Wimber: Exhortation to pastors

One life

Proverbs 18:23 "The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults."

Are we still insulting the poor? How do we answer to the plea for mercy? This video by Christian Charity World Vision should help us to open our eyes.

Be faithful...

More than many words!

Anglican Meditations for the Holy Week (MONDAY)

The following material has been taken from ANGLICAN MAINSTREAM

am: Ps 51
pm: 69:1-23
Jer 12:1-16; Phil 3:1-14; John 12:9-19

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: The term “Holy Monday” carries over from the Eastern Orthodox Church for Monday and Tuesday of this Week also known as Great and Holy Monday and Tuesday. On these days, an icon of the "Bridegroom" is placed in the center of the church, portraying Jesus wearing the purple robe of mockery and crowned with a crown of thorns. Also the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated, at which the faithful may receive Holy Communion from the reserved Holy Mysteries.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: For the Apostle Paul, we see today that he spends a good bit of time that there is the need for perspective and self-reflection. As a matter of fact he calls all that he has done he has just spent time explaining to the Philippians Christians of little consequence and in fact, it is worthless. WHY? Because he has met and encountered Jesus Christ and everything, is worthless compared to knowing him? This Week in Holy Week, we are given a profound opportunity through the liturgical journey of the church to come face to face with the power of the cross and reconcile our lives with the price Christ had to pay to save us. This is not a week to be complacence and to look forward to a nice holiday. Rather we should be aware that here is much to
do in this journey, if we want to attain the prize of which he speaks . As we consider the words of St. Paul today and moving through this Holy Week, let us ponder our reasons why or why not we are on the road to accomplish the prize, which is Christ Jesus as Risen Lord.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. Amen - - (Psalm 142)

Holy Monday Discipline – Take some time to study about what the church teachings on poverty and the Christian response is to be. Ask yourself how significant your life response has been. Such thoughts will not only help you serve Christ, but you also add into yourself a wider perspective about difficult issues. Or Think about this….Mary used costly perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet. What is valuable in your life today? Time? Money? Relationships? How can you use these things to honor Jesus?

NT Wright on evil & satan

Interview with John Burke from Gateway Church

Primoz Trubar, a Kingdom Story in Slovenia

Due to my professional engagements, I'm visiting the beautiful city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. I am attending the First European Food Congress, where several subjects related to food such as health, nutrition, consumer behaviour, safety, etc. are being thorougly discussed.

Anyway, yesterday, on my way to the registration desk, I noticed that there was an exhibition in a nearby museum about a man called Primoz Trubar, and I could understand something about "protestant" in the title (my Slovenian is null). So, after registration, I visited the aforementioned museum. The guide told me the following story:

Primoz Trubar was a Bible believing Christian, who played a very important role in the history of Slovenia. He was very much influenced by the German reformers. The desire of his heart was that every Slovenian person could read the Bible (translated by Jurij Dalmatin). Therefore, he dedicated his life to the development of the Slovenian language. First he wrote a Catechism (a basic introduction to the faith), and he developed the first Slovenian alphabet (abecedarium). He didn't stop there. He founded several primary and popular schools where all children, boys and girls could go to learn the alphabet and other subjects like how to live decently in society. Moreover, Trubar was the pioneer of secondary education in Slovenia. Today's Slovenian language would not have existed if Trubar would not have taken the calling and contributed to the "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven". He was working FOR the Kingdom of God!

After few years, he was forced to exile in Germany ... the politics of the Austrian-Habsburgs in close collaboration with the RC Inquisition yielded in the persecution of this man. Tubar's work was prohibited and even the mention of his name was banned from all history textbooks until the early XX Century. In 2008 the Slovenian people celebrate the 500 anniversary of the birth of this man of God's Kingdom. Vindicated after centuries of forcedly being forgotten. The official Slovenian Government address can be read here. The official site of Trubar2008 is here with more detailed biographical information.

It was an inspiring visit!

A review of The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment. By Tim Challies.

In the midst of all doctrinal turmoils that the Church worldwide is facing, particularly the 'all-inclusive-feel-good-gospel' the following review of the book "The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment" fits perfectly. From Bill Muehlenberg's blog and via the Anglican Mainstream's site.

There was a time when it was a virtue to be known as discerning and discriminating. That was before Political Correctness set in. Now in an age of relativism and postmodernism, a fraudulent form of tolerance has arisen. As a result, people are terrified of speaking out on anything, for fear of being accused of being intolerant, narrow-minded and dogmatic.

Sadder still, this foolish idea of tolerance has crept into the churches as well. Now many believers are actually claiming that Christians should not judge, should not rebuke, and should not claim to have the truth. Somehow we have come to believe that spiritual maturity has something to do with the suspension of judgment and the absence of critical discernment.

But Tim Challies argues that the exact opposite is the case: spiritually mature Christians are those who have learned the discipline of biblical discernment. Indeed, a lack of discernment results in spiritual immaturity, backsliding and worse.

Challies defines spiritual discernment as the “skill of understanding and applying God’s word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong”.

It is, in other words, thinking biblically about life. He argues that it is a practice, like prayer and Scripture reading, which must be developed and maintained. Without the discipline of spiritual discernment, we will be ineffective for service in the Kingdom.

Challies offers many texts to make his case. He begins with the prayer of King Solomon in which he asks God for “an understanding mind” to govern his people, and that he “may discern between good and evil”. God was pleased with his request and granted it. Even today, we still speak about the wisdom of Solomon.

Of course Jesus had to upbraid his disciples for not being understanding, or discerning (Mark 8:17-21). The New Testament writers make much of this theme. In Eph. 5:10 Paul says we should “discern what is pleasing to the Lord”.

In Heb. 5:11-14 we are told that spiritual maturity comes when believers “have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good form evil”. Challies reminds us that the Hebrew Christians were not new believers, and they should have known better. But they were still stuck on the milk of the Word, and not able to handle strong meat.

Sound theology, in other words, is part of what makes for mature believers. We need to study the Word and distinguish truth from error, right from wrong. But many in the church today look down on theology, denigrate doctrine, celebrate doubt and rubbish the mind. That is a recipe for disaster says Challies.

Developing biblical discernment is part of the way in which we develop a biblical worldview. Unfortunately a secular worldview is far too often prevalent in the churches. Many believers have latched onto false notions of tolerance, have downplayed doctrine, have rejected the idea of truth, and have embraced the values of the world.

When believers stop thinking Christianly, their thoughts and values do not remain in neutral: they end up absorbing the beliefs, values and practices of the surrounding secular culture. We end up believing and acting pretty much like everyone else does.

Indeed, researchers such as George Barna have documented the loss of a biblical worldview, and the resultant loss of character and biblical lifestyle. This is why spiritual discernment is so important.

Spiritual maturity, brought on by biblical discernment, will help us live lives of integrity and sound character, and will help preserve the gospel from error and deception. Both are vitally important.

Challies discusses the importance of judging, and looks at passages which seem to forbid it, such as Matt. 7:1. He rightly notes that hypocritical judgment is what Jesus warns against here. Challies examines the various passages that urge us to test all things and to discern, evaluate and assess.

He further discusses such things as the gift of discernment, the dangers of discernment, the development and practice of discernment, and the discipline of discernment. Thus this volume is a practical and level-headed look at a much needed spiritual resource.

We have plenty of books on the discipline of prayer, bible reading, fasting, and so on. But the area of Christian worldview and biblical discernment is not usually associated with such topics. But these disciplines all go together, resulting in spiritual growth and maturity.

Challies is to be praised for drawing to our attention the pressing need for spiritual discernment, and how it may be achieved.

Incarnational Christianity

Archbishop Venables in Lambeth

More on Lambeth and the 'S' day

In the previous post, I assumed wrongly that the voices of ex-gays were not heard in Lambeth. Actually, in the market place, and amongst all pro-gay activists, there is one prophetic voice as reported by VirtueOnLine.

Speaking of ex-gay or post-gay, the Zacchaeus Fellowship is here bearing witness to the transforming power of Christ's love in our lives. "As men and women who have struggled with same-sex attractions, we seek to be a voice of hope to the church and to others who share these struggles. We encourage the Church to stand firm in proclaiming to everyone who experiences same-sex attractions that Christ offers them new life and hope." Not with this crowd. Inclusion means never having to repent or change your life.

VirtueOnLine reports are worth to read.

Keep praying and let's see what happens!

Decisive day in Lambeth: the 'S' day

Early this morning the BBC announced that today is THE day. Bishops will talk and reflect on human sexuality (that's why I called it the 's' day!)
The agenda for today can be found here. Even more, later today a theater play will be performed on the stories of gay Christians.

Funny enough, Bishops have been listening to one side of the story. But Peter Ould made the point in a recent post: the voices of those Christians who once were gay and today are not gay anymore have not been heard! He clearly mentions Andy Comiskey (the founder of Desert Stream Ministries, now in Kansans), Mario Bergner, an Anglican priest from Redeemed Lives Ministries. There are other Anglicans like Martin Hallet the founder of True Freedom Trust who deserve to be heard, or that should have had more room and space in all this process. Probably they were heard before.

A good article on the Anglican Crisis can be found here.

Again, let's pray, wait and see.

Venables in Lambeth

Many years ago, I've seen and heard ++ Gregory Venables preaching a couple of times when he was the Bolivian Anglican Bishop. If there is something I remember from his preachings, it is that he would never doubt to use any circumstance or situation to preach the Gospel, to announce Jesus. Actually, I admired the fact that an older man would be so outspoken for Jesus.

Anyway, many years later, this man is one of the central figures of the Anglican Communion. He participated in the GAFCON conference, provided pastoral oversight to those bible believing Anglicans in the US and Canada (a remnant?), and stood firm for the orthodox faith.

Church Times has published some recent comments by Bishop Venables. The full article can be read here. Apparently, there is a kind of 'denial' mood in Lambeth, and the core issues are not being properly addressed.

Unless we talk about the real reasons why we are divided there’s little hope of putting it back together again

Let's wait and see!

Lambeth ...

It is difficult to follow all the moves and news from the Lambeth Conference. Our brethren in the Anglican Communion are struggling to choose either a bible based faith, with the pains and sorrows that it may imply, or to choose a more modern and open minded way of believing. I think that the latter is an avoidance of the 'sorrows' that we should expect in this world (John 16.33).



Archbishop Williams pronounced his Second Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference 2008. Hereunder an extract of his speech:

What might the traditional believer hope others have heard? ‘What we seek to do in our context is faithfully to pass on what you passed on to us — Holy Scripture, apostolic ministry, sacramental discipline. But what are we to think when all these things seem to be questioned and even overturned? We want to be pastorally caring to all, to be “inclusive” as you like to say. We want to welcome everyone. Yet the gospel and the faith you passed on to us tell us that some kinds of behaviour and relationship are not blessed by GOD. Our love and our welcome are unreal if we don’t truthfully let others know what has shaped and directed our lives — so along with welcome, we must still challenge people to change their ways. We don’t see why welcoming the gay or lesbian person with love must mean blessing what they do in the Church’s name or accepting them for ordination whatever their lifestyle. We seek to love them — and, all right, we don’t always make a good job of it : but we can’t just say that there is nothing to challenge. Isn’t it like the dilemma of the early Church — welcoming soldiers, yet seeking to get them to lay down their arms?

Let's wait and see.

On the Anglican Communion: Reform from within!

I have been following the current events in the Anglican Communion. At this very moment, more than 250 Bishops and in total about 1000 bishops, clergy and lay leaders are reunited in Jerusalem, at the Global Anglican Future Conference 'GAFCON' , praying and listening God on His will for the future of the Anglican Communion.

What we are meeting for here is not to plan to walk away. We are meeting to renew our commitment, to renew our faith, to get a sense of direction of what we can be as Anglicans. We do not want to start a new Church. (Archbishop Orombi, Uganda)

The Anglican leaders are searching for a renewed commitment to evangelism and the proclamation of the Gospel of King Jesus, despite the growing influence of secularism in society. They are looking for a refreshed way to tell the world that King Jesus has actually never forsaken his people and God's creation.

The West is losing a Christian discourse at the very time it needs it most. Let us pray we are able to recover our Christian nerve in the West and to make sure the Gospel is not lost. (Bishop of Rochester, UK)

The Anglican leaders understood that there is indeed a need to keep the unity of the Church, and that their voices are much more important within the context of the Global Anglicanism than becoming a separate Church. What a challenge!

the agenda is now reform from within rather than starting a breakaway conservative Anglican church (Times Online)

More About Amsterdam Vineyard Mission

UK banned the father and allowed mixing animal and human genetic material

I have been following via BBC (at home) and Anglican Mainstream (through internet) the current debate in the UK about the recent bills under consideration. I don't know where common sense has fled. Maybe Her Gracious Majesty can still veto the recent bills.

So, to start, Times Online reported that the new right of women is to have children without a father. The full article can be read here or here. It is one of the main social victories of single women and lesbian couples, or is it? The paradoxical part of this story, for those who have ever been involved in pastoral care, is the fact that many manifestations of inner brokenness are actually the consequence of dysfunctional families, and definitely due to the absence of the father figure. Shame! The worst part of this story is that nobody will tell these children about the Christian God that is a father for the fatherless ...

The other story had to do with the hybrid embryo research. The full story can be found here. Some of the advocates say that use of hybrid embryos could be good for finding cure to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson. Gordon Brown's own child is affected by a chronic degenerative disease. This bill also allows the "production" of "saviour siblings", or more clearly to make viable children to be used to save the life of the older sick sibling.

Finally, the legislators have also kept the 24 weeks term where abortions can be performed. Full story here. I want to quote MP Edward Leigh words:

In modern Britain the most dangerous place to be is in your mother's womb. It should be a place of sanctity

I wonder, have the common Brit ever seen a youtube video on abortion? The series on the Silent Scream are available here, here, here, here, and here. There are also videos on the results of abortion, see here. This testimony could help.



Other video about the abortion business in Spain (Warning: it's a shocking video!!!) ... Shame!

Is 57.1 The righteous perish,
and no one ponders it in his heart;
devout men are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.

2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.

3 "But you—come here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4 Whom are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?

5 You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.

6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
they, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In the light of these things, should I relent?

7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.

8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked on their nakedness.

May God be merciful! Jesus is Lord! Marantha, come Lord Jesus with your restoring righteousness!

Psalm 119

This famous photo, taken on 5 June 1989 by photographer Jeff Widener, depicts an unknown man trying to stop the PLA's advancing tanks.

The first time i saw the previous picture was on the newspaper. It was impressive to see one man standing against the powers of this age, the powers who only know ruling by force and oppression.

When I was adolescent, several testimonies of radical Christian men and women coupled with definitely sound Kingdom teaching, also inspired me to live my Christian life in a radical way, standing firm on the Scripture. It was a challenge particularly in an environment where the Bible wasn't really appreciated. But it was also a challenge in the midst of a Church that was growing exponentially in numbers, but not even arithmetically in Bible knowledge, and in the doctrine of the Apostles. All winds of doctrine came further as hurricanes to the Body: "prosperity" and "faith" gospels, neo-gnosticism with escapist theories, biased Calvinism mixed with biased Arminianism and Pelagianism, or the recently discovered "Gehena" doctrine (which is the equivalent of purgatory for some Evangelicals), revivals with lots of external manifestations ... Wonder why it was so difficult for many, including myself, to have a safe haven, a safe port. When I look this small list, I can see many of my old days friends having taken one or the other or all roads at different times. The only safe place has been for generations and generations the Bible.

But during my life, I discovered that compromising the Bible and the teachings of Gods Kingdom normally had a negative effect in my life. Each time i not only had the intention to live according to the "majority", following the current of the thought of this world, but actively did so, found myself in places where I now wish I would have never been. My youth friends went all also to explore different spiritualities, religion, places and philosophies. And we all learned, each time followed by the next, that the only safe place to go back was and remains the Bible.

Of course, I would not have ever dreamed those days that once in the far future (almost 20y later) I would be living in Europe, in the intellectual environment of Darwinian science, neo-liberal economy and flexible orthodoxy. Since nothing is new under the sun, I found in the Bible (of course), that other men in the past experienced with similar challenges.

Psalm 119
g Gimel
17 Do good to your servant, and I will live;
I will obey your word.

18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.

19 I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.

21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
and who stray from your commands.

22 Remove from me scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.

23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.

24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.

So from this humble blog, a single voice lifted to encourage those like Greg Venables or Tom Wright who stand firm in the faith! Your example is followed by many, and your testimonies are an encouragement to believers all over the world.

Ik ben tolero

Recently Kris Vleugels' mailing list brought to my attention the newest tolerance campaign in Belgium. His statements are clearly posted at actiegezin. The campaign organized by Mme Katheleen Van Brempt, the Flemish Minister of Equal Chances has been followed by the media and some groups due to a very tricky and controversial slogan. The full campaign basically aims at making Flemish society more tolerant with homosexual people and reduce the discrimination against same sex attracted people, highlighting the difficulties faced, particularly by youngsters, in the acceptance of homosexuality as their identity.

I think that everybody agrees with the fact that all humans deserve respect, equal chances, and opportunities. In that context I would oppose to any kind of intolerance and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Still, I think that the wording of the campaign is a bit out of boundaries. The campaign starts with the very famous 'f' word. That does not need translation. It curses homosexuals and heterosexuals both at the same time, and then lifts up the "toleros" (the tolerants). In my humble opinion it insults/offends gay people as well as heterosexual people. I wonder, why not to be proactive and creative in the communication strategies? That the campaign wants to shock is clear! But trespassing the limits of respecting the "other" by using such wording is at the very least questionable.

Obviously, there is a huge debate. Lots of discussions going on the issue, including in the Christian sites. Obviously, the younger generation of Christians are debating it in the forum of the Breeze site.

I was simply astonished by the following statement:

Wie zijn wij christenen om aan een ander onze normen en waarden op te leggen? (signed truthseeker)

Translation: Who do we think we are, Christians, to impose our values on others?

Today at lunch, my friend Samuel reminded me that adulthood is also about knowing your beliefs. Such comments from Christians trying to play the "cool" are a post enlightenment misunderstanding of the Gospel. This makes me think that we are not to "impose" anything by force. That was the failure of the Inquisition. But we can indeed embody a different lifestyle, a lifestyle fueled by the love described in 1st Corinthians 13. Love has also to do with truth. Love has to do with remaining firm and unmovable in the faith of the Resurrected Jesus for the sake of the whole society.

Be blessed!

It's well with my soul (Hymn)

Powerful testimony! Powerful Hymn!