It was never meant to be busking.

I have been slowly working through Christopher Ash's Marriage - Sex in the service of God. If you're looking for a great theology of marriage - this is it (although if you want something a little less intense get a hold of his book Married to God.)

Anyways, one of his starting points is that a committed marriage between a man

 and a woman is not just the catch cry of the Christian religion, but rather something much bigger, something stitched into the very fabric of creation. 

A commitment to marriage is not just a christian thing, it is a human thing! 

I like the way he gives a grand stage for which to launch his theological insights. Modern day marriage seems to bet set on a stage far too small, in fact it's not even on a stage. It's more like a busker doing his own little thing on a dusty street corner. In such a setting no one is really listening - perhaps just the odd late night party goer, stumbling home after a long night out. On this stage, no one cares what you do - cause no one is really listening.

But after reading Ash, I reckon marriage should be placed on something much bigger - a stage like Carnegie Hall perhaps. The audience are all tuned in, in fact the audience turns out to be creation itself! In this setting, to stop playing would be to go against the very nature 

of what you're there to do. On this stage, to put down your instrument would be a tragedy - cause you have such a vast audience, and it's the very purpose of being there. 

 If you're married - you're not busking......you're at Carnegie Hall, so keep playing, keep loving and keep being in touch with the very creation itself that God has woven together for you to love and serve and give yourself. 

Cause, at the end of the day, it was never meant to be busking. 

'Once' and thoughts on life

So, I watched the movie 'Once' on DVD tonight. I saw it last year at the movies and absolutely loved it. And after viewing it again it on DVD, I'm pretty sure it is the best movie I've ever seen. It is no. 1 on my all times movies. I think, perhaps knocking off 'High Fidelity' from the no. 1 spot. 

Anyways, here are 2 thoughts from the movie.

1. The Gospel twist

when listening to the main song from the movie, that occurs while they are jamming in a movie store, I could not help think of the Gospel and the Christian life:

"Take this sinking ship and point it home

We;ve still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You've made it now"

2. My future

For some reason, after seeing this movie (even though it is set in Dublin) it has made me want to move back to some small town in Scotland and spend my life as a minister with no recogonition or fame, but in a small town preaching God's good word.

....we'll see where that goes....

Mum and Dad come to visit my new place.

On the left - mum, myself and Dad

Below - are a couple of pics of my room - my desk and my reading chair (which I do honestly use for reading!) 

It's finally arrived.

For those who get excited by new commentaries, the long awaited 1 Samuel Commentary by John Woodhouse has finally hit the shelves. I've got my copy and looking forward to working through it.

My New Pad prt I

So here are a couple of pics of my new room. It has been such a blessing and here is day one - after I'd just moved my boxes in. 

From Miller to Tasker in one swift move


In his 2004 book Searching for God Know's What, Donald Miller makes an intersting comment on the Christian music industry. As an outside observer, he simply notes that when viewing the covers of Christian CD's, the artists seem to be intent on making themselves look beautiful and attractive - even more so he notes, than the secular bands he listened to.


He comments that it appears many Christian artists get caught up in the 'music industry' and in doing so, forget their own primary role as ministers of the Gospel. In the end they just go with what makes them money.



I like Donald Miller - the way he thinks, his subtle observations........and his dress sense.

In light of such things, it was refreshing to be amongst the 500 or so listening to Nath Tasker last week at St Thomas' North Sydney. I like Nath because I can see in him a minister of the Gospel first and a concert playing, CD producing musician second.





He is a man who, instead of getting caught up in the music industry, seeks to change the music industry. He is the Keith Green of our age.

And as we sat, listened and sang along it became clear that Nath was not 'performing', he was 'sharing'. We were (as we always are) allowed in on Naths journey of faith, and more importantly directed to our great Father in heaven.

As a Christian community we are very poor in keeping our musicians accountable. In warning them of the lure of fame and the sting of greed. Instead we urge them on and on.
Give us more beautiful people! we cry.
Be like our fav secular bands! we inadverntly demand.

Praise the Lord that he has risen up at least one man with integrity amongst this bunch. And let us pray that the Lord continues to use him to bring others back to the humble daily realites of picking up the cross and the amazing future glories that are in stall for those of us in Christ......so that none of us - musicians or otherwise seek our glory 30 years too early.

A Question for modern ministers

As holiday work I've been translating chunks of 1 Corinthians - so far I've made it from 1:1-2:5.

As chapter 2 begins we hear Paul's ministry Modus Operandi.

You can go read it here

Garland makes the following comment: "Paul is not anti-intellectual, but he does apose intellectual vanity. He did not come as a know-it-all fishing for admiration. On the contrary, he was content to be identfied as a know-nothing, who preached foolishness: Christ crucified.

Paul readly admits in 2:3 "I was with you in weakness, in fear and much trembling."

So here is the question - Have our generations been majorly misguided when it comes to ministry?

'know-it-all', 'fishing for admiration' - I know web sites and online resources can be a beautiful encouragement from many ministers to many believers.....that includes blogs!

But do they have the ring of the comments above?

I think of Marc Driscol (of whom I admire) who asks 'the world' what their top 10 questions are so as to do as a sermon series at his church in Seattle. Does it matter what anyone outside of his 'flock' really think?
I think of my own blog that attempts to provide christian reflections - fishing for admiration?

Here's the rub......

What if you were to be an unkown minister, in an out-of-the-place area, who recieves no recognition and who pastors a church that does not grow.

would you still do it?

New Church and No operation

- Enough of a spin to start the week

New Church

The smell of beer and smokes that rose from the congregation was a clear sign that I was not attending the church of my youth. In fact it was an immediate declaration that this church would be very different to any I have regularly attended before.

The evening congregation is made up of many lower class members, some with mild mental disabilities. Added to this a few uni students and some old friends from St Ives days.

The opening 30min was spent in song and open prayer. The leader would speak over the music and encourage us to bring those things in our lives that had become idols before the feet of Jesus.

Which, in conservative language = prayer.

The sermon was from Matthew and the post church chats spilled from the church to the 'Happy Chef' next door.

For the most part it was a very encouraging evening and there was a tangible sense of realness to the whole place.

No pretension.

I have joined Newtown Mission for precisley that reason as well as to see how it engages with the inner sity poor. However, I am already aware that I carry some different views re. the Christian life, to those who run the church.

I do look forward to the year ahead, but am somewhat anxious about what it may hold. None the less, I feel it is a good move and one that will challenge me and push me to serve in ways I have not done before.

No Operation

In other, even more recent, news. After waiting in a hospital bed for 8 hours today, my surgeon came in to inform me that the surgery had been cancelled - 'have lunch, and go home'. Expected opening for next chance of surgery - March, maybe April.

I don't get the public health system. But God has answered my prayer for patience and I look forward to March.