Adventures in the South Island

I have been taking a bit of a break down in the South Island, spending four days in Nelson, and three nights in Kaikoura. Yesterday I went whale watching and today I went Dolphin watching. Yesterday I managed to see three Sprem Whales. These whales are the largest of the tooth whale family and are the fourth largest whale species on the planet. They are bigger in length than a Brontosaurus. They are the largest predator on the planet.

The Highlight of my trip was getting to see the acrobatic Dusky dolphin today. On our tour we managed to meet a pod of 15o or so Dusky Dolpins. I managed to catch a few good shots of these awesome creatures on my trip.

For me the highlight of the trip was seeing the dolphins. I have been fascinated with Dolphin and Whales all my life. This is the first (and maybe only) time I have been able to see these animals up-close. Still havn't been swimming with dolphins, but maybe next time.

Pioneers vs Townspeople

Heres some good thoughts on Pioneer Theology verses Townspeople Theology from Mike Brantley, a practitioner of Pioneer theology living in New Orleans.. As a christian who wants to reach the 85% of people that the traditional church (including mainline, traditional, evangelical, charismatic and penticostal churches) do not reach.

Subjects: • Subject theology: wants it settled, organized, safe.
• Subject churches are in the town square, the courthouse framing and mandating life in the town. It hosts the trials, taxes collected, symbol of stability.
• God in Subject theology, he is the royal, the aristocrat, the magistrate, the aristocrat…dictating. He is ordered and not seen, predictable. He is dressed like coronation day. In some denominational towns. Scotch is replaced by soda, cigars by gum. Peace and quiet are his concerns.
• His sheriff is sent to check up on pioneers riding in. Jesus is the sheriff. He is sent by the aristocrat with a white suit of armor, drinks milk, out draws the baddies. He determines the jailed.
• The Holy Spirit is a pub girl. Her job is comfort. Her job is helping when they are lonely, tickles them under the chin. She squeals to the sheriff when things go bad. Whisky is non-alcoholic.
• The Christian is the subject, fears the unknown and open. Wants to stay in good stead with the lord mayor and avoids the Sheriff. He wants peace, order. Keeps his money in the bank. He stays in the shade and never misses the ice cream social.
• Faith is the safety of the town, obeying the laws. Sin is breaking one of the towns laws.
• The clergy is the banker. He is respected and hides his gun. He has a lot in common with the sheriff.

When we wait in the town, do not go out and share the gospel with those outside the walls of the town, we lose our potency. We are called to be sojourners, journeying with those who do not know Christ, out in thier natural habitat. We are called to be ambassadors to a foreign land, that foreign land are the places that we see as unsafe, the wildernesses. They are naturally dangerous, hold many traps and snares, but we go in the faith that God will keep us safe.

• Pioneer theology: live the strange gift of life, a wild adventure to uncharted land. In Pioneer theology is not the church in the town square, but a covered wagon, but scarred, bandaged, where the action is, ready to move, doesn’t glorify it’s past. It is about exploring.
• God in pioneer theology he is the captain on the explorer ship, the rough and hard one who gets in the water and in the mud, keeps it going, slugs the soft. His fist is an expression of His concern.
• Jesus is the scout or the wild one who climbs the rigging to the crow’s nest – dangerous, solo, there in the storm and the dark. He is out ahead showing the dangers, suffers the hardships, feared by the subjects. He shows concern and sees the future. He is willing to go ahead alone, and calls others to risk the same. He carries a cutlass and a gun, loaded all the time.
• The Spirit is the hunter, unpredictable. He scares the subjects. He rides into town just to shake up the subjects, can’t wait to get back out to sea, to the new lands.
• The Christian is the pioneer, ready for the new. He is tough. He knows how to use a gun. He tries to tell the subjects back home about life on the trail.
• Faith is the spirit of adventure – to risk. It is obedience to the restless voice of the captain explorer.
• Sin is wanting to turn back.
• The clergy is the one who serves what the hunter provides, ready when the trail boss calls, just a pioneer who learned to cook. He serves the wagon train.

I have been learning this last year what it means to be a pioneer, the country is unchartered, the road is dangerous, but it is rewarding.

The Walk

Me and a couple of others from Mosaic wrote this poem/psalm a few weeks back at MCG, it explains part of the faith journey that some of us have been going on, we need people to walk with us, even when we are the most down, lost, confused. When we trek together with others who are follows, we find wholeness, we find answers and healing.

I stood in the desert.I was parched, I was thirsty.

Surrounded by others, as dry as each other.
We had settled by an Oasis
that had since dried up.

The thirst told me that water was out there over the horizon.
Some of us left.
I followed, convinced.
Searching for something better, something more.
We met many along the way.
Some septics, scoffers, some full of hope.
Each of us had a different story, but a common path.

After waiting and waiting holding each other up. We have tasted the dew on the ground, seen green on the horizon.

Together we walk.
Together we walk.

You can find other poems written by Mosaic people at our website.

Communities of Brokennness

The sense of belonging flows from trust: trust is the gradual acceptance of others as they are with their gifts and their limits, each one with the call of Jesus. And this leads to the realization that the body of community is not perfectly whole and cannot be, that this is our human condition. And it is all right for us to be less than perfect.

Helping each other,growing in trust,living in thanksgiving,learning to forgive,opening up to others,welcoming them,and striving to bring peace and hope to our world.

So it is that we come to put down roots in community - not because it is perfect and wonderful, but because we believe that Jesus called us together. It is where we belong and are called to grow and to serve.

Jean Vanier from The Broken

Kingdom Grace

What are you doing this saturday?

Rediscovering Jesus - Hirsh and Frost

This comes from the introduction of Alan Hirsh and Michael Frost's upcoming book Re: Jesus

Surely the challenge for the church today is to be taken captive by the agenda of Jesus, rather than seeking to mold him to fit our agendas, no matter how noble they might be. We acknowledge that we can never truly claim to know him completely. We all bring our biases to the task. But we believe it is inherent in the faith to keep trying and to never give up on this holy quest. The challenge before us is to let Jesus be Jesus and to allow ourselves to be caught up in his extraordinary mission for the world.

Whether it is the grand ecclesiastical project of the institutionalchurches, epitomized by the ostentatious excess of the Vatican, or the tawdry grab for the hearts and minds of the aspirational middle class by prosperity style Pentecostalism, the Christian movement has been subverted. Like a forgotten nativity scene in a shopping mall dominated by Santa Claus, reindeer,elves, Disney characters, tinsel, baubles, and fake snow, the biblical Jesus is hard to find. But Jesus is still calling us to come and join him in a far more reckless and exciting adventure than that of mere church attendance.

When allowed to be as he appears in the pages of Scripture, Jesus will not lead us to hatred, violence, greed, excess, earthly power, or material wealth. Instead, he will call us to a genuinely biblical and existential faith that believes in him, not simply believing in belief, as in many expressions of evangelicalism. It requires an ongoing encounter with Jesus. This will raise issues in the ways of knowing that bring about true spiritual transformation.

Bye Bye Juicey

Juicey (Justin and Lacey) have left New Zealand to go back home to America for three months. These two have been a real blessing for Mosaic. They play an integral part to the community that is Mosaic. I got to say, even though they are only going to be gone for three months. I am really going to miss having them around.

The first time I met Justin and Lacey, they called me Daniel, and brought me home. I failed to correct them that my name was Nathanael partly out of politeness and the fact that I worried that if I corrected them they might not bring me back to my house! We have had many awesome times, particularly early on, where I was involved in long drawn out counselling sessions over numerous issues with them.

Lacey is a key person within Mosaic, her warmth and friendship has been a key for bringing along people to connect to Mosaic. Me and Justin have spent hours having indepth theological discussions and managed to explain some of N.T’s theology in an hour, which was impressive.

Journeying with these Juicey has been cool, I can’t wait till next year and cooking up some great ideas for how to serve Wellington, serve students and share Christ with those who come across the Mosaic.

Intentionality

“Live; I wanna live inspired.Die; I wanna die for something higher than myself.Live and die for anyone else.The more I live I see, this life's not about me.”
Anberlin - Burn out Brighter


We can either live a life where we go through the motions, where we live and are pushed by external forces, or we can live for a bigger ideal, something that forces us to live beyond ourselves. This something shapes us, moulds us and defines us.

As I look to the past and my experiences of the years, I know that at moments I have been shaped by outward pressures. The world of religiosity, in which you had to do certain things, or you felt you had to believe things to be holy and focused. Much of this was self-imposed. I believed it was true because that was what I thought was good and great.

I have seen this recently, sincere, zealous young people who are Christians desire to be in “Ministry.” I know I was in this same position a while back too. But I have come to realise how dualistic this thinking is. “Ministry” is seen as serving your local church, in a position of responsibility, usually for the benefit of the institution, either in its status, or serving people within its wall. While true ministry is about proclaiming the kingdom, in our day to day lives – our homes, our workplaces, the church community we are involved in.

I believe wholeheartedly that the job I work in is part of extending the kingdom. I believe that job of restoration and justice is kingdom work. I do my work with the intention of forming relationships that go deeper than that.

In our lives we get to live for something bigger than ourselves, something that can envelop us, transform is. That bigger thing I believe is “Love”. A love self-sacrificing. It calls us to see the world differently. This best example of this love was shown God sent his son to earth, to live as a human, and die on a Cross so that we could live new transformed lives. He was broken so we could be made whole, so that the world could be restored, so injustice could be ended and justice could reign and the oppressed set free

I want to live with intention. God has put me on this earth to be his servant, bringing about justice, showing people Gods character, sharing my life with those around me.

Mosaic - A year on

Life a year on

About a year ago, I made a decision, I walked into a Café at 6.00 on a Sunday night to meet a group of people doing something different, something new. I had become frustrated at where I was, I needed challenge. I had a yearning that there was a great world to be discovered, to explore. The community was Mosaic. A group of 10 or so people, who are trying to figure out what it means to be Christians today. We aim to be missional in all that we do.

So what has this meant for me, what have I learned over the last year.

Intentionality

Communitas

Missional living

Hospitality

Generosity

What has happened to me on this journey:

I have detoxed from where I was;

I have learned new things about Gods character;

I am learning how important it is to be defined by God, not by stuff, by what I believe, the exterior;

I am learning that it I am responsible for my journey, I have to take self-leadershipl and

I have figured out that this journey isn’t over, its just beginning

Hopefully in the next few blogs, I will unpack a bit of what’s been going on this past year, where my thinking is, and where I need to move next. This may help people, it may not.

How was your first time

A long weekend of fun and sun!

A obligatory look at how great my long weekend was (even if it seemed to blur all into one!)

For me the long weekend started at Tulsi Indian Restuarant.

We then moved on to Buttercup, Lacey, Sussanne, Lyndsy and Kara's flat and watched "Empire Records" and "The Castle" (One of my favourite movies ever). (No photos, sorry)

We then ended up at Denny's in Porirua, the only American diner located in this South Pacific Arcapalago. (Well, maybe in Wellington.

That was one day (and night)

The next day I spent most of the day resting and relaxing (and getting beaten at cards and eating pork roast.)

On Sunday we went out to Newtown Tenpin Bowling place (cant remember the name and then went and played more cards (My card game and bowling both are something not to be desired of.)

On Monday I got up late again after another late evening, then went to meet up with my mate rich for some fun in the sun.

As you can see I still had some spring in my step.

Long time comming...

Its been a long time since I last wrote, due mainly to the fact that I have been pretty busy with work and life and all that has been going on in the world around me.

So what’s going on.

Work
Work is busy, I have the privileged of working in the deep end of one of the busiest times ever for my organisation. The organization is achieving and I am glad to be working in an area where I’m passionate about. At present I’m learning a lot about things that I need to work on. Like getting the small things right, such as grammar and apostrophes (as anyone would know these little things trip me up.) I have also learned recently that project plans may not be evil as I think they are.

Mosaic
Mosaic is a blessing, I love this community. Its also a challenge. I am realising how much I need to move forward. I have struggling with wanting to deliberate thoughts and ideas, rather than just go forward and push forward. I think I can break through this.

Mosaic continues to challenge me on my self leadership. Particularly, it makes me ask the questions, “how do I own my faith?” “How do I proclaim the Gospel in my words and deeds?”, “What is my story and how am I living out the story?” All are similar questions, but need to be answered.

Hopefully I will have some more substantial thoughts being downloaded sometime soon, controversial or not….

I'm Feeling Socially Conscious Today

Just think about it...

Mmmm... Interesting Thought

Asbo Jesus on Voting

Sycretism and Joel Osteen

I don't always agree with Mark Driscoll on all theological questions, but I think he gets it pretty right when he critiques Joel Osteen, a pastor of one of the largest churches in America. Listen to this and post your thoughts.

Lying as we "worship"

Our central lie is in the discrepancy between the language of worship and the actions of worship. We confess “Jesus is Lord” but only submit to the part of Christ’s authority that fits our grand personal designs, doesn’t cause pain, doesn’t disrupt the American dream, doesn’t draw us across ethnic and racial divisions, doesn’t add the pressure of too much guilt, doesn’t mean forgiving as we have been forgiven, doesn’t ask for more than a check to show compassion. We “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” expressing our desire to know Jesus, but the Jesus we want to know is the sanitized Jesus that looks a lot like us when we think we are at our best. Despite God’s Word to the contrary, we think we can say that we love God and yet hate our neighbor, neglect the widow, forget the orphan, fail to visit the prisoner, ignore the oppressed. Its the sign of disordered love. When we do this, our worship becomes a lie to God.–Mark Labberton, The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice (Downers Grove: IVP, 2007), 71

Worship to me is one of the central aspects of the Christian faith. In its purest and truest form the Christian faith is radically and staunchy monotheistic (We beleive and worship one God.) God is jealous about being worshiped. We are to worship him and him alone, not ourselves, stuff, creation, but him along. We are also here to enact Gods righteousness, bringing about Gods kingdom on earth as in heaven. This means caring for the hungry, looking after the lonely, being there for the widow. Being passionate about ending injustice and helping the underdog. Worship is not about songs, its about the state of our heart. Desiring to honour God in every moment. Desiring to live a life that pleases God because we are bringing love joy and hope.

HT: Alan Hirsh

Heavy Metal Monk

Like everyone else...

He was like everyone else, he walked the streets like everyone else. He ate and drank, needed the basic necessities. He cried when his best mate died, he needed rest and felt an inner torment at the destiny that lay ahead of him. Yet something was different about him. He was seen as a dangerous force by the fundamentalists of his city, a challenge to their hold over the status qou. He was seen as a source of hope for the poor and the marginalised. He hung out, and served them. He was seen as a liberator and healer of the country, a revolutionary who would bring his people out of oppression. He claimed to be God, he claimed to be the Messiah the one to lead his people to freedom.


He was a young man, like everyone else. He lived in his city, worked in a job, went out for beers on the weekend with his mates. But he lived in a way that was intentional. He went out of his way at work to get to know people on their own turf. In his times out with people he would listen. He would seek to listen and bring life to those around him. He would seek to be a servant in every area. People knew something was different about him. They found that when they spent time with him, they were at ease, they found healing in their conversations with him. They longed to get to know him more, spend time with him. He was willing to give up all he could to serve them and show them a new way to live. He claimed to know God, to know the Messiah who is the way to freedom.

Australias Grand Plans - Part 2