Thoughts

i'm up at 1 am with my thoughts, and for me this is a somewhat scary thing.
So much has happened in the last few weeks that it seems that i just need to explode and just end up in some sort of foetal position while dribbling with some weird twitch.

Tonight i am up and the thing that keeps me up is the strain of being enough.
One of my youth group leaders emailed me at work the other day complaining that there wasn't enough God-content in my friday night studies and, of course, i got defensive and said that "there is, its just not as overt as it was in her day".
The thought that i struggle with is...what if she is right?
What if these kids get to the end and God says that they dont know him and arent 'good and faithful servants' and its my fault.

What if i'm not enough for these kids that need more God?
I've always believed that a real leader leads from the front and so thats what i do, because i have the responsibility of such a big ministry i must rely on other leaders.
Of the leaders i have, maybe 3 of them are truly great and i know that i can totally rely on them, problem is...of the ones who arent truly great...should they be and is that my fault too?

Part of the job of a leader is to inspire and cast vision and if that isnt happening, well what then?

God, you are the alpha and omega and i believe that you are the best, help me to be all that you want to help these kids be all they can be.

God Vs. Science

You must.... Read to the end........ The ending will surprise you!'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. 'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?' 'Yes sir,' the student says.'So you believe in God?' 'Absolutely. ' 'Is God good?''Sure! God's good.''Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?''Yes' 'Are you good or evil?' 'The Bible says I'm evil.' The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment.'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?''Yes sir, I would.' 'So you're good...!''I wouldn't say that.' 'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.' The student does not answer, so the professor continues.'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?' The student remains silent.'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?' 'Er..yes,' the student says. 'Is Satan good?' The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.' 'Then where does Satan come from?' The student falters. 'From God' 'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?''Yes, sir.' 'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?''Yes' 'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.' Again, the student has no answer.'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?' The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.' 'So who created them?' The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?' The student's voice betrays him and cracks.'Yes, professor, I do.' The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?' 'No sir. I've never seen Him.' 'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?' 'No, sir, I have not.' 'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?' 'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.''Yet you still believe in him?''Yes' 'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?''Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.' 'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.' The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? ' ' Yes. 'And is there such a thing as cold?' 'Yes, son, there's cold too.' 'No sir, there isn't.' The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit d own to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.' Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer. 'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?' 'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?' 'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?' The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?''Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.' The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?''You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?' 'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.' 'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?' The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed. 'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?' The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?' Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.''Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.' To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.' The professor sat down. If you read it all the way through and had a smile on your face when you finished, mail to your friends and family with the title 'God vs. Science' PS: The student was Albert Einstein.Albert Einstein wrote a book titled 'God vs. Science' in 1921...

Guard your heart

I just realised that i've been so busy lately that i haven't been on here for ages, hope you all bought a pillow because this could take a while.

I had a bit of a situation at work where one of the ministries i operate was taken from under me, to make room for one of the interns in a decision made without myself in the room or consultation and it was a ministry i really enjoy, so there was a lot of sadness and a heap of anger as i felt quite betrayed and dissappointed in some people, but the silver lining was that i get to look at new challenges and also that i've found that there is a deep network of people here who genuinely care about me, my family and my work and they all came out with some fantastic advice for me.
I will never forget the words of the Rev Mike Hawke who was my preaching lecturer at BCNZ.
I happened to be late at the end of a class because i was asking a question, anyway, we were talking and he said to me "Warwick, you're a feeling person and ministry needs people like you because its filled with scheduled, routine people but above all you must guard your heart as people will stomp on it."

So, my heart was stomped on and everyone needs to reflect on the 'exciting' changes around here while i feel this fundamental need to kick everyone's ass.

Before i carry on, these are my thoughts and feelings on this and this is my blog so i say what i like and i would prefer that all comments remain here and not in the office of my colleagues and peers etc.

the best thing though is that my daughter Alyssa was the only one in her class to sign up for the school talent quest and yesterday they held the auditions (american idol style with a couple of teachers) anyway, Alyssa has made it through to the finals with a song from High School Musical.
I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, better go, things to do, catch ya later

The Beauty of the Upwardly Mobile Generation

In my last post i said that i went to Bible college with the express idea to become a real pastor and thanks to a very good friend (thats you Lani!!!) my point was quickly clarified.
I was in no way suggesting that youth work is in anyway inferior to the work that is done by a senior pastor.

You see, the beauty (and sometimes curse, depending on how late in the year it is) is that creativity and adaptability become key words in the vocab of the youth worker (its right up there with 'the 'B'plan).

I was at a seminar a while ago (i go to a lot of seminars) and the keynote speaker said that we live and work in a time where youth are so techno-savvy that we need, nay-must, keep up. And this is true when we see the rise and rise of internet-using-teenagers, when we notice that most of the people we know are on facebook or twitter or both it becomes obvious.
I started journaling here in august 2005 (seems like an eternity ago) and at the time Blogger was HOT and everyone was doing it, now hardly anyone reads these because its obselete. (i still love you blogspot)

Anyway, back on to the point.... keeping up with my teens has led to a whole new world in which a lot of adults dont exist because it scares them but if, like me, you are dragged into it, it really isnt that bad.
Teens are so multimedia oriented that to try to appeal to them in any other way is insulting so therefore i have a new tool to carry on the work that God is already doing.
I believe that God is doing a huge work in OUR day, maybe even using the internet!!!!

I get to work with an upwardly mobile generation who wants to be informed and educated, they want toknow whats going on and they have ways of finding it all out, so our responsibility then seems to ned to shift to one of protecting those who would abuse this age of people through the wonder of technology, its also one of educating our youth that God still works and still has a plan that hasn't changed at all in 2000 years in spite of our enlighten-ness.

Youth are a wonderful way of being able to touch the face of God while keeping ones feet entirely rooted in the reality of our earth.

Praise God and all those who still read this.
Thanks for your comment last time Lani, and i'm still waiting to hear from you Juriaan!! getting lazy old man?

Oh before i go, we're baptising 3 more of my youth on Sunday night which makes 11 since we got here. GOD IS STILL WORKING AND HE LOVES HOLDENS!!!

Miracles Happen Right Before Your Eyes

The more i get into this job of mine, the more i know that this where God is leading me.
When i was at Bible College i just assumed that i was training to be a 'real' pastor and then when all those doors had closed and people were telling me i needed more experience the job at East Taieri came up (i had forgotten i had actually applied for it)

Its weird because when God moved us from Parkland's baptist to Opawa baptist i was adamant that i wouldn't be involved in youth ministry because i was tired, within a month i had been invited to help with the youth.
It was the same after BCNZ, i so badly wanted and expected to be an assistant pastor that i almost didn't apply for the youth pastor role, and yet here we are in Mosgiel and loving it.

I have discovered in this last week what i think God wants of me....just to be me (sounds so much easier than it is).
Bex and i went to a 21st of one of my youth leaders on Saturday night (BTW, this guy i awesome and such a heart for God and our youth) anyway i wondered why i seemed like the oldest person in the room (except his parents) so as i was leaving i said that i had felt really honoured to be there and he said, and i don't think I'll ever forget this ..."your a very special, important part of my life.". Its a truly humbling moment.

We were at a 21st of one of the guys that i worked with at Opawa a couple of weeks ago (he studies at Otago Uni now) and bex and my name came up in his speech as a thanks for coming., again, so humbling.

What I'm saying i guess is this, God wants us all to be important to someone, and we are created to be this, we just have this huge responsibility to just be what God created us to be. Easy huh??

We went to 2 weddings of different people that i had worked with in different youth groups and this is just a continuation of that idea.
People grow up in front of you and you often don't even know what God has done through you until they say "thanks"

So to finish this, i want ti say thanks to the people that mean so much to me and have invested into me
First Jesus (so much work and so much patience), my dad, Chris Manning (for starting this), Jason King (for kicking my ass when i needed it), and to my wife Rebecca who means the world to me. Also, to friends like Lani, Ryan, Juriaan and Andrew who helped me to focus and see what God does.

Miracles happen right before your eyes ;)

Complicated easiness

I've found that people say a lot when they aren't really talking and that this is 'helped' by the onset of all the technology like social network sites, cell phones etc.
We have this amazing way of not really saying what we mean and i don't mean lying but its a way of pleasing everyone and hurting no one.

I love what i do and i GET to go to work which is different that HAVING to go to work which is nice.
But i still find that people (and not just teenagers) will tell you what they think you want to know for instance "Hi Warwick, yes I'm definitely going to hang out with you on such and such a day." and then there's an excuse.

What I'm saying is when did our 'yes' stop meaning exactly yes and our 'no' stop meaning no?
I'm often confused and sometimes i feel disengaged from the world, like I'm different .
I know i have a simple outlook on life, partly because I'm a simple man, but why oh why do we humans (generic) feel this stupid need to complicate things?

What do you think?

a series of unfortunate events

well, for those who read about the van thing a couple of posts ago and got a bit of a laugh at my expense, here's another one...
Yesterday was much like any other day, the alarm went off at 6:30, i ignored it and went back to sleep then raised myself at 7 am for a day at work and that my friends is where it all went horribly wrong.

Alyssa has trouble getting up before 8am (except for weekends and public holidays) so i got in this habit of going through and picking her up from her bed and delivering her to the lounge and organising her for the day, so, I'm walking down the stairs with a a sleeping 6 year old and some idiot (another name i have for myself) left a jacket on the stairs, so somehow i get my foot jammed in the hood (stupid hoods) and trip.
Before i know it, I'm flying through the air with the greatest of ease and missed the last 4 stairs, thus landing very heavily on my left ankle at the bottom of the stairs and with a very loud 'pop' from my ankle and a slight man-scream proceeded to fall in a pile on the ground.

You may be wondering what happened to Alyssa, and now I'm going to tell you, with a rugby analogy.
When i was a rugby player i was a forward, now a forward does all the hard work and sets a platform for the pretty-boy Dan Carter types to leave everyone awestruck while the forward picks themselves up off the deck.
As a forward you are taught that you go into a tackle with your hands free to pass the ball.

This time things are different t, while i was flying i had the presence of mind to deliver the pass, it just happened that the ball was a 6 year old girl.

So, I'm lying on the ground writhing in pain being told off by a 6 year old girl for carrying her down the stairs.

I moved to the lounge where i was quickly bandaged up as the swelling came up, i went to work where everyone told me to go to the doctor. but i being the stubborn ass that i am went about my day limping everywhere, then i went to bed, a bit sore but tired.

Woke up this morning and headed to the shower, got to the shower was told by my wife "don't slip in the shower, you might break the other one."
Now i don't remember passing out but apparently i passed out in the shower and had a wee seizure which freaked Rebecca and her mum out, and so we were off to A&E where we waited for 4 hours.

4 bloody hours and then they took x-rays and found that it is a really severe sprain and surprised i didn't break anything.
So here i sit, bored and incapacitated, but i have crutches, so will be back at work tomorrow looking for sympathy and beating people with my crutches