Addicting Games - The Idiot Test

Self-explanatory...click to begin the Idiot Test . How far did you get?

Everything is from God

So I get this...everything is from God. The snow which blankets Winnipeg on Oct.30? It's from God, a veritable winter wonderland. Jimmy told me the Winnipeg air gives you dry flaky skin (translation? Rick, you have dandruff on your tunic). Could it be that snow in Winnipeg is dandruff from the angels? I digress...back to everything is from God. My family, our house, finances, friends etc. etc. etc. All from God...I'm there so far. The snow shovel I own? Not mine...God's...Right? God's snow, God's shovel? So why is it that I've shovelled the driveway 3 times in the last 14 hours and God hasn't done it once. He dumps the snow. I shovel the snow. Something is wrong with this picture...hahahahahaha...Good morning from Snowy Winnipeg...

Prayer in the City

Let's talk about Unity in the body...

I used to laugh with my ministerial. Every so often we'd all get really busy, and then the issue of church unity would come up when we all caught a breather. The pragmatic in the group, your guess, would focus on our hectic pace and how we were all leading very busy churches. I tried this joke, "Okay, we're one big church. Now, I need about $25,000 to make budget by year end. Do you want to direct deposit from OUR account in YOUR bank or just write a cheque?" Everyone liked the denominational borders then...hahahahah...(they laughed too). Others would suggest we need to be one big church cheering on the other congregations who were having successes because the kingdom was growing. That is wonderful when you're the church with a roster of worship team. When you're the one down the road struggling to crank up the speed on "Majesty" the theory falls apart...But wait, what if that big church would tithe one of it's worship leaders to you? That's exactly what happened to us...Bethel (MB church) blessed one of their key worship guys over to TSA. It was great, and as a matter of fact, they needed him too...

So we're prayer walking this week - praying over Winnipeg, Osborne Village to Donald to be exact, with the God's Fellow Workers. Our leader is a coach from ??? He doesn't know who he belongs to because, but he is with the Mennonites helping them plant a church right now. Fred Stoesz is from World Impact Org, and he is coaching a group from a Winnipeg Inner-City church, the Meeting Place, to plant, possibly. Cadets praying for insight and intercession for a MB church led by a church planter with a Kansas accent in a neighbourhood where a big-hearted guy named Ron hangs out with people in a small community centre begging Christians to take over and bring some children's programs into the neighbourhood, which does not have any righteous presence in the form of a church body, outside of TSA DHQ which overlooks the community centre...Sounds like unity, but sound is cheap. Action would bring Christians from places like TSA, Booth College, CFOT, and DHQ to work with people like Fred and Ron to bolster the efforts of the Meeting Place until they get up and running...

Wait...Sounds like a plan. Watch for stories...(to be continued)
See some pics here

Small Talk

On the side...
One of my kids is standing in the kitchen with a block of cheddar and a big sharp knife this morning and asks, "Can someone help me cut the cheese?" to which Deana replies without skipping a beat, "Ask your dad. He's the expert." BOOM! She delivers a knockout blow....very funny.

The blog...
Have you ever stopped and taken a look at the last conversation that you had with someone? How much time did you spend or do you spend talking about weather, church, sports, news etc.? I'm finding there isn't a lot of time in our lives these days to spend talking small talk. We had a great couple of outings recently where we talked about spiritual gifts, how they've been confirmed, God's call and how we've been supported by our local church bodies. It transforms how you see people, and if you're honest and transparent it transform the way people see you.

peace,
rZ

Go Easy...You're pregnant!

So here's a great one I heard today from Jimmy VanderHeyden, Cadet in the Heralds of the Good News Session out of Wiarton Ontario...

Jimmy says, "When I was a new Christian a buddy told me to go easy...It's like being pregnant. You're crazy excited and want to tell everyone about it, but people might not be into touching your belly or feeling the baby kick. Go easy, and eventually they'll see."

cheers,
rZ

What's in a Name?

Tons of stuff is the answer. My favourite Counsellor is Dr. Phil. Why? Because he can fix in 10 minutes what it would take Jerry Springer an hour to create. You can order a pizza from Dominoes and solve all of your families dysfunction before the cheese is fully melted in the oven. You're fixed 5 full minutes before Oprah makes you cry. This guy is microwave magic.

Here's the rub. Dr. Phil talks about how we all have this inner dialogue, a discussion we have with ourselves about ourselves. It's a dialogue which reinforces our belief about ourselves. If I tell myself over and over I am unable to achieve something then chances are I won't be able to because I've already defeated myself. That's basically how it works. Don't worry, we all do it. If you start answering yourself outloud? Then you need to be worried.

So what names do we carry? If you hung around Jesus you'd know the Pharisees went around labelling His friends and the people he hung with as "sinners". If you hang out with some of the people who say they hang out with Jesus today, you might carry that name too...although, in many cases there aren't too many sinners hanging out with that crowd. It's more like they were self-inflicted on the sinners.

For some reason we always begin the God story in Genesis 3. Starting with THE FALL, we recognize we're ALL sinners and we need salvation. Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation therefore we need Jesus. Bang on, but only part of the story...The last part is true, and so is the first part, but it's the wrong starting point.

God always starts with life and creation. He is first our Creator who breathed His life into our nostrils, and when we began to sputter those first breaths He stood back, backhanded slapped the Holy Spirit in the arm (if he has an arm) and said, "This is good" (interpretive license forcing a modern day male anthropomorphism here). My NZ friend, Dr. Mark Strom, taught us the last thing God put into His temple (Us-1Cor.3:16) was His image, a female and male image (Gen1:26). The image of God bears His glory, and while we may have fallen and sinned, we haven't lost that which makes us truly human, the image of God. Lots of other stuff here, but my point is this...

Begin with life, the image and glory of God, His created good people, and it makes sense why Jesus died for us, even though we sinned. Begin with Genesis 3, and the name, "sinners" and it is a total mystery why He would do it. People need to start carrying that name around, and come to understand who they are in the eyes of God.

Maybe if we lept off of that platform first we could lead people to Christ. Then it wouldn't take us an hour to undo all of the harm that some people inflict in 10 minutes...

cheers,
rZ

With Banners and Bonnets they come

On an unrelated note

Totally unrelated to my last post...A friend is travelling back in time to the norhern hemisphere. Look forward to Majors Kevin and Lorianne Metcalf coming back to Canada...Kevin as Territorial worship guy and Lorianne as C.O. with the Morgans at Harbourlight. Looks like the downtown corridor is locked up with mission-minded soldiers...Welcome home! (I googled Kevin's name and this is the picture that came up...Officer Kevin Metcalf and his dog, Dino). He's changed a little since going to Australia...

Idiot

From Proverbs 1:29-33, The Message...
"Because you hated Knowledge
and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,
Because you wouldn't take my advice
and brushed aside all my offers to train you,
Well, you've made your bed—now lie in it;
you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it?
Don't you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots?
Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.
First pay attention to me, and then relax.
Now you can take it easy—you're in good hands."

See, idiot is not a bad word. God said it so that settles it. I'm puttin' it back in the vocabulary. I know that bothers some people, but it's a word that is so rich in meaning. You can punch your best friend in the arm and say, "you idiot", or instead of the Manitoba salute you can yell at the driver who cut you off, "you idiot" (different inflection). To a person who frustrates you beyond all measure? Yep, "you idiot". Try and think of your own use of the word...I bet somewhere this week you felt like saying it at least once. If you tell me it never even crossed your mind then you know what I'm gonna say...

smiling,
rZ

Keep on Rockin' in the Free World

Deana was driving us to work yesterday, which freed me up to talk my head off. I'm a guy, so driving and talking at the same time is a huge challenge. A commercial came on the radio about a guy who's bank manager has his hand in his back pocket and he's seeking advice to get him removed. I said to Dee, "These Capital One guys have figured out how to get their branding attached to a tag line that will forever be etched into the psyche of the masses". (as a man I probably thought all that, but just grunted out, 'hahahaha...funny song') anyway...I started singing, "Hands in my pocket, hands in my pocket..." Capital One is now stuck in my brain...Great marketing...If you're over 40 and I sang, "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony" you'd immediately finish it, "I'd like to buy the world a coke..." I'm sure there's a marketing term for this.

So, I started coming up with some tag lines for The Salvation Army...check these out...
"Join the Army. See Digby"
"The Salvation Army. We Killed in Moose Jaw"
"TSA. Rockin' in Quesnel"
I actually like this next one from a missional standpoint...
"Anyone can cheer on the winning team. It takes a soldier to keep coming back to cheer the losing team" (not bad huh? I see a black tshirt, picture of Booth, cool font)

So I'm not giving up my day job, but here's another good one my brother in Christ gave me. Actually, my half-brother in Christ...Same father different mother...he doesn't realize his latent salvationism...hahhaahahahaha...He says,
"It's still about the Blood...and the Fire"
Take away all of the programs, the icons, debates about form, the sacraments, the bands, the lingo etc. etc. and you're left with the same thing. "It's still about the Blood...and the Fire". We can package it, market it, sell it, regurgitate it, but no matter how we slice...130 years later it's still about the Blood and Fire. Even a friend of mine in New Zealand says the same thing, but he calls the Blood Grace and the Fire freedom (latent salvationist). We can preach sensitively to seekers, but in the end, only the Blood of Christ can save. We can scream holiness and camp out with Brengle or Coutts, but only the Blood through the Fire of the Holy Spirit can truly give us freedom from the power of sin.
"It's still about the Blood...and the Fire".

It doesn't have the same ring as, "TSA...kickin' butt in Brampton, Brandon and Belleville", but I like it...

cheers,
rZ

Oct.14...Jordan Turns 16!!!

My son turns 16...whoa, I'm getting old, but more important we have a great young man who Dee and I are very proud of. He's a wonderful son, and we wish you a Happy Birthday and God's blessing on your day and into this year. He's pretty handsome too...chip off the old block (mom's block)...Check out some of the pics of Jordan growing up...We love you chum...

Jordan the Ham at 3

Jordan 3
Originally uploaded by blogger614.

Jordan and Joey

jordan
Originally uploaded by blogger614.

too sexy for this camp

camp2005 107
Originally uploaded by blogger614.

Rico Suave'

camp jordan
Originally uploaded by blogger614.

fishing with dad and grandpa

DSCF3737
Originally uploaded by blogger614.

What's Funny this Friday?

Nothing, but on an up note...
We've got cadets shipping out across this country to serve in Corps all over the territory this Christmas. It's awesome, but I'm probably a little biased. You know, CFOT doesn't get tons of cool press, but you should come by and check it out. There is a lot of really cool stuff happening. No, things aren't being set on fire and we don't have huge events, but people are connecting in the community and serving behind the scenes without all the flash and glory. That's world changing stuff because it flies in the face of how the world, and these days, much of pop-christianity defines success.

Anyway, that's Friday...not funny...but overall, pretty cool.

cheers,
rZ

What about Mel?

Did you catch any of the interview with Dianne Sawyer? Mel Gibson, in a nutshell, says he had a couple of beers and it was the booze talking. Sounds like a get out of jail free card moment...I don't know if Mel is anti-semitic, and there are a lot of people in Hollywood who probably think way worse thoughts than Mel, and hold to far more offensive opinions. Roman Polanski is a good example...enough years pass, he directs a provocative movie (yawn), and everyone wants to forget about the charges he has for having sex with a minor. Michael Jackson...nuff said.

Now, I'm not about to launch a campaign to organize all of the fanclubs for "The Passion" to rescue Mel. I do think he ought to acknowledge his dad denies the Holocaust ever happened, and living with someone like that can affect you. Acknowledge you have problems with alcohol and then try and move on, but I had a couple cold ones and spewed anti-semitic remarks...it was the booze, and that isn't in me? I'm sure if I had a couple of beers (and trust me, that would be all it would take) I wouldn't start shouting that I hate Jews. It's just not on my radar. You might catch a couple of remarks about Right wing fundamentalist Christians, or if I was really blitzed maybe a remark about charismatics, but even then, it's not totally my DNA so I'm doubtful.

Reminds me of a song a friend of mine used to sing back in the day...She'll probably read this so I'm curious if she remembers...
"Root them out. Get them gone,
all the little rabbits in the field of corn.
There's envy, jealousy, malice, pride.
They shall never in your heart abide."

Not sure if there should be a plea for holiness or a commercial for the virtues of abstinence at this point...

Mel should just admit it and get on with it. I mean, how many people in Hollywood could there be who would be totally offended by his remarks?

cheers,
rZ

The Urban Forum - Race and Reconciliation

From the 614 Network Newsroom:
I bring you the latest information for the 614 Network Event -
The Urban Forum, January 9th - January 12th 2007,
in partnership with The Salvation Army in Atlanta.

Bob Lupton has confirmed as a speaker. Bob Lupton's book "So You Call Yourself a Christian: Towards Responsible Charity" is highly recommended.

We are in discussions with Shane Claiborne and Ray Eldred who at this point have verbally agreed to join us at the Urban Forum, and we are in the process of confirming their attendance.

Shane Claiborne is the author of "Irresistible Revolution"

Reverend Ray Eldred was born in Northern Alberta, and is a member of the Swan River Cree Nation, Alberta.

Marty Mikles from the Salvation Army USA South Territory will host the worship sessions at the Urban Forum.

Paper presenters are in the process of finalising their paper titles, and we aim to have papers accessible to Urban Forum delegates before Christmas for attendees to read before the Urban Forum starts on January 9th.

Please find attached the updated schedule, and an event registration form.
The Urban Forum website can be accessed at www.theurbanforum.com
All bookings can be directed to Damal_Edmond@uss.salvationarmy.org
Any other event enquiries can be emailed to 614network@gmail.com

thank you
Zoe Fay
614 Network
www.614network.com

THE URBAN FORUM
January 9th - January 12th / ATLANTA
www.theurbanforum.com

Link

Give thanks because we're blessed

We heard a great reminder to give thanks at Weston Corps yesterday morning. Pedrinah Thistle, Heralds of the Good News session, serving at Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, brought a word from the Lord to the community yesterday. It's interesting, given Pedrinah and Paul are surrounded everyday by death and dying in a land ravaged by despair from the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Paul shares, "celebrations are important. We have to grab onto hope wherever we can find it". We watched a presentation from Howard Hospital outlining the care people receive, the despair people live, and the hope they find in Christ through the ministry of Howard Hospital.

Following this Pedrinah spoke on Luke 17, the story of the ten lepers, and her sermon was entitled, Giving Thanks. Here's the word she gave. To tell you the truth I was nervous when she said, "We will be blessed if we have faith". I'm thinking...don't tell me we're gonna get a prosperity message, but she continued...

The blessing comes when we recognize that everything we have is from God. It's simple, but how many of us heard yesterday, "we are so blessed in this country"? No...we have lots of stuff, but the blessing comes when we recognize that everything we have is from God. It is not ours because of luck, or our own doing. In this sense, then, we are blessed when we have faith. The response of faith comes in our Thanksgiving to Jesus for His blessing.

Pause and thank God for all that you have and recognize it as a gift from God. I want to ask you to do one other thing. Once you've done that...give God some of it back. Paul and Pedrinah serve 75,000 patients a year in their small hospital which is overcrowded and lacking in resources. They serve in a country where a dollar yesterday is worth 10 cents today. They serve where HIV/AIDS is trying to rob the hope which Jesus gives.

If you would like...send a cheque to: The Salvation Army, Howard Hospital, c/o Rick Zelinsky, Cpt., 123 Eastmount Dr. Winnipeg, MB, R2N3W9, and I'll get it to the Thistles. Trust me, when you do that you will have an even greater sense of blessing.

Happy Thanksgiving
Rick

Get out of Jail Free (GOOJF)

So...I'm the guy who lands on the "Go to Jail" square on the Monopoly board, and usually I have to roll 3 times to get out. Once in a while I get lucky (I know... there's no such thing as luck)...Ok, I'm blessed to get the "Get out of Jail Free" card. Isn't that crazy? You pick a card and get sent to jail, but get out by playing the card?

That's what I thought of this morning when I watched the replay of the news conference the lawyer of Congressman Mark Foley held. The congressman resigned after allegations he sexually preyed on young Congress Pages, children who work on the floor of congress). Foley was a "champion of children's protection rights". The news conference went something like this. I paraphrase...Congressman Foley is sorry (good start)...some other remarks, and then WHAM! He had it the whole time. He laid down the "Get out of Jail Free" card. The Congressman was abused as a child, and final remark..."Congressman Foley wants people to know that he is a gay man." Well, that settles it for me. Let him go. WHAT DOES BEING GAY HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. This isn't a ramp up to an election to win votes.

An RCMP officer has is being investigated for "purchasing sex from an underage prostitute". His GOOJF card? She wasn't underage. Go ahead and collect $200, which given your penchant may come in handy. NOT UNDERAGE? NO! She is only a victim of human sexual trafficking. That's okay?! He's lucky, I mean blessed.

My parents were alcoholics up until I was 8 yrs old, and when I was 18 my sister died in a car accident, but you know something? Do I get a GOOJF card? I still know what sin is, and while I think people's circumstances help me understand their motives, it is still sin. Christ's death and resurrection release us from the power and guilt of sin, but doesn't give us a GOOJF card on the consequences of sin. At some point we have to stop and look at the issue of holiness and call this stuff for what it is.

And what about people who own Boardwalk and Park Place with hotels on them and charge astronomical rent to the point of making someone go bankrupt? Nah, their just blessed.

cheers,
rZ

Did they find Noah's Ark?

I caught an interesting show on Discovery last night, which featured Bob Cornuke, an archeologist/treasure hunter/christian who is scouring the middle east in search of Biblical archeological relics. It was very cool...Here's a couple of things...

1. Noah's Ark - They believe they found it in Iran, not Turkey which was previously believed to be it's resting place. Cornuke gives the Biblical and deuterocanonical accounts which he used to find the ark. At present the find is being tested and the evidence appears to point toward petrified wood found on the site...

2. Paul's Shipwreck - read his fascinating account how he found the 4 anchors which were dropped off the ship in an attempt to avoid running aground (Acts 27:39-41). He chronicles the search set against Luke's account of the shipwreck...

These can be found on his website for the Bible Archeology Search and Exploration Instute B.A.S.E. .

This stuff affirms the accuracy of the Biblical text and strengthens, and the testimony of Bob Cornuke points all attention to the work of God, which is always big in my books.

Interesting find especially if you enjoy these types of historical treasure hunts.
cheers,
rZ

Link

God is good....All the time?

In the last 3 days I've heard a comment like this, and I know those who make it don't mean it like this, but it gets thrown out anyway...Here goes...we are so blessed in North America. Look at all we have and how kids in other countries go to bed hungry. We are so blessed here and we should be thankful...No problem, right? Sounds innocent and innocuous, but is it true?

Yes, if you base being blessed on material possession, then I guess we are the most blessed nation on the face of the earth, and trust me, there are lots of people who would line up to jump on that theological bandwagon, but is that the measure? How about children in Ethiopia who at there bedtime this evening will walk for hours to a safe area to avoid being kidnapped by the Lord's Resistance Army and forced to bear arms? How about Children who go to bed hungry? What are we saying about them? If we measure blessing on the currency of materialism, are we saying they're cursed? What about believers who find themselves in these places, are content with their relationship with Christ and Him alone? They are hungry for food, but are we more blessed than them because we have and they don't? We're asking the wrong questions...

I'll tell you, I've seen those who have little or nothing act way more blessed than most people I know. On the flip side, I've seen some very wealthy friends give so generously it changes the financial course of a struggling church.

Material possessions, safe neighbourhoods, clean water, good schools, lots of food in a fridge...blessings? Yes, but not in relation to those who do not have...As a matter of fact, if we fail to bless the nations through our generosity in response to God's provision then are we truly blessed? I say no.

I have an idea...Christmas is coming...it's a time of giving...actual, thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks. Anyway, I love getting gifts, and love giving them, but here's an idea our family adopted last year and will expand this year. Instead of giving gifts, sponsor a child, or send a goat or farm implements etc. to a developing country. If you can't bring yourself to cutting out the gifts then try spending on a missions project the same amount you would spend on yourself or family, but give that gift first. Be that blessing to others, and you will find yourself truly blessed.