So, we've now made the switch. After nearly a year of disquiet in our spirits and earnestly seeking God to know what to do, we have left the church we were attending for over 2 years and started visiting another one, on the recommendation of some dear friends in Christ. We've been going the last 3 weeks and what a breath of fresh air it's been!
But I really wanted to say something about church this morning. This morning, while singing together, we saw that the music team included an old ammachi who stood and sang holding herself up with a crutch, we had a group of appachens and ammachis who stood and sang a wonderful hymn, we were deeply moved to see so many appachens and ammachis worship God from the heart - the Word warns us about giving honour to the elderly - this was truly biblical when so many churches today are unbiblically skewed towards 'youth' - possibly a result of the results-driven, business-inspired church growth model. Those who live in Asia or Africa, and read this may rightly have a puzzled expression on your faces, and wonder why this is such a big deal. Well, in the West it is. Western society treats the elderly with contempt and appears to tolerate them as necessary evils but otherwise treat their old fathers and mothers as non-entities whose time has passed and who should remain quiet while they wait to die. As weird as it seems, this attitude appears to prevail in the church as well. So, it was truly refreshing to see a church where there are so many elderly people, along with lots of young families.

We saw a body of believers that exalted Christ, gave primacy to God's Word and its teaching and to rightly dividing the Word and we liked it. We rejoiced to see it.

Since I appear to be decidedly human (the last time I checked), I have come to the conclusion that I "speak" or "type" or "write" or otherwise communicate in some decidedly human fashion. I do not "tweet", "bark", "mew" or "low". Twitter is the for the birds. Besides, if I had the time to be yapping on about myself in pithy one-liners, it would make much more sense to put them all in a diary, collect them, and publish them as a new version of limericks or something. Anything.

Day 1. Week of housekeeping and babysitting my 2 boys.

6.30am. Woke up. Both boys sleeping. Other half getting ready for her first day back at work after 5 months' maternity leave. Enjoyed a steaming hot cup of coffee.
6.34am. Joyce leaves for work. 
7am. Benji wakes up and makes a beeline for his new pair of binoculars. Out in the garden staring at insects and birds.
7.33am Jonny wakes, after a fairly restless night. Pooped once around 3am, had a feed at 5am. Am praying and hoping that the loose stools are over.
7.45am. Made bowl of coco pops for Benji's breakfast. Ugh. 
8am. Made a 150ml bottle. Jonny finishes about 140ml before he refuses to drink any more. Burps a couple times and starts showing signs of wanting to go back to sleep. What the - ?
8.22am. Rather explosive, squelchy sound emanates from Jonny's nether regions. Yikes.
8.35am. Jonny all cleaned up and really sleepy. Gave him a dose of infant Panadol.
8.43am. Jonny goes to sleep.
8.50am. Got the wash out of the machine. Took Jonny's clothes off the mini-clothes line, and put the fresh batch on.
10am. Jonny wakes up loud. Burp waiting to come out. Seems to want to stay awake. Put him on his play mat. Benji asks, and receives, permission to play KoolSchool.
10.20am. Jonny produces another dirty nappy and promptly decides he wants to go back to sleep.
10.40am. Jonny all cleaned up again and back in his cot, asleep.
11.30am. Jonny awake and, with great difficulty, downs 60ml of a 200ml feed. Took him out to the garden in his pram while I hung the clothes out on the line. Benji pushed him around. Had to warn him that he was not Schumacher.
12.15pm. Jonny poops again. Called Joyce. We discuss taking him to the doctor.
12.30pm. Jonny cleaned up and drinks another 60ml, after much cajoling. Wants to sleep again.
12.45pm. Jonny asleep again. I fry up 3 skinless sausages apiece to embellish the rice, sambar, and beans lunch Benji and I enjoy.
1.20pm. Jonny awake and passes yet another watery stool. Call Joyce again. We decide I should take him to the doctor. Call the regular GP practice at Belridge and explain the situation. Sorry, they're full and can only fit him in tomorrow morning. A 4-month-old baby with diarrhoea is always at high risk of dehydration, and they can only fit him at 9.20 tomorrow morning. Ask them to book him in.
1.30pm. Call Joyce and she suggests the Joondalup Drive practice. Why not? Closer, plus they were very nice to me last year.
1.35pm. Call the Joondalup Drive practice and explain his symptoms. They are indignant to hear that his regular GP practice would not treat this as a serious matter and tell me that we can see a doctor if I can get him in by 2pm. Oh boy.
1.40pm. Trying to give Jonny a final feed of the remaining 100ml, but he's having none of it. Order Benji to pull on his sandals and get in the car. Stick a couple of diapers in the baby bag and confirm I have a pack of wipes. Also stick the bottle with the 100ml in as well. Maybe, if we're waiting long I can try and feed him. Am worried that he's drunk so little today, he's sleepy and a bit subdued. Concerned that he may be getting dehydrated.
1.47pm. Rushing round like a madman looking for the freaking mobile phone. Can't find it. Grab the cordless and dial. Get someone else. Hang up. Dial the right number. Phone starts to ring on the bed in front of me. Can't see it. Finally find it under Jonny's wrap. Oh yes, I need the wrap as well.
1.53pm. We're headed for the practice. Jonny seems to be fine. Benji's entertaining him in the back.
1.57pm. *&%#^$ red light at Hodges Drive.
2.03pm. Pull into the parking lot at the medical centre. No time to get the pram. Grab the boys and run.
2.05pm. Fill in a form with Jonny's details. The receptionist tells me, yes I have time to go get the pram. Whew. Jonny acts like he has nothing wrong with him, smiling at all the ladies.
2.25pm. Seen doctor. All good. I suspect she may have reached that diagnosis about 30 seconds into our visit, after he smiles and gurgles at her and then, when she starts examining him, gives her a couple of head-high (his head) kicks and grabs her finger and attempts to chew on it. He acts like a perfectly well, healthy 4-month-old. Thankfully, nothing serious. Seems to be viral, so will need to work itself out. Keep him full of fluids, and try and feed him smaller amounts more regularly. Hello, 2-hourly feeds. Give him water if he fusses with the milk.
2.40pm. Jonny decides to have a good lusty cry until he falls asleep about 5 mins from home. Wakes up as I take him out of the car seat, but I'm able to give him the remaining 100ml.
3pm. Jonny seems to be awake and happy, so I successfully attempt 2-and-a-half tablespoons of pureed broccoli. He wolfs down about 2 tablespoons. Try to give Benji the rest. He shies and runs like a mustang. I eat the rest. Not too bad, though Jonny seems to like it. Better him than me.
3.30pm. He goes down for another nap, after one more dirty nappy.
4.30pm. Joyce is back. Whew.

Hmmm......who woulda thunk it?

Benny Hinn and Paula White.....now there's a scenario no-one saw coming, including all the so-called apostles and prophets of the modern era. It takes a yellow rag like the National Enquirer to do the dirty on the deceitful duo. One separated and one divorced. Photographed holding hands in Rome, where they were both checked into the same hotel, Hinn in an assumed name.

Am I concerned? Yes, because once more the name of Christ has been muddied, and I'm sick of it, absolutely sick of it. A charlatan and a 'holy Barbie doll' throwing more mud on the name of Christ, IN the name of Christ, it would seem. Hang on - you shouldn't talk about a man of God like that, you say! (Or a woman of God, to be extremely PC - but I'm not, so I won't). Is he a man of God? Well, let me put it this way. Having butter spread all over it doesn't make a slice of bread a slab of butter anymore than occasionally saying something edifying in the name of Christ makes Benny Hinn a man of God. His heretical teachings are far too numerous, well documented and persistent to lead me to change my opinion that he is not a man of God but one who may have started well but has been, and has, deceived over a number of years. The less said about Paula White, the better. Other than an ability to look like a porcelain doll and display the latest trinkets, I can't think of anything else.

The most concerning aspect is that, for their rabidly faithful followers, it will be business as usual. Benny will continue stalking onto stage to the strains of "How Great Thou Art" and blowing gullible people over and collecting millions of dollars for his ministry and Paula will continue to minister without walls, much the same as they have done in the past. Moral and character failings that are clear evidence of serious problems in the lives of these people will not deter their legions of followers, or the ranks of well-meaning Christians who will not hear a word said against them since "the Bible teaches us not to judge". Sigh.

Why, why, why do people WANT to be blind?

False teaching in the church

Yesterday, for the first time, both Joyce and I were quite disturbed and troubled by blatantly unscriptural teaching that we heard in our church. Not all the teaching was unscriptural, but enough of it was to cause us to have a long discussion about our future here, and what our responsibility is to others who hear and do not understand (we know at least a couple of new believers) because they don't know what God's Word actually says about these matters.

Firstly, there was the much vaunted tithing message, which contained a couple of real gems this time. One, apparently, coming to church on Sundays is very important because in the olden days a failure to join the assembly (in Israel, presumably) was punishable by death....hmmm, not sure that is in the Bible? Ok, maybe I've missed that particular portion (though I don't think so), so I'll give the benefit of the doubt. But, wait, there's more. Apparently, the reason that God always remembers His covenant with David is....wait for it....because of how much wealth and money David would give to ' the House of God"!!!! How's that for manipulation????? I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that - I even wondered whether we're all reading the same Bible???!

So, that set the scene. I was at the AV desk, so I had a glimpse of the sermon notes beforehand (because I need to get the necessary scripture verses onto presentation slides for the sermon) and I was already thinking "Oh, boy". Well, I needn't have worried.

Where shall I start? The teaching about how the church is about to be raised up to 'control' the entire planet, to realign the nations to set things right on the earth and how there are a billion Spirit-filled believers (how did you count them?) on earth today and there will be many many more soon, in direct contrast to the Word which teaches that there will be a mass falling away in the end times? That it appears that the church is to be restoring the kingdom of God, in direct opposition to the Word which says that the kingdom will restored to earth when Jesus returns and that He will be the one to set things right on earth! This smacks of a current trend within charismatic circles that basically seems to discount the second coming of Jesus and teaches instead that the church will be assuming the pre-eminent position on earth. Yes, I know - incredible, in light of all the scripture passages that teach the second coming of Christ and nothing at all about the church taking over the world.

Then it moved onto a typical prosperity gospel teaching with lotsa of scripture taken out of context, twisted around and massaged. It appears that Joseph had favour on his life......the favour on his life was the coat of many colours that his father, Jacob, made for him. Because of favour on his life, Joseph had dreams. And, therefore, because of the favour on his life his brothers hated him. And because of favour on his life, Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar's house and was prosperous in all that he did.

Er....what about the second part of it, you know....that he spent several years after that in prison? Also, Joseph's coat was not 'favour'. Jacob, in his old age, showed preferential treatment among his children which no parent should ever do, especially since Jacob's children came from different mothers. Joseph really appears to gave been spoilt quite a bit and somewhat of a teenage braggart. God humbled him in slavery and prison and taught him to depend entirely on Him. But, I guess, that part of it doesn't gel with the prosperity message, does it?

Next gem, when the plagues were striking Egypt, the land of Goshen remained peaceful and prosperous. Yes, God did not allow any of the plagues to touch Goshen, where the Israelites lived but - hello!! They were SLAVES!! Not too prosperous, I think! Why did God take Israel out of there into the desert if they were peaceful and prosperous??? Knock, knock - anybody home??

Then, of course, there was the 'povery mindset'. Apparently, if you don't believe in the tenets of the prosperity teaching (that God wants us all to have riches pouring out of our ears cos the gold and silver are His), then you have a 'poverty mindset'. Sheesh. What about being content with what one has?? You know, like the Bible says - to be content with having our needs met??

Right at the end, though, the fact of Joseph having been in prison was added in, but the focus was his release from prison and the fact that he shaved to appear before Pharaoah- whaa?? Apparently, preparing ourselves to appear before kings and rulers according to their rules and customs is very important. Why? Not sure, still haven't figured that bit out.

All in all, it was pretty troubling. Not only that the whole premise of the teachings we heard appeared to be based on a unscriptural positions, but also that it is almost certain that the majority of the congregation had no issues with it, either because they do not know what the Word says, or they prefer to defer to the pastor's teaching.

Well, this is as far as I can remember. I'm truly devastated. Never thought I would be in a church where the leadership espouse false teachings....which contradict some of the most fundamental aspects of the Bible and our faith. I guess the quick and easy would be to move on. I ain't moving without knowing where God i leading, so I'll stay put for now.

May God have mercy on us all.

I sometimes wish I didn't, but I am unfortunately following current christian affairs - have been for a while now. It is quite frightening what is out there and the outlook for our children as Christians is frankly quite scary. I'm not talking about opposition/persecution from outside. I'm talking about people rising up from within the church and teaching stuff that is either slightly skewed, dodgy, iffy, fishy, stinky, perverted, wildly unbiblical or purely heretical - there's lots of it, bro. It's not a new thing, of course. Within the lifetime of some of the apostles (certainly John), they had to combat gnostic heresies arising in the church, so we're not 'unique'. However, what I do find across the spectrum in the body of Christ is the following:

1) A desire for entertainment. This applies mostly to presentation, but often to content as well. Everything has to be a show....then people call it 'awesome' (how I hate the use of that adjective), 'fantastic', 'blessed', etc.

2) A desire to adapt the gospel, and the Word, to the culture, rather than the other way round.

3) A distinct and frighteningly high level of biblical illiteracy. This may not be so true in places like India (speaking from my own experience from past years) but appears to be the case in most of the church in the West. One reason for this can be traced back to point (1). However it is, it has resulted in an absence of Bereans who search the scriptures, test the spirits,etc. People don't know what the Bible says, so anything goes.

4) As a consequence of (3) there is a very vague and primitive understanding of who God is, who we are, why we are Christians, why the Bible is the Word of God, etc. Josh McDowell recently wrote that he was appalled when he asked the question" Why is the Bible true" in a conference of pastors, nobody could answer properly. Finally one young pastor stood up and said "Because I believe it is true". Again, this may not be the case in India but is most applicable in the western church.

5) A preoccupation with material/tangible/monetary 'success'. People will ignore unbiblical doctrines, immoral behaviour, etc if a person shows 'results', usually defined by growth in membership, extension of 'ministry (ie organisational extension), and consequent financial growth. This is most evident in the - in my opinion - unhealthy preoccupation with secular business practices and adoption of secular management and corporate techniques into the church. One church I used to be part of previously used to hold special prayer for all the business 'leaders' in the church. Strangely, there was no such special prayer for those who held down a job - somehow, we were inferior because we didn't have 'influence in the marketplace', you know - just lowly employees. Can't be valuable to the kingdom, eh?

Somehow, those who succeed in the business world are often held up as ideals to emulate - why?? In my opinion, because of the tangible and material evidence of their 'successes'. 'Success' (in measurable terms, as defined in the business world) is now virtually a doctrine in the modern church - again, I don't particularly agree. Nobody knows how people make their money. One business person (back in India), referring to integrity in taxes, told me 'sometimes you have to do certain things'. He was specifically referring to fudging of his sales tax numbers - christian guy. Many business operations and practices are often cold, cruel, inconsiderate, deceptive and sometimes simply illegal - all because the number one objective is to make money. Now, we transplant business practices into the church. If these practices are directed towards making money, how in the world are christian leaders presuming that we can use these to edify and build up God's people??

Anyway, Jesus was very categorical in Matt 24:24. So was Paul. They both warned the body of Christ to watch out for false teachers and prophets. Today, many people in the body of Christ welcome in all manner of weird teaching and practices that do not have biblical origins. We have changed the gospel from an atoning, reconciling act of God to a self-improvement methodology meant to affirm man's ego.

Hmmm, looks like Julia Gillard starts out with a pretty serious case of foot-in-mouth disease.
Well, was she or was she not one of the brains behind Rudd?

More of the same, methinks, with a nastier streak.

I see that the internet filter is still on the cards.

More of the same.