Archive - January, 2011

Clean Water, Dirty Water and the Dash for Cash

January 29, 2011 in life with 1 Comment

A year ago family, friends and social network buddies all helped DMDC to raise $1741 toward safe drinking water for a community in Rwanda. This year, we are aiming to raise $2000 to help provide clean water for 601 children in India. We’re currently sitting at $1560… sweeeeet! There have been some developments today worth sharing.

  1. Nathan Campbell has offered a 250g bag of fresh coffee beans to anyone who gives $30 or more this weekend. Pretty sweet deal. He’s one of those coffee-coffee coffee-people, he has even recently launched a new coffee blog… all that’s to say, he’s got a sweet rep for sweet beans! He’s extended the offer for the rest of the weekend. MORE INFO.
  2. This evening, when the total was $1400, a generous person offered to match all other donations – up to $600. What this means is that if we make it to $2000 by midnight (Sydney time) on Sunday evening, we will actually raise $2600. Pretty sweet yeah? They wish to remain anonymous. MORE INFO.

Stoked to use the internet and social media to raise money for worthy causes.

MORE INFO or DIRECT LINK TO DONATE PAGE

At the time of publishing, that’s less than 25 hours to raise $440… easy!

MORE INFO or DIRECT LINK TO DONATE PAGE

EDIT: IN THE SPACE OF JUST OVER 24 HOURS, THIS PROJECT WENT FROM $1400 SMASHING THROUGH THE $2000 TARGET AND LANDING ON OVER $2800!!! CRAZY GOOD. THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THOSE WHO GAVE TOWARD THIS PROJECT, AND THANKS ALSO TO THOSE WHO ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO GIVE. STAY TUNED FOR FINAL TOTAL AND SPECIFICS ABOUT THE PROJECT. PEACE

To Live is Christ by Trip Lee

January 27, 2011 in culture with 0 Comments

Check out the following vid from Trip Lee. It’s based on Philippians. It’s from a Reach Records project/album thirteen letters – each track summarises one of Paul’s thirteen letters from the New Testament of the Bible. Might help as you teach young punks.

“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Dope.

Thankyou Water

January 25, 2011 in culture with 1 Comment

Thankyou Water is brilliant! You’re rich – you can afford to buy bottled water. When you buy Thankyou Water, you can actually help to provide water for some of the 900 million people worldwide who don’t have access to clean water! Click here for more info.

Thankyou Water supplied the water last week (and presumably this week too) on Next Gen conference. Good stuff. Check them on twitter and facebook.

Running events? Own a cafe? In charge of ordering for your school canteen? Got a youth camp coming up? Get yourself hooked up with Thankyou Water.

You can also give toward the DMDC project to raise money to help supply clean water to 601 children in India.

Jesus in Every Book of the Bible

January 19, 2011 in Jesus with 11 Comments

We’re getting our Biblical Theology on at Next Gen this week as we learn from Malachi in Strand 2. Duke and I played this video to our group. It’s a young punk speaking about how Jesus is in every book of the Bible. Pretty cool stuff. Check it:

There’s probably some I’d say differently, but lots of them are really helpful in showing Christ in all the scriptures. What do you think?

Surge Conference 2011

January 18, 2011 in Jesus with 0 Comments

Surge Conference 2011, run by RICE, is on in a couple of weeks. It’s a great conference for Christians aged 16 and above to help them think through how they can serve in their local church. They have an emphasis on helping people to find their gifts and how they can be used among the People of God.

Justin Moffatt and Steve Chong will be the main speakers. Jonathan Pratt, Tim Adeney, Greg Clarke, Murray Smith and Dave Miers will each be running electives.

It’s is on 4-6 February. Go check out the website for more info and to register!

See below for the blurb on my elective:

Continue Reading…

Entertained by Earthquakes, Floods, Haiti and Queensland

January 15, 2011 in culture with 6 Comments

I’ve often had an uneasy feeling when watching large-scale tragic events unfold on television and the internet. Sometimes I’m keen to find out the latest news, the death toll, the extent of the damage. Not because I need to know, not because I will necessarily do anything in response, not because it will fuel my prayer. But often it’s because – in a perverse kind of way – I’m entertained by the unfolding drama. In reality, I do care, I do respond, I do pray – but often I need to switch off the constant coverage to avoid falling into the entertainment trap.

Yesterday, Tim Challies reposted an article that he wrote in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. I think it has a particular relevance to the 24/7 media circus surrounding the tragic floods in Queensland, Australia. Each of the core free-to-air TV stations are jostling for the exclusive interview, they want to be shown to be in the thick of the disaster zone, and they want to be seen to be helping. I don’t think I’m just being cynical.

Challies’ article is written with an intermingling of quotes from Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death (I’ve briefly referenced Postman’s brilliant book before). Postman’s book is all about media in the age of entertainment. I was going to insert an extract, but you’re better off clicking here and reading the whole article.

Am I alone on this one? How do you avoid treating tragedies like entertainment?

Leap like calves released from the stall

January 14, 2011 in Jesus with 7 Comments

Spent some quality time with Duke today getting ready for leading together next week on Next Gen. The set text we’ll be working through in Strand 2 is from Malachi 4:1-6. Verse two has some cool imagery of an exuberant dancing cow: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” (NIV 1984)

Duke showed me the above graphic. It’s from Jim Lepage’s Word Bible Designs project. Captures Malachi 4:2 perfectly! Cool project. Check it.

You’re not the King, I’m the King!

January 13, 2011 in culture with 0 Comments

The illustration I’ve used more than any other with youth and children to illustrate sin is from a 2000 Burger King commercial. It features Queensland (give toward the floods here) Rugby League legend Wally Lewis. I watched it for the first time today for over 10 years. Poetic license means that my retelling of the commercial is a little embellished, maybe more exciting and definitely longer than the original product!

Talk 4 from this series is the most recent time I’ve given it. Basically the red-headed fella in the ad sits next to King Wally Lewis, with a whopper in hand, and declares that Wally isn’t the king, but that he is the king. I compare it to what we have all done in waving our puny little fists at God and declaring that he’s not the king.

The heart of sin is our rebellion against God and attempt to rule our own lives as if he is God. This is dumb, and there’s consequences. If this is all new to you, check out what Jesus has done to deal with your sin and re-establish his rule.

All good illustrations are stolen, so if you like, go ahead! (I think I first stole it from Marty Kemp back on The Real Thing in 2000/2001… haha!)

Give Generously to QLD Flood Appeal

January 12, 2011 in culture with 2 Comments

It’s devastating to watch the floods and the extent of their destruction unfold. As well as the cost of lost lives, there will be a significant financial cost. The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has opened an appeal. Giving is easy. Click here to do it now.

Any money raised will go to Christian organisations/churches on the ground as they seek to provide care and support to those in need.

Give generously. And pray boldly.

The Jesus Revolution – New Zealand Style

January 11, 2011 in Jesus with 1 Comment

Last week I spoke on the Summer Youth Camp of the Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. It’s a young denomination and involved in valuable work across both Islands. Lots of fun. Great food. Dedicated leaders. Beautiful weather. I preached on ‘The Jesus Revolution’, a series I’ve done many times, but this time added 3 new talks. The talks went well. I was really encouraged by the young kiwi’s and their hunger to spend time in the Word and God was very kind in the way he worked during the week. During talk 5 there were many who responded to the good news of Jesus, such a joyful night!

Here are the mp3s from the 8 talks (right click to download):

Enjoy.

Operation World – Praying For Every Nation

January 10, 2011 in Jesus with 0 Comments

I recently picked up the latest edition of Operation World – The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation. After reading David Platt’s Radical last year, I was convicted to spend 2011 praying for the whole world using Operation World as a guide.

I’ve started. It’s a big task. But I’m praying to a big God who can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). The book is set out with dates to be able to use as a year long prayer journal, or you can just read and pray about random countries (I’ve used it to pray during the past 2 soccer World Cups).

The official Operation World website has a stack of useful pages to help fuel your prayer if you don’t own the book (click here to buy it).

If you join me praying through the world this year, use the hashtag #OperationWorld if you plan on tweeting what you learn to help others pray with you.

And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10 ESV)

The Most Famous Youth Pastor in the World…

January 9, 2011 in culture with 0 Comments

…has started blogging at DougFields.com, boom! Bookmark or subscribe to learn from the Jedi Master. Doug Fields has been involved in Youth ministry since 1979 and has written about 10,000 books. His blogging categories include: marriage; family, youth ministry and leadership. He’s probably not as smart as this guy, but still worth a read.

I’ve enjoyed learning from Doug’s ministry over the last 10+ years and look forward to reading more of his blog content. One of the things that encourages me about his ministry is that he doesn’t make ministry an idol but works hard to prioritise being a husband and father. Good stuff. Very wise.

Check it.

The Smartest Youth Pastor in Sydney…

January 8, 2011 in culture with 3 Comments

…has started blogging at StuCrawshaw.com, boom! Bookmark or subscribe to pick up some pearls. Stu Crawshaw is a Youth Pastor in Gymea. He owns a green combi van.

He really is a smart youth ministry and cultural thinker, and he loves Jesus to boot!

Here are his first two blogposts:

Bus-Driving Evangelist Strikes Again!

January 7, 2011 in Jesus with 2 Comments

Every second vehicle cruising the streets of Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, is some form of public transport. T for Taxi or B for Bus. The taxis are small cars, the buses are 12-seat mini vans. We had two buses that we contacted each time we needed a ride during our November visit. I found particular encouragement from continuing a friendship with Kendrick from a previous visit and establishing a new friendship with Reginald. Both of these men, like many of the bus drivers in Vanuatu, are followers of Jesus.

I tried to encourage them both in the way that they interact with the typical white tourist from Australia. I wanted them to know that most of the Australians that they carry around are not Christians, and that they have an opportunity to share the gospel each time they have new passengers.

The cool thing is, I think they are already doing this. I pray they’ll do it all the more!

Reginald in particular seeks to tell tourists why Ni-Vans are a joyful people. He said that often tourists will say to him: “The people of Vanuatu are so happy, why is that?”

Reggie responds: “We are a joyful people because of Jesus. Jesus brings us joy. Jesus has changed us as a people.” And with reference to the initial response that the gospel had in Vanuatu, “Before Jesus came to this island… I eat you!”

Gold!

Both bus drivers had insights into the way that God has continued to work in their country. What an encouragement to hear and see the way that the gospel of Jesus has reconciled different tribes and islands within the nation of Vanuatu.

I’m praying for boldness for bus drivers with tourists and praying that Vanuatu would keep living out that reconciliation and not lose the gospel.

25 years is a long time to wait!

January 6, 2011 in Jesus with 0 Comments

I’ve been reading Genesis as part of my OT bible reading plan for 2011 (you got a plan yet???). In Genesis 11 we’re introduced to Abraham, and by Gen 12 God has made some massive promises to him. It was interesting to note the different ages of Abraham throughout the unfolding of God’s promises. Here are the references I noticed:

  • Gen 12:4 – 75 years old when he leaves Haran to set out for Canaan
  • Gen 16:3 – 85 years old as he’d been in Canaan for 10 years
  • Gen 16:16 – 86 years old when he tried to speed up God’s promises by having Ishmael with Hagar
  • Gen 17:1, 17, 24 – 99 years old when he was circumcised
  • Gen 21:5 – 100 years old when Isaac is born to Sarah

God makes promises to Abraham that through his family all peoples on earth will be blessed. This was at age 75. He didn’t yet have any children. After 10 years, he got itchy feet and with an old barren wife, figured he had to make it happen. God says that he has it under control and that Sarah will be the one who will bear the child through whom God’s promises will continue to unfold. It’s then another 14 years before baby Isaac rocks up on the scene!!

Even though they tried to speed things up, I think you see something of Abraham and Sarah’s trust in God while they wait for 25 years before his promised is fulfilled through them. However the biggest thing is that God shows himself to be a promise keeper, and he will do things in his time.

Pretty handy to know when we think we’re in control!

Rerun: Beached Whale

January 5, 2011 in culture with 2 Comments

I’m currently preaching at a youth conference in New Zealand with a lovely bunch of young punks.  The talks and the vibe of the camp are going really well. A bit of a giggle has been had on account of my Aussie accent, but I’m equally having a giggle at their Kiwi accent. Except I’m clearly in the minority, so they win! Beached As Whale has been linked before, but I thought I’d give it a rerun! (Warning: the seagull uses the ‘S’ bomb)

The dudes that made the above viral video have made millions! They keep selling a stack of merch and hooked up a deal to make more animations for ABC TV. I haven’t seen any of the other episodes, but there’s a stack of them on youtube.

Worth Losing Everything

January 4, 2011 in Jesus with 6 Comments

My favourite book of 2010 was Radical: Taking back your faith from the American Dream by David Platt from Brook Hills. I tweeted about it during 2010 (“Just finished @RADICALbook by @PlattDavid. Maybe best book on discipleship since Bonhoeffer’s ‘Discipleship’? Check it: http://bit.ly/cX9xNC“), but don’t think I’ve blogged on it. At it’s heart, it’s a challenge to take Jesus seriously! I’ll return to it again in 2011, look out for some blog posts. In the meantime, here’s a solid quote that Of First Importance blogged today:

“This is the picture of Jesus in the gospel. He is something — someone — worth losing everything for. And if we walk away from the Jesus of the gospel, we walk away from eternal riches. The cost of nondiscipleship is profoundly greater for us than the cost of discipleship. For when we abandon the trinkets of this world and respond to the radical invitation of Jesus, we discover the infinite treasure of knowing and experiencing him.”

From here

Lecrae’s New Album – REHAB: THE OVERDOSE

January 3, 2011 in culture with 0 Comments

REHAB from Lecrae is my favourite album from 2010. Brilliant. Each track is packed full of encouragement to live a counter-cultural life. He has a follow up album coming out on 11 Jan 11. Can’t wait! Here’s the press release from Reach Records:

Around every corner is the lure to consume. A desire to be satisfied. Unfortunately no human being has found anything under the sun that brings satisfaction. So we consume more, and more, and more.  Eventually, we overdose. However, there is hope–if Christianity is our Rehab. In Jesus, satisfaction can be found. Grace, love, peace and hope can be found…and there is always more. Consume more of Jesus. Overdose.

Rehab: The Overdose officially hits stores and online outlets 11.1.11. Promo video:

Continue Reading…

Pinch + Punch // January 2011

January 2, 2011 in life with 2 Comments

I forgot to do this 1st of the month blog post. It’s now the 4th of the month. But I will backdate it and pretend I wrote it on the 2nd. Does that all make sense? (If not, re-read it slowly) Haha. With the start of the new year, comes a change in employment status. I’m no longer a full-time student, but rather I’m working full-time with St Faith’s Anglican Church Narrabeen. Boom! It’s a wonderful family to be part of, and we’ve really valued being at church here since August. Now it’s time to get my game face on.

This Pinch + Punch doesn’t have all the other fluff it normally has, just the smashing magazine desktop calendar for Jan 2011. What’s your desktop rocking this month?

Resolved: Read the Word

January 1, 2011 in Jesus with 9 Comments

Happy New Year! The number 1 Christian New Year’s Resolution is to read the Bible more. Here are 4 reasons from 2 Timothy 3:14-17 why it’s a good resolution: 1) v14 Christianity is all about remembering and continuing; 2) v15 The Word is God’s Power for Saving People; 3) v16 All Scripture is breathed out by God; 4) vv16-17 The Bible is useful for all of life. Below are some resources to help you read it, remember it and pray it.

Read It

Remember It

Pray It