What really bites from my perspective is that young people get hurt... get really really nailed. When you give your little heart out, make a huge pledge that ultimately will probably benefit those running the event or the person speaking... and your new girlfriend doesn't turn up, you don't get your new dream job, your don't walk into financial blessing, your friend still has cancer - well you start questioning whether the whole enchilada is a hoax.

Best case scenario is that these people who get burnt by this excrement (and actually have the courage to journey through the pain of it and not completely bail on Jesus) wind up in churches but are so jaded and cynical about anyone talking about money that they don't do give anything to anyone and consumerism wins again.

Stu (Mr Wisdom himself) said "i don't think that the test of the authenticity of Christianity is in it's weathering persecution, i think persecution distills fortitude in people and will make a cause worth dying for (even if it isn't).i think the test of the authenticity of Christianity is how it weathers through the apathy of affluence. If Jesus can work with that messy substance, then he can work with anything. found at this post

We are meant to give. We need to break the hold that consumerism has on our lives. In following Jesus I would argue we are called to be recklessly, wonderfully generous, especially to the poor. And in doing so live a life of freedom from being owned by the dollar. Its fun being generous, its a great reputation to develop, the poor are better off. And its surprising how simply we can actually live. Two places I would suggest to give some coin regularly; Tear Fund and Amnesty NZ. And support missionaries and YFC (or inceedo) workers and others that live off the generosity of others and blueprint soul survivor workers : ) Comprehensive list of places to flick some coin here Stop thinking about it so much, stop justifying your consumerism, stop being lazy and apathetic and just do it. Just set up the automatic payment, start living more simply. Start feeling the tension of having so much in a world that has so little.

And lastly, a cool little post I just read that is totally unrelated but "hehe" funny as well as kinda true.

The thing about evangelism is this: People can spot it a mile off and they run a mile (so they generally end up two miles from it, depending upon the relative speeds of the evangelism and their running). I have found that evangelism is probably the least effective form of evangelism. If you want to communicate your faith to someone else the best way to do it is not to try.

And read this

You can go now

Labels: evangalism, money, rant

Well I'm off to Auckland for another Youth Alpha training day this weekend (and to catch up with a bunch of different peeps for Soul Survivor... cant wait :) Its got me thinking about the word evangelism (which scares me to be honest). I honestly think Jesus is the best news ever (and I know that sounds cheesy, but how else do you say it). There are a bunch of approaches to sharing this wonderfully life ruining person that discourage and frighten me, and the very very big theological issues that underpin evangelism do my head in.
But I love friendships, I am all about youth alpha and its relational dependence, it focus on food and small groups. And I am so impressed by people like Matt Holleman and Mr Pierce and others that seem to be able to share their faith so freely.

But all this really is just a segue (thanks debs) to this great clip. Part of me secretly wants to be like Dylan Moran (the crazy irish guy in this clip). I dont really know why.



And for something completely different, here is a clip from the wild band "No Longer Music". I was privileged enough to tour with NLM in 2002 throughout brazil, and it there were some incredible moments in crazy Satanist and Gothic nightclubs where the presence of God was like liquid as David Pierce preached a hardcore gospel to those on the fringe. My claim to fame is the opening song on the NLM set was written by me! It is called "No Alien Bullship" (lyrics by David... i wouldnt write anything that strange)

Labels: evangalism, no longer music, random