The Australian dollar is almost equal in value with the US Dollar (unheard of, at least in my memory). That’s all good, and nice if you want to order stuff online – except that now my wife (a big ‘Gilmore Girls’ fan) has started asking me to order her stuff like THIS:
Thanks very much for that, Aussie Dollar!
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I’m a bit slow with things like this, but the first time I realised there was a problem was when I looked at the Facebook status of a good friend of mine. A Christian woman. A godly woman. A smart, switched-on woman with a lot going for her. But her status said, “I like it on the…” (I’ll keep it general, to protect the guilty).
I thought someone had hacked her Facebook account.
But then I scrolled down. One woman after another, telling me where they “like it.”
It’s about then that I started to figure out there was some viral marketing campaign at work. It was a little while longer before I bothered to find out what the campaign was about. But it wasn’t until the next day that it really struck me: this was a highly sexualised, and therefore completely inappropriate, attempt to draw attention to a very real issue for women.
In case you missed the whole thing, someone dreamed up the idea of letting people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month by encouraging women to update their Facebook status to say, “I like it…”. You were meant to finish the sentence with the place you like to keep your handbag – ‘but keep it a secret from the men’ (insert girlish giggle). The reason it would successfully raise awareness is that it would all sound sexually suggestive, and would therefore grab people’s attention. I suppose the idea was that people would then ask, “Hey, what’s with all the ‘I like it…’ status updates?” To which you’d reply, “Well, it’s breast cancer awareness month, you see…”
And well done you – you’ve just done your bit to raise awareness of breast cancer.
But here’s the problem it took me a while to see: You’ve also done your bit to contribute to the sexualisation of breast cancer, and to the overall sexualisation of women that is rampant in our society (especially young women, the dominant users of Facebook).
There are two reasons I’m bothering to object to this. The first is by far the least important. Whoever was behind this ‘clever’ marketing ploy is really not clever at all. They’ve just pandered to the lowest common denominator of sex. A trained monkey could’ve done that. It’s lazy, and in the process it makes them part of a big problem.
The great thing about social media like Facebook is that it’s now so easy to genuinely raise awareness of something like Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Why not get women to post somerthing like (as one friend of mine did), “Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second leading cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74. Ninety-six percent of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after five years”?
If every woman on Facebook wrote that, you have actually done a great job of RAISING awareness of breast cancer – not just using sex to make people ask, “What the…?” Cut out the middle-man of unnecessary sexualisation, and achieve an even better result!
But beyond that, for me as a Christian (and as a Christian pastor), there was a much more worrying aspect to this: How many solidly Christian people seemed to go along with this campaign without a second thought. In short, it showed how many Christians are swallowing the world’s way of thinking about sex.
Maybe there’s someone out there who was blissfully naive enough to not see the blatant sexualisation involved. Maybe. But I doubt it. I suspect that for most people, they saw it as a harmless, innocent campaign that would achieve something good – and all the prudes out there can just get over it.
But therein lies the whole problem. It made me realise how deeply we as a society – and therefore we as Christians today – have succumbed to the sexualisation of anything and everything.
In Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells Christians in no uncertain terms that they must steer clear of this type of stuff. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.” (Ephesians 4:29)
He goes on: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” (Ephesians 5:3)
I know all this might make me sound like a sexually-repressed prude. That’s alright with me. This campaign has made me realise something: I would rather give 50 people reason to believe I’m a sexually-repressed prude, than give one person reason to believe I support the sexualisation of women that goes on everywhere and leaves people deeply damaged.
Once my five-year-old daughter becomes aware enough to pick this stuff up, that’s most definitely what I want her to know (not to mention my two young sons…). They’ll figure out soon enough that I know sex is a great thing – a gift from God to be received with thanksgiving and enjoyed within marriage. But for now, I’ll risk being written off as old-fashioned and prudish if it means I can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
I know on the surface this campaign was kinda harmless. But we can’t deal with problems like sexual immorality on the surface. We need to go deeper. We need to see that people are deeply hurt by giving in to our world’s view of sex, and Christians need to swim against the stream with all their strength at this point.
We need to understand that the world is watching, our friends and neighbours are watching – and they’ll pay attention to Christians and to the gospel NOT when they think we’re really just the same as them after all, but when they see that we’re different! You don’t get to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world and a city on a hill by giving in, one little bit at a time.
Christians have something far, far better to show the world: a view of sex that brings real freedom and lasting joy, revealed to us by the God who offers forgiveness and healing to all who seek it, through the cross of Jesus.
Not even a hint…!
A few years ago, an American pastor named John Piper was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As he awaited surgery, he wrote an article called âDonât waste your cancerâ, hoping that people in his church (and beyond) would learn to see times of suffering and trial through Godâs eyes â maybe even as a blessing from God.
Stealing John Piperâs title seemed appropriate at a time like this. Yet trying to make sure we âdonât waste the earthquakeâ may seem like a strange â or even offensive â way of thinking.
For one thing, it assumes that we should aim for more than just âgetting overâ the earthquake and its impact on us. But it also assumes something else, something much bigger: that the quake was actually part of Godâs will for Christchurch â something designed and intended by him, for our ultimate good.
This kind of thinking will be a huge leap for many people. Of course, we thank God that there was no loss of life in the quake, and that weâve seen his goodness in so many ways over the last couple of weeks. But are we prepared to take the next step and reflect on why this happened, and what God wants us to learn from it? Could we even get to the point where we are ready to thank God for the earthquake? Should we?
In his book The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis wrote: âGod whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.â Lewis was getting at the idea that God is not absent during times of hardship. On the contrary, God sovereignly uses those times for the good of his people. This perspective matches with what the Bible itself tells us. For example, âwe know that for those who love God all things [not just the enjoyable things, or some things â but specifically all things] work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.â (Rom 8:28)
My aim here is not to offer an exhaustive reflection on suffering and evil in this world. There are so many questions and areas of thought that we canât even raise here, and I hope that doesnât leave you frustrated. Remember, keep reading the Bible, keep praying, and keep talking about these issues together!
Also, while Liz and I have experienced the same feelings of fear and uncertainty as everyone else, Iâm very aware of writing this as someone whose home has been almost completely unaffected. I know many of you have faced much harder times than we have over these last two weeks.
That being said, what Iâm hoping to do here is simply offer a few reflections on what we can learn from the earthquake â how it might work together for good in Godâs purposes, and how we can make sure we donât waste it.
Probably the first thing we need to do is re-define âgoodâ. None of us would have chosen the earthquake. But then again, none of us is God. And Godâs ultimate good for us is not that we live in secure houses with running water. Godâs will for our lives is much bigger: he wants us to grow in holiness and godliness (1 Thess 4:3); to love and treasure him above everything in the world (Psalm 73:25-26; Matt 22:37-38); to become more and more like Jesus (Romans 8:29).
We could go on and on, but the point is this: what matters most to God is not always what matters most to us. All too often, we focus on what is temporal, earth-focused and human-centred; God focuses on what is eternal, heaven-focused and Christ-centred.
So if we understand âgoodâ in these kinds of ways, how has the earthquake been a good thing? What should we focus on to make sure we âdonât waste the earthquakeâ? Here are some suggestions to get us started.
We will waste the earthquake if it doesnât remind us how much we need each other. When God saves us, he doesnât leave us on our own. As well as pouring out his Spirit, he gives us one another and calls us to belong to a local church where we are members of âthe body of Christâ (1 Cor 12:27), using our gifts to serve one another in love. Galatians 6:10 says, âas we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.â 1 John 3:18 tells us we should ânot love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.â
The earthquake is a powerful reminder of just how much we need one another, and that we are actually Godâs gift to one another. It reminds us that God gives us other Christians so that, together, we can persevere as his people and run the race marked out for us. It reminds us that we should never take âchurchâ or Christian relationships for granted.
To be honest, I think this is one area where St Stephenâs as a parish is generally strong â and I thank God for that. But as we support each other through this time, remember that whatâs needed is more than (though not less than) providing a meal or offering a spare room to a friend. Pray for each other! Pray with each other! Pray that God would help us to fix our eyes on what is eternal, not just on what is temporal. Weep together and share your fears, but always aim to point each other back to our great God and Saviour, our refuge and our strength and our ever-present help in times of trouble. Letâs use our conversations and our practical shows of support in ways that encourage one another to stay focused on Jesus.
We will waste the earthquake if we donât let it show us, once and for all, that âa manâs life does not consist in the abundance of his possessionsâ (Luke 12:15). Read through the parable in Luke 12:16-21. We should thank God that weâve received this reminder without anyoneâs life being demanded from them! But we will waste the earthquake if we donât âseek Godâs kingdomâ and pursue âtreasure in heaven that can never be exhaustedâ more zealously than ever before (Luke 12:31, 33). We will waste the earthquake if we donât heed Jesusâ warning in Mark 8:36: âWhat does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?â
On top of that, situations like this remind us of how to handle the anxieties of life: entrust ourselves to our loving heavenly Father, and seek first his kingdom. I wrote about Matthew 6:19-34 in last Sundayâs âWeekly Wordâ, so wonât go into any details here. But what a wonderful passage to remind us of Godâs very real care for us, and the need to store up âtreasures in heavenâ instead of âtreasures on earthâ! Every earthly treasure we have lost in the earthquake should remind us of our heavenly treasure that can never be damaged.
We will waste the earthquake if we donât realise how small and fleeting our own plans are, and how much we depend on God to direct the course of our lives. Think back to this time three weeks ago. What plans did you have for the rest of the month? The rest of the year? Whatâs happened to those plans now?
In James 4, we read a warning directed at those who forge ahead with their own ambitions while forgetting Godâs sovereignty over their lives. âNow listen, you who say, âToday or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.â Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, âIf it is the Lordâs will, we will live and do this or thatâ.â (James 4:13-15).
Sometimes, when people ask me about my plans, I remember to add a token âGod-willingâ at the end. Itâs always been little more than a throwaway line. But in one moment, at 4.35am on September 4th, we were all shown the foolishness of trusting ourselves and our carefully organised schedules and plans. No doubt, many of our plans and priorities will slowly come back into focus as our city and our lives return to normal. But whatever plans we make, donât forget whoâs really in charge: âIn his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.â (Prov 16:9)
Thereâs one final point worth making. In the face of earthquakes and other natural disasters, we can be prompted to ask questions like, âIs this Godâs judgment on us? Was God punishing our city?â
In Luke 13, Jesus is asked about a tragedy where some Galileans had been killed as they offered their sacrifices. In answering, he referred to a ânatural disasterâ in which 18 people had died. Hereâs his response:
âDo you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them â do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.â (Luke 13:2-5)
We live in a creation that is subject to groaning and decay because of our sin. In a general sense, what happened on Saturday morning was part of living in such a world. But we have no reason to say that God was specifically punishing Christchurch, or anyone in Christchurch, on September 4th. We simply cannot draw a direct connection between particular sins (or sinners) and a particular natural disaster. Thereâs a word for that kind of thinking: karma. Itâs not how God runs his world.
And yet, when we see first-hand the brokenness of our world, what a terrible waste if we fail to examine ourselves and repent of the sin in our own lives! What a waste if we fail to pray for those around us who donât yet know Jesus, and who need to hear Jesusâ call to repent! What a waste if we fail to pray that the earthquake would serve as a âmegaphoneâ to rouse us from our spiritual slumber, or if we fail to pray that peopleâs eyes would be opened to what really matters in life, so that they would be prompted to consider the gospel in a fresh way. What a waste if we do not seek out opportunities to tell people of the reason for the sure and certain hope that we have.
There is still so much to be done as we pick up the pieces together and as we process all thatâs happened. But letâs not forget, this earthquake is an opportunity. Donât waste it!
Here’s a very brief reflection on what God’s word says to us in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake. This was written for the weekly newsletter at St Stephen’s (which only has room for a short reflection – hence the brevity). I hope to post something more substantial in the next few days, which I hope might be helpful to anyone who wants to think about what the Bible says to us at times like this.
Well, where do we start!? What do we say after a week like that?
As we try to process the physical and emotional toll of the last week, Godâs word has so many things to say to us that it really is hard to know where to start. In the days and weeks ahead, I hope we can prayerfully reflect on more of these things together. But for now, I thought Iâd point us to one passage that came to mind for me this week.
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches his disciples how to handle the anxieties of life. Iâm sure these words now speak to us like never before: âI tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ⌠And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?â (Matt 6:25, 27)
Jesus doesnât ask us to bury our heads in the sand (or should that be the silt?) and pretend life is easy. He knows that all kinds of things will make us feel anxious. But he gives us the alternative: in the face of anxiety, look to our heavenly Father, who not only knows all our needs but loves us and provides for us.
On top of this, Jesus says weâll be ready to handle anxiety if weâre focusing on what matters most. âDo not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,â Jesus tells us, âbut lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust [nor earthquake] destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.â (Matt 6:19-20)
These are not meant to be easy answers, and there is so much more to say. But in the midst of everything else going on, and as we continue to support each other, letâs pray that God would use this time to help us âseek first his kingdom and his righteousness,â knowing that, as we do that, âall these things will be added to us.â (Matt 6:33)
Here’s an update on our experience of the Christchurch earthquake. Thanks for reading this and praying for us!
Last week at our 10am congregation, I challenged everyone to take time this week to memorise Psalm 73:25-26. For those that were there, how did you go? In case you need a little more encouragement…
Whom have I in heaven but you, and earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
I also mentioned that for many of us, âmemory versesâ may be a lost art â either something we âleft behindâ in childhood, or something we never picked up at all. Whatever the case, today I want to urge you to (re)turn to actively memorising parts of the Bible as a key part of your devotional life. Here are just a few reasons itâs such a worthwhile practice (with thanks to John Piper for inspiring many of these points):
⢠It allows us to meditate on Godâs word at times when you canât read the Bible (Psalm 1:1-2)
⢠It shapes the way we see ourselves and the world, as it conforms our minds to Godâs point of view (2 Cor 10:5)
⢠It equips us to detect error, overcome temptation to sin when it arises, and reject the lies of Satan with a force he can never resist (Eph 6:13-17, especially v. 17)
⢠The process of memorising will make the truths sink deep into your mind and heart
⢠You can minister to the needs of others with Godâs word (not just your own thoughts) at any time
⢠A million thoughts, words, images and ideas compete to fill our minds daily, but memorising Scripture gives Godâs word the pride of place it deserves
Godâs gone to great lengths to speak to us and have it written down for us. Really, it makes no sense NOT to memorise what he says! So do it on your own; do it as a family; put a new memory verse on your screensaver each week; write out a verse and tape it to the fridge. Whatever you do, however you do it, letâs get back to memorising Godâs word!
Since coming to St Stephenâs six months ago, Iâve been struck by many great things about this parish â including the number of people whoâve been attending church here for 20, 30, 40, 50 years (or more!). So my ears pricked up as I recently heard a talk by a pastor called Kevin de Young on the topic of âthe churchâ. The talk introduced me to a wonderful phrase: the âplodding visionaryâ.
I hope quoting part of this talk at length will encourage you.
âItâs easy to blast the church for all her failures. Itâs harder to live in the church day after day, year after year, with all of the ho-hum, hum-drum, and to slowly and consistently make a difference. What we need are fewer ârevolutionariesâ and a few more âplodding visionariesâ.
âAlong with all the necessary pleas to be earnest and intense and radical, I also want to wave the banner from Zechariah 4:10: âDo not despise the days of small things.â That is what I mean by being plodding visionaries.
âIf you are a visionary, you donât have your head in the sand. Youâre going somewhere. Youâre looking out. Youâre moving in a direction. But you are a plodder â one foot in front of the other.
âOur generation in particular is prone to radicalism without follow-through. We want to change the world and we have never changed a diaper. You want to make a difference for Christ? We need plodding visionaries. Get on the right road and keep going.â
God will use all kinds of people and all kinds of gifts to build his church. But among those gifts, letâs be thankful for âplodding visionariesâ â people whose patience, perseverance and long-term commitment to gospel ministry so often forms the backbone of the church! Keep plodding!
Here’s our Robson Family News – April 2010. Thanks for praying for us!
If you’ve been at CMS Summer School this week, you might have heard Mike Raiter encourage Christians to deepen their prayer life by using prayers written by other Christians down through the centuries. As an example, Mike quoted from a book called ‘The Valley of Vision‘. I was gonna post one of these prayers on Facebook, but it turns out they’re a little too long. So I’m using my blog to post one here. Make this prayer your own.
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine; let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley.
If you want to find some more, buy the book, or take a look here.
A fascinating story, weird, and horribly sad. The ‘balloon boy’ story was just a hoax.
I couldn’t help thinking about another story – one from a long time ago – that seemed far more amazing, and which a lot of people also thought must have been faked.
Falcon Heene’s parents are both trained actors, and it took all of three days for their simple hoax to be exposed. But two thousand years ago, eleven fishermen and a few of their friends apparently concocted an elaborate hoax to try to convince the world that a guy rose from the dead. And they pulled it off…!?
Okay, I know Jesus’ followers never had to deal with Wolf Blitzer and CNN. But they did have to deal with some very powerful people who had a massive vested interest in proving them wrong. And yet their story survived.
You also gotta ask yourself: when the chips were down, would the Heenes have died for their lie?
Embedded video from CNN Video
Every Thought Captive 