A new war in Mexico

Here's a really interesting report from ABC-Australia's Foreign Correspondent.

They are doing a story on the problem of obesity around the world, and one of the countries they focus on is Mexico.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-24/fcp-mexico/4126036

One of the great things to see in our neighbourhood is that there is a well maintained park that lots of people use for exercise in the morning and evening. However, that is balanced by the easy availability and amazingly low price of softdrinks (600ml coke, cold at a 7-11 for about AUD$0.50) and pre-packaged, high fat and sugar content snack foods.

Having said all that - we've just come back from a couple of weeks in the USA. Double deep fried doughnut with extra glaze and whipped cream for breakfast anyone??

A little point on leadership

If you want to "up" you blog views, including a word like "leadership" in the title is not a bad start. Leadership is a very popular topic at the moment - you can read books on it, do degrees in it, go to training courses to make you a better one...etc.

I have no intention on writing a full manifesto on leadership at this point! All I'm doing is making one, isolated observation.

In my personal Bible reading time at the moment I'm reading through Exodus and Proverbs. Kind-of a strange combination, but that's what my system produced for me. Today I was reading Exodus 18 and Proverbs 12.

In Exodus 18 Jethro (Moses's father-in-law) comes to visit the newly liberated Israel under the leadership of Moses. And, he sees that Moses is, well, snowed under. It seems that everyone who has a dispute comes to Moses for him to sort it out.

Jethro's advice is to get a bit of help - delegate this task of 'judging'. But what caught my eye in the context of leadership was the qualifications of these delegates. Jethro says "look for able men from all people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe." (Ex 18:21)

What was interesting for me was that yes, they were to be able (we are not told what their abilities should be, but maybe it was something to do with understanding the legal system), but just as, or even more important is their character. They are to be god-fearers, trustworthy, honourable.

That sounds very Proverbs-ish don't you think?

"The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful." (Pr 12:5)
"Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit." (Pr 12:17)
"One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leaders them astray."(Pr 12:26)

When we are looking for leaders, critiquing leaders, choosing new leaders, I wonder how we manage the balance of character and competence? I think the world pretty quickly sense - competency is king and character is a distant second - as long as character doesn't impinge on your ability to do the job.

But I think this little snippet from Exodus and Proverbs maybe says we can't separate the two. Perhaps character is more important, or even defines your competency?

If this is true, it is of course a great challenge for those of us who have positions of leadership. I don't know about you, but I have moments when the writer of Proverbs could well use me as his anti-example (if you know what I mean).

Exodus 18 and Provers 12 was a good reminder for me to keep on shaping my character according the scriptures.

671 exams!

I'd like to tell you about two things.

1. A big number.
2. Some individuals.

1. A big number.
The number is 671. That's the number of MOCLAM exams that are currently being sent to me from the famous Island C. Over the past couple of months we've had a bit of a 'catch up on your exams' campaign going, and it seems to have worked! Of course this is really great news. It means that a whole stack of pastors (many will have done more than one exam, so I don't know what the number of students is) have been busy studying their Bibles and course notes, which can only be a good thing for their churches.

It is also great news that 98 of those exams have already been marked by tutors who I've been teaching over the last couple of years. I'll moderate some of their marked papers, but I am sure they will be fine - they certainly have been in the past.

So it is great to see that under God's hand, the effort we are putting in to teaching and equipping tutors is bearing fruit.

2. Some individuals.
Andrew Cox is a CMS missionary working in Bolivia. One of the things he does is teach MOCLAM courses. He teaches a couple of classes locally, but also teaches a class in another city of Bolivia using skype. In Andrew and Paulina's latest news, they share some reflections from their students. In the context of throwing around big numbers, to read the personal testimony of these amazing Bolivian people is encouraging, and also an important reminder of how important individuals are.

I'm quoting from Andrew:

"I have never preached directly from a book of the bible and only heard it done two or three times. I've been learning a lot and the congregation are more keen than ever to know God's word." (Local pastor)

"Discipling like this is the key to our denomination's survival. I've never had this sort of encouragement in my Christian life - even in seminary." (Local pastor)

"I've been a Christian since I was a teenager but I never realised how much God is sovereign and that the Bible is actually about him. I want my children to learn this!" (MOCLAM student)

"I was studying at a national seminary but now I really feel like I am learning from God's word through these courses - there is so much I didn't know before." (MOCLAM student)

I wanted to make a comment about the importance of long term missionary workers for these people, but Andrew does it better than I can, so over to him again.

"Each of these comments represents a person whose life has been enriched through relationship with the Lord of life in his word. In Bolivia, such discipling normally comes about through a believer's long-term faithfulness in personal relationship. There are no short-cuts to building this trust and respect; it cannot be developed by remote-control. It is necessary to send well prepared, servant-hearted sharers of the word."

I hope that you are encouraged by reading this. In the midst of our struggles, the heat, the difficulties and our tiredness, we are.

We're also really encouraged to know that there are many people who see this work as something really valuable, and you give generously so that we can continue doing it.

If you're encouraged, but aren't yet giving to CMS, can I encourage you to start doing so today. We can only be here doing this work because people like you give money. Andrew is right. Well prepared, servant-hearted sharers of the word are necessary for long term relationships, and that costs money.

If you'd like to give, this month is a great time to do it because the CMS annual appeal is on. The target of $1.4M is slowly being chipped away - as I write something in the order of $470K has been given. But that means there is still a way to go and June is well and truly underway.

Please visit https://lastinghope.cms.org.au/ today and give generously and cheerfully, so we, Andrew and Paulina and many other CMS missionaries around the world can keep working with individual people.

Taking a stand

One of our daughters "nailed her colours to the mast" at school the other day.

The kids are practicing for their end of year concert at the moment - music is a pretty big part of our school and each year they do a performance where the whole primary school sings 6-8 songs, with some bits of drama etc interspersed. They practice every day for an hour for 3-4 weeks. Generally good fun, some 'Over the Rainbow" type songs, other more traditional mexican, lots of good variety.

But this year, one of them had the Mexican equivalent of "Oh my God" in it. ie: a pretty commonly used expression of surprise, but using the word God. The sort of thing that we hear 100 times a day, we may kindof cringe a bit but don't say anything.

Well, one of our daughters said something. She quietly said to the (very senior) teacher leading the rehearsal that she didn't think it was appropriate to use the word "God" like that because he is very important and perhaps they should consider using a different expression.

The teacher said "OK - lets raise the issue with everyone else and see what they think?" So, she stopped the rehearsal, said that "______ (used her name but I won't because she was embarrassed) thinks we should change this phrase because some people might find it offensive. What do you think?"

After some discussion, the overwhelming opinion of all the assembled students (and _____'s peers) was to change!

Good on you ______ . We are proud of you.

(Random picture - taken in the Sierra Madre mountains. We live on the edge of this range.)

Teaching this weekend

I'm about to head to the airport to go to Tampico - a city down on the Gulf of Mexico - where I'll be teaching an intensive of Old Testament 1 tomorrow.

The way this has all worked out is a great example of networking, relationship and who knows who.

I was originally invited to go to Tampico because of friend of mine here has a cousin there who is part of a great church. They had heard about 'The Trellis and the Vine' ('El enrejado y la vid' in Spanish) and wondered if I'd go down and do a day seminar for local pastors.

I did, and it was great.

Then, the pastors asked me if I could help them in their training, so we talked about the MOCLAM courses, and off we went.

We came up with a mode of delivery which works really well. I go and teach a 5 hour intensive on Saturday morning, which gives them an introduction to the course and we work through 3 or 4 chapters of the subject. Then, over the the next couple of months they study individually or in small groups to complete the course. They then do their exam, and off we go again.

Tomorrow will be the beginning of their 3rd subject for this group of about 20 pastors.

I think there are two keys to the success of this group.

1. The material is great, and self contained. They can work at it as and when they are able.
2. There is a great local guy, Rolando, who is the organiser, motivator, all round good guy. Without him, things would certainly be much more difficult.

Gotta go - VivaAerobus waits for no one!

Exciting news

I received some exciting news over the weekend.

Regular readers will be aware that I'm involved in a program training pastors in a very isolated and disadvantaged part of the Latin American world. I've been travelling there regularly to help a developing network or tutors teach the MOCLAM courses.

Last week, two of the tutors travelled to the remotest and poorest part of the island (8 hours drive away from a famous American naval base) to spend a week teaching a new group of pastors. News from the week is that the pastors loved the material and are wanting more. They studied each night accompanied by the local frogs and I'll soon be receiving their exams. My informants tell me the marks will be great!

It would be great if you could pray for us as we try to work out the complicated logistics involved in keeping these enthusiastic pastors fed.

(The photo is a local family heading off to church)

My experience of "internet church"

I was unable to go to church today (an eye infection that would make you weep probably wasn't the sort of fellowship my friends were after) so I decided to give "internet church" a go.

Each week our church broadcasts our two services live. All you need to do is go the website of the church, click the link, and hey presto - there it is.

The technology setup is pretty simple. A single camera, an audio feed and a relatively high speed broadband connection.

So what was it like?

Positives:
*The quality of the video and audio was fine. There were probably 4 or 5 "freezes" of 1 or 2 seconds during the 2 hr broadcast, but thats about it.
*No fancy broadcast technology was needed. A strategically placed video camera and a direct audio feed made everything fine.
*I could hear everything that happened at church - the sermon, Bible reading, singing, announcements. This means I know what is going on, I was able to hear the testimonies which people gave, and if I have the chance to talk to people from church later in the week, I'll be able to say something about the sermon.
*It was much better watching it live than watching a recording. I wasn't tempted to press pause and go and do something else.

Negatives:
*I was an observer rather than a participant in the singing. Even if I was brave enough to sing along (which I'm not, I think I'd feel a bit weird doing that) I couldn't see the words on the screen.
*I had to twiddle my thumbs while the 'welcome time' happened.
* there was no chance to speak to anyone before, during or after church. ie: no fellowship.
* no one had the chance to speak to me.
* not being there meant I didn't have the opportunity to spontaneously serve (like help a Sunday school class whose teacher has not turned up)
* I didn't have the opportunity to give money. Sure I can 'make up' next week, but will I remember?
* the opportunity for the random or strategic ministry conversation didn't happen.

Conclusion
In the long, I think it was useful but it wasn't church. Rather than being an active participant, I was a consumer or an observer.

As I read passages like Ephesian 4, Hebrews 10, 1 Corinthians 11, it seems to me that personal proximity (ie: being there) is critical for "doing church". I find it difficult to imagine how I can serve others, be served by others, build others up, encourage one another as the day approaches .... if I m sitting by myself in front of a screen. Maybe I could tweet or blog or facebook or whatever about the experience, even setup some sort of online community, but still, it is nothing like the real thing.

I guess I was thinking about "extreme moments" like a funeral or a wedding. Would you want your wedding or the funeral of a friend to be an internet affair? Of course not. There is something significant about presence, proximity, being together. God designed us to be relational and communal creatures, and in my humble (and perhaps dinosaur-ish) opinion, electronic "community" doesn't cut it.

Today I didn't have a choice whether to go or not. But if I did, I think that 'internet church' is not a viable option. We need to be people who are in the habit of meeting together (for real)!