feeback example

Here's a good example of feedback. (Thanks Ryan for the link.)

Weitzel's feedback technique is called SBI (shorthand for Situation-Behavior-Impact). Following these steps can help the receiver more easily see what actions he or she can take to continue or improve performance or to change behavior that is ineffective or even an obstacle to performance. An effective feedback message tells the receiver the impact of a specific behavior on the sender. Here is an example of how to use the three-step model:
Step 1: Capture the Situation ("Yesterday morning in staff meeting,...")
Step 2: Describe the Behavior ("you had a number of side conversations and at times were joking during my presentation.")
Step 3: Deliver the Impact ("When you were talking to others while I was speaking, it was very disruptive to what I was trying to accomplish. I felt frustrated and annoyed by it.")

From http://www.workdyn.com/TOOLS-FeedbackModel.html

grandma

Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure, but still it's an interesting tale.

feedback

I have a love/hate relationship with feedback. I really love to encourage honest feedback, but on the other hand hate how emotionally hard it can be to accept critique sometimes.
We just completed a survey of our church and some of the feedback is positive and some negative.
The thing I often think about is how do we create a community where feedback is encouraged and where we are willing to accept the pain because we know in the longterm an honest community is really the only one being part of.
Your thoughts about what helps create such a community would be appreciated.
Some of my initial thoughts follow, let me know what you think!
- Leaders have to model receiving negative feedback without getting defensive.
- Honest and useful feedback requires a community of trust and care. This can only happen if we take the time to build relationships where there is mutual respect and love.
- Doing something in response to feedback is vital to show that we don't just fob off criticism.
- For there to be good critique, there also needs to be a lot of honest positive feedback.
- Never give positive feedback that is not honest. (I personally have a rule that I will never fudge feedback. If I can't be honest I won't say anything. This way people know that any feedback I do give is what I really believe.)
- As a leader what I do and say sets the standards which others follow. So if the culture is not healthy it could be because I am an unhealthy example.

i wonder

I wonder what are the questions that really haunt your nights, the thoughts and questions that creep into your mind when you're feeling a bit low?
I think one of the mandates of the follower of Jesus is to honestly confront those questions and to acknowledge that we don't always have conclusive answers.
One of the big questions for me, which might seem strange for a Minister, is the reality of God.
I have to acknowledge that sometimes my belief is virtually absolute and yet at other times I really wonder.
I personally follow Jesus not because of an absolute proven belief, but because of a faith that his way is the best way and that he's changed me for the better. I know him as a friend, not a fact of science, and walking his path is better by far than any other alternative I've found.
In a sense I'm a reluctant and unsure follower, but perhaps that's not a bad thing in the end.

free hugs

So much on the net I don't know about. Here's a really cute short video clip about hugs from www.youtube.com, check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4, its fun.

religion v Christianity

Excert from a conversation between Ken Blanchard & Bob Buford.
Do you know the difference between Christianity and religion? He said it's how they are spelled. Religion is spelled Do, D-O. Most people quit because they never know when enough is enough. Following Jesus is spelt Done, D-O-N-E. There's only one rule: Do you believe? Who am I? How many times does Jesus ask that?
(NetResults, July/August 2006)

retirement question

Here's a short except of an interview of Ken Blanchard by Norman Jameson.
Jameson: You're sixty-six. Thinking about retiring?
Blanchard: I asked Zig Ziglar, seventy-nine at the time, if he was going to retire. He said, "There's no mention of it in the Bible and except for Jesus, Mary, David and a few people, nobody under eighty made an impact." He said he was going to "refire" rather than retire.
(From NetResults, July/August 2006)

in my view (for Sunday 8th October, CMP Newsletter)

IN MY VIEW by Pastor Pete
In my view one of the great dangers to true community in the church is the lack of face-to-face time. Let me encourage you to think about developing relationships using a very simple idea called 'my place, your place, our place'.
It is my belief that a healthy deepening friendship requires three 'spaces' in which it develops. It requires inviting others to come into 'my place' so that they feel valued. It requires me going into 'your place' so that I get a better sense of who you are, and you know that I value you enough to go to you. It also requires that we develop 'our place', those places which is neither yours or mine, but is created as 'our place' because we do stuff together there.
Try this exercise.
(1) Write down the names of people from church who in the last six months have been entered your three spaces, 'my place, your place, our place'.
(2) Write down 3 names that you would like to invite to 'your place' in the next 3 months.
Note: Because 'our place' is the least intimate, it is also the easiest to invite people to and so for many people is the first place to start. Ideas of 'our place' might be a coffee shop, the beach, the movies, etc.

interview with an ex Ku Klux Klan member

Here's an interesting interview by Andrew Denton with Johnny Lee Clary.
Life is full of journeys but rarely do any of us travel as far as Johnny Lee Clary. A former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, now a Christian preacher, his journey from a world of hate to one of tolerance has been remarkable indeed. (Continued at ... http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1453904.htm)

mistake made

In a previous blog I made a mistake and attributed a list of wisdom to Bill Gates but apparently its from http://www.snopes2.com/language/document/liferule.htm.
I was reminded by a friend to always check stuff out - a very good policy when it comes to internet information.
The blog is corrected and now titled below as 'things school will not teach you'.

advantages of sex before marriage

From http://www.stanford.edu/group/tlw/dormtalks/socialemotional.html
Those who live together before marriage have a 50% higher rate of divorce than even the national average! (Bumpass, Sweet, and Cherlin: The Role of Cohabitation in Declining Rates of Marriage, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 53, 1991, pp.913-927) So sleeping together first to ensure compatibility does not necessarily make a marriage stronger. Another study says that Couples not sexually involved before marriage and faithful during marriage are more satisfied with their current sex life and also with their marriage compared to those who were involved sexually before their marriage. (Mayo, Larsen, Meier, and Mayo: Behind Closed Doors, unpublished manuscript, Feb, 1994. p. 84-85) Ensuring before marriage that you are sexually compatible does not guarantee that you will enjoy sex more in marriage. The opposite seems to be true.

From http://marriage.rutgers.edu/Publications/pubtenthingsyoungadults.htm
Contrary to the popular belief that married sex is boring and infrequent, married people report higher levels of sexual satisfaction than both sexually active singles and cohabiting couples, according to the most comprehensive and recent survey of sexuality. Forty-two percent of wives said that they found sex extremely emotionally and physically satisfying, compared to just 31 percent of single women who had a sex partner. And 48 percent of husbands said sex was extremely satisfying emotionally, compared to just 37 percent of cohabiting men. The higher level of commitment in marriage is probably the reason for the high level of reported sexual satisfaction; marital commitment contributes to a greater sense of trust and security, less drug and alcohol-infused sex, and more mutual communication between the couple.

missed the point

Steve Irwin, what an incredible life, and we should thank God for his dedication to preserving God's creation. But the saddest observation for me about the great life he lived is this, he missed the fundamental point of life, to know and bring glory to God.
Upon his death he received the accolades of the world, the profound love of those who knew him, but it appears to me that he has missed the greatest accolade of them all, to meet face to face with God and hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant."
Let's never devalue his contribution, indeed let's continue his legacy of valuing and preserving the environment, but let us always remember the real point of life, to know and love God as revealed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Mother Theresa wrote this poem which is something that I hope can be said about me at the end of my life.
Ever sustained by profound faith.
Nourished by unceasing prayer.
Fearless in unshakeable hope.
Deeply in love with God.

great speeches

Are you interested in hearing or reading some the great speeches of history. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" and many others are available from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

things school will not teach you

I made a mistake with this one. Previously attributed it to Bill Gates but apparently its from http://www.snopes2.com/language/document/liferule.htm.
Have added the last three which were previously missed out.

Things school will not teach you.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
Rule No. 12: Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for "expressing yourself" with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.
Rule No. 13: You are not immortal. (See Rule No. 12.) If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.
Rule No. 14: Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it was to be a kid. Maybe you should start now. You're welcome.

happiness

Every once in a while I write a list of things I'd like to have that I think would make me happy. What most amazes me the most about this exercise is upon reflection I realise there really is a limit to the happiness level one can experience in this world.
I'm reminded of the astounding book "Inside Out" where Larry Crabb makes the observation that humans can never find ultimate happiness in this life precisely because we are not made for a flawed world. The fact is God made us for a perfect world, and therefore though we can have moments of real bliss and joy, that we cannot continue at the level all the time.
This thought has been really helpful to me. It's made me realise that in the times I experience real despair and sadness, that there might actually be no concrete thing I can point my finger at as to why I'm feeling that way. And so I'm come to recognise that pain and sadness and part of the human condition, not something I like, but something I cannot avoid if I am to be honest about life.
The real point is this. When I realise that pain and sadness are not always the result of something lacking, then I stop trying to gain the toys I think will make me happy, and I concentrate more on deepening my relationship with Jesus who after all is the only true source of absolute and unconditional love.

great preaching (updated Sept 2006)

I've decided that I need to put more time into developing my communication skills. One way I want to do that is to listen to great preaching. Below are some links of sites where you can download sermons. I'll keep updating this as I come across good preaching.
http://www.goodnewsline.com/sermon/
http://www.crossroadschurch.com/media/ - Sermons by Barry McMurtrie, Crossroads Church
http://www.mhbcmi.org/listen/index.php - Rob Bell, Mars Hill
http://www.rzim.org/publications/realaudio_index.php - Ravi Zacharias, RZIM
http://www.preachingtodaysermons.com/ - This lot you have to pay for. Sometimes you get what you pay for, so worth checking out the variety of great preachers at this site.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp - Not yet checked out.
http://www.sermonindex.net/ - Not yet checked out.
http://www.biblicalpreaching.info/ - Not yet checked out.
http://www.spiritualdisciplines.org/audio.html

heaven

What will heaven be like? Randy Acorn explores this topic in his book 'Heaven'. A book summary can be found at http://www.christianbooksummaries.com/library/v3/cbs0313.pdf

who is a christian?

Who is a Christian? If you're interested in understanding some biblical teaching on this subject then I encourage you to get out your bible and follow through this diagram.

(1) Points out the centrality of Jesus Christ.

(2) Looks at the role of believing.

(3) Considers the obedience step the bible teaches we should take in response to our belief decision.

(4) Considers the beliefs we need to accept to be a follower of Christ. If we reject any of these core beliefs then we are rejecting Christ.

(5) Considers the idea that belief is not a static thing. We need to be walking toward Christ and growing.

(6) Looks at the teaching that we can walk away from our salvation.

(7) (8) (9) (10) Look at four positions we can be in. (7) Is a person who is headed in the opposite direction and who does not believe the central beliefs ie they are outside the boundary (blue line). (8) Is a person thinking about and considering Christ. They are walking toward him but have not yet committed themselves to the core beliefs of Christianity. (9) Is a person who is committed to Christ and walking toward him. This person is where each of us should be. (10) Is a person who is committed to the beliefs but is now walking away from Christ. They have decided to reject the implications of what it means to follow Christ. This person is in danger of completely rejecting Jesus Christ.

The implication of the biblical teaching is that a Christian is a person who both BELIEVES and who ACTS in accordance with those beliefs.

Hope this is helpful.

quizzes

Need quiz questions for a games night or the like. Check out the "Monthly Trivia Quiz" link at this site for 12 quizzes of 50 questions. http://www.travelmate.com.au/FunTrip/FunTrip.asp

'the experiment'

IN MY VIEW by Pastor Pete (Newsletter of CMP for 20 August 2006)
In my view we tend to over estimate what can be done in the short-term and under estimate what can be done in the long-term. Let me explain.
I'm not sure how many times I heard someone say some variation of the following: "If everyone was to just invite 2 other people and they invited 2 others then ..."
It's true, that if this were to happen then big things would happen, the problem is that its trying to do quickly that which can only be done over the long-term.
So I want to encourage you to do try this experiment and I think you'll be amazed at just how much God can do through your life, it's not a short-term fix, but in the long-term your life will have an impact that will astound you.
THE EXPERIMENT:
Step 1: Spend some time with God and ask him this question. "What is the one habit, behaviour or attitude you most want me to change in my life?
Step 2: Make a decision that for the next 30-60 days changing this one habit, behaviour or attidude will be your major priority in your spiritual journey.
Step 3: Share your decision with one other person and ask them to pray for you and ask you regularly how you are going.
Step 4: FOCUS on making this ONE change. When the new habit, behaviour or attitude has become part of you THEN go back to Step 1.
FINAL NOTE: People who try to change too many things at once mostly change nothing. People who focus on ONE thing at a time and keep on repeating that process achieve tremendous change over time.

have your say

The Australian Democrats have an online survey at http://www.democrats.org.au/survey2/survey/GodGovt_v2 seeking people's view about the relationship between Government and Religion. Have your say be completing the survey.

classic books

If you're interested in reading some of the great book from history check out the link for a great selection. You can download them for free. Many can be read on a PDA or what I do is print them in a booklet form which is easier to read.
I'm personally currently plowing my way through "The Divine Comedy" by Dante.

engaging the world

Following are some excellent excerts from the linked article.

The mission of the church is paramount, and what propels the mission forward is an awakened mind; a mind ablaze with God and the things of God. This is the heart of the cultural commission within the Great Commission. The Great Commission calls us to reach out to every person with the gospel of Jesus Christ; the cultural commission calls us to lay hold of every nook and cranny of our world for the kingdom of God. They are not separate endeavors-they are the two edges of the single sword we are called to wield. Though frighteningly few Christians embrace the true dynamic and practice of the Great Commission, even fewer take hold of the cultural commission. Too often we retreat into our Christian sub-culture, with its books and magazines, radio stations and bumper stickers.

This brings us to the heart of the mind applied. It is not simply thinking Christianly, for to know is to do. Our goal is to think in such a way as to know how to live. So what does it mean for Christ to lay claim to medicine? To law? To politics? To the economy? To a child in the womb? To sexuality? Consider the words of the prophet Micah: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." It is not enough to simply understand the nature of justice and love from within a Christian perspective. Then "we must go on," writes Dennis Hollinger, "to think about the strategies of justice and love in issues like poverty, race relations, abortion and political life."
This is the vanguard of Christian thinking-knowing how to live, and then working to make the kingdom of God a reality for others to be able to live as well.

losing the need to pretend by John Burke

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves.- 1 John 1:8 NLT
When my wife, Kathy, was in preschool she fell in love with a comic strip character, Zelda. Kathy wanted to be like Zelda. She wanted to do everything Zelda did. Then Kathy decided she was Zelda. Her teachers came to her mom concerned because Kathy would no longer answer to the name Kathy, she wanted to be called Zelda. We've all pretended to be someone we're not. It's fairly common for kids to pretend they are someone else. And it's acceptable if kids pretend because they are still forming their identities. But the goal is to learn to be yourself by the time you are an adult. Unfortunately, few adults seem to be comfortable enough with themselves not to pretend.
Our generation longs for something authentic. They are searching for "the real thing," though they don't really know what "the real thing" is. Because this generation has endured so much "me-ism" and letdown from those they were supposed to follow and trust, they want to see a genuine faith that works for less-than-perfect people before they are willing to trust. They want to know this God-thing is more than talk, talk, talk. They desperately want permission to be who they are with the hope of becoming more. They aren't willing to pretend, because hypocrisy repulses them. Most have yet to realize that every person is a hypocrite to some degree-the only question is whether we realize it and are honest about it.
It Starts with AuthenticityWhen we launched Gateway Community Church in 1998, the first service was entitled "Losing My Need to Pretend." Everything we did that morning contrasted the inauthentic ways of the religious leaders whom Jesus deemed hypocrites with an authentic spirituality of the heart. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were focused on religious rule-keeping. Jesus reserved his harshest words for these pretenders: "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."(Luke 11:42 NIV) The religious leaders of Jesus' day were so focused on the traditions they had formed around the heart of God's message that they were neglecting the things most on God's heart.
That September morning in the delivery room of our new church, I told our newborn congregation that these stories are a warning against inauthentic, incongruent living. Jesus is basically saying, Lose the religious pretense; it's destructive to authentic faith. Shed the mask of hypocrisy you hide behind. I want honest, authentic people-not hypocrites who pretend to be something they're not. I asked the congregation a question at the end of the message: "Can we be this kind of a church? The kind where people don't have to pretend? Where we can be ourselves and stop pretending we're more or less than what we are right now? That's the only way we can help each other grow to be all God intended us to be. If we can't do this, we're just playing church!"
Authenticity is hard work. It always works from the inside out. It begins with the inner life of the leader, being authentic with God. It manifests itself in personal vulnerability before others as an intimate connection with God displaces the fear of transparency. This opens for others a view into an authentic spiritual life of a real human-not a religious salesperson. Finally, it becomes embedded in a culture so that authentic, growing communities of people can be formed and transformed.
Hear John discuss strategies for creating a "Come-As-You-Are Culture" at the A2 Conference: Innovating with Acts 2 Thinking on October 25-27 at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. (www.willowcreek.com/A2)

leadership

"Institutionalizing a leadership-centred culture is the ultimate act of leadership."
This is a fantastic quote about the role of leadership. Thanks Ryan for passing it on to me.
I'm reminded of a quote I have on my wall that talks about the activity of a leader.
"Give yourself plenty of time to think ... and to reflect on just what it is that really needs to be accomplished. Delegate everything possible, and reserve for yourself only those things where your personal attention is needed to move the work ahead." - Ed Hanlon

stem cell research link

This link will give you useful information if you're interested in Stem Cell research. http://www.stemcellresearch.org/

The Final Analysis by Mother Theresa

This is similar to previous blog entry, but has a different ending. (Thanks Ryan for sending it.)
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred;...Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;...Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;...Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;...
Be honest and frank anyway.What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;...Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;...Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;...
Do good anyway.Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;...Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;It was never between you and them anyway.

Stem cells: A view from a wheelchairby Joni Eareckson Tada

Every night around 8 p.m., my paralysis forces me out of my wheelchair and into my bed. My body is wearing out after almost 40 years of living as a spinal cord-injured quadriplegic. It’s a good time to reflect on the day as well as watch some TV. Not long ago, I flicked on a PBS special called “Innovation: Miracle Cell.” When I learned it was about new therapies using stem cells, I asked my husband to turn up the volume.
Paralyzed after a car accident, pretty 19-year-old Laura Dominguez looked up from her wheelchair and into my room through the camera and smiled. She had reason to. Recently she traveled to Portugal for an extraordinary operation that changed her life. First, Dr. Carlos Lima drew stem cells – her body’s own “repair cells” – from the lining in her nose, and then gingerly separated them. Those cells are like blank slates, able to turn into tissue that would “fit” into Laura’s spinal cord. Dr. Lima gently packed the cells into the damaged portion of her spine, and after three months of therapy, Laura was able to move her foot and regain a significant amount of feeling in her back and legs. Said Dr. Lima, “I will be able to say to somebody with a spinal cord injury, ‘Yes, you will walk again,’ as opposed to telling them life is good from a wheelchair.”
How ironic; me rejoicing in the success of another’s healing. Other success stories followed: a teenager with a punctured heart that was healed through a stem cell transplant from his blood; a little boy who no longer has cancer because of a transplant using stem cells from the umbilical cord of his little brother.
The same week Dr. Lima published his research in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine I picked up the July 24 issue of TIME and read “What a Bush Veto Would Mean for Stem Cells.” Rather than read the same line about embryonic stem cells being the Holy Grail of miracle cures, I read how “science has outrun politics. Adult cells, such as those found in bone marrow, were thought to be less valuable than embryonic cells … But adult cells may be more elastic than scientists thought and could offer shortcuts to treatment that embryonic cells can’t match.”
I and others with disabilities have been closely monitoring the debate between adult and embryonic cells, and we know there isn’t an embryonic cell treatment that heals even a rat – there are tumors, tissue rejection, genetic abnormalities and death; there are no miracle cures. Yet right now more than 70 medical conditions are being successfully addressed by adult stem cell therapies either in human clinical trials or human treatments. Laura Dominguez knows firsthand; she can now even walk a bit with crutches!
No wonder people like me are excited. True, many adult stem cell therapies are not yet bona fide cures, but so far, they have proven substantially more successful than embryonic stem cell approaches. That is why I am grateful that President Bush continues to uphold the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Those restrictions are perhaps the only means of encouraging funding in the overlooked and less commercially viable field of research using adult stem cells.
Still, some people say we should wait and see what happens with stem cells gleaned from human embryos. Pardon me, I’d rather not wait. Besides, there’s something deeply unsettling about tearing into a human embryo for its spare parts. Is it really nothing more than a mindless clump of cells? Of no more worth than a potato to be used then discarded? I shiver when I hear politicians and so-called experts talk that way.
People like me are vulnerable in a society that disregards the rights of the weak, the infirmed, the unseen, and the very, very small. I don’t want to live in a world where the bio-tech industry sets the moral agenda. When we tamper with the essence of our human genesis – certain only of the uncertainty of our outcomes – we mock the God whose imprint we each bear, and we provide false hope to those whose hope sustains them.
I stand with countless Americans with disabilities who believe our cause is not advanced when human life is sacrificed in hopes of finding a cure. Our cause is uplifted when we take the common sense and ethical course to hope and healing. And if you don’t believe me, ask Laura Dominguez.
For more information about Joni’s thoughts on stem cell research, check out the new book co-authored by her and Nigel M. De S. Cameron, How to be a Christian in a Brave New World.

cool motivational verse

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered –love them anyway!
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives –do good anyway!
If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies –succeed anyway!
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow –do good anyway!
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable –be honest and frank anyway!
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot downby the smallest people with the smallest minds –think big anyway!
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs –fight for some underdog anyway!
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight –build anyway!
People really need help but may attack you if you help them –help people anyway!
Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth –give the world the best you’ve got anyway!

two keys to changing habits

One reason why so many of us fail with habit change is that we try to do too much at once and don't do what we are trying to do for long enough.
I heard today something that I thought was helpful. The person was saying that it takes doing something 18 times over a minumum of 18 days to create a new habit.
Others I've read have suggested that for most of us we can only create one new habit every month. (It's too mentally exhausting to try and change too much at once and we end up failing in all our new efforts.)
Key 1: Concentrate on no more than one new habit per month.
So try this experiment. Pick a new habit, just one, and then repeat that one habit 18 times over at least the next 18 days. For example, if the habit is going for a walk and you do it every 2 days, it will take 18 times over the next 36 days to create that new habit. If the habit is something you only do once a week then it will take 18 weeks to create the new habit, and in this case you can add a second habit at the end of the first month.
Key 2: Add new habits rather than stopping old habits.
And here's another suggestion I've found helpful. I've found it easier to add new habits rather than stop old habits. (Though some things still need to be stopped immediately.) So for example I'm wanting to cut down on the caffiene I drink, so instead of stopping drinking coffee I've added a regime of drinking a glass of water every time I have a coffee. The new good habit has the tendency of pushing out the old bad habit without all the pain normally associated with trying to give up something.
All the best on your habit changes.

marriage

Good marriages are the result of continual effort and learning. The benefits of a good marriage are of greater worth than almost any other human endeavour. If you are serious about having a great marriage then check out some of these resources.

• Marriage Test to check out how solid the foundations of your marriage are based on research for the book "Why Marriages Fail". http://www.probe.org/content/view/746/72/
• Relationship Satisfaction Test. An online 30-35 minute test. http://psychologytoday.psychtests.com/tests/relationship_satisfaction_r_access.html
• A simple self scoring Relationship Satisfaction Test. http://psychologytoday.psychtests.com/tests/relationship_satisfaction_r_access.html
• An excellent Love Languages Test. Do the test and then pick up a copy of Love Languages by Gary Chapman which is on my highly recommended list.

value of time

One day a boy asked his busy father, "Dad, how much money do you earn in an hour?" The impatient dad answered, "I don't know, I guess I make about $50 an hour when I'm at work. Now don't bother me, I'm busy." After a couple of weeks of doing odd jobs around his neighborhood, the little boy approached his dad one evening and said, "Dad, here's $25. Can I buy 30 minutes of your time so we can play together?"

leaders are learners

"Never stop learning. All leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning you stop leading. Growing churches require growing pastors. The moment you stop growing, your church stops growing. I don't worry about the growth of the church. I never have. In fact, it will probably surprise most people that in 21 years we have only set two growth goals -- and they were both the first year of the church! What I focus on is keeping myself growing and motivated, and if I am on fire, other people will catch it."
- Rick Warren

choices

Who do you believe?
"The universe was not pregnant with life nor the biosphere with man. Our number came up in a Monte Carlo game." (Jacques Monod)
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27)
My choice is contained in the words of Joshua who said, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 25:15)

thesis v antithesis

One of the great changes that has taken place in the popular mind over the last century is the change in how people view truth.
Historically truth as been viewed in the thesis / antithesis paradigm. This meant that if something is true then the opposite is wrong. However, the German philosopher Hegel (1770-1831) introduced the idea of synthesis which firstly captured the minds of the philosophers and eventually has infiltrated the popular thinking mindset.
What this means is that many people no longer think in categories of thesis / antithesis or right / wrong, but in terms of ideas that can be synthesised to create a whole new idea.
In the past people understood that when you argued that Christianity was true then the opposite of Christianity had to be false. Now people look at Christianity and its opponents and create a new synthesised truth which contains components of both.
The question these days is not 'Is it right?' but 'Does it work?'
The challenge for the Christian is to show in our individual and corporate life that Christianity works precisely because it is right and that it stands in opposition to any synthesised religion.
(For a great discussion of this idea read "The God Who Is There" by Francis Schaeffer. Available as a seperate book or part of "The Complete Works of Francis A Schaeffer.")

martin luther said ...

These words are attributed to Martin Luther, the great leader of the Reformation in the 1500's, and they still ring true today.
"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
In practical terms this means we have to learn to hear from God about what is the pivotal battle to be fighting. It might be a belief pattern in the world or it might be a personal battle in our lives, but if we miss the quiet voice of God then we miss being effectively used by him to change the world in which we live. It is for this reason a daily time of listening to God is so vital. If we don't take time to be in his presence on a daily basis we can end up fighting the battles of yesterday and never the battle God wants us to fight today!

making a difference

Are we serious about making a difference in our world? God calls us not to just focus on winning individual souls, though in my opinion that is a strong contender for the number 1 priority of the church, but also we are called to restore our culture so that it resembles as much as possible the characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
In fact winning individual souls and restoring the culture go hand in hand. As we are seen to be positive influences on our world we gain the right to be heard in respect to how individuals can best live their lives.
Here are some excellent websites for those concerned about transforming our world.
http://www.thepeaceplan.com/
http://www.micahchallenge.org.au/
TOGETHER we really can make a difference!

homosexuality

Mention homosexuality and people's emotions get heated. I personally hold to the traditional bible teaching that we are to love and act gracefully to all people, while at the same time upholding truth.
One of the best examples of this is found in Jesus when he was confronted with a women caught in adultery. He said to her, "I do not condemn you, go and sin no more." Jesus was able to love the women without condemnation while at the same time pointing her to truth that could set her free.
In the case of homosexuality we are to without condemnation, point people to the teaching of God that sexual relationships are only appropriate between a man and women in a married relationship.
Here are some resources to find out more.
An interesting article called "Homosexuality: Questions and Answers." http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/homo-qa.html
A great website is http://www.livehope.org/ and another that has lots of testimonies is http://www.stonewallrevisited.com/
A testimony of a person who came out of homosexuality.
http://www.leaderu.com/stonewall/pages/john_s.html#
An Australian group that helps people deal with sexual addiction. The leader is a man who was a minister who was involved in homosexuality.
http://www.livingwaters.org.au/
A website that provides courses on all sorts of sexual addiction areas. http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/home/

roadmap for peace

the napalm girl

Did you know.

The girl in this famous picture from the Vietnam War survived. She was treated in an American Hospital and survived despite a prognosis she would die within a few days.

Her name is Kim Phuc and she eventually became a Christian proclaiming the message of forgiveness.

She was approached by a person claiming to be the pilot of the plane whom she promptly hugged and forgave.

The person who claimed to be the pilot was John Plummer, an American. Later it was discovered later was not in actual fact the pilot. (This does not lessen the fact that Kim was willing to forgive the pilot.) The original story before the deception was discovered can be read at http://www.hawaiiforgivenessproject.org/stories.htm#john)

The plane that dropped the Napalm was not an American plane but a Vietnamese plane.

worldview

Any worldview, whether it be secular or religious, needs to answer humanity's age-old questions: Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Does life has any meaning and purpose? ("Now How Shall We Then Live", Charles Colson, P.xi)
And once these questions are answered, we need to ask the question: Can I live consistently with my answers?
Answer these questions for yourself. Go on take the time and make the effort and then ask yourself whether or not you can live according to your answers.
Many have answered by saying all life is the result of random chaos, well try and live your life that way and see how long you last. Some answer by saying all that we experience is only in our imagination, and yet if they want to live long they still look both ways before crossing a street.
Some say there are no rights and wrongs, and yet if you smack them in the head they'll get upset as if you've done something wrong to them.
Some say there are no absolutes and are absolutely sure about it.

10 tips for finding friends

1. Waiting at home alone for God to send you friends won't work. The Bible tells us that God designed us to be interactive with others. We are encouraged to seek fellowship with like-minded people. Take a step of courage and place yourself in situations where potential friends are, like a church group or other social clubs.
2. If you want a friend - be a friend. Pouring your life into someone else opens the door for deeper intimacy. A self-involved person has limited their opportunities for healthy friends.
3. Proverbs 22:11 says - He who loves with a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend. Keep your motives pure. Avoid manipulation and don't desire someone's friendship for social status or other selfish reasons.
4. Don't rush it. Often, people who are desperate for friends overwhelm potential friends by getting too personal right away. This can scare off acquaintances who might become friends over time. Deep, lasting friendships take time to develop.
5. Proverbs 17:17 says - A friend loves at all times... Give your friends grace to fail you. They are not perfect. Address conflict with gentleness and respect.
6. Work on yourself. The healthier, balanced person you become, the more attractive you are as a friend. Emotional growth and maturity are very attractive character assets.
7. Smile. You'd be amazed at how people will respond to a simple smile. You may be the bright spot of their day. Who wants to "connect" with a frowning sour-puss?
8. Be honest, but loving. Proverbs 27:6 tells us that wounds from a friend can be trusted. Be very careful with criticism. It should always be given to restore and build up, never to tear down.
9. A friend in need is a friend indeed! Have you heard this saying? Friendship is never more keenly felt than during times of difficulty. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. - Ecc. 4:10
10. Listen! Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait to hear the answer.

links to research about benefits of religious beliefs

Here is a link to a number of research articles exploring the link between religious beliefs and health. Some very interesting findings. http://www.nihr.org/programs/researchreports/listresearchreports.cfm

effective evangelism

If you're interested in what makes for effective evangelism then check out "Hell's best kept Secret" by Ray Comfort. Go to the link and listen to the message online at http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch.shtml or contact me and I can send you an MP3 copy of the message.

religion good for your health

Medical studies are confirming that those who attend church regularly and act consistently with their faith are better off, both physically and mentally. Consider a few recent findings.
- Alcohol abuse is highest among those with little or not religious commitment. (D.B. Larson and W.P. Wilson, "Religious Life of Alcoholics," Southern Medical Journal 73, no. 6 (June 1980): 723-27
- Numerous studies have found an inverse correlation between religious commitment and drug use. Among young people, the importance of religion is the single best predictor of substance-abuse patterns.
- There is a strong correlation between participation in religious activities and avoidance of crime.
- Several studies have found that high levels of religious commitment correlate with lower levels of depression and stress. (Larson and Larson, The Forgotten Factor, 76-78)
- Persons who do not attend church are four times more likely to commit suicide that are frequent church attenders. In fact, lack of church attendance correlates more strongly with suicide rates that with any other risk factor, including unemployment. (Larson and Larson, The Forgotten Factor, 64-65)
- A number of studies have found a strong inverse correlation between church attendance and divorce, and one study found that church attendance is teh most important predictor of marital stability. (Ibid, 72)
- Churchgoers are more likely to say they would marry the same spouse again - an important measure of marital satisfaction. And the 1994 Sex in America study showed that very religious women enjoy a higher level of sexual satisfaction in their marriage than do nonreligious women.
- Church attendace even affects mortality rates. For men who attend church frequently, the risk of dying from arteriosclerotic heart disease is only 60 percent of that for men who attend infrequently.
(Quotes come from "How then shall we live?," Charles Colson, 311-313)

acts prayer

Although prayer cannot be reduced to a formula, certain basic elements should be included in our communication with God. I believe they are Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, or "ACTS" for short, which will help you remember. A -- ADORATIONTo adore God is to worship and praise Him, to honor and exalt Him in our heart and mind and with our lips. Adoration expresses our complete trust in Him and reflects our confidence that He hears us. Adoration demonstrates our reverence, awe, love, and gratitude. C -- CONFESSIONWhen our discipline of prayer begins with adoration, the Holy Spirit has opportunity to reveal any sin in our life that needs to be confessed. By seeing God in His purity, His holiness, and His love, we become aware of our own sinfulness and unworthiness. Confessing our sin and receiving His forgiveness restores us to fellowship with Him and clears the channel for God to hear and answer our prayers (1 John 1:7-9). T -- THANKSGIVINGNothing pleases God more than our consistent expression of faith. What better way to do this than to tell Him, "Thank you"? God's Word commands, "Give thanks in all circumstances" because "this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). As we approach God with a thankful heart, He makes Himself strong on our behalf. S -- SUPPLICATIONSupplication includes petition for our own needs and intercession for others. We are to pray for everything and in specific terms. As you talk to God, for example, pray that your inner person may be renewed, always sensitive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pray about your problems, pray for wisdom and guidance, pray for strength to resist temptation, pray for comfort in time of sorrow -- pray for everything (Philippians 4:6). Then pray for others -- your spouse, your children, your parents, neighbors, friends, campus or community. Pray for your pastor and missionaries, and for various other Christians to whom God has given special responsibility. Pray for those in authority over you (1 Timothy 2:1,2). These elements -- Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication -- have helped many Christians to develop a more well-rounded prayer life. Remember: "ACTS."

three dollars

Some people plod through life, not me, it's either full bore ahead or blob out big time. Life has been rather hectic lately and so I'm been crashing to get my energy back. When I blob I watch lots of movies. Saw 'The Da Vinci Code' and thought it was okay, nothing stunning, but I've just finished an excellent Australian movie called "Three Dollars".
It's not the kind of movie I'd normally watch, not enough mahem. It's billed as 'the epic story of an ordinary man.'
It's a feel good movie about how a man copes with ordinary life and some of the curb balls thrown at him, a great movie, well worth the couple of hours.
Note: It is rated M due to a couple of scenes.

how to bring revival to your church - bill bright

Here are some ideas:
1. Encourage your pastor and church leaders to preach and teach on the attributes of God as a basis for first love, faith, and obedience.
2. Organize a 24-hour prayer chain divided into 96 fifteen-minute periods. Ask participants to pray around the clock for revival among church members and for a great spiritual harvest of new believers.
3. Choose seven different church members to meet with the pastor early each Sunday morning for prayer and to receive his prayer requests for each day of the week, each day assigned to one of the seven.
4. Invite several church members to gather for prayer during each church service, especially while the pastor is preaching.
5. Encourage all church members to fast and pray on behalf of the pastor and the church for one 24-hour period each week.
6. Ask your pastor or church leader to emphasize biblical truths on repentance, confession of sin, restitution, and reconciliation among church members.
7. Teach members how to be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit by faith as a way of life.
8. Train church members and other Christian groups on an ongoing basis to share their faith more effectively in the power of the Holy Spirit.
9. Designate one night each week for positive, aggressive evangelism as a part of church visitation.
10. Challenge members to help fulfill the Great Commission in their neighborhood and develop a vision for the world.
11. Encourage members to understand the law of sowing and reaping and honor the Lord through obedient and faithful stewardship. Teach them the joy of giving tithes and offerings.
12. Teach the history and conditions of revival. Encourage members to read biblical and historical accounts of revival.

focus on strengths

Although you're keeping an eye out for both strengths and weaknesses, your focus should be on an employee's strengths. Conventional wisdom holds that self-awareness is a good thing and that it's the job of the manager to identify weaknesses and create a plan for overcoming them. But research by Albert Bandura, the father of social learning theory, has shown that self-assurance (labelled "self-efficacy" by cognitive psychologists), not self-awareness, is the strongest predictor of a person's ability to set high goals, to persist in the face of obstacles, to bounce back when reversals occur, and, ultimately, to achieve the goals they set. By contrast, self-awareness has not been shown to be a predictor of any of these outcomes, and in some cases, it appears to retard them.

awesome graphic

Contemplate this picture, what an awesome way of communicating the idea that God pursues us to protect.

More like this can be found at http://www.christianlectionarygraphics.com/

an elephant experience

Was in Thailand recently for a conference run by David Bussau who is an awesome man of God. While at the conference I got to visit an elephant park where I saw elephants riding bikes, playing soccer and throwing darts. But best of all was the elephant ride and then getting picked up by an elephant trunk. What an awesome animal they are.

how lucky am I

My bike, a Yamaha FJ1100 needed some major work, and my lovely wife let me spend some of our savings picking up a new bike, and really its a bike of my dreams. Now I am the proud owner of a 2001 Kawasaki VN1500.
See you on the road.

ebooks

If you are interested in ebooks, digital versions of books that can be read on your PC or PDA, then check out the 16,000 titles available at http://www.gutenberg.org/

anonymous - just give me Jesus

An anonymous author made this striking comparison:
Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3. Yet the influence of Christ's 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity.
Jesus painted no pictures; yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him.
Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world's greatest poets were inspired by Him.
Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach and Mendelssohn, (also Wesley, F. Crosby and Gaither, etc.) reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise.
Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble Carpenter of Nazareth. His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul! Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead.
I cannot speak for you, but as for me, "just give me Jesus."

how did the bible come together?

The Church History Institute (http://chi.gospelcom.net/index.php) has some great articles about Church History. Of particular current interest is the articles about the Da Vinci Code and also an excellent article on how the New Testament came into being. (http://chi.gospelcom.net/morestories/canon.shtml)

God's method

"If God incarnate pitched his tent right in the middle of those whom he led - those whom he called his friends - what should we as leaders do? I have become convinced that the best place from which to lead is not above our people, not in front of our people, not under our people, and not on our cell phones with our people." - Bill Robinson
(The Ministry Report, Feb 2006, P.37)

wise words

Everyone was under tremendous presure in those fast-paced days, yet Ed was always calm and in control. When Ed wasn't out talking with people he could generally be found in his office with his feet up and his eyes closed, contemplating.
As I unloaded my problems with Ed that day I quickly learned his secret:
“Give yourself plenty of time to think … and to reflect on just what it is that really needs to be accomplished. Delegate everything possible, and reserve for yourself only those things where your personal attention is need to move the work ahead.”
(Christian Management Report, Feb 2006, P.32)

rob bell

Listened to a audio booked called 'Velvet Elvis' and it was brilliant. The guys a brilliant and thought provoking communicator. He's worth listening to, check out some of his sermons at http://www.mhbcmi.org/findex.html

beggar

The story is told of a man who had begged on the streets for a living.
One day he touched a man on the shoulder and said, "Hey, mister, can you give me a dime?" (That was many years ago when a dime was worth much more than it is now.)
As soon as he saw the face of the man he had asked, he was shocked to discover that it was his own father!
He cried out, "Father, father, do you know me?"
The father looked at him, then suddenly threw his arms around him and with tears in his eyes, said, "Oh, my son, at last I've found you! I've found you! You want a dime? Everything I have is yours."
The beggar said, "Think of it. I was a tramp. I stood begging my own father for ten cents, when for 18 years he had been looking for me to give me all he had."

cartoon

Kelly, my offsider at CMP sent me this cartoon. Now I know what she really thinks of me.

Mind you I've often said that I think I would have been a crim if I hadn't met Jesus.

39 things you should know by now.

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.
4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.
7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of cheques.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.
13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
16. A balanced diet is a biscuit in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.
19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognise a mistake when you make it again.
22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy fridge.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
25. Its not the jeans that make your bum look fat.
26. If you had to identify, in 1 word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, & never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings".
27. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
29. You should not confuse your career with your life.
30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
31. Never lick a steak knife.
32. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
33. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we put the clocks back.
34. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
35. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
36. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
37. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
38. Your friends love you anyway.
39. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark and large group of professionals built the Titanic.

the truth about the da vinci code

I've just finished reading "The Da Vinci Code" and have to say it was an interesting read. The concern of course is that some of the 'facts' of the book are not really facts at all. The website http://www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com/ helps the discerning reader to sift through the 'facts' of the novel and test them against good historical evidence.

Enhancing your Bible study – verse-by-verse by Rick Warren

Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods
Learn how to study the Bible Rick Warren’s way. This easy-to-understand book gives you not just one, but 12 methods for exploring the riches of God’s Word. At least one of them is exactly what you’re looking for – an approach that’s right for you, right where you’re at. Simple step-by-step instructions guide you through the how-to’s of 12 different Bible study methods.
Pastor, if you want to maximize your personal Bible study time, I’ve got a simple suggestion for you: verse-by-verse study.
It’s not hard. In fact, you can glean an enormous amount from just five simple steps. Just pick a passage, grab a pen, and follow these procedures:
1. Write a personal paraphrase.Write out the verse in your own words. Do not use one of the modern paraphrases except to get the idea of how to do it. Stay true to the verse you are paraphrasing, and try to condense rather than expand it.
2. List some questions, answers, and observations.List any questions you have relating to words, phrases, persons, topics, and doctrines in that verse. Write down any answers you find and also record any observations you make. Mark these as follows:
Q = Question
A = Answer
O = Observations
3. Find cross-references for each verse.Using the cross-references from your study Bible or from Scripture memory, write down at least one cross-reference for the verse you are studying. Identify the word or phrase you are cross-referencing at the end of this chapter. Use a concordance if you do not have a cross-referenced Bible.
4. Record any insights you get from the verse.Having thought through the words, phrases, and concepts in the verse, record any insights that you get from them. These could be further observations, words, and names that you have looked up and defined, or any other thought that comes to you. Let your imagination go and be as creative as you can.
5. Write down a brief personal application for each verse.As you go through the verses, record the devotional thoughts that come to you. Later, when you’re planning a devotional Bible study, you can pick one of those thoughts and develop it further. Or, if a particular verse seems to meet an immediate need, go ahead and write out an application that is possible, practical, personal, and measurable.
My suspicion is that the notes you gather through your personal study time will eventually find their way into a sermon. And that’s okay! That’s a great way to maximize your time in the Word. But the real benefit of verse-by-verse study is your own personal refreshment. If you’re in need of refilling, pick a passage and get going – verse-by-verse.

reasons to believe

http://www.reasons.org/ is a site dedicated to to answering skeptics and encouraging believers. Check it out for some interesting and challenging thoughts.

the da vinci code

In an excellent analysis of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (movie to be released May 19), scholar N.T. Wright points out that many of the details Brown insists are historical are easily proven false. He notes: "Brown claims, in a note at the start of his book, first that the architectural details of the places mentioned are correct and second that there really is a secret society called 'The Priory of Sion' to which people like Da Vinci himself, Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and others belonged. Both of these claims can be shown very easily to be false.
"On the first: I only know well one of the buildings which features in the book, namely Westminster Abbey. All right, Brown knows where the Isaac Newton monument is. But he still makes gaffe after gaffe which could have been corrected by 10 minutes of walking around with his eyes open. The Abbey has towers, not spires. You cannot see Parliament from St James's Park. College Garden is an extremely private place, not 'a very public place' outside the Abbey's walls (527). You cannot look out into it from the Chapter House; nor is there a 'long hallway' leading to the latter, with a "'heavy wooden door' at the end (529 ff.). Ten minutes' observation by a junior research assistant could have put all this right. If Brown is so careless, and carelessly inventive, in details as easy to check as those, why should we trust him in anything else?
"And when it comes, second, to the Priory of Sion, the documents which Brown, following Baigent and Leigh, cite as evidence were forgeries cooked up by three zany Frenchmen in the 1950s. They cheerfully confessed to this in a devastating television program shown on British television in February (2005). And as for Brown's theory about Da Vinci's 'Last Supper,' according to which the Beloved Disciple next to Jesus is actually a woman, that he/she and Jesus are joined at the hip, that they are sitting in such a way as to display the letter V, apparently a sign of femininity, and also the letter M, for Mary, or Magdalene, or marriage, or something else, this is pure fantasy. You can take any great painting and play this kind of game with it. That's not to say that some painters may not have implanted coded messages in their work. It would be surprising if they didn't. But you won't find too many serious art critics giving Brown's reading of the painting more than a passing smile.
"Other details abound which make the first-century historian snort and want to throw the book into the fire. . . . We may safely conclude, then, that The Da Vinci Code is fiction not just in its characters and plot but in most of its other details as well." (Click here to read the full lecture.)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer prayer

This prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer prayer depicts the one beside whom we live and before whom we pray:

Lord Jesus, come yourself, and dwell with us, be human as we are, and overcome what overwhelms us. Come into the midst of my evil, come close to my unfaithfulness. Share my sin, which I hate and which I cannot leave. Be my brother, Thou Holy God. Be my brother in the kingdom of evil and suffering and death. Come with me in my death, come with me in my suffering, come with me as I struggle with evil. And make me holy and pure, despite my sin and death.

faith and social justice

Did you realise that the bible talks a REAL LOT about social justice? If you're interested in exploring the who issue more then check out http://www.sojourners.com/ or read Jim Wallis's book "God's Politics".
Our congregational actively supports each of the following excellent ministries either financially, with leaders or by having members who are staff.
Habitat for Humanity at http://www.habitat.org.au/
Opportuntity International at http://www.opportunity.org.au/
TearAustralia at http://www.tear.org.au/
World Vision at http://www.worldvision.com.au/
Amnesty International at http://www.amnesty.org.au/

discipleship goals

On Sunday we looked at Matthew 28:16-20 and noticed that the mission which Jesus left for the church was 'to make disciples of all nations.'
I have often considered what a disciple looks like in measureable terms so that I can check whether or not what I'm doing is achieving anything. Here are the measures I use, they're not perfect, but they are a good place to start considering what we're on about.
My ten goals for disciples are ...
1) To be growing in intimacy with God through developing a personal relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2) To be able to identify at least one person whom you share an active accountability relationship.
3) To be a joyful and active small group member.
4) To have determined and be following through on a personal giving decision.
5) To be using your spiritual gifts fruitfully.
6) To be receiving personal and appropriate equipping, encouraging and empowering in the area of your ministry service.
7) To be regularly experiencing meaningful corporate worship.
8) To be able to list three non-christians for whom you are regularly praying and taking active steps to help them come to a meaningful experience of God.
9) To be able to identify recent areas of growth in the fruit of the Spirit.
10) To be living a holistic and balanced life.

the m word

Here's a really interesting link look at a Christian response to the issue of masturbation. http://www.pureonline.com/masturbation.aspx

science proves the story of the missing day of the bible

A friend of mind recently sent me an interesting story about how science had proven the biblical story of a missing day. I thought it was a really interesting story and a powerful arguement, but, before sharing it I decided to do some quick checking of the facts only to discover it was a hoax.
To see the story and the real facts check out http://www.joyfulministry.com/timef.htm & http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/1117.asp
There are indeed lots of good reasons to follow our Lord Jesus, some from science and others from other sources such as history. We should keenly share these reasons with others, but as we share it is important that the stories that are meant to inspire faith in others are checked out for there truthfulness first, otherwise all we do is casts a doubt on the credibility of our faith.

the value of journaling

Write down what you have seen (Revelation 1:19, NLT).
Dear friends: Sheila had an exciting job at a rapidly growing public relations firm. Her supervisor was energetic and talented, but he had a short temper and was not always reasonable or gracious. Nevertheless, despite her difficulties, Sheila firmly believed that God had provided her with this job, and she determined to trust Him to help her as she labored. One afternoon a phone call nearly ruined Sheila's whole week. Her boss was angry over a misunderstanding and accused her of irresponsibility and disloyalty. Her heart sank. She hung up the phone in tears. "Lord," she prayed silently, "You know how unfair he is sometimes. What do you want me to do?" The spiritual journal, which she had been keeping for the past several months, came to mind. She had been writing down prayer requests, Scriptures or Bible promises that applied to her circumstances, and insights that the Holy Spirit had given her. Quietly, in her heart, Sheila felt prompted to pick up the journal and read it. Through tears of joy she saw that in page after page she had recorded verses of Scripture for the very problem she faced that day. Before putting the journal away, Sheila made a note of the day's troubles and thanked God for the comfort of His Word. In less than an hour, her boss called back and apologized! For Sheila, keeping a spiritual journal proved to be of great encouragement in a moment of stress. Writing is important to God. He gave us His written Word. There are numerous instances in the Bible where God says to "write," such as in Revelation 1:19: "Write down what you have seen" (NLT). You might enjoy a word study on that. Such references are certainly not a legalistic requirement to journal, but it is a reminder that writing things down helps us to remember. There are also numerous exhortations in the Bible to "remember." Scientists have shown that if we see something as well as hear it, if it goes through our eye gate as well as our ear gate, we are more apt to remember. Journaling helps us to remember what God may have previously revealed to us, which we might otherwise forget. Sometimes it proves helpful if we journal our journey. Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns, Bill Bright

glandular fever

The link is the reflection of the wife of a friend of mine who wrote about her journey with Glandular Fever. It's a neat read about the lessons learnt through a difficult experience.

christian book summaries

www.christianbooksummaries.com is a site dedicated to providing summaries of recent Christian books. It's worth checking every once in a while for hints about a book worth reading.

spiritual health report

The Apostle Paul was right when he discussed in Romans 7 the struggle we all have with sin. He said in Romans 7:19-20 "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing."
Who of us has not found ourselves doing what we know to be wrong and hating ourselves for it.
Prompted by my discovery that I believed some modern myths about health (see previous blog on Health Report) I decided to re-read the bible and see what it said about dealing with sin, and not just to rely upon commonly held ideas and theories. I'll let you know what I discover, but for know I'd like to suggest something that has been very helpful for me. I have found it more important to concentrate on my intimacy with Jesus than on trying not to sin. When I focus on not sinning I find temptation becomes more powerful, but when I concentrate on Jesus and my relationship with him, then I discover that temptation loses much of its power.
Let me know your thoughts and learning on this important subject for the life of the follower of Jesus.

the health report

Was listening to the ABC Health Report and discovered just how easily we are persuaded by modern myths, things everyone knows to be true, but aren't. This reminded me how important it is to have a solid foundation of truth which is not influenced by current trends and hence why I believe having a strong bible understanding is important for the follower of Jesus.
Check out the ABC Health Report at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/default.htm and see if your views about health is influenced by modern myth or backed up by scientific research, you might just be surprised, I certainly was.

helpful files

When I'm looking for online software the first place I check, especially for freeware or shareware, is www.tucows.com

the teaching company

The Teaching Company (www.teach12.com) is a great source of quality resources on subjects such as History, Philosophy, Literature, Business & Economics, etc.
I have bought a number of courses on Philosophy and Thinking and found them valuable and very reasonably priced.
Someone else's view on The Teaching Company can be found at http://www.intuitive.com/blog/the_teaching_company_selling_by_giving_away.html

the fifth point

Dear friends: The huge, beautiful ballroom of the Marriott Hotel in Chicago was crowded to capacity with more than 1,300 college students and Campus Crusade for Christ staff. The spiritually hungry students seemed to hang onto my every word as I explained one of the most exciting spiritual discoveries I had ever made. For years I had spoken on the subject of love. I had a beautiful four-point outline: First, God loves us unconditionally. Second, we are commanded to love others -- God, our neighbors, and even our enemies. Third, we are incapable of loving others in our own strength. Fourth, we can love others with God's love. But, as in the case of most sermons on love, something was missing. Later, early one morning some years ago, I was awakened from a deep sleep. I felt impressed to get up, open my Bible, and kneel to read and pray. What I discovered during the next two hours has since enriched my life and the lives of tens of thousands of others. In that life-changing time of fellowship with the Lord, I was given a fifth point for my future sermons on love: We love by faith! Suddenly I was able to more clearly see that love is not a mushy feeling, but a decision -- an act of our wills. We can "choose" to love, and we do so "by faith." We may not feel like it. A person may have hurt us and even hate us, but we can love that person by faith. And we know that God operates through our faith. Previously I shared about when I spoke to a group of pastors on the importance of God's supernatural love and loving by faith. One of the pastors came up to me after the meeting and said, "Six months ago, there was a man in my church who opposed everything I wanted to do. Frankly, I couldn't stand the man, and he couldn't stand me. We were at an impasse, and the church was being split because of it. I heard you speak on 'loving by faith,' and I determined that I would love him. I began to claim God's love for him by faith. Six months have passed, and that man is now my very best friend." God's love is real and His power to love people through us by our faith is also real. "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV.) Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns, Bill Bright

an unusual event, I won!

Gloating is a terrible thing, but sometimes it just has to be done!
Thanks Alex for the great game of squash today but just so everyone knows, here's the score that had Alex sobbing in the corner like a baby. 15-11, 15-10, 15-11, 11-15.

chuck colson

Click on the link to check out the Break Point site for Chuck Colson's daily radio commentaries, which focus on issues of living out a Christian life in turbulent post-modern society.
For those that don't know, Chuck Colson was one of the key figures in the President Nixon years and a man who ended up in jail for his part in the events that caused the fall of Nixon. Chuck became a Christian while in prison and now has an amazing ministry around the world and more particularly in prisons around the world.

weight loss

So everyone has there own theories about weight loss. For what they are worth here are some of the things that have worked for me. (I've gone from 90 to 84kg in the last three months or so and feel fitter than I have for 20 years.)
1) Have a minimum / maximum goal instead of just one goal. So instead of aiming for 75kg, I am going for 75kg - 80kg as my goal. The minimum goal is the best I think I can do, the maximum is what I would be really happy with.
2) Drink more water. Don't go crazy, just add more water on a daily basis. I have 600ml bottles of cold water in the fridge and everyday just grab one and drink it down.
3) Keep a running tally of your lowest weight. Weighing scales are inaccurate, even if you weigh the same the scales will vary because of how they work. So I simply weigh myself every morning at the same time and just keep a tally of the weight when it is lower than the last time. If it's higher I just ignore it! So on my board I have a tally that looks something like this: 90, 89.8, 89.2, 88.0 ... 74.3.
This system takes account of the changes in weight that happen because of life and scale design, and just gives you a weight that motivates.
4) Take the simple exercise option. These days I walk the stairs instead of using the lift. I walk the dog more. I say yes to offers to play tennis, squash. I jump in the water and have a swim. I don't stress out about an exercise regime, I just do something more in every day and don't berate myself if I have a day off.
5) Get more sleep. The recommendation from the experts is 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours sleep a night. If you do this you WILL feel much better and consequently have more energy to be more active and more motivated.
6) Don't rush. Do the above and just relax and let it happen in its own time. As long as you occassionally get a lower weight on your running tally it will keep you motivated. I don't have a target date, I just everyday do a little extra, take a few more steps, eat a bit less junk food, and every few days or weeks I notice a lower weight.

close call

Edward Steichen, who eventually became one of the world's most renowned photographers, almost gave up on the day he shot his first pictures. At 16, young Steichen bought a camera and took 50 photos. Only one turned out -- a portrait of his sister at the piano. Edward's father thought that was a poor showing. But his mother insisted that the photograph of his sister was so beautiful that it more than compensated for 49 failures. Her encouragement convinced the youngster to stick with his new hobby. He stayed with it for the rest of his life, but it had been a close call. What tipped the scales? The vision to spot excellence in the midst of a lot of failure. (Bits & Pieces, February 4, 1993)

"The culture you create is largely a product of how you see those whom God has placed you with. You have to think rightly in order to lead well. What your mind dwells upon determines your vantage point, and your vantage point as a leader affects the culture you shape. Culture shapes the church, and leaders make the culture." (Culture Shift, Robert Lewis & Wayne Cordeiro, P28)
Comment: The author makes the point, if you look at your people and see hopelessness, that is what you will get. But if you look at your people and see people whom God has strategically given you and as possessing what God wants them to have to achieve what God wants to achieve, then you will fulfill God's vision for your church.
Me, I look at the people God has given to us here at CMP and I see ordinary people like me who are able to do extraordinary things because of what God is doing in us and through us.