I received this picture from someone doing a class teaching pastors.

The basic idea is this.

We all see and hear things. Perhaps someone looking at us in a funny way. We then presume something about that….tell ourselves a story. Perhaps we say “I must have upset them, they look mad!” Then we feel a certain way, perhaps we get upset or mad ourselves. Finally we act, we might ignore them, yell at them, or act innapropriately in some other way.

The point is, just because we see something, how we interpret it is the important aspect. In our analogy, maybe the ‘angry’ looking person just got a speeding fine! Maybe it has nothing to do with us at all! Therefore, don’t make assumptions, which may just be a product of our own insecurity. Instead, find out the truth, ask the question, before you start making assumptions.

It may help to remember the line, ‘have an honest conversation’. Ask the extra 10 percent we sometimes don’t, find out the truth! Maybe they are mad with you! But if you don’t know, you can’t do anything about it.

For those who are coming in late….

Angry Birds is a game which you can download on your Iphone or Android device. It is consistently one of the top selling games and has become a cultural phenomenon. The basic premise is that some pigs have stolen eggs off some birds, who are now angry!
The idea is you catapult the birds, of various sizes, shapes, colours and abilities towards the pigs, who have stationed themselves in various strongholds, to try to destroy and kill the pigs.

Why has it become so successful, so quickly?

It is easy to play, but hard to master. Challenging, yet not impossible.
There are varying levels of success, you can defeat the nasty pigs, but getting them in one go is the key.

Its addictive, and fun.

The music is suitable, but not distracting.

Anyone can pick up the basic game in seconds, without any instructions, but after you have been going for a while, you find yourself looking for clues and instructions.

Its fun knocking over the pigs, who constantly laugh at you when you can’t get them!

I am doing a wedding on Saturday for a lovely couple from my Church.

They are two great young people, launching into life together. Its great to be involved in their lives at this special time. I need to go and get a fresh Tie. Have not worn a tie for a fair time…since the funeral I did about 3 months ago.

Then I have an engagement party for another young couple on Saturday….life is full and only going to get fuller as we head towards Christmas, the time of year when Pastors put in some serious hours.

Its a great time of year, and everything seems to be happening.

Hope, life, beginnings….its all great!

I have been making a fair amount of change and purposeful growth in my life this year.
Traveling to Indonesia to do some teaching there, stretching myself as a leader and Pastor
Moving to the ‘Mac’ world
And now moving to WordPress and my own URL.
I hope you continue to journey with me.

A big thanks to James Middleton and Quentin Gribble for guiding me through the process.

Check back soon….but I have bought my own url www.markedly.com.au and soon this blog will be published there.

Will be changing everything over, including RS feeds, in the next couple of days.

Today I headed off to the West Australian Baptist Assembly.
In years gone by, and I have been around for a while now, these have been rather staid times. Except of course when there were arguments over spelling mistakes (that is not an exaggeration) or ‘points of order chairman’ and other mind numbing wasters of time.
Now its different.
Through the transitional work of former Director of Ministries Steve Smith, and now the leadership of DOM Mark Wilson, todays assembly was interesting, relevant and….inspiring!
Mark gave some vision, strategy and values….where he sees us as a body of churches going. And it was all great stuff. Much of our constitution and structure has been taken from the Paul Borden model, which releases people into ministry, trusts people, and keeps leaders accountable for results. Under previous models, while good ministry was taking place, at times it took a back seat to administration, politics and inward focused leadership.
There was a real sense in the meeting that under good leadership our denomination is having significant growth and health.
Its a great thing to be a Baptist Church in Western Australia.

It was also good to see a friend, Jackie Smoker, being accredited for ministry. A long journey for her, fulfilled as she was anointed, prayed for, and released into ministry. She pastors along with a friend of mine, her husband Phil, at Como Baptist.

There is a real sense that under our new, much healthier, leadership structure, based on trust and releasing people into leadership and creativity, we as a denomination have a lot to look forward to.
Let us keep going on this course, and not be swayed into returning to old ways!