Hillsong College - Mid-semester update: Season of new strength

We’re half-way through the first semester of year 2009. Nine months have flown by in no time at all. And life at Hillsong College just becomes even more interesting.

This is the time of the semester when everyone is starting to be settled, kind of a quite smooth season, leading up to the mid-semester break in a couple of weeks.

The Colour Conference was a great experience - seeing all the college students and other volunteers working together, to make it possible for some 13000+ woman to meet up at the Sydney Entertainment center for a few days of fellowship, worship and teaching sessions.

I believe the months ahead will be a time of personal growth for everyone wanting to go further with the Lord. There are the times of obvious growth through challenges we face, sort of the more rough seasons when you feel you’re getting stretched in almost every aspect of life. An then there are the silent seasons where God comes an meets you, as he did with Elijah through a “gentle and quiet whisper” - a time when God wants to affirm in depth who He is. I believe this is such a season. I believe God wants us to come closer to him without fear - that kind of fear that the people of Israel had by the mount of Sinai. They realized God is holy, and they were not, so they were filled with fear that they would be destroyed because of their sins. But we are able to come close to him because Jesus made it possible. He took the wrath of God on him, and that’s why we can have a clean consciousness and boldly come before him. That’s why we can be friends with the Most Holy God. And I believe the time is now - to strengthen that friendship, to say to God: “Here I am, I want to fellowship with you”.

And out of the quite affirming whisper will come new hope, new strength, new passion and new life!

College Break & brief update….

Wooow, time flies fast when you have fun. Or just quite a lot to do.

So the first semester at Hillsong College ended last week monday. We had a great graduation dinner and graduation cermony. These five months have been truely amazing, and I’m extremely joyful that we did choose to come to Sydney. It’s really impossible to understand on beforehand what an impact it will have to move to the other side of the world.

Perspective

Being some what of an explorer, I’ve enjoyed every bit of it, getting into and exploring the country as well as culture and church and college life. The best part though, has been and is, to learn from a great church. And doing so on a healthy distance from Europe and what used to be everyday life back home. I enjoyed every bit of that too, but the more perspective on something, the better. And the further away the better perspective. So already that’s a good excuse to come to Australia.

I’m planning on writing some more about the college and Hillsong. One thing is sure, if you think about investing a year in a Bible College, make sure to consider and pray about Hillsong College. And if you have questions, feel free to contact us!

During the college break I’ll be working full-time in December as a web development consultant, in January we’ll be doing some traveling. But I’m already looking very much forward to the next semester, as we’ll get into new interesting areas of serving and new subjects.

More to come!

A heck of a stunning wife

Hi from my iPhone & Hillsong Life

We’re still out of internet, and it sucks… BUT - iPhone does miracles - AND I got mine finally this Monday after having been subject to Apples marketing tricks… Such as having people to wait for their iPhones several weeks to get the buzz about it. They “didn’t have it in stock” for three weeks… and then suddainly the shops say that there isn’t any shortage of iPhones anymore at all… right.

Anyways, college life rocks. Last couple of weeks we’ve started to get settled and more into the everyday rythm. We joined the connect group (also known as cell groups) training for new CG leaders. It was not very thorough, but did indeed give some more insight into the life of Hillsong.

Most people around the globe seems to associate Hillsong with it’s music and doesn’t see more than hipp concerts, cool music, CDs and DVDs. And while relevant music is indeed an important part of Hillsong church, it is still only A part of it. The part that has put Hillsong on the map, yes. But what is less obvious is the real life behind the scenes. What the CDs doesn’t tell, is the basis that made them all possible. That is, a deep desire to build Jesus’ church, based on the Bible, for a time as this. A church with a true desire to see people saved, discpled and empowered to lead “in every sphear of life”.

“The big show”
What many pastors (at least in Europe and Scandinavia) seem to react on, and movements such as “emerging church” critisize is churches that put effort to building a great Sunday service. I’ve heard so many times said that it’s not about the church building, but about the people that are the church, and that it’s not about Sunday, but about everyday life with Jesus. I used to say so my self. BUT, who says having a well working, great looking church building works against having great, Jesus-loving people in that church? Doesn’t a rugged church reflect a neglecting attitude towards the place where the people of God meet?
And who says having an inspiring well prepared and up-lifting Sunday service would take anything away from living a great life with Jesus through out the week?! Quite in contrary. Doesn’t a cool state-of-the-art Sunday meeting witness that Jesus IS relevant also for a generation that is brought up by MTV, Britney Spears and Pearce Brosnan. I think it does.

What it seams like, in a European context, is that one thing outrules the other, that great Sunday services outrules great Jesus-based life throughout the week. But why would it?Only if there is a culture of “living the christian life” just on Sundays. And that’s a matter of creating a healthy church culture.

Well, much more could be said. And will so be, but later!

Slow Time

I enjoy travelling bye train a lot. It’s one of those times when you actually can’t run around or be engaged in a lot of things or hassle with this and that. When you just sit in your seat, and have time to let your thoughts wander. And suddainly you find your self connected to your inner self. Where a thought doesn’t come in as disturbing, or stressing, because the next two or five or ten ours you still can’t do anything much about what ever comes to you mind except for… continue your travel. That is what slow time is about. When life isn’t about minutes, not even hours. But more about just existing.

A friend of mine who works with leadership issues on top level at Ericsson said that he finds it very easy to see if a person also spends Slow Time regularely, or not. People spending Slow Time has another depth of view on things, and usually has been able to deal with personal issues in a completely different way compared to others.

The western society doesn’t seem to know much about Slow Time, or ‘just existing’. Even less so the culture in big cities. Still i find it clear that Slow Time is a necessity, for everyone’s well being and to connect deeper with God. Running around and getting a lot of things done, is nice and… get’s a lot of things done. But to grow inwards, and to have a sharp mind requires Slow Time.

In that sense the last 26 hours on the airplane have been indeed great. Just a moment ago I read from the book of Ecclesiastes chapter nine and ten listening to Chris Botti’s album ‘Italia’, and having the most content feeling in a long time.
Now it’s about three and a halv hours left of the flight. I’m really excited to arrive in Sydney, and looking forward to spend hopefully a whole lot of Slow Time through the coming years here.

The day after tomorrow…!

Wow - can’t believe it. Me and my wife we’re flying to Sydney on Tuesday. Now it’s time to go through the packing for a final check. Most things have went well with all preparations the last months, and it’s crazy that the day D is just around the corner.

What is this about?

Yes - we’ll be moving to Sydney, Australia, for one to three years. At least one. We’ll be studying at Hillsong International Leadership College . We’re very excited about it - everything about it. To move to Australia, to get in contact with Hillsong Church, to meet a lot of new people - and not least, to get trained through the college and hopefully also grow closer to God on this journey.

So - this blog will picture this journey of ours, and welcome you to take part of our experiences and thoughts.