Further to yesterday's post Where's the Evidence? I was recently invited by a theological journal to develop a definition of Christian leadership which would cover several current leadership theories (they're basically the same, but go by different names). Why expend so much effort on a definition? Because there would appear to be no definition which is even closely adequate at present. And if you don't have a definition, then how do you distinguish your theory of leadership from another? How do you determine who practices it? How do you determine its efficacy? It all begins and ends with the definition. OBSERVATION: Not that this fascinates me. There are other papers I'd rather be writing. But it's important.
During my Christian leadership studies in the USA (at FTS, in Pasadena), I was struck by the near total absence of empirical research. Professors would dream their way through theories that "explained" the decline of the Church in the Global North, yet had no sound empirical evidence to back it up. For instance, the decline was put down to a lack of mentors, or a lack of social engagement, or outdated practices, or a misguided view of missions, and so on. OBSERVATION: In the SA blogopshere, there would appear to be an example at the moment on Dion Forster's blog: "The traditional Church is in decline ... Central to my argument ... we do not show love" (two controversial clergy as examples). I have radically abridged Dion's argument here, but I think faithfully so -- the original post is there to see. So applying the point about empirical evidence to Dion Forster's post: is the Church in (faster) decline in those parts of the world, or those denominations, where love (as described in his blog post) is less in evidence? Let the reader decide, but I can't see it. For the latest US Church statistics: US Church Growth / Decline 2009.
At our Church Breakfast this morning, I said: "We have more than half our Church leadership here this morning!" Then, before I could check myself, I said: "That's amazing!" This ignited laughter all round the hall. I said, "That was a slip of the tongue!" (even more laughter). OBSERVATION: In fact, just two things are required of our Church leaders: 1. that they attend Sunday services, and 2. that they attend leadership meetings. In these two cases, we expect apologies a day in advance if they are unable to be there. We don't expect more than this, and often (like this morning), we are simply glad to see them. See also (Dis) Missing Deacons.
An old man had been waiting for a bus in Cape Town's Malay Quarter, when he was stabbed in the stomach, and his wallet taken. The local government hospital called me, asking me to interpret. I thought they wanted me to interpret for the doctors, but the doctors didn't need any help. It was the police who wanted to know the story. The small room smelled of a penetrated gut. The old man seemed so relieved to hear someone [me] speak his language. The police took a statement. The old man said, "I saved for years to come here." Then they wheeled him out to the operating theatre. OBSERVATION: They succesfully repaired him.
A man stopped me in the street today -- he'd been waiting for me outside the Church gate: "Reverend, you owe me for the work I did." I said, "I don't know you. I didn't employ you." He said, "OK, but you employ Church employees. It's a Church employee who owes me." I said, "I don't employ Church employees. The Church does. Employees don't go employing anyone for the Church." He said, "OK -- but I'm owed the money." I said, "I don't know who owes you what. I think I'd know if the Church had employed you -- and I don't have it to give it to you. But tell me, how's life treating you?" So ensued a conversation about life in general, and the situation was defused. OBSERVATION: I know which employee he was talking about. I'll follow this up.
A minister, over coffee this week, told me that a core purpose of his Church is to build friendships. I said, "No. You invest great energy. People leave -- often on a whim. They suddenly oppose you. You can't afford to make that a focus." OBSERVATION: I find that this is a major difference between Church in Southern Africa and Church in North America. Ministers here tend to be focused on task and mission, while over there, they tend to be focused on community. Here, ministers will sometimes seem to sacrifice people for task and mission, to the point of imbalance. I think that friendship should be cherished -- although it is hazardous to lay any store in it.
We had a guest preacher at our Church, a woman minister of the Methodist Church. Apart from the usual benign chaos that we have on a Sunday, someone walked up to a microphone and tried to seize control -- then, at the end, someone rebuked her for her message. As she left, she was heard to say: “This is a crazy Church!” OBSERVATION: She caught us on a bad day! (We invited her again, to address one of our Church groups -- and she accepted).
A member asked me: "How can you [me] have hope with nothing to look forward to?" I said, "There doesn't need to be something to look forward to. One simply has faith that God has things more wonderful in mind." OBSERVATION: Our member's question may explain, I think, the tendency of Christians to lay claim to health and wealth (not a true hope). Narrative theology, on the other hand, solves this by saying that there's a better future -- maybe a thousand years from now (completely inadequate, in my view).
Our secretary asked me this morning: "Do you find that your faith has grown stronger over the years, or do you have more doubts?" I said, "It's definitely stronger -- and deeper -- if we look back over a time-span of years and decades." OBSERVATION: While not wishing to set myself up as a paragon of faith (I need more of it), I would think I have a far deeper trust in God, and that rationalistic doubts have pretty much lost their significance. I consider that one of the more fundamental things God seeks to do with us is to deepen our faith over a lifetime.
A woman asked to see me in my vestry. She said they had called her at work to tell her that her husband had been attacked. She went home, to find a large pool of blood outside the front door. She said, "My husband's ex-girlfriend knocked on the door. He opened it, and she hit him in the face with a rock. His face is swollen like a football now, and his head is all bandages." OBSERVATION: Love hurts? I think that what she wanted to know most from me was should the children see him like that? (they were with Granny).
It is my view that giving to the Church should be channeled through the local Church, and without conditions. I do not believe in loose cannons who make their own choice as to where to give, either within the Church or without -- unless such giving is over and above one's basic responsibility to the local Church. My most basic reason for this is that one should submit to the Body, and so to the movement of the Holy Spirit on the Body. OBSERVATION: This is classic Congregationalism, which insists that the findings of the Body are those which Christ imparts. Also, I believe that loose cannons may put healthy spiritual dynamics at risk.
Already, I have found the priorities I worked out last month to be very useful (see Strategic Emphasis). As an example, a woman called me today asking for "marriage counselling". I said I'd do it once, as she and her partner were not involved in the Church. That's in keeping with my priorities (perhaps erring on the generous side), and helps me cope better with the multiple demands of ministry. OBSERVATION: The problem in this case is interesting: She married a man who was already married, and the state annulled the marriage. Now they sorted out that little technical hitch, but need help to get over it.
This morning I tentatively discussed, with another minister, a co-operative arrangement between his Church and ours, whereby his Church would use our premises. I said that we don't think in competitive terms, but gladly further the work of the larger Church. At the same time, we prefer to enter into relationships which are mutually enriching, not merely transactions. OBSERVATION: Our Church has the privilege of being capable of hosting other Christian work in the area, and I think that we should. Also, I consider that we should be able to display some largesse (within limits) when it comes to different theological traditions. The one constraint is the practicalities of it, which in this case we shall be looking into on Thursday.
Yesterday I organised a memorial service. Here's what I normally do. I express my condolences to the family, and portray the Biblical perspective. If the body is still there, I say a prayer and benediction at the bedside, with anyone who wants to be present. I ask what arrangements have been made with the undertaker. I ask for one person to give a tribute (there may be more) -- alternatively, I ask for a tribute that I may read off. I ask whether anything may be said about the faith of the deceased. I ask if there are any preferred hymns and readings. I remind the family to provide flowers for the service, and a brochure if desired. I close the session with a prayer, and offer the Church's support. OBSERVATION: I also ask our secretary to organise the Church, an organist, and tea if required. If the deceased is a member or faithful adherent, we waive every fee that we can.
The linguist Ferdinand de Saussure famously asked: “Of what use is linguistics?” Something I have found very useful -- and this is a lesser example -- is my study of endophors (anaphors and cataphors). What is an endophor? Take the line of the Beatles: "Love, love me do." Here "do" means "love me". It compresses a sentence into a single word. The Beatles do that a lot ("that" = an endophor)! Another example: "The cat was fat, it was." Here "it" refers to "the fat cat". Once one has a feel for this, one is able to use language in a more powerful way, cutting out a lot of "useless junk". One knows how to use implication. One does. OBSERVATION: My final Master's thesis had a heavy linguistic component.
I consider that, in the long run, it is conversions that drive the Church -- or rather, encounters with God. I would estimate that there is about one conversion a month in our Church, that I know of (or about 200 during my ministry here) -- although not always directly through me. I would consider that only half, however, bear fruit. OBSERVATION: A member called me last night to report: "E. got saved through your sermon today [on John 3]. She felt uncomfortable after you finished preaching." Our member then took her the final step. I said in my sermon that I can't convict anyone, only the Holy Spirit can -- and it's a great privilege when He does.
I asked a colleague how his Church was going. He said, "We hired a Youth Pastor especially to grow the Youth, and the Youth has dwindled to eight. The Youth Pastor is depressed." I sent my colleague an e-mail afterwards: "It might not be about the Youth but the Youth Pastor -- I mean from the Lord's point of view. The depression seems to indicate that he sees it as his own work, not the Lord's work, and that may be an early, fundamental lesson to be learnt that provides strength for ministry in years to come." My colleague wrote back: "You are so right." OBSERVATION: A worthwhile investment, if that happens.
Today, in the few minutes before the end of our service, the congregation swelled significantly as alms-seekers walked in and looked for places to sit. After the service, they mobbed the minister -- or tried to (there were others I needed to speak to first). It looks as though our policy, in regard to such people, is settling naturally into place -- as so often happens with policy in our Church. Where we see a genuine commitment to the Church, we gladly help out (see, as an example, Friend In Need). For people who crowd the pews before the final amen, no. We'll rather support those organisations which are equipped to serve them. OBSERVATION: This ties in also with our recent thoughts on strategic priorities. As much as we would like to, we do not have the capacity to deal with this phenomenon as a priority. Such alms-seekers have no interest in the Church beyond taking something.
What could go wrong with 24 Hours of Prayer? Once a year, we hold 24 hours of prayer in which members pray for an hour at home in a chosen time-slot -- then meet for a final hour together at the Church. One of our members prayed a week too soon, another fell asleep before she was through, another arrived at an empty Church at midnight, and another arrived an hour late for the final hour -- and burst into tears.
I received an e-mail from someone who considers that "theologically conservative" Christians are a "marginalised group". Let's rather talk traditional theologies -- traditional Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Pentecostal, Apostolic (did somebody say Orthodox)? I have referred on this blog to more than twenty Atlantic Area Churches in our small area on the west side of Cape Town, and I am fairly familiar with them. Among these, I am aware of one where either the minister or the Church would not fit this description, and three where I really would not know. So 80%-plus of our local Churches would have traditional theologies. I think it would be fair to say that.
Last time I checked, at least one-thousand pages of this blog were accessed from my own home town every month. It could well be more, as I only see the number of direct hits on my blog, not of other readers. Thus it seems likely that a lot of people are looking in on my blog who know me well. However, beyond a handful of them, I have no idea who they are! OBSERVATION: I'm pleased if people can obtain a fuller picture of my ministry. One might not pick up 10% of it by walking into our Church. At the same time, this blog may not be all that representative, as it's often the things that intrigue me that I blog about -- much like writing about the mushroom that pops up among a thousand daisies.
There was a death in a home, and one of our Church members was affected. Today I called -- a week late. Our member clearly was not pleased with my "poor show". Over the same period, though, wife M. was in hospital (and discharged), and I was at the hospital several times (about a 40km/25mi round-trip). Serious illness further brings myriad unexpected demands. A moment ago, M. said: "Thomas, the flower petals have fallen on the floor, and I can't bend to pick them up" (she tried to rearrange some flowers before some guests arrived, and a heap of petals fell off). Add to that the tap that won't open, the handbrake that won't move -- the household that's falling apart, family members who need comfort, paperwork that needs attending to -- and multiply several times over. OBSERVATION: I do such things gladly, but it does mean that my time is (much) tighter, and the demands on my energy (much) greater. My mentor insists that M. must have priority, and he is probably right.
I know of eight people in our congregation who are HIV+. This is relatively few, in the context of our society -- although the real figure could be higher. My policy is to keep a person's HIV status strictly confidential -- which in fact one needs to do. OBSERVATION: In the past, I let slip the status of one person. Someone asked me in a meeting whether a certain congregant was HIV+, and I was off my guard, and answered. However, it wasn't as though I was the only one who knew. Although I have discussed their HIV status with a few of the persons I mention, "life goes on", and the issue has little profile in my ministry.
A lovely young woman said in my Minister's Bible Study group this week (quote): "I thought that God was a Master waiting to punish me. Then I found Him. Or rather, He found me. Usually people look for God. It was a miracle, because I wasn't looking for Him. I was trying to die." OBSERVATION: This is a classic before-and-after description, and so well worded. It is a privilege to hear such experiences.
I will often tell a joke on a Sunday morning. Anyway, at our leadership meeting last week, we tabled a letter of resignation from a member -- for "good" reasons. She closed her letter with the words: "Thomas your Sunday morning sermons have been insightful, and your Sunday Joke has always been a good laugh, I will always think of your Church with fond memories." When it came to the part about my jokes (I emphasised the word "always"), there was laughter all round. The quality of my jokes, you see, has been the focus of much humorous dispute (a joke in itself, one might say). I claimed that this letter settled it once and for all.
We had a Bulgarian visitor to my Minister's Bible Study last night, a young woman. We were discussing priorities -- and the fact that people set too high a priority on their work, and ruin much else in the process. "But they have to," said one participant. "Today [in Africa], there is absolutely no room for missing a trick." Our Bulgarian visitor said thoughtfully: "If you place too high a priority in your work, it's a wrong point in your security. Your security lies in the Lord, not in your work." She backed this up with an example from her own life. OBSERVATION: I thought that this was very perceptive. Not least, it's an issue that lies at the core of ministry burnout.
Rev. Angus Kelly, on gruntleblog, describes ministry as "deceitfully exhausting". This is quite right. Many occupations would seem to provide exhaustion in proportion to the time and energy expended. Ministry can trick one. By now, nearly thirty years into ministry, I am sensitive to that. At the start, I wasn't. For instance, it might take just an hour to deal with a situation of domestic violence. However, the people at the centre may need years to get over something like that, and it's not as though the minister is unaffected. So now I plan time out to take account of the effects, in proportion to the ministry I was involved in. OBSERVATION: But this post is too short and partial to do justice to this subject.
It seems to me that our present generation really, really has a problem with death, dying, funerals, coffins, terminal illness, suicide, and all such things. As a minister, it would seem to me that I take my life in my hands by making any mention of such things. They invoke rage, fear, hatred, supreme awkwardness, and ... a pugnacious form of wishful thinking. OBSERVATION: Once, someone unleashed fury on me because I showed a photo of a coffin on this blog (now deleted). Where has our sense of reality gone?
A minister friend invited me for lunch this week -- with three dates to choose from. I wrote back: "How about Twhfuenisday? You confuse me with choice." Then I added (since he is moving house): "Don't pack the motorbike. Give it to a charity you don't like." Then: "I trust this invitation comes to me now that you hear I am famous in the Hot Right Now column [several of my blog posts are Hot Right Now]." He replied: "Tom ... sorry you're so confused ... especially about the bike. I must admit that I feel quite honoured that someone rising so high in the blogging stakes would be prepared to talk to me." OBSERVATION: He's a Baptist, which would seem to explain this kind of cheek.
Theological education is of crucial importance, yet it is much neglected. Our Church leadership decided, last week, to support five Bible college students -- effectively covering three weeks' tuition each. All five sent us personal profiles, and it was the profiles that "really clinched it" for them. Some snippets: "My long term goal is to obtain the necessary training that will enable me to meaningfully contribute to the development and training of untrained leaders," and "I wish to work in children's ministry within the church in South Africa." OBSERVATION: The personal profiles were interesting, speaking of war and persecution and tribal custom, among other things.
I have mentioned before the important role of dreams in the Church in Africa. As minister, on many Sundays (yesterday included), I would be able to trace the attendance of nearly 10% of our congregation to dreams that either they or their family members had (see, for instance, Decisive Dream). This percentage is surely small in comparison with some Churches. OBSERVATION: Strangely, I am aware of only one study about the significance of dreams to the Church -- in this case the relationship of dreams to Muslim conversion.
Ugly men, be not discouraged. It is the strangest thing, but I speak from experience in ministry. The ugliest men might find the loveliest women, and live dotingly ever after. I think of one who was wall-eyed and covered with warts, and found a sweet wife who was besotted with him. And I think of another, who must have been the prototypical flaccid man, and found a vivacious wife who loved him to pieces. OBSERVATION: What these men would seem to have in common, though, is attentiveness. (That's my contribution to Valentine's Day).
A friend in Europe commented that "things are changing very quickly in both Europe and America" with regard to the Church. Three decades of prosperity were coming to an end. People were scrambling for resources -- the backbone of North American Church life. Fear, uncertainty, and anxiety were driving many decisions. And the fastest growing Churches were non-Western. This was therefore "a time of pruning". OBSERVATION: I believe one sees parallels in the Third World (where I am). Many affluent Churches have entered a crunch. One told me that they had lost 50% of their income. Amazingly, poorer Churches such as ours, and our associate Church (mostly refugees), have sailed through this virtually untouched. My friend's word "resources" stood out. Resource-driven Church is a bad idea.
What does one call a Congregational minister? In the past, it would have been Reverend. But in an urban, cosmopolitan setting, it may be almost anything. I am probably called Thomas more than anything. People who knew me long ago often call me Tom. A Somalian congregant once decided to call me Tommy (without disrespect). Then there are the titles. I am generally called Rev by government officials (that's surely what they have on file). Minister, used as a title (e.g. Minister Thomas), is common – as is Minita. Not seldom, I am called Mfundisi by Xhosa speakers. Pastor is a term that is often used by those from a low Church background. The poorest of the poor tend to call me Father or Vader, as do some of a high Church background. A few Afrikaans speakers call me Dominee. And then there is Reverend – though strangely, it is often used in jest, e.g. when I am humorously upbraided by a deacon. OBSERVATION: Apart from these, there are various other titles that I hear only once in a while, such as Padré, Pater, Eerwaarde, Pasteur, Pfarrer, Baba, even Mufti ... !
I have developed a habit, over the years, of noticing the whole room -- when I am leading meetings, or counselling. It has become second nature for me. It strikes me particularly when someone is with me, usually a newcomer to leading or counselling, and I ask them afterwards: "Did you notice ... ?" OBSERVATION: It seems to me that people will typically have a fairly narrow focus. They will focus only on the person being spoken with, or the person responding ...
We had a meeting of our elders on Sunday. To give an impression of such a meeting, here's what we discussed. From my side: my spiritual priorities for the year (elsewhere on this blog), the implications of wife M.'s illness for the Church and for me personally, and member issues, particularly a member who has not met conditions for reinstatement after suspension. From the elders' side: the question of assisting "street people", in view of a high level of abuse, both of the Church and of the help given.
I consider that healing from serious illness is a grace, i.e. "undeserved favour". Also, in keeping with the spirit of grace, it is an "awesome undeserved favour". Some are confident that wife M. will be healed, others are adamant that she will be. I shall consider this just from my own point of view. This is kindhearted -- yet I sense that there is the risk, with such thinking, that one looks past what those in the middle of it all are actually dealing with. Also, I think that there is a kind of risk that such thinking may skew perspectives at a time when a level head is required. I do hope that this makes sense. OBSERVATION: (It seems reminiscent to me of the way that narrative theology deals with our ailing world)!
In December, I had six theses bound, and used a local postal service to post them -- not a cheap undertaking. Five of the six are now missing. Three of the missing copies are a prerequisite for my graduation. Yesterday I learned on authority (inside information) that postal management took a decision to keep a strike under wraps, accepting mail from customers as if it was business as usual. OBSERVATION: It's noble of management to spare the public the distress, but some mail actually needs to get there. I would have used FedEx if I'd known. This was unethical I think, and could cost me (and others) a bundle.
Wife M. has bone marrow cancer, in an advanced stage. She is poorly. I find myself deeply affected by M.'s illness, yet not morose or discouraged. I wrote to an old friend of hers: "I suppose it is much like climbing a mountain with vision and enthusiasm, but the body is wearied and sore." Similarly, Paul spoke about being "troubled on every side, yet not distressed". M. said this week: "It's amazing that our household is so peaceful." She went for a check-up last week at the hospital, and was effectively told that their third attempt to prevent her slide, namely EPO injections, was failing. OBSERVATION: Somebody asked me where this post went (I deleted it last week). I keep changing my blog, on various whims. Something didn't quite satisfy me about the wording.
One of two counselling sessions this morning was with a youngster, a refugee from Central Africa. He had heard that, back home, his mother had been in hospital. So he called up the neighbours. They said, "She's fine, she's fine." He said, "They were covering something up." I said, "Is there anyone you can get hold of that you can trust?" He said, "My sister. But she's only thirteen." I said, "Get your sister on the line. Make it simple. Ask her if mother is walking. Ask her if she is cooking."
Before I took up the ministry here, sixteen years ago, I negotiated a contract with the Church. This included seven "building blocks": stipend, accommodation, medical aid, and so on. However, after my arrival, the Church reneged on six of the seven. A year later, they offered a formal apology -- and partial redress -- writing (quote): "The people liaising with you at that time were doing so without disclosing the terms to the diaconate [leadership]." OBSERVATION: At the time, I was very distressed. I didn't know what to do. I was torn. Since then, however, I have come to consider that God blesses ministers over a lifetime. A breach of contract doesn't matter too much -- if at all. If you're in this position, don't worry yourself.
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Every now and then, I check whether any of my electronic designs has gone into production (I mostly sell all rights to a design, so have no rights over production). If you click on Electronics at the top left of this page, you'll see some examples of designs that have gone into production. Anyway, one of my designs, unexpectedly, wasn't picked up by manufacturers. This was an electronic version of the famous Jumping Spider (EPE 2007), which undoubtedly worked better than the original pump version. OBSERVATION: I didn't need to think long to figure out what the problem might be. My Jumping Spider required fairly high power down thin wires to deliver the punch to a coil that would make it jump (see photo sequence). Son M. commented that, as children chewed through the wire, it would soon become known as Jumping Child! For this to be commercially viable, the power would need to be self-contained -- or largely self-contained (say trickle-fed from an external power source).
A husband asked me to intervene in an explosive domestic situation. His suspicious wife had run a check on his credit cards, and found several "houses of sin" listed. The husband (in counselling) pleaded credit card fraud, and replaced all his credit cards. So far so good, but ... time went by, and the same happened again. OBSERVATION: Personally, I didn't believe him the first time (for reasons not connected with the "houses of sin"). But that is unimportant. In counselling, one works with what one knows, not with what one doesn't know or can't prove against denials. One is always dealing with cover-ups in counselling anyway.
I am what one might call a radical Congregationalist. That is, I believe that Christ moves the local Body not only in matters of praxis, but in matters of theology. I was first introduced to this idea by the Rev. Len Kingston, then-president of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship: "Christ is Lord over the local Church Meeting, wherever His Lordship may lead." By way of contrast, theologians / ministers would typically seem to want to impose their theology on the Church: pneumatology, eschatology, sexuality, ecology, and so on. I believe in submission to the Body, and believe that the Body has an enormous influence on my theology. OBSERVATION: This is not one of my more mature notions. There are questions: what place does the minister's personal theology have in the Church, and to what extent should it find expression in the Body?
A reader of this blog, a minister, asked me whether I could list the portfolios we assign to our Church leadership. Here they are, with a few brief explanations in brackets: Church Elders (two of them, who consider spiritual matters), Hon. Church Secretary (our Church's official representative), Hon. Church Treasurer (has the broad view over Church finances), Accounts Clerk (the busiest portfolio of all), Property Steward (we have huge properties in need of maintenance), Worship, Encouragement (to see to it that members are taught Christian basics), Church Staff (three deacons), Missions / Evangelism, Church Youth (mostly just reporting to the leadership), Church Discipline (the two elders), and Church Door (a deaconess who keeps tabs on a whole lot that goes on at the Church entrance -- actually, we call this portfolio Bouncer)! Our office secretary sits in on meetings. OBSERVATION: We have shifting portfolios, and the present list is surely not ideal. We value calling as much as we do function (it has happened that elders / deacons felt called to functions we didn't even have, while some functions had no one in charge). I have come across many more portfolios in Churches: Small Groups, Fund-Raising, The Ministry, and so on.
It has been my deliberate purpose to make my blog Africa friendly. While many people in Africa now have broadband, especially in the cities, there are still very many people who do not -- especially in the towns and villages (as for broadband, though, see Internet Access, Content in Africa Slow to Come for an entertaining experiment). An on-screen ad such as "This is not a joke. You are the 1,000,000th visitor!" may hold up one's computer for minutes (which happened to me in a town last month) -- not to speak of large photos, videos, blizzards of icons and gadgets, and so on. I therefore avoid anything that may slow down my blog unnecessarily. OBSERVATION: More broadly, I consider that this is about "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak" (Psa 41:1). Incidentally this is why I state the size of photos on my blog, e.g. VGA.
A woman who attended our Church was stricken with liver cancer. It turned out that she lived only six weeks after the diagnosis. Her husband was a lively, talkative personality, and very creative. But the day he heard the diagnosis, he went straight to bed and wouldn't get up again -- nor would he speak. I went to see him a few times. He was in bed of course -- and he said nothing, and gave no answers. Then, when his wife died, he refused to eat -- so they force-fed him. Still he wouldn't speak. He lived like that for another two years, and died.
The way that First Worlders plan their conferences may be a real challenge for people in the backwaters of the world -- such as Southern Africa. We're just not taken into account. So now I'm under consideration to deliver a paper in July, in Europe -- yet they'll only issue invitations in March. My travel agent informed me that tickets were already scarce for July, and that by March the remaining ones would double in cost. Yesterday, therefore, I bought a ticket to Europe, so giving me 50% off the March price -- yet if I don't receive an invitation, I'll forfeit 20% of the payment. This seems like the only sensible way it can be done. OBSERVATION: I had this problem with my recent studies in the USA. They informed me too late of mandatory seminars in California. In that case, I had to spend up to ten days in transit in distant parts of the world to make it work (the only remaining tickets).
Many call them pimps, while I call them "minders". Let's say pimps. A woman came to see me this morning, asking the Church for help. I checked out her story, and considered it sound. I gave her counsel and some help, she walked out of the Church gate, and straight over to a pimp. I said to our caretaker, "Did I see [a pimp]?" He said, "He's just been released from jail." OBSERVATION: Her story may have been sound, but this likely means that a pimp has power over her. I gave her my home telephone number, too. That's all I need -- a pimp with my home number. And I thought I was fairly sharp by now!
South Africa is to host the World Soccer Cup in June this year. One of the stadia is situated in our "Atlantic Area", about 2km (1¼mi) from the Church. Members of one of our Church groups told me this week that public taxi fares are rising in the run-up to the Cup. For instance, the taxi fare has already risen from R4.50 to R8.00, with a projected R20.00 in view. And if you get on the wrong taxi now, you pay for the scenery. Rentals, too, are rising, and could directly impact our congregation. OBSERVATION: This is a real problem for some. Last time we checked, 50% of our congregation fell in the income category $750 a month or under. So, by comparison, it already costs $1 more per day for a public taxi (two directions).
In my Minister's Bible Study last night, I dealt with Christ's definition of a disciple. Much of the emphasis was on Christ's statements about those who "cannot be my disciple" -- and with this, the need for complete surrender to someone who has an absolute right. OBSERVATION: Members of the group emphasised that maintaining rights or privileges or lifestyles is incompatible with becoming a disciple. The two don't mix. Many made a strong association between this and their original commitment to Christ.
Last time I checked, this blog was the no. 4 Christian blog in South Africa (it has reached no.1 in the past). Looking at the other, excellent Christian blogs that there are, why would this be? I can only guess. I think simplicity and brevity has something to do with it. I know that my "what-intrigues-me" policy plays a part. I suspect that my emphasis on praxis over ideology has something to do with it. I know that my electronics interests are involved. OBSERVATION: I feel sure that if I were to embrace unqualified utopianism and breeziness, my blog would be higher in the rankings!
There are certain themes which come up again and again in counselling and pastoral visitation. One of them is an atmosphere of gloom -- or doom -- in the workplace. One would think that employers would know better. It is of crucial importance to create a congenial atmosphere at work. One woman told me about her work situation: "It's terrible. They [the bosses] are miserable, and they make sure that everyone else is miserable. Every day I go home with a migraine." OBSERVATION: Come to think of it, these gloomy bosses tend to be driven by higher authorities themselves, i.e. in a sense they are middle management.
Sixteen years ago, wife M. sought to introduce a weekly opening prayer to one of our Church groups. A key member of the group, E., said, "If she starts with prayer, I'll never come again." This morning I am to address our Women's Association (WA), which M. leads. As they are likely facing the absence/loss of their leader, I shall run through some of the spiritual necessities of a Church group. I have borrowed much of my text from The Navigators, and will add my own application as it applies to our WA. OBSERVATION: However, my address merely serves as confirmation today, as our WA is on the right track. (Today, we would immediately tell E. "where it's at". Back then, it was a traumatic incident).
