Month: January 2011

Posted on

You’re not the King, I’m the King!

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!)

Posted on

The Jesus Revolution – New Zealand Style

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.

Posted on

Operation World – Praying For Every Nation

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)

Posted on

The Most Famous Youth Pastor in the World…

…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.

Posted on

Bus-Driving Evangelist Strikes Again!

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.