One of my mates from my sons school asked me how I was going…work wise.
Christmas is buuuusy for Pastors, but this year is a lot less stressful for us, for a couple of reasons.

We dropped our Carols by Candlelight. I am not saying it is not effective, or worthwhile doing, and if you are doing it…great! But for us, we have done it for a number of years with some years being fantastic, others being dissapointed. You are at the mercy of the weather, other events, local residents…so many factors which can cause stress. There is also a lot of expense and trouble to pull it off.
We decided that even though our carols have been good for us as a church, we wanted a change this year.

With Christmas Day falling on a Friday we made the decision to have a Christmas Eve Childrens service, and a caroling style Christmas Day Service, and then a low key film day on the Sunday.

We are holding this in the community centre, and I reckon its going to be great. Doing something different to what we normally do means our people are refreshed at the thought, and enthusaistic.
New, change…excites. Doing the same thing again and again does not.

Been praying through a few thoughts on this lately.
I have received clear prophetic words 3 times in my life.
I don’t necesariy want to share the details of what was said here…in this public forum, but I will say this.

Three different ministers, conservative types all of them, shared with me points about myself that they believe God was sharing with them.
Their was no arrogance on their part, or dogmatism…just a sincere humble belief that God still speaks.

Coming as I have from a very conservative biblical education, emphasising a cessationalist form of ministry, this has been a huge area of growth and change for me.

One line that keeps convicting me….so often we speak from our lack of experience, and impose that upon the biblical text…rather than seeking the biblical experience that is plainly written in front of us. In other words…seeking that which is written in the Bible, rather than trying to ratiolalise it away.

I said to my wife about 8 weeks ago, Stan is the standout in Australian Idol this year….
then he goes and does this…..

Wonderful! Proud of you Stan!

Jesper Bood is a good mate, so I wandered down to the WA Barrista Championships today where he was competing.

Jesper did not dissapoint with an interesting story about the origins of the bean he was using, along with some superb looking and smelling coffee.
His ‘signature’ coffee was a apricot nectar infused coffee….served like tea. Jesper likes tea ceremony, so for him, this was a natural fit.
He is an engaging performer…and a wonderful Barista.
You can catch him at work, and purchase one of his superb works of art at ‘Ristretto‘.

Mmmmmm
Proscuitto, Hot Salami, Ciabatta Bread, Dutch Smoked Cheese….and some Skybury Coffee….

I spoke on Bono from U2 on Sunday,
“As the names of those lost on Sept. 11 scrolled up a towering screen, the singer kept reciting a verse from Psalm 51, in which King David pleaded for God’s mercy.

“Oh Lord, open my lips,” he said, “that my mouth shall show forth thy praise.” Then the music rose in a crescendo, soaring into a song about heaven, a vision of a new heaven and earth, of a city “where there’s no sorrow and no shame, where the streets have no name.”

This didn’t happen in a safe Christian sanctuary, in a church worship service.
This happened at halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI, in front of 131 million or so viewers around the world.
As the people drunk their beer and ate their hotdogs and some very unfit people watched some very fit people play americal football.
U2 brought into that very secular environment a psalm of David….and a song about heaven…and a Christian reflection on world events….”

Here is the message audio

Pictures and videos are not included….obviously, but you will probably get the idea!