Reflections of a Snook

Family

2012-01-13T10:06:00.002+10:00

I spoke last Sunday about what it means to be part of God's Family. You can listen here or on iTunes.

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-13T10:04:00.001+10:00

A little late, I know. But here's my Christmas Message from our Church.
7 minutes, 47 seconds of Christmas love.

Here or on iTunes under "Southport Church of Christ".

Youth Ministry that Transforms

2012-01-12T13:47:00.001+10:00

WHAT'S THE BOOK?"Youth Ministry that Transforms: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Hopes, Frustrations and Effectiveness of Today's Youth Workers."By Merton Strommen, Karen E Jones and Dave Rahn.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?It's the report based on a 1996 study of 2,500 youth workers in Atlanta, Georgia. They surveyed them and then wrote this book on their responses.

WHAT I LIKED.They draw some incredible conclusion and overviews of youth ministry from their research.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE.The research focus, the book spent too much time defending its research methods and talking about minor statistics.

QUOTABLE."How are we supposed to pass on the heritage of our faith if we separate the students from the adults?" One of the main features of the book is the role a whole congregation should play in owning the youth ministry.

DOES IT CHANGE ANYTHING?It has helped me refocus and rethink their three biggies: a clear mission statement, the spiritual development of youth, the equipping of volunteers.

WHO SHOULD READ IT?Youth Pastors, Youth Workers, Youth Leaders, anyone who is interesting youth ministry and doesn't mind wading through some research to get to the gold.

12 Hopes for 2012 (by Shane Claiborne)

2012-01-06T14:20:00.000+10:00

Shane Claiborne wrote down his 12 hopes for 2012. I like them!

12. Do something really nice – that no one knows about.

11. Spend more money on other people than I spend on myself. Love my neighbor as I love myself. And love myself as I love my neighbor.

10. Laugh often… especially at advertisements that try to convince me that I must buy more stuff in order to be happy.

9. Learn a new life skill – like carpentry, pottery, or canning vegetables. Teach someone else I life skill I know how to do.

8. Love a few people well, remembering that what is important is not how much we do but how much love we put into doing it.

7. Write a letter to someone I need to say thank you to. Write another letter to someone I need to ask to forgive me.

6. Track down a critic or someone I disagree with and take them to lunch. Listen to them.

5. Compliment someone I have a hard time complimenting… and mean it.

4. Choose life. Do something regularly to interrupt the patterns of injustice – do something to end violence, bullying, war, capital punishment and other mean and ugly things.

3. Pause before every crisis and ask “will this matter in 5 years?”

2. Get outside often and marvel at things like fireflies and shooting stars. And regularly get my hands into the garden… so when I type on the computer I can see dirt under my fingernails.

1. Believe in miracles. And live in a way that might necessitate one.

Shane Claiborne is a Red Letter Christian and a founding partner of The Simple Way community, a radical faith community that lives among and serves the homeless in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. He is the co-author, with Chris Haw, of Jesus for President.

You can check out the post here.

Journey to the Well

2012-01-02T08:49:00.001+10:00

I've decided to have a go at blogging quick reviews of the books I'm reading. Mainly as a discipline for me to reflect and remember, but you might find it interesting too. Here goes...

WHAT'S THE BOOK?Journey to the Well (A Novel) by Diana Wallis Taylor

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?It's a novel based on Marah, the Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well.

WHAT I LIKED.I enjoyed the cultural picture of the first century middle eastern town of Shechem, and what faith looked like for them. I found myself caught up with the characters, feeling joy, anger or disappointment as the story was told.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE.As Marah's life tracked through five husbands, I found the cycle of happiness and disappointment a bit too predictable. I also thought the encounter with Jesus wasn't as deeply integrated into the story as it could have been, it was a bit rushed at the end.

QUOTABLE.When Marah prays, she refers to Yahweh as "The God Who Sees Me." She knows that God sees her, understands her and knows her innermost thoughts and feelings.

DOES IT CHANGE ANYTHING?The story contrasted Marah's five different husbands though out the course of her life. It made me aspire to be the dependable, honorable, loving husband that Jesse was to her.

WHO SHOULD READ IT?If you enjoy novels and stuff based on the ancient middle east or Biblical characters.

How God Marketed the First Christmas

2011-12-14T08:11:00.001+10:00

Through the eyes of the shepherds on the first Christmas night, how did God market the birth of Jesus?

Have a listen on iTunes or here: http://www.scc.org.au/files/mp3/Sermons/04Dec2011pm.mp3

When is it Right to Leave a Church?

2011-11-21T12:04:00.001+10:00

Travelators, Shoes & Butterflies...When is it Right to Leave a Church?
Last week I finished our series on questions about church with a few thoughts about this one.

You can listen here or on iTunes here.

Revelation 19

2011-11-07T19:35:00.001+10:00

On Sunday I did my last stint on preaching in our series on the book of Revelation.

You can listen here or on iTunes here.

Why can it be so hard to fit into a church?

2011-11-07T11:01:00.001+10:00

Last week I had a go at answering the question: 'Why can it be so hard to fit into a church?'

Using symbols of a prison and a bird's nest, I gave some ideas that might help us start to see community as a spiritual discipline.

You can listen here or on iTunes here.

"I go to Blah Blah's church"

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000+10:00

"I go to Blah Blah's church." Visiting our church on Sunday, that was her response when I asked if she was part of a church in her home Suburb.

"I go to Blah Blah's church."

Blah Blah is the ~~real~~ name of the Pastor at her church. He must be some kind of minor Christian celebrity. But it struck me as odd and disturbing that she referred to her community of faith as belonging to Blah Blah. Maybe I'm just used to hearing churches with names or locations; a defining label for a group of people. But I've rarely heard someone say that their entire community of faith is centred around one human being. Except for the other person I met last year who also "went to Blah Blah's church."

If you find yourself going to Blah Blah's church, please make sure that there is more holding you there than just how good "Blah Blah" is.

Top 3 from #NYMC

2011-10-11T14:20:00.001+10:00

Last week a crew from our church attended the National Youth Ministry Convention on the Gold Coast. We heard from some outstanding local, national and international speakers and practitioners. For the sake of sharing what I learned and going public with what I want to do as a result, here are some Top 3s:

Top-Three Concepts

Prepare spiritually and physically for preaching. (from a Tony Campolo elective)
Community is a spiritual discipline. (from a conversation with Amy Stephenson)
Consider running partners in ministry, separate from mentors. (from a Tony Campolo elective)

Top-Three One-Liners

"You can't convince people that Jesus is wonderful and you're wonderful in the same sermon." -Tony Campolo
"There are a lot of 20-somethings that in their youth wanted to change the world, but have found that the world has changed them." -Mike Pilavachi
"Strengths aren't what you're good at, they're the things you do that leave you feeling stronger." - Ross Savill

Top-Three Actions

The next time I mentor it must be in groups of 2-4, not 1-on-1. (from a Tony Campolo elective)
Train leaders more, and more regularly, and give them role descriptions. (from a Ross Savill elective)
Write one letter to one volunteer each week. (from a Ross Savill elective)

By Name or by Nature: Zacchaeus

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000+10:00

I spoke on Sunday night about being a Christian by Name only, or also by Nature...from the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19.

You can download it here or on iTunes here.

Tony Campolo at Southport Church of Christ THIS Sunday

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000+10:00

Southport Church of Christ is looking forward to having Tony Campolo as a guest preacher on Sunday 9th of October. You are invited to join us for a worship service and to hear from Tony.

9am - "What the Church of the Past has to say to the Church of Today"

5pm - "World Changers"

Tony Campolo is a 76 year old dynamic speaker with a renowned gift of inspiring and challenging people towards Jesus. He is a prolific author, media commentator, pastor and Professor of Sociology.

Contact us for more information.

Tony is in Australia as a main speaker at the National Youth Ministry Convention (www.nymc.org.au)

The Beasts of Collingwood

2011-09-28T12:20:00.000+10:00

Are you confused by some of the scenes in Revelation? Beasts from land and sea, 666, fatal head wounds?

Last Sunday I spoke on Revelation 13, as part of our series through the book. Drawing on Hawthorn's devastating loss to Collingwood over the weekend, I tried to make sense of Revelation's meaning.

You can download it here, or on iTunes here.

Ministry Training on the Gold Coast Oct 5-8

2011-09-23T09:39:00.004+10:00

This weekend is your last chance to pre-register for the National Youth Ministry Convention on the Gold Coast, October 5-8.

Featuring Tony Campolo, Mike Pilavachi, Danielle Strickland, Billy Williams, and dozens of other Aussies leading electives, this is the largest gathering of youth leaders in Australia.

You will be equipped, encouraged and inspired at NYMC.

Check out the website and register today!

Mike Pilavachi encourages you to come to NYMC 2011! from NYMC on Vimeo.

Jon Owen on the Coast

2011-09-21T09:34:00.000+10:00

Good friend and fellow Arrowian, Jon Owen, was up on the Gold Coast earlier this month. Jon is a long-term servant with Urban Neighbours of Hope in Mt Druitt, author of 'Muddy Spirituality', and an amateur comedian.

He spoke at a combined youth event on Friday, at Southport Church of Christ on Sunday morning and at Newlife Uniting Church on Sunday night.

You can download his messages here:
Sunday AM
Sunday PM

Mike Pilavachi's encouraging word for you...

2011-09-01T13:52:00.000+10:00

Mike Pilavachi encourages you to come to NYMC 2011! from NYMC on Vimeo.
Mike Pilavachi, one of the headline speakers at the National Youth Ministry Convention, in his own hilarious style, encourages you to come to NYMC!

Fickleness, Facebook, Fashion and Reasons to Commit

2011-08-30T13:51:00.002+10:00

I spoke last Sunday night about being fickle with fashion, and about how Nicodemus, a religious leader, went from stalking Jesus on Facebook to becoming friends with him.

You can listen here or on iTunes here.

A Vision of Heaven

2011-08-22T10:51:00.000+10:00

Last week I spoke in our morning service from Revelation 4 & 5 about a vision of heaven. Have a listen to hear what God says through these chapters about the situations we're facing in our lives.

You can listen or download it here, or on iTunes here.

Seven Letters

2011-08-03T11:00:00.003+10:00

When Cadel Evans wins the Tour de France, Australia wins!

On Sunday morning, I spoke about the Seven Letters to Seven Churches in Revelation 2 & 3. It's a big chunk to cover in one message, but we want to talk about the major themes in the book, rather than the minor speculations.

You can download it here, or get it on iTunes here.

And here is the video I showed instead of reading the passage myself.

Seven Letters from Southport Church of Christ on Vimeo.
Young people from our church reading the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3. Just the audio of them speaking, with words and phrases appearing on the screen.

The Rise of the 2nd Wave Prosperity Gospel - Mark Sayers

2011-07-22T08:51:00.000+10:00

Mark Sayers on 'The Rise of the 2nd Wave Prosperity Gospel'

"It offers self actualisation rather than self denial. Social Justice without personal cost. Discipleship without responsibility. It repaints the Christian life as a journey fueled by hype. For young Christian who feel marginalised in a secular society which trades in hip, it replaces Jesus call to take up ones cross, with the lure that you can believe and still be cool. It loves John 1o:10 but ignores Luke 9:23.

In the second wave prosperity Gospel story, Jesus would not die on the cross, but would win over Jerusalem by playing an epic gig. Rising on the third day not from the grave but from his boutique hotel bed to go surfing. Finally leaving Israel not to ascend to heaven, but to head off to Camden Town, or Willamsburg or Harajuku. He does not leave behind 12 disciples but does gain eleven hundred new followers on Twitter and some amazing shots on Instagram.

The second wave prosperity gospel is based on the lie is that you can have it all.

Watch out it is coming for you."

You can read the rest here.

Audio from the 'Singleness in the Church' Event

2011-07-19T15:51:00.002+10:00

On Sunday, we held a mini-conference called "Singleness in the Church: Telling the WHOLE Story". We had a great turnout of people from ages 14 to 74, both single, in a relationship, and those who have become single again through death or divorce.

Brenden Burgess & Taryn Atkinson were our guest speakers, and both shared some incredibly profound and honest insights about what it means to be Christian and Single.

If you're interested in hearing the main messages from the day, you can:
* Download the first talk by Brenden here or get it on iTunes here.
* Download the second talk by Taryn here or get it on iTunes here.
* Download Brenden's message that night at Southport Church of Christ here or get it on iTunes here.
* Download Taryn's message that night at Newlife Uniting Church here.

You can also find Taryn's book, Bus Stops and Bicycles: A Handbook for Single Ladies, here.
And the book that Brenden co-authored, PS I'm Single, here.

Esther: The Massacre

2011-07-13T12:12:00.001+10:00

Saying enough is enough, before God has to.

For our last week looking at the story of Esther from the Old Testament, we talked about the massacre of the Jews' enemies.

You can listen in here or on iTunes.

And here are the two videos I used (the first one has a bit of language in it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQdDfkK9bJI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk

Singleness in the Church: Telling the Whole Story.

2011-07-12T12:05:00.001+10:00

You can register online at singleness.eventbrite.com or just turn up on Sunday.

17th July, 2011

12.30pm - 3.30pm

Southport Church of ChristCnr of Olsen Ave & Crestwood Dve, Southport (opposite Bunnings)
5564 6222

Singleness in the Church

To be single in the Church can often be seen as a disease - "That person is single, what's wrong with them?" This event aims to create a space where our thinking about this issue can be broadened, as we have an in-depth look at what it means to be Christian and single, and how the Church can cater for and respond to this issue more effectively.

If you're single, in a relationship, married, divorced, leading in the Church or you prefer to just drop in from time to time, then this gathering is for you.

Speakers

Taryn Rose, author of ‘Bus Stops & Bicycles’ a handbook for single ladies.

Brenden Burgess author of ‘P.S. I’m Single’, reflections on Singleness.

Cost (Refreshments will be provided throughout)$10 - now there's no excuse not to come

Want more?

Taryn Rose will also be preaching at Newlife Uniting Church at 6pm on Sunday 17th July.

Brenden Burgess will be preaching at Southport COC on Sunday 17th July at 5pm

Building Higher Nests

2011-07-11T11:50:00.001+10:00

"Some uninformed people who received grace for a devoted life destroyed themselves because they attempted more than they were enabled to do, not considering how weak they were, but following what their heart desired rather than the judgement of their reason.

Because they ventured into greater matters than was pleasing to God, they quickly lost His grace.

Those who tried to build higher nests for themselves in heaven were made helpless and vile outcasts, humbled and impoverished, because they tried to fly with their own wings and did not continue to trust in Mine."

Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 7.2

Curiosity

2011-07-05T09:15:00.001+10:00

Thomas à Kempis, writing as though God were speaking to him;

"Some do not walk sincerely in My sight, but led by a fixed curiosity and pride they wish to learn My secrets and understand the high things of God, and in so doing neglect themselves and their salvation.

Often when I resist them, their pride bs curiosity make them fall into temptations and sins."

The Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 4

Not Just in a Christian Subculture

2011-07-01T06:00:00.002+10:00

On Sunday night I spoke about Esther being Queen of Persia, rather than Queen of Israel.

It was fun using Testamints, Natalya Dmitruk and Faithbook to open up Esther chapters 2-4!

You can listen on iTunes or download it here.

No Bible No Blogs | dave miers dot com

2011-06-29T15:38:00.000+10:00

Great post and self-discipline from Dave Miers:

My bible reading has taken a bit of a hit lately. Is it because of our expanding family? Not really. I’ve had plenty of time, I’ve simply been lazy and ill-disciplined. It’s time for me to enforce “No Bible No Blog”. I find I’m often distracted by blogs, twitter, facebook, SBS World News app (it’s amazing!) and the like. I need to make sure that before hearing whatother people think, I kick off the day hearing what God thinks.

I’ve heard of others that have operated with “No Bible No Breakfast”. You might be easily distracted like me. Maybe you need some self-control in a wired-world, or something else. Whatever it is, prioritise time with God before anything else. Not because God accepts you based on your bible reading performance, but because the Word of God is gooood, what better way to start the day!!

Read it the post: No Bible No Blogs | dave miers dot com

Assurance of God's Presence

2011-06-29T06:00:00.001+10:00

Last week I spoke in our morning service about God's Presence. You can listen here.

Esther: The Story

2011-06-27T09:00:00.000+10:00

At the beginning of our series in Esther, a few weeks ago, I had a crack at laying out the whole story of Esther (thanks to a great online Children's Bible)!.

You can listen here.

Why Everything Used to Be Better

2011-06-25T09:00:00.001+10:00

We often idealise that past.
"Everything used to be better."
"If we could only go back to those days."
"You should be more like that person was when they were around."

I heard the other day about Virginia Woolf's biography: Moments of Being. She writes that our life is remembered only in our 'moments of being', and everything else fades into the background of 'moments of unbeing'.

The stuff we don't remember: the mundane, boring, dishwashing, car driving, milk buying things fade as 'moment of unbeing'.
While the things we do remember: the exciting, the radical changes, the emotional extremes, are remembered and define us as 'moments of being'.

So next time you feel pressure to go back to the glory days, or you wish things were as they used to be, or maybe the past is horrific to you, bear in mind that you're only remembering the 'moments of being', and not everything in between.

NYMC Testimonials from Tim & Ralph

2011-06-15T12:43:00.000+10:00

Tim & Ralph, two good fellas, talking about the National Youth Ministry Convention.

You should go to the Convention!

NYMC Testimonial - Tim from NYMC on Vimeo.

NYMC Testimonial - Ralph from NYMC on Vimeo.

New Testament in 90 Days...complete

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000+10:00

Our church recently put out a challenge to read the entire New Testament in three months, 90 days.
Congratulations to everyone who completed the challenge!

Personally, I was excited about having a go, but I thought that I would really struggle through it. It was a lot easier and more exciting than I thought though! Reading alongside dozens of other people spurred me on, and I loved being so absorbed in the stories and letters each day.

I hope you enjoyed the NT90 Challenge too, or that you might give it a try soon!

Top 5 BOGUS Youth Ministry Facts

2011-06-03T06:00:00.001+10:00

I've been enjoying some of Brian C Berry's posts lately, including this one:

TOP 5 BOGUS YOUTH MINISTRY FACTS

I was reading twitter today and saw a link to an article on false statistics. Then today I got an e-mail about a crazy awesome baseball catch that saves the life of a woman reporter.... and it's awesome and a fake. Both got me thinking.

So, in honor of stats that are bogus and since you likely know that 3 out of 5 statistics are made up on the spot. Here's my take on 5 that don't hold much water but are common place in the youth ministry world.

90% OF TEENS ARE HAVING SEX RIGHT NOW.
No they aren't. For every study that says teens are having sex there's one that will say they're having less sex. Yup, some students are sexually active. All probably wish they were. But I'm putting my money on the side of regardless what "they say", most graduates even went home on prom night still in the clothes they left in.

THE AVERAGE YOUTH PASTOR STAYS LESS THAN 2 YEARS.
I hate this statistic not only because I could give you lots of examples where this isn't true, but mostly because I could give you just as many examples where it was primarily the church's issue, not the youth pastors. It might be more accurate to say, "the average church in america" doesn't want a youth ministry for more than 2 years before they decide to practically and financially rethink it.

WHEREVER 2 OR 3 ARE GATHERED, GOD IS THERE.
I think this might be the most quoted verse in all of youth ministry gatherings. Students will say it to each other to build up confidence. Leaders and pastors use it to encourage and to support their view. But it is not true nor was that the point of the passage in Matthew 18 where Jesus says it. He was not trying to give us some blanket statistic for every time 3 believers sit in a circle. Trust me, there are tons of times when 2 or 3 "christians" have gathered together and the Holy Spirit was no where in it and lots of times where they were all alone and God was surely there with them. Just because 2 or 3 people get together and pray does not mean their decisions were blessed by God. It just doesn't. What about those 2 naked students in my first bogus statistic. Was God in their midst? Well... that depends on what you mean... I suppose he mighta been there, but I'm not guessing he wasn't directing their actions.

SENIOR PASTORS AND PARENTS ARE IDIOTS. YOUTH PASTORS ARE NOT.
If you do enough youth ministry and hang around youth pastors long enough, you'll find that there is no shortage of "you're not gonna believe this one" stories. Many of which stem from something your senior pastor or some angry parent said to you. But despite the stereo types, every youth pastor in the world needs strong pastoral and parental support to do ministry well. Youth Pastors are not saints any more than parents and senior pastors are demon possessed. [there's a thousand things I'm not typing here :)] Bottom line is we'd all be better off if we'd quit ranting about the bad apples and started partnering with the healthy ones.

80% OF GRADUATES WILL CHUCK THEIR FAITH.
No they won't. And if they did, it's because 80% never owned it in the first place. It's also not because youth ministry is dead. This is like blaming a divorce on a professional counselor's inability to fix a couple who came to them with divorce paperwork in hand. There is way more to a student's spiritual development than just their hour on sunday or midweek in youth ministry. Youth ministry might not be dead, but expecting a couple hours in youth group per week in their teen years to change a life for forever... that might be dead.

Got any bogus stats you wanna add?

Read it here.

NT90: Revelation

2011-06-01T06:00:00.001+10:00

"The seventh Angel trumpeted. A crescendo of voices in Heaven sang out, The kingdom of the world is now the Kingdom of our God and his Messiah! He will rule forever and ever!"
Revelation 11:15 The Message

I'm back!

2011-05-31T06:00:00.000+10:00

After three fantastic weeks holiday, I'm back today.

I enjoyed lots of family time with Laura and the kids,
Lucy was born,
Zara got really good at walking,
Isaac was (mostly) toilet trained,
I got an iPad2,
and I went to the Gold Coast Suns first game at their new home - Metricon Stadium.

I'm looking forward to getting up to speed on what's been happening while I've been away, and I'm excited about what the rest of the year holds!

Blogging Break

2011-05-09T17:00:00.000+10:00

I'm going on holidays tomorrow, waiting on the birth of our third baby - a girl - we think! I'm sure I'll post pictures of her, but apart from that I'm going to take a break from blogging.

No NT90 updates
No reposting other people
No new thoughts or ideas being posted

For 3 weeks! See you at the end of the month for the last few days of the NT90 Challenge!

NT90: a verse to work by

2011-05-09T06:00:00.000+10:00

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others."

Galatians 6:4 The Message

Distress

2011-05-05T06:00:00.001+10:00

"Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let regret drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets."

2 Corinthians 7:10 The Message

Thanks, Kelloggs

2011-05-04T10:15:00.001+10:00

Donated cereal for breakfast at Southport High.

Zara on her first day of walking

2011-05-02T16:18:00.000+10:00

After a couple of months of one-step efforts, Zara decided to walk today. Isaac saw that we were so excited by her walking that he pranced around saying "Isaac walking too!"

Zara walking (16 months old) from Geoff Snook on Vimeo.

blown up into self-importance

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000+10:00

"But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster. What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own."

1 Corinthians 12:19-20 The Message

My Testimonial for NYMC 2011

2011-04-29T15:00:00.001+10:00

I had fun remembering this story about NYMC 2009, as a video testimonial for the National Youth Ministry Convention this year!

www.nymc.org.au

NYMC Testimonial - Geoff from NYMC on Vimeo.

Young Adults - Wednesday Nights - Term 2

2011-04-29T13:03:00.000+10:00

Spirit can be known only by spirit

2011-04-28T06:00:00.000+10:00

"The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion."

1 Corinthians 2:14 The Message

It's way over our heads

2011-04-26T06:00:00.000+10:00

"Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out."
Romans 11:33 The Message

NT90: Easter Sunday

2011-04-23T06:00:00.000+10:00

It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!

Romans 8:11 The Message

NT90: Good Friday

2011-04-22T06:00:00.000+10:00

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's now - this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Romans 3:25-26 The Message

National Youth Ministry Convention website is LIVE!

2011-04-21T12:00:00.001+10:00

If you're interested in coming along to the NYMC this year (and you should be), you can find out everything at the recently launched website: www.nymc.org.au

Registrations are coming soon, but you can at least lock the dates in your diary and start inviting people!

How to End a Discipleship/Mentoring Relationship

2011-04-20T10:13:00.001+10:00

As a Pastor, I consider it a privilege to connect people into mentoring or discipleship relationships. I enjoy being on the receiving end of these relationships, and I also enjoy mentoring and discipling others. But I can only meet with a few people, so I’m stoked to help people connect with each other into these growing, challenging and life-giving relationships.

Sometimes though, these relationships run their due course. Sometimes they run out of steam or get awkward. And sometimes the season is just over, but neither person knows how to end things well.

Here’s some ways to end a mentoring or discipleship relationship BADLY:

Run - Just run away, break all contact and move to Wooloomooloo.
Fade Out - Slowly disappear, get more and more vague about your commitment and interest.
Attack - Attack the other person’s character.

And here’s some ideas on how to end things WELL:

Plan to Finish - Before you start, set a time frame (eg: one hour, once a week, for one year). And finish, regardless of how you feel.
Change - Try changing the time, place or frequency of your catch ups. Sometimes simply going to once a fortnight rather than once a week can be refreshing and helpful.
Seasons - Use the changing seasons as a conversation starter to reconsider things. (going on or coming back from holidays, the end of the year, etc)
Talk About It - Be completely honest, but not attacking, about how you feel in the relationship. Thank them for the time they’ve invested into it. Part ways knowing that the relationship has made a difference in each other’s lives.

If you find yourself in a situation where it’s time to end the relationship well, you might find one of these ways appropriate. Don’t rule out a future relationship as well. Being a life-long disciple of Jesus is a worthy and necessary calling.

"God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." Jesus in Matthew 28

For what it’s worth, with most of the people I mentor or disciple, we meet once a fortnight, for about an hour, and everything is back on the table at the beginning or each year (if we haven’t already set a timeframe). But I will plan better in the future to avoid either of us feeling stuck in it.

NT90: can't get away from him

2011-04-17T06:00:00.000+10:00

"Starting from scratch, (God) made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him!"

Acts 17:26-28 The Message

Comfy

2011-04-16T05:09:00.001+10:00

Some people find anywhere to sleep at a youth group all nighter!

coverage

2011-04-16T00:31:00.001+10:00

Captain Jack Sparrow in the Garden of Gethsemane

2011-04-14T10:00:00.000+10:00

I finally managed to work the Pirates of the Caribbean into a sermon!! I got to wave my styrofoam sword and talk about the Kraken! I spoke about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane from Matthew 26, in the lead up to Easter. You can listen here.

PS- We have moved our church sermon podcast to incorporate it into our website.
PPS- We'll be updating the iTunes podcast soon to keep it up to date.

how to look after kids for $1/day

2011-04-13T10:49:00.001+10:00

Calluses on your hearts

2011-04-12T07:01:00.001+10:00

In today's NT90 reading, Stephen highlights some major parts of the Old Testament story. He comes to a point, showing how people have often ignored God, keeping him in a box. He said to them;

“And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you’re just like your ancestors."
Acts 7:51

And so they killed him, the first martyr for Jesus.

NYMC is back!

2011-04-11T11:41:00.000+10:00

The National Youth Ministry convention is back in 2011!!

The website is coming soon, but for now check out the promo video and lock it in your diary.

NYMC 2011 from NYMC on Vimeo.

Interview with Mat Rogers

2011-04-10T06:00:00.001+10:00

Last Sunday I had the privilege of interviewing League & Union legend Mat Rogers as part of a special church service. You can listen to the interview here.

It was a fantastic night. Our muso's set the tone with an acoustic set. Prayers and a couple of announcements were spot on and relevant, and the BBQ afterwards was a great encouragement for socialising and fellowship.

Mat was great to interview, he speaks really well and is easy to listen to. He answered questions with honesty, and his testimony of faith points people to God.

Thanks Mat, and thanks to everyone who helped put the night together!

NT90: Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

2011-04-09T12:49:00.000+10:00

In the NT90 Challenge, we finish John today.
Matthew-check
Mark-check
Luke-check
John-check

In the second last chapter of John we read:
John 20:30-31 (The Message)Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

This is the end of the four Gospel accounts of Jesus' life, teachings, death and resurrection. And these four books are only a tiny portion of all that Jesus did and said!

What We Believe about...Humanity

2011-04-08T13:50:00.000+10:00

Original Sin, Made in God's Image, Volkswagen Beetles and Chocolate Chip Biscuits. Just some of the things we talked about on Sunday morning 27th March as we explored 'What We Believe about Humanity' through the first three chapters of Genesis and Romans. You can download it here, or on iTunes here.

Leaving the Church

2011-04-08T11:42:00.000+10:00

Here's some great thoughts that my friend B en rustled up from a magazine. Follow the paper trail here.

"There is no shortage of examples in which relationships are critical to the way of Jesus. What happens though, is that when we’re burned by the Church, or when we get exhausted or bored, we flip through scripture and determine that God never endorses a Sunday morning worship service, anyway. “Great,” we think. “I’m off the hook. I can quit this thing and not technically be in any trouble.”

"The problem comes when walking away from the Sunday morning service means walking away from people. From God’s people. From the endless beauty of a common knowledge of a greater good. From people who will serve with you, pray with you, believe in you and fight for you. At the end of the day, the mystery of the Church isn’t a worship song or a sermon. If it is, then sure, walk out of the building, load up your iPod with church podcasts and worship bands, and never look back. But the reality is that sermons and songs aren’t all that you give up when you walk away. You also sacrifice a community of believers.

You can read the rest here.

since you claim to see everything so well

2011-04-05T19:35:00.001+10:00

Jesus said, "If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see so everything so well, you're accountable for every fault and failure."
John 9:41

Will we admit our blindness? Or are we still claiming to see so well on our own?

muscle and willpower don't make anything happen

2011-04-04T07:10:00.001+10:00

In the lead up to the special service and interview with Mat Rogers I was mindful of that despite it taking a lot of planning and work by a bunch of people...this alone was no guarantee that God would use the night to draw people to Himself.

Today's NT90 reading included John 6:63, words from Jesus:

"The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making."

There was a lot of muscle and willpower going into last night. But it was the Holy Spirit at work in Mat's life, our lives, and present and working throughout last night that makes any real difference at all.

Ambition or Arrogance?

2011-04-04T07:00:00.001+10:00

Brian Berry writes some great stuff. Here's the intro to something he wrote about whether you call someone ambitious or arrogant. Read the rest here.

If there's 20 seconds on the game clock and you want the ball so you can score the game winner, do you call it ambition or arrogance?

If there's a key vision to be cast in your organization and you say, "I'd like to give that keynote speech to the team", do you call it ambition or arrogance?

If there's a problem in the world that you think needs a new perspective to solve, and you start an organization to do just that, do you call it ambition or arrogance?

What about if it's not you, but it's your peer? What about if it's someone who answers to you? What about if it's someone who could do your job? What about if it's something you think is expected to be your job, but you know would really be better done by someone else in your organization... at least this time?

I don't think this is a hypothetical question. I don't think it's a rare occurrence either. I think all day long, in all kinds of business places, relationships, and playing fields, people are doing a dance: longing to fuel their personal ambition and accusing others around them of prideful arrogance when they long for it too. I think as a high school pastor, I am constantly trying to decide which of these two I see in myself, my peers, and the students I work with as we dream big dreams.

Read the rest here.

Renewing Vows

2011-04-03T10:15:00.001+10:00

Ron and Catherine Moore renewing their marriage vows after 63 years together!

TODAY! Interview with Mat Rogers @ SCC

2011-04-03T07:00:00.000+10:00

5 x Dynamic Views

2011-04-02T07:00:00.001+10:00

I found out the other day that you can view this blog in 5 different, pretty sexy, dynamic views,

Flipcard: available at http://geoff.snook.com.au/view/flipcard

Mosaic: available at http://geoff.snook.com.au/view/mosaic

Sidebar: available at http://geoff.snook.com.au/view/sidebar

Snapshot: available at http://geoff.snook.com.au/view/snapshot

Timeslide: available at http://geoff.snook.com.au/view/timeslide

My personal favourite is Mosaic:

You can actually view any enabled Blogger blog in these ways. Check this post for more info.

NT90: 'nothing in him deserving death'

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000+10:00

How true were Pilate's words about Jesus, whether he realized it or not:

'...they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!"
(Pilate) tried a third time. " But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death."'
-Luke 23:21-22 The Message

My Testimony in 99 Words

2011-03-30T20:16:00.001+10:00

Tonight with our Young Adults bible study we wrote our testimonies in 99 words or less. Why we believe in and follow Jesus in 99 words.

Here's mine:
"I've never doubted that God exists. But I used to think life was just about getting through without breaking things. Or breaking people. Be as good as you can, the party starts after you die in some place called heaven.
My friends and church helped me see that Jesus lived to show me how to really live. That there's purpose in knowing God now, in breathing, enjoying and passing on this restored relationship with God. The party starts now for people who trust and follow Jesus, and it gets a whole lot better forever in some place called heaven."

Want to have a go at sharing your 99-word-testimony?

Under the Couch

2011-03-30T17:55:00.001+10:00

Doing the monthly couch-clean and recovered a few lost toys.

if you can believe it

2011-03-30T10:06:00.000+10:00

In speaking about marriage & heaven, Jesus said:

"(You) will have better things to think about, if you can believe it." (Luke 20:34-38)

I guess that's why Mercy Me wrote that song 'I Can Only Imagine'.

Facebook + Discipleship = Epic Fail

2011-03-29T06:58:00.001+10:00

Culture and Faith expert Mark Sayers provides these three principles for social networking*:

#1 Never let it become a replacement for real face-to-face relationships.

#2 don't forget Jesus' teaching on humility and not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Maybe your hundreds of friends around the world don't need to know all the good deeds you/your church are doing all the time.

#3 Be careful of creating a cult of celebrity and falseness of your life that doesn't really exist.

I think these are great reminders. The second one is very confronting!

* from the Autumn 2011 issue of Resonate www.globalinteraction.org.au

response pending

2011-03-28T09:59:00.000+10:00

I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but the story of the Lost Son (or the Prodigal Son, or the Two Sons, or the Prodigal Father...whatever you want to call it), doesn't finish. At the end of the story the older brother complains about the way his dad has treated the younger brother, the dad responds, and then we don't hear the brother's response.

"Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours - but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found." (Luke 15:31-32 The Message)

The older brother's response is pending, and so is ours. Accept what his dad said, and join the party? Or reject what his dad said and sulk off into the fields again in anger?

How would you have responded? I'd like to say I would have accepted and joined the party...

Just in case you'd forgotten...

2011-03-28T08:00:00.001+10:00

no neutral ground

2011-03-27T14:51:00.000+10:00

Today we're halfway through Luke in the NT90. These are some hard words by Jesus:

Luke 11:23 "This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse."

Yes, that is a Ukelele

2011-03-25T23:11:00.001+10:00

Our youth band leading worship tonight!

right on the border

2011-03-21T11:16:00.000+10:00

In Mark 12, Jesus has a conversation with a religion scholar. The scholar asks Jesus which is most important of all the commandments, and Jesus responds:

29 Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one;30 so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.'31 And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these."32 The religion scholar said, "A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate-that God is one and there is no other.33 And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that's better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!"

Then Jesus says to the man, "You're almost there, right on the border of God's kingdom."

Insight and knowledge brought the man a long way to entering into God's kingdom, but it isn't enough. Knowing ABOUT God isn't enough, being insightful about God isn't enough. It takes a commitment to and trust in Jesus Christ.

If you're right on the border, why not take the next step?

either, or both

2011-03-17T13:28:00.001+10:00

In Mark 2, Jesus cops a blast from the religious scholars when he says to a man: "Your sins are forgiven." They are obviously skeptical about Jesus' ability to forgive sins, not to mention the blasphemy because only God can forgive.

So Jesus says to them, 'which would be easier to prove? That I can forgive sins, or that I can heal this paraplegic man?' (obviously forgiving sins is easier to say because no one can prove it.)

Mark 2:10 "Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both...Get up!"

And the man, whose sins had been forgiven, got up and walked. Proving that Jesus has the authority to do either, or both. And also showing that he can outsmart the religious scholars at their own game.

Mat Rogers at Southport Church of Christ

2011-03-16T17:00:00.000+10:00

Mat Rogers - Sunday 3rd April at 5pm

Union, League and Gold Coast Titans legend Mat 'Rat' Rogers will be at a special service at Southport Church of Christ on Sunday April 3rd from 5pm. Come along for a footy passing comp, BBQ and an extended interview with Mat about footy, life and faith.

Free Entry.

trust

2011-03-15T13:12:00.000+10:00

Jesus, in total control of the situation, not running away but trusting God in what was about to happen, says this:

Matthew 26:2 “You know that Passover comes in two days. That’s when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”

Lord, help me to trust you that much, and to be so determined, even when death is on the line.

roadblocks

2011-03-14T09:00:00.001+10:00

One of my greatest concerns is that I would be a hindrance rather than a help in people coming to faith in Jesus. This was one of the accusations Jesus levelled at the religious people in his day:

Matthew 23:13 “I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God’s kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won’t let anyone else in either.

Lord, may I never be a roadblock to people seeking to enter the Kingdom of God.

Top Three from Arrow 9

2011-03-13T14:01:00.000+10:00

How do you distill a full week of learning down into something you will remember and will actually DO?

Last week I went to the second of three conferences for the Arrow Leadership program. It was a blast catching up with everyone else from the program, I'm pretty sure I pulled a muscle on Wednesday from laughing so hard. With presenters and speakers Karl Faase, Ken Byrnes, George Savvides, JA Laird, Tim Dyer, Duncan Brown, Michelle Farrall, Rohan Dredge and others, the week was jam-packed with insights, information and transforming experiences.

As I've reviewed my notes and debriefed the week, I've come up with three main takeaways from the content which covered Personal Management, Hiring and Firing & Staff Performance, Leadership, Evangelism, Ethics of Power in Ministry, Strategic Planning, Branding, Identity and more.

Here are the Top Three things I want to do which I believe will have the biggest impact on me and the ministries I'm a part of:

1. Build in Daily & Weekly reviews of my tasks, projects and goals. These are the Runway & 10,000ft levels of life.

2. Start a Values & Personality identification process for our Youth & Young Adults. This will help us identify who God has uniquely positioned us to be, and will increase our involvement and ownership in our communities.

3. Carve out some time each week to spend with the people I'm praying for who aren't yet following Jesus.

ready

2011-03-11T20:10:00.000+10:00

I preached last Sunday on what we Non-Negotiably believe about The Bible. You can download it here or on iTunes.
Then starting Monday we started the NT90 Challenge - reading through the New Testament in 90 Days.

Today I read Matthew 13-15 and this verse stood out to me:

13:12 Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears.

Jesus is teaching his disciples why some people understand parables and others don't. The same could largely be said of the whole Bible or even of spiritual growth. If you have a ready heart - teachable, humble, listening, observing, then you'll find that insights and understandings flow more freely. But if you are stubborn, proud, close-minded, arrogant, you'll find that you're not receptive at all to God.

Lord, may I always be found with a ready heart.

Arrow Conference - Moving On

2011-03-11T11:49:00.001+10:00

Walk with me

2011-03-10T13:05:00.001+10:00

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

Now live like it

2011-03-08T06:16:00.001+10:00

Powering through on day 2 of the NT90, I came across this verse in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:48 The Message
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

I love the provocative way Jesus sums up all that he has already said so far. For His followers- you already ARE kingdom subjects. You don't have to earn it but now you have the freedom and expectation to simply live like it.

Live out your God-created identity.

"the prophet"

2011-03-07T09:00:00.002+10:00

I've just started our NT90 Challenge, reading through the New Testament in 90 days (March-May). I'm going to be reading it in The Message translation (for the same reasons I often read the New Living Translation).

In Matthew 1-3, I love how the author keeps referring to how the birth events of Jesus tie in with Old Testament prophecies:
1:22 This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term:
2:5 The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:
2:15 This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached:
2:17 That’s when Jeremiah’s sermon was fulfilled:
2:23 This move was a fulfillment of the prophetic words,
3:3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy

Words to build a life on

2011-03-07T06:50:00.000+10:00

Christian author and activist Shane Claiborne says that Jesus and the Bible messed up his life. That through reading the Bible, God turned his priorities and values and whole life upside down. "I'm still recovering from my conversion."

To let the Bible mess up our lives, we've got to take it seriously and let it have authority in our lives.

Matthew 7:24 The Message
“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock."

NT90 Challenge

2011-03-05T09:00:00.001+10:00

Starting on Monday, our church is issuing NT90 Challenge: The New Testament in 90 Days. I'll be blogging every few days on what I've been reading.

If you want to take up the challenge, you can follow along with the outline here.

Isaac in the pool

2011-03-02T09:00:00.001+10:00

Isaac in the pool from Geoff Snook on Vimeo.

Daddy scaring Zara

2011-02-28T09:00:00.001+10:00

Daddy scaring Zara from Geoff Snook on Vimeo.

Zara riding her bike

2011-02-26T09:28:00.001+10:00

Zara riding her bike from Geoff Snook on Vimeo.

Official Opening

2011-02-19T11:33:00.000+10:00

Free NIV on YouVersion this week

2011-02-14T06:39:00.000+10:00

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. To commemorate this milestone achievement, which made the Bible available in the common language of the people, throughout 2011, YouVersion will roll out events and opportunities that will help you more easily access, engage and share the Bible. The first of these events is that Bible App™ users will be able to download the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible. Made possible through a special partnership with Biblica and Zondervan, this offer will only be available for a limited time.

Beginning THIS SATURDAY, February 12, at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time (GMT-5), and lasting for 400 hours, you’ll be able to download the NIV to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device. When you download the NIV, that means you’ll be able to read it even when you can’t connect to your service provider or to the Internet. This special promotion will end on March 1, at 12:00 PM noon U.S. Eastern Time (GMT-5).

Read the rest and how to download it here.

Welcome to Church video

2011-02-13T12:49:00.000+10:00

Steve Gray has been working on this video for the church website. It's a work in progress, but here it is so far. Ever wondered what it would be like to be part of Southport Church of Christ? Watch this to find out...

Welcome to Southport Church of Christ from Southport Church of Christ on Vimeo.

http://www.scc.org.au

Colin Buchanan at the Family Fun Day

2011-02-12T10:54:00.001+10:00

"I'm not getting fed"

2011-02-11T07:52:00.002+10:00

Thanks to Andrew for pointing me to this. Hamo puts into words what I've been thinking for a while!

If there’s a phrase or idea that has really set us on our butt as the church it would have to be that of Sunday as ‘feeding time’.
If you’ve been around churches any length of time then I’m sure you will have heard people speak of ‘getting fed’ on Sundays. It’s so accepted now that it rarely gets questioned, but surely we need to keep challenging this idea that actually serves to undermine progress towards spiritual maturity.
Yes you heard me correctly.
If you had an adult child that came back home to ‘get fed’ (once a week) you would surely question what was going on in their minds. First they’d be completely malnourished… but secondly you’d have to look in the mirror and ask ‘what kind of lame job did I do as a parent?!’
Why didn’t I teach my kid to cook?… And why didn’t I teach my kid to take responsibility for their own nutrition?…
I know its not rocket science, but its a deeply ingrained way of thought – that we turn up on Sundays to ‘get fed’ usually by a ‘skilled chef’ who has done some serious preparation and for some (many?) that’s it for the week.
But what if we re-calibrated our understanding of Sunday so that rather than being the one time during the week when we stick our collective snouts in the trough, we saw it simply as the day we ‘eat together as a family’ with the other days being when we eat alone. Then perhaps we would foster better spiritual health in our communities.

Read the rest here.

Rethinking Wedding Bells

2011-02-09T09:00:00.009+10:00

This guy has some interesting thoughts about weddings:

I'm going to a lot of weddings these days. I'm doing a few too. The process is stirring up in me some stuff I've been thinking about for a while. So here comes a couple of things I'd like to change about weddings.
NO FREE LUNCH: Back in the day, I assume families saved up for weddings. Back in the day before that day I guess only the family of the bride shelled out big money. Now a days, here's how most people pay for them. #1. Someone relative takes out a big loan or writes a check against a home mortgage. #2. The couple themselves take out a loan or pay for it because people are getting married later in life these days and you don't ask your parents to help you like you're 20 when you're not. #3. Those people lucky enough to get asked to be in the wedding party will offset some costs and shell out about $1000 each on gifts, clothes, hotels, food, and travel.
Instead, I think you should have to pay to go to a wedding reception. Yup, pay. It's like getting invited to a private event months and months out and expecting there's no cost. I mean really, high school students pay to go to their prom! Why is a wedding reception free? That's ridiculous.
I think it should be normal for you to pay $35-50 a plate for an epic party where you celebrate a once in a lifetime moment with friends and family. Maybe if you invite their kids, you can make exception.
Maybe it means people give fewer lame teapots and towels and give the gift of their presence at your party instead.
Subtly, it will weed out your casual invites from your friends unwilling to pay to play.
Maybe then you could say it's free to your wedding party. That would be awesome.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT COUNSELING INSTEAD OF PRE-MARRIAGE COUNSELING: Once a couple is engaged, they essentially are married in terms of the pressure they feel. Facebook messages have been sent, engagement pictures taken, reservations made, save the date cards sent, and deposits given for all kinds of things. The pressure is HUGE!
I think counseling should not only be about "how to succeed in marriage", but should help a couple answer the "should we get married?" question too. The first can be helpful post engagement, the second is a waste because breaking off an engagement is almost as stressful as a divorce.
I think churches and counselors should start offering pre-engagement counseling for serious dating couples.
I think the only reason we don't is because no one wants to admit their considering getting married publicly before a ring is on a finger. That's just lame cuz everyone talks about it first. It's a myth that people just pop the question. Those who "surprise" their soon to be spouse with a "will you marry me question" are still single. Everyone talks about it first. For most, the question is a romantic formality of a predetermined result anyway.
There's my top 2. What's yours?

Read the original post here.

Family Fun Day

2011-02-08T15:36:00.000+10:00

Practicing for the Family Fun Day on Saturday!

The Parable of the Talents

2011-02-07T09:00:00.001+10:00

Last Sunday I preached on Jesus' Great Invitation in the Parable of the Talents to 'come and share your Master's happiness'. You can download it here or on iTunes.

If you have no idea where to start in figuring out the special abilities (spiritual gifts) God gave you when you became a Christian, here's some ideas:

Pray. Ask God to help you find and develop the gifts He's trusted you with.
Ask around. Ask people you trust, who know you. Ask them what they think your gifts are. Ask them what things you do which consistently bless other people.
Ask yourself. What things do you do, that despite tiredness or difficulty, consistently leave you feeling blessed, encouraged and inspired.
Do a spiritual gifts analysis. T his website has a comprehensive survey. I can't vouch for the website, or the survey results, but they'll at least give you an idea of where to start.
Have a crack, get your hands dirty and risk even failing. Get involved in God's Kingdom by having a go in the areas you think God has gifted you in.
Hang out with similarly-gifted people. Sponge of others who have similar gifts, learn from them, read their books.
Ask your pastor what he or she things your special abilities are, and ask them to help you slot into organised ministry in your local church.