Money makes the world go round. Really?

I have invested quite a lot of time recently in putting together a business plan for one of our Evangelists, Louise. Louise works in Christchurch, and has a little bus she uses to reach kids and families in one of the most challenging areas of the city. We had the privilege of spending a week with Louise and the team last year, and the ministry is simply amazing.

Louise draws on her own difficult childhood to keep herself motivated and fresh. She says that she is determined that other children should not have to go through tough situations without the opportunity of doing so knowing the love and friendship of Jesus. She knows each child and the families inside out, and can reach them in word and action in ways that those of us who had more privileged early years never could.

It isn't fun writing business plans, but as I did so I was moved again as I was reminded of the fantastic work being carried out. But it angers me when the church can seemingly continue to fund liberal clergy who have no message to proclaim, who preside over dying churches while denying the historical creeds of our church; can continue to support extensive building programmes (I heard just this week of 2 churches in Auckland being given $1,500,000 between them)when we have plenty of vastly under-used buildings already - but we have to go cap in hand begging for financial scraps for such a vital outreach ministry as the Canterbury Kids' Coach.

I suspect Jesus still weeps.

Today's soldiers

“Without excuse and self-consideration of health or limb or life, true soldiers fight, live to fight, love to fight, love the thickest of the fight, and die in the midst of it.” - William Booth

I was deeply moved this week to hear of a Church Army evangelist in Canada. Her recent commissioning was probably unique - as it took place at her bed-side, and in place of a uniform she wore pyjamas. With her whole body riddled with cancer, she has just days to live.

What really made my eyes leak though was hearing that she fully intends to preach this Sunday, if at all possible. Proclaiming the unchanging Good News of Jesus - this is the evangelist's passion and obsession, the thing that gets us out of bed each morning, the challenge and the joy.

This story made me proud to belong to Church Army, and determined to use every opportunity I have to share Jesus while I can.

Sugary, sloppy sermons

A recent survey in UK found that Anglicans want sermons that entertain, are shorter than 10 minutes, and don't necessarily contain any Biblical input.

An episode of Boohbah sounds just about perfect for them.

I have an inkling as to why the Kingdom of God is not rapidly advancing though...

Dark Side of Modern life

A New Zealand teenager who says she auctioned her virginity online for $32,000 to raise tuition money did not break any laws but it might be risky for her to follow through on the deal, police warned Wednesday. The anonymous 19-year-old student offered her virginity to the highest bidder on the Web site under the name “Unigirl,” saying she would use the money to pay for her tuition. She said in a post that more than 30,000 people had viewed her ad and more than 1,200 had made bids before she accepted an offer of more than New Zealand dollars 45,000

Sad indeed.

Parachute five

I think Ryan is great! He saved me a tent space right next to the main stage - he is the man!

Ryan went through our Gap programme last year, and came back ruined. He has a passion for people who do not yet know Jesus, and an inate ability to chat to them and to introduce them to his own best friend - Jesus. He spent six months in Berkeley NSW, giving out bread, chatting to people, and sharing Jesus' love in word and action. He longs to carry on doing just that, and we are working with his local church to make that possible, probably with Ryan working part time to earn some cash.

Which got me wondering - why doesn't the church support Ryan full time? He has undoubted gifts, a calling and a ministry. The answer is simple - the church pays for church buildings, church structures and church pastors, but despite the endless talk of mission, the church rarely pays for evangelists. Not in NZ anyway!

I am confident that given the right setting and good support, Ryan could gather enough new followers of Jesus to be self-supporting in a couple of years. But who is going to pay for him until then? And when that new group of believers is strong enough to look after itself, and Ryan moves on to pioneer a new work...what then?

Come on church. Pastoral, ordained ministry is not the only valid form of ministry, and certainly not all we should be supporting financially. Church planters, aspiring musicians, story-tellers - these people are coming to CANZ, for which I thank God, and when we have the $$$, I promise we will pass it on.

Parachute four

I had one of those heart-stopping moments on the last evening. I was seated with Monika about 3 rows back, praying for the rain to hold off, when one of those women came running towards me, arms outstretched, massive smile eating up the rest of her face. You know the kind I mean - mad, demented, nuts, odd, weird, strange. The ones who always have words from God for ME. The ones who kindly offer to pray with ME. The ones who scare the life out of ME.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiii" she screetched, "how are uuuuuuuuuuuuu?" I learnt a prayer from Matt Fielder, a superb speaker. " God, help."

Jesus heard my prayer, as she flung herself around the quivering wreck of a man seated one row in front of me. Thank you Jesus.

Parachute three

One of our motives for attending Parachute was to work out how Church Army NZ could use the event next year to publicise what we do, especially the Gap Year programme, and possibly raise support. So I wandered around the displays of numerous Christian organisations with interest, determined to steal ideas and gain inspiration.

Instinctively, in my head I tried to calculate the cost of matching or bettering the gleaming displays of many of our "competitors" (I know you don't like me using that word, but we are all after the interest and the $$$ of the same, small market!) Add the cost of the thrilling giveaways we'd have to offer, plus the cost of the stall in the first place...and serious doubts crept in.

I'm an idealist...and my hope is that CANZ will be known, respected and paid for because the ministry we do is of such quality and impact that people want to be on our team. Changed lives; the least, last and lost being lifted, promoted and saved; thousands of Christians being motived, trained, equipped and supported to share Jesus in their everyday locations - this is what I long for CANZ to be known and love for. Not glossy brochures or dazzling handouts.

And afterwards I imagined all the Christian organsations agreeing to have a publicity fast - and the tens of thousands of dollars we'd all save being pumped straight into frontline work! Better go, my image consultant is on the phone...