SEX SATURATED SOCIETY!

Singapore, a conservative society? Not according to daily surveys of the most read stories in the Straits Times.

The Straits Times runs the 10 most read stories, and stories on sex figure strongly!

Below are the top 10 stories from yesterday's ST digital copy:

1 Mum had sex with son

2 Govt acts to cool market

3 Sex in the suburbs

4 Principal in sex scandal held

5 Too sexy for kids?

6 Driver dies after heart attack

7 Woman on kissing quest

8 Pepper spray attack: 2 jailed

9 Caught having sex in stolen car

10 Gang snatches boy's mobile

CHEE & THIO: TWO SIDES OF

THE SAME COIN?

Singapore is poorer without Chee Soon Juan and Thio Li Ann.

They speak their minds fearlessly, draw heavy fire from their opponents and strike discordant notes in a society more interested in making money and wasting its passion on consumerism, colored nails, racing cars and casinos. We do not resemble computers – an idiot machine designed to store information, play games and kill our time. Life is not a game and we are not machines.

Li Ann forces us to think about families, religion and gender. Soon Juan drives a wedge between political centrism and activism. Do we want opposition political parties to only stir discussion in Parliament or do we want attention grabbing activism? Thanks to these two, issues we'd normally ignore are taken note off.

Reject them if you must but please don’t despise the choices they bring to the body politic and the civil space they've opened. Choices and a bigger space in the civil society help us craft solutions, stimulate changes, preserve traditions. Li Ann and Soon Juan make us pause and question the “whys” of our lives. No, they are not pragmatic. Nor are they here to help us prosper materially. Pragmatism and wealth are not the best weapons to fight a war of attrition against a larger enemy.

So where do they get their motivation to bang on their drums in the face of name calling, hostility and heckling? Perhaps their Christian faith provides a clue. The Bible not only provides the ballast to cast doubt on present worldly arrangements but also provides pictures of a different and just kingdom.

You dont have to agree with their views or like them. But they are one of us and deserve a hearing.

Singapore... Thio Li Ann and Chee Soon Juan are your sons and daughters.

THIO LI ANN: CHAMPION OF FREE SPEECH!


Neither petite nor passive, Thio Li Ann brings it on!

I finally got to hear and meet this remarkable lady at a seminar on media this morning at Kum Yan Methodist Church. She was one of the two keynote speakers. Li Ann's book, The Mind Gap, was available at the talk. She didnt sound lawyerly or professorial but was relaxed and entertaining. Her jibes and fast talk lit up the place.

The reaction she evokes from her opponents is understandable. Her humor, quips, barbs and arguments tend to sting, especially when you're at the end of them. And she does not give the impression of taking prisoners in a debate. This chica has absolutely no qualms about making her views known. But one observation needs to be made. She didnt sound like the moralizing right wing christian fundamentalist her opponents and make her out to be. Mainstream media love her because she gives them a lot to write about.

Her defense of free speech, even for her opponents, was an eye opener for me. She does not believe in a theocracy, saying at one point Im a Protestant! How can a Protestant believe in theocracy? When was the last time anyone identified themselves as a Protestant!

Is she enslaved to the American right? I cant remember the exact words but I thought she said, Dont go to some stupid american website and think you can apply their stuff in Singapore.

Li Ann, a liberal? Yeah, why not!

Her spirited advocacy for by-elections in GRC wards and comments about the unfairness of restrictions on political party films are reflective of a politician committed to diversity in the public square. She is not a single issue politician, although the local media tend to only portray her as an anti gay politician. Labeling politicians and creating a straw man or woman are potent weapons in political squabbles. Singaporeans can be classier. Lets not put this lady or any politican for that matter in a box and make unnecessary assumptionns about them.

Bring it on, Miss Thio!

MEET MARCOS LEDEZMA, HIS WIFE ANAHI & DAUGHTER ANA

BOLIVIAN MISSIONER IS TRAINED IN SINGAPORE!

The world is changing.

A Bolivian, Marcos Ledezma, gets trained in Singapore, an Asian country, with a view to mobilize the Bolivian Church toward mission be it within or outside of Bolivia.

Marcos graduated yesterday with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies at Bethany International University after a year of study.

Marcos represents a new breed of missioners from the Global South. He, hungry to do God's will in missions, is connected to American based partners. Third world missioners face tremendous challenges in terms of finances and training. Hence the need for dynamic partnerships which bring the gospel to the unreached. Praise The Lord!!

I came to know of Marcos through a friend, Frank Teo (who also graduated with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies). I went to Bethany and met up with him a few months ago. It was great to meet up with a Bolivian and speak Spanish in Singapore!

We hope to meet up with them on our return to Bolivia.

They leave for Santa Cruz, Bolivia on Tuesday at 11pm

WHO REALLY BENEFITS FROM THE MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE?

The Sender I’d Say

I’ve heard missionaries say, including myself, on more than one occasion, “We’ve received far more from our work experience in the field than what we’ve given”. The Lord uses the ones we serve to bless us in more ways than one.

Bolivia has changed my wife and I profoundly, for the better I hope. At the cost of sounding overly romantic about Bolivians and their situation, I’d say that their courage and drive to not only survive but to try and get ahead in seemingly impossible situations has touched us deeply, on several levels. We're not only more respectful of other cultures & religions but also more passionate about evangelism.

This might sound radical but maybe the point of missions is to change the missioner and the church which sent him or her.

Peter's Experience

Peter in Acts 10 was sent by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile God fearer. The Holy Spirit has already prepared Cornelius and his family to receive Christ. And while Peter is explaining the gospel, the Holy Spirit gets on with job of filling Cornelius. Peter is stunned; it’s a huge learning experience for Peter. Gentiles were going to be a part of God’s people, like it or not. God sent Peter to Cornelius’s home to broaden his understanding of the chosen people to include the Gentiles. Peter then uses his learning experience to instruct the Jerusalem church to not only edify the church but to also open its doors to the Gentiles in Acts 11 & 15.

Missionary Experiences As A Resource

Here’s another example. The Church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to help and ratify the goings on in the first recorded Gentile church at Antioch in Acts 11. And of course it’s the Jerusalem church that gets blessed from the younger church. The Church at Antioch raise an offering for the folk in Judea during a drought.

Missionary experiences in the field are an important teaching resource for sending churches. Are we using them?

A PRAYER FOR MYANMAR

Heavenly Father, we pray for the Church leadership in Myanmar.

Grant great wisdom and courage to Pastors, Bishops and Lay Leaders as they serve your flock in these times of uncertainty and violence. Strengthen their hearts in this hour of testing.

Help them find words to counter foolishness and rebellion. Stir within them the discernment necessary to distinguish between discretion and cowardice. Fill them with you Holy Spirit as they call Myanmar to repentance with your precious Word.

Merciful Father, only you can save Myanmar. Stretch out your hand; it is never shortened to save. Expose the vanity of men in their rejection of your salvation. Bring confusion to their wicked schemes. Mercifully intervene and save this nation. Open the Red Sea. And let Myanmar see Oh Lord your salvation in this land.

In Christ’s Name we pray, Amen!

INTERCESSION AVERTS DISASTER IN SANTA CRUZ

CRISIS
Folk in Santa Cruz, Bolivia were expecting violent clashes between indigenous people and local groups at the annual independance day parade in Santa Cruz.

President Evo Morales decided to hold the parade in Santa Cruz; he invited for the first time a huge contingent of indigenous people from the highlands to participate in the annual military parade on the 6th of August. The presence of the Army and their support for the president raised the anxiety level of many. Many of his opponents in Santa Cruz viewed this as an attempt to intimidate them. Santa Cruz and the central government are at loggerheads over the question of Santa Cruz's push for autonomy. Civic leaders felt provoked and raised the temperature with their speeches.

INTERCESSION
The president is unpopular in Santa Cruz and unruly elements normally hurl insults and spew foul language at him during public meetings. Many feared violence between his followers and some of these elements in Santa Cruz.

I tracked the worsening situation through emails from friends in Bolivia and newspaper reports in the internet. My heart went out to those I had left behind. At one point I was close to tears and prayed for God's mercy to take control of the situation. Churches in Santa Cruz gathered together and began to intercede in homes and church grounds.

MERCY
The president sounded a conciliatory tone in some of his comments as indigenous people together with the Army descended onto Santa Cruz for the parade. The newspapers reported a massive turnout from the populace. There were insufficient police to manage the crowds. The atmosphere had all the makings of a disaster.

God's mercy thru the intercession of His people however averted the scuffling and chaos many expected. Trouble makers thankfully did not agitate the crowds. Some however suffered the effects of being crushed by the crowd. On the whole, the parade was peacefully held without any incidents.

Praise The Lord!

BOLIVIA CELEBRATES 182 YEARS OF INDEPENDANCE!

The photo on the right says it all. A poor campesina, with her baby on her right arm, struggles to hold onto to the flag in the face of strong winds. She's selling flags to alleviate her poverty. It's a stirring sight because it speaks of a poor but proud nation battling to overcome the odds.

Bolivians struggle. And its in the struggle where they find divine gifts of mercy and providence. I thank the Lord for the experience of being a part of the on-going Bolivian narrative. He has used Bolivia to change my family and I forever.

God Bless This Nation!!

Bolivia, on the 6th of August, celebrates its founding as an independant and sovereign nation. The Spanish colonizers were defeated at a decisive battle in 1825 by forces commanded by Gen Antonio Jose de Sucre. Bolivia was named after Simon Bolivar, the revolutionary hero who inspired the continent wide revolt against the Spanish empire.

Bolivia has gone through massive changes since its the founding of the republic.The most crucial being the evolution of the native indian. They were once ostracised and marginalized - a victim of others and themselves. They're now struggling to find their place in one of their own.

Evo Morales, the current president of Bolivia is the first indigenous indian to be elected in the highest office of the land. He has shaken the nation with socialist policies and has allied himself with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Some sectors have benefitted from his leadership but others have not.

Here's prayer for Bolivia:

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend Bolivia to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, the people of Bolivia may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of this nation, the congress, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

SHOULD MISSIONARIES GET INVOLVED IN DISSIDENT POLITICS?

Probably not...but read on..there might be exceptions..

DISSENT AS PART OF LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Some governments are not too enthusiastic about any kind of dissent, not even from their own citizens. In cases like this...missionaries should know their place and guard their testimony.

On the other end of the spectrum are countries where freedom of speech and assembly are commonplace. In such circumstances there might be a place for missionaries to help the national church put forward its case against impending legislation or a movement which is clearly at odds with biblical principles.

BOLIVIAN CASE STUDY: CHURCH LED DISSENT

A couple of years ago, the Bolivian congress, under the influence of liberal minded elements from outside the country, were about to pass a bill that would liberalize sexual activity amongst young people and promote the gay, lesbian, transgendered agenda. The christian church reacted strongly, especially in Santa Cruz; marches were organized; forums were organized; discussion groups sprung up.

A town hall meeting was organized to discuss the bill. Close to 700 people signed up to speak (they had 2 minutes each or maybe less) at a local indoor stadium. Christians were mobilized to attend and speak against the proposed bill. We joined in heartily. It was a noisy and non violent meeting where everyone were given a chance to speak up.

We also participated in a massive signature campaign against the impending legislation. Many christian groups, including the anglican church marched joyously in the streets expressing their disagreement to the bill. I was also interviewed by a local TV station.

BUILDING A MATURE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The carnival like atmosphere made the experience a positive one. The congress finally decided to shelve the bill thanks to peaceful Christian activism. Some missionaries, in helping this movement, were not passive observers but active participants, albeit in a supportive role, against this undesirable legislation.

The case cited above however is a little unusual and does NOT represent the norm.

I would argue instead for missionaries to evangelise and disciple a solid national leadership committed to the overall well being of the nation; a leadership mature enough to facilitate, when the situation calls for it, peaceful and creative dissent.

SHOULD MISSIONARIES AVOID POLITICS DURING CONVERSATIONS?

GENERATING HEAT

Conversations, especially during informal occasions, tend to veer into politics. Bolivians are a chatty lot...and sooner or later missionaries will be expected to make some sort of a comment.

The present government has broached some issues with provocative statements and bold policies; yup...there's a lot to talk about these days!

Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, recently, severely criticised the judiciary and accused supreme court judges of corruption. He stirred a hornets nest. Lawyers and judges are going on a one day strike. Corruption, however is rife in the judicial system. Is it any wonder that the president's statements resonate amongst the populace? Political discussions can sometimes get quite heated when folk begin to take sides.

DISCRETION & WISDOM

I try to keep a respectful silence until someone asks me for my opinion; there have been times however when I get into the fray and say my piece. I've learned to exercise self control, avoid vitriolic comments, stay close to the facts, try not to take sides, respect the current government and to also express a christian viewpoint whenever necessary. If a particular government policy or action collides with the christian faith, then I respond clearly and firmly without rancor. People expect nothing less from their christian leaders.

A degree of discretion is important because I represent the church and being a foreigner forces me to not be impulsive or incite folk against the elected government. We are called to honor the emperor and pray for governing authorities. A missionary is not a smart-ass-know-it-all but a foreigner, an invited guest, whose task is to bless the nation through his work in the church. He or she, especially if they are new missionaries, should listen intelligently and understand social issues & customs before trying to venture an opinion.

AN OPPORTUNITY

On a personal level, I have generally not avoided conversations over difficult social issues. I've been here for 14 years and people expect me to not only have certain convictions but to also share them. Its a welcome challenge because these informal times provide opportunities to not only listen to people's fears & opinions but to also react compassionately to what's going in the nation.

Yup...missionaries should be wise, be it as a listener or a contributor in any conversation.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD
VICTIMS 5

Children were everywhere; they took part in the singing and loved the sketches

Gregorio (grey shirt) and Dionosio (light blue shirt) were the coordinating Pastors from local communities ravaged by the floods.

Families were stranded and found refuge in churches and schools. Some of them brought their own little tents.

These indigenous young men are guarani; they speak the local dialect.

Some of the flood victims bought their dogs with them at the school. The dogs fought amongst themselves constantly over territorial rights.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 4

The flood waters destroyed crops, homes, barns etc.

It was painful to see many houses under the flood waters. If it was painful for us, imagine what it must be like for the owners!





Its the school holidays so the children swim in the flood waters.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 3

People with bad backs were were taken care off by Chiropractors

We gave wheat, eggs and sulphur soap to a stranded community bottom left. Cooking oil was distributed to families seeking refuge in a government school bottom right.






And of course intercessions were offered wherever we went. Pastor Oscar from one of the churches prays in public for this community.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 2

Vitamin pills were handed out top left.

The doctor takes a look at a little girl top right.

A skit on health care brought home the message of personal hygiene bottom left. Tooth paste and tootbrushes were handed to the community bottom right.




The dentist was on hand to do extractions.

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS 1

3 churches - An Assembly of God Congregation, An Independant Evangelical and Christ Light Of The World, Anglican - put together a team with the purpose of bringing aid to flood victims in the major provinces of Santa Cruz. We were supervised by a doctor, nurses, a dentists, nutritionists and chiropractors from a Christian Clinic.

We went in 3 buses packed with people and supplies of all sorts - medicines, food, cooking oil, mattresses, clothes, blankets, pillows, pills. On the right are the buses that took us to flood victim who had lost just about everything.

Here are some photos of the team members: The young people on the left are anglicans; The ones on the right are the nurses from the Christian clinic. Pastor Ron Firestone, below right, preaching is a chiropractor and runs the Clinic. I'm on the left, standing outside a hut.

ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS INHERENTLY GOOD?

LEADERS, LIKE THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE, ARE IMPERFECT, LIMITED AND SINCERE.

Blogpastor asked me this question recently: Is President Evo Morales good for Bolivia?

Is a nation's well being tied to the inherent goodness of those in elected office? Politicians, like the people they serve are a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. There is truth to the maxim: leaders reflect the nation they lead. And lets not forget the other one: people get the leaders they deserve

On a more positive note, the vast majority of elected leaders don't spend their time thinking up of ways to make life difficult for their people. The general populace have on many levels benefitted from sincere and able politicians. In general terms, all elected officials have a mixed record and its up to the public to decide if they deserve a second chance during elections.

THE ISSUES ARE BEYOND GOOD MEN OR WOMEN

Evaluating elected officials in terms of their policies over a long period is a sobering experience. Policies are subject to historical changes. An emergency aid policy, highly beneficial to one generation becomes a source of unhealthy dependancy in the next. A just war in one generation only leaves a confused geopolitical escenario in the next. Creating sovereign states by arbitrarily imposing borders appears to be a rational solution until inter-ethnic rivalries deepen claims made by communal leaders; borders then become nothing but lines drawn on maps. The nations of the earth, as a consequence, crash under the weight of their own alliances and vanities. The issues are beyond the efforts of "good" men and women.

But lets not go overboard. There is a place for using the adjective "good" in political discourse; Elected officials have put into place policies which have contributed to the common good. Finding solutions, albeit temporary, in the midst of a worsening economic crisis provides relief for desperate families.

THE TEMPTATION OF POWER

The problem is the human tendency to accumulate/seize power to promote oneself and their coterie. Politicians are not exempt from these innate impulses. How easy it is to deceive ourselves into sacrificing the interests of the defenceless for the larger good, especially when the larger good are our friends. Followers are also at fault. We get a narcotic fix in projecting our secular leaders as great men or women of great moral virtue. Politicians are elected to do a job; they are not mythic figures nor are they paragons of moral virtue.

ELECTED LEADERS ARE FALLEN

The Bible, describes our relationship with government leaders. We are called to pray for them (1Timothy 2: 1-4) because civil authorities under God's sovereign rule possess a mandate to do good and punish the evil doer (Romans 13:1-6). Our submission to them is based on these biblical mandates. The Old Testament provides rich examples of godly men who worked under the authority of non christian kings. Joseph was succesful in Pharoah's cabinet; Daniel served Babylonian kings; Nehemiah was an able administrator in the Persian court; Esther intervened in a crisis, influenced the Persian king and avoided a massacre. These men and women of of God were positive influences over goverment officials and kings; their involvement in the affairs of state were however not based on the intrinsic goodness of the kings. Christian support for elected officials has as its reference point, the Biblical revelation concerning the place of the nations in God's redemptive plan.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans: 3:23). All includes national leaders. Politicians placate their base constantly and at times they do it at the expense of the nation. Also, politics can be a tough business. Winning votes can sometimes mean bringing out the knives and the knuckledusters. Read Solomon's succession of David in the first 2 chapters of 1 kings; it reads like a Brian de Palma movie. Politics is about managing power for noble ends; it is not for the fainthearted. Absolute power does corrupt; hence the need for checks and balances in a democracy. C. S Lewis supports democratic freedoms because of the inclination to abuse power even amongst the noble. Democratic freedoms spread power in and through the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state. And of course elections give the people the right to change elected officials.

ELECTED LEADERS WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD

It is easy to let politicans off the hook and leave the governing process to realists who constantly choose the lesser evil. No, there is a moral dimension to government policies. And intelligent politicians of all stripes know this. There is a line, if crossed, will not only cost them votes but also their own reputation with the populace. They can't be slaves to immediate political gains. Sometimes the larger good has to prevail at the expense of the elected official's own political base or favorite lobby group. For instance, President Morales of Bolivia last year had to choose between supporting the actions of his supporters or sticking to a policy which benefitted the entire populace. He chose the latter. His opponents did not give him much credit; some of his supporters griped. Not supporting elements within his base will probably cost him some votes; not many but some.

The prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, in the heat of an election campaign made remarks which did nothing for his image as a politician open to differing views; he apologised and scored some points; his party won handsomely. Singapore pundits were once again left to comment on the differences between a landslide victory and an overwhelming victory. A new generation of Singaporeans have emerged; they want a political climate open to differing views; the new PM reflects their values and his apology signals a positive change.

FORGET THE PROPAGANDA, ELECTED LEADERS ARE NOT GREAT MORAL FIGURES.

So can elected officials be a source for good? If doing good means the promotion of decent living standards and a degree of social stability than the answer is, yes; that's a no brainer. Exaggerating a leader's persona or projecting him or her as a great national moral change agent however is another matter. David was the greatest king of Israel. His devotion to God and his success as a warrior-king were unmatched. His biographer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in the the 2 books of Samuel does not provide a reverential look at this David's life. No stone is left unturned. Some of the stuff is embarrassing and offensive. It is not a pretty picture.

History has left us with the ruins of those who tried to lead their nations under the cover of fixed ideologies, dizzying calls to freedom and false promises. Communism ran its course and died because its idea of history was a deception. The American media after deifying their elected leaders tend to find fault with them, sometimes endlessly. And maybe the problem is not the fault finding but the juvenile attempts by handlers or lobbying groups to project their political clients as men and women of destiny. Political leaders are limited and flawed; they are not heralds of moral or social transformation. So please...spare us all the jingoism.

WE ARE NOT CALLED TO PUT OUR LEADERS ON A PEDESTAL BUT TO RESPECT AND PRAY FOR THEM.

Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the only moral crusader worthy of consideration. Only He can lead us into the promised land.

COMMUNICATING COUNTER CULTURE

Managing Confrontational Language In The Public Square

Matt Green in his article below believes we should use Christian language in secular panel discussions and avoid terms that mislead. "Sexual Orientation" according to him does not properly describe homosexuality nor does it factor in the possiblity of God changing those who display such an orientation. Green may have a point especially in places where political correctness guts the christian message.

Its different in Singapore. The Prime Minister was questioned at a press conference by a reporter concerning homophobia (I saw it on youtube) . PM Lee replied that his government's challenge was to provide space for gays without disregarding people who consider homosexuality a sin. He used the "S" word! He was probably referrring to Muslims and Christians; both these groups teach that homosexuality is a sin. What an irony! A secular politician using religious terminology to put forward his government's case.

No Such Thing As "Sexual Orientation"

Matt Green, Editor

Ministries Today

Homosexuality poses the greatest challenge to discernment, discipline and restoration that the church has faced in the past 100 years. Why? If we don't learn how to discuss it with winsome conviction, we'll probably lose our voice on the issue altogether. Thankfully, when God brings a sin into the open, as he did with the exposure of Ted Haggard, it means He's giving the church an opportunity to deal with it.

However, before this happens, we must change our language and stop allowing popular culture to define our terminology. What do I mean? Here's just one example: In a recent CNN interview with Kyra Phillips, instead of providing incisive clarity from a biblical perspective, evangelical sociologist Tony Campolo muddied the waters. I'm not suggesting that Christians must be ready with pat, religious mumbo-jumbo for every tough question posed by the media, and I confess that I sometimes agree with Campolo's controversial views on social justice, poverty and war. But he needs to put his perspective on homosexuality back under the microscope of Scripture.

In discussing Haggard's restoration, Campolo states:
"Will he just say, 'I have a little problem on the side'? Or will he begin to face the fact that maybe I have a sexual orientation that does not offer an easy fix? And if he does turn out to be homosexual in his orientation, he's going to have to live with that orientation and figure out what this means for the rest of his life, because there's not an easy fix for that."

First, Scripture does not recognize homosexuality as an orientation, any more than it recognizes adultery, fornication, anger, drunkenness or lying as individual orientations. Instead, it prohibits specific behaviors--all of which have their root in an "orientation" that every human being was born with: sin. This orientation (or "sin nature," as theologians would put it) leads us to reach for a bottle, a gun, a syringe or someone else's spouse in our relentless defiance of God's law. Whether by nature, nurture, genetics or life choices, some of us are more inclined to certain sins, but we remain, as Paul so eloquently contends, "without excuse".

The language of "orientation" has allowed us to relinquish our responsibility for specific behaviors, to psychologize our conduct and to label each other as drunkards, abusers, adulterers, liars, homosexuals and so on, based on the sins we are most likely to commit. This system is convenient both for those who do not struggle with any of the sins that happen to be "socially-unacceptable" at the moment and for those looking for an external excuse for their sinful behavior.

Campolo is partially right: Our orientation toward sin is something we're born with and will have to deal with all our earthly lives. But the orientation and the sin itself should not be confused, lest we embrace some fatalistic version of Christian living. Campolo sounds a lot like Paul, who wrestles with this when he states, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" (Romans 7:15). But if we keep reading, we see that Paul was convinced that it is possible, through the power of the Spirit, to win daily battles with the the "sin orientation" that lingers in our fallen souls. As church father Augustine summed it up, before conversion we were "unable not to sin," but when we are in Christ, He enables us not to sin--a testament to the power of the Spirit to circumvent our wiley sin nature.

Whether speaking to our congregations or the press, imagine the clarity church leaders could bring to the nebulous discussion of "sexual orientation" by letting our language reflect biblical reality and altogether avoiding the cultural labels of "gay", "lesbian", "bisexual", "transgender" and so on. The results?

It helps church leaders avoid fixating on discussion of certain sins at the expense of others and alienating people who struggle with specific sins, while leaving others off the hook.

It levels the ground at the foot of the cross, where all sinners must meet--regardless of which sin they are most vulnerable to.
It naturally redirects manipulative questions such as "Will gays go to hell?" to more substantive ones, such as "Will sinners go to hell?"

It redirects the focus of those wishing to justify their orientation for one reason or another to examining their specific behavior as offensive to God.

The increasing prevalence of homosexual behavior in our society provides an open door of opportunity for Christian leaders to reclaim the language of sin and, in so doing, bring hope to sinners and clarity to believers seeking to understand the depths of their own depravity and ongoing need for grace.

EYE OF THE TIGER!!

Maintaining Our Focus In The Midst Of Social Convulsions

This is a decisive week for Bolivia; civic leaders in the East have given the central government until this thursday to respond to their appeals for changes in the constitutional assembly; some of the campesinos have retaliated by promising to block the roads that lead to the FERIA EXPOSICION. This is Santa Cruz's biggest and most prestigious annual international event. Business communities in Latin America, Europe and parts of Asia gather to display their products in specials cubicles/stands; relationships are built and deals are cut. Its a 2 week event which highlights Santa Cruz as the engine of growth in the Bolivian economy. This year however Bolivia's social problems have a cast a shadow over the event. People I talk to, especially the taxi drivers are pessimistic about the future. The alarmists are talking about a civil war (a bit of an exaggeration!). And the mass media has not helped with its emphasis on doom and gloom.

Jesus is building his church in the midst of the convulsion: people are won to Christ; members are discovering their gifts, and we receive short term mission teams and continue to plan for growth. This is the Good News that shines a light in the darkness. At church services and midweek meetings one can sense the anxiety of the folk. Although its always important to let people share their thoughts and feelings about the current crisis, we need to come back and fulfill the purpose of the meeting - be it a leadership or cell meeting. There have been exceptions. At a recent gathering of the men's ministry, we put aside the study and let people talk and pray about the national crisis. There is no doubt that the church cannot ignore its social realities but there is always the danger of losing our focus on God's purposes and plan. We are mobilizing the parish (its called Christ Light of The World) to double its membership in evangelism and follow-up; we are also gearing ourselves up for a building project which will thrust us into the community. Nehemiah kept his eye on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in the midst of opposition; his opponents were conspiring against him and his efforts. He did'nt allow the problems to distract him. Jesus grant us grace to imitate Nehemiah in this time of testing!

Although we take note of what's going around us, our focus - like the eye of the tiger- is on His divine purpose not only for the church but also for the nation.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, BLOGGER-IN-CHIEF!

AND YES... THE BIBLICAL WRITERS WERE HOLY SPIRIT BLOGGERS!

Blogs buck the mainstream press; their take on issues is different; blogging is homespun and free from censorship driven propaganda. Some of it is also junk.

Bloggers interpret history; at times they highlight issues, events and people that never get a fair hearing; Some of the groundbreaking news surface in the internet first; mainstream press, at times, simply follow the lead of bloggers. Worse still is the definition of "news". Madonna and Britney Spears appear in the media because they’re "newsworthy" (And they call this mainstream media!). Newsworthy is sometimes a euphemism for notoriety. Ever heard of Stacy Orrico? She's is a great talent: fantastic singer and knows how to work the stage. The press don't stalk her. The reason is simple: She's a christian and is'nt into slutty antics. So she's not "news".

The gospel writers were bloggers in that they reported the Good News; the gospel narratives never made it in the Roman Empire’s mass media. No one reported Christ’s life - his birth, death and resurrection- the way gospel writers did. Josephus made a passing reference to Christ and his followers. Herod would never have ordered a positive write up on Christ’s birth. And Jewish religious leaders would never have soiled the pages of their history books with the name of Jesus except of course if they had wanted to do a chapter on loony prophets; Jesus would never have been interviewed by the CNN of his epoch. The gospel writers, ignored official propaganda, did underground journalism and changed the world. Remember the guy who posted stories on the Israelite exodus from Egypt in the Old Testament and Pharoah's humilliation; don’t expect to find anything from him in the Egyptian archives.

Yup...the biblical writers were bloggers! And that makes the Holy Spirit The Blogger In Chief because He inspired them to write as bloggers.

MICHAEL GREEN ON CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL.

Michael Green, distinguished anglican author/theologian calls for an even handed approach to this thorny subject at virtueonline.

Should Christians support Israel?

Surely we need to be more discriminating and look both at the facts of the current war with Hizbollah and at the claim that scripture compels Christians to be pro-Israeli. I am not pleading that we take a pro-Arab stance, but that we renounce polarization and try to see God's perspective on it all. Justice The main thrust of the OT prophetic message is that God is a God of justice,and judges his own people for inujustice. Remember Naboth's vineyard. Israel has established hundreds of Naboth's vineyards on Palestinian soil. It continues to confiscate, week by week, more Palestinian land on the West Bank. In 1947 when the newly-born State of Israel came into partial possession of the land which Palestinians had held since the seventh century, the Palestinians were left with 47% of the land. Now they have a mere 19% or so. What would you feel if someone came and forced you out of your home and took posession of your house and garden without compensation? And then there is that infamous wall. It cuts through the town of Jesus' birth, separating Palestinians from their fields and employment. And now that the wall is almost complete Israel is busy confiscating Palestinian land on the Jerusalem side of it.

What are the Palestinians supposed to do? They tried non-violent protests against the wall. Nothing happened. They took Israel to the international court of justice, won their case, but nothing happened. The ruling is ignored and the wall keeps being built. Where is justice? There can be no justification whatever for their suicide bombing, and the rockets being fired into Israel indiscriminately. They must be resolutely condemned. But surely these are the tactics of the weak who are utterly frustrated. TerrorismIt is common to call Hamas and Hizbollah terrorists, and so they may be. But there was no Hamas before Israel invaded Palestine in 1967. There was no Hizbollah before Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982. If the label of 'terrorist' be applied to Palestinians, let it be applied too to American Indians fighting back when whites pushed them off their land, or to the French resistance for killing German occupying forces in World War 2. It is the inevitable reaction by the powerless to aggression. Proportionality There is no doubt that Hamas and Hizbollah provoked the present conflagration by capturing one and two Israeli soldiers respectively. But the violence of Israel's reaction has persuaded all the world leaders apart from the US and the UK that an immediate cease-fire must be called. The destruction of Gaza's water and electicity supply, and the devastating laceration of sourthern Lebanon have had incalculable effects on the civilian population and cannot be explained away blandly as 'collateral damage'. Half a million people are refugees in Lebanon as the country collapses around them. Some 480 Lebanese have been killed, most of them women and children, compared with 42 Israelis. One of your correspondents is rightly concerned about "murdered and butchered Israeli men, women, and children" but fails to mention that, on average over recent years, for every one such Israeli, four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli tanks, missiles and helicopter gunships. As for innocent children killed, they include more Palestinians than Israelis (the statistics are clear). In the past month in Gaza, one Israeli has died - and 140 Palestinians! And if it be said that Iran and Syria are arming Hizbollah, the same is true of America and Britain arming Israel - even, it is reported, accelerating the shipment of sophisticated bombs in reply to Israel's current urgent request. Biblical prophecy There are two major interpretations of biblical teaching about the restoration of Israel to its original land. One is advocated by the widely influential Dispensationists (who have only been in existence for less than 200 years). It argues that the promise of the land to Abraham is not conditional upon obedience but stands for all time. It maintains that OT prophecies of return and restoration were partly fulfilled by the return of the Jews from the Exile, but have been fulfilled once again since the return of some Jews to the land in and after 1948. The creation of the State of Israel is seen not only as a sign of the faithfulness of God and the fulfilment of OT promises, but as a pointer to the imminence of the Second Coming. The other and much more historically reputable way of looking at it is by Covenant theology - one covenant of grace with Christ at the centre. The Abrahamic covenant and all the OT prophecies and promises have to be interpreted in the light of the coming of the kingdom of God with Jesus. The OT must be read through the spectacles of the NT. This is how the NT writers interpreted the Old. Nowhere in the NT do we find any suggestion that the Christians looked forward to the establishment of a Jewish State or the rebuiliding of the Temple as part of God's plan. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the gospel spread to the Gentile world. The very phrase 'the saints' is applied by the NT writers no longer to Israel but to the people of God both Jewish and Gentile, who belong to Jesus.According to this view, the return of the Jews to Israel in 1948 is theologically irrelevant. This is not the place to debate these two interpretations, but their very existence, both of them upheld by reputable scholars, should caution us not to give an unthinking support to Israel on theological grounds. We need to avoid the bipolar perspective, so common on this subject.

As Christians we should not be 'pro-Jew' or "pro Arab' but even handed in expressing any judgments wemake in this most difficult and complicated situation, where both sides are guilty of atrocities. Should we not ask ourselves not 'What is my nation's policy?' but 'What is God's perspective on this?'