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Showing posts from October, 2014

What is Success?

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I often contemplate what it means to be 'successful' (check out some of my previous blogs on the topic). I am becoming more convinced that a Christian perspective of success is very different to our cultures idea of what it means. Success is not about making it to the top. This sets up 99% of people for failure as there is not enough space for everyone at the top. Not everyone is blessed with extreme intellect or Olympic athleticism. Often the journey to be a 'success' involves backstabbing, being ruthlessly competitive and trampling over others in order to 'be the best'. There is nothing wrong with having dreams, goals or aspirations. But have you ever stopped to ask God what His dreams are for your life? What is the purpose He has created you for? Once you know that, your journey towards it will be full of grace and compassion for others. It saddens me to see so many churches adopting the world's criteria of 'success'. How many p

Integrity & Authenticity: Being vs Doing

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(Originally written for and posted on www.TheChurchCollective.com ) I would like to begin by asking: “How are you being?” Church leadership comes with a whole lot of jobs that appear as if they will not wait. They have to be done, and done now! There are a lot of stresses and strains that demand your focus and attention one way or the other. If we are not careful, the business of our lives and indeed the business of our ministry can get in the way of some very important things such as our relationship with our families and indeed our relationship with Jesus himself. Can you remember the last time you just simply hung out with Jesus? I know sometimes I wake up in the morning and can’t pin point a time when I last did this. Sometimes when I go to read my Bible I fear that I will find some dust on the shelf or that a spider has spun a web on one corner like you see in some cartoon strips. We can get so caught up in the ‘doing’ of life that we can forget to simply ‘be’.

Christian Hip-Hop on the Radio?

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It is humbling to be included amongst the ranks of Mac Powell of Third Day, Tim Hughes, Leslie Jordan of All Sons and Daughters, and Gareth Gilkeson of Rend Collective to give my views on why Christian radio stations don't play much Christian rap or hip-hop music. It was an interesting question when Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms asked me my opinion. Reading the responses from other artists it is clear that there is no easy answer - but that's what makes it a good question! Have a read of my opinion on the topic as well as what 13 other Christian artists think on the Cross Rhythms website .