Houses, houses, houses

Very interesting looking at show houses. Today we get to the first one in Emmarentia. Great location but it just comes in on you. Big garden but you can't see out, just oppresively green and bushy. The house goes on and on with extra rooms added on. Nicely finished but dark and dingey. My wife and kids love it! I just want to dash to the car... Then to Parkhurst which I think is a much trendier suburb with character. No 1 is a great spot and compact house with a cottage too. Bit dark but pretty little garden. Sad thing is they want 1.8 million and will probably get 1.6 which is more than we can afford anyway. Drive past another in Greenside but its one of those fixer uppers which just isn't me at all. Then a wasted drive to a block of trendy flats which turn out to be a lock your doors area and get out of there quick location! So nothing yet that works for us all. Where can one find good location, proximity, air, pretty, low maintenance, trendy, modern, old fashioned, small, compact, big and with many rooms for kids, trees, no trees? Watch this blog for more as we continue to hunt it down...

Want to grab a heart for discipleship then watch..

"The secrets of Jonathan Sperry" a movie that was given to us to watch today. It left me so inspired and is about an old guy who loves Jesus who reaches out to a young boy and leads him to the saviour. He ends up doing Bible Study and discipling a whole lounge of young boys complete with chocolate cake and lemonade! Some totally awesome experiential teaching, and the way this man sows into the boys is incredible. They go on to disciple many others. This is the heart behind what we want to do next year. We want to use XMO that Joanne has designed as the basic material but to build small groups of leaders and children and even children together. We will most certainly show this movie a lot next year so that people can get the heart behind discipleship. If only I can be more like this old man... inspiring to the older generation too... we need you to step up and raise the next gen.

Altar call... just a term for responding publically to the gospel

So how do you do an altar call pastor J? Good question put to us by Siviwe who spoke at Hope Street today. He spoke well and challenged kids to come to the front of the little church to give their hearts to Jesus. Most of the kids quickly came up. Siv handed over to me and I shared a little and led them in a prayer asking Jesus to forgive them, to help them repent and to follow Jesus. Well that's it. Now as we discussed on the way home, some came forward because that is the culture, some cos their friends did, some just to be polite, but there are always some who really got it and wanted to surrender to Jesus. I have heard enough real stories from kids and teens we work with who became christians when we came to their park, school, or at a meeting. We can try be clear, and yes we can teach the Word well in smaller groups and cement these altar calls, but let us not shrink back. There are going to be many people in heaven who say thanks for that altar call you gave, that is where I first called on Jesus! So if you work with people keep giving the gospel to them. It is a work of God's Spirit not us. We don't teach them into the Kingdom, God calls and this is just part of many people's journey.

Can one man make a difference?

Bill Wilson from Metro Kids in New York is asked this question often and in his book suggests the answer. He describes his journey of starting Metro which now reaches 40 000 kids a week in NY and has been started in many countries globally. Facinating and challenging reading. Tells stories of how doing what he and his team do has made the difference in children's lives. Hard hitting reading. Then in Exodus 33 today I saw that Moses single handedly makes the difference. God tells him that He is going to leave Israel to get along on their own because they are so bad. Moses puts himself on the line and because He has found favour with God asks God to change His mind, and He listens! Moses says if God won't go with them then He must leave Moses too. What sacrifice is that. Would you put your salvation aside for others? So we are called to stand in the gap and pray. Abraham did the same, and saved people.
What about you and me? I know there are children who are in the Kingdom today because we obeyed God and went to their school. Baptised 4 kids last night. 2 sisters who are saved today because Joanne and I went to their school 3 years ago to do an assembly. 1 boy who gave his heart to Jesus 6 months because my 13 year old son cared enough to lead him to Jesus, and my 9 year old daughter because we adopted her 8 and a half years ago and have shared our lives with her. Encouraging? Of course... so make sure you make a difference... it is what God has called us to do!

Jozi Lights back for final term

Nothing like seeing the kids rock up for Jozi Lights on a Friday. They talk so much, they connect with each other, with us as leaders, and then the ultimate... with God. Tonight there was fun, a walk down the road to a pool where we baptized 4 kids including my daughter. Then back for small groups where older boys shared testimonies, and prayed with passion. Ended with a push for the Christmas Production auditions and 15 min of tremendous praise and worship. Such a presence of God there and freedom. we are so blessed to be part of this family. Young people being shaped by a great God for their future and their present.

U wear skinny jeans pastor J

So why do I wear skinny jeans? And red or purple ones, with red shoes! Since young I have liked wearing different stuff and not always doing what people would expect me to do. I hate mediocrity and being boxed. It is my non-conformist streak coming out. Bear in mind my mom wore kaftans till she died and my dad had a pony tail in his seventies. I never want to be boring. But I am part trying to be cool and relevant to the kids I minister to, but also I like skinnies. I tend to look at someone who looks good in something, and then try it for myself. Sometimes it doesn't work and then I don't do it. I wish more people, particularly teens, would find what works for them. Your build, colour, and many other features mean that some things work and some just don't. Just waltz around your local mall and spot those who look comfortable and those who are trying to just fit in. So laugh or be envious but I like my skinny purple jeans and bright coloured shoes are funky. So there, that is my fashion waffle for the week.

World's largest Sunday School

Amazing to think of 40 000 children in your weekly Sunday School!!! Well that is what Bill Wilson and Metro New York have. 100 full time staff, 50 busses, 5 services plus a whole load of Sidewalk sites throughout the city. So many kids who have met Jesus and have followed Him since. So may kids rescued from the streets. Inspiring and daunting. Makes me ask what am I doing? What more is needed? We have so many kids in need, in danger. Bill said last night, the need is the vision! Would love to go to New York and see this for myself, to learn from this ministry. It was reading Bill's book Streets of pain about 11 years ago that made us build the carastage and do parks every afternoon of the week for years. Many kids saved, but hard to know whether many are following Jesus today. Now I am reading his new book, Whose Child is this. May stretch me...make me more effective...???