transpacificism

z week 42 & 43

2011-04-28T21:51:00.008+12:00

Here are a few new pics of Zoe from the past two weeks. The first few are a couple I snapped but the nice ones below are courtesy of our neighbour Jill. Thanks Jill.

z week 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

2011-04-12T13:51:00.016+12:00

Dear Zoe,

I have no idea how old you'll be when you read this but I want to apologise for not keeping up to date with your weekly photos. The lack of blog posts certainly doesn't mean I haven't been interested in watching you grow and develop. You are a delight and a joy in my life and it's amazing how much you've grown in the past two months. You constantly make me smile and laugh. Life has been a bit crazy which is why there's a huge gap between these posts. Someday I'll explain it to you. My hope is that whenever you're reading this some missing blog posts won't concern you in the least because you will know from how close our relationship that you are loved and cherished by your father. Which by the way, you are.

Anyway, here are a smattering of photos of some of the stuff that's happened with you in the past few months.

z week 27, 28, & 29

2011-01-23T21:46:00.011+13:00

Okay, so after three weeks of no pictures I guess I don't really have an adequate excuse for the family members waiting for new Zoe pics. A lot of busyness, a little second-child syndrome, lack of direct photo activity, all combined to... okay I just didn't get it done. What do you want me to say? Anyway, here's a series of photo's capturing a bit of the last few weeks. I'll try to do better in coming weeks.

z week 26

2010-12-30T21:47:00.008+13:00

Wow! A miracle! I've done my weekly Zoe post on time!

Here are a few pics of Zoë's first Christmas. There's also a video of Zoë's first experience with solid food.

z week 24&25

2010-12-23T20:25:00.010+13:00

Sorry for the delay again. Here's another double post with some extra pictures of Zoe from the last few weeks. She is getting quite smiley and interactive lately. It's quite cool when I walk in the room and she just starts smiling at me. My baby knows who her daddy is.

z week 22&23

2010-12-10T21:17:00.006+13:00

As an apology to the two grandmothers and the auntie for missing last week's post I've put up a few extra photos and a video this week.

The first one is the two girls sitting and hanging together in the lounge. I think Sophia was trying to wave for the camera but then became quite interested in her hand. The rest are from a little photo shoot our neighbour Jill did with Zoe. Some great shots of her cute little self.

I tried to get a Zoe chattering away but of course as soon as I turned the camera on she hushed up for the most part. There's a nice surprise ending though.

z week 21

2010-11-26T20:29:00.004+13:00

z week 20

2010-11-20T20:39:00.005+13:00

Grandmothers, prepare to be disappointed. Not only is this week's Zoe post a few days late, it also only has one picture, and it's not a close up. Sorry.

Update: Brooke that my post this week was weak and put up some pictures she had of Zoe here.

z weeks 18 & 19

2010-11-12T23:20:00.009+13:00

So, we were out of town last week and I took pretty much no pictures of Zoe while we were away. These were all taken at the same time (this week) but they'll have to do. I think her cuteness can cover two weeks, especially with that little tongue.

z week 17

2010-10-29T22:52:00.004+13:00

So apparently this has become the Zoe blog since I'm too tired lately to post anything else. Ah well, at least she's cute.

z week 16

2010-10-22T21:19:00.005+13:00

z week 15

2010-10-16T21:23:00.005+13:00

z week 14

2010-10-11T09:33:00.002+13:00

I meant to put this notice up earlier but Brooke has posted pics of Zoe on her blog for last week. I was out of town for several days of meetings and wasn't able to get any good photos. I'll be on top of it this week and will hopefully also resume some regular blogging.

z week 13

2010-09-30T19:47:00.006+13:00

I've been crazy busy the last few weeks which is why the only blogging has been my Zoe updates. If there's still anyone out there interested in posts other than these, please hang in there. I have another week of full-on-hecticness then I'll hopefully resume some regular blogging. Until then here are some new pics of the wee one

z week 12

2010-09-24T23:27:00.005+12:00

z week 11

2010-09-18T21:08:00.002+12:00

It's been a crazy week so the update on Zoe is a bit late. Apologies particularly to the grandmothers (and Aunt Lori!). To make up for the delay I'm putting up a video instead of pics this week. Enjoy.

z week 10

2010-09-10T19:53:00.003+12:00

Only 3 pics this week. Sorry.

ex libris

2010-09-07T11:51:00.003+12:00

"My departure from atheism was not occasioned by any new phenomenon or argument. Over the last two decades, my whole framework of thought has been in a state of migration. This was a consequence of my continuing assessment of the evidence of nature. When I finally came to recognize the existence of a God, it was not a paradigm shift, because my paradigm remains, as Plato is his Republic scripted his Socrates to insist: 'We must follow the argument wherever it leads."

"Are we engaging in science or philosophy here? When you study the interaction of two physical bodies, for instance, two subatomic particles, you are engaged in science. When you ask how it is that those subatomic particles - or anything physical - could exist and why, you are engaged in philosophy. When you draw philosophical conclusions from scientific data, then you are thinking as a philosopher."

"Of course, scientists are just as free to think as philosophers as anyone else. And, of course, not all scientists will agree with my particular interpretation of the facts they generate. But their disagreements will have to stand on their own two philosophical feet. In other words, if they are engaged in philosophical analysis, neither their authority nor their expertise as scientists is of any relevance." - Antony Flew, There is A God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind, 89, 90-91.

z week 9

2010-09-02T23:39:00.006+12:00

z week 8

2010-08-26T20:58:00.005+12:00

goodnight walken

2010-08-25T11:15:00.003+12:00

I remember reading Goodnight Moon when I was a kid and I've now read it to Sophia a couple hundred times or so, and I do find Christopher Walken a a tad bit creepy. Therefore, when I saw this clip on a Simpson's rerun a few nights ago I knew I had to post it.

z week 7

2010-08-21T20:01:00.010+12:00

The Black Keys: Brothers Album

2010-08-18T19:18:00.002+12:00

I've been meaning to post this video and comment on this album for quite awhile now but have been a bit slack. Anyways, go buy the new album Brothers by The Black Keys. It's well worth the investment. Of course, so are several of their other albums. Okay, so there's my comment.

like a whipped dog

2010-08-17T17:09:00.004+12:00

With great shame and self-scorn I've admitted the inevitability of having to rejoin Facebook. My arguments against it and concerns about it still stand. However, I've been cowed. I admit the importance of Facebook in our current cultural context and grudgingly return (yet again) to partake of the connectivity it provides. I will remain on and I will remain silent in regards to the aforementioned arguments and concerns. Several of my friends will mourn this decision but I suspect most will chuckle if not mock and gloat.

z week 6

2010-08-13T10:38:00.004+12:00

z week 5

2010-08-07T17:09:00.008+12:00

Sorry for the delay on this week's Zoe post. It's been a bit hectic around here the past 7 days.

z week 4

2010-07-30T21:44:00.005+12:00

ex libris

2010-07-26T12:36:00.004+12:00

Nothing is quite so fallacious as to think of sin only in terms of actions; and as long as we think of sin only in terms of things actually done, we fail to understand it. The essence of the biblical teaching on sin is that it is essentially a disposition. It is a state of the heart.

That is the terrible nature of [Jesus'] teaching at this point. This thing that has entered into our very nature and constitution as human beings, is something that is so polluting our whole being that when a man is engaged in his highest form of activity he still has a battle to wage with it. It has always been agreed, I think, that the highest picture that you can ever have of man is to look at him on his knees waiting upon God. That is the highest achievement of man, it is his noblest activity. Man is never greater than when he is there in communion and contact with God. Now, according to our Lord, sin is something which affects us so profoundly that even at that point it is with us and assailing us. Indeed, we must surely agree on the basis of New Testament teaching that it is only there we really begin to understand sin.

We tend to think of sin as we see it in its rags and in the gutters of life. We look at a drunkard, poor fellow, and we say: There is sin; that is sin. But that is not the essence of sin. To have a real picture and true understanding of it, you must look at some great saint, some unusually devout and devoted man. Look at him there upon his knees in the very presence of God. Even there self is intruding itself, and the temptation is for him to think about himself, and really to be worshipping himself rather than God. That, not the other, is the true picture of sin. The other is sin, of course, but there you do not see it at its acme; you do not see it in its essence.... Sin is something that follows us even into the very presence of God. - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount: Volume 2, 22-23.

z week 3

2010-07-22T23:16:00.005+12:00

Unfortunately we're not sleeping as much as these photos would lead you to believe. Okay, I confess, a few of them are staged because let's face it, sleeping with a baby is pretty darn cute.

z week 2

2010-07-15T22:20:00.007+12:00

I think in the last photo Zoe finally got sick of the picture taking and decided to give us all the stink eye.

z week 1

2010-07-08T20:42:00.006+12:00

As I did with Sophia I plan to track Zoe's growth in pictures week by week for the first year of her life. I don't have as many pics from week 1 because Brooke ended up posting several of the ones I was planning on putting up. I should have more next week though.

ex libris

2010-07-07T17:10:00.003+12:00

"The evangelizing congregation is continuously being evangelized."

"The 'gospel which meets my needs' must be replaced with the good news that reveals needs I did not know I had while providing healing power I never dreamed was possible."

"The members of the congregation need constantly to be helped to 'say their faith' when they are together, so that they can learn how to say it when they are apart - that is, when they are the sent-out people of God in mission."

"We reveal what we think Christian witness is all about with the standards and practices we establish for becoming a Christian. If we accept a 'lowest common denominator' definition of Christian commitment, then we should not be surprised that our congregations evidence so little commitment to gospel mission."

"The world of the principalities and powers is little challenged by a private and personal, vertical-relationship gospel. And that suits the powers and principalities fine....

"There is always pressure to tame the gospel. There is always resistance to the claims of Christ for total lordship. There is always a desire to move humans from the posture of sinners dependent upon grace to the stance of co-workers with God for the improvement of the world."

- Darrell L. Guder, The Continuing Conversion of the Church; 151, 155, 161, 173, 190.

introducing.....

2010-07-01T23:40:00.009+12:00

Zoe Caroline Scott!

Born: 5:45pm 1st July 2010

Weight: 8lb 14oz (4.02kg)

Length: 21" (53cm)

a man named sue

2010-06-30T21:32:00.004+12:00

“So what kind of place is this?” asked Sue.

“This is a church office.” I replied.

“Oh, what kind of church is it?”

“We’re a presbyterian church.”

“Oh, I’m a presbyterian.”

“Really?”

“Well, I haven’t been to church in a very long time.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I guess mainly my lifestyle.”

Sue had stopped into my office looking for a phone to use. After failing to find a ride, declining my offers of something to eat or drink, leaving the office and then returning later to try another number, our conversation began this way.

Sue was very open about the particular lifestyle he felt prevented him from attending church. In many ways he couldn’t help but be open about it since he very literally wore many aspects of his lifestyle for all to see. Sue is a 40-year-old, transvestite, male prostitute who is heavily addicted to Meth. The scars of his addiction stand out almost as much as the fake breasts and women’s clothing.

Sue left home around age 13 to escape an abusive father and has spent the last 27 years living on and off the streets, selling himself not just to fund an addiction but also to survive. “I’m not getting any younger and I know I can’t continue living this way for long,” was the conclusion that Sue shared with me. We then discussed whether what he was doing could really be considered living at all.

I tried to assure Sue that God is not waiting for him to clean his act up before He’ll accept him. We read the story of the Prodigal Sons in Luke 15:11-32 together and I tried to explain to Sue that both sons in the story were lost, the immoral one and the moral one, both the one with the "good" lifestyle and the bad, and yet the Father was eager to embrace both, regardless of lifestyle, and receive them back into loving relationship. With tear in eye, Sue smiled. He understood and appreciated this truth, but confessed he wasn’t ready to return home and was still satisfied by the embrace of those who would use him rather than the One who would love him.

Our conversation then turned to other daily life issues. Struggles with addiction, impending court cases, and estrangement from family and friends. We said our goodbyes, I shook Sue’s hand and invited him to stop by anytime.

“So what kind of place is this?” asked Sue.

“This is a church office.” I replied.

I’m hoping that by the end of our conversation Sue saw it as more than that though. I hope he saw it as place of refuge, safety, and grace. I hope I see Sue again.

goal

2010-06-25T13:30:00.002+12:00

I know everyone is waiting for me to put up a new post saying, "Here's the new Scott kid!" This however is not that post because the new Scott kid has not arrived yet, much to Brooke's discomfort.

Last night I was doing some searching and came across the video below which sums up succinctly and creatively what we are striving for with City Presbyterian Church. If any of you were wondering what the goal of planting a new church in Auckland is, here ya go.

sophia's nightly routine

2010-06-19T23:30:00.003+12:00

Our nightly routine with Sophia is get bathed, get lotioned, get dressed for bed, read stories, pray, go to sleep. During the getting lotioned and dressed bit of that routine we usually have some music playing in the background. The following video tells the rest of that story. It's a bit long but I figure the grandparents will appreciate it even if the rest of you turn it off halfway through.

The song on the video is one that she loves. When her grandpa visited last year he introduced Sophia to Harry Belafonte and she's now a big fan.

extremely delayed post-stateside reflections

2010-06-11T00:04:00.002+12:00

So apparently I forgot once again that I have a blog. I've been meaning to post on here for awhile but have been behind in several actual responsibilities and generally have been just a bit tired, so blogging has been at the bottom of the list.

Anyway, since returning from the States I've been meaning to share some observations/reflections of being back in the U.S. after a year and a half in Auckland.

Funny: The first full day I was in the States I was sitting at a cafe before a meeting trying to do some reading. I say "trying" because I was extremely distracted. Every time I started getting into my book I'd hear someone talk and then look up thinking, "Hey, there's an American in here" only to realise everyone in there was American. This scene repeated itself several times.

Awesome: It was nice to be able to buy some reasonably priced books, CD's, clothing, etc. You really don't appreciate how cheap things in the States are until you spend a significant amount of time elsewhere. I packed my suitcase inside another one on the way there but came home with two extremely full pieces of luggage.

Absurd: Why do so many Americans still drive Hummers? Seriously?

Eye-Opening: While sitting at a different cafe on a different day I suddenly realised how loud Americans on average can tend to be, particularly in public conversations. That's not to say there's never any loud conversation at cafes in Auckland. On average though Kiwi's are much more reserved in their public volume and expressiveness. Realising this really made me think about how I'm perceived here and how much my manner of speaking may have changed already. No answers there, just curious.

Annoying: Having a pocket full of pennies and nickels. These coins are so pointless and such a waste of time. Along with this I'd include $1 bills. Having a $1 coin is so much more sensible and cost-efficient.

There were obviously other thoughts but these are some that stuck out in my memory. Overall my three weeks back in the States was good but I was quite ready to come home see Brooke and Sophia again.

10

2010-05-13T19:31:00.005+12:00

Today marks the 10th anniversary of our wedding day. Wow! Where did the years go? I love you Brooke. I can't imagine anyone else as my partner in life and love. You are a incredible wife and mother. Thanks for putting up with me.

first steps

2010-05-12T22:29:00.002+12:00

While preparing to leave for the States I was convinced that Sophia would be walking by the time I got back. To my surprise she wasn't. However, today on my first day back, with a little encouragement from her daddy, she took her first real steps. We got some video of it for the grandparents.

36 hours later...

2010-05-11T23:24:00.002+12:00

36 is the number of consecutive hours I've just finished spending in airports and in jets. What were long flights to begin with were made worse by at least one major mechanical malfunction. I won't go into detail but suffice it to say that the experience, besides being exhausting, provided me with several moments of realizing how much I'm still more defined by anger, impatience, and bitterness rather than the grace of Christ.

Right now though, all is well. For the first time in 3 weeks I've kissed my wife, held my sleeping daughter, and felt my unborn child kick. Happiness.

Now I'm going to go pass out.

myer's park clean up

2010-04-17T17:06:00.012+12:00

This past Saturday a work team from City Presbyterian Church gathered for about 4 hours to help re-beautify and restore a part of our city. About 12 of us went about the task of clearing rubbish from Myer's Park. To my mind this was a profoundly spiritual activity. The Bible says that humans are to be stewards and caretakers of creation. It also says that the people of God are to seek the good of the places we dwell and seek to be a presence of good and blessing in the midst of the city. While there's much more we can, should, and hopefully will be doing; our time in Myer's Park was a good start to our church being what we should be in our community.

house church

2010-04-14T00:35:00.002+12:00

So... I've been pretty crap about posting lately. No excuses really, I've just gotten out of the habit I suppose. I'm not even sure if anyone reads this any more.

Whatever the case may be on that front, I realised that I haven't really said much on the blog about what's been happening with our work here in Auckland. In a nutshell, things are progressing slowly but steadily. Most of you probably know that we named the church plant last year. The church is called City Presbyterian Church and the main thing that's been happening with CPC is our weekly house church gathering.

House church happens on Sunday evenings and is basically a hybrid between a small group meeting and a worship service that meets in a house (duh). We meet each week at 6PM and share a meal together. After the meal we move into a more formal time of worship. No music or communion yet, but lot's of prayer, responsive readings, corporate confession and assurance of grace, and a time of teaching and discussion. We're currently studying the "Sermon on the Mount." We've had between 15-22 people attending, both Christians and those investigating the faith. Every fourth Sunday (or thereabouts) we have our normal meal and then a time of open discussion where the goal is to seek to give honest answers to honest questions. This is a no holds barred time where no question or objection about Christianity is off limits.

One of our supporting churches in the States asked us to put a video together for them to show to people to give a picture of what house church is. I've posted it below for those of you who are interested. It's definitely not professional (particularly the audio) but you'll get the gist of it. Unfortunately the night we recorded stuff was one of our low attendance evening. The lounge is usually a bit more full. Anyway, hope this helps the three or so of you still reading get a better picture of what's happening here.

easter 2010

2010-04-04T02:18:00.002+13:00

“Sometimes people approach me and say, ‘I really struggle with this aspect of Christian teaching. I like this part of Christian belie, but I don’t think I can accept that part.’ I usually respond: ‘If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.” That is how the first hearers felt who heard the reports of the resurrection. They knew that if it was true it meant we can’t live our lives any way we want. It also meant we don’t have to be afraid of anything, not Roman swords, not cancer, nothing. If Jesus rose from the dead, it changes everything.” – Timothy Keller, The Reason for God, 202.

“Proposing that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead was just as controversial nineteen hundred years ago as it is today. The discovery that dead people stayed dead was not first made by the philosophers of the Enlightenment…

“The early Christians did not invent the empty tomb and the ‘meetings’ or ‘sightings’ of the risen Jesus in order to explain a faith they already had. They developed that faith because of the occurrence, and convergence, of these two phenomena. Nobody was expecting this kind of thing; no kind of conversion-experience would have generated such ideas; nobody would have invented it, no matter how guilty (or forgiven) they felt, no matter how many hours they pored over the scriptures. To suggest otherwise is to stop doing history and to enter into a fantasy world of our own….” – N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, 16, 707.

“The biblical authors were committed to the historicity of the events they related. They knew that faith without real world, historical fact, is not faith but mere superstition…

“It is possible that people can refuse to believe [the Bible’s] testimony, functioning as if Jesus’ tomb has a No Vacancy sign hanging outside it. It is also possible that we verbally affirm the resurrection and still fail to be changed by it. The Spirit’s work is essential. But when he works… the resurrection radically transforms our lives. The resurrection, the key to understanding the biblical story, becomes the key to our story as well, the key to a new way of understanding and living in the world.” – Michael D. Williams, Far As the Curse is Found, 12, 19.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! May you find joy and peace in the historical, physical, real resurrection of our historical, physical, real Saviour this day.

the man crush continues unabated

2010-03-16T10:45:00.002+13:00

So I don't know how your morning was, but I met Jack White! After getting to the office this morning I realized I was out of coffee beans and since that's a problem that always needs to be remedied as soon as possible I decided to stroll down the local roaster where I get my beans. As I was approaching the door I thought I saw a familiar face go in ahead of me and when I went in, sure enough; I was standing in line directly behind Jack White. I had totally forgotten he was in town with one of his bands, but there he was.

Anyway, to make a short story shorter, despite Brooke's insistence that I have some sort of weird, obsessive, man-crush on him; all I did was say hello and shake the man's hand. Of course, had I not forgotten my cell phone at home I would have probably tried to get a picture together as well. That would have been all that I needed.

an unfortunately accurate description of me

2010-03-08T11:06:00.001+13:00

Final Season Of 'Lost' Promises To Make Fans More Annoying Than Ever

my new favorite video of sophia

2010-03-06T00:17:00.000+13:00

She just makes me smile.

in the meantime...

2010-02-18T23:27:00.003+13:00

I apologize for another blogging delay. This time it wasn't entirely my fault though. A few days after my last post promising to start posting again my computer broke down and had to be sent to Australia for repairs. I just got it back a couple of days ago and have been trying to get caught up on things. Anyway, for the two of you who are probably still reading this thing, I'll get back to regular blogging soon.

In the meantime, here's a link to a review I wrote of the movie Superbad a couple of years ago that just got posted online.

One other note, I've had to add a verification step for leaving comments here since I've been getting tons of spammers leaving strange comments. Sorry to those of you who don't like the extra step.

oh yeah... i have a blog.

2010-02-04T22:16:00.003+13:00

So yeah, I have kinda forgotten about the fact that I have a blog. I'm going to try to get back into regular posting now but I probably won't bother trying to catch everyone up on the last two months.

As a type of appeasement I thought I'd put up a few pictures of the new baby. Of course I just realized that Brooke has these up already. Oh well, I think it's okay to double on exciting pictures of new life!

ex libris

2010-01-09T11:59:00.003+13:00

... different cultures teach us different languages and grammars, which in turn cause us to see the world differently. Accordingly, the church as a culture teaches a language and grammar that causes Christians to see the world in a peculiar - namely a Christian - way. And the most significant place where we learn Christian language and how to use it is the liturgy.

In the liturgy we learn that certain of our inclinations and actions are to be called "sin," and that the grammatically proper thing to do with sin is to confess it. In the liturgy we learn to name God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rather than, say, Moloch. In the liturgy we learn, quite literally, how to pronounce marriage vows.

In our learning and practicing of this language from week to week, surely one of most important actors is the preacher. The preacher is the one who tells us the story of Christ and relates our lives to it. The preacher, the Christ-storyteller, has the crucial task of helping us articulate our lives - our weal and our woe - theologically, in relation to God.

Pastors in today's setting are severely tempted to substitute something else for their mother tongue or first language. Perhaps most notably in our context they are tempted to replace theological language with psychological language. Surely psychotherapeutic language has helped many people, Christians included. But it should be the church's second language, not replacing the first language of theology. Psychological culture would have us think "id," "ego" and "superego" are more concrete than "Father," "Son" and "Holy Spirit." They are not. If the gospel is true, Freudian divisions of the psyche are actually more abstract, less linked to objective referents, less fundamentally real, than the Christian designation of God as Trinity....

The difference is not that psychological grammar is inherently more practical, more "real," more concrete than theological grammar. The difference is that there is a community ready to concretize and put into practice psychological grammar, while the church has accepted the marginalization of its language; it has concretized and practiced theological grammar less and less. Preachers... can help us remember how to speak our first tongue. Worship we might say, is where those who don't get paid for it learn and do theology.

- Rodney Clapp, A Peculiar People: The Church as Culture in a Post-Christian Society, 103, 105.

ex libris

2010-01-06T10:44:00.003+13:00

"Grace is not a shortcut around our effort; it is the divine blessing on efforts that are undertaken in dependence and trust on God.

"Indeed, the disciplines that undergird any effort at culture making are an essential path to grace. Disciplines are private and invisible, preparing our hearts to handle the pressures of our work becoming public and visible. Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deserving no prize, humbling us in advance of the occasions when our work will be recognized and applauded. Disciplines are difficult, revealing all too clearly our laziness and foolishness, preparing us for times when fruit seems to burst from our smallest efforts. No matter how accomplished we become, disciplines always bring us up against the limits of our ability, offering us an opportunity to reclaim our dependence on Another to complete our inadequate work.

"There may be no greater value to the disciplines than to regularly bring us to these moments of disillusionment with ourselves. Grace is for the poor in spirit, and the disciplines bring us, no matter our ascribed power or actual wealth, to keen awareness of our fundamental poverty.

"Grace is not an exemption from failure. It is, however, what makes it possible to sustain hope in the midst of failure" - Andy Crouch, Culture Making, 257, 258.

This book has been on my "To Read" list ever since it was published in 2008. I finally got around to it and I regret that it has taken me this long. Culture Making is probably one of the best and most challenging books I've read in several years. I'm tempted to just start it over again to fully digest the thoughts, questions, and calls for action presented in this work.

down but not out

2010-01-03T21:57:00.002+13:00

There's been heaps happening over the last few weeks that I've been meaning to post about. We've been out of town for the last week without any internet access so I guess that gives me a little excuse for being behind. Regular posting will resume soon.

a very kiwi christmas

2009-12-27T01:08:00.004+13:00

go sophia! go! go!

2009-12-09T12:25:00.000+13:00

i'll be back... really i will

2009-12-08T13:06:00.002+13:00

My apologies for the blog silence over the past two weeks. I've had several things I've meant to post about and a video or two to put up but in the busyness of life I just haven't. The end of the year is turning out to be a bit hectic.

Anyway, there'll be some more posts coming soon. Until then consider this little gem I cam across while preparing to teach class tonight.

"An 'open mind' can be an 'empty head,' and 'tolerance' can be indistinguishable from believing nothing." - Os Guinness

week 52

2009-11-28T00:00:00.008+13:00

Wow!!! It's hard to believe that Sophia was born a year ago today! It has been a crazy, exciting, hard, and good year. Our daughter is amazing and we are so thankful for her.

This week concludes my 52 week project. Obviously this doesn't mean that I'm never going to put pictures of Sophia up again but they my not be as regular as they have been. If you're not finding enough pics of Sophia here remember to check Brooke's blog as well to see if she has some up.

These first two photos are from some playtime in the park earlier this week.

Sophia needed to check a few emails before her birthday party today.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Her mum made her a special birthday girl hat.

Sophia was a bit indifferent when she first saw the cake...

... but she eventually decided it was pretty good.

Call me biased, but I still think she's incredibly adorable.

And

Introducing

Week 10!!!

ex libris

2009-11-22T00:40:00.002+13:00

"One of the signs that an object is functioning as an idol [counterfeit god] is that fear becomes one of the chief characteristics of life. When we center our lives on the idol, we become dependent on it. If our counterfeit god is threatened in any way, our response is complete panic. We do not say, 'What a shame, how difficult,' but rather 'This is the end! There is no hope!'

"This may be a reason why so many people now respond to U.S. political trends in such an extreme way. When either party wins an election, a certain percentage of the losing side talks openly about leaving the country. They become agitated and fearful for the future. They have put the kind of hope in their political leaders and policies that once was reserved for God and the work of the gospel. When their political leaders are out of power, they experience a death. They believe that if their policies and people are not in power, everything will fall apart. They refuse to admit how much agreement they actually have with the other party, and instead focus on the points of disagreement. The points of contention overshadow everything else, and a poisonous environment is created.

"Another sign of idolatry in our politics is that opponents are not considered to be simply mistaken, but to be evil. After the last presidential election, my eighty-four-year-old mother observed, 'It used to be that whoever was elected as your president, even if he wasn't the one you voted for, he was still your president. That doesn't seem to be the case any longer.' After each election, there is now a significant number of people who see the incoming president lacking moral legitimacy. The increasing political polarization and bitterness we see in U.S. politics today is a sign that we have made political activism into a form of religion."

- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods, 98-100.

week 51

2009-11-21T17:07:00.009+13:00

Sophia has been developing her tastes and preferences. Even though we don't let her watch TV she's already making a list of what to watch when she's old enough.

She's a big fan of various kinds of cheese and crackers.

Her favourite flavour is still "green pacifier" though.

And her choice in theologians is off to a great start.

brisbane

2009-11-17T02:42:00.003+13:00

Sunday I flew into Brisbane, Australia to attend a church planting conference with several other folks from our denomination.

The first day of the conference went well. Nothing really new content wise, but some very encouraging reminders as well as some confirmation regarding a few decisions I've made and need to make. The best part has just been meeting and talking with guys who are in the same position as me and, more importantly, guys who are veteran church planters. Some challenging, humbling, and encouraging conversations.

On the negative side, this is my first time to Australia and I haven't really seen much more than the airport and the inside of a few buildings. Nor will I have any time to see more than that before I head directly from the conference back to the airport to fly home tomorrow. I'm looking forward to heading back to Auckland though, it's way too hot and muggy for me here.

week 50

2009-11-14T00:08:00.007+13:00

Here are some pics of playtime with Daddy. I'm really enjoying having my girls back.

ex libris

2009-11-11T21:27:00.006+13:00

"We can easily see how restless people are who follow their own mind, how many tricks they try and how they tire themselves out in their efforts to obtain the objects of their ambition and avarice, and then again to avoid poverty and humility. If godfearing people do not want to be caught in such snares they must pursue another course: they should not hope, or desire, or even think of prosperity without God's blessing. We may believe and trust that everything depends on divine blessing alone. It may look to us that we can easily attain honor and riches through our own industry, or strenuous exertion, or through the favor of others; yet, it is certain that all these things are nothing in themselves, and that we shall not make any headway by our insight or by our labors, but in so far as the Lord shall prosper both.

"On the other hand, his blessing will find a way to make us happy and prosperous, whatever adversities may come. And though we may be able to obtain a certain measure of wealth and fame without divine blessing, as we may daily observe in godless people who acquire great honors and enormous riches, yet we shall see that those who are under the curse of God have not the smallest particle of happiness. Therefore, we cannot gain anything without divine blessing; and if we do, it will prove a calamity to us. Let us then not be foolish and wish for things that will make us more miserable." - John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life, 38-39.

I've recently been re-reading this little booklet in preparation for a discussion on it with the students in my Spiritual Development course. Originally written about 450 years ago Calvin's words here stand out as remarkably applicable to our day and age. Those of us in Western societies tend to be especially susceptible to this idea that "just a little more" will make me happy. Sadly this is a deception many people fall for, myself included. A little more cash, a little more status, a little more sex, a little more entertainment, a little more... whatever. However, a little more is never enough. It always makes us want more. If our hearts were made for God then nothing short of God can truly fill the void in our hearts that always make us want more. Calvin's direct words get straight to the point that my heart often forgets.

week 49

2009-11-07T14:34:00.005+13:00

My plan to put up new pics of Sophia every week for the first year of her life met a little road block for the past (almost) three weeks since she and Brooke were in the States for Brooke's sister's wedding. This has been a difficult couple of weeks for me. While Brooke and I have been apart for this long before I still don't like it, and up until now I hadn't even spent a night away from Sophia. Needless to say I'm very happy to have both of my ladies back in Auckland.

This was Sophia playing yesterday. Even after a two hour nap the jet lag made her look pretty dazed and droopy.

Her solution to that problem has been to take some extra naps and sleep very heavily. She usually wakes up as soon as any light enters her room, but today she didn't even flinch when I opened her curtains. Poor girl.

literal version

2009-11-04T17:33:00.002+13:00

While I was in Dunedin last weekend some friends turned me onto the "literal versions" of music videos. How have I not heard of this until now? Basically a literal version is when someone re-records the lyrics of a popular music video and changes the words to match whatever is literally happening in the video. Most of the ones I saw weren't that great but this one taking on the RHCP made me laugh pretty good the first time I saw it.

yeah... uh.. nix that last post

2009-10-28T14:48:00.003+13:00

So after a week of being back on the ol' FB, I've decided that all of my reasons for quitting a year ago outweigh the reasons for returning. Yes, that means the account has been deactivated yet again, and I'm pretty sure for good this time.

Does this make me fickle or unstable? I don't really care.

(P.S. Kitty, I hope this brings some more laughter to your day.)

a somewhat reluctant return

2009-10-19T20:23:00.002+13:00

After a year long hiatus, I have reluctantly rejoined the dreaded Facebook. None of my reasons for quitting last year have really changed. However, I had been reconsidering the networking aspect of the site and recently two high school classmates tried to reconnect with me and were only able to do so through a mutual friend they were communicating with on FB. So, in full anticipation of the chiding and abuse I'm about to take... I've reconnected.

week 46

2009-10-17T00:45:00.009+13:00

Here are some new pics of Sophia. The first is her famous tiger pose. Okay, I don't know what the pose is but it's pretty funny to watch her do it.

The other pics are some eating shots. Eating blueberries (a new favorite), eating... well, I'm not quite sure what, and eating her washcloth.

Unfortunately this will be the last Sophia post for a few weeks. She and Brooke head to the States on Monday for two and a half weeks. :-(

week 45

2009-10-08T23:12:00.001+13:00

ex libris

2009-10-06T11:19:00.003+13:00

"Jesus never begged anyone to follow Him. He never waited for anyone, never sang one more verse while people decided whether to follow. He barked, 'Follow Me!' and kept going. Those who immediately dropped everything became His disciples; those who hesitated were left behind.

"Yet week after week, especially in evangelical churches, we beg men to be saved. Problem is, the call to be saved is so familiar, men see no value in it. Don't misunderstand me: it's vitally important that we call men to follow Jesus. Men need salvation. But instead of pleading, what if our approach was: 'Do you have what it takes to follow Christ? Many say they do, but fewer than one in four will remain loyal. Are you one of the few, or when trials come, will you crumble?' What if we stopped begging men to be saved and started challenging them to follow Jesus Christ?"

"Christ plows through the Gospels like a wrecking ball, smashing tables, driving people with a whip, devastating the Pharisees with a word, taming the winds with an uplifted hand, toppling a detachment of armed soldiers simply by speaking His name. He never cajoles; He commands! Christ is powerful, dangerous, and un-predictable. Teachers, present Christ the man. Men will follow."

- David Murrow, Why Men Hate Going to Church, 163-164, 183.

week 44

2009-10-03T12:26:00.007+13:00

So I had a really cute video I had planned on posting. However, on Thursday when I went to put it up the video had mysteriously disappeared. Since I didn't have any other photos to put up then I had to delay this week's post. Anyway, here are some photos for this week and hopefully next week I'll have a new video for the grandmothers.

Sophia is learning how to drink water from her sippy cup. She's been a bit slow on this but she's finally getting the hang of it.

Sophia had her first taste of a Mandarin Orange this morning. We think she liked it.

Brooke bought this new toy off of Trade Me for Sophia. She's pretty into the rings.

Sophia also loves to pull all her spare burp cloths off the shelf and roll around in them when she's playing on her floor. And she still loves playing with her feet.

a prayer for my ministry

2009-09-30T23:57:00.003+13:00

Unchangeable Lord,

When I am discouraged in my ministry

and full of doubts of my self,

fasten me upon the rock of your eternal election,

then my hands will not hang down,

and I shall have hope for myself and others.

You know your people by name,

and will at the appointed season

lead them out of a natural to a gracious state

by your effectual calling.

This is the ground of my salvation,

the object of my desire,

the motive of my ministry.

Keep me from high thoughts of myself or my work,

for I am nothing but sin and weakness;

in me no good dwells,

and my best works are but sin.

Humble me to the dust before you.

Root and tear out the poisonous weed of self-righteousness,

and show me my utter nothingness;

Keep me sensible of my sinful heart;

Sink me deep into penitence and self-abhorrence;

Break the idol of pride in pieces before the glory of your presence;

Demolish the tower of self-opinion, and scatter it to the wind;

Level to the ground the stronghold of my rebellious heart;

Then grace, grace, will be my experience and my cry.

I am a poor, feeble creature when faith is not in exercise,

like an eagle with pinioned wings;

Grant me to rest on your power and faithfulness,

and to know that there are two things worth living for:

to further your cause in the world,

and to do good to the souls and bodies of men;

This is my ministry, my life, my prayer, my end.

Grant me grace that I shall not fail.

- Adapted from The Valley of Vision

you know your country's famous when it's featured on letterman

2009-09-25T14:02:00.002+12:00

I'm not sure whether to laugh, or to grimace at the awkwardness. I'm all for the "common bloke" appeal but this may be a bit beneath a current head of state. For those of you watching in the States, as well as being the Prime Minister John Key also holds the Tourism portfolio in the New Zealand Parliament. So I guess that makes this a bit more appropriate. Maybe?

week 43

2009-09-24T20:15:00.008+12:00

She's just a few days away from being 10 months old and yes, she is adorable.

promising mess

2009-09-21T11:39:00.003+12:00

"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,

but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." - Proverbs 14:4 (ESV)

"Orderliness can reach the point of sterility. This proverb is not a plea for slovenliness, physical or moral, but for the readiness to accept upheaval, and a mess to clear up, as the price for growth. It has many applications to personal, institutional and spiritual life, and could well be inscribed in the minute-books of religious bodies, to foster a farmer's outlook, rather than a curator's." - Derek Kidner, Proverbs, 106.

Anyone who's seen my desk will immediately understand why this proverb resonates with me. In all seriousness though, it's a good reminder that sometimes disorder is evidence of God at work in our lives and churches. Of course sometimes disorder is simply evidence of disorder. The key is learning to look beneath the surface to see what God is up to. Anyone who's ever been in a manger knows that the "mess" an ox leaves behind doesn't look or smell pleasant, but it is evidence that there is a strong animal plowing fields to make them fertile. May we never despise the holy mess of God in our lives.

week 42 (super belated)

2009-09-19T23:41:00.008+12:00

For those of you who can't wait for your weekly Sophia fix I apologize for being late two weeks in a row. We were out of town again this past week so I'm just getting these up now. Anyway, here are a few pics from Sophia's time in the Coromandel Peninsula.

don't call me reverend... seriously

2009-09-13T22:03:00.008+12:00

Last night we had a joint worship service with most of the congregations of of our presbytery. My ordination was a part of this service. Three years after finishing seminary I've finally taken my vows, had hands laid on me, and received the right hand of fellowship from my fellow elders. In other words, I'm all official and in good order.

A few folks have made comments about what they should call me now. A few friends have jokingly mentioned the title "reverend." Let me say here and now, for public record, in unequivocal terms; I never, ever want to be referred to as the Reverend Scott. The title, "the Reverend" literally means, "the revered one." While I do think the office of Teaching Elder is one that is worthy of respect, there is an
important difference in the nuance of "respecting" versus "revering" someone. For Christians, the Triune God is the only one who is to be revered, not his servants. There are some acceptable titles. "Pastor," which simply means "shepherd" or literally, "one who feeds," is fine. "Minister," means "servant" and is also an appropriate title for my role. Never revered one though. There are too many people in church leadership today who have set up there own little kingdoms and who've sought to be revered. That is not who I want to be and is definitely not what I'm called to do. I am to be a servant of Christ and his people, not one who serves himself. The Scriptures are filled with stern warnings about false shepherds who use their authority for their own benefit rather than for the benefit of others. My calling is to see the name of Christ
revered, to see his reputation grow, not mine.

Anyway, just don't call me reverend. In fact I'd be happiest if you just called me Travis.

week 41 (belated)

2009-09-12T22:44:00.005+12:00

Brooke's parents are in town and we were out of town with them on Thursday with no internet access. So sorry to my mom, and whoever else, that this week's Sophia installment is a few days late. I've made up for it by posting a video. Enjoy.

We also discovered on our recent trip to Rotorua that Sophia really likes animals.

ex libris

2009-09-09T22:18:00.003+12:00

"Charity means 'Love, in the Christian sense.' But love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an emotion. It is a state not of the feelings but of the will; that state of the will which we have naturally about ourselves, and must learn to have about others.

"Natural liking or affection for people makes it easier to be 'charitable' towards them. It is, therefore, normally a duty to encourage our affections - to 'like' people as much as we can (just as it is often our duty to encourage our liking for exercise or wholesome food) - not because this liking is itself the virtue of charity, but because it is a help to it.

"But though natural likings should normally be encouraged, it would be quite wrong to think that the way to become charitable is to sit trying to manufacture affectionate feelings.

"The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.

"Consequently, though Christian charity sounds a very cold thing to people whose heads are full of sentimentality, and though it is quite distinct from affection, yet it leads to affection. The difference between the Christian and a worldly man is not that the worldly man has only affections or 'likings' and the Christian has only 'charity.' The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he 'likes' them: the Christian, trying to treat every one kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on - including people he could not even have imagined himself liking." - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity; 115, 116, 117.

It doesn't matter how many times I read the same thing by him, C.S. Lewis always moves me; always strikes me as poignant, subtly powerful, and painfully apt. I don't know how many times I've read Mere Christianity but each time I go back it's like cool water for my soul. If I could produce a book of material that has the potency of just one of his paragraphs, I'd be happy.

More importantly though, I wish the reality of Christian's interactions with others (and themselves) would come more and more to match Lewis' description of what it should be.

week 40

2009-09-03T21:01:00.008+12:00

The grandma's will be happy this week. They get a video and pictures. The first three of these are from our trip to Muriwai. The second to last is Sophia enjoying and apricot (her latest favorite food). The last one is just for fun. She seemed to really like that hairdo.

beach/pizza

2009-08-29T22:16:00.022+12:00

We shot out to the coast today and spent the afternoon enjoying the beauty and magnificence of God's creation. And yes, both those words in the title reflect that experience of beauty and magnificence.

Welcome to Muriwai.

Approaching the local Gannet colony.

Sophia was an instant fan.

Rugged beauty.

My lovely ladies.

I was attacked by a rogue wave as the tide was coming in. Sophia thought the water swirling about us was interesting... until it touched her foot.

The real reason we went to Muriwai was so that we could stop at Dante's Pizza in Huapai on the way home. I'm completely serious. We had seen them featured on a local news program and have wanted to try their pizza ever since.

Dante's is the only member of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) in New Zealand. You can watch their story here.

This was seriously the best pizza I think I've ever eaten. There's something to be said for fresh, quality ingredients combined with a centuries old recipe, delivered by an excellent pizzaioli. Too often we take good food for granted. From the rugged beauty of Muriwai to the precision beauty of Kevin Morris' handiwork, both are a reflection of the grandeur of God's creation.

week 39

2009-08-27T20:52:00.008+12:00

Sophia is 9 months old today!

One of Sophia's favorite snacks lately is foot with a bit of toe jam.

This is our (up-until-very-recently) neighbour Grace. She and her parents just moved to the North Shore of Auckland which is a bit sad because Sophia and Grace really like each other ( and we like Grace's parents).

i'm finally cool

2009-08-21T22:47:00.002+12:00

According to this NY Times article I'm one of the cool kids for the first time in my life. Yes!!!

week 38

2009-08-20T20:21:00.006+12:00

Sophia loves her dummies (pacifiers). We think we may have a problem in a few months when we start to take them away.

She's not crawling yet, but she's been rolling around enough to compensate for it. She sometimes finds herself in interesting places and situations.

I figured that we needed to let everyone know that as adorable as she is, she isn't always smiles and giggles.

Don't worry, she's okay. This one was taken just a few minutes later.

ex libris

2009-08-20T14:34:00.004+12:00

"Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.'... what Paul's mysticism does is to remind us that the example of Christ is only a part, and not even the greatest part, of the redeeming Gospel. Were there no more than this, the contemplation of the perfect holiness of Jesus could breed only despair. No shining example, cold and remote as the stars, can cleanse the conscience that has been defiled, or break the octopus grip which sin gets upon the soul. The evangel of an ethical example is a devastating thing. It makes religion the most greivous of burdens. Perhaps this is the real reason why, even among professing Christians, there are so many strained faces and weary hearts and captive, unreleased spirits. They have listened to Jesus' teaching, they have meditated on Jesus' character; and then they have risen up, and tried to drive their own lives along Jesus' royal way. Disappointment heaped upon bitter disappointment has been the result. The great example has been a dead-weight beating them down, bearing them to the ground, bowing their hopeless souls in the dust.

"But ever since Isaiah, men have been aware that one of the vital distinctions between true religion and false is that, whereas the latter is a dead burden for the soul to carry, the former is a living power to carry the soul.... 'Christ in me' means something quite different from the weight of an impossible ideal, something far more glorious than the oppression of a pattern for ever beyond all imitation. 'Christ in me' means Christ bearing me along from within, Christ the motive-power that carries me on, Christ giving my whole life a wonderful poise and lift, and turning every burden into wings. All this is in it when the apostle speaks of 'Christ in you, the hope of glory.' Compared with this, the religion which bases everything on example is pitifully rudimentary. This, and this alone, is the true Christian religion. Call it mysticism or not - the name matters little: the thing, the experience, matters everything. To be 'in Christ,' to have Christ within, to realise your creed not as something you have to bear but as something by which you are bourne, this is Christianity. It is more: it is release and liberty, life with an endless song at its heart."

- James S. Stewart, A Man in Christ: The Vital Elements of St. Paul's Religion, 168-169.

week 37

2009-08-14T23:33:00.008+12:00

So... the Week 37 pics are going up a day late and I have no excuse. I took these last weekend when we went out to Mission Bay. I meant to download them and get them up yesterday and then totally forgot. Anyway, it's been several months since we took Sophia to the beach and it appears that she still enjoys it.

The last three are just a few that I took while we were walking. While our winter days in Auckland can be very wet and cold, they can also be amazing.

week 36

2009-08-07T11:17:00.005+12:00

I meant to put these up last night but it's been kind of a busy week and I totally forgot. Apologies to the Grandmas.

it's officially almost official

2009-08-05T22:33:00.002+12:00

The Northern Presbytery of GPCNZ met at my office tonight to conduct it's business. The final bit of my ordination process was one of the items on the agenda and I'm happy to announce that my exams and papers have been sustained, all requirements have been met, and presbytery has approved my ordination. Ordination has been scheduled for 13 September 2009. Whoa!

the veils

2009-08-03T23:22:00.005+12:00

I came across this CD about a month ago and I can't stop listening to it. Hauntingly beautiful and beautifully tragic pretty much sums up the content. "Sun Gangs" is the third full length album from The Veils, which makes me think I need to go back and get their first two. While they're currently based out of London but Finn Andrews grew up right here in Auckland.

"Sun Gangs" is well worth the purchase.

ex libris

2009-07-31T13:18:00.005+12:00

I've been posting a lot of quotes lately, and that's probably not bound to change anytime soon. So instead of having a different title for each "quoting-post" I'll just be using the title "ex libris" each time I share something I've been reading, re-reading, or just thinking about from an author.

Here's the latest.

Paul... considered the gospel to be a transcultural message of repentant faith in Christ designed neither to bind people to a form of culture alien to their own, nor to eradicate the distinctive features of their own culture.... Just as the gospel was to set free an infinite variety of individuals, developing their distinctive gifts and kinds of beauty rather than stamping them into a mold of conformity, so it was to come to whole cultures, with their dance patterns of folkways and institutions, and to lift these to the highest level of individual expression, erasing or cleansing only those with idolatrous implications. Thus the gospel is free to become encultured- to wear many forms of cultural expression, with perfect freedom to change these expressions like clothing when the need arises- only when it has been disencultured.

Paradoxically enough, it appears that when the church begins to draw up codes and taboos which separate it from the world, it is most worldly, most in conformity with the world's understanding of holiness and spirituality.

At its worst, [this] destroys the church's life. At best, it freezes the form of the church and produces a sanctified out-of-dateness which the world can easily learn to ignore.

- Taken from, Dynamics of Spiritual Renewal by Richard F. Lovelace, 188-89, 190, 197.

week 35

2009-07-30T22:30:00.005+12:00

Video and pics this week!

new semester

2009-07-28T23:33:00.004+12:00

Last week was the first night of class for the new semester at GTC. I'm still getting used to the different flow of the year and it's a bit weird having a new semester start in the middle of July. It'll also be very strange to have the school year end in December instead of May.

Anyway, this semester I'm teaching a course on the Christian Life. More specifically we're dealing with spiritual growth and development. We've got about 14 students coming along with about 8 taking it for credit. There's a good mix of different people and we've had some interesting discussions so far. It looks like we should have a pretty good semester.

some great shirts

2009-07-27T23:38:00.001+12:00

Sometimes ya just gotta represent.

foolishness to the greeks

2009-07-24T22:04:00.003+12:00

I recently finished reading Foolishness to the Greeks by Lesslie Newbigin. I've really come to appreciate Newbigin's work over the past few years. Reading him is like a bit like sparring with a patient boxer. Newbigin tends to build his case slowly and steadily throughout his books, much like a pugilist delivering body blows to wear down his opponent. In the final round Newbigin winds up and drives home machine gun like applications that are honest and devastating in their assessment and critique, closing with a knockout punch final paragraph.

Here's his conclusion from this work:

The event of the resurrection, the empty tomb, and the risen Lord breaks every mold that would imprison God in the rationalism of a fallen world. But it is the starting point for a new kind of rationality, for the possibility of living hopefully in a world without hope, for the perpetual praise of God who not only creates order out of chaos but also breaks through fixed orders to create ever-new situations of surprise and joy.

The church's witness among the nations is at heart the overflow of a gift. The boldness and the expectancy are marks of those who have been surprised by joy and know that there are still surprises to come, because God is great.

If you want to feel the full knockout effect of that statement you'll have to read the whole book and get the body blows first. Not an easy read but well worth it.

week 34

2009-07-23T22:37:00.004+12:00

Just a couple of pics this week. Brooke has some funny ones up over on her blog.

office visit

2009-07-20T13:16:00.002+12:00

This post is for the benefit of those of you living outside of Auckland who are interested in seeing what the office of the Central Auckland Church Plant looks like. I've been meaning to get this video put together and up for awhile but haven't had the time. I'm still learning to use the iMovie software as well so please forgive some of the technical issues (my camera work isn't that great either so count this as a double apology).

This office space is a very tangible answer to many prayers. We have been praying (and asking others to pray) for the last two years that I'd be able to get some office space near the intersection of Queen street and K'Road. The office is less than a block away from that intersection! It's also about 20 times the space I imagined we'd find for a much lower price than I thought we'd have to pay!

It's been great getting settled in to the office. There's still work to be done and some pictures to be hung, but I'm pretty happy with how it's all come together so far. It's been very helpful to have a "base of operation" to work from and it gives us a bit more of a visible presence in the community. Anyway, the video isn't that entertaining but hopefully it'll help those of you who're interested get a picture of where I spend my days. Enjoy.

week 33

2009-07-16T19:55:00.005+12:00

week 32

2009-07-09T22:39:00.007+12:00

We're in the midst of a busy week. This week is the General Assembly of the Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (our denomination). For those of you that aren't familiar with presbyterianism that basically means I spent 12 hours today in a long meeting. A good, important meeting, but not a lot of new pictures of the little girl because of it. In the picture with Sophia is Mark Smith, pastor of the GPCNZ church in Dunedin.

so... what do you do?

2009-07-07T00:01:00.004+12:00

I've been meaning to write this post for some time now and am finally getting around to it. Since being in Auckland there's been one question that keeps haunting me, "What do you do?" When people hear our accents it's quite obvious that we're not from around here and one of the first questions they naturally ask is, "Why are you guys here?" or, "What do you do?" This is generally a normal, ordinary, safe question to ask someone. However, when I tell people the truth it's usually a conversation stopper.

"So what do you do?"

"Well, I'm basically a pastor."

"Oh... uh... that's um... interesting."

Now, I actually understand and appreciate people's hesitation when hearing my response. In all honesty I'm usually a bit hesitant myself towards the type of people who eagerly introduce themselves as pastors (which is why I usually don't do it very eagerly). Whether it's a fair stereotype or not the fact is that many people in Western cultures assume that "pastors" are different than normal people. Pastors are stern, pastors are super-spiritual, pastors are hypercritical, pastors tell people what to do, pastors are sappy and unthinking, pastors are judgmental, pastors are do-gooders, pastors are out of touch with reality, pastors are fanatical moral zealots, pastors are just... different. There are tons of different thoughts that people have about pastors that basically lump them into the category of "other" which makes people, particularly non-church people, reluctant to have a normal conversation with them. In all fairness there are a lot of pastors out there who lend credibility to these different stereotypes. Anyway, take these normal hesitations and place them in an extremely post-Christian society that is naturally skeptical (to say the least) towards Evangelicals and the result is that it's been a bit hard to get to know people when their first question to you is, "What do you do?".

I've tried to think of other things to call myself to remove the initial suspicions that people have. Unfortunately, the only other things I've come up with could be seen as misleading or sound even more weird (and cultish) than "pastor." So, part of my mission is simply to live out my faith transparently and authentically before those I meet in hopes that I might be able to break some of the stereotypes and dispel the suspicions that many have about people in my role.

On the flip-side, there have been a few humorous conversations stemming from what Brooke and I have come to call "The Question." There's an Italian cafe owner down the road who asked "The Question" and upon hearing the answer assumed I was a Catholic priest. I assured him I was not. On another day I was talking briefly with a guy who works in the office next to mine and he asked "The Question" but before I could answer he told me that he had "heard a couple different things." When I asked what he heard I did (slightly astonished he'd heard anything) he informed me that someone told him I was a Private Investigator!!! I have no idea wher that came from. Finally, while out for a walk with Brooke and Sophia yesterday we stopped at a local pub to get a coffee before heading home. While there we struck up a conversation with the guy working behind the bar. Inevitably, he asked "The Question" and here's how our conversation went:

"So what do you do?"

"Well, I'm basically a pastor."

"Hunh, really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Oh, well... you look like you're probably one of those cool pastors who smokes weed with the teens."

"Uh... ?"

I assured him I didn't smoke weed with the kids and Brooke chimed in to let him know I stopped smoking weed a long time ago. I'm still trying to figure out if he was complimenting me or not?

week 31

2009-07-02T20:57:00.006+12:00

It seems like I've been a bit of a blog slacker again. I hope to get back to it soon, though I don't know if there's anyone still checking this blog for anything but Sophia updates. :-)

Anyway, I received a complaint a little while back that I hadn't put up any new videos of Sophia in awhile. To make up for it this one has two parts.

Have I mentioned that my daughter is adorable?

(And yes, I realized too late that there's an unnecessary apostrophe in "Grandmas.")

week 30

2009-06-26T23:25:00.003+12:00

Sophia showing off her new curls and her self-inflicted head wound.

And these are a few of her chillin in the Sleepy Hollow chair checkin her email.

week 29

2009-06-19T22:07:00.007+12:00

These are going up a bit late, but here's a few recent pictures of Sophia eating her rice cereal. You wouldn't be able tell from these photos but she's actually getting much better at eating from the spoon. In my personal opinion the one at the bottom is stinkin adorable. Enjoy.

...

2009-06-16T11:30:00.002+12:00

"The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."

- Ecclesiastes 9:17