I am the man of the house: Thus I proclaim…

I have decided to change my theology! No, “decided” is not strong enough. I was bullied by reality into change my theology. I have forced to review my interpretation of Ephesians 5:21:

... Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

I have always believed that this verse proves that men and women are equal and have equal rights; that it provides the key to the rest of the passage on marriage. As a result, decisions in our home were open to discussion, BUT not anymore! I have now determined that the man has the right to proclaim the laws of the house. You may ask what has happened to bring about such a dramatic shift in my theology? Here follows the chain of events that brought me to this decision.

About three years ago my wife got really sick, and I was obligated to take on the task of making sure that there was food on the table each evening. Before this we shared the responsibility equally when it came to cooking. Although buying groceries was totally her responsibility, I now had to take on this horrible task as well.

Being who I am, I bought myself a few cookbooks (Jamie Oliver) and read through them like storybooks, to the amusement of some. Then I packed them away and started out on the adventure of making my own recipes. My three boys helped me from the beginning, and it developed to the point where we love cooking different dishes.

(Al three my sons are capable of preparing different dishes, from Pizzas to Boerekos – Leg of lamb, ham, and all the necessary vegetables. And all three of them are Braai experts. For those who don’t know what a braai is, it is much more that a barbeque.)

 

This was all fine, but I hate doing shopping. I ended up delaying buying groceries as long as possible. Finally, my three sons and I sat down and came up with a new game plan. We would buy groceries once every month and half. We would buy everything we would need for the next month and a half, and we would do it efficiently.

Blotted tears and Grace

In 2001 I met Jenna (not her real name) at the hospital. Her mother called me: Jenna nearly died as she had been using heroin for over a year. Her mother was tired and worried. Jenna was a beautiful young girl, 22 years old and studying at University. During her third year, she had been experimenting with Heroin and became hooked.
She had already been to rehab , but it had only taken two weeks before she started using again. Jenna was tired of this lifestyle and this last experience really scared her. She cried and told me that she knew that she needed Christ in her life. We prayed together and she accepted Christ into her heart. This was not a decision she took lightly, she started reading her Bible, attending church and altering her lifestyle.

Coaching kids rugby as part of ministry!

We easily get caught up in all the “important” things we do. Running around with the kids on the field, laughing while learning and then enjoying it enormously are as missional as you can get. Spirituality happens when we don’t take ourselves too seriously!

The Day Happy died!

At the end of 2010, I had the privilege to become acquainted with Happy, a petrol station employee. The morning of our meeting was very special: I have told the story of how Happy gave his heart to the Lord, and the affect it had on me. http://paul-barnard.blogspot.com/2010/08/morning-i-met-jesus-at-petrol-station.html
Since August last year I have visited him a few times, and his whole life has truly been turned around. He started living with joy and purpose. His co-workers became his congregation, and like a committed pastor, he has served them with love, care, and the Word of God. 
I recall that upon leaving him one time, I thought that this uneducated man, who had only known God for a few months, could certainly teach a class of theology students and pastors about living with a passion for Christ. Talking to him was exciting, but draining. He tried to ask a 1000 questions in an hour. He was so excited about Christ and the Word of God, reading, talking, and doing. Christ was his life! As I drove off, I thanked the Lord for this inspiration and the privilege of knowing this man.

The day I was Baptized against my will, to the enjoyment of everybody.

Years ago I worked at an interdenominational ministry in the inner-city of Pretoria. This was one of the best times of my life. I really enjoyed the honesty, the energy and the people.

I met Enrico at a local pool table arcade, where we became friends. Over the next three years he made his commitment to God, and started to live a life that was a inspiration to all around him. He joined the local Baptist Church, where he started serving in the youth ministry.

One day he came to see me about his Baptism. He had decided that the time was right for him to get baptized. He had spoken with his local congregation and they agreed that I would be allowed to baptize him the following Sunday. This was something new for me, but I could see that this would mean a lot to him. Since I had clearly seen what God had been doing in his life, baptizing him was a real honor.