CAPE TOWN UNITED

I know.  I am a horrible blogger.  Though well intentioned my dedication to blogging has been less than sufficient.  Yet, I'm back and hopefully more committed than ever!  With that, let me pose a few questions . . .

What do you think would happen if a church united in Jesus name?

What about an entire neighborhood uniting to make Jesus known?

What if an entire city united to champion the cause of Christ?

It seems impossible, but what if followers of Jesus everywhere laid down their differences, and with one voice sought to shout and sing and proclaim that Jesus is the King to everyone around who would listen?

I know a group of high school students from all over the city of Cape Town, South Africa that have done just that...they have UNITED, and I'm believing there's no limit to what God might choose to do through their unified efforts!

Check out this 2 minute clip from CAPE TOWN UNITED:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_U8jTpp6A

Body Parts

The other day I was having a coffee at one of my favorite local spots and I noticed a man coming down the escalator carrying a box of parts - body parts.  It happened fast but I think I saw an arm, a few legs, and a foot protruding from the top.  I didn't get to look close enough, but I'm sure I heard a head bobbling around on the bottom of the box. 

I thought to myself, it's not everyday you see a man walking down the street with a box of parts.  I wondered where he might be going or what he might be doing with the many parts he was carrying?  What was the purpose for all those parts?

Of course, these were manikin parts, just to clarify. 

The man with the box of parts reminded me of a problem I often wrestle with, a problem Os Guinness calls, "privatization."  Guinness writes, "Beyond question, the private sphere in modern life represents incredible freedom.  More people can choose more, do more, buy more, see more, and travel more than ever before.  The results may be chaotic or regrettable, but in opening up for us a world of our own, the private sphere provides an unprecedented chance to think and act independently." (The Call, p.156)

The problem is that we weren't created for independence but interdependence - many parts but one body.  One purpose.

Guinness suggests we divide our lives into two parts - public and private.  I think we divide our lives into many parts.  We have our work life, our family life, our social life, our church life, our friends, our hobbies . . . one life divided into many parts.

I suppose the many parts of our lives aren't so bad as long as they work together towards the same goal.  Abraham Kuyper once commented, "There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus does not cry out, 'This is mine!  This belongs to me!'"  Whether it's our work or family or friends or church activities - it's all God's.  Many parts with one purpose.

Are there certain parts of your life reserved for certain things?  

I'm working towards one life lived for one purpose - GOD.  It's a daily thing.  I'm not there yet.  I'm learning it doesn't happen over night.  It's a process that involves a repeated return to the foot of the cross and the persistant chorus of your life to be, 'Not my will, but yours be done.'

Under Cover

If the blessing, providence and goodness of God in your life were like a cover, and you were given a choice to remain under cover or venture beyond . . . which would you choose?

I had a great time preaching at Common Ground Church in Cape Town on Sunday.  Common Ground is where my wife and I call "home" these days - our church family.  During my soccer career I enjoyed away games, but nothing could compare to a home match. That's what Sunday was for me, a home match!

Here's a link to the message.  Week 3 of a 6 week series looking at "The Promise," and the life of Abraham:

http://www.commongroundchurch.co.za/content/uploads/sunday%20talks/2011/ThePromise/ThePromise_26JUNE2011_RondeboschAM_Aaron.mp3

~SDG

Ireland TREC video

AIS Ireland just posted this short video featuring our time at Belfast Bible College last month.  Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150199823526599

~SDG

SUBVERTING THE KINGDOM

I live in a 12-unit apartment complex with my wife Ginny.  We love it.  A few weeks back I was speaking with our security guard Eric.  I'm not sure how many teeth Eric has all together but I'm almost certain he should have more.  I really like Eric.  I'm always learning something new about him.  For example, Eric was in an unfortunate incident the other day and his finger got badly cut.  Though he almost lost the finger that got cut, he may still have more fingers than teeth, I'm not sure.  Regardless, the finger was not looking good several days later so I told Eric we needed to take him to the doctor.  "Oh no," he said..."Eric doesn't need that man, Eric has done the work!"  He then proudly displayed the mangled finger he had sownen together with his wife's needle and thread.  I told Eric he should become the team doctor for his favorite soccer team, Orlando Pirates.  I think he thought I was being serious.

Eric loves Pirates so much that he tries to convince everyone to love them too.  He's like a Pirates evangelist.  I'm sure the Orlando Pirates aren't Eric's only purpose in life, but it made me think, what would someone blog about me?  What about my life speaks to other as a theme?   What is the message my life proclaims about what I believe and why I am here?

I think of Jesus as a fairly straightforward guy.  As I read the scriptures his message and life purpose seem clear.  Yet, not everyone feels the same.  In Luke 23 an angry religous mob complained to the authorities about Jesus.  They weren't happy because they said they "found this man subverting the kingdom."  

It was a valid complaint.  

Jesus was a subverter.  

He came to turn the kingdom of man upside down.  He opposed the social norm and worked to counter act the ways of the world.  

The people accused Jesus of attempting to subvert the kingdom they lived within.  Would people accuse you of something similar?  It seems that if the spirit of God lives in us, we are here with that same purpose - to subvert the kingdom and proclaim the eternal kingdom here and now.

I've decided, that's what I want to be, a subverter.  What about you?

~ SDG

A "Competition" for Glory

The past 8 days I've been hanging out with my great friend Rob who leads a mighty and life changing work.  Rob directs the Northern Ireland office of Ambassadors in Sport.  It's fair to say that Rob is crazy, in a wonderful sort of way.  Rob dreams up ridiculous things and then convinces other people to be invovled.  I respect that.  

For example, last year Rob convinced over 30 people to ride bikes across the whole of the African continent to raise money and awarness for the development of Hope Academies (see http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/kicking-crime-11069702) in disadvantaged communities.  

We passed these guys somewhere on the road near Ballymena, Ireland!

The past 8 days Rob and I have literally traveled to every corner of Northern Ireland to speak about the work of Ambassadors and to challenge people to consider how they spend their lives in light of the grand scope of eternity.  Along the way we saw more than a few sheep, several cows crossing the road and rain - lots of it.  

It was a cool trip.  I think God used us to light some fires, encourage some folks and hopefully, call a few into a relationship with Jesus for the first time.  That said, I feel I must share in this public space a dilemma I encountered in one meeting.  In all my years, I've not encountered this type of issue prior.  I wonder, what would you do if someone had the most horrifying gas you've ever heard, in a room full of high school persons?  Would you stop what you were discussing to acknowledge that gas, or, would you persevere, pretending you did not hear this horrible noise despite the mass hysteria it elicited amongst the crowd?

I kept going pretending I didn't hear what sounded to me like a bomb exploding in an art museum.  In retrospect I'm not sure that I made the right decision?

I must admit, upon branding this blog "A competition for glory" I had not thought of the physical implications.  I suppose one would not necessarily consider things of that nature when branding a blog.  That was probably my mistake.  Needless to say, I'm am now aware that in Ireland the competition for glory is indeed alive.  

A final thought.  It turned out that the someone who had the horrible gas was in fact a 32 year old group leader.  I wasn't too sure what to do with that information, but there you have it.  This expirience is now off my chest and I can move on.  

~ SDG

Anonymity or notice?

Something like 65 million people pass through London Heathrow airport every year - today I am one of the multitude.  I'm currently sipping a VERY average Americano on a stylish worn brown leather couch at Caffe Nero...somewhere amidst the millions.  I haven't seen anyone I know, yet.  I don't expect to.  Strangely, that excites me more than it probably should.  

Anonimity is a strange thing; at times it has a peculiar allure.  At least it does for me.  It seems to provide an opportunity to sit in the shadow land of society and chose to engage, or simply just be.  That makes me think, if this is how life is meant to be lived - anonimous? Or, is the tempting call of anonimity countercultural to our intended existance? 

My favorite band in college, Cademons Call, had a folky type sound.  One of their songs was about life in San Francisco.  One stanza went something like this:

I love anonymity and I 

love being noticed

just the same as anybody else

Years ago I told you how I love to be alone 

These days I'd be perjuring myself

That has always resonated with me because of the seemingly opposing dichotamy I adore; anonimity and acceptance.

The more I read about how life in the Kingdom of God is supposed to be, the more I'm compelled to seek a life in community instead of the often prefered anonimity.  Paul explained the people of God as a body, one body in fact. He wrote, "You are the body of Chirst, and each one of you is a part of it."  That suggests that we weren't so much created for a life of independance but of interdepandence:  GOD + ME + EVERYONE ElSE = LIFE.

Often I wish the equation was God + Me = Life.   Sometimes, I must confess, I wish the equation featured ME alone.  But the Kingdom life is one based on a synergy of interdependant parts working together to produce more than they would on their own.  

As I've passed through Heathrow this morning I've been anonomous. Yet, I'm moving towards Belfast where I'll spend the next 9 days proclaiming the Kingdom life that is much grander than life on my own.  I'll do this in community.  I think that's how it was always meant to be.

~SDG

p.s.  If you are in the Belfast, Northern Ireland and want to come say hello here's where I'll be the next few days:

1) Edenderry CE, Saturday 14th May, 8:00pm 

2) Granshaw Presbyterian Church, Sunday 15th May, 11:00am 

3) Portrush Presbyterian Church, Sunday 15th May, 7:00pm 

4) Carnmoney Presbyterian Church, Friday 20th May, 7:00pm • Boys Brigade service

5) The Well, Saturday 21st May, 7:00pm 

6) Ballysally Presbyterian Church, Sunday 22nd May, 11:00am 

7) Edenderry Presbyterian Church, Sunday 22nd May, 7:00pm 

Where?

I'm not sure why but I love to hide when I hear someone coming.  It's probably not so much the hiding but the scaring that I enjoy.  It started when I was a kid.  If my younger sister was outside playing and I heard her come inside, I would hide.  It became a psychological game.  Sometimes I would jump out immediately. Sometimes I would hide so long that she figured I wasn't hiding, and then, BOOM!  You'd think I would have grown out of it, but no, I have not.

Over the weekend we were hanging out with a few friends at one of our favorite breakfast spots in CT - Buzz Cafe http://www.buzzcafe.co.za.  It's a cool spot to be on a Saturday morning... that said, 'morning' is known to be a relative term amongst Capetonians.

A few breakfast smoothies and cappuccinos later, one friend visiting from out of town asks, "So, where is Table Mountain?" For fear of a slow and torturous dismissal from this life, I will allow that friend to remain unnamed, as I simply note the uproarious response of those present at the table.

Just in case you have never been to Cape Town, this is Table Mountain:

There is virtually NO WHERE you can go in the city where you don't have a clear view of this massive precipice.  Literally, it's clearly seen from everywhere, especially when you are sitting at the Buzz Cafe which is situated about 100 meters from the base of the mountain.

Following that question and subsequent mass out roar, our friend's husband pointed directly in front of himself and said, "Um, lovie . . . " That made me think, so often I miss some of the most obvious things, even when I'm looking for them.  I think that God falls into that category.  Sometimes I'm looking but I think he must be hiding?  Or, maybe, I'm not really looking?

I recently read this from one of my favorite communicators, Louie Giglio, "God is always seeking you.  Every sunset.  Every clear blue sky.  Each ocean wave.  The starry host of night.  He blankets each new day with the invitation, "I am here."" The psalmist wrote:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

      The skies display his craftsmanship.

 ² Day after day they continue to speak;

      night after night they make him known.

 ³ They speak without a sound or word;

      their voice is never heard.

 ⁴ Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

      and their words to all the world.

God is not hiding.  Actually, he's making himself known to everyone willing to look.

Have you seen God lately?

~SDG 

Glory is forever

It's fair to say, I'm not really what you might call a 'morning person.'  I'd like to think that I am pleasant and fun, and full of light hearted jocosity most anytime of the day, but now, just 3 months into marriage, my wife (Ginny) is quick to assure me that is simply not the case - I guess morning's not my thing!  I do wish I would have remembered that key information when my friend called a few weeks ago to suggest we run the Two Oceans half marathon, the largest road race in Cape Town that happens every year on the Saturday prior to Easter.

As we departed from our house last Saturday at 4am, Ginny asks me, "Are you excited for the race?"  At 4am I would have been excited to go back to bed for 3-4 more hours, but I couldn't say the same at the thought of running 21k (13.1miles) in the dark.  Needless to say, we arrived at the race start just as most of the other 23,000 runners did.  

23,000 is a lot of runners. I think I heard the gun shot to begin the race around 6am, but no one was moving.  A few minutes later the pack began to slowly inch forward.  7 minutes later I had crossed the start line - my race had begun.  It was still dark outside.  There were still 23,000 other people people trying to move in the same direction along the same narrow streets as I was.  I saw one man dressed as a cow.  Perhaps he was an Easter cow?  Somewhere along the road 3 men dressed like Tina Turner sauntered past me as well.  

About 10k into the race I was feeling pretty good about myself.  Sure, the Easter cow and 3 Tina's had all left me in the dust miles back, but I was still holding off the 20'something running in a Borat mankini (should you have been spared knowledge of the 'mankini' to this point, rejoice in your ignorance and resist all temptation to educate yourself).  I think it was just around that time I devised my plan to begin overtaking the vast pack of runners in front of me.  I told my friend I'd set the pace for awhile and we began fearlessly running past all those around us.  The plan was working.  I could see the indignation smattered across the faces of those we passed.  For a fleeting moment I had thoughts of grandure.  I wasn't thinking we could win, but I started thinking we could at least earn some sort of recognition.  That thought lasted about 45 seconds as kilometer 10 ended with a steep uphill climb - a climb that ultimately covered 8k.

I spent the rest of the race just trying to 'make it' to the end.  I wasn't particularly concerned about my time, winning a prize or where I placed in relation to everyone else . . . I just wanted to finish.  I kept thinking that wasn't how it wasn't meant to be.  Surely there had to be more to the race than a hope to simply finish.  

When I finally reached the top of the mountain there was still 3k to go.  The mankini had now long since past me and I was feeling defeated.  That's when I saw this sign posted on the side of the road:

For the final 3k this sign seemed to appear everywhere.  "Pain is temporary glory is forever."  I assume Old Mutual, one of the main sponsors of the race created those signs to encourage the participants to persevere to the finish.  They knew the runners would be tired and weary by that stage of the race and so they provided encouraging words.  It's amazing, but as I read that sign over and over the final 3k, I was encouraged.  It wasn't because I thought I could win the race, or because of what others might think of my accomplishment that day, but because I had a new found enthusiasm to finish well.  

After 1:52 I finished the race. I didn't win a prize.  It wasn't a particularly impressive time.  Yet, I ran my race as best I could.  I finished well.  

For the past week I've been thinking about that sign . . . Glory is Forever.  

The writer of Hebrews encourages us in a similar way to run the race of life, he said, "Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever."

Jesus had a firm understanding that the trials of this life, the things that seem to hinder, detour and often hold us back along the way, these things are temporary, but glory is forever.  The writer of Hebrews finishes his thought by saying, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  

As I was finishing my race last Saturday I was encouraged by the reminder that the pain I was enduring was temporary.  I want to remember that as I continue to run this life race that we all find ourselves within - Glory is forever.

- SDG

I'm not going to lie, I love baked things...cakes, muffins, breads, cinnamon rolls...yeah, definitely cinnamon rolls...it's a problem.  I know there are a million and one reasons to avoid them but I simply can't get enough, and currently, my standard resolve to resist the forbidden fruit doesn't seem so impervious. That said, I was chatting with my friend Morgan the other day and he starts telling me of a seemingly magical place not too far from where I live called, "The Old Biscuit Mill."  Apparently, 100's of baked good artisans from all over our city gather there every Saturday morning to sell their tasty treats.  It was a no-brainer - to the Biscuit Mill we went!

As it turns out, the Biscuit Mill is a pretty popular Cape Town spot on Saturday morning.  Not only do they sell baked things, but also organic stuff like fruit, vegetables and other food items that make the space look lovely, yet found no particular value for immediate consumption, at least not with my group.

 To give you a better idea of what we were dealing with here's a few photos:

As best I could tell, most gathered at the Biscuit Mill last Saturday had rallied around a common objective - FOOD.  This wasn't any ordinary, everyday type food either.  It was wonderful, amazing, sexy food displayed in a warehouse for mass consumption.  It was brilliant!

 I went to 'The Mill' to find a baked treat, but I ended up with a steak sandwich.

Driving home I thought to myself, "Who eats steak when they really want a muffin?" which immediately made me think of the woman who sold me that sandwich.  My wife and I were casually discussing our options having completed the initial exploratory loop around the premises, when the steak lady began her unsolicited spiel.  In all honesty, we had absolutely no intention of having a steak sandwich that day, but the lady was so proud of her steak and so convincing that it would be the best sandwich of our lives, that in the end, despite our desire and intentions to have a muffin, we both had steak instead.

I must admit, the steak lady was right, it was probably the best steak sandwich of my life!

That experience made me think of something I once read from a 16th century scholar called William Tyndale.  He wrote, "If our desire is to please God then pouring water, washing dishes, cobbling shoes, and preaching the Word is all one."  I don't know if the steak lady at the Old Biscuit Mill is a Christ-follower or not, but she certainly approaches her work as I believe Jesus would instruct us to do.  The steak lady placed a high value on her work.  She was proud of what she did and she seemed to pursue her task with diligence and passion.  In fact, every kiosk tender I interacted with at the Old Biscuit Mill had that similar disposition - they enthusiastically pursued their work as I believe they all feel it is an art; an expression of who they are.

I want to be more like the steak lady in my pursuit to live for God.  I want to pursue the things of life with passion and excellence that they might serve as a rightful expression, not of who I am, but of who God is within me.

It was a good trip to the Biscuit Mill.  I saw a glimpse of the glory of God expressed in the work of those who sold their goods.  I had an excellent steak sandwich, and I need to return one saturday when my war on pastries subsides.

Have you ever met a steak lady?

                                                                                                                                   SDG - Aaron

200 million and 1...

To blog or not to blog, it's a question that seems reoccurring, and at times, something like a fungus or awkward skin irritation that will not desist.  I suppose my issue with joining what some refer to as the "blogoshere," or another calls the "blogscape,"  is one of personal value.  I simply don't find myself that interesting - ok, I take that back, I do find myself interesting, even entertaining at times, but certainly not so interesting and so entertaining that friends, acquaintances, and or, perfect strangers should find some degree of amusement with my publicly displayed musings.  Yet, now several YEARS into this process of justifying why I should not, am not and will not tweet, blog or otherwise....here I am...To Who the blog is born today!

This is me, Aaron Tredway.

If current statistics on blogging are true, you have just over 200 million blog options to choose from.  If you speak Mandarin or some dialect thereof, you're in luck...almost 1 of 2 blogs in the world come from China; similar to soccer balls, paper cups, the computer I'm typing on, and those excellent rice-paper candies as well.  That said, I set out on this blogging journey today, and I hope the things discussed in this public space will find value.  I intend to write once or twice a week, and share about people I meet, places I go, and things I encounter that speak of and point to the glory of God.  As Oswald Chambers once wrote, "Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to God . . . the greatest competitor of devotion to God is service for Him."  It's not my intention to point you away from serving God, but rather to open a dialogue that compels you to exalt the name of Jesus in an ever increasing way.  

So, what can I say...amongst other credentials I hold, like former college ping pong player, a PhD thesis title so long and complex I can never remember it, and a 1-game professional basketball career in the Central Asian country Tajikistan, I'm now a blogger.      . . .  SDG