When I saw this excellent explanation of the human brain (in under 2 minutes), I realised that I had wasted 6 years of my life doing a PhD in neuroscience and theology... I should just have watched this video!
So, to save you the same trouble I would encourage you to just watch it now!
I particularly liked this bit (from the transcript) by TheRitual24 in the comment section: the liviating duds immediatly lubberdutch making contaste and togethatee slip temperance and expandasutatity. A reflection into ocean corrisponse who is perverts supercredity multiveratury equation E=2r… I’ll say that again, E=2r. Where R is the radiency of a homemade measure of the vultry affect and i find that in the pervinity stems of the parishilton reserdity overleshes the rihanheteramervan to and effect so as to neglectance of nomad of prosperaty super contraction causes structurmention.
I am trawling through reams of emails that I couldn't read during the build up to the Lausanne Congress. I still have such a lingering sense of gratitude and feel so blessed to have been part of this amazing event! I'll post a reflection as soon as I have a few minutes to spare. It was straight into the office at 7am this morning for various meetings...
The Congress has left another lingering memory - I have a Indo-Chinese-African-American-European type flu... Don't feel too good today! Hence this post. I'm siting in a meeting with my iPad writing this quick post... If anybody asks you please tell them I'm taking notes ;-)
A friend sent me a link to this great YouTube video that pokes fun at how we plant Churches! This 'friend' happens to have planted many wonderful Churches in his ministry, and has succesfully helped many others to do the same. I thought it was wonderful that he could laugh about something that he is so passionate about! So, please take this with a pinch of salt. We need to plant Churches, they need to be effective, culturally relevant and attract people! This is just a bit of fun.
How to plant a Church (a complete primer in just 3 minutes).
It kind of reminded me of this new book (that I am still intending to read) - Hipster Christianity (when Church and Cool collide) by Brett Mccracken.
I have read the hilarious book - 'Stuff Christians like' by Jon Acuff which seemed to have a little more of a critical edge to it. I laughed, but I did so in secret (if you know what I mean). So much of what I read in that book reflected a belief I hold, had held, or wished I had not held. Indeed, it was a pretty entertaining book for a Christian like me who is moving beyond denying some of my naivete towards a more honest and open expression of my faith.
What is certain is that I love Jesus, I know that he loves the cosmos and every person in it, and I want to find ways of authentically bringing his love to bear on the world.
So, anyone want to join me in a Church plant? Bring the cash, I'll lead worship!
I am thankful for people like John van de Laar and his ministry 'Sacredise' that helps Churches and Christians to engage effectively in worship that doesn't get stuck 'fluff' and 'performance'.
Of course I appreciate well directed worship. I love contemporary music and have often encountered God in such settings. However, I have an equal affinity for liturgy, silence, and simple worship. I suppose the point is that it should be about God first, then an encounter between the community and God, and somewhere right towards the bottom of the list should be 'personal taste' in style and music.
One of the things that most scared me about the pre-millennial eschatology of those folks who believe in the rapture was what would happen if I was raptured with them (however, most of those folks tell me (quite frequently) that I don't stand a chance... They seem to think that if I am going anywhere it will be south rather than north)...
However, can imagine the rapture takes place and there is chaos here in earth as cars crash through barriers, flights fall from the sky, and ice cream cones lay melting on the sidewalk (oh the horror!) BUT, there is something even more scary than that... The person who first introduced my delicate mind to the theology of the rapture was wrinkled 100 and something year old Religious Education teacher at my highschool... If the movies (Left behind, et al) are anything to go by then when we are raptured our clothes will be left behind... Can you imagine the horror of seeing my RE teacher naked flying through the sky at 1 million miles an hour....
Nope... It is too scary to imagine. Here's the first video.
This one seems to suggest that I must wear clean underwear all the time... He seems to know when it is happening... Come to think of it, that's not a bad suit. I wonder if I can have that when he goes?
And here's another one -
Two final thoughts.... Considering the post about Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn... If they get raptured, do you think I can keep their cars? ALSO, a word of advice to preachers, evangelists, and Religious Educators... People tend to respond much more readily to love than they do to fear... Rather preach the Gospel and LEAVE OUT the fear induced flakiness... I think it's the way of Christ....
This is one of the best made, and funniest, videos that I have seen in ages!!!
Here goes - President George W Bush sings the U2 song "Sunday, bloody Sunday"
Amazing what you can do with iMovie and other important work waiting to be done! I imagine that this was done by some doctoral student who has a chapter of his / her thesis due in a day or two....
By they way, I watched Michael Moore's new movie "Sicko" last night... Whilst I'm sure we all agree that Mr Moore is not exactly what one would call an unbiased journalist who upholds the sanctity of journalistic integrity (if there is such a lofty ideal in contemporary news), the movie is challenging and thought provoking.
The question I have, is why does one of the world's richest countries make health care so inaccessible? Perhaps Capitalism, and greed, have so run through the America psyche that it is impossible to think about anyone but one's self! I fear that South Africa is only a few years behind... We are no better than the televangelists who make money from the pain and suffering of others if we allow such principles to permeate our society. I certainly see very little of the Kingdom of God present where the needy don't have enough, and the rich have more than they need!
Pray, work, there is a lot to be done. Faith is politics - we can change the world!
Yesterday Pete Kropman poked me on facebook (no, that's not rude... If you don't understand it you're starting to get old!) and wrote on my wall (no that's not illegal in facebook) to ask if I had been watching the Apple WWDC (that's the Apple World Wide Developers Conference) keynote.
I had not... I have been marking (that's 'grading' for the yanks) first year ethics scripts... About 200 of them.
However, this morning my friend Arthur sent me a link to this youtube video about the iPhone....
Art! Impersonation is the sincerest form of flattery!!!! I still want an iPhone... Mainly to use as sideburns and a cheese grater (watch . Heck if I wanted to make phone calls I would use a land line... Remember those!?
So, the moral of the story is: Save your shekels for an iPhone, Oh, and look me up on facebook. Surprisingly, my name is Dion Forster... And I'm too old to be on facebook....
NOW, just a quick note to say that I am preparing a post on little Liam's baptism that took place this last Sunday. It was a truly special evening. We were able to give thanks to God for his miraculous life, and dedicate ourselves to caring for him and raising him in a manner fitting of a Christian family.
I'll post some thoughts, photos, and a reflection in the next couple of days.
Some of you already know that I am facing a bit of uncertainty this week. I go under the knife, so to speak, on Thursday for surgery and a few tests. Please pray for me even if you don't know what it is about. News will follow.
Friday, January 7, 2011 at 6:11PM 
