August 2016 – Kiwichurch

Innocence

Innocence: what is it, how did we lose it, and how do we get it back?

These questions are at the heart of Christianity.

What is Innocence? Purity. To be without fault: to shine light, without darkness – to offer goodness, without corruption.

How did we lose it? Well, I’m sure there are plenty of stories to tell there…

How do we get it back? That is the million dollar question.

What is the Christian answer? To offer our hearts to the heart surgeon, in order to be changed from within. Christ, the Light, when we lose our way.

In Christ there is Love; there is Light; there is Forgiveness; there is Empowerment, to forgive others.

Some may see weakness in trust in God, favouring self reliance, trust in self, but I say: there is a greater reality beyond self reliance – there are possibilities beyond trust in oneself.

It takes courage to hand our life to another, but sometimes courage is what it takes to break beyond our own limitations: to gain our life back again, stronger, truer, fuller, and with a purpose beyond ourselves.

I say, have courage.

What is Christianity?

I find Christianity gets a lot of different representation by different people. For some, Christianity seems to be about abuse, or judgement: abuse of priests, or a bad experience of judgment from certain evangelists. Others seem to carry a view that because church leadership can carry power, that, definitionally, that means the leadership abused that power, and therefore corrupted any passed on truth, for the purpose of control.

Some seem to view Christians as superstitious, lacking in rational thought, and dependent: incapable of independent thought.

Others seem to see Jesus as a humanist: caring for human need, and passing on human philosophy. Period.

It seems to be profoundly easy to interpret Christianity, Christians, and Christ himself, according to who we are: if we have been abused, if we have experienced corrupt leadership, if our own view is atheism, and we are independent, if what’s important to us is the caring for humanity part of what is written about Jesus, and not the rest…

In this age, we are free to pick and choose what we like, what we find helpful, what works for us…but this is not Christianity. This is us.

So, then: what is Christianity?

Priests may abuse – but this is not Christianity.

An evangelist may inappropriately judge his neighbour – but this is not Christianity.

Any leader in power might abuse that power – but this is not Christianity.

Some Christians may be viewed as dependent – but this is not the full scope of Christianity.

Christ offered a lot of humanitarian care, as does the Church today, and so do non-Christian organisations – this also is not the full definition of Christianity.

So, then: what is Christianity? What defines Christianity?

Christianity is defined by Christ.

Christ is not defined by Christians: rather, Christians are defined by Christ.

So then, who is this person, Jesus Christ? That is the nitty gritty question, for anyone who wants to take a serious look at Christianity.

Who is Jesus Christ, does he carry real authority, and should we trust him?

Join me, as I start to explore Jesus…

Abuse and Christianity

Here’s a parable, but, warning: there are themes of abuse.

A father beats a son.

That son then grows up. What will he do?

If he doesn’t overcome his own assault, he will pass on his father’s abuse.

Now, consider this: the father is Christian.

Maybe a priest. Maybe a biological father. Maybe an adopted father. Maybe a spiritual father.

Maybe someone preaching authoritatively down the street.

Who will the son beat?

What’s the deal about money?

What do you make of money? Is it a friend? A master? What’s it all for?

Jesus made the comment that for someone who wants to serve God, it’s pretty hard serving money as well.

‘No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.’ NIV Bible Luke 6:24

But what if we’re slaving away in 60 hour weeks just to cover costs for our families?

What do you think: is life really about money, or is there more to life than this?

From the novel ‘A New Kind of Zeal’

I like this picture, in the novel ‘A New Kind of Zeal’: I suddenly realized it’s a metaphor for this Blog. Nice! 🙂

CHAPTER ONE: Kerikeri

It was hot – a humid, muggy kind of day.

Tristan tugged at the straps of his backpack, and shook sweat from his eyes. The midday summer sun was getting to him, now – even despite the odd shade from totara and pine trees. He had been walking for over two hours, after that mad salesman had dropped him off after Black Bridge Road. Heading back to Auckland, that guy had been – and there was no way Tristan was hitching a ride back there.

A junction was ahead: Kerikeri Road, to the right. Kerikeri? No – surely he could make it further than this. Taking a deep breath, Tristan forged ahead – crossing the junction, watching for cars, darting back into the ditch as needed. Where did he want to go first? Whangaroa Bay? Doubtless Bay? It didn’t really matter. Just somewhere away – somewhere out there, to get away from it all.

The tar seal was starting to melt on the road – he could smell the fumes, and grinned. Where could he score a joint on the way? Wouldn’t be far, he was sure. The thought carried him, one step at a time – but after another thirty minutes of slogging and sweating, he lost interest, crossed over to the left side of the road, and starting thumbing for a ride.

Now he was walking backwards, a little uphill and around a bend. A car just about caught him – he swore, stumbling against a tree. Someone tooted at him – he swore at them. Then he noticed the Ute had pulled up at a parking bay a few metres ahead.

Tristan slowly walked toward the car. It was an old red Holden, and there were fishing lines strapped in the back.
“Sweet as,” Tristan said, speeding up to catch the car. The driver’s door opened, and Tristan reached out a hand.
“Hey, mate.”
“Kia ora, ‘mate.’” The Maori man grasped his hand in greeting. “Need a ride?”
“Where are you headed?”
“To Ninety Mile Beach.”
Tristan grinned. “‘Ninety Mile Beach’? More like ‘Ninety Mile Rip,’ by now. Mind if I borrow one of your lines? Go fishing?”
“Sure. Why not? Still enough beach, and the warmer water’s bringing more fish.”

His brown face was smiling – with a slight wrinkling around the corners of his eyes, and light silver dusting his short black curls. Tristan held his warm brown gaze – but then, suddenly, he started. The man was wearing a dog collar.
“No way,” Tristan said, before he could stop himself. “You’re a priest?”
“My name is Rau,” the man replied, “Rau Petera, of the Ngapuhi tribe. And you are?”
“Tristan Blake, from…never mind.”
“You look like you need some help, Tristan Blake – still want that ride?”
Tristan cast his eyes up and down the man before him. “I don’t know,” he said. “What about that collar?”
Rau’s brown eyes stayed on him. “Makes you nervous, does it?”
“Nervous?” Tristan laughed. “You have no idea!”

Rau’s mouth twitched – and then he pulled the collar away, and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white shirt.
Tristan studied him – as Rau stretched out his hand again.
“Want a ride?”
“Okay,” Tristan replied.
“Hop in then.”
So Tristan dumped his backpack in the back, with the fishing lines, and let himself in the left passenger door.

A New Kind of Zeal

Is there a God? And, if so, what/who is God?

Let’s get back to the beginning again.

Is there a God? What do you think? How do we begin to approach such a question?
Some physicists look into the night sky, and see a mind behind the laws and order of the universe.
Some artists look at the sunrise and see a great Artist.
Spiritual people sometimes feel a connection with nature, and the Universe.
Christians look at Christ, and see God.

What do you see? What do you think?
Is there a God? And, if so, what, or who, is God?

What’s so special about Sunday morning?

It’s a beautiful sunrise this Sunday morning! I get to watch the deep orange hue of the sun lift and turn to warm yellow, from our lounge window.

How do we spend our Sunday mornings? Some of us sleep in, after an exhausting week. Some of us rise to breakfast in bed, served by our kids. (Seriously? I mean, has anyone actually had that happen?) Some of us head out to sport. And some of us head to church.

But what is church? A building? A traditional service? A contemporary service? A home group? Well, for me, church is this. Right here. Right now. You and me. And, I believe, God, with us.

Not the building? Not the service? These things can help, sure: beautiful cathedrals, evoking the majesty and beauty of God. Services leading us, where others have gone. But what is the point of it all? Why have church?

Church exists to build connection: connection with God, and connection with each other.

So you don’t believe in God? Welcome! If you’re not into the connection with God bit, I’m still keen to connect with you. Why do you not believe in God? I want to read all about it. I want to build a cathedral into which you can walk, and explore: in which you can freely wrestle (safely) with those who do believe.

So you don’t know whether or not God exists? Welcome! We have hours of potential conversation ahead, my friend.

So you’re already going to church? Awesome: keep it up! So do I. The beauty of the internet is that this is available 24/7.

The sun has risen now: people are waking up. A neighbour of mine is gathering up garden leaves outside.

How will you spend your Sunday? Let me know! And see you next week! 🙂