Kingdom Culture

Spoke on Kingdom Culture this weekend at "the View". Here is a fun clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSFoPMADKnk that demonstrates the power of culture to create lifestyle rules and control behaviour. Enjoy, (especially if you are South African.)

Believers cannot ignore the clumsiness that contemporary culture brings to the good message. When God became a man He incarnated Himself into the culture of ancient Israel. In the same way the Message incarnates itself into whatever culture it captures hearts in.

Most of us are familiar with (or repulsed by) Western Christianity with it's modern, materialistic thought. Some believers mistakenly equate biblical Israeli culture with heaven's culture. I'm sure it's true that in many ways the culture of "the Chosen people" resonates of God's culture due to their extended exposure to God's revelation. However, ancient Israeli culture must have had it's conflicts with God's culture in order to facilitate the rejection of God's Son for so long.

The truth is, this world has never seen the faith practiced without the skin of imperfect culture around it. This is a relief, as it explains how Christians can get it so wrong at times.

Preventing a Peeve Page

I get the addiction now.

You get impacted by something in the humdrum of your day. ie: you lose some data because you closed a program without saving. Big deal.... no one cares...insignificant event. But you are peeved, irritated, feeling your exclamation "Oh no!" went unnoticed in your office. Then it hits you.... I'll blog about my frustrations!

You decide to rant about programs that should demandingly convince you to save before closing. Or really, the information should be stored somewhere....like in a "break glass in case of emergency" file.

The truth is blogging could easily become about ranting, shouting out, shooting your mouth off without consequence. Hey, I wanna rant about those who rant. Who wants to follow an instalment series of poisonous barbs directed at every moving thing that manages to catch you in a bad mood?

I want to get addicted to digging out the nobility within me. Yes you end up with a pile of dirt, but that's OK if you find a diamond.

My lawyer on speed dial

Ok so I'm starting to BLOG. Who allowed that word to even exist?Yes, yes It's short for Web Log, I get it!.... but I still can't escape feeling that BLOGGING sounds like ...well....using the toilet!

Well I haven't made a very auspicious start to my blog career have I? It can only get better. After all, why would anyone blog in a safe, monotonous, matter of fact way? I reckon blogging is permission to get a little edgy. To scare, offend, shock with some direct talk maybe? I might need some legal advice here and there to keep me out of deep water. One thing is for sure, there is no need for "Pastor Ian" Christianese. Yawn

I do hope that amongst the reality checks, I will send an encouraging signal that your life is an amazing gift. And God gives life, he doesn't spoil it.