Neale Danniher, coach of the defeated Melbourne Demons, has come out and said that the home town crowd at the Freo Melbourne game was a major reason why Freo beat Melbourne.

Certainly crowd reports from the game indicate that this was the loudest crowd we have had all year. It was a record crowd for a game between Freo and Melbourne.
Maybe it was also the fact that Freo played really tight hard footy for four quarters. Maybe that is why the crowd was so appreciative.

Either way Neales comments indicate that having 36, 000 people cheering for you if far better for you as a team than having 36, 000 people not really appreciating you (!)

This should be great fun!

Prompted by the latest “50 most influential churches” I have come up with my own list.

The 50 most list was composed by Americans, and with obviously blinkered view, all 50 are American.

My top five in the world.
1. Hillsong Church Australia (Houston) More than any other church in the world, this church has got churches co operating as the walls have come down. Most if not all evangelical churches in the world use their worship. Yes I am bias, but I think I could mount a good argument for it none the less.
2. Willow Creek (Hybels) Started off a revolution
3. Saddleback (Warren) Caused us to rethink our mission
4. Yoido Full Gospel Church, Seoul, Korea (Yonggi Cho) (253.000 people)
5. Holy Trinity Brompton Anglican Church (Nicky Gumbel) All around the world, many churches use the ALPHA course of evangelism Holy Trinity Brompton

Now here is the top churches/people that have influenced me personally

1. Albany Church of Christ Mark Randall was a passionate speaker and inspired me to be a Pastor in my formative Christian years.
2. Saddleback Rick Warren inspires me with his integrity and purpose
3. Jack Deere God is not contained in the theological constraints I placed him in
4. Hillsong Lets be relevant and passionate okay?
5. Paul Borden Ministry is too important to get caught up in politics

The Weagles cant do anything right. I wanted them to win this week, for Freo’s sake, and get Colliwobbles down to our amount of points.

But JW was outcoached by a fired up Malthouse.
Freo made Collingwood look ordinary last week, the weagles had no answers for the match ups this week.

Who is meant to kick goals for the Weagles?

Speaking about being the “Salt of the Earth” on Sunday.

Pretty challenging stuff, especially when Jesus says that salt that has lost its saltiness gets chucked away and trampled on.

This song from U2 is one that is good, I am using it to kick off the service.
Look at the last line, great thought. Do we understand with all the crap going on in the world, that the church is actually responsible? If we are called to be salt and light, we are not doing a good job.

The more you see the less you know The less you find out as you go I knew much more then than I do nowNeon heart day-glow eyes A city lit by fireflies They’re advertising in the skiesFor people like us And I miss you when you’re not around I’m getting ready to leave the ground Oh you look so beautiful tonight In the city of blinding lights Don’t look before you laugh Look ugly in a photographFlash bulbs purple irises The camera can’t seeI’ve seen you walk unafraid I’ve seen you in the clothes you made Can you see the beauty inside of me? What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?(cut) And I miss you when you’re not around I’m getting ready to leave the ground Oh you look so beautiful tonight In the city of blinding lights Time…time…time…time…time Won’t leave me as I am But time won’t take the boy out of this manOh you look so beautiful tonight Oh you look so beautiful tonight Oh you look so beautiful tonight In the city of blinding lights
The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel… luckily

Well the well known preacher was the recently departed
IOANNES PAULUS II.

Interesting that what he was saying was scriptural, spot on, challenging etc.
I dont know if there is a point to any of this, I just found it interesting.

Link

You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14): The images of salt and light used by Jesus are rich in meaning and complement each other. In ancient times, salt and light were seen as essential elements of life.
“You are the salt of the earth…”. One of the main functions of salt is to season food, to give it taste and flavour. This image reminds us that, through Baptism, our whole being has been profoundly changed, because it has been “seasoned” with the new life which comes from Christ (cf. Rom 6:4). The salt which keeps our Christian identity intact even in a very secularized world is the grace of Baptism. Through Baptism we are re-born. We begin to live in Christ and become capable of responding to his call to “offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1). Writing to the Christians of Rome, Saint Paul urges them to show clearly that their way of living and thinking was different from that of their contemporaries: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2).
For a long time, salt was also used to preserve food. As the salt of the earth, you are called to preserve the faith which you have received and to pass it on intact to others. Your generation is being challenged in a special way to keep safe the deposit of faith (cf. 2 Th 2:15; 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:14).
Discover your Christian roots, learn about the Church’s history, deepen your knowledge of the spiritual heritage which has been passed on to you, follow in the footsteps of the witnesses and teachers who have gone before you! Only by staying faithful to God’s commandments, to the Covenant which Christ sealed with his blood poured out on the Cross, will you be the apostles and witnesses of the new millennium.
It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society.

Which well known preacher said this? I’ll give you one clue, he is dead, recently.