3rdWORD

Hi guys
My awesome friend Joe started 3rdWORD, a type of bibleschool, at 3rdplace last week. We just had our 2nd session on tuesday. It is just awesome how he is able to bind together historical facts, bibilcal info and multi dimensional learning in one session! while all the time challenging us to a more radical way of walking with Jesus and still he holds all this within the framework of the 'love Jesus, love others' 3rdplace vow.

well done man, well done.

link

Chk this link...

http://churchcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/404page.jpg

:)

rhythm

This is has been floating around my head the last couple of years, we need to live in a rhythm..

1towards God
2towards other within our faith
3towards the rest of the world.

sequentially and cyclicly.

Prayer is an integral part of this circlur movement.. The foundation, the first part. I would love if we could get together every day like the monks of old and pray together.. but that seems impossible, how can we develop a rhythm of prayer and mission in this day? A even harder question is: How can we do it communally?

Easy (easier) to accomplish with a youth group at church, or student ministry, but what does a rhythm of prayer and mission look like for a single working mom?

any thoughts?

art

Rialette and I got creative this morning, we are super sentimental and took all our bits and pieces and made this.

i like it. :)

Eietydse kerk

As ek nou maar reguit kan praat en mooi eerlik kan wees, die kerk is lekker in die moeilikheid. Ons sukkel almal om te kuier met ‘n nuwe generasie mense. Ons sukkel om dwarsoor kultuur grense te praat. Ons probeer soms nuwe baadjies aan trek met die hoop dat iemand dan na ons kant sal kyk.Of ten minste droogskoonmaak ons die oues, want die mense het mos laas so baie daarvan gehou. Ons bou ons geboue oor en groter om te wys ons wen, maar gereeld huisves die blink nuwe ‘n senuweeagtige groepie wat in die geheim wonder: ‘hoe lank kan ons nog hierdie in stand hou?’

Ek wonder wat sou gebeur as ons net die toue sou los, die masker van groot getalle en duisende programme wat ‘n enkeldiep christenskap toe maak afhaal en agter ons klaar uitwerkde en oor genavorsde antwoorde (wat ons self lankal in elk geval nie meer glo nie) sou uit kruip?

Ek wil voorstel om eietydse kerk te wees is meer as net ‘n nuwe baadjie aantrek wat post modernisties lyk. Dis meer as om ‘n koffiewinkel in ‘n kerkgebou te sit, selfs meer as om die dienste te verplaas na koffiewinkels en kroeë en te herdoop as gesprekke. Dis meer as om ‘n groep blou-deur-ander-christene-geslaan-mense te neem en iewers saam te gaan kla oor institusies en dominees. Dis verseker meer as ‘n band op die verhoog en meer as iemand wat ‘n oor-sentimentele skildery skilder terwyl iemand anders preek (jammer, ‘n gesprek voer). Dis meer as om in ‘n sirkel te sit in plaas van rye. Meer as om ‘n blog te hê, as om ‘n kerk facebook groep te hê, as ‘n nuwe logo en journey taal, as om boeke te lees van ander wat kwaad is vir kerk. Dit moet meer wees as díe, anders ruil ons mos net bloot een kostuum vir ‘n ander?

Om eietyds kerk te wees of om bloot net kerk te wees, vra meer.

Dit vra ‘n verskuwing van ons hart, eerder ‘n hartoorplanting. Dit vra van ons om ons vleishart wat ons self uitgesny het weer te gaan vra by Jesus sodat hy dit kan terug sit in ons borskas.

‘n Vleishart wat nie omgee om soms (gereeld?) verkeerd te wees nie selfs al is jy reg, ‘n hart wat soek na Jesus, wat selfs kan sê, ‘ek weet nie’, ek weet nie hoekom daar seer is nie, ek weet ook nie heeltemal wie God is nie, wat homself kan verloor in die misterie van die almagtige tog persoonlike, groot tog klein God.

‘n Hart wat leef saam met mense, wat nie dikteer en voorsê nie, maar saam vra en worstel. Harte wat mekaar inspireër, nie ons hulle nie. ‘n Handjievol harte wat saam kan huil, saam kan lag, saam help huis trek en kinders grootmaak.

‘n Hart wat breek oor een wat wegloop, ‘n hart wat diepte celebrate en nie net vol sale en stadions nie. Een wat homself weer en weer uitgiet binne ‘n ondankbare wêreld. ‘n Hart wat juig oor een wat terugkom na jare.

Eietydse kerk soek Jesus, stukkende harte en vrot lewens. Eietydse kerk is arm, breekbaar en eerlik swak genoeg sodat Jesus saam kan loop. Los die toue, breek die masker en staan ‘n slag kaal voor jou gemeente, jou vriende, jou lewensmaat, jou Here. Dalk dan kan Jesus kom en jou reg maak vir die operasietafel.

Africa

The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about what it is exactly that africa does, has, is..

People are always talking how africa is behind in development, due to oppression and even weather patterns. One theory goes like this: Since africa has no real extreme weather conditions the people were never forced to develop technology to survive.. like insulated buildings, indoor plumbing, heating etc.. Food in africa is abundant throughout the year, there was little need to store food.. etc etc.. so when the slaveships arrived in africa, they saw no great monuments, aqueducts etc.. It simply wasn't neccesary. No the guy who told me this story was picturing it as a negative, because africa doesn't now have anything to offer the world, and because of their 'backwardness' are easy to exploit.

Now this is a hefty conversation and could go on forever.. but here is my two cents.

If the west gave us reason and politics,
and the east gave us precision and discipline,
then what does the '3rdworld' africa in particular have to offer?

Africa is not a place of great high art ie operas, symphonies and frescos.

Africa is not a place of precision, business and logic.

Africa is a place of dancing, drinking with your friends, laughing, walking to the river with your girlfriends, stories, drums, more dancing, noise, passion, games, feasts, ubuntu, beer, braai, sport, being in the moment, celebrating every piece of bread.

What does africa bring to the global body?

Its heart.

We need to embrace our strength, africa is not Shanghai, africa is not Rome, Africa is not wall street, africa is not the Louvre. We need to engage africa on her terms, not ours.

dear all

Hi guys
This is my blog, here i'll post some stuff on 3rdplace.. our family, general rambling..
keep checking in..

pierre