Food for thought…

Did you know that more than 80 percent of those who call themselves Christians read their Bibles only once a week? And that’s usually on Sundays, at church. They come to church to get their spiritual fill, and then snack on devotional tidbits for the rest of the week (if we’re lucky). Food for thought…

The following excerpt is from ‘The Divine Mentor’ by Wayne Cordeiro. It left me wondering how the church is faring in the whole area of discipleship, life groups and Bible Reading; as well as how well am I doing in this area personally…  

“What would the people in your church look like if they snacked on meager food morsels during the week and ate only one good meal on the weekend? You know the answer, don’t you? You’d find yourself surrounded by emanciated, gaunt people in desperate need of nutrition.

And how would these undernourished believers fare against a demonic adversary? Can you imagine how this army would look? You’d see threadbare skeletons with hollow cheeks and sunken eye-sockets, lined up like phantoms. Weakened by famine, that shriveled militia could barely stand at attention; each would struggle to find strength to keep his or her bony frame upright.

Could this ‘army’ conquer an opposing foe? No way. No earthly general would send them out to fight.

Well, then, how about the army of the Lord? What of those who gather on Sunday mornings? Are they spiritually nourished to fight the battles ahead? Considering what most members of God’s army subsist on – an occasional tidy snack from a devotional book and perhaps an average-sized meal on Sundays to satiate conscience – you’d have to conclude that God’s fighting force has some serious training to do.”

This is something that we all need to start looking at seriously; both individually and congregationally as we grow in our faith. Especially when we consider that the Word of God is food for our souls.

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Soaking in the sun at Hanmer Springs

Today we were soaking in the sun at Hammer Springs Thermal Pools which is New Zealand’s premier alpine spa destination. It is the place to be this summer (and winter) with the Thermal Pools Complex better than ever with its new pools and awesome rides. Have fun, relax or indulge.

We were joined by Mike, Linda & Grace who came across from Westport to spend some down time in the pools. We all enjoyed relaxing in the hot pools and catching up with each other. We also enjoyed lunch at the Garden House Café before spending another few hours in the pools.

All in all a fantastic day which was cut short by having to go back home – next time we’ll have to organise an over nighter I think…

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The Divine Mentor

In the past few years or so while on holiday I’ve noticed a rather fascinating change that has taken place in my psyche. I enjoy time alone in God’s Word and reading books from Christian authors about how I can be everything that God wants me to be, and how I can continue to lead His church into the future. One such book that I am devouring at an extraordinary rate is “The Divine Mentor” by Wayne Cordeiro.

I’m sure that all of us would “enjoy a dynamic, vital, and intimate relationship with God”  Wayne  invites us to “embark on an adventure that will introduce you to His handpicked mentors, men and women who may save your marriage, your ministry, and your future”  as you “develop a lifelong habit… that will preserve your soul, establish your legacy, and hold God’s Living Word inside you.”  But it will require effort, determination and perseverance amid the pressures of life and the demands on our time.

When talking about reading your Bible on a daily basis (which many so called mature Christians don’t do) utilising a good daily reading plan and you miss a day or two don’t beat yourself up… “Don’t give up!” Wayne explains. “We can all remember times when we’ve been so engrossed in a project that we skipped breakfast and then worked right through lunch. By three or four in the afternoon your hunger begins to scratch at the insides of your stomach. Just then, your remember you’ve forgotten two meals! What do you do – what’s your response? You wouldn’t say,… ‘I’m not eating anymore.’… Of course not! You’d look forward all the more to dinner… Remember, you’re feeding yourself spiritually. So if you’ve missed a couple of meals, just eat for that day. Feed yourself, and then keep going. And when you have opportunity, try to pick up what you missed.”

A great reading plan that I have used in the past is the E100 Bible Reading Plan, or another one is the follow up Essential Jesus Reading Plan. If you can – get a group together to discuss on a weekly basis what you have learnt and to keep you accountable to “growing your faith as you sit at the feet of the Saviour.”

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Down time in Oxford

After arriving on Saturday night we are now enjoying some down time in Oxford. We awoke to snow falling on Sunday morning and although it has all cleared by this evening, we are all looking forward to two weeks of school holidays away from the Invers…

It has been quite a hectic first six months to the beginning of this year; what with building issues, a new family store (well relocation), Community Ministries relocation, ministry effectiveness review and moving forward with the Corps leadership structure – And there were some that told us that we should be able to ease into our new appointment (Yeah Right!)

I must admit though that it is extremely hard for both Annette & I not to talk shop, after-all our ministry is very much who we are. There are a few things that we need to work on while we are away, but I’m sure we’ll get to that at some stage over the next two weeks – But for now relaxation, maybe a trip to Hanmer Springs and a few other things that will help take our minds off of events at home…

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