Looking over the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos is interesting. It's particularly interesting when you consider a Church that is persecuted over there just for sharing their faith in Jesus.

It makes me wonder about how much we take for granted in NZ when it comes to our faith.  People in Laos are put in prison, persecuted...and worse, just for sharing their faith. We moan about the secularisation of NZ but barely give a thought to the fact that the worst we may face for sharing our faith is a cringing face or disapproving response - thats hardly in the same league as persecution is it?

And yet, are we taking every (any?) opportunity to proclaim the Gospel? Are we taking the great commission seriously? Are we sharing our faith in Jesus with all this opportunity that we live with everyday? Or, are we just going to leave that painful task for the Laos people - the persecuted Church?

Something to think about.

Just before I get into this entry directly, let me just say that it's not my intension to make this blog into a travel journal, or to simpy duplicate my personal facebook page with benign content about my "trip". Instead, I'm keen for this to be a reflective and thoughtful place where I can put some stuff down while I visit Thailand, Israel and HK/China. I'm also keen for some interaction so please leave a comment if you like.

Enough on that, let's get into it.

Back when I was 21 my mate and I came to Bangkok at the end of a European adventure and had a couple of days taking in the sights.  I also visited on my way to India back in 2008. Between 1998 and 2008 the differences seemed really big to me - less tuktuks, and more Western style commercialism is what I remember reflecting on back in 2008. This time, I again noticed the changes, including a marked increase in the number of large modern buildings and a sense of "sprawling tourism".

Having said that, the most engaging thought for me today was not around the changes, but around the simlarities.  Take the War Memorial at Kanchanaburi (OK, so it's kinda outside Bangkok but it's where we ended up today).  Despite enormous structural changes to the roads and buildings (this area was semi-rural back in 1998 - not any more), still the gardens were immaculate; the gardeners were helpful and polite; the memory of the people, (including NZ POWs) who died whilst building the Burma railway in the early 1940s during the Japanese occupation, was alive and well.

Likewise, although the tourism now extends right up to the bridge over the river Kwai, built at the cost of many allied POW's lives, even there seemed to be a sense of continuity - perhaps it was the steel of the bridge itself which hasn't aged a bit!

The people of Thailand are still so friendly. The food in Thailand still is still so yummy (duck, frogs and snake's head - hello!!).  They still love their King, Rama IX, and despite a delicate political environment right now my taxi driver assures me that everyone stops fighting when called upon by the King.

Another thing that hasn't changed - Buddhism is still very much alive and well in Thailand.  Just looking at Bangkok, with its countless Buddhist temples, it doesn't seem, save a move of God, that this is going to change any time soon.

So what does all of this mean for us as Christians?  What is our mission response to the Kingdom of Thailand?  I hope to discover some insight as I look at the work of Mark & Katrina and Peter & Lynley over near the Eastern border. 

What do you think?

My mum and I have arrived in Bangkok. The flight was good and the Thai Air crew were great.  I'm a bit tired writing this as it's almost 5 am NZ time and I didn't really sleep on the plane.  At least it's 11pm here now so all good for a full nights sleep (bring it on).

We've already explored a few markets and been for a little wander around our Hotel. I'm blown away (again) by the number of people it takes for tasks you'd struggle to get more than one person in NZ to do - 5 people involved in our check in to the Hotel! I remember this from previous trips here. I guess it keeps employment up, but it seems like over kill from a Kiwi perspective.

Tomorrow we will explore Bangkok a bit, starting at the floating markets.  On Thursday we headed East to catch up with the Trewavas family - I'm so looking forward to that. 

I thought you might be interested in some details of my overseas trip in March-April.  I am very excited about this and thank the Lord, and the Church, for allowing me the privilege of doing it and representing Him/you!  I'm also pretty happy that my mum is coming with me, and that Helen will join me for the Hong Kong leg.

- The trip will be 11 March - 11 April.
- 11-17 March: arrangements are made to visit Mark and Katrina in Thailand.  I will also be spending some time with friends Peter and Lynley while I'm in the area. 
- 18-31 March: my original Israel tour has been cancelled.  This meant some scrambling to find an equivalent tour, and I think what I found is even better! It covers the exact same things, but adds in a trip to Petra as well (God is GOOD!).  I have been asked to be available to lead devotions during the trip.  Click on this link if you'd like to see the itinerary: http://www.pilgrimtours.com/mideast/israel/Retail/israelpetra13.htm
- 1-11 April: Some time in Hong Kong visiting my cousin who live there, as well as several days across the border in Guangzhou China.

If you want to keep track of my progress, I'm planning on writing here as I go around the various places.  I will link this to our facebook page too.

Today I saw a fantail in a maze.

"I know how these things work", I thought to myself.  I was so sure that I would quickly master this small fenced off puzzle that I strode off quickly and confidently.

Turn-by-turn I marched on with little regard for the twists and turns. Afteralll, I was a man on a mission! I knew where I was going!  The exit was sure to be over in that far corner and I was confident I could get there without any trouble.

No dead-ends, no turn backs.  Onward I strode, making a be-line for the exit.  Sure enough I got over there with very little effort.  I was on track. One last corner. "This must be it..."

But instead of an exit, I walked straight into a dead-end! 

What had happened?  Where did I go wrong?  How could this be?  I was sure of my strategy.  What was I going to do now?

I stared at the wall for a moment.  Disappointed, and a little despondent, I complained under my breath, "this was only meant to be a five minute thing".  I didn't have a Plan B; no other ideas about where the exit might be.  For a few moments I just wondered in the maze. 

Dead-end after dead-end.  Endless turning back.  So pointless and demoralising.

Some music was playing on my phone.  A song by Casting Crowns started up:

"How appropriate" I muttered!  And In a moment of indignation the answer came far too quick: "Who am I?  I'm no one!  I'm nothing!  Why would anyone care about me?  Why would God give two hoots if I'm stuck in a stupid maze?"

All of a sudden a little fantail appeared in front of me.  He looked so playful and bright as he flittered and flapped at the edge of the maze. 

My spiritual radar popped up, and with all the pious hope I could muster the thought emerged, "maybe this bird is here to show me the way"?

More words from the song rang out:

I was just about to head left, when the fantail flittered to the right...ok, right it is!  Off I went with a new purpose and resolve.  New determination and a stride back in my step.  New hope, I'm on my way...DEAD END!

"Stupid bird!", I muttered, then rather more cynically, "stupid me for thinking God would send a bird to speak to me in the midst of a silly little maze".

Again I was wondering, hopeless and alone.  I was out of ideas.  I didn't know what to try next or where to turn. 

Then, there it was again: "That bloomin' fantail.  Back for more, huh?  Don't you know when to just give up? Why must you taunt me so?" 

Again he seemed playful and bright.  This time his song was so joyful that it started to drown out the poison of my own thoughts.

A change.  Something switched in my heart.

"Do you want me to dance?", I awkwardly asked the little fantail. Then the answer came deep in my heart. "Yes". My heart leapt for joy.  A knowing grin filled my previously grim face.  A deep sense of relief and freedom poured in where once there was despair.

Enjoy the moment. Be free. Nothing to worry about.

I continued through the maze with a new spring in my step and a joy in my heart

Still there were dead-ends; still plenty of turn backs, but that didn't seem to matter now.

Just then another Casting Crowns song began to play.   In no time I was walking out of the maze echoeing the words:

New hope. Revelation. Realisation.

What lessons one learns from a fantail in a maze.

It’s exciting to be taking our Sunday services to the TSB Hub for the next six weeks.  What’s more exciting though is that God is moving among us in MANY areas.  He is busy stretching and growing us for His Kingdom work!

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen people come to faith; we’ve made connections with a number of new people searching for truth; we’ve started up an Alpha course “out of the blue” with plenty of interest; we’ve seen increased interest in Local and Global mission through our new “Taste of…” events; we’ve made the bold move to worship in a different location; we’ve started “Café Church” -  a new kind of Church gathering that we’d love to see continue regularly...and more!

How do we respond when we see good things happening?  Well, we can sit back and say, “wow, that’s cool” and just let it pass us by; we can get upset that there is change, start moaning about what is happening, and glorify what “used to be”; or we can embrace what God is doing right here and now, and join Him in it.

I think that embracing what God is doing is really the only choice for a faith community like us—after all, we call ourselves “followers of Jesus”!  It’s essential that we partner with Him and follow His leading. 

So, how do we do that? It is important that we all get involved, at least in a small way, in something that stretches us beyond our comfort zone. It is important that we identify, and start working in, the unique gifts and ministry that God has given us individually.  It is important that we are able to help one another out, and encourage each other on the journey.

What will be next for us as a Church?  What happens after the trial at the Hub?  How about the Furlong, is that it? We don’t know for sure, but wouldn’t it be awesome if we saw a move of God here in Hawera that is greater than anything we have ever seen before? Wouldn’t it be amazing to be part of something big that God is doing right here and now!

Make sure you’re ready, because God is on the move!

This past week I have been talking to everyone who cares to listen, about being on the move.  As a Church we are physically moving our Sunday services (on a 6-week trial basis) down to the  TSB Hub.  This is a significant step, however it’s only a small glimpse into the moving and shaking that God is doing right now among us.

There really are a lot of things moving at this time.  Over the past few weeks I have seen movement: in attitudes; in willingness to participate; in accepting Christian living; in opportunities; in friendships and relationships.

The truth is that God is moving in this place and the challenge for us is how we respond to it.  Are we going to go with what God is doing? Or are we going to stick our feet in the mud and hinder the Kingdom work that He is busy with in, around and through us?

We need to be prayerful!  Friends—we need to pray!

This weeks prayer and self denial focus is on prayer, and it’s significance for us and the world.  As we pray, we partner with God as He moves.  As we pray, we come alongside others who need to see God move in their lives.  As we pray, we see the resources of heaven poured out into the hearts and lives of the people God is at work in.  As we pray God deals with us too.

Movement is a funny thing...sometimes it gets you to a destination, other times it just feels like it causes nausiation!  But the kind of move of God that we desire to see, “5% Kingdom impact by 2020”, is a wonderful target for our progress as a community of faith.  Yes, there will be gut wrenching times, but God is here and he is on the move. 

Will we join Him? 

Although I’m certainly not the most traditional person out there, I would have to say that I am actually reasonably conservative!

Take my “looks” for example: 
· Nothing shouts “conservative” like consistently wearing black trousers and polo shirts (wooly jersey for winter).
· Check out my glasses—SOOO predictable!
· As for my haircut—it’s the same one I’ve had my whole life!

And it’s not just looks:
· I have a reasonably conservative evangelical theology (although I prefer to call it orthodox because it sounds cooler!)
· With regard to marriage, I believe it is between one man and one woman, and that it is a life-long commitment—that’s seen as quite conservative these days.
· 1 wife, 3 kids, 1 mortgage, 1 Nissan (how terribly unimaginative!)

However, when I probe a little deeper I find this external conservatism actually disguises my true nature—I’m a Christian radical.

Now you have to be careful using a label like “radical”, however it’s actually quite a good description of the Gospel and the life that Jesus calls us to live.  Far from being predictable and conservative, at the core we are called to be radically transformed and to live lives that put it all on the line for the Kingdom of God.

The Christian life is actually very challenging! Frankly, it’s risky!
Here’s an anonymous quote that resonates deeply with the radical in me:

Let’s take some risks and find the freedom God has for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!

My Grandma was famous for her quotes. One that she would remind me of often went like this, “Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom found in women, but never in a man”. Now, I’m not sure about the gender thing (I always found my Grandpa to be more patient than my Grandma to be honest), never-the-less, possessing patience as a virtue does seem to be rare and allusive.

This is particularly true in our microwave world with its instant diet of technology and wonders that we just can’t live without. We get frustrated if the internet connection is down; we feel affronted when our fb isn't logging in. Tell me it’s not so! There was an old “Music machine” song that has the lyrics, “Have patience, have patience, don’t be in such a hurry...” I used to sing that song at double speed and still think that it was too slow.

There’s another saying among Christians, that if you pray for patience, then God will put before you people and circumstances that try your patience to the limit. No wonder it’s not something that we often go looking for. One of the lessons that I have learnt, during the three year “sinking house” debacle, is the importance of patience. At times there is nothing more to do than wait. Other times, things seem to be working through quickly when something happens and a good dose of patience is again required.

I feel that patience is something that we are all going to need over the coming months and years. We have taken a step in exploring the “Furlong opportunity”, however there is much water to go under the bridge; there is plenty of work to be done; and a shift that needs to happen in our minds, for this, or whatever else God has for us, to come to full fruition.The Psalmist implores us to “wait patiently for the Lord…”. Not a passive waiting, but one that involves courage. Let’s wait patiently for the Lord!

I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30:

The past few years have been a real test of character for us as a Church, and for many of us personally as well.  God has taken our commitment to Him and has gone about molding and shaping us for his purpose.  The key, as described in this verse, is to keep coming back to Him no matter what life throws at us. To find absolute rest which is only found in Jesus, who is “gentle and humble in heart”.

The past few months for me have been particularly testing as negotiations surrounding our house in Rotorua have intensified greatly.  It’s been draining stuff!  Jesus’ words “weary” and “burdened” are very relevant, however they don’t ring nearly as loadly as those three short words, “come to me”.  No matter what happens, Jesus is able to give us rest, comfort, life and hope in the midst of every circumstance if only we will go to Him.

It’s just the same for us as a Church. There’s SIGNIFICANT stuff happening for us: challenging and demanding stuff.  Following a season of consolidation over the past year or so, God is starting to call us to action, and to a greater effort in His Kingdom work.  But this is not “hard work” in the sense that we labour alone, no: we find rest in Jesus; he replaces our burden, which can be so hard to bear, with His, which He promises will be “light”.  Jesus has proven to be trustworthy and so we can trust Him for the outcome.

Jesus said, “Come to me….” 

How are we going to respond?