We need spiritual Ramseys

I've been watching "Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares" the past few weeks (don't know if I'm allowed to say that, as a guy). It's fascinating. If you don't know it, Gordon Ramsey (if you don't know who he is I can't help you) goes to floundering restaurants and tries to get them back on their feet, most of the time successfully. Quite often this requires him to sort out family and other relational issues too. He gets couples to communicate, fathers to encourage their sons and sons to listen to their fathers. He even got one chef to marry propose to his girlfriend and marry her that same night. Now that's influence!

Without being judgmental and from watching other Ramsey shows, as far as I know he doesn't believe in Jesus. I don't know what he believes. BUT the man is honest and despite his sometimes overly colourful use of language, I appreciate how he gets to the root of issues and doesn't play around. He gets in people's faces if he needs to. He shows urgency when needed.

I often think that's missing in the church. Not that we should be in everyone's faces but we need some urgency. The problem we face is that people very quick to label you "judgmental or "hypocritical" when you start talking about God and how we live. Basically no one has a right to tell me how to live life. That about right. Then, along comes Gordon Ramsey and gets in people's faces about what they're doing wrong in their families and businesses. And they listen. Yes, initially they argue and make excuses, but eventually they listen. So why is Ramsey not judgmental? Why do they allow him to tell them how to live their lives?

Yes, I do think christians are often judged way quicker than they could ever judge someone else, probably so they don't get a chance to do it in the first place and that's something we're always up against. BUT, the people Gordon Ramsey straightens out probably start listening when they realise that they need help and that only he can do it. That's probably our struggle too - realizing that we can't do it on our own and NEED God. That's where we should get in and be like Gordon. Not to be arrogant and keep telling people that they're messed up and going to hell. Goodness, there's plenty of that happening. No, we should be bold and loud and proud about knowing where to find help instead of being scared to open our mouths because we don't want to offend. That's what I mean with spiritual Ramseys. Sometimes people need to be offended to be confronted with the truth. That's what Jesus did. He didn't look for trouble. But if licing out truth offened people, then so be it.

So, thank you Gordon Ramsey for showing me that being offensive sometimes isn't just OK, but necessary.

I want to be fearless!

A week ago, a friend and I drove to the inner city of Pretoria at 21h30 (not a great time) to hand out some blankets we had collected as a home group. I'd met some guys that sleep in this park that surrounds the Pretoria Arts Museum and just wanted to catch with them. I had this idea in my head of long, quiet conversations, maybe a some prayer, a thank you and "it's only a pleasure" and a warm feeling on our way home. It didn't quite turn out that way.

The park we drove to is surrounded by buildings that are notorious for drugs and prostitution. Still, once we arrived and got out of my car, I was surprised at how quickly we were surrounded by girls (they ran across the road like there was no tomorrow) asking us I we were looking for a good time. As shocked as we were, we just said "no thanks" and turned our attention to the guys we'd come to visit. We found two of them lying next to each other with only a couple of old blankets to keep warm with. We said hi and started chatting about how they'd been since we'd last spoken etc. But one of the prostitutes wouldn't go away. She just stood there bumbling nonsense. My friend says he heard here saying "I have to do this." I didn't hear it but I felt more than awkward. I think it must have been how what Paul felt when the slave girl wouldn't shut up (read it here: http://niv.scripturetext.com/acts/16.htm). She just wouldn't shut up and made it very difficult to have a meaningful conversation.

After a couple of minutes a two guys, who identified themselves as jobless Nigerians and who I suspect of being pimps keeping their product in check, showed up. After a short conversation with one of them we again turned our attention to a guy sleeping beneath two thin blankets on the ground. One of the guys I knew (let's call him John) told us that we should be careful because he wasn't "OK". Another Nigerian moved closer, very interested in the new blanket we had just given away.

After making sure that no one would take away the designated blankets, John told us "I think you must go now." I was so out of my depth and my mind started racing through all the things that could possibly happen next. Being hijacked once we opened the car, being stabbed, mugged... All very possible and after handing over one more bag with warm clothing to a poor man and fending off more prostitutes, we got in the car and drove... due east away fro all the evil and Godlessness. Once we got to the off-ramp that would take us home, my friend quietly commented "And... we're back in the bubble".

OK, a lot of words for a relatively short experience. But it stuck with me. We went out there with this hung-ho, onwards-we-march-for-Jesus- attitude and came back with our tails between our legs...more or less. It didn't dent my faith in what God. At least not what he could do for those we were trying to help. I just realized how helpless and vulnerable I'd felt. I'd never felt the devil's presence that clearly before. Not that I think the devil is Nigerian or visa-versa, but the hold he has on people's lives. It's tragic! It didn't haunt me as much as it humbled me. I have so far to go. I want David's faith, that could stand up to Goliath. I don't want to be stupid or reckless, but I want it to look like it to others. I'm not saying that driving to the inner city at night should become normal. When I am faced with danger I want my first reaction to be a calm, still peace and deep knowledge that God is with me and that he give me the wisdom to face any situation.

It may take a while and maybe a few more uncomfortable situations, but I have faith that will get there.

masks and grace

I'm not a theatre boffin just in case you were thinking "what's with the fancy pic?". Just seems to say what I think about the masks we as people put on. They're pale,sad and the don't last too long before they hit the floor. Where they should be.


Lately my girlfriend and I have chatted a lot about authenticity in the church. Not just a "bunch of 2-faced hypocrites" rant, just how we interact not just with each other, but those outside the church as well. 


This is my first real post because it's probably the thing that gets to me most at the moment. When people are genuine it makes me unbelievably happy. Conversely, when people, especially Christians, pretend to have everything together and hide the real stuff, I get... sad. When those same people then judge and criticize those that do open up, without really listening, I get angry. And at the same time I must confess that I am one of those judgmental saps. I also find it difficult to be vulnerable, particularly when talking to people who don't believe. I've always struggled with this feeling that, as a Christian, I should never worry, doubt. If I do either of those I'm no different than the rest of the world and my faith will not impress anyone, least of all God. While I still struggle I can safely say that that is simply not true. No Jesus follower knows exactly what to do all the time and no Christian has perfect faith. 


In John 20:27-29 Thomas, or the Doubter as he is popularly known, doubts Jesus who stands before him after his resurrection. This is a pretty weird situation. A dude you know has died is standing in front of you in a locked room that he just entered through the wall. And still he wants to check whether it's really Jesus. Most of us would judge this guy in a second. "Dude, it's Jesus. Just have faith and stop asking questions". That would have been me. But Jesus is gentle, listens and then invites Thomas to come and see and feel the wounds that remained from the crucifixion. That is what makes Jesus so easy to love. He didn't call Thomas a "Doubter". Yes, he said "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." So yes, there is correction and redirection. But it's loving. It's kind. It's what Jesus still does today. When we are confused, worried and in doubt, Jesus invites us to come with all of that. He isn't offended by questions. He doesn't see it as rebellion. The gospels do show that he got impatient on occasion, but he never gave up on his friends. 


I think we as Christians have a tendency to become so defensive when someone questions our beliefs, that we completely shut out other people, even within the church. If someone struggles with a given situation, we react with a list principles to quickly quench the "rebellion" so as to prevent any further personal upheaval. We rarely listen and just let people be. Yes, we should rebuke, advise and lead. But you can't lead and help someone if you don't know their real needs. And that's what I plan to do. I want to really listen before I speak. Proverbs says on a few occasions and in various ways that speaking without listening its unwise, rude and foolish or stupid. It seems many of us forgot to read and highlight that part. It's easier to shut people out when they confront our own insecurities. But God want more for us. And so do I.

who, why, what, where???

Sooo, who is this random,  incoherent dude who can't formulate a SHORT sentence if his iTunes account depended on it?

I could give you the long answer but I think we've all had enough of long, drawn-out introductions on the web. You'll get to know me (and I you, hopefully) as the this journal called Blog progresses so the details will emerge, I'm sure. All you need to know for now is that I love Jesus and want to be real about it, the highs and lows, victories and losses, faith and doubts... basically everything to do with life. I don't have a theological degree so I don't claim to be a scripture expert. But I do know my saviour and I can talk about him as some people talk about their best friends.

I've read so many blogs about Jesus and what faith looks like (or is supposed to look like) and while many of them really serve people, I think there is a danger of becoming so focused on what we're supposed to be that the real struggles get lost. I've often found myself doubting my faith because everyone I heard spoke about what the bible says and all I saw was my shortcomings. This isn't supposed to be a pity party, just a really honest journal of what life with Jesus looks like  and sometimes there are answers and sometimes there aren't.

The whole "even if only one person can identify" thing is true, as cheesy as it sounds. I'm definitely not looking for a my own band of apostles. The thought just made me smile :) No no. I won't be offended or disappointed if 2 or 3 people read this and move onto another blog. All I want is to share. After all, that's fellowship, isn't it? I LOVE the church, even if I criticize it sometimes. I don't want to to be reckless with how I use my words and I'm certainly not looking for confrontation. BUT I don't care for political correctness either. So if I say something that offends you, I might apologize and I might right a follow-up post to repent. But like I've said, I want to be real.


So after all that and the broken promise of a short introduction here it is: I'm a sinner who needs and loves Jesus, just like you. Let's see what comes next.