Captain Tupperware is off to Mozambique!

I have been afforded the amazing privilege of being invited to be part of a team to embark on a mission to Mozambique. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the folks at Uitenhage Methodist Church for not only inviting me to be part of the team, but also to make it financially possible through their many and generous donations.

Among many things they have given me is a new name: "Captain Tupperware". The name comes from a reference that I made to my dog-collar in a service one day, something along the lines of "I'm nothing special just because I wear a piece of Tupperware around my neck - if the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords could get down in the dirt and wash His disciples' stinking feet, I have no excuse not to be a servant". From there, the name stuck!

We leave today, so this blog will be quiet for the next two weeks. There will be some updates as we go along on http://mission.uitenhage-methodist.co.za, so check regularly for news. There's a somewhat, shall we say, "interesting" photo on that site of what I would look like with shoulder-length hair. Not particularly flattering, but better than what Dig Dug (aka Chris) would look like with a brush-cut!

Naturally there'll be LOTS of news when we get back, not only on the official site but on this blog as well!

Please pray for us, that God will use us mightily as His instruments.

College ... or Circuit ... or College ... or Circuit ...

One of the major difficulties I've had to deal with this year is the prospect of going to College next year. For those who haven't being following the various blog posts, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa has changed their training programme as from 2010. All those who candidate for the ministry from this year onwards will be spending three years full-time at the new Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary, followed by two years in Circuit, after which probationers will then prepare for ordination.

And until a month or so, it was a virtual certainty that this year's Phase Ones - the last group on the "old" system - would be going to SMMS next year as well. Not an absolute certainty, mind you - such decisions are subject to approval by Conference, which takes place in September. This has caused me major frustration, since I need to make certain decisions regarding my family, sale of my house, place James in a school, and so on.

I had written a letter to EMMU, the body that governs the training of ministers within the MCSA, but by the time Synod came around, I had not yet received a reply. To the consternation of many at Synod, who believe that "Phase Ones should be seen and not heard", I stood up on the floor of Synod and expressed my concerns to the Bishop and all present. To his credit, the Bishop gave me an undertaking to address our concerns as Phase Ones.

And address them he most certainly did, embarking on a "blitzkrieg" starting with a meeting with us two weeks ago, and followed by a series of meetings with certain individuals (myself included) thereafter. He has also engaged extensively with the "powers that be" at EMMU. These communications gave us hope that perhaps, for various reasons, we might remain stationed in Circuit rather than having to go to SMMS.

My own Circuit was extremely encouraged by this news - the demise of the Phase One programme would have left my Superintendent as the only minister in our Circuit next year. There were also concerned that with him retiring at the end of 2010, the new minister would be faced with a similar "man alone" situation until the first graduates from SMMS started filtering back into Circuits in 2012.

The dilemma is this: While our Bishop is doing his level best to motivate our particular cases to EMMU, the decision as to whether we are to go to SMMS or remain in Circuit rests with EMMU. Of course, the final decision is that of Conference, but unless something drastic happens, EMMU's decision is likely to be ratified.

There are of course many advantages to me remaining in Circuit, particularly if it happens to be in Uitenhage. Firstly, it will make my family situation easier, for I will have a manse instead of a flat. Secondly, I will continue to receive a stipend (which seminarians don't get) - a distinct advantage when one has bills to pay! Thirdly, I have always maintained that 40 is not an ideal age to go and be a full-time college student - at this stage of my life, I want to get as much "real" experience of being a minister as possible.

On the other hand, there are also advantages to going to SMMS, not least the opportunity for academic advancement. Being full-time means that I could conceivably emerge from seminary with a Masters degree in theology to add to the Masters I already have in financial management. This would be the ideal platform from which to enter PhD studies, and I have this dream to do something radical and groundbreaking around the theology and practice of stewardship within the Church. Having a Masters in both disciplines would put me in a unique position to tackle this type of research from both angles, and produce a thesis that would not only contribute to the body of knowledge, but actually be implementable in practice as well.

Now I'm not saying that this is not possible doing it part-time - after all, I have managed to complete three degrees and put a serious dent into a fourth studying in this fashion. Doiung it part-time just takes a little longer, and juggling one's responsibilities is that much more difficult.

So right now I'm feeling like a teenager with a flower in his hand, picking out the petals one by one. But in this case, instead of seeking the love of a lady, I'm going "College ... or Circuit ... or College ... or Circuit ...". Most of all, I want to be in God's will, whatever that may be.

Thanks for your prayers - please continue to hold me up.

Dipping my toe into the Open Source water

I've decided to start exploring (excuse the WinDoze pun) the scary world of Open Source software, starting with Mozilla Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer.

So far, it's beeyootiful! It seems to open pages a lot faster, the way it handles downloads is stunning, and you actually get OPTIONS when it comes to installing add-ons.

I like it!

BBC's Chris Moyles talks up the Church

I found this over on a UK local preacher's blog, Methodist Preacher, and while it is the UK, and they were commenting on a Pentecostal / Charismatic service, there are lessons in it for the rest of us in terms of being relevant in the 21st century, as well as how the world sees the Church.

I became an uncle today!

Something I've always found difficult - maybe it's a cultural thing - is the practice by certain people (mainly Afrikaans-speakers) who address anyone who is a few years older them as "Oom" (or "Uncle" in English). I understand that it is a sign of respect, but being English, I was brought up to address only those who are ACTUALLY my uncle as "Uncle". If you want to show respect to other people, call them Mr, Mrs, Ma'am, Sir.

Me - I prefer being addressed by my first name. I HATE "Oom" or "Uncle" - it makes me feel ancient. "Reverend" is one I'm still getting used to, but since this technically is my title, I can live with that. But for the most part, "Steven" works best.

But this morning I heard the news that my sister-in-law gave birth to a baby girl. The old cellphone signal was not too good when my wife 'phoned me with the news, so I didn't quite catch the name, but I would be ecstatic to be called "Uncle" by this young lady who has just entered the world.

May the Lord bless Shaun and Vanessa richly - children are indeed a gift from God.

Graeme Smith apologises for humiliating England (not!)

Does size count?

Something I'm beginning to find out is that "bigger" is not always better. A particular institution, practice, or belief system doesn't automatically become good just because it is practiced by a large number of people. And as a result of this, there are admittedly times where I feel like the cynic who once said that democracy is like three wolves and one sheep voting on what's for lunch!

Part of this thought process comes from some recent experiences in which I have challenged something that is just, well, wrong - to be told that many others are in the same boat, "we've all had to go through this", etc, etc. If something is wrong, it's wrong! If it's wrong when done by (or to) one person, having the same thing done by (or to) 100 people doesn't suddenly make it right.

In some way this feeling is being aggravated by my uncertainty about next year - something that I have already prepared a blog post for, but at this stage I don't feel at liberty to publish it. Maybe at a later stage. But for the most part, it's a spiritual struggle.

For instance, how is it that I live in a country where the overwhelming majority of the population claims to be Christian, yet there is so much rampant crime, corruption, and a general breakdown in moral values? Closer to home, I see this in the community I currently serve, where every Sunday there are overwhelming numbers of people, all decked out in their Sunday best, Bible in hand, (presumably) off to church. Yet in this same community there is untold misery caused by all manners of social ills.

Jenny is struggling with many similar questions over on her blog, as evidenced by the posts Incurably Religious and They need to be converted! And like me, she is questioning how a large grouping can be apparently so devoid of spirituality.

In my own congregations, where I am in the process of implementing a stewardship campaign, the main emphasis of what I am trying to teach is not money as such but our relationship with Jesus. For if its about the minister / society stewards / ward leaders demanding that people give, we're wasting our time. If it's about how we respond to the love of Jesus by giving of our time, our talents, our service, our prayers - the very essence of who we are - then our giving will become one of spontaneous generosity. I used the analogy of a person who supports their family, not out of duty or because "the law says so", but out of a deep love for their family.

So I guess that what I'm trying to say is this: Going to church every Sunday is not what makes us Christians. You can spend a lifetime in the garage, but you will never become a car! Jesus tells His disciples that people will know them as followers of Him not by their uniforms, eloquent preaching, or the number of meetings they attend, but by their love for one another.

The challenge for us as ministers - indeed, our very calling - is to help our congregations understand and embrace this reality. For it's only when Jesus becomes part not only of Sunday, but of Monday to Saturday as well, will our lives truly be transformed.