The Rich Gospel

I have been watching the Christian music scene in South Africa for some time and I think whilst they are doing a good job, I wonder if there is any place for the gospel in it. The strange thing that I find is that we have found a formula (Hillsongs, Passion.......) and we seem to be doing a windows shortcut on the whole experience. We copy and paste. Whilst that has its good news for musicians we have lost a context in our church. So we have lost the South African Jesus and replaced it with a Australian Jesus or even an American Jesus. Some might say look at Tree 63 whilst they may be South African they are an American based band and therefore have another context. Even South African worship leaders are constintly trying to repoduce the same experience that they say in other parts of the world here in SA. I wonder if Jesus had to ever walk into our churches would he ever say Is this not the vision I had for that church in Australia. The Side product of this is bad theology and meaningless songs enter our churches and we find ourselves selling our depth for a riff

The second thing that I have come to notice is that the average person in South Africa cant afford the price of a ticket to a concert. Even R40 is expensive when you have a family to feed or you have to go take your son to the Doctor. So the price of the Gospel is expensive? Should the gospel not be free. Surely it was given to us freely why then do we allow people to make a prophet off Jesus. The people who made the heart of the gospel pump are the ones we say are not allowed into our malls called churches.

Jesus has a great church growth plan..... Invite the poor

The Mind Of The Brave

What is it about the world that great minds are ostracised? Do we believe that the great minds should sit behind a desk and every now and then they should write a motivational book. God forbid that the great minds come out from behind their glasses and challenge our lifestyles. NO NO NO their job is to make my flat screen TV clearer and make my life easier.

I would start to say that I am pretty controversial. Some people call it heresy and others call satanic. I don't think that when I start thinking that I should come with the most controversial thought but I do think that its what makes me come to terms with the world I find myself in.

I have noticed though that when people do not agree with you then they say either two things. 1. That you are forcing your views on everyone but the truth is if you stayed inside what they thought was normal then you wouldn't be forceful. 2. That you are wrong and that there is something wrong with you.

I don't mind so much people disagreeing with me and rejecting me but rather my deepest hurt is when the people you hold close start to reject you. Your views become so different that it breaks the bonds that should be so strong. My family is Christian and we cannot discuss Christianity in my house cause of the fact that the bonds of family are broken when I open my mouth. Its sad that the one thing that should unify us is the one thing that breaks us apart. Sad!!!

I really feel that I have isolated myself with just the way I think. I cant discuss, engage or even just relax with the people I love. Its a lonely place but what's the alternative find love and deny your true belief? I wonder how Jesus responded to his family structure being destroyed by what He believed. Its a lonely place when you hang on the cross and your family is the one shouting CRUCIFY HIM!!

The Side Of God I Never Knew

As I sit in my lectures and see this God that I thought i knew. The few things I do know is that I know nothing. That God is far bigger than who I thought God was. Far bigger than the bible, far bigger than Jesus and far bigger than I could ever imagine.



I am definitely not one of those people who looks at the stars and goes wow!!! I cant fathom a God like that but i can get my head around a God of grace hope and love. That is the God that I never knew. A tangible open God who is challenging my thought and my soul (If I have one) but this God reaches across denomination across religion and across humanity.



Why??? What is this God up to??

Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds

I subscribe to the New York Times Online edition.

This Popped into my inbox and I thought it was very interesting

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?8au&emc=au

If We Refuse To Tell The Truth Is That A Lie??

When people look at the world they see certain imagery that makes their worlds become real. The hold on to the hope that what is Red is in fact Red and what makes their world come alive is in fact true and not something they perceive. Well at least that's what I think. Our world becomes this bubble. Once we look from the inside of the bubble our world has many shades and many dimensions that might not be a true reflection on reality but it could at best be our distorted view of reality.

What happens when our bubble pops. Do we look at the world and say this is not my bubble or do we embrace the new colours??? Do we embrace the bubble we find ourselves in?? The world is so much bigger, The colours are far brighter and the dimensions are far beyond what I can fathom in my little bubble.

Anyway so with this in mined......I have some questions!!!

Is God the bubble blower or is God the world and we blow the bubbles? Not sure if God gives us the perspectives of God or do we natural put it in to perspective?

Will I always see the gospel according to Justin and preach the gospel according to Justin.... My short answer is Yes but it leads to a Therefore........ I need to ask what is my perspective and what are the limitations of that?

How much of the truth and knowledge do we share about the bible with ppl??? Is the bible a bubble in itself? The bible is seen as this sacred object of God. In some ways it is seen as god and God is not seen as god.

And if we Refuse To Tell The Truth Is That A Lie?? If people ask us questions do we tell them what we know or do we shhhhh??

I don't know where I stand here...... I think the journey has begun

The Attack Of The Heart

My blog is my diary more than it is my platform to speak and share from. So I wont shy away from writing what I feel on it even if people I know read it.

I preached last weak Sunday and I really enjoyed the platform. I never talk for God but i talk about my experiences of a God who encounters me in love. Some people say that I am extreme and out of Gods will and scripture. My first response is always thanks Jesus and secondly I really think that they are so challenged by my point of views that rejection and attack is the first response.

With that in mind I gave my talk. I speak on what I believe. I spoke about the calling of Joshua and Jesus's calling to us from his basis of love. So I said how God calls male and female and that its not Christian to say leaders are men and then I said my pic of God is black and female.

Then I said when we look at anything Old Testament we have to draw it along side Jesus. Jesus's example was that He didn't come to die for us but rather he came to love us and the consequence was the cross. We should therefore love no matter what.I ended off praying female. So Mother God.....

Anyway lets just say people are quick to burn people on the stake. I have been nailed in so many aspects. One of my hardest things to face is to face unbalance. When people are upset with me and actually hate me. It throws my balance out.
On a lighter note Trevor Hudson has agreed to be my mentor for this year so I am very lucky.
Oh and this is a warning watch out for this man. He can speak many languages and teaches Hebrew. He challenges me not in scripture but to get my work ethic up. Plus I just wanted to show him that he can make it onto my blog if I chose.

Hebrew is Tav Chirek He Samach

Anyway so I started varsity, amd my brain is on a little edge. I have never worked this hard and i dont think twelve years of studying has prepared me. Granted in this month I have studied more than in school but regardless.

Anyway I am sitting in the lap of my calling and am just finding myself experiencing God in a new and profound way. I have never been a person where the bible has come alive but as I study its not the fact that i am reading it that is making it jump but rather the fact that I am struggling and finding it such challenging experience.

Here are some photos.

Enjoy

JT