Going for a ride on Mertyl the Vespa!

Megan asked me to pop out to pick up some bread and milk, so I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to take Mertyl my Vespa for a quick spin. Liam is becoming quite fond of Mertyl! Every chance that he gets he wants to sit on her!

I'm leaving to watch the rugby at Newlands rugby stadium in an hour or so - Ppppprrrrroooooovvvvviiiiiinnnncccceeeee!

Table Mountain and St George's Cathedral

Isn't this a lovely view? I've driven along this road many, many times. This is the first time that I've noticed the mountain in background. Cape Town is a beautiful city!

Prayer in parliament

This morning about 100 or Christians from across the Cape Town city and surrounds gathered in Parliament to pray for South Africa. The focus of the prayers this morning was on the youth of our nation.

I had been asked to share the devotion. It was such a joy to see younger people and older people of all races praying with passion and commitment for God's grace to be established in justice, mercy and provision.

The following verse has been resonating within me for the last few days:

'Mantain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed' Isa 56:1

In Swellendam at a Catholic convent

Today we drove drove to Swellendam to look at a piece of property that the Catholic Church is looking to get rid of. It would make a great community centre for economic empowerment and social development. It is a lovely sunny day!

Getting the best out of people - some advice from Desmond Tutu

'We all blossom in the presence of one who sees the good in us and who can coax the best out of us' - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

My back yard (well, sort of)...

It is a magnificent winter's day in Cape Town today! The sky is clear, there is now wind, and I drove past this view on my way to a meeting!

It doesn't get too much better than this!

A great bike in front of a great place

On my way home from my meeting in Franschhoek this morning I stopped on the Stellenbosch University campus to take this photograph. This is my BMW 650GS in front of the lovely faculty of theology (seminarium / 'kweek skool') building. I spent many, many, many happy hours here working on my doctorate.

It sure is great to be back in Cape Town!

An all weather biker, on a ride out to a meeting Franschhoek

I was back in Franschhoek today for the Global Day of Prayer international meeting on our friend Hanelli Rupert's wine farm, LaMotte.

When I woke up it was clear in Somerset West, so I decided to ride my BMW 650GS through Stellenbosch, the Pniel area and some incredible scenery on the way to Franschhoek. It was an incredible ride!

However, by the time I got to Stellenbosch the rain started. It was WET! But, I had my all weather gear and took it slowly. It was fantastic to ride through this wonderfal part of the Cape.

Great service from South African Home affairs at Paarl

This morning Graham and I stopped in at the Paarl department of home affairs in Castle street Paarl to get our passports renewed. I've been doing so much travelling that my current passport is full, so I have needed to get a new 'maxi' passport to have enough space for visas and stamps for the trips that I have ahead of me.

Many tell horror stories of a lack of service and poor treatment at Departments of Home Affairs in South Africa. My experience was so different! The atmosphere was pleasant, the civil servants were courteous and helpful, and I was in and out of there in under 30 minutes.

Wonderful!

It's wet and rainy in Franschhoek - LaMotte

This picture was taken at the farm, LaMotte in Franschhoek. It is wet, but lovely, here today!

It is great to be back in the Cape.

International Global Day of Prayer leaders' meeting at LaMotte in Franschhoek.

For the next three days we are meeting with a number of key international Global Day of Prayer leaders at the LaMotte estate in Franschhoek. There are persons from every continent - each one of them a mobilizer for prayer across the world.

It has been amazing for me to realise just how little time, energy, and effort I put into prayer (as a lifestyle) in my ministry. Sure, I pray, and I encouraged others to pray and lead groups in prayer - but these folks seem so committed to ongoing prayer for the needs and struggles of the people they are called to serve!

For some years now I have taken responsibility to pray for each of the student ministers of our denomination (the Methodist Church of Southern Africa) by name (both those that I know and those I have never met). But, I am learning to pray for so many more persons and issues with intention amd passion.

Wouldn't it be incredible if we could live in a world where every person and every need was prayed for?

In my last Radio Pulpit radio show I mentioned that I would love to pray for needs and persons and received so many requests! It was so encouraging! I have asked our intercessory group to assist with those.

Impact World Tour breakfast with Mark Anderson

The impact world tour is a move to seek to encounter the emerging generation with the Gospel in a focussed manner. Think about this 80% of all people who come to faith are under the age of 18, yet 93% of the Church's resources are spent on people over the age of 45! This is a scary indictment on the Church! So, the question is 'what does it take to reach this generation?', and 'what will be the Church models going forward'

The central idea is:

1. Engage young people in a 'life shift' with the Gospel. So the key is not to 'join' anything (although every person who comes to faith in Christ is followed up by pre-trained local Christians).

2. Do this in a very strategic manner. So the outreach methods are targetted by age, culture, context etc. (so extreme sports for kids, rock bands for teens etc.)

3. Ensure that the content of the presentation of the Gospel is engaging and relevant (not just experience based, but truly addressing the real needs of the individual and the community).

4. Train local Christians and Church communities to effectively disciple every person who comes to faith in Christ!

For more details please see http://www.impactworldtour.com

The intention is to start with the outreach in 2009.

Think of this analogy - the evangelistic movements (such as these) are like the lumberjacks who move into a forest with chainsaws and cut down the large trees. However, once those logs have been cut down they need to be shaped, formed, and made useful. So, someone needs to cut the trees into logs, get them to lumber yards, then further work them into planks for houses, wood for tables, chairs, and even some for 'toothpicks'!

One needs evangelists (lumberjacks), one needs transporters and lumber yard builders (Church planters and growers), and then disciplers (pulpit and marketplace ministers who equip and grow people for their God given ministry). Of course there are also some people like Mark Anderson (the tall guy in the beige sports coat) and Graham Power (to his right in a blue sweater) who are 'project managers'.

I would encourage you to pray about getting on board with this incredible work! It is a YWAM (Youth with a mission) project.

Have a blessed day!