All-Of-Life Service
Albert Esselbrugge, 4 July 2009.
Whenever driving through farmland and bush, my mind tends to wander off into trying to imagine what it would be like to live away from the city rush and noise, and wondering what I might do to make a living. It’s always easy enough to imagine the ideal get-away place – a modest two bedroom cottage, a log fire in the living area, lots of book shelves and books, a small workshop and surrounded by bush.
What I would do to earn the necessary means to live in such a setting is where it gets interesting. I sometimes think I would be able to return to carpentry, but I usually end up thinking about other ways. In a recent trip I thought that I should like to do something to create things which would be of benefit to others. This, however, is where my mind took a significant detour.
The curse of idolatry
John Zuidema, 2 July 2009.
I usually try and watch the news at least once a day but I must say it has been a struggle this past week.
I struggled to remain interested in the silly 'utegate' affair between the Prime Minister and opposition leader. It seems that the latter didn't do his homework very well. Then, of course, we had the death of pop singer Michael Jackson. It did not only became a headline. It seemed like there was no other news for days. Virtually no mention of a bomb blast in Iraq and Pakistan that killed 76 people. Virtually no mention of the Yememia plane that crashed killing 150 people. Even the death of a "Charlie's Angel" hardly got a mention. What we did get was endless accolades about Mr Michael Jackson.
Now I must say that Mr Jackson was probably a gifted musician and talented entertainer. When I see people of all ages grieving uncontrollably and sometimes bowing down towards him, however, I cannot help but think that we have lost perspective about what really matters in life.
Four-Fold Task
brnvat, 26 June 2009.
Hi brothers,
I wonder whether the debate around the four-fold task has much at all to do with realities and facts of the four-fold task. I believe we should read the text positively as the Synod, which adopted it in 2006, did. This statement is something we have covenanted to do together to help us put the Word of God into practice in the C21st, to become “a church reforming to reach the lost in Christ”. It is guided by the Word of God and dependent on it.
1. Preaching
The criticism that preaching of the Word is not in view seems quite wrong. Please note the first three tasks (emphasis mine)
Task 1:
To call upon God for such an outpouring of his Spirit that his people will be assured of his love through his Word, seek to please the Saviour in all things, manifest the godly life and be filled with prayerful and sacrificial compassion for the lost in all the world."
Task 2:
To multiply the number of well-trained persons (ordained, non-ordained, full time, part time, voluntary) lovingly dedicated to the creation and development of such fellowships and congregations by proclaiming the gospel.
Depression
Albert Esselbrugge, 26 June 2009.
When you are feeling low and you begin questioning your faith, what do you do?
Depression is an issue which touches us all in one way or another. A friend or relative
may experience a dark time in life, or we ourselves might go through what some have
called a dark time of the soul. How do we address those times?
I remember many years ago as a teenager listening to a conversation among some
older people where it was seriously questioned whether genuine Christians could
ever experience such times. I don’t know why, but the conversation, or at least the
doubts expressed in that conversation have stayed with me. Perhaps it was because
I was still trying to figure out what I thought about depression, and when I did come
to a conclusion, I was amazed how people could think like that.
