shmatt.com

 We’ve been deliberately backward in forward planning regarding the community(s) that we feel God has lead us to build (”The Church“), but still, we have a web site and an email address, both of which are listed in a few church directories in the hope of attracting others that would be interested in working with us as we plant.

This attracts an email every now and then, some from people visiting from out of town looking for a Sunday service to visit (we don’t run one) and, more often, emails from some person, business or ministry attempting to solicit our attention, money or in the case of last night’s email, my phone account.

The email goes (names removed to protect the innocent):

Some 12 months ago my wife and I commenced the operation of our company _________. Prior to this I felt led of the Lord to create a Christian business that would help finance the Gospel. I am aware that as a company we cannot finance every Christian work, but I felt the Lord give me a clear directive in the following areas:

• Support my local fellowship
• Help other Christian works free up finances used on utilities
• Show congregations how they can help at no cost to them
• Help people get out of debt

I am aware that many businesses may try various marketing strategies to get you to use their products or services for a price. We are not one of those businesses. We are here to help fellowships reduce costs not increase them and show them how congregations can help too, without cost to them.

** Let me interject for a second **

You tell me you are not using a marketing strategy to get us to use your products and services.  Ok I’ll believe you for now.  Otherwise, I would have already pressed the delete button.  Continue..

I am also aware that we all get scams from time to time in our email in-box. Should you feel at this stage this may be one of those scams, click here and return a blank email and you will be deleted from our database. Alternatively, you will find all my contact details at the conclusion of this letter along with the option of contacting my pastor for a reference.

For your information we fellowship at ____________, _______, Queensland (east of Brisbane). If you require a reference please let me know and I will send you my pastor?s details.

_____________ has helped many people save money each month on their telecommunications bills. Sometimes as much as 68%, but more typically 20-40%.

If you can imagine for a moment making these savings each month, the savings can then be applied elsewhere in your Christian work.

I am conscious that this might not sound much, but it does add up especially when you add to it our option of any person or business within your fellowship who also joins _____________, not only will we provide good discounted rates for them too, we will give to your fellowship each and every month 20% of our profits from the accounts of those in your fellowship involved in the program.

I would like if possible the opportunity of sharing more with you if you are interested.

I will honour you and your fellowship and not contact you personally unless you invite me to do so.

So let me understand this correctly - you are not one of those business using marketing strategy to get me to use your products and services.  Your products and services are so good that you are doing me a favour by telling me about them?

This is the eternal blindness of the “Spammer”.  Yes, this is spam, and illegal in Australia.

Marketing no-no’s aside - I’ll leave that to Seth Godin for now - this email irks me for a couple of reasons.

First, this well meaning person (and I do believe he is well meaning) suggests that his company deserves my attention because he is doing for the sake of the Gospel.  He started business for the sake of raising money to help others and/or the cause of Christ.  After asking him the question by return email exactly to what degree the company supports the Gospel, he assures me that he keeps all the profits, less what he tithes to his local congregation (I am guessing he means 10% of the gross profits) and whatever else he feels directed to give.

So, if you look at only the part of his business that he is promoting here (which is only a small portion of his business activity) we have:

Gross profits (100%) - Tithe (10%) - Giving (perhaps 10%) - Commission to my church (20%) =  his profits (60%)

So it’s not entirely set up to fund the Gospel.  That’s fine.  But don’t allude otherwise.  You are a Christian running a business (like myself and many others), but you don’t run a “Christian business”.  This is the unfortunate attitude of many ‘Kingdom business” people - I can aim to get rich doing business, but as long as I give some of the money away, I can call it a ministry and expect God to bless it. 

My second, and more concerning issue here is the viewing of the Church as a marketplace.  Fair enough, we all pay a phone bill and switching to you may save me money that I would have to pay anyway (but I am still paying them money - let’s be clear on this).  Even better than that, the church itself will make some money from it.

Please explain to me how this is any different to the sellers and money changers described in John Chapter 2?  They were providing a service that the worshippers would have had to use anyway, and the temple would have been certain to be receiving a cut of the profits (the priesthood were all Jews). 

“Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

That goes for you too, Koorong.

I’ve offered the gentlemen in question the right of reply, as anyone has around here.

 Rip-off from Stephen at neurotribe.net

For I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. So we found a water table and drilled a well. But Coca Cola Amatil came to our city and outbid us for access to our own water. They use it to make your Coca Cola. They outbid us with the profits they made from selling you their product.

I was imprisoned in my own country, so I fled in desperation with nothing except the money that I was able to get in exchange for everything I ever owned. I managed to get to your country, even though the people smugglers told me I was going to England! When I got to your country, you put me into another prison. Except you call yours a detention centre?

I was naked, and you did not clothe me. So we had to find work in order to buy our own clothes. I found work, in a factory. I worked every day from 7am till 9pm with very few breaks, 7 days a week. It was hard work. I rarely got to see my family, life was very hard. This kind of life made me very sad. The factory I worked in made clothes that were sold to you.

I was sick. I agonized as many of my family, friends and especially the children in my community die from things like diarrhoea and simple infections. I was afraid I would die in this horrible way too. Day after day, month after month, year after year. This happened whilst every now and then, you would give thanks to your God for your health.

I was homeless and I read in one of your Christian books that if I applied myself and worked hard enough, I could have whatever I could conjure up enough faith for. I have been praying and believing for a home for my family. I cannot wait for God to answer that prayer.

I was lonely, hoping for someone to visit. Often I saw your aeroplanes flying overhead. I suspect that you were probably on your way to London, or Paris to see things that were very important and special.

You seemed so blessed with so many things. You must be very holy for God to bless you with so many good things. I am still very hungry and lonely and cold.

 

Technorati Tags: hunger, justice, bible

I’m off to the UNOH conference today.   I am greatly looking forward to it, as there are some great speakers, it will be a great environment, and I really respect the  work of UNOH.

So before I get caught up in it all, I just want to say that I a little dismayed at the money changing hands this weekend.  Not specifically at UNOH, because I understand to pull off an event like this it takes money, but at a Christian culture that demands such an event.  I guess I am included in that.

I don’t know if I have an answer, or that God agrees with me on this, but if it costing us $350 as a family - and we are doing it cheap - then any quick calculation would work out the budget.  And one most weekends, somewhere, a Christian group will be holding an event such as this. What else could be done with that money?

I’m just wondering if we could do it another way.  Perhaps meet in a big field and sleep in tents.  Be content with local speakers.  Do it over the Internet.  Again, I don’t know but perhaps it does deserve some thought.

Fortune favours those who with discipline and hard work rise up above the crowd - they will achieve anything they desire.

Fortune favours those who push aside negative thoughts.  A laugh a day keeps the troubles away. 

Fortune favours those that claim their destiny.  Nothing shall stand in their way.  They shall find power and prosperity.

Fortune favours those that follow their dreams and desires passionately, pushing aside all others.  They will surely be fulfilled.

Fortune favours those who do not let others hold them back.. They learn to cut ties with those who absorb their time, energy and emotions.  They will find friends amongst leaders.

Fortune favours those who seek the good things in life.  They shall find pleasures beyond the wildest imagination.

Fortune favours those who fight their way to the top.  They stand against their competition and win at all costs.  They will be rulers of many.

Fortune favours those that do not let others bring them down.  They understand that they are too valuable as a person to allow others to treat them badly.  They triumph over adversity

Those around you will be in awe of your success, health and wealth when you find your dream and stick to it at all costs.  You will win!  You will find prosperity, happiness and fame in your life.  It is the secret of those who have been successful, and it can happen to you too!

Matthew 5:1-11 (CSV*)

* “Contemporary Screwy Version” 

Anamrae: celtic, “Soul Space”

Spent a great weekend away in an attempt to assist Kel and Mr X build their house on their property.  We’d never met them before, except through Kel’s Blog.

I love what they are doing.  Yes, they are building their own home, but every decision they make in doing so revolves around how they will be able to use the property to bless and accomodate others.  And what a blessing it will be.

It is a magnificent property (for what used to be a cow paddock).  The property is on the water’s edge, and over the lake you can see mountains in the distance.  It reminded me a great deal of the view from our previous home in Tassie.  And the silence!

Louisa and I had the opportunity to take Kel’s prayer walk.  Particularly inspiring for us was the station on “water walking”.

We talk the walk out to the station which is at seat right out on the water’s edge.  It is slightly in flood at the moment, and to get there, it meant wet feet.

But well worth it.  Stunning view, and the prayer, which reads:

Here we are father
Your apprentice water walkers,
Stepping out in faith
For new beginnings
And expanded borders
Help us to remember that
With our eyes fixed on you,
And some wet feet,
All things are possible.

Some times we need encouragement like that.

The island that Anamrae in situated on is abounding with Koalas.  So much so, that some of the trees are stripped bare in a striking way, killing the trees.  Guess there is a lesson to be learned there on bio-sustainability.

What amazed me is that we rode our bikes to the property, and would have ridden under at least a dozen koalas along the path.  Never saw them, until we were looking for them, and they were then hard to miss.

On the work we did - it didn’t feel like we helped much.  But I guess building a house is such a long process that a couple of day’s work is only a small portion.  But I helped put up these plaster batons.  I’m an expert at that now, if anyone needs some help putting batons up?

And finally the train trip home.  Listening to sigur rós while the sun set.  Great way to finish this weekend.

I have of late gained a little interest in monastic spirituality. 

This encompasses in part New Monasticism, which has a focus on community to the extent of even living together and sharing possessions with others.  Louisa especially would like to be able share a home with both close friends and those who need some support.  In this vein, I am looking forward to hearing Shane Claiborne of The Simple Way speak at the coming UNOH conference.

But I am also interested in the spirituality of traditional monasticism - Monks, hermitages et al.  I must say that I have never liked the idea of cloistering ones self long term in order to “find communion with God” - I find this approach quite selfish.  However, the act of separating yourself at times to pray in solitude, and living in simplicity and authenticity has great appeal to me. 

A few months ago, I stumbled across the web page for a film titled “Into Great Silence“.  Shot over a period of a year, it is a rare glimpse into the lives of Carthusian monks at the highly ascetic and silent Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this film playing at Cinema Nova in Melbourne this week, and was able to go along to see it.  The cinematography is amazing, and the film, while long and at times hard going (like life in the monastery) was fascinating.  These men seem truly content with their chosen life.

I’ve formed some ideas lately on ways to encompass some aspects of this spirituality into our lives;

• Silent nights - no TV, computers or electric lighting.  Maybe even nights where we don’t even talk.  Try this one with three young kids!
• I’d love to own or share a small cottage in the bush somewhere.  No electricity.  Just a fireplace and time to reflect and pray.
• Getting out into nature.  Recently I went back to Tassie for another three day walk into Pelion plains with a mate.  There is no phone coverage up there.
• Breaking bread before meals.  We try to do this as often as possible at home.  We turn off the lights, light a candle and share communion, taking time to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us.  This brings some daily ritual into our busy lives.

I’d love to hear other ideas that people have..

In light of my last post, and the ensuing conversation, I appreciate this post from Alan Hirsch..

The word simplex has appeared a few times on this blog. Its probably time to try and to eloborate on the idea behind my use of the this term. Well…while I use it is a nuanced way, it is stolen from the realm of biology, the humble naughty virus herpes simplex no less! Nonetheless, I have hacked the term to to try and bring two key ideas together–simplicity and complexity.

(more…)

Source: the issue of simplexity
Originally published on Wed, 23 May 2007 03:57:29 GMT by Alan Hirsch

I was lead to some reading after following a link over the weekend (N.T. Wright on “Pierced for Our Transgressions”) on theological positions behind the cross of Jesus.

In some circles this sort of discussion is regular and passionate.  It has always been.  And you could say it is justified - after all the cross is central to our faith.

Some of the recent discussion owes its thanks to, in part at least, the increasingly popular “Christian” TV series “Way of the Master“.  Starring the ex-teen-sensation Kirk Cameron (you know - the guy from Growing Pains), WOTM makes well known its dogmatic commitment to what is called ”penal substitution” theology.  I’ve heard a WOTM man point out that the book of Acts never once mentions the love of God and that God will “Squash” you.  True enough of a fact (the Acts part), but he also fails to point out that it is one of the only books in the New Testament part of the bible that does not mention this dominant theme of the Love of God. 

In a short (crude) sentence, penal substitution is the angry god / loving Jesus perspective on the cross, that says that we all deserve punishment because of sin, but Jesus died on the cross in our place so that God is allowed to forgive us.

On the flip side of the coin is the “Christus Victor” understanding that says (again, crudely) that a loving God doesn’t send people to hell, but instead paid the ransom (Jesus/Cross) to purchase us back from the slavery of sin, who then stuck it to the devil by raising again from the dead.

My problem, is that both sides of this argument have valid arguments for and against them.  Penal substitution makes sense rationally, until you start to ponder on even the little we as humans understand about love - then it doesn’t make sense.  And yet, a quick reading of the first few chapters of Romans (in the bible) makes it clear that God does indeed hate sin, and retribution does indeed form part of the equation.

So my logical brain was left wanting.  But you know what, I think it is allowed to remain that way.

I read a timely entry today from “Angry and Shallow“.  Read it, and then my comment:

I just spent the weekend going over such stuff .. really, it did my head in. I wanted to come up with a statement of exactly what I believed, but just could not.

But you are right. What happened on the cross was supernatural and divine. It cannot be understood fully in human terms. We now look through a “glass darkly”.
What we have though are magnificent types and symbols the show as that through whatever happened, the old has been made new, and we now have a hope and a future.

Thank you for allowing me to not need a formulation.

So where I am at - I think both sides have truths.  But with all metaphors, they fall short.  I think that we do not fall into the trap of committing to metaphors or logical reasoning, but allow a healthy amount of mystery and paradox to leave us in Awe.  Actually, come to think of it - I think that’s probably God’s intent.

It’s about the last thing in our house (that I’m aware of) that isn’t too eco-friendly.  And with all the TV shows talking about how we should be replacing our shower heads with water-saving shower heads, I thought it must be about time to go into the bathroom and plumbing place across the road from work.

Now when the media started talking about CF lightbulbs, suddenly our supermarkets were sold out of them.  It become a boom industry apparently.  I was certain then that I would walk into the store across the road to be greeted with isles full of showerheads, to grab one and walk out with smiling salespeople beaming ‘welcome to the club’

Instead I was given quizzical looks.  “You mean one that uses less water”.  “Well, yes - that’s what the TV tells me”.  “Well, we’ve got this one”.

“This one” looks just like my current one, except they have stuck a limiting valve in there to meet the ratings.  “That’s no good” I complain, “wouldn’t that mean lower pressure?”.  “They are all lower pressure, mate”.

Now, I might be missing something, but couldn’t I get the same result by using my same shower head with the tap turned down?  What I wanted was a shower head that uses less water, because it is designed to use less water - meaning a decent shower.

Choice tells me that the best (low priced) head is the “Flexispray Bermuda II”.. That sounds like a shower head I want to wash under.  I try to buy it online.  I can only find it on a site that offers it to me for $15 (great!).  But wait, it’s Sydney Water, and they won’t sell it to me, because I’m in Melbourne and the reduced price is due to a NSW scheme.  Why don’t we have something like that?  Hang on, we do, but they won’t send one to me because I am a renter.

So after trying to get a water saving shower head, I go home empty handed.  It’s a good thing that we don’t have a water crisis at the moment.

We had some family and friends over for what could be called our first spritual gathering that we have hosted since moving to Melbourne.

It was a simple affair with 13 of us in all - we sat round in a group having great conversation until we pulled out the Easter eggs.  We were following a tradition that we thought was Bulgarian, but turned out to be following in most of middle Europe, where hard boild, died eggs are held in hand, and then an attempt is made to hit it against some-one elses egg, and crack theirs without cracking your own.  I lost.  Twice.

We followed this up with an idea stolen from Andew Jones where I read some words of Jesus over the music and video called Glósóli by Sigur Ros.  It was quite impacting, although I did skip over some of the verses accidentally.  We then broke some bread and drank some wine.

Louisa had prepared a big, big salmon, which we then shared, eating, talking and drinking into the night.

My Friend, John, turned up with a copy of The Age, and on the front cover, leading into a full page was a great article on some Emerging Church happenings in Melbourne.  Featured was Urban Seed, a community that we have been a little involved in over the past six months.