Kediri to be precise.

My good mate Pastor Wayne Field and I decided this year that it was the year of challenge and personal growth. To get out of our comfort zone. To keep this post reasonably short, we sought out an opportunity to teach Pastors in a cross cultural setting. We wanted to share some of what we have learnt, and were given a opportunity in Kediri, Indonesia. It took about 4.5 hours to drive the less than 200kms (aprox) from Surabaya to Kediri, less than it took to fly from Perth to Surabaya. Kediri is the home of the President and Vice President of the Baptist Church in Indonesia, although HQ is in Jakarta.

We set out after having prepared material on….
Organizational Vision, Inclusion, Program and Management. This deals with the life-cycle of any organization, but in this context tailored to a Church Environment.
Conflict management and resolution.
Leadership Identification and recruitment, both in paid and volunteer setting.
I also had some on personal character and relationship issues.

I prayed about it, and decided that before we left I would have no expectations. Whatever happened…happened.
This was because before we left we had studied cultural issues, local tension between different faiths in Indonesia. What we read and studied informed us, but nothing prepared us for what we found.

Some points.
*As long as Indonesian Churches are aware that Indonesia is a Muslim dominated country, and are aware of the cultural sensitivities…they will not be persecuted. If Churches are deliberately provocative they will find themselves in trouble. In the local Church leaders view, some of the churches who have found themselves in trouble have been unwise.
*The Church in Indonesia is alive and well, growing and healthy. It has much to teach the West.
*It has some cultural difficulties to overcome if it is to become increasingly healthy. As we talked about recruiting leaders and identifying leaders, it was obvious this will be difficult in a culture which honours age over effectiveness.
*Pastors can find it difficult to ‘lead’ depending on their context. Like Australia, they need to determine to be in the church for a long period of time in order to gain trust and respect, and the authority needed to be an effective leader.
*Pastors find the same issues in character and integrity that we have, there are men…there are women…there are issues.
*The Indonesian Church needs to understand they are stronger, wealthier and more effective than they give themselves credit for. They should realise that far from needing support from ‘The West” they have entered the lifecycle where they are significant contributors to the Global Church. It is time for them to send, release and multiply.

Personally this time was challenging to me. It is great to have your structures right, but a Church with spirit will always be more effective than one with good structures, but not as much spirit.

Most of the churches impressed me.
But the one I preached at first on Sunday morning was extraordinary in its worship.
It was a swelling, pulsating, passionate, emotive sense of passion. I loved it…and only understood a few words. It felt just like Inglewood Church. As far away as they are, and as different…worship transcends language.

Indonesia….Tarima kasi!

Back in a week or so…..

“The gift of leadership is too valuable to be quickly disposed of by a popularity contest.”

Is there any other organisation that is on one hand so successful, yet on the other so reactionary, as the AFL?

Rule changes, interpretation changes half way through the season?

A Grand Final which has to be replayed…because no one thought it might happen?

The AFL really does act according to its perception of public perception, so obsessed is it with its public image.
Players told what they have to wear to the Brownlow…cause Andrew does not like normal ties?

The best comedy is also the saddest….
This is perhaps the best moment of this great series.

From Phil Bakers blog today:
“After much thought, prayer and conversation, Phil has decided that it is best to close this blog for the time being. Phil would like to pass on his sincere thanks to everyone who has been involved and for your prayers for his recovery. Our hope is that Phil will one day be well enough to take up blogging again. It has been an amazing journey totalling 6,225 posts.

If you are interested in following Mark Edwards and his blog entries, you can do that by going to www.totalaccess.org.au/blog

Thank you so much again to everyone who has been involved.”

It has been great to follow the thoughts of Phil Baker over the years.
He has a great sense of humour, great wisdom, and great insight into life, church and faith.

When our church first heard of Phil’s health issues, we went to prayer. I have met Phil a number of times and organised him to speak at the Baptist Pastors Conference. It was excellent, inspiring, engaging and interesting. It was great to get to know him a little as someone whom God has used significantly.

I pray God will continue to heal him and bless him and Heather in this next part of their journey.

(As an aside, a number of people mistakenly thought I was the ‘Mark Edwards’ who posted on Phil’s blog. This was embarassing for me…but perhaps more so for the ‘real’ Mark Edwards who pastors a large church in Queensland.)

Couple of brief thoughts.

When in a meeting, particularly a church one….if appropriate…share the extra 10%
What he mean is that often the extra little bit we are wondering whether we should say or not, is the most important!
If it is a trusting and loving environment…that extra 10% we may be embarrassed to share, might just be the point which transforms people and direction…in a positive sense.

Encourage people. Someone who was significant in my life a few years back said to me once, “I dont encourage people often, so when I do, they take it seriously” He was dead wrong. People are generally bereft of encouragement in their life. So many take on board comments and words that they shouldn’t. Negative stuff. A word of encouragement, joy, praise…can make all the difference. Be known as someone who shares words of joy and life into peoplt.