Knowledge & Power

a Jesus thought...
Woe to you! For you pay tithe but have neglected the weightier matter of the law: justice and mercy and faith. (Matthew 23:23)

a Godly thought...
Like Jonah, we are glad to be one of his people, willing to do his work, able to recite our creeds, happy to sing his praises, but too often reluctant to allow him to minister outside of the boundaries of our limited understanding and our inherited traditions. (p139 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Like an air traffic controller, we need to learn to land one plane at a time - to do fewer things with excellence rather than many with mediocrity. (p283 Covey)

a Dave thought...
Yesterday I quoted for my Jesus thought the verse from Matthew 22 when Jesus says, "You are in error for you do not know the scriptures or the power of God." I believe this a powerful warning to us all as one without the other is dangerous. I have been in situations where people ministering are so content to reveal the power of God that they fail to open the scriptures and faith becomes all about experience and they lack the biblical foundation to go alongside it. On the other hand I have seen and at times and have operated myself with great knowledge of scripture but have not welcomed the power of God. So we become intellectual Christians with little experience.
If you are unsure where your bias is ask yourself if you get more excited in the worship or the preach? If you love the worship time you maybe a power player, if you can't wait for it to finish so you can hear the word you are probably in the knowledge camp. Both are needed, so let the theologians and the Pentecostals join together and lets bring the best out of each other with knowledge and power.

Just a thought.

Social Justice Innovations

a Jesus thought...
You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)

a Godly thought...
When we accept Gods grace and mercy the focus of our lives shift from doing our religious duty to allowing God to be God. (p128 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Managing people like things reduces human beings to their lowest instincts. (p265 Covey)

a Dave thought...
Yesterday morning I led the Hour of Power at 6am in the boiler room as part of the 24/7 prayer week at Box Hill Salvos. It was somewhat of a challenge as the youth had just had a sleep over at the hall and they were coming off anywhere from 0 to 3 hours sleep.
The theme I was given was social justice so I got the 20+ youth present to look at Isaiah 58 and to pray through this scripture. At the end of this I asked the guys to pray to God & discuss in groups about what we can do to fight injustice in Melbourne. Here are four ideas that they came up with...
1. As well as 'sponsor children' we should have 'sponsor people' and we should give monthly to a homeless person in our community.
2. After our community tea every Sunday we should give everyone a packaged nutrient supplement to ensure they can get another healthy meal into them if they are stuck out on the streets.
3. We should conduct free music lessons and form groups to help develop the creative gifts of the marginalised in our community.
4. Buy a huge double decker bus and deck it out with 30 beds and instead of the homeless coming to us every night lining up to get a bed we go to them and they can jump on board for the night and get a comfortable, safe & warm nights free accommodation.

I found these ideas very encouraging and confirmed in my mind once again that the future of the Salvos is in great hands we just need to pass the baton of innovation on to our young guys and believe in them.

Just a thought.

Coaching styles

a Jesus thought...
And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. (Matthew 21:22)

a Godly thought...
Human choices are real and significant and they will result either in our willing cooperation with God's plan or in our stubborn resistance to his purposes. (p123 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Leadership is creating an environment in which people want to be part of the organisation and not just work for the organisation. (p217 Covey)

a Dave thought...
In the Age newspaper this morning it reads...
HIGHLY organised, strong-willed, methodical and possessing a fun side he doesn't reveal to just anybody — that's how Matthew Knights was described yesterday by the people who know and have worked with him.
He is Kevin Sheedy's replacement in the top job at Essendon but will be nothing like him.
"It's a complete change of direction," said Robert Walls, who made Knights captain of Richmond in 1997. "I think from day one, no one will compare him to, or say he's like or is trying to be like Sheedy.
"From the most experienced, publicised coach who had a quote and a story from every press conference, you'll be going to a guy who is young, inexperienced and will certainly not be giving headlines at any of his press conferences.
"He wouldn't be overawed by the Sheedy factor. He's been at the club for a few years and would have a very good understanding of where they're at.
"He's his own man and I think that's really good that there's this strong contrast."
AFL players' union boss Brendon Gale, who used to room with his one-time Tiger teammate when the side hit the road, said Knights had contrasting on-field and off-field personalities.
"There's an old saying — still waters run deep. I think he's one of those guys," Gale said.
"He was a very extravagant, flamboyant and creative player on the field, but off the field, he was a quieter family man. He was married young.
"He's a very reserved guy. He's pretty quiet, but very strong in his principles and values and beliefs.
"He's not going to be a hot gospel-type coach. He won't be a ranter and raver. He'll be pretty careful and considered and measured in his approach."

I find it fascinating how we all have an opinion on the type of leader that takes over a club or organisation and in hindsight many of us try and guess the outcomes and get it wrong. Let us come at this from the biblical viewpoint and judge everyone on the fruit they produce. Coaching is like ministry in the fact that there is many and varied ways to go about it and a certain personality style does not mean fruit. But rather a 100% reliance on God and a willingness to do what He is asking of us regardless the cost is the best style to go with.

Just a thought.

24/7 Prayer

a Jesus thought...
Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

a Godly thought...
An extraordinary message of grace always needs to be delivered by ordinary men and women who are themselves living examples of that grace at work in slowly transforming human lives. (p109 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Leaders do not avoid, repress, or deny conflict, but rather see it as an opportunity. (p186 Covey)

a Dave thought...
Above is a picture from the 24/7 prayer room at Box Hill. We are currently in the middle of this intense time of prayer and our cell group spent 3 hours in the boiler room last night. It is an awesome space & Kirsten Gourd & here team have done an outstanding job getting 26 stations happening in the room. If you are in Melbourne for ACC next week you can check it out as we are leaving the boiler room as is.

I must admit prayer does not come naturally for me but I know that when I pray God moves and things happen. So creating spaces and opportunities to pray is so important as many of us need encouragement to experience communicating with God in varied ways. The challenge is for us to create those same moments away from the room as God is everywhere and He is always willing to have a chat we just need to make the time.

Just a thought.

Spiritual Economy

a Jesus thought...
If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. (Matthew 19:21)

a Godly thought...
In the church today improvement and invitation still have a place, but they should be secondary to incarnation and involvement. (p96 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Leadership in the church was often expressed as being about matching, hatching and dispatching now we must be managers of change, missiologists, masters of strategy, and merchants of spiritual commerce. (p99 Yuill)

a Dave thought...
In the Age today http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/spend-spend-spend-its-no-way-to-happiness/2007/09/25/1190486307021.html

People are in debt up to their eyebrows and they tell me it's good for the economy. But it's destroying our spiritual economy. Is this the spiritual recession we had to have? Kids want to lie on the grass watching the clouds roll by with chilled-out parents. Not be dragged through shopping centres by harassed mums and dads trying to anaesthetise their existential pain by purchasing more stuff to plug in and more stuff to store.
On any perfect 25-degree windless Sunday you will find Chadstone, Northland, DFO and all those soul-destroying cathedrals of emptiness chockers with people attempting to sedate. Take two transactions and call me in the morning. They'd be better off spending a few hours sitting in a church. And that's coming from an atheist. Greed and consumption addict people and they spend weekends trawling shopping centres chasing the next hit.
Happy is the man who is content with what he has. And the woman who needs only one pair of good shoes and a library card. Maybe I should follow the advice of the graffiti I read last week: SHUT UP AND SHOP.

You know our world is in trouble when you have a journalist and self confessed atheist from our major newspaper telling people they are better off sitting in church than shopping. Consumerism has peaked in Australia and many of us are caught in the trap without even realising it. But society is not only to blame as unless we model a different lifestyle or tell an alternative story things will never change.

The challenge for us is that we don't just push the 'market-driven church' and expect that the people will give up the shops on Sunday and come to us because we do church so well, but rather we must go to the people with an alternative story that is real and engaging. I suggest we plant Chadstone Temple, and do our church service on Sunday in the shopping centre at least then when the service is over we don't have as far to travel to the shops for the after service.

Just a thought.

Positive Dave

a Jesus thought...
Unless you are converted and become like a little child, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

a Godly thought...
When imperfect people tell their story of God's plan in their lives, things begin to change! (p48 Yuill)

a leading thought...
When you develop both strong character and competence, the fruit is wisdom and judgement - the foundation of all great and lasting achievement and trust. (p149 Covey)

a Dave thought...
It has been interesting how different people have perceived my blog over the last 4 months. Some think that I have way too much time, others think it is good to stir the pot and get people debating SA issues, and a few suggest it is too negative and part of my role should be to increase optimism in the movement and not to be so critical. Well I do believe the Salvation Army has been raised up by God and is an amazing denomination, I love the fact that we have a bias to the poor, we are missional at heart and have the DNA that makes us relevant through every culture and class. If I didn't believe it I wouldn't be a part of it.
One of the reasons I started my blog was to encourage people to think so we can make wiser decisions going forward, and by purely telling nice positive stories everyday was not going to engage critical thinkers. I have observed in my own life over the years it is not until I have been disturbed, that I alter my thinking and then in turn my actions.
Although Jesus was no blogger I believe he came to comfort the disturbed but also to disturb the comfortable, I'm here to join him.

Just a thought.

Emotions

a Jesus thought...
If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)

a Godly thought...
People have an instinctive sense that faith in a loving God should make us loving people who take the lead in any initiative to alleviate human suffering and need. (p41 Yuill)

a leading thought...
Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway. (Mother Teresa)

a Dave thought...
This interesting commentary in the Age this morning got my attention...

The federal election will be won or lost on less rational grounds than good arguments or policies.
HERE'S my prediction. The Coalition will lose the next federal election. Not because Labor offers better arguments or more appealing policies. Not because the electorate is impressed by Kevin Rudd's intellect or wit. Not because "It's Time" or because John Howard is seen as yesterday's man. The Coalition will lose because of the way the human brain works.
Backed by research in neuroscience, political psychologists argue that the thought processes behind decision-making — including how we vote at elections — are fundamentally emotional, not rational.

Unfortunately most decisions around the church are also made emotionally rather than rationally. I have sat on numerous boards and in many committee meetings and a decision has been made wrapped up in far more emotion than logic. Even our modern church services usually begin with the first half for the emotionals (singing) and the second half for the intellectuals (preaching).
God created us as emotional beings but he also gave us a brain. I believe the church attracts far more emotional people than it does rational, so as we continue to love God & others there will always be a bias for emotional leaders as they are best at showing love in a public way. So the challenge is to not to suppress emotion in the church but rather lets make sure it does not get in the way of our decision making so we can grow God's kingdom effectively.

Just a thought.