Why are we afraid to witness? Fear of rejection.
Why are we afraid of rejection? Pride, fallen human nature, pecking order.
But we have been ultimately accepted by The One Who really matters!
Let that change us inside-out. See more here from Ray Comfort.

It's now 12 months into the pandemic, and we've been fairly protected here in Western Australia. With the first lockdown, Cheers transitioned fairly well into Cell Church mode, using digital tech to relieve the isolated, and our usual small group discussion format to keep Biblically centred.
After lockdown,
- the young adults settled into 4 groups
- our teens re-gathered quickly 
- Church 247 met on alternate weeks in Home Groups, and gathered in the Community Hall as able.

Confidence?
Adults were less confident to lead Home Groups than I'd hoped. It's not so difficult to run a small group, especially when compared with meetings and other responsibilities they conduct at work, and they have all they need in terms of knowledge, skills and tools, yet most still seem bluffed by leading a small group around the Bible. Not sure what to do about that, but press on. However it does show the importance of training young people who seem to be more likely to learn and do the stuff.

Outflow
During the year some of our young adults married and moved to the country, taking their training with them and we're cheering for them, confident that they will find ways to bless and benefit their new part of the world with the Gospel. Others have done this in the past, and more are set to do so in the next year or so. We pray this outflow will result in multiplied mission.

True North - Christian
From hiking to ethics, politics, spirituality, psychology, relationships, in all areas of life in which decisions about reality are important, we really need a true reference point. We need the compass needle to point north so we can align ourselves with reality as it is, and not get lost. A reliable reference point. 
For societies to function well together, a primary reference point needs to be agreed so we can all avoid conflict as much as possible. When I visit Indonesia, I know the local reference point is largely Islam, so I know how to get along. Even if I don't agree with Islam personally, I can accomodate wherever possible in good conscience. At Australian Federation we chose a generally agreed reference point in Judaeo-Christianity, the Bible, "under Almighty God." The consensus was that we all go along with this same reference point as a society. Besides, part of that Christianity was that "secular" meant non-sectarian, open to all, regardless of creed. So Christianity provided a good reference point for public ethical decisions and the moral conduct of society. 

Spinning Compass - Agnostic
​But from mid twentieth century, Australia's general population became less certain of Christianity, and even the idea of objective truth. With growing multiculturalism, the magnets of other ideologies made the public discourse agnostic: "we don't know what our public reference point should be." But instead of really thinking this through, broadcast technology rushed through the shallow, political-correct (ie. wrong in the real world) idea of "each to his own, you do you, I'll do me." Public media and politics mostly ignored the matter of truth, ultimate reality, or an agreed reference point.
This sounded democratic: "let's leave it as a private matter and not have a public reference point as such." But it only leads to power-plays: "whose point of view will rule." That's why although most Aussies (and governments) still think no reference point is what we have today, it's not so...! 

Self-Aligned Compass - Naturalism
Most of us ​didn't even see it happen and assume we're back at Agnostic. But to the degree that religious/spiritual worldviews are excluded from the public square, one worldview stands deceptively as the default reference point. Naturalism asserts there is only the natural, physical world, no super-natural, no other dimensions, no God to answer to, no higher power, so do anything you want - just keep religion private. "Secular" has come to mean, "no religious views." In practice this Naturalism is Australia's public reference point now, unofficially determining all our national, ethical, political decisions. Decisions about marriage, gender, religious education, terminating babies & the infirm, public narratives about science, climate, race, power/victim status, are all decided squarely on the reduced basis of Naturalism. All spiritual considerations are excluded.

We were never asked if we wanted to shift our public reference point at all, let alone shift it to Naturalism. It just happened by excluding the other options. If we had been asked, "Do you want Naturalism as our new public reference point?" we would have certainly voted against it. Why?
1) Partly because more of us do experience spiritual realities than do not. "Under God" is a real consideration for most of us.
2) Also because with a little thought it soon becomes obvious that Naturalism is a really bad reference point because it inevitably leads to the Law of the Jungle, with everyone pulling for their own interests, with the most ruthless grabbing power to eliminate the competition. That's been the result in all socialist / communist governments, which are always based on, yep, Naturalism. We know where that road leads, and we don't want to go there.

2) Noel had a way of dignifying normal life. We college boarders saw each others’ bad hair days, and once Noel asked my friend for a razor to shave because he’d left his at home. He was not embarrassed because he was genuinely humble. He knew that his little moments were just as significant as his global work. His gracious attitude was the same in all circumstances, everything was a gift from Christ. From the podium to the kitchen he was Christ's grateful servant. This inspired the community with integrity from top to bottom. Lk16:10 faithful in little things

3) Noel kept Christ at the centre of the community. Without this, communities inevitably drift. But Noel’s communities stayed true. He would often remind us that the college was to teach us to “think theologically,” because through Scripture we get to know Christ. Noel knew both intimately, which is why often you could tell he was led by the Spirit to say just the right thing, to have that gracious humility, to love that enlivening way. If everyone bathed in the Word and the Spirit like that, counselling services would become redundant. Eph5:26 washed with the word

Each house at this school has a theme, Courage, Character, Compassion, and that of Vose house is Community. This might surprise if you only knew Dr GN Vose from his Wiki page, looking at all his academic achievements and the Theological College he started. But that College was a Vose-like - no, Christ-like - community. It pulled people together. And I’ll warrant that same enthusiastic community was a hallmark of Noel's presidency of the Australian Baptist Union, and then of the Baptist World Alliance: he pulled people together. Noel regenerated discussions between Baptists and Mennonites in a way that hadn't happened since 1630! He planted a new church at 70! Community was his legacy. Back then we used to tease him about being "The Pope of the Baptists.” But he kind of was - in the best sense of “papa,” building up all of us who came to orbit around his truly Christian community.

Don't Squander Your Chance
For many this forced layoff is a chance to reset our priorities and activities. The decks have been cleared for us. So what shall we do with this time? First thought: have a rest! Yessss!!! Watch some movies, read some books, sleep longer…. Maybe get some jobs done, clean up, sort out… But after you’ve caught up, then what? 

Well, what do you consider most important after all? 
Now is a great chance to start doing what you really deep down want to do. 

How about these top five practices for life:
5) Be generous with toilet rolls. If we don't share when we have, who can we ask when we need?
4) Spend quality time with the people in your household. Don't be isolated in your screens, make time to reconnect. Have dinner around the table; ask "what do you thank God for today?"; play a board game; do some craft; a jigsaw… google family fun ideas. 
3) Reconnect with extended family and friends via calls or videolink. 
2) Re-introduce yourself to God. Actually pray. Get to know him better. Day by day. (We can help with Core Stuff, and the Bookmark of HPOWER). 
1) Meet for prayer, care and sharing around the Bible, in groups of 3-6, via videolinks if necessary, to actively grow in the Spirit, and share the love with others. (Cheers can help with this, and get you BOPping!) 

​
This virus, now, is an opportunity for humanity to turn back to God. Let’s take it. 

As Ferris Beuler famously said, Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it. 

Apocalypse. It actually means uncovering, revealing, as in the Biblical book of Revelation. But ironically we have smothered the word with such fearful connotations that we covered over the very thing that was meant to be uncovered! We fear the dangers so much we miss the main point. 

Since we apparently live in such apocalyptic times... it’s well worth asking: what was meant to be uncovered? Answer: the Ending to The Big Story.  

What Big Story? 
The overall narrative from the beginning of time to end. The Biblical Story. The Story within which all our life stories are contained! Which begs the further question, what part will you play in it? Using the Olympic Rings, here’s a graphic summary of that Story: 

Just like all great stories, there's an Author, Evil, Salvation, Freedom & Community. 

Author - Blue reminds us of Creation and thus its Creator. God creates, creation is good, humans are made in God’s image, very good. But then...
Evil - Black, darkness, selfishness, the sin that damages creation. We try to take over from God, to run our own lives but only ruin our own lives. This sinful fallenness is shown from Adam and Eve, through every story in the Bible, down to the present day... 
Saviour - Red, blood, the Saviour’s mortal battle to make things right. 
The Law and the Prophets (>>) foreshadow and predict that Saviour to come. The Old Testament repeats stories of sin and salvation: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israelites, Judges, Kings, Writings and Prophets: we ruin life, God saves, repeat. There are always warnings, then judgement for the stubborn, and salvation for the faithful. The cycles repeat. But then comes The Saviour...
Christmas (X) reveals the Christ, the Messiah. 'Jesus' literally means 'Saviour.' He is none other than the Creator become human, Immanuel, God-with-us. 
Love summarises his message and his actions, love God first, and people as yourself. 
The cross is where Jesus has DONE what we can’t DO for ourselves: he himself bore all our collective sin, guilt, shame, griefs, sorrows etc. for us, on our behalf. Thus separated from God, he dies in our stead for all of our sin. Paid in full! This means that sin is no longer held against us - we are put right with God! An amazing gift of mercy! 
His resurrection overcomes death with life. This proves he has overcome our sin with his purity.
For 40 days he appears, explaining all Scripture to eyewitnesses, offering His salvation to all. Then… 
Freedom - Gold, the Spirit of resurrection, in us, to set us free from the law of sin & death.  Jesus ascended, then 10 days later sent His own Spirit into His people - that's whoever trusts him, helping us to live like Him. An amazing gift of grace! And this gift is still being given and received today… 
Community - Green, Grow in these relationships now and forever. Go share this Big Story. Loving God and people goes on now and forever (>>), in fact The Big Story ends with a divine marriage: Christ receiving his Bride - us! The Big Story turns out to be a Divine Romance.
​So for now we are supposed to Grow in those relationships: turn from our sin, trust the Creator-Saviour-Spirit, and live life his way. This trust is what determines our part in the revealed ending: will we receive His amazing gifts and be in the marriage with the faithful? Or will we refuse, ru(i)n our own lives, and face the judgement with the stubborn? Go share this Big Story to anyone who will listen. 

So I’m now sharing this Big Story with you. May God give you ears to hear it and pass it on. 

I'm convinced this Big Story is actually a True Story, for good reason: it is uniquely coherent, uniquely comprehensive from the beginning of time to the end, and uniquely consistent with all the data we have available to us - including logical, scientific, historical, experiential, relational and spiritual observations. 

Therefore it is reasonable to expect that the revealed ending will also come true. Yes, the Apocalypse (the Revelation) contains frightening warnings and judgements, alarming events to come - wars, calamities, plagues, martyrdoms at the hands of evil economic and political ideologies. The warnings and judgements will cycle some more - exactly what we see in our day - little re-tellings of the Big Story of evil, salvation, freedom and community to come. But then The Big Story will end as revealed, with a final judgement for the stubborn, and a wedding for the Bride and Bridegroom who is the Creator-Saviour-Spirit. 

But if we only focus on the calamities, we cover over the main revelation to be uncovered: the Ending to The Big Story. Don’t miss the main point... What part will you play in The Divine Romance? 

What is Cheers doing during the CV19 lockdown? Meeting in cells of 3-6 in homes, (digital attendance is also ok as long as it is person to person interaction, not anonymous viewing.) In some ways we’ve been doing groups of 3-6 for years whenever we gather around the word. Now we just have to do it at home. You’re welcome to look through our crash course summary on how we provide a balanced diet in the groups with a simple bookmark. We call it the Bookmark Of Power (BOP). 

We see the CV19 lock-in as being in solidarity with Christians in China who can’t meet in groups bigger than 5, so when they hit 6 it is time to split, and by then both triplets need to have someone who can lead. Thus it empowers and multiplies - it disciples. I can see why God might want to equip us all in such a way. So let's make the most of this time. Perhaps our BOPs will work for you in your own circles. Here's youtube's Cheers Playlist for the CV19 lock-in. 

I'm not panicking because my worldview is not limited to Naturalism. COVID-19, bushfires, climate change, etc. merely remind me of our mortality, and the bigger view of life. But Naturalism, which dominates Western public discourse - news and entertainment media, social media, politics, law - across Australia, NZ, USA, UK and Western Europe, has no bigger perspective. As such it's a worldview that generates the very fear, depression, and hostility we see with every reminder of how fragile we are. 

Naturalism in a nutshell: 

• God is sidelined as an invalid reference point 
• Humans will progress by ourselves 
• (Naturalistic) 'Science’ will save us. 
• Nothing outside the physical world is relevant. 

​No wonder they panic when death comes near! 

Naturalism is both shallow and brittle.
It's shallow because it rules out other dimensions, and disregards all non-physical phenomena observed. 

• All the following are ignored: angels, demons, being Spirit-filled, The Presence, dreams, guidance, Illuminated Word, After Death Experiences, healings, resurrections, answers to prayer, transformed lives, fruits of the Spirit. 
• Sometimes an attempt is made to explain spiritual phenomena in naturalistic terms, but these attempts generally lack proof in a manner worse than other dimensional explanations. (I'm not referring to times when physical phenomena are mistaken for spiritual, but when the phenomena are actually spiritual.) 
• It is closed-minded to rule out other-dimensional options before examining whether the evidence actually points there. "First rule of investigating: do not have a presupposition that keeps you from finding the truth."  
• To justify this reductionism naturalists invoke 'the scientific method’ (ie. that non-physical explanations should not be invoked to explain physical processes) as an article of faith implying all life is only physical. But the scientific method is by definition limited to the physical. So applying ’scientific method' to non-physical subjects will always prevent finding truth about spirituality, because it a priori demands that "non-physical explanations should not be invoked to explain even the non-physical”! Well what should?! Examining phenomena outside the scope of naturalism is outside the scope of this 'scientific method.'
• It is less scientific (in the broader sense of ‘knowledge’) to consider only one hypothesis. Naturalism prevents us from considering explanations beyond the physical. That's shallow. 

It is brittle because when disaster strikes, as it inevitably does, the meta-narrative quickly escalates to dread fear and panic. Consider HIV, SARS, COVID-19, 911, ISIS, droughts, bushfires, floods, earthquakes, climate change. Even merely the death of celebrities in their prime, from Elvis, to Princess Diana, Steve Irwin, Kobe Bryant. When confronted with mortality, the public discourse is inconsolably shocked, as if our whole existence is in danger of collapse. Because it is:

• When all you have is this natural life, to be reminded of death is to be reminded of oblivion. The naturalistic narrative has no higher perspective from which to evaluate mortality. No afterlife, no hope - except for the species in general which is little consolation for the individual. No individual escapes death, and then all is lost (so they believe.) 
• Fear of death spikes the flight or fight instinct. 
• Flight causes irrational stock-piling of toilet-paper, and economic collapse.
  Or perhaps denial: "She'll be right, I wont take any precautions..."
• Fight blames scapegoats - those gays, those Christians, those migrants, those terrorists, those [insert-race-here] 
• Further, with no higher reference point for moral conduct outside each individual’s own self-centred view, we splinter into tribes (of people who agree with us), and the law of the jungle ensues, as Darwinism approves according to the naturalistic worldview. 
• Living without hope in such a fragile and dangerous world wears one down - no wonder anxiety and depression are epidemic! 

In contrast the Biblical meta-narrative is deep and robust. 
Don’t be put off by the shallow dismissals on public broadcast. Examine the Bible properly without prejudice against spirituality, and you’ll see why it stands the test of time as uniquely reliable revelation from The Creator to us. Unique because no other volume or corpus of texts has anything close to the following qualities:
- Reliable because the archeological and manuscript historical evidence is peerless concerning the Bible's preserved transmission from eye-witnesses to us. 
- Revelation from God, because miraculously the over-arching Saviour-centred story is uniquely coherent and comprehensive, despite the diversity of 40 contributing authors across at least a 1600 year period.
.Plus it contains hundreds, even thousands of specific prophecies, many of which were fulfilled in later parts of the Bible, some of which are yet to be fulfilled in the yet-to-be-completed parts of the Story. Plus it claims to contain, and be, God’s word around 3000 times.
.Plus the meta-narrative combines with the readers’ realities to change lives for the better, right up to the present day. (I mean people can relate with the God of the Bible in the present!)

The Biblical meta-narrative is deep in that it accepts other-dimensional realities and interacts meaningfully and substantially with them.

• The spiritual and relational phenomena in the Bible accord with phenomena experienced in the present. It matches the fullness of reality as we know it by including other dimensions. 

• God-fearers can and do use 'the scientific method’ just as effectively as naturalists. They just use it within its limits. That's why operational sciences (which came from Christian presuppositions that creation would be orderly) continue to be done well by Christians today. 
• ’Science’ (in the broader sense of ‘knowledge’) is better served by 1) clarity about the limits of naturalism, and 2) by also considering non-physical explanations for the non-physical, and even for the physical too! 

It's robust because when disaster strikes, the Biblical meta-narrative has a bigger perspective from which to assess reality. 

• There are reasonable explanations for disaster, pain and suffering. Loss doesn't take us by surprise. Both gloomy and hopeful prospects for the future are reasonably expected. There are firm foundations for hope in the face of personal death. Far from oblivion, death is a doorway. 
• That's why we don't panic. We don’t react to death with abject fear, but with faith, hope, and love (for God and for our fellow humans). We appreciate the reminder of mortality, we come closer to God (through Christ). We can face the harsh realities head on. 
• Then as part of our mandate to care for the planet, we can work calmly for sensible solutions.
• Our Creator provides the higher reference point for our moral code and conduct. And this true north for our compass has worked reliably throughout history: when we do life God's way, it works better. When we abandon God's way, life goes to custard. So it has been generation after generation. 
• This Creator God is truly multi-cultural. This brings us together as one race under God, albeit with many cultural varieties. This makes us work for each other’s good. So yes we also try to help everyone see that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself - 2Corinthians 5. 
• We live with perspective and positivity even under personal mortal threat, because we have a well-founded hope; a steady, positive reference-point; a good relationship with the Creator through Christ's cross and risen Spirit in us. 

Naturalism is a shallow and brittle worldview that discords with reality, and fragments society. 
The Bible gives a deep and robust worldview that accords with reality, and unifies humanity under God. 

Our public discourse needs to break out of its shallow, brittle naturalistic worldview. Otherwise it will keep covering up the BIG Story that these apocalyptic events are meant to uncover for us:
- that we are mortal, that sin/self/satanic forces are bad, and that we need a Saviour. Leaving God was not progress, but a mistake to address.
- turn back, trust, & tune in to the Creator, and accept his salvation now and forever.
In this true, deep and robust worldview, fear subsides, and we can live in courage & faith. 

​​That’s why, with all these fires, viruses, climate change... I'm neither panicking nor in denial. I know what to think when reminded of my mortality. 
Not only the creation, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit also groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For we were saved with this hope in mind - Romans 8. 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 9. 

Reasonable Faith

My daughter is a 21-Pilots fan. Proof: today she bought pre-sales tickets to their December show, where they will play music she hasn’t even heard yet because their album isn’t due out until next month. What if their new album is a terrible disappointment? She might have to sit through a whole concert of terrible music... 

But her purchase is an act of faith. The good kind: reasonable, not blind. The kind that makes for good relationships. There's not an iron-clad guarantee but there are enough reasons to make it worthy of trust. 

Her faith is based on good reasons: their prior performances, the music she has already heard, the interactions she has already enjoyed in the fandom, their demonstrated trustworthiness as people to date. So she has good reasons to trust that the boys will deliver a concert worth the price of entry. So she bought in. 

My faith is based on good reasons: God’s prior performances (in demonstrably reliable histories, writings and prophecies), the ‘music’ I have heard already in this life (the good, true, beautiful, life-giving ways that really work), the interactions with God I have already enjoyed alone and together with other believers, the demonstrated trustworthiness and wisdom of God’s character. I have plenty of good reasons to trust that God will deliver a Life worth whatever price he asks of me. So I bought in. 

Some disparage “faith” per se as if it is blind, based on nothing. Some people seem to blindly believe cliches and assumptions, but these days I’d say that's far more likely among the agnostics of main-stream culture than among the Christians who go against the flow. Most Christians I know have had to challenge the mainstream cliches and assumptions, and have come to my daughter’s kind of faith, a reasonable and well-founded relationship.

When people actually examine the reasons for this kind of faith, they often become ready to buy in. 


Deeper reflections: 
The Limits of Proof
The Phenomenal and the Noumenal - Noumenal realities are important and life-directing. Yet the more noumenal a reality is, the greater the need for good and sufficient reasons. Good reasons are there. Go get 'em. 

Is the church better or worse than most people think?
The Centre for Public Christianity has produced a massive resource on that topic. It's hours of good stuff, more than enough. 

• Here is the point in a 2 minute nutshell: it's not religion but humans that cause the wars, cruelty, etc. They - we - distort good things into bad by our selfishness, greed, fear, laziness, shame, brokenness, incapacity - all of which are aspects of what the Bible calls, "sin." 

You could spend a year going through the details CPX has provided - movies, documentaries, clips, group discussion sheets, school resources. So if you're wondering about it - get into it! You'll have your questions more than answered on this topic. 
But don't miss all the other material CPX has on other topics too. There's a search bar for libraries of articles, videos and podcasts on:

• Topics people ask about Christianity
• Training for Christians to handle ourselves better in public
• Foundations of the Christian faith. 

In my work I focus mostly on the Foundations. How we know that the basics of Christianity are true - that God exists, that the Bible is reliable, and that Jesus rose from the dead. And how these truths fit together to make a really solid and positive foundation for your life. Core Stuff and Boost. The bare minimum info, skills, and relationship that teens really need before they leave home. 
I believe if you keep this Core Stuff central to your life, you'll be far less likely to distort good things into bad. 

But then what comes next?

• CPX is there with such a wealth of answers to many perplexing questions (like "doesn't religion cause wars.") Besides sometimes people's faith doesn't start with the foundations, but with a curiosity about a topic, and CPX's good answers on those topics can then connect people to the core stuff. 
• I'd also add creation.com for a balance of answers around science & creation. 
• And of course churches are the real people who will share life with you as you live out the faith.

​Good answers are there. Go get 'em! 

This from the Skit Guys. The Serenity Prayer. For leaders. Those of us coming off stress leave. A better way to work. Related is this from AFCI's blog, Why you can't do evangelism.