Review - The Frog and The Fish

I'm always pleased to read books about youth written by an Australian. Chris Parker's book "The Frog and The Fish" is a book that was recommended to be on a book stall at camp by one of the young people of PYV, so I thought I should have a read.

I'm glad I did.

Chris gives hints of his own story through the book. I've learned that he lost his father as a young child, so he understands grief very well. I learned that he was an atheist whose life was changed. Here's how he describes it -

As an adult I came to discover a profound external reference point . . . I turned form the devout atheism of my teenage years, to a belief and trust in the big picture, hope-filled narrative unfolded in the Bible. I found that not only could this story of the world explain and bring meaning to all things - far more than my science-based atheistic storylines could - it also gave me hope, purpose, and a freedom that I didn't have when all I knew was the water in which I swam. (p19)

This is a book about culture. More than that, it is a book about the culture we live in and the way it influences us without us even being aware of it. This is the image of the fish - so immersed in water that to ask a fish to explain water is an impossible question.

There are chapters that help readers to ask questions about themselves, the world they live in, and what can be done to make some changes to that world. Then he raises specific issues - sex, consumerism, truth, happiness, and more. I found these chapters to be the most helpful.

It is a reasonably short book - only 132 pages - and is written in such an engaging manner that I was able to read it easily while still finding some phrases that made me stop and think. 

If you're looking for a book to give to young people who are trying to find their place in the world, or who are feeling quite despondent about the culture they are living in, this could be the very book they need to help them sort out what is important and what is not.

Chris has also provided more than just a book. If you go to www.thefrogandthefish.com you will have access to a bunch of resources like videos and study guides to help you do more with the book. You can also buy an ebook or audio version if your prefer books that way.

Put it on your bookshelf, read it, and share it around.

Review - Saving Eutychus

I'd love to think that I've learned everything I need to learn about preaching. Sometimes, I even think that's true - and then I'm reminded that I really don't.

So it's good to finally open Saving Eutychus and enjoy some encouragement while I'm learning.

Millar and Campbell use the image of poor Eutychus falling asleep and then falling out of a window during a lengthy sermon to remind us of the importance of being interesting. More importantly, they want preachers to be faithful to the Biblical text that is before them. Can a sermon be both interesting and faithful? Their answer would be, "Yes! And it should be!"

What's good about the book?

I appreciate the fact that it's not a long book. I have enough large books keeping the dust off the shelves, so a book of this size is much more attractive. It's 171 pages long and the font is big enough that I could read comfortably, though I still needed my glasses. (Age is catching me)

The chapters are long enough to pack stuff in, but not so long that I lose track of what I'm reading.

I also greatly appreciated the two sermons that are included in the book, and the critiques of each sermon that follows. Critiquing sermons is something that I find really easy to do, but I'm not sure I'd be so keen for people to critique my own sermons. This book provides a model for such a critique to happen.

What did I learn?

There are many good things here. But two things have stood out for me. They might not be the most important things in the book - I already knew about them - but these two should be a great help to me. 

The first comes from Phil Campbell as he describes his sermon preparation. He writes out the passage by hand in a note book. He says that in doing this he begins to see the repeated words and ideas etc. I've often printed out the passage, but hand-writing seems just so last century. Perhaps I need to revisit that.  (p66)

The second is also from Phil (sorry Gary) in his "Top Ten Tips". All of these are worth hearing, but number eight 'Illustrate the Obvious' is the one that sticks in my mind. I can get so tied up trying to illustrate some concepts of faith that I turn the message into a boring lecture. But by illustrating the obvious, I can make the sermon connect much better. This has to be a good thing. Then when I've got people's attention, those more difficult concepts might be a bit easier to work with.

Worth Reading?

At 171 pages, you're not going to lose anything by reading this. If you've read other books on preaching, you'll read some stuff you already know, and some things you've probably forgotten too. Perhaps like me you will come across some nuggets of gold that make you sit back and think a bit more about your preparation and your presentation.

Yes, it's worth reading. 

 

If a thing is worth doing... it is worth doing badly! by Ben Pfahlert

 This was written by Ben Pfahlert of Ministry Training Strategy. I thought it was worth sharing here.

5 February, 2019

G. K. Chesterton once said, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly".

That saying is shocking to our 21st Century ‘perfection infection' ears. What on earth did Chesterton mean by it?

Chesterton was a man who loved the generalist, and resisted the world's infatuation with the specialist. He was of the view that - it is better for an important job to be done in a mediocre way than for the job to not be done at all.

In MTS land, this saying has been very powerful. It has been applied in two ways:

1. Training: Learning takes time. MTS Apprentices will take time to grow in ministry competence e.g. if learning to preach God's Word in front of a congregation is worth doing, then you're probably going to do it badly for the first 10 - 20 attempts. That is OK.

2. Recruitment: Very few Christians are volunteering to be Overseers/Elders/Pastors so - if being a Pastor is a job worth doing, then it is better that it is done by someone who gets a competency score of 6 out of 10 than for it to not be done at all. Chesterton's saying has many, many applications in life.

• - I volunteer to make a salad once a month on my 5pm Church Dinner Roster. Everyone likes Cathrein Douglas' salads a lot more than mine. But if a salad is worth making then it is worth making badly. o I just combine iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and cucumber with Balsamic on the side. Better a plain salad than no salad at all.
• - Edmund volunteered to be a “Buddy" on Camp Jono (a camp for kids with disabilities) despite the fact he had no prior training. A “Buddy" looks after 1 of the campers and takes care of all their needs 24/7. If being a buddy to a disabled kid is worth doing* then it is worth doing badly.
  • * The benefits being:
    • - the child gets to go on an awesome fun camp that caters for their needs 
    • - the child gets to hear about the life saving work of Jesus Christ
    • - the child's parents get 5 days of respite, which is as rare as hens teeth

Our world finds Chesterton's saying anathema. Our world is literally getting sick from perfection infection. (Click on the articles below to see the negative physical and relational effects of perfectionism.)

When we focus on perfectionism we forget a very important fact. We forget that God is sovereign. We forget that God is powerful to work in us and through us by his Holy Spirit.
When Jeremiah was summoned by God, Jeremiah resisted saying: “I do not know how to speak; I am too young." (Jer 1:6)

Jeremiah thought, “If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well". But the Lord rebukes him. Listen in to the Lord's response: 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. (Jer 1:7-8) 

What makes Jeremiah equipped for the task? The Lord is WITH him. Also, the Lord is able to work in our listeners. So even if we may feel like we're doing a poor job of proclaiming the Scriptures, God can make our words seem like music in the ears of our hearers ... he has the power to do that.

If you are a Christian SRE teacher, a Kids Church Leader, a Pastor, a Youth Group Leader, an AFES Staffworker or an MTS Apprentice preaching in Long Bay Gaol each week … and you feel a bit insecure about your giftedness … remember Jeremiah; that God is with you. And remember G.K. Chesterton, that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.

Click here to read about the physical effects of perfectionism

Click here to read about the relational effects of perfectionism:

http://www.mts.com.au/blog/n/if-a-thing-is-worth-doing-it-is-worth-doing-badly-by-ben-pfahlert-190205

Thank you Buffy. You've been a beautiful part of our family.

This lovely face.

Today has been a sad day for our family, but it comes after years of joy and delight. Buffy, our beautiful border collie / kelpie cross has died. 

We adopted Buffy and her brother Dash in March 2010 when we lived in Warburton. Together they enjoyed swimming in the river, chasing tennis balls, long walks along the aqueduct trail, and sometimes chasing deer into the forest!

 

Dash and Buffy

Sadly, Dash died as the result of a snake bite in our back yard. He was doing his bit to protect his patch of ground and those who lived there. But it was costly. 

It took Buffy a while to get used to life without her brother, but it wasn't too long before we began to see a different side to her personality. And it has been delightful. 

Catching her breath in younger days

Over the last year, we have seen the walks begin to get slower and shorter. Trouble with her legs meant a visit to the vet, and with some amazing medication she was able to walk freely and enjoy walking with us for a number of months. But some things cannot be stopped entirely. 

We have watched her lose much of her hearing, and then her beautiful brown eyes began to lose their colour and vigour. In the last few weeks, her back legs were starting to fail. 

It was time. 

Life is good at the beach

 Looking back through some photos today, it has been wonderful to remember when she was able to run, chase, and swim. It's good to remember her as a dog who has grown out of a silly puppy stage but is full of life and energy. We remember the day during a holiday in Casterton that Buffy went crazy barking at a statue of a kelpie. Or a beach holiday at Venus Bay and how much fun she had running along the beach. Or a holiday at Nicholls Point and how much she enjoyed chasing a ball and swimming with us in the river. 

And I remember how excited she would be when we would come home from anywhere. 

Buffy, if we were your first owners you would probably have a different name. Regardless of that, we are glad you have been part of our family. Thank you for sharing your love with us and, perhaps without realising it, showing God's good grace. 

Those beautiful eyes

 Finally, a big Thank You to Dr Harry from Thrifty Vet. His care and kindness have been amazing. 

Some final photos. January 6 2019