Ashes to Ashes...

Dust to dust...

Flash poll

Has the energy on this blog dropped because:

1. We've grown tired of visiting,
2. This blog has dropped (really far) down our online reading list,
   
3. The conversation has been cyclical and stagnant,
4. We've given up on idle banter, or
   
5. For no real reason
   

Does anyone still visit here?

Ariaan Vlok @ Northfield

Former apartheid-era Minister of Law and Order, Adriaan Vlok, renowned for his drastic measures to reduce unrest in 1980s, will be the guest speaker at Justice Sunday at Northfield, Benoni, this Sunday, 10h00.

In a recent act of contrition, Vlok made news by washing the feet of Rev Frank Chikane who survived a murder attempt under Vlok's watch.

If you're around this part of South Africa, see you there.

Is it helpful?

If you've been around Northfield recently you would have noticed that the culture of the church has changed a bit. along with the new building and how it impacts the feel of the place, we have welcomed Stephen Holly into the church as the contemporary worship pastor. With heading up that role, he also preaches quite extensively. Stephen is a direct character of the charismatic fold who is bold in his preaching and worship leading. Northfield is not used to this. As a church we're used to just plain nice preaching and worship. Within the YA group I've begun noticing how they don;t come to church when Stephen is around. It's almost a if they would Rather rnot be challenged by him and go where it is a whole lot easier to be a Christan.

But I do think this trend has it's root in the theme of "if it is not helpful, leave it behind". We apply this thinking to so many aspects of our lives. I now wonder if it is useful that we only follow the useful stuff?

Grading people

Ever wonder why we seemed to have erased from our collective memory the events of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake in which over 73,000 people died, but yet can't get past the 3,000-odd associated with 9-11?

Scott Adams poses a plausible reason why this migth happen here. Could it be that some trgaedies are worse than others based on who was wiped out?

Your story ... part II

Ok, that was 10 comments more than there should have been on a post. So, I'm now starting a new comment thread here for us to pick up from where we left off, to reorganise our thinking, whateva. But now, I'd like us to get practical:

A little while back in a cell group, I had someone tell the group (when we were discussing hearing God's voice) that they did not have a problem with that. Why? Because God spoke audibly to her. Not just spoke, but met face-to-face with her on a regular basis.

Yep, I can hear it already: the sound of your cynicism hackling up much like a porcupine's quills. Did I hear you say "looney tune"? Stick with me, this is a real example. In such an instance how does one get past, or deal with, or confront, or do what ever you need to do with the instantaneous cynicism we feel when confronted with a story (here I mean both a story told, as above, as well as a meta-Story of one's life) that is so absurd?