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Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 10:03AM 
Just a quick post - I'll do a decent post on yesterday's Cape Town for Jesus event later in in the day.
Right now I'm collecting my packed bags and heading to the airport. I fly to Asia today for a week in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong for some Global Day of Prayer, Unashamedly Ethical and Lausanne business.
Watch this space and please keep Megie, Courts & Liam in your prayers.
Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 3:41PM With just 19 hours to go to the start of the Cape Town for Jesus event at the new Cape Town stadium in Greenpoint, my excitement is growing.
I spent the day here with our wonderful Global Day of Prayer team running through the rehearsal and final arrangements for the day. Etienne Piek, the head of GDOP has done an incredible job on putting together a diverse group of participants - with a wide range in age, gender, race and theological background. Among the participants will be Graham Power, Angus Buchan, Nicky Cruz, Barry Isaacs, Zoleka Majola, AyJay Jaantjies and many others.
In the one picture in this post you'll see my friend John van de Laar who runs a ministry called Sacredise. John is a gifted musician who has his own CD's and has even written books on worship. His particular specialty is bringing together diverse styles of worship (contemporary and liturgical, as well as African and more western styles - see http://www.sacredise.com for more on his ministry. Some of the other musicians who will be leading worship include Retief Burger, Trevor Sampson and Usher Bell.
The stadium itself is something to behold! It is incredible! There is a high priority on security - could I please warn you not to bring bags of any kind with you (women may bring a small handbag, but that's about it).
Remember that the gates open at 11am and you must have sourced your ticket from Computicket beforehand at http://www.computicket.com - I have had a few people contact me regarding the parking arrangments for the event. Please see this PDF document for details of parking around the City of Cape Town for Cape Town for Jesus.
If you're attending look out for me and say hi! I'll be running behind the stage in a bright orange golf shirt with a GDOP logo on it. Also please leave a comment below to let me know what your experience of the day was.
When last I heard 50 000 of the avialable 55 000 seats had been allocated. So we're looking forward to an awesome time!
Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 8:12PM This is a fascinating discovery! If it is indeed as these scientists have discovered it raises many questions about principles of certainty that result from traditional Newtonian physics and mechanics. The original post comes from boingboing
The UC Santa Barbara researchers seen below "have provided the first clear demonstration that the theory of quantum mechanics applies to the mechanical motion of an object large enough to be seen by the naked eye."
Andrew Cleland, Aaron O'Connell, and John Martinis. Photo: George Foulsham
In a paper published in the March 17 issue of the advance online journalNature, Aaron O'Connell, a doctoral student in physics, and John Martinis and Andrew Cleland, professors of physics, describe the first demonstration of a mechanical resonator that has been cooled to the quantum ground state, the lowest level of vibration allowed by quantum mechanics. With the mechanical resonator as close as possible to being perfectly still, they added a single quantum of energy to the resonator using a quantum bit (qubit) to produce the excitation. The resonator responded precisely as predicted by the theory of quantum mechanics.
Bob Harris says: "What's the real-world application? No one knows, although cats should start avoiding any box they could become trapped in."
UCSB Physicists Show Theory of Quantum Mechanics Applies to the Motion of Large Objects
Friday, March 19, 2010 at 8:09PM Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:00PM 
This evening I received a text message from my friend and former Bishop, Mvume Dandala, as I'm sure many others did. In the text message he indicated that he would be proposing a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma in parliament tomorrow.
I would request your prayers for Mvume and for our nation. What is certain is that South Africa is at a particularly low moral ebb at the moment. I couldn't believe it when I read in News 24 this week that Mr Zuma had spoken out in defence of the ANC Youth League President, Julius Malema.
Mr Zuma has been under the spotlight numerous times for various moral and ethical issues relating to sex scandals (which include rape, as well as fathering children outside of marriage, not to mention the fact that he has multiple wives), corruption, and helping known criminals. I worry that where there is smoke there may be fire. How is it possible that such a person could be elected as the President of South Africa?
Mr Zuma, the ANC and our nation are a cause of frequent prayer.
So, I would ask you, regardless of your political affiliation, please pray that South Africa will have the moral courage to seek a higher calibre of leadership, not only for the sake of our current dispensation, but also for the sake of future dispensations.
Here are some words that may guide you as you pray:
God, we praise You for Your goodness to our nation, South Africa, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve.
We know that amidst the blessings there are challenges.
We ask that a profound moral and spiritual renewal will come upon our nation so that our children may grow up in safety, so that our mothers may live without fear, so that our fathers may be men of integrity and that our leaders may be true servants of those whom they are leading.
In times like these, help us to turn to You in repentance and faith.
Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and peace.
We pray today that our nation's leaders may rise up in greatness of spirit to set the example to our children, that our nation's leaders, and all who gather in the dignified Houses of Parliament and our courts of Justice may become the moral bastion of all that we wish to see happen on our streets, in our homes, in our neighbourhoods, and in our nation.
Give Parliament and our courts the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it.
Lord, may our great House of Parliament conduct its affairs with malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are doing; to bind up this nation's wounds and to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among all who live in this land.
Clothe our leaders with righteousness; Let Your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, as a precious gift to the far corners of our land; May safety and security spread across our country like a warm blanket May poverty be forever banished from our shores May our children live till a ripe old ageO God we implore you to show us Your mercy, and to grant us your salvation.
Thank you!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:31PM 
Yesterday I sat in another meeting where a prominent business person asked 'how can I transform my worklife into something more than just a job?' It is a common question! Some people ask this question because their job is not satisfying, others ask it because they know that life is about more than just waking up, working, going to bed, and starting all over again!
Gretchen Rubin's quote continues to live in my mind:
While the days are long, the years are short! (Gretchen Rubin)
So true! There must be more to life than just working for a salary (as important as that is). Most of us grow up longing to do something significant, something that brings great joy, blessing and fulfillment.
This friend shared his frustration about his local church with me - he is a top business analyst with years of training, a wealth of experience, and the kind of skill that most businesses would pay thousands to have access to!
When he asked his pastor to help him to find some ministry through which he could express his love for Christ, and also use his gifts, he was encouraged to join the men's group that does 'parking duty' on a Sunday morning before and after the services. Sure, he may find some companionship and friendship there, but he would not find expression for his gifts and abilities in that setting. When Graham Power, one of the more prominent business persons in South Africa, came to Christ and was a member of my congregation I was faced with a similar dilemma! What do you do with someone like this? My temptation was to get Graham to join my leaders meeting - however, I know now that he may have joined out of a desire to honour Christ. But, the challenge of helping to run a suburban Church would never have been enough for him! The small mindedness of members, the unrealistic budgets, and the limited staff would soon have left him frustrated. Thankfully Graham discovered that his ministry was in his work place; his work life was the time that God wanted to use to transform his business, tranform his industry, touch the nation and eventually the world.
It was clear that my friend's church didn't think that he could have a ministry on Monday! His pastor suffered from the same problem I had - my members should use their gifts within the ministry of our Church! If only his minister could realise that he is already gifted, has a network of relationships, significant influence, and great passion and commitment to Christ. All that he needs is some encouragement, a few good ideas, a few basic tools, and he could impact hundreds, even thousands of people through his work life!
He could certainly help ministries to understand how to manage their finances, or perhaps where they could invest some of their income to generate additional funds to grow their work. He certainly has a keen understanding of economics, policy and working with teams in complex situations. Moreover, he could be taught to pray, share the Gospel of Christ, understand the basic principles of justice, economics and the values of God's Kingdom. Through these basic things he could influence choices, help to transform systems and see that God's will is done IN the Church AND in the broader community! Everybody wins!
How I wished that our new book, 'Transform your work life: Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling' was already in print!
I would gladly have given him two copies - one for his pastor to read to get some understanding of the theology of ministry in the marketplace, and a few ideas for helping his business people to discover and work towards their calling. He could also have read some stories of other business people who have undertaken the journey of seeking to serve Jesus every day of the week, not only on a Sunday! In doing so they have found joy, blessing and peace through serving Christ where they are every day - in their work place.
I'd love to hear some of what you do as a minister in your work life or your work place. How do you find ways to establish God's Kingdom, to express His love, and to work for healing and transformation from Monday to Saturday? I'd also like to hear from some pastors and ministers who are doing creative things in their Churches that help business people to find and live out their calling.
So here's what I'd like to ask you:
I am often in situations where I get asked to help business people to integrate their faith life and work life - I am fortunate to be part of a Church that takes this form of ministry serioulsy. But, I'd love to get some creative ideas, theological insights, and practical advice to share. So please add a comment below! I'd love to hear from you!!!
Lastly, please keep an eye open for our book (I have included a copy of the cover image below). It will be in stores on the 10th of May 2010. I met with the marketting team from Struik Christian Media today - they have some incredible stuff planned for the book! Radio, Video, and Print interviews and marketting. A great launch (I'll let you know about that - drop me a line if you'd like to be invited. It will be in May in Cape Town). If you'd like to pre-order a copy please drop me a line and I'll make sure that we get a copy to you as soon as they are in the stores.
Here are a few endorsements for the book from some friends:
Graham Power and Dion Forster have finally brought the role of the marketplace into the prominence it deserves! When you read the Bible, it soon becomes obvious that the focus of the ministry and outreach of Christ was nearly exclusively on the marketplace. If you are looking for the secrets of how to succeed with your faith in your workplace, then ‘Transform your Work Life’ is for you.– Dr Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez
We can never pay enough pastors and missionaries to evangelise the world! It will happen when the rest of us realise the church is not a building to go to, but a vast multitude of people called and commis- sioned by God to take the good news where we ‘spend most of our time and energy’. This book will turn your world upside down and inspire you to believe God for church to happen where you are! You are about to go on a great adventure!– Floyd McClung, All Nations (Cape Town)
At long last we have a book that affirms our daily workplace as a primary place for us to live out our faith. Few people are better placed and more equipped to show us the way than Dion Forster and Graham Power. I pray that this book will enable many individuals the world over to see their work as a means of dignity, love and provision, both for themselves and their neighbour.– Rev Trevor Hudson, South African Pastor and Author.
People often ask, “What is my calling?”. The answer is partly simple: the majority of us are called to the marketplace. The interwoven stories of Graham and Dion will encourage you to make your occupation your vocation, your job a ‘beroep’, in the true sense of the word. I highly commend these good friends to you; read their story so that your heart will be en- couraged, your mind renewed, and your spirit emboldened. God, being a lawyer, understands legal precedent, so what he has done for them he can do for you and me if we walk in similar obedience. Make their story a springboard for your story. ‘But, he is successful and if I had his money I could also serve God,’ you may say. Don’t ask for money like Graham – ask for humility like Graham. Don’t ask for a ministry like Dion’s, but minister with all that you have, right where you are. Don’t wait for one great thing to do, but take the next step of obedience. I am delighted that Graham and Dion are challenging us to integrate our work and faith so that we can be a part of the extraordinary company of ordinary marketplace people who are extending the kingdom through daily business.– Brett Johnson – President, The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Saratoga, California
Please join the facebook page for 'Transform your work life' here to interact with other Christians in the workplace and keep up to date with news about the book.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 9:07AM I don't know about you, but I don't particularly like to be disliked! How do you deal with people that are critical of you? Moreover, if you know that you will never be able to 'win' the person over to your point of view do you spend time and energy on them anyway? What is the Christ-like thing to do?
This QIK video (the first in a while!) explains some of my feelings about being understood by others (or not needing to be understood by others).
I have come to make peace with the fact that not everyone will like, or understand, me. Heck, there are parts of my own personality that I don't like or understand, and parts of my theology and spirituality that are unique and inconsistent. But, I am sincere in my love of Christ and my desire to honour Him and His ways. Most often that is enough!
I'd love to hear your insights and thoughts. How do you deal with critical people?
Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 4:10PM Or maybe not! Ha ha!
A friend jokingly sent me the following tweet about this year's 2010 Cape Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour in which Lance Armstrong took place:
RT @Grant_Russell: @digitaldion Have a good race, just sit behind @lancearmstong until the end and then attack // ha ha! I'll give it a try!
It's a GREAT strategy Grant! I was keen to try it, were it not for two little problems... 1) I'm not a GREAT cyclist, and 2) Even if I was on a motorcycle Lance Armstrong would still have done better than I could! ha ha!
So, if you look at this picture from Sports Illustrated really hard you may just see me in the background (well, you'd have to look REALY hard because I was about 1hour and 23 minutes in the background. Can photos show you that far back?!) Whereas Lance completed the 110 kilometer course of the Argus around Cape Town in 2 hours 39 minutes (he came ninth for the record). I completed the course in 4 hours and 3 minutes. I came... well, the number is too special to write here!
Seriously, I had a great ride! In spite of the strong winds I gave it a good shot and felt strong for the whole race. I had no mechanical problems and my legs and lungs held out very well. A year's worth of training paid off! Secretly (well as secret as posting something on the internet is!) I had hoped to get a time under 4 hours. But, I rode a good honest ride and I'm thankful to have done the course in the time I did.
So, if you're interested in checking out my ride you can have a look over the data from my Polar Heart Rate monitor.
For the Geeks out there, I use a Polar SX 625 with a heart rate strap and the speed sensor. Since I am an Apple Mac user I get the data off the watch using Polar Pro Trainer for Windows and then import it into Ascent (a great Mac program). When I ride on my mountainbike I use a Garmin 305 which can import directly in Ascent via USB. So, that way I get to keep all my training data in one place.
I hope you, or anyone you may know who rode, are happy with your time. I saw a few nasty falls - never nice. So, I pray that everyone is OK and that you're looking forward to a great offroad season. Get your mountainbike serviced and get going! My friend Greg and I will be riding the Wines2Whales in November - it is a 3 day offroad stage mountainbike race from Somerset West to Grabouw ending in Hermanus. Our training will continue in the next week or so. For now I have my feet up, an Energade in hand, and I'm loving being home with my family.
I leave for Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong on the 23rd of March. So no cycling for a week after that.
Let me know any friends or relatives' times for the Argus! Or feel free to share your super story if you rode this year! I'd love to hear from you. Just click on the comments button below and leave a comment.
Friday, March 12, 2010 at 9:25AM This little Latin saying has been living within me for the last while: "Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit" [bidden or not bidden, God is present / invoked or not invoked, God is present].
It is variously attributed to Erasmus (a Enlightenment scholar and humanist) and Carl Jung (the Swiss psychiatrist).
There is a great truth contained within these simple words. Indeed, God pre-exists our thoughts, our actions, our intentions, and even our will.
This is not only a theological statement (the Bible is filled with reminders that before we are, God is!) God is the source from which all life comes. God is creator (and so we are creation). However, it is also a neuro-scientific reality.
If you ever have the inclination to understand the neurobiology of belief there is a wonderful book, written by Andrew Newberg and Eugene d'Aquili entitled "Why God won't go away: Brain science and the biology of belief"
Here is an endorsement for the book:
"Why God Won’t Go Away is a thrilling exploration of the intersection of modern brain science and religious experience by one of the leading researchers in this field. Theologians and religionists, don’t worry; this is no exercise in God bashing. For, unlike most books exploring the connection between science and religion, Dr. Andrew Newberg is exceedingly mindful of the limits of science- what it can and cannot say, where it can and cannot go. He realizes that for every question science answers about religious experience, a dozen more arise to take its place. The respect this book displays toward the great mysteries, such as the nature of God and the origin and destiny of consciousness, is one of its most appealing qualities. Newberg’s reverential attitude toward the great unknowns is reminiscent of Einstein." Larry Dossey, MD Author: Reinventing Medicine, Healing Words
I have, however, progressed beyond the dualism that separates belief into physical and spiritual categories. For me the dividing wall between spirit and mind, between my body and my faith, has been broken down. In Christ the Spirit of God is present fully in a human person. And, through His saving grace my life is being transformed into that state of 'being present' to God.
So, no matter what you face today I would like to encourage you with the knowledge that whether God is invited, or not invited, God is always lovingly present. Amazingly God has even given us the biological capacity for this truth to be discovered within the depths and complexity of the brain!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 8:54PM 
I attended the program committee meeting for the Cape Town for Jesus prayer gathering that will be taking place at the new Cape Town (Greenpoint) Soccer stadium on the 22nd of March.
The incredible variety of participants in the program is so exciting! It is going to be an awesome time of diverse worship, many opportunities to focus upon and pray for important issues (among them are the City of Cape Town, the Soccer World cup - there will be 32 soccer teams in attendance!, issues such as human trafficking, racial reconciliation, crime, poverty, HIV/AIDS, ethics and values and a whole host of other important issues).
I had the joy of speaking with uncle Angus Buchan at the Turn2God event in Pretoria on Saturday - he is so excited about speaking at the Cape Town for Jesus prayer event. I also had a chance to speak with Helen Zille and Kenneth Meshoe (who have both indicated that they will be in attendance at the event).
Please could I ask that you publicize this event as widely as you possibly can? Please put it in your Church's notices, get your youth groups, women's and men's groups, your friends, cell groups and family to get their tickets as soon as possible.
Tickets can be purchased from Computicket (either online, or from any Checkers store).
There are only 2 Sundays left before the event, so please don't miss the opportunity to give it some exposure in your notices this Sunday. Gates open at 11am, the worship will start soon after that, and the official program will run from 13.00-16.00.
For more information you can see the Global Day of Prayer, South Africa, website at http://www.gdop-sa.com
Lastly, if you use twitter you can follow the events for Cape Town for Jesus at http://www.twitter.com/CapeTown4Jesus
Below are a few images from Saturday's Turn2God event at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Some of the volunteers
A few of the Christian sports personalities in attendance
Angus Buchan and Helen Zille
Some of the leaders in prayer
Monday, March 8, 2010 at 9:02PM 
If, like me, you're a cyclist with more passion than fitness, then every tip for the Cape Argus 110km cycle tour will be welcome. I found these great tips on the 'Wanna-B-Team' blog.
I've been eating carefully - lots of carbs, very little fat, and lots of liquids. After riding the Mountain Bike Argus this Sunday I am feeling fantastic! My legs were not sore today (perhaps that's because I had trained for the 55km but only got to finish 36km before the race was cut short due to heat).
Anyway, I would love to hear any tips and advice you follow, or would like to share, for this weekend's road race!
Don’t train like crazy in the last few days leading up to the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. A total of four hours of easy cycling during the final week, with a last light training session the day before and a light, carbo-loaded breakfast two hours before starting time, is the best thing to do.
Dr Dion Forster
What race time are you aiming for this year? Last year in the Cape of Storms Argus tour I rode a 4h58min! It was a HECTIC ride in the wind. I hope to do a sub 4 hour this year - it will be a great celebration if it does happen!
I was sent this link to the Garmin site that allows you to see the splits and activity for a sub 4 hour Argus ride.
I joked with my friends and said I would follow the route but just double the times - I'm heading for a sub 8 hour Argus! Don't joke, my wonderful wife once rode 7h30mins! She hasn't ridden the Argus since...
Be blessed as you prepare for the ride. It's going to be a fun one - at least the weather has cooled down a bit in Cape Town today.
Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 9:06PM 
Yesterday and today were the Cape Argus Mountainbike cycle rides from Boschendal wine estate just outside of Stellebosch. I'll be riding my 9th Argus (could be 8th) 'regular' 110 km Argus cycle tour this coming Sunday.
Today was a SCORCHER. It was too hot to handle! I took the picture below when I got to my car at around 12noon - it was 44 degrees centigrade.
I had been entered for the 55km mountainbike race. However, the race organisers decided to cut the race because of the extreme heat. I believe that at least one person had a heart attack. I must say that the race organisation, medical care, water points etc. were all fantastic. The long and the short of it was that I only did about 36 kilometers of the intended 55 kilometers since we were directed to the finish. I believe that the 35 kilometer race was cut short to around 25 kilometers for most riders.
Well, let's hope that Cape Town's weather cools a bit before next weekend! I rode an Argus in 2003 that was stopped because of heat (I think it was 2003). On that occasion I was already almost finished when they stopped the back markers.
Today's ride was a lot of fun. There were some steep climbs in the begining. I was feeling strong and so only had to walk when the foot traffic got too heavy to cycle past. There was also some serious single track (I saw only one hectic fall), and then there were lots of sandy farm roads! I got two punctures on the route (well actually only one puncture, but one of my replacement tubes was faulty) so that slowed me by about 15 minutes. My watch showed that I did the 36 kilometers in 3hours 3minutes of which 34 minutes was 'standing time' (i.e., at water points, fixing my punctures etc.)
I'll happily ride again next year, and I'll enter for the 55km race again. It is so well run and takes place in some of the most magnificent scenery! Mountainbiking bliss!
One of the more coulourful characters on the race was this guy dressed as Superman. He was exhausted at the finish! It looks like he was riding some kind of downhill mountain bike, which couldn't have been easy on the steep climbs! He came in about an hour after me. He was riding like this for a wheelchair charity. It is great to see people taking up good causes with their rides.
So, for this coming Sunday's Cape Town Pick n Pay Argus cycle tour I would suggest LOTS of sunscreen, lots of water and a well paced ride. My suggestion to riders is often the following. 1) Choose to ride slower than your regular pace for the first 3rd of the race (there are some STEEP) hills to climb and the bunches can be quite daunting for a novice rider). 2) In the second half take an easy ride, don't be afraid to stop at the water points and stretch a bit. Make sure you stay well hydrated and do your best to get into 'the bunch'. Let stronger riders pull you along. 3) In the final third of the race if you've paced it well to start with you'll have some energy left to push a little harder to get that great time! 4) When the ride is done make sure you drink a good sports drink to replenish your electrolytes, and also eat something to make sure you recover well and don't 'bonk' - recovery in important since it stops your immune system from being compromised, it helps your muscles (and but) to heal etc.
Did anyone else get a chance to ride? Any stories to share?
Dr Dion Forster
Here are a few news articles about the mountain bike race and the searing heat!
From the South African Weather Service (when I passed the river in this picture, about 5km from the end, there were just as many riders 'taking a dip').
Then there's this article from the Star Newspaper - I can't say that I agree with their estimate that only 1500 riders arrived for the race! It seemed like much more to me, but hey I could be wrong!
The winner of the 2010 Argus challenge 55km race, Conrad Stoltz, posted this media release. He suggests that 4500 rider did the ride. That number sounds more accurate. Check out Conrad's site. He has some incredible stuff posted there.
One of the things that I have been wondering about is the special medal that riders get if they complete both the 55km and the 110km Argus rides? Since we were diverted before the end of the race does anyone know if we will still qualify for this medal?
Regardless, it was a fun day's riding, well organised, incredible scenery and a lot of climbing!!!
I'm looking forward to this Sunday's road ride - last year I rode the Argus on the Sunday and then flew to London for the Hugh Price Hughes lecture I was presenting - not a comfortable flight with sore legs!
This year I'll be home for a week or so before I fly to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
