Mal's Meanderings

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Hearing God's Voice Course
2006-12-02 16:23:07
The second session of the Hear ing God 's Voice course went well, again with about 40 participating. Following each teaching session we did exercises of listening to God for others, and hearing prophetic words for each other. When asked about the words given to him by others one pastor's comment was "mind blowing!" The intercession sheets were very encouraging too, with some very accurate and helpful words. Next month we start on the Intercession and Spiritual Warfare module. Enrollments are looking good.
More About: Ring , Course

Please, Mr Einstein
2006-12-02 16:23:07
It's a lazy Tuesday off and I'm sitting reading - no, enjoying - a delightful book. It's Please , Mr. Einstein by Jean-Claude Carriere.I can't say very much about the content of the book yet - I'm only up to page 18, but the experience is taking me back to the 70s and 80s and books like Douglas Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid! That was a postmodern book written before everyone was talking about postmodern books.Do you remember that spine-tingling experience of beginning to read about a favourite subject (in Hofstader's case, physics and artificial intelligence) only to find that rather than it being about physics, it's not even about thinking about physics - it's about thinking about thinking about physics?And to cap it off, all the time I'm reading it I'm simultaneously thinking about how and why the author, here Carrerie, wrote the things he did.For example, take pages 12-13. The girl has just asked Einstein why he chose to see her instead of th...
More About: Lease , Ease , Stein

Is prophecy the same as inspired preaching?
2006-12-02 16:23:07
Many conservative Christians make the above equation - that what was once called prophecy in the early church is today what we describe as inspired preaching, especially if it is of the kind that calls down fire upon those in our societies who oppress the powerless, exploit the diminishing resources of our planet, or deceive the gullible masses. Certainly, these are all things that a prophet might well do. But does that turn their words into prophecy? No, not even if they were uttered by a prophet, let alone a preacher! It is hearing from God and declaring what he says that makes prophecy. According to Ernest Gentile in Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy: Prophetic Gifts in Ministry Today, the one upon whom so many preachers try to model themselves, the "Prince of Preachers" himself - C.H. Spurgeon - didn't think so. And he was also a prophet!If you want to know more about this then check out the full story at my Listening 2 God blog.
More About: Spire , Prophecy , Reach , Preaching , Same

Purpose-Driven?
2006-12-02 16:23:07
The Wall Street Journal, on Tuesday, ran an article about the experiences of some churches in the USA with attempts to 'transition' their church to 'Purpose Drive n'. I find it hard to relate to this part of American church culture, even though I'm not unfamiliar with church splits. However, the article does reinforce some of my misgivings about churches putting their focus on running 'services' and on filling the pews and meeting the budget. A church service would not be my first choice to take a friend in the hope that they might meet Jesus. I would rather they saw Jesus in me first! Church 'services' must seem rather bizarre to most people these days - where else does anyone engage in mysterious rituals, sing to musical instruments then sit still and listen to a lecture? If the purpose is evangelism then I can certainly see a desperate need to change the format to 'seeker friendly' - but should that really be the purpose?Some churches must have gone far enough down the ...
More About: Pose

The Law and the Prophets
2006-12-02 16:23:07
While preparing to teach from Romans at our Friday night gathering I was reading in Exodus about God calling Moses and the people to the mountain to receive his law. To cut a long story short, the Israelites already knew that to come too close to God would be dangerous. In fact God had warned them not to touch the mountain, and they already knew that no-one could see God's face and live. So, to receive this summons to come nearer and he would speak to them all, and to see the smoke and fire, and to hear the thundering up on the summit, filled them with fear. They misjudged their God's loving heart, instead thinking that he would kill them. So they decided to not even go to the foot of the slope from where Moses and Aaron would ascend to the top. "You go up and talk to him," they said. "We'll wait down here where it's safe until you come back and tell us what he wants." And what was it that God wanted? I believe that he wanted to write his law onto their hearts, as later describ...
More About: Prophet , The Prophet , The Law , Prop

Update on Anazao Conferences
2006-09-12 10:30:02
Di and I have just spent 5 days with Peter Toth and Heather Scott of Anazao. The level 1 and 2 conference was excellent, despite (or probably because of) it stretching some of our theological assumptions. Their way of ministering to the most broken of people is undoubtedly the most effective - and easiest - that I have experienced. They effectively and quickly minister to DID and SRA victims without delving into the dungeons and dragons like labyrinth that others seem to think is necessary, bringing rapid integration while preserving the dignity of the person and not giving the kingdom of darkness a stage to act upon. Their method of carrying out deliverance resonates very strongly with the practice we learned from Dr Charles Kraft. If there is any way you could get to one of their conferences or schools, whatever the cost, then do it! Details at www.anazao.com.au.
More About: Conferences , Update , Ferenc , Conference