand the process.

So what do you do when asked such a technical question? Well you ask Ken Baker from Citywesleyan of course! Here is a response that I got from Ken that will hopefully help you if that is a question that you have had also...

The closest I could get to a suggestion is "The Text of the New Testament" by Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland.

This text is a classic and the Alands are the legends of NT work.

In the absence of any ideas re: introduction books, my mind went to this book, but I originally thought that it would be far too academic and far too hard to read.

BUT, I've skimmed through it and it is actually quite readable and grunty at the same time.

Anyway, chapter 2 might be ok.

Labels: Scrap Book, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 4:52 PM   0 comments

::Theology-Christians Wrong about Heaven... Always witty N.T. Wright gives an insightful interview on Time magazine's web site. Thanks to Tim for the spot.

Labels: Church, Culture, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 12:44 PM   0 comments

::Politics-It's been a while... I thought now might be a good time to get back on the horse after the second child. I thought I was busy when I only had one?

In my room with the lappy whilst Lisa meets with some of the girls from missio Dei downstairs. Trying to put the final touches on the first Yits class for the year and was looking for a good reason to procrastinate. Will try and keep this short.

(PS - Ken, I met Peter Dobson and his wife today at Tabor's first chapel service for the year!)

Was listening to the radio a few days ago. The BBC were covering Bush's visit to Africa. Call me an optimist but he sounded like a very different president. It seemed as though he was moved by the difference determined and focused aid can bring.

I recall another radio article I heard a few years ago talking about lame duck presidents who go to Africa in their last year and get a conscience all of a sudden. They were talking about it in the same way that one talks about the benevolent rock star cliche.

Bush said he wouldn't do what Clinton did (ie: visit Africa in his final year and suddenly get a conscience). However, it seems the hospitality of poor communities and the difference one can make when you declare a war on real terror, namely the brutality and violence of hunger and poverty, just got to him. His speeches, mannerisms and behavior certainly challenged my tendency to pigeon hole.

I wonder if the US constitution should be changed so that they new president should visit all of the places in which their aid is being spent first hand, before they are allowed to start moving the armies around the map in that big room with all the real time satellite images.

Labels: Politics, Rants, Social Justice, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 9:28 PM   1 comments

::Theology-Some kind of conclusion... Rowan Lewis, the Coordinator of Year in the Son (which is one of the teaching gigs I have), is always encouraging me not just to challenge students with the state of the world, but to also give them a vision of what could be. He loves my work, but is a great foil for my mind and heart, as he challenges me to inspire people with a vision of an alternative.

A few months ago, I posted my version of the Sheep and the Goats that I used in this particular class. It was my attempt at engaging Gen Y with the call to radical discipleship. After some careful thought, I rewrote the second half for the class in response to Rowan's encouragements. This is the first time I have presented it in a public forum. I would appreciate your thoughts.

Jesus turned to the ones on his left and he will say:
"Depart from me you who are accursed. For I was hungry, but you didn't give me anything to eat. So we grew our own food, but we had to sell it into the international trading system, using the money to pay off our debts to your country. We had little left to eat.

"For I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. So we found a water table and drilled a well. But Coca Cola Amatil came to our city and outbid us for access to our own water. They use it to make your Coca Cola. They outbid us with the profits they made from selling you their product.

"I was imprisoned in my own country, so I fled in desperation with nothing except the money that I was able to get in exchange for everything I ever owned. I managed to get to your country, even though the people smugglers told me I was going to England! When I got to your country, you put me into another prison. But you call yours a detention centre?

"I was naked, and you did not clothe me. So we had to find work in order to buy our own clothes. I found work, in a factory. I worked every day from 7am till 9pm with very few breaks, 7 days a week. It was hard work. I rarely got to see my family, life was very hard. This kind of life made me very sad. The factory I worked in made clothes that were sold to you.

"I was sick. I agonized as many of my family, friends and especially the children in my community died from things like diarrhoea and simple infections. I was afraid I too would die in this horrible way. Day after day, month after month, year after year. This happened whilst every now and then, you would give thanks to your God for your health.

"I was homeless and I read in one of your Christian books that if I applied myself and worked hard enough, I could have whatever I could conjure up enough faith for. I have been praying and believing for a home for my family. I cannot wait for God to answer that prayer.

"I was lonely, hoping for someone to visit. Often I saw your aeroplanes flying overhead. I suspect that you were probably on your way to London, or Paris to see things that were very important and special.

"You seemed so blessed with so many things. You must be very holy for God to bless you with so many good things. I am still very hungry and lonely and cold.

Then he will turn to the ones on his right, and he will say:
"Come you who are blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.

"For I was hungry, and you decided to prioritise environmental sustainability and the just nature of trade regarding the food you eat. When you made your food producers and manufacturers accountable to the way they treat me and the planet on which I try to grow my own food, you slowly but surely made a difference in my life and the life of my family.

"When I was thirsty, you heard my cry and sacrificially gathered some of God's wealth and resources and gave them to me so that I could build a well in my community. Your simple sacrifice and concern for me and my family made a huge difference in the life and health of our community.

"I was naked and you were outraged. You demanded that the corporations from whom you purchased your own clothing treated me with justice. I was able to form a trade union and campaign for good working conditions. I was able to work and to rest and recreate because of your concern and action. You now have to pay a little bit more for your own clothing, but that does not concern you for now people are more important to you than money.

"I was sick with preventable diseases, and this filled you with remorse. You decided that you would give some of your monthly income regularly to programs that helped to improve the quality of my life, and that of my family and friends. In your monthly budget, you made sure that you remembered me always, for the remainder of your life.

"I was homeless, and you knew that this was wrong. You opened your home to me, sharing a room, meals, tears, time, frustrations, patience and love with me. It was uncomfortable for you; however you gave much and learned much about yourself, about God, and about our common humanity.

"I was lonely. But so were you, trapped in a world where you needed to be constantly entertained and stimulated. As you broke free from your materialistic prison, we found each other. We talked, and listened to one another, we spent time getting to know each other, and ourselves. In your act of reaching out, you became more human than you realised possible.

And the ones on his right said to the King:
"Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or lonely and in prison?

And the King answered:
"Whatsoever you did to the least of these, you did it to me."

Labels: Culture, Gen Y, Lifestyle, Missiology, Rants, Social Justice, Spirituality, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 10:55 AM   10 comments

::Politics-A free seminar Click on the link below to get details on a free seminar being held by a collection of Melbourne based Christian groups looking at the current political debate that breaks out of the "Australia is simply an economy" paradigm. Tear are involved in this too!
BeyondHipPocket-v3.pdf

Labels: Election 07, Lifestyle, Politics, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 11:03 AM   0 comments

::Politics-Major Parties Research I have been asked a number of times for some good summaries of the major political parties leading up to our election.

I tend to be a little nervous of the tables that list items with ticks and crosses next to them as the debate is a little more complex than that.

Having said that, does anyone know where you can get a good summary of the perspectives of the different parties?

Labels: Culture, Election 07, Politics, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 10:40 AM   3 comments

::Politics-Catch the Fire Ministries, a response

This is a response that I sent to a mailing list that I am on. The response was to an email forwarded to the list from Pastor Danny Nillah, from Catch the Fire Ministries. Some people found it helpful so I thought I would cross post it here.

I think the first thing that I would like to put into the public arena regarding this email is the history of Catch the Fire Ministries and their leader, Danny Nilliah.

For those of you unfamiliar with the case, he and his organization were at the centre of a protracted legal battle regarding defamation under the vilification laws that this circular email makes reference to.

At the heart of the case were some significantly misinformed opinions that were widely circulated amongst the broader Christian (and secular) community by Danny and his organisation, regarding Islam.

In the current political climate (post 9/11) any public dialog regarding Islam is difficult, to say the least. I found that the misinformed comments made by Danny were (in my opinion) unhelpful at best, and at their worst, hateful, fearful and contributing nothing to a spirit of dialog, reconciliation and healing of the rifts that have occurred certainly over the last 6 odd years since 9/11, rather they exacerbated what certainly in Melbourne is already an awkward and tense relationship between Muslim communities and the broader mainstream culture.

The Australian legal system (which John Howard's government have presided over for the last 11 odd years) found that this was in fact the case and Danny and his colleague were found guilty of inciting hatred and were forced to publicly retract their statements.

This made some small contribution towards easing the incredible feelings of victimization and isolation felt by many within the Muslim community in our nation, some of whom we have a little to do with.

Secondly, continuing to express my personal opinion here, I have felt deeply grieved that the government of our nation, since 9/11, rather than espousing a spirit of courage and peacemaking, seemed to have pursued deliberate actions that heighten the average Australian's feelings of fear and insecurity created by the broader socio political climate.

Beginning with the Tampa incident (where the sovereign government of this nation, rather than stepping in and taking up the plight of the orphan, the widow and the stranger/refugee in keeping with the strong and systematic teachings of the old and new testaments) chose to use the special armed forces to "protect" Australians. The incident was framed in terms of "the other" being a "threat to national security"...

Almost every objective observation of this event acknowledges that the handling of this event, just prior to an election was a deliberate political device to exploit the prejudices of an almost evenly split electorate.

Tampa was followed by 9/11 and then the Children Overboard affair.

Once again, the Howard government exploited fear and prejudice, at a time when the people of Australia were most vulnerable (the Children Overboard incident followed 9/11 by about a month). The Howard Government intentionally lied to the people of Australia, exploiting once again the orphan, widow and stranger/refugee:

"A Senate select committee inquiry later found that the "Children Overboard" claim was untrue and that the government knew this prior to the election. The government attracted criticism that it had misled the public and cynically "exploited voters' fears of a wave of illegal immigrants by demonising asylum-seekers"."

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_overboard_affair)

These incidents have been followed by a series of other deliberate intents to mislead the Australian electorate, including but not limited to:

• Reducing Medicare when promising not to. Most vulnerable are the poor, single mums and the like.
• Promising to reduce education costs, with a particular promise that there will never be a $100,000 university degree. Today there is over16 university degree's costing over $100,000. The most vulnerable are middle to lower income Australian families.
• Introducing a GST after promising not to do so in 1995. Again, the most vulnerable are the middle to lower income families.
• A promise to do away with Aged Care and Pension clawbacks. This promise was broken. The most vulnerable? The aged and the chronically ill.
• Labour reform. The promise was that Work Choices would continue to protect the rights of workers. There is a personal story attached to this one with a member of our community being severely exploited and unable to protect himself because he was threatened with termination of employment. Only our commitment to support him financially until he was able to find alternative employment if he was sacked, gave him the courage to challenge his employer who indeed sacked him. In the process, the young man in question discovered that the employer was using illegal immigrants and paying them well below award conditions.
• The young man struggled to know whether to report the incident as a couple of illegal immigrants would have lost jobs and have been deported with the added insult of probably having to spend time in detention centres whilst the issues were being managed by our judicial system.This is one of many cases with over 100,000 cases still before the new Workplace Authority.
• Weapons of Mass Destruction. Hmmm, I'll leave that one...
• Promising that we did not commit to military action in Iraq before the decision was debated in Parliament. This was found out not to be true.
• Tax payer funded political advertising. Google it, it would be much shorter than if I tried to outline it.
• A few others but I think you are getting the point... Danny defends the Christian credentials of John Howard, who has been shown on numerous occasions to have lied to the public for political advantage, and in some of his lies, demonising and discrediting vulnerable groups.

The political climate in Australia after 11 years of conservative rule have made this place a meaner and scarier place to live. The average Australian now feels less safe, and has a greater sense of prejudice directed towards other non Anglo Saxon people, particularly of Middle Eastern descent. This comes to you from me, a second generation Australian, with the most common middle eastern surname in the world (Said), who is often called aside at Australian airports because I fit a particular profile. Middle aged, traveling alone regularly to Asia and the Middle East (I work for a Christian Aid and Development organisation), slightly tanned skin.

I remember being yelled at in the streets of Melbourne, days after the Cronulla riots, being told to f*** off and go home. Even though I was born here and my parents come from Malta, a Catholic nation and a member of the British Commonwealth until 1965.

The cynical part of me believes that John Howard and his government have taken advantage of the broader socio political context, and since the Tampa incident, have made Australia a far less friendly, meaner, much more paranoid, greedier and less hospitable place to live.

In over a decade of unprecedented economic growth, communities have come under much more strain due to the economic liberalization process that benefits the rich, exploits the poor, forces families to devote more of their time to longer working hours (I believe at this point, we are something like second only to Japan in terms of unpaid overtime) whilst working class and poorer/vulnerable communities suffer greater hardship. The present government seems to continue to appeal to the baser instincts that lurk beneath the surface of our civilised veneer.

If our political engagement proceeds from a platform of fear, a fear driven politic will focus on creating artificial barriers that give us an illusion of control and will ultimately lead to attempts to legislate righteousness. This is the way of the Pharisee. Those who do not fit our moral code are excluded and when our politics are examined, we find that they are devoid of compassion, mercy, grace and justice for all (as opposed to justice for just us).

The homosexual is particularly singled out and demonised, as are the perpetrators of abortion. Our politics become private. Our morals are limited what one can and cannot do with your penis and/or vagina. It is ultimately a narrow, and dehumanising.

The politics of Jesus, in the grand tradition of the Old Testament Prophet, are concerned with not how laws effect me, but how they effect the least and the last. God constantly reminds the people of God in the OT that the reason that they have to care for the orphan, widow and stranger(refugee) is because they were an orphan (in Egypt with no "father" to protect them), a widow (as an idolatrous nation, stripped of their Husband to defend and without protect them from the violence committed against them as judgment for their paganism) and a refugee (wandering in the wilderness as a stateless people prior to inheriting the land).

And on the issue of their judgment as pagans, the paganism that God accuses them of is prostituting their vocation which is to show the world what Yahweh is like. When they use slave labour to build the temple, when they use the wealth that God has blessed them with to create a system of justice that exploits the most vulnerable among them, they are no different to the pagan nations around them. They do not honour God, because they forget that when you treat the least of these as slaves and economic units in a system designed to make the rich richer and happier and the poor continue to lose their dignity as image bearers, not only do they *not* honour God, they dishonour him in the most brutal of ways (inanimate things are of more value than animate things).

On the question of Islam, I find that Danny conducts his affairs in the same vein as conservative politics in Australia. He creates an Islamic "straw man". The church of all institutions on earth should know that radical Islamic terrorism is to Islam, what the Ku Klux Klan is to Christianity. We have far more in common with our human brethren who follow the way of Islam than we actually do with the secular materialistic Aussie. Yet Danny chooses to paint them as tools of Satan who will rape, pillage and destroy in the name of Allah.

I cannot reconcile a person who espouses hatred and fear for another grouping based on religious conviction as being consistent with the missionary God who commands us to go to all the peoples of the earth making disciples where we find them. Time (and energy) does not permit me to outline the incredible opportunity for dialog and learning we can engage in with the Muslim community in Australia.

I cannot subscribe to Danny's political point of view. His politics are private, seeking to create divisions that funnily enough, put him on the right side of God and those who do not agree on the wrong side of God. He points out some ritual behavior of the Australian government and claims that this makes them candidates for God's favour and dismisses the alternatives because they do not engage in the same ritualistic behavior (prayer in parliament etc). Yet he completely fails to outline the significant lies told by the present government for political advantage, and their failure to take responsibility and to apologise to the Australian people for.

I find that his perspective will only lead to a Pharisaical hatred that does not honor our God or his kingdom, one characterised by grace (God's undeserved favor towards all), mercy, justice, righteousness, truth ad infinitum.

I would not want you to construe this response as endorsement of the ALP either. Someone asked me the other day, "who will you vote for"?

My response was that I would vote for the party that would give me an undertaking that as a society would do our best to protect and include the least and the last in our communities, economically, socially, politically.

Politics should not be about fearfully looking for the system that will protect us and our aspirations. It is about setting the political agenda, and letting governments know (no matter who they are) that our God, the King of Kings has set them in place and then need to rule with justice, mercy and compassion, caring for those who cannot look after themselves. They must represent the needs of the many, not the desires and selfish ambitions of the few.

I would urge you my brothers and sister, humbly in the Lord, that you would carefully consider, not just Danny's email, but any email coming to you asking them to considering it before voting. We have a grave responsibility as spiritual leaders. I want to urge you to get your communities thinking about Jesus and his Kingdom, and the ways in which our politics might better achieve this end.

More than happy to continue the dialog regarding this *short* reply.

(Those who know me will know that this *is* short!) ;)

Labels: Culture, Politics, Rants, Spirituality, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 10:36 PM   7 comments

::Rants-Mark Reissen makes me cry... I was in Adelaide recently for Slum Survivor. That is worth another post entirely. The thing I wanted to post today was the reason Mark Reissen made me cry. I have been following the story about the Vox Congo boys and Mark bought me up to date and is responsible for making me cry in a public place. (He shed a tear when I started crying to!)

I asked him to send me the story so that I could share it with you guys here...

Here's the story i posted on my blog back in June. hope it's useful. It's a news item, if you'd like me to rewrite as a commentary I can...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shalom
Mark

Labels: Politics, Rants, Social Justice, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 11:31 AM   0 comments

::Rants-A good opportunity? Got this three times via email today. Anyone interested?

ABC Radio National's Encounter is a feature documentary series exploring intersections of religion, ethics, politics and culture.

They are looking for new freelancers - younger people who are interested in radio as a form (and in learning how to use it), who have good background in theology and religious culture, and who have burning ideas about programs they would like to make.

If you would like to find out more, please email Margaret

Coffey at coffey.margaret@abc.net.au.

Labels: Culture, Media, Philosophy, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 1:23 PM   0 comments

::Rants-Bible Rewrite The Sheep and the Goats doesn't get a whole lot of airplay. Maybe a bit more now but very little when I first came to faith. A significant contributor to my formation was a rewrite of the Sheep and the Goats that looked something like this:

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger, thankyou.

I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release.

I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.

I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

I was homeless and you preached to me of a spiritual shelter of the love of God.

I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.

You seemed so holy, so close to God, but I am still very hungry and lonely and cold.

It impacted me to such a degree that I thought that I had to do something to give it the same gravity to the young adults that I spend time with, that the original had upon me. Here is my humble version...

For I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. So we found a water table and drilled a well. But Coca Cola Amatil came to our city and outbid us for access to our own water. They use it to make your Coca Cola. They outbid us with the profits they made from selling you their product.

I was imprisoned in my own country, so I fled in desperation with nothing except the money that I was able to get in exchange for everything I ever owned. I managed to get to your country, even though the people smugglers told me I was going to England! When I got to your country, you put me into another prison. Except you call yours a detention centre?

I was naked, and you did not clothe me. So we had to find work in order to buy our own clothes. I found work, in a factory. I worked every day from 7am till 9pm with very few breaks, 7 days a week. It was hard work. I rarely got to see my family, life was very hard. This kind of life made me very sad. The factory I worked in made clothes that were sold to you.

I was sick. I agonized as many of my family, friends and especially the children in my community die from things like diarrhoea and simple infections. I was afraid I would die in this horrible way too. Day after day, month after month, year after year. This happened whilst every now and then, you would give thanks to your God for your health.

I was homeless and I read in one of your Christian books that if I applied myself and worked hard enough, I could have whatever I could conjure up enough faith for. I have been praying and believing for a home for my family. I cannot wait for God to answer that prayer.

I was lonely, hoping for someone to visit. Often I saw your aeroplanes flying overhead. I suspect that you were probably on your way to London, or Paris to see things that were very important and special.

You seemed so blessed with so many things. You must be very holy for God to bless you with so many good things. I am still very hungry and lonely and cold.

I would be interested in your thoughts...

Labels: Culture, Discipleship, Lifestyle, Rants, Social Justice, Spirituality, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 4:35 PM   16 comments

::Rants-Theologising for the Emerging Church I have used this section of Amos in a number of presentations for all sorts of age groups. It is taken from Eugene Peterson's "The Message" paraphrase of the bible.

"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.

Amos 5:21-24

As you can imagine, it generates strong feelings and great debates.

I am often struck by paraphrases like Peterson's.

Recently, I had to address an "Emerging Church" gathering. (I use quotation marks because I find it is not that helpful a phrase and consequently I do not use it anymore).

I thought, "how could I structure the passage so it would be as striking and prophetic to this crowd, as Peterson's is to his?" So here was my rendition of the same phrase.

"I can't stand your cool cafe gatherings. I'm fed up with your networks and conversations.

I want nothing to do with your social justice programs, your global trade rhetoric and fair trade purchases. I'm sick of your candles, your art installations, your alt.worship services and deep spirituality spin. I've had all I can take of your clever narrative theology. When was the last time you obeyed me?

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.

Amos 5:21-24

What do you think?

Labels: Emerging Church, Lifestyle, Mission, Rants, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 11:43 AM   7 comments

::Rants-Still in Queensland In Brisbane at the moment. I have been involved in the Forge Intensive on Spirituality for Mission. It was a great conversation held at Bracken Ridge Baptist.

On Sunday night, I spent the evening with Joshua Tree, Steve Turner's tribe on the Sunshine Coast. It was a good evening, having conversations around money and mission, and catching up with some old (and new) friends.

Yesterday morning I had breakfast with the crew from City Wesleyan, the community presided over by the luminous Ken and Leanne Baker. Had a great time conversing around the artificial gap placed by the Western Church between Evangelism and Social Justice.

Today I spent the morning at YMIS. We reflected theologically on the nature of conversion and its practical ramifications, as well as
some good reflection on the Kingdom of God narratives understood by the early church.

I am getting to the point of exhaustion. So I am really looking forward to meeting up with Ralph (ex-Tear) and then picking up Lisa and Harry from the Gold Coast Airport tonight. I have not seen either of them since last Thursday and miss them crazily.

So I will be signing off for a week and a half, devouring re-runs of the X-Files on my laptop and reading the 14 books I have brought with me on holidays!

Labels: Blogging, Discipleship, Events, Itinerary, Mission, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 1:27 PM   2 comments

::Rants-APEST in practice II I must admit, I am wondering if APEST is the best place to start?

Probably the biggest issue is trying to redeem the meanings.

Case in point: Evangelist. "Ah, so this is the person who will (a) lead everyone to Jesus and/or (b) bring everyone into the meeting/gathering."

Al's definitions are helpful, but also quite limited. If you have three people, from three different traditions in the room, well, let's just say that it it is going to be a long afternoon.

Let's not even begin to examine the implications when hierarchical presuppositions are super imposed over the whole process.

Labels are bad. But labels are good. I have always maintained that just because something has created damage in the past, does not necessarily mean you jettison the whole. Redemption is just that. The thing needs to be redeemed.

So, the difficulty in trying to use APEST has let to some confusion regarding definitions (baggage etc) and then the whole idea of a hierarchy within (upon, around, choose your issue) also can complicate matters.

One straight up problem we struck that is worth noting is that people can behave differently in different contexts. For example, in my work with Tear and teaching in theological institutes, I would be received profoundly as Prophetic (no jokes about that being misspelled please!) no if's but's or maybes. So P first then T.

However, in the context of missio Dei, I seem to be received primarily as a T and secondarily as an A. I feel far more comfortable as a P, a little less comfortable as a T, and to be honest, we are having a hard time trying to define what an A is (again, keep your funny comments to yourself!).

I am sure that there will be at least on person who would like to give a go at helping us define what an A is, and I would keen to hear from you, but keep in mind that the reason we are stuck is not lack of information. If anything we are swimming in it. The challenge is sifting the information to find a meaningful definition that honors the biblical and historical tradition, and that makes sense to us today.

Will keep you posted in a few weeks on this one. Will probably post on leadership in the next few days as these two issues seem to be closely intertwined for us.

Labels: APEST, Church, Leadership, Mission, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 11:24 PM   4 comments

::Rants-Leadership in Incarnational Missional Community This post is a response to a comment left on this post. You might want to check it out in the context of the other comments. I thought it was a good enough rant to warrant posting in it's own right. Thanks to Bec for the ever thoughtful comments that act as a foil. You have helped me many times in refining my theology and praxis!

It is problematic Bec, which is why you have to, and I believe we are, in the process of redefining leadership in the same way that we have (and will need to continue to) redefine the word "church".

When I say "church", I mean a group of people called out from the crowd to articulate an alternative vision of what the world could be like, and I continue to restate this until the word has new meaning.

It is the same as leadership except that this is more recent for me. I know what leadership is not. In terms of the exercise of power, it is not dictating to others what they have to do, particularly in reference to my realising my dreams for an organisation through others. Nor is it a provision of services.

Leadership currently has strong overtones of both of these definitions.

I think leadership does exist. People are always leading in different ways. Whilst I can't define it, I find Aesop's fable regarding the North wind and the sun the most helpful metaphor for leadership.

I think that biblical leadership is not like the North wind that blusters and tried to blow the jacket of the person walking through the village. I reckon it is more like the sun, that shines, and when people feel the warmth, they of their own volition, take their jacket off.

Leadership is about creating an environment where people feel the courage to change and to dream. Leadership is also about helping people move from intent, to action as well.

I think it also needs to be named.

However, it will always be problematic, as whenever a leader rises, as well as the dysfunctions of the leader, there is the dysfunction of the community that wants to be led in ways that are not healthy, which is what the story about Israel wanting a king instead of God is all about.

However, I have always maintained that a healthy response to something is not the absence of that thing, but the redemption of that thing. So the goal is as redeemed a leadership as is humanly possible, this side of the total realisation of the kingdom.

Labels: Church, Leadership, Mission, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 4:43 PM   4 comments

::Theology-Slow of the mark
In typical Stephen Said fashion, I have finally got my hands on a fantastic book that I have heard lots about and have heard references to, months after it was popular and released. The book is Colossians Remixed, and is a ripper of a "commentary" that puts the book back into historical context but also contemporary context, as all good commentaries should do. I will keep you posted with musings over the next few months!

Labels: Culture, Rants, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 7:48 AM   0 comments

::Rants-Where's Seddy? Been away for a three day retreat. As part of my work with ACOM, I facilitate what they call a Formation Group. Formation is actually a subject that students have to take for the three years (full time) that they study, or three times over the course of part time study.

It is a fantastic idea where students essentially are thrown together with a group of strangers who are at similar places, and then they intentionally and deliberately share their lives together. The first part of the process is to gather together for three days and everyone in the group (each group has an average of 4 to 5 people) tells their story.

I have had the privilege for the last four days, of spending some time with who I now consider to be four of the most remarkable people I have ever met. The honesty, the tragedy, beauty, wonder and grace has left me quite punch drunk.

It will make me look at people I meet for the next few weeks anyway, quite differently.

Everyone has a story. Imagine what our world would look like were we all to make time to treat each other humanly, hear each others stories and being invited, as we invite others, into each others stories?

Labels: Discipleship, Rants, Spirituality, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 10:02 AM   3 comments

::Theology-Spirituality Am about to start a new year teaching spiritual formation and spiritual theology. One of the restrictions is that of time. So I was asked if I could compress the classic disciplines together and teach two in each class. So I have combined them thus.

Disciplines of Abstinence
Solitude & Silence
Fasting & Frugality
Chastity
Secrecy & Sacrifice

Disciplines of Engagement
Study & Celebration
Worship & Service
Prayer & Submission
Fellowship & Confession

What do you think? There is a logic in my mind but before I share it, I would be keen to hear your thoughts and possible combinations.

Labels: Spirituality, Theology

  Posted by Stephen @ 3:46 PM   8 comments