Do Angels Still Visit?

At the shops this week I asked a women to explain her tattoo for me. It was an angel. The art was really beautiful. She was eager to tell me it was her mother. That got me thinking. 

Five things I like about her answer: she believes in an afterlife, has a sense of her mother being alive, thinks of her as close, believes in angels and dares to put her feelings out there.

Five things I want to challenge (but didn't): people don't transform into angels when they die, angels in the bible are male, wings are unlikely, too much adoration of angels is not good (Col. 2:18-19) and angels are messengers - don't celebrate the herald and miss the good news.

Angels feature prominently at Christmas. In Matthew and Luke they bring good news and offer comfort. They come to enlist participants in God's salvation story. Their focus is God's cosmic work.  

In the bible angels protect people (Dan. 6:22, Acts 12:7-11), bring messages (Zech. 1:14-17) and worship God (Heb. 1:6, Rev. 5:11-2). They are servants of God's purpose. They have a will and some even rebel against God (2 Pet. 2:4). 

So, will you have an angel in your life this Christmas? Possibly! But if you do, two things are likely. First, you probably won't even know. Angels often appear as strangers so beware (Heb. 13:2). And, second, it will be about God's work of justice, renewal and peace in the world. Angels usually don't help us find our keys, think up great facebook posts or lead us to an empty car park at the shopping centre. Instead they form choirs and sing God's praise - and every few millennia a handful of shepherds hear them.

If you need an angel this christmas I believe God will send one. But don't wait for it, wish for it or wonder too much about it. You have something better. You have Jesus himself who said - "I will never leave you!" (Matt. 28:19) That's enough. 

10 Things I Love About My Church

Here's a love list. In no particular order here are ten things that make me say "Thank you God for NewHope Baptist Church". I love this place!

1. People transformations. I love to see Jesus change lives. I love baptism testimonies (60+ this year), healing stories and accounts of growth through suffering and loss. 

2. Culture mix. Attending NewHope is like visiting the United Nations. I love our diversity - 60 birth nations in our worship gatherings and the colours of the rainbow on our staff team. We celebrate each other's background.

3. Our mission: "Love God, Love others, Serve the world". Hardly original or unique. But is works! I wake up in the morning thrilled that this focused call is what my life is all about. I love having a clear purpose in life and ministry.

4. Community engagement. I love eating with people who live on the street (Dinner Tonite), dialoguing with Federal politicians, praying with our neighbours, sharing the gospel with people in need. I love seeing what Spirit-filled, fully yielded people can accomplish serving together. I am glad NewHope has open doors to our community. 

5. Our café. It feeds the "soul" of our church through a ministry of hospitality. We call it Middle Ground Café to celebrate its mission of connecting people to God. It is physically situated between the footpath and the worship seats. I love the coffee.

6. The care. I celebrate wonderful stories of attentive love to one another. I too experience this genuine care at church. Good people speak sincerely and powerfully into each other's lives. 

7. Our Baptist-ness. I love it that we are a local church with a local "government" - that our properties, problems, programs and possibilities are all "owned" by us. 

8. Our culture. We have a sweet spirit in the fellowship of NewHope. It is made real by a hundred acts of mercy and a thousand gestures of love every week. People absorb hurts for others. People point out bad behaviour and we all work to correct it. Culture is fragile. We are learning to treat it with care. 

9. Mobilised people. I thank God for our many, many volunteers, vibrant small groups, ministries to all ages and a network of care. I love the way we can do life together. 

10. Vitality. Because we built a Community Centre our property is active 7 days a week. We host everything from local school graduations to business training conferences. We serve these groups and take every opportunity to share Jesus. There is life here! Faith, doubt, love, pain, hope, hurt and the Spirit of God all intersect here.

I could easily keep going. I'm not saying it's perfect but I am saying there is a LOT to love here! 

Why this post? My denominational leader, Daniel Bullock, suggested the idea in his Christmas letter to Pastors. He asked: "Do you still love the church?" I do!

Now, why don't you make a list. What do you celebrate about your church?

Home(less) For Christmas

Millions of people will NOT be home for Christmas in 2013. Consider joining them - if only in your prayers. 

Refugees. According to the UNHCR 10,400,000 of the world's people are refugees. Driven out by war, disaster and persecution, they will NOT be home for Christmas. Pray for them.

Bereaved & Destitute. Many people have "lost" their home to ill circumstance. A death, a divorce, a disaster or a departure will displace many this Christmas. The home that was, just isn't there any more. Spare a thought for those who grieve at Christmas. 

Workers & Carers. A significant number of people will not be home because of an obligation to work or a choice to serve. Some will be too far away to get home and many will be making a calculated sacrifice. Open your heart to those who serve this Christmas.

In the original Christmas story no one is "at home". The young couple are in a foreign city with inadequate provisions (Lk 2:4-7). The Saviour is leaving his "home in glory" to come and "tent" among us (Jn 1:14). And the shepherds (Lk 2:8) and the wise men (Mt 2:1) are on the job and on the move. Christmas year one is not cosy. 

I'd like to propose an addition to an old song. An added stanza just to help us reflect.  

In 1943 Bing Crosby recorded the hit single "I'll Be Home For Christmas". The words are the wishful thoughts of a WWII soldier on active overseas duty. He longs to go home. The song ends: "I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams". This is a powerful and winsome sentiment, but not a specifically Christian ideal. 

So, here's a new stanza. Sing it with a prayer. 

Christmas Eve will find me, sharing Jesus' cares,
I'll be with the homeless, if only in my prayers.

One Step Formula For Getting What You Want

Here is a simple formula to get what you want. Consider using it this Christmas! 

It has only one step. Ready? Train yourself to NOT want what you don't get!

Stoics do this by simply enduring the hardship and suppressing their feelings. Buddhists (some at least) do it by denying desire altogether. Cucumbers succeed by having neither opinions nor aspirations. 

Those who follow after God can achieve this joyfully, energetically and mindfully. Believers can train to not want what they don't get by learning to connect deeply and intimately with the one who gives all things. By relating so completely to the Creator that the very structure of heart and mind slowly shifts. 

So here is what we need to do: "Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Ps. 37:4) Rather than petition a Santa-Claus-God, open your heart to the giver of life and let His goodness surprise you.

Disclaimer: This "formula" is for well-healed Westerners and what they "want". People can't train themselves not to want basic needs like food and safety. But if you have plenty and you take Ps. 37:4 seriously, you will soon find yourself becoming an active participant in God's answer for the destitute - and you'll love doing it! 

An Unbelievable Public Announcement

Recently in my local shops I heard this announcement over the public address system:

God is ruler of the world. The Nations are instruments in his hands to demonstrate his power and love. He comes to pour out blessing on people and to end the curse of sin that brings so much sorrow into our world. Everyone should make room in his heart for this King. The Saviour reigns! The whole world must know about this and sing with joy! 

The announcement was set to music. It was declared in poetry. People were humming along. Some even knew the words. It was a truly sacred moment as I realised what was happening. Most people missed it. I almost didn't notice myself. We were all preoccupied. None of us had come to the shops that day expecting an announcement about God. But there it was! This is the text of the announcement.  

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

At no other time of the year is the gospel message so clearly spoken out in our culture. This is a season of unique opportunities. Take note. Pray. Speak up. Celebrate. Give thanks. Worship. 

You can read an earlier more authoritative version of the original announcement in Luke 2:1-20. Have you had a moment of worship while shopping at Christmas? Leave a comment.

Slavery Is Wrong!

Slavery is wrong! Today is a good day to think, pray and act on that proposition. 

Seven score and ten years ago Abraham Lincoln brought forth a vision of "a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal". 

The battle for that "new birth of freedom" under God is not yet complete. People are still enslaved by people (estimates range from 21-30 million). And there is as yet government of only SOME people, by SOME people, for SOME people most of the time. While MANY people perish from the earth, victims of human trafficking, forced labour, organ harvesting and sex exploitation.

Gettysburg and Lincoln have passed into history. But this great vision of equality and freedom for all people has yet to be realised globally. 

On this 150th anniversary day of the Gettysburg address think, pray and act on this proposition ... slavery is WRONG!

______________

Potential to-do list items for today:

• visit a coffee shop that does not sell fair trade coffee and ask them to begin doing so. Tell them why you're asking Today.
• find a store that sells fair trade products and tell them that both Abe Lincoln & you say thanks!
• write a letter to Just Jeans and ask them to stop exploiting Bangladeshi workers
• Get the Ethical Shopping Guide and the Ethical Fashion Guide and research your favourite shops. If they score poorly, ask the manager to be proactive.
• thank God that you are free. Cry out to God for those who are not. 
• watch the movie Lincoln.
• listen to the Gettysburg Address.

6 Leadership Insights I Learned From Kevin Rudd

I'm no political analyst. I am a pastor with a love for God, love for others and a passion to serve the world. I think Kevin Rudd shares these values. I don't agree with everything, but I think he did some good during his time in the lime-light. I know it was not easy! 

He visited NewHope in 2011. We were all impressed with his razor sharp intellect, winsome persona and commitment to issues of global justice. Here's a few things I learned from K Rudd (the good and the bad) concerning leadership . 

Say "Sorry!" His Sorry Speech was a brilliant piece of leadership. It did enormous good. We'll remember this for a long time. There is great power in an apology. And you don't have to be the one who did the wrong to help make it right. Pastors should be artists of the "sorry". We could all use the word a bit more often! 

Change your voice slowly. When Kevin "flipped" regarding the definition of marriage he left many of his supporters confused (I was one). I have no idea how long he wrestled in private but it was a break-neck turn in public. We didn't see much anguish of heart in the search for truth and so it looked like political expedience. Pastors should change their minds over the course of a ministry but we should do it with open dialogue and a bit of visible wrestling. We'll still disappoint people but they'll know our hearts. 

Read theology. Kevin is a Dietrich Bonhoeffer scholar. He reads N.T. Wright (he told me so himself). He thinks deeply about the ideas that undergird his policy commitments. This doesn't make a person right all the time, but it does make our leadership powerful. We pastors will lead better when we read, study and think more. 

Control your temper. That swearing thing wasn't very impressive. I'm willing to cut Kevin some slack here. Even greater luminaries lost their temper (e.g. Moses). But it's bad form and bad leadership. I do wonder if it's partly why he did not enter the "promised land".

Hang in there! What a bumpy ride Kevin endured. Twice PM, twice expelled. Loved and unloved. Hailed as great and derided as evil. He quit his seat in Parliament, but I'd be surprised if he's done. He's a stayer and that's impressive. It takes guts to fall down in public and get up ready to lead again. That's what Pastors MUST do. 

Hold your evaluation. Kevin Rudd is stepping down. Most of his story is untold. I for one wish his term in politics could have been more productive. I think he is a good man whose gifts didn't gain the traction they might have. I actually know lots of pastors who are in exactly that situation. God's judgement of these things is different. I choose not to pronounce a final word on his life or mine or yours - not yet. 

I hope Kevin can enjoy time with family, move on to new things and serve Australia in new ways with his considerable leadership ability and wisdom. All the best Kevin!