Come meet my far away friends!!!

Have you ever attended a gathering that you just can’t forget about. Can you remember the friends, the laughter…. aah, the good times. What if you could attend a gathering and not actually be there?

Huh?

I mean, what if you could attend a gathering with friends right from the comfort of your very own home!

As I write my thesis on cyber discipleship, I have come to learn of the special relationships one can build over the internet. I have been so fortunate to have met some interesting people and have now built wonderful friendships with them. Where have I made these friendships?

Well you probably think I’m joking when I tell you!

After being introduced to LifeChurch.tv through a friend of mine by means of a podcast, I decided to check the churches site out. It just so happened to be the perfect time for me as I happened to log onto the site whilst LifeChurch.tv was live. The site said that one could do church over the internet! “Yeah right, this I gotta see” I thought to myself…

After attending my first online service I decided to do what Brandon, the internet campus pastor suggested and that was to pop into the lobby and say hi. I was really made to feel welcome and accepted from the second I stepped (or should I say logged) in. I can still remember asking Brandon if he didn’t find it weird that he sits in front of a computer chatting to it for hours on end and he simply responded, “Not at all. I’m not talking to a computer, I’m talking to real people.” That stuck with me and encouraged me to return… that was nearly 2 years ago…

I was so encouraged and so inspired that I eventually ended up becoming a regular attendee. I’m now a regular volunteer and help out where I can. LifeChurch.tv has given me an opportunity to be the church in my own area even though we meet over the internet! We even meet with people online once a week and have discussions about life and the Bible… Being apart of the global Church has never been so easy and so much fun! We have friends from all over the world…

Real people… Real relationships… Real change… they seem to really have it…

Why not join myself and Megan at 10am this Sunday Morning (South African time) or any other time that suits you better and come and find out just exactly what “it” is! You have a choice of seven times!!! What more could you ask for, a church which meets when you can, where you can…

Think it’s just me?

Check out these guys as they share their online experiences:

Chris and Dana: http://byers.bluedoor.tv/

Brandon and Christi: http://embracingthefriction.blogspot.com/

Jim: http://fortyweight.wordpress.com/

Brian: http://www.brianbaute.com/archives/2008/08/internet-campus.php

Clean your movie life up!!!

Whilst browsing the web I came across an interesting site offering a new DVD player. It seems like it is only available in the States, but I’m sure once it really takes off, it will be available all over the world.

Apparently the DVD player has adjustable settings towards violence, language and sexuality. One can set the DVD player to cut out swearing, bad violence and various sex scenes. The DVD player is predominantly aimed at parents in order to try keep the movies their kids watch pure.

After reading the operating techniques surrounding the DVD player, I thought that it would really interrupt ones viewing. Rather, after viewing the short sample video on the website, I was amazed. The only thing I noticed was the sudden cut out of a bad word. The sample clip was of a scene taken from the Matrix.

In the original clip you hear the swearing and view some violent fighting. In the “Clear Play” clip, the clip was much shorter than the original. Had I not seen the original, I would not have known that they had cut out the violent parts of the movie.

In my honest opinion, I think this is a remarkable invention!

What do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea for family’s to start making use of the Clear Play DVD player?

I'm not following Jesus...

The past 8 days have been absolutely terrible for me… I spent pretty much ever hour of them in bed as I coughed and sneezed my heart out! Good thing is that when I wasn’t feeling too groggy, I could still pick up a good book and read to try and rid my mind of all the annoying things my body was having to fight. I came across this quote which of course got me pondering for a while…

“Disciples do more than simply believe; many believed in Christ, few followed Him. Few dropped their normal life routine to become followers. Note that up to 500 followed Him during the height of His popularity. Disciples made sacrifices to adjust their lifestyles to obey Christ; they were a breed apart. A disciple was and is a person of concrete action and commitment. Jesus characterized disciples as people of commitment and obedience. They also willingly suffered and shared in the work.” - Bill Hull

I was left stranded wondering if I knew what I was actually doing in terms of my Christian faith. Am I just believing in Christ, or am I actually following Him? I found myself realizing that on so many occasions my life shows that I believe in Him, but I’m not following Him…

What about you? Are you a follower or just a believer?

Cited in Hull, B.2007. The Disciple Making Pastor: Leading Other’s on the Journey of Fath. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

The wedding bells are getting closer!!!

If you haven't already heard, Megan and I are looking towards making a lifetime commitment with each other. We are wanting to tie the knot in the next couple of months... This is all very exciting and all, but as you know (if you're married) there is a lot to be done before we can say we are happily married.

After chatting over various topics and finally choosing three couples we'd like to mentor us, we felt that it would only be fair to ask our friends (especially in the States) as to what sort of things we should consider doing before we tie the knot. Should we explore finances in greater detail? Should we discuss family structure in detail? What about roles? Can I still hang out with the guys?

We have no idea what we're doing, but are really excited to be heading down this road together. We know that God has big plans for us and we are sure he will share with us what we need to know about marriage before we enter into a life time commitment. I have not yet proposed, but I will be doing so in the near future. I will keep you all posted as to when my status changes from a single man to an engaged man. It's going to be rocking awesome!!!

What has been the best thing about your marriage? What areas of marriage should we really focus on?

PORN Stats...

Just this past Wednesday I was asked to preach on the topic of pornography which went well. Here are some of the points I came across in my research... If you'd like to know my sources, drop me a mail and I'll pass them onto you.

PORN INFO:

Because of the Internet, the average age when someone is exposed to Porn is 11

90% of 8-16 year olds have viewed porn online

Pornographers have to film for 12 hours (plus) to produce a 20 minute scene.

720 million porn movies are watched every year

Average career length of a porn star is one year

Average pay for girl per movie $1000

60% of all website viewing is pornographic in nature

Porn is one of the fastest growing addictions amongst senior citizens and everyone else. Including women

1/3 (33%) of all internet pornography viewing is women

This will continue to grow because woman believe:
• This is what their husbands want
• This is what sex is meant to be like
• This is what they need to be happy

In a recent survey done in the States amongst Christian families, 47% admitted to be struggling with pornography on a regular basis.

Confessions of Porn Addict…

Whilst researching the topic of pornography, I came across this confession that broke my heart... Please take the time to read it prayerfully... This is what porn can really do to an individual and their family...

I have removed the name of the church and television station as it is not necessary information.



Confessions of Porn Addict…

I first became exposed to porn in the 3rd grade. The neighborhood pervert had some magazines he showed us young boys. I still remember the black and white images of a couple naked and simulating sex. That was 29 years ago. My dad even had porn at his apartment when I would go over and visit (mom and dad divorced) him. He'd go out and leave me alone to "explore" his room. Later in life, my friends had access to magazines and would leave them at my house. I secretly would indulge myself in self gratification and would have a G.F.E. (A girlfriend experience) There, I would not be rejected like I was at school by girls I liked. I found it as a way to deal with rejection and pain.

I had neighbor female friends that lived next door to me. I stole their panties sometimes to masturbate with. I felt it was the closest thing to actually being with them. It was a turn-on to know that I was holding in my hands something that was scented by their privates. I even had one bought with bestiality. It was shameful.

The first time I saw porn movies was at the age of 18. I subscribe to a microwave service called **-TV. It was only one channel and late at night hardcore porn was before my eyes. I was hooked. The self gratification and stealing panties kept going. So off and on through life, I never thought I had a problem. I came to Christ in my twenties and discovered by the Holy Spirit what I was viewing and doing was wrong. I thought I could just quit. But then I'd be hooked again. I realized that the thing I sought to ease my pain was destroying me. When I met my wife to be, I told her I had issues with porn and was getting help before we'd get married. The counseling was a joke. I went to what I thought was a Christian counselor, but we never even prayed together. We did get married and I have had many a struggle. I know I don't take care of my wife because I'm lusting at other women and taking care of myself.

Even the internet has been a big problem. Even the late night ads for Girls Gone Wild (NOT Bible Style) leave very little to the imagination. Church is not even a safe place to be. Even in our **** Church service, many young women (high school and college) always seem to wear clothes that don't fit. The shirts go above the waistline and sometimes they wear tight jeans. Some even bend over in front of you and reveal their thong! I've even seen some wear jean skirts that are go down to the wrist on their arms. Are they there to worship or show off their bodies? It's a big distraction for me.

Right now my wife and I are separated. We've been married for years and we have kids. She complains that I neglected her. It's true. I've been so hooked on porn, that I don't know what real love and intimacy is. My mind is struggling. So there it is. Out in the open. My life and marriage falling apart. I hope whoever reads this would pay attention and realize that porn is not worth it. It offers no life giving return. It merely steals life from you and others around you. Just pray for me to get some true counseling and that my mind would be renewed. Thanks for allowing me to share "my secret".

God Bless.

Confessions of a porn addict

It’s the anthem of the Lord’s renown…

Music speaks to my inner soul when nothing else can… it really does… I don't know how, but it does. Music allows me to experience things deeper within myself. It allows me to explore myself. It's almost as if it's the key to a complete different world, only to be found deep within my own heart.

Perhaps this is why music is considered to be the most influential tool with regards to worship sessions. Perhaps, these worship experts (as my one mate refers to them rather sarcastically) actually have a point. Music seems to have its own way of taking us to another level. A level where we all seem to enter into another dimension of some sort. We've all been there at least once I'm sure. Whether we were listening to Eminem, Frank Sinatra or The David Crowder Band, we've all closed our eyes and in some way or another experienced all our emotions collide into one.

Now, I'm usually one of the first people to argue the point that worship is not about the music, so believe me when I say that I'm not trying to say that worship is all about the music. I'm just questioning whether God's intention was for music to take us to another level more than anything else? More than anything else we use in order to worship. We (and usually more I) are always stressing the point that we don't need music to worship God. I still stand by that statement 100%.

What I am saying is that, without music, would we truly be able to experience Gods presence the way that we usually experience his/her presence during a musical worship session? Maybe it's just me and then again maybe not. Maybe I just don't seem to get it when it comes to worshiping God in other forms. Maybe I just don't get it when it comes to worship at all.

True, I have experienced Gods presence in other places. But, not during a worship session. I have come face to face with my God, and that was an experience of a lifetime. It was incredible and still is incredible. There was no music anywhere within the picture. I just experienced his love.

Are any of you with me? Do you get what I'm trying to explain and at the same time ask?

Taming the Tiger

Have you ever read or heard a story about an individual, that just some how found its way deep down into the centre of your heart. I’m talking about those stories that keeping playing in and through your head, but also your heart. There is just something special about this story. Something that just toggles the “wow” switch.

The past two weeks I was given the opportunity to organize and execute an out reach event. It was tiring, but it was an experience. What made this event special to our valley, was the international author Tony Anthony. Tony has written a book titled Taming the Tiger which shares in detail, his life story. Tony was a 3 time world kung-fu champion. He held the title for three years simply because he was only in competition kung-fu for three years. He never lost a fight. However, after losing his fiancé in a motor vehicle accident, Tony lost all sense of discipline and began using his “gift” to hurt others. Tony was (and still is) a talented fighter. He was quite capable of killing someone with one kick to the throat.

Tony went through a severe downhill spiral of violence. He just went mad. Killing anyone who got in his way. He describes in his book how he would “smash” an individuals head into the wall and then smear this persons face along the concrete to really cause damage. Tony made sure that when he was going to hurt someone, he did a decent job of it. Tony’s trail of violence finally lead him towards an imprisonment of 3 years. I don’t want to give to away much, but I will share that he gave his life to Christ in prison which lead towards the start of a small church in the prison.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Tony yesterday. We went for a cup of coffee where we discussed the essence behind evangelism. Tony really got me thinking about sharing the gospel. Just how often was I and am I sharing the gospel with others? I felt incredibly challenged by his theology, but still decided to challenge him as I did not agree with every aspect. He stood his ground pretty firmly, which I respect. However, what influenced and impressed me the most was how his theoretical theology became his practical theology. Something I don’t see very often in many of the students at the college I attend.

We were at a coffee shop when Tony saw a group of young teenagers sitting in a group on the side walk. Being the evangelist at heart that he is, he said to me, “Come, lets pay for this. I want to go share the gospel with that group over there.”

Now, that’s where I cringed!

I have a passion for others to come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, but I’ve never just gone up to random people to share the gospel with them. Rather I’ve gone ahead and done things such as “revolutionary love” where I didn’t have to get in their face. Well, as nervous as I was, I went along for the experience. The kids hung onto every word he shared with them only realizing at the end that he was sharing the gospel with them. I stood there amazed. We didn’t pray with them because we had a meeting to get to, but as Tony says, “We sowed a seed.”

Now, the question I’ve been trying to answer myself here is, am I truly sharing the message of Christ with others? If so how and why?

If you do, how do you share the message of the Cross with others?

I've decided that I'm "Going all the Way..."

I’ve decided that I’m going to go all the way… but I’m going to go all the way the correct way. Well, the way I believe is correct and which will more than likely lead towards a healthy and fulfilling marriage. A marriage where not only my parents along with my spouse’s parents will be happy, but I to along with my wife will be happy. So, if you haven’t quite picked up the vibe yet, I’m talking about marriage. Something which not only those outside of the church but those in the church as well sadly don’t understand.

Allow me to put it out there that if there was ever an award for the person who despised the number of books on “Dating” or that Christian word which makes me cringe, “Courting,” I would probably get it. Although I think (along with a mate of mine)… after chatting to a good couple of my close friends and then those acquaintances, no one seems to be interested in these books, yet they seem to popping out faster than then I can say the word dating. This close friend of mine would like to eventually write a book, which I would be honored to co-write. The content of the book is still a work in progress, yet the title is a master piece and we’re sure the book will sell. The title you ask? “I kissed Dating Books Goodbye.”

Now that you have a slight insight into the amount of frustration I have when I see or hear of another dating book hitting the shelves for teens and young adults… I can feel my temperature boiling as I write… Funny enough, when Craig Groeschel sent me a copy of his latest release, “Going All The Way – Preparing for a marriage that goes the distance” I decided to give the book a bash. Being a 26 year old single guy, heading towards marriage, I wasn’t really looking forward to (once again) being told this is how you do it. Yet, when I got into the book and went through it, I was amazed. Craig was real… Something so many other authors miss…

From the very first page you get the sense that Craig is a real guy with real issues like the rest of us…

“Her name was Kelli. She was more beautiful than words could describe. Her tan was perfectly golden. Her blonde hair could’ve starred in any shampoo commercial. Her smile stopped me in my tracks. And her legs… I’ll just say, praise God for legs! Kelli was wildly popular, completely feminine, yet also athletic. Confident, yet humble. Exciting, yet pure. Every guy I knew liked her.

I loved her.” (Pg 1)

Again, as one goes through the book, whilst tackling important issues which some others tackle as well but never really convince me otherwise, Craig has done the job the way it’s meant to be done. For example, the issue of cohabitation or as Craig likes to put it, “Playing house” is one where very many pastors have successfully convinced me as to why one should not “play house.”

If you’re also looking for a decent reasoning then… just read this:

“I, Rick, take you Monica, to be my cohabitant,
To have sex with you and to hold you responsible for half the bills,
To love and take advantage of you,
From this day forward, or as long as our arrangement works out.
I will be more or less, faithful to you,
As long as my needs are met, and if nothing better comes along.
If I should break up with you, it doesn’t mean this wasn’t special to me
Because I love you almost as much as I love myself,
I commit to live with you for a while.
So help me…me
In the name of sex, options and self righteousness, amen”

I’m no professional reporter so I can’t give any high class review, but I will say this: This book challenged me immensely and I will do what ever I can to get others to read it. It is an “Oddly Godly” book, which is just soaked in scripture. I’m yet to come across another author who is as open and honest as Craig is… I’ve read all of his books and I’m glad I have because it is the same guy through them all… Just a nutty crazy follower of Christ wanting to help his mates along…

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK!!!

Title: Going All The Way – Preparing for a marriage that goes the distance
Author: Craig Groeschel (2007)
Other Titles: Chazown (2006) and Confessions of a Pastor (2006)

The out of line duck...

Here is another paragraph (from The Disciple Making Pastor by Bill Hull) which really challenged me. I was lead to answer the question, “Am I just a believer or am I follower?” Being a believer and being a follower are two different things… I’ve always told others that I was a disciple (a follower) of Jesus, yet after reading this paragraph, I questioned that… I realized that maybe not all my ducks were in a row like I thought they were…

“Disciples do more than simply believe; many believed in Christ, few followed Him. Few dropped their normal life routine to become followers. Note that up to 500 followed Him during the height of His popularity. Disciples made sacrifices to adjust their lifestyles to obey Christ; they were a breed apart. A disciple was and is a person of concrete action and commitment. Jesus characterized disciples as people of commitment and obedience. They also willingly suffered and shared in the work.”

Are all your ducks in a row like you think they are?

Cited in Hull, B.2007. The Disciple Making Pastor: Leading Other’s on the Journey of Faith. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS OF LEADERSHIP

One of the books I’m reading as part of research for my thesis is “The 4 Pillars of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell. I’m not really that far into it yet, but I came across a passage which I found to be quite challenging. It made me think of how I go about my daily life… it made me think what I do on a day to day basis… it made me think about what my reasoning behind living life is on a day to day basis… and, it made me think of what you would think…

Enjoy…

THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS OF LEADERSHIP

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered – love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives – do good anyway.

If you’re successful, you’ll win false friends and true enemies – succeed anyway.

The good you do today will perhaps be forgotten tomorrow – do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable – be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest man with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest man with the smallest mind – think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only hot dogs – fight for a few underdogs 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 them anyway.

Give the world the best that you have and you will get kicked in the teeth – give the world the best that you have anyway.

If better is possible, then good is not enough.

Cited from Maxwell, J.C. 2008. The 4 Pillars of Leadership. Cape Town: Struik Christian Books. (Pages 23-24).