The ‘gospel’ according to “This is It”

Some people asked me about last week's sermon about MJ. Unfortunately the recording did not come out right, so we won't post it, as a potcast. Of course, not everyone like my usage of Michael Jackson, in a sermon, and also, I have to admit that maybe I did not hit the notes on the sermon, for all. To err is human.. and all that. What is however important is for me to honour my commitment to those who did ask about what I did, but also, to take it one step further, by looking deeper into the 'message' (?) that we may glean from a pop artist.

Last week, I shared:

'I saw the movie of Michael Jackson, last night... 'This it it'. I don't know who saw it, but I felt is was just awesome, awe-inspiring. A few things striked me:

1. I saw some-one who gives his best- he literally worked himself to death; I mean, here we have a 50 year old, dancing and perfoming as if he is, like, a teenager. But also, I saw some-one:
   
2. who challenges those he work with to do the same.
   The movie, starts with little clips, where young dancers speak about their involvement in the preparation, in the making of what was supose to be his last world tour. They were in awe, at being given the opportunity to work with him-some were in tears.They felt it a dream come true, to be able to work with what most would consider the undisputed 'king of pop...' (yes, I know some of our parents would now start to moan: what about The Beatles, Elvis, or Nat King Cole. But lets leave that debate for another time..)
   
3. I saw some-one who inspire people from different generations, or simply anybody to stand our amongtst the crowds and reach for your dreams.. In the movie, This it it, they choose only a small group of dancers and singers out of a mass of brilliant dancers and singers, who came from all over the world, to make their dream come true. They were inspired, they were hungry to grab hold of this- for them this was it !
   

So, as I was enjoying the dancemoves, I wondered, what is it that makes people to stand out amongst their peers, to rise above the average, to reach for your dreams and achieve it. Can you stand up and be counted today. Are you willing and hunger enough to raise your hand and pay the price to tahe the lead ? In this, I was reminded of another inspirational story, which we studied with our younger new members, a year or so ago. This, is of course, the story of Daniel and his friends

We read in Daniel chapter 1 that he and his friends were taken away as exiles, loosing everthing they had, in a bitter struggle for power. They were down and out, yet the exile was their moment, their opportunity. Here, in a far away land, they got an opportunity, one opportunity, to dine with the king (maybe not the king of pop) but certainly the most powerful king of the time, the ruler of Babylon.

What is it that produced young people to stand out amongst the crowd, like Daniel and his friends? What is it in your make-up that will make the King to notice you?

1. They lived clean, disciplined lives: Daniel and his friends resolved, decided not to 'defile' themselves.(v8) These young people resolved to remain with their strict diet, the one that they learnt from. This is of course, a religious decision, but also its a health decision, a wise decision-a decision that speaks of rigorous discipline They knew exacly where they come from and, where they're going. They also knew how to get there, what the price was and; yes, they were willing to pay the price.
   
2. They studied and kept on reading. To these young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and reading (v17), but these doesn;t fall from the sky- you work at it and keep on working. Chris van Wyk, prizewinning author from Riverlea, spoke at the primary school of our daughters. They remember him saying: readers are leaders. I want to turn it around: leaders are readers..or better: you will find that all leaders are people who keep on reading, and learning, i.e. they are lifelong-learners. Sometimes we struggle with the big, thick books, but I've learnt a lesson a long time ago: start to read whatever you put your hands on or whatever intrigues you and keep on doing that, keep working at that.
   

   Why was it possible for these boys to sustain this discipline ? I think the secret lies deeper:
   

3. They remained true to their identity.Yes, they knew that they were Jews in a foreign land, but deep down, their racial or cultural identity was shaped by their religious practices, their spiritual identity- at the deeper core of their being. What does this mean? They remained true to their God, the practices of their faith, which were achored in Gods covenant with them. Their circumcision (that nasty little cut), spoke of God's decision, in calling them to be a light to the rest of the world, a sign of hope. They realised and knew, that everything, the food they ate, the bread and the wine, the study nurtured this identity and further sharpened their edge.
   

 

When I saw those young people in the movie, last night, I realised (and told my girls), we only live up to a mere, 10 percent of all our capacities...those girls and guys are so focussed, they are razor sharp. But guys, this morning, it starts with a committment, it starts here and in 'This is it', MJ gave the answer in one of the songs that conclude the movie. I suppose for Michael, as for is, it remained an lifelong struggle to change the man in the mirror, and, as I read some of the words of this song:

I'm Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer's Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya' Know
'Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That's Why I Want You To
Know

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah)
I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His
Ways
(Change His Ways-Ooh!)
And No Message Could've
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place

["Man In The Mirror"]

 

8 Nov 2009

Today, I want to take it one step further and delve a bit deeper, into the question, how do we start to make a change in our personal lives and in our communities- in the world. What is it that parents can do, in a real way, especially when the odds are against you?

This time I focus on the story of Ruth..

This family was wrecked by tragedy-they had many valid excuses to offer for their state of poverty of marginalisation:

Here was a people, that faced the worst drought and famine, that hit the Ancient near East. Many, like the Zimbabweans under the carnage of Mugabe fled their countries:-they looked for food elsewhere-for survival, the ended up amongst people, in country's that they never thought that's where they would be, ever-makwerekwere, prawns, foreigners; they had to mix with people that they abhorred, religiously as well as culturally..

But this family, in particular- these women had been hit by one tragedy after the other. We're not told how, by first the father died and then the two sons-the economically active, etc. This eventually left only these two women to fend for themselves- a poor, single mother coming back destitute with a daughter-in-law, who is socially and racially an outcast. (the odds where stacked against them heavily)

 

But, they are not going take it laying down, they will fend for themselves. How:

1. The dealt creatively with their limitations-
   They also faced repressive social norms against women, they faced powerful men, yet they were creative, shocking (?)- there decided for themselves that they will not be kept, at bay
   
2. They take initiative:
   Naomi & Ruth's actions are intitiative, leading the way, being prophetic..
   
3. They live up to a strong legacy- they are known as strong women;
   Boas knew them, they knew their story, people must have known them and spoke about them.
   
4. They challenge the powerful, on the basis of the norms, laws and their power:
   Boas was powerful, rich and well-known public figure- they brought him to the point of having to make choices, the powerless can change the hand of the powerful.
   (What does the powerful do-sexual partners and the position of women)
   

There efforts is focused on those that are behind, those that need it the most;
Ruth had an opportunity to make it for herself, she remembered her mother-in-law- she was willing to give it up for the vulnerable. Let me share a story:

 

A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?'
The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'.
They went on to complete the marathon together.
Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together.
One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.'
To which, his father said 'Yes' too.

For those who don't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever.
The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike
ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island, Hawaii.
Father and son went on to complete the race together. View this race at.....

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Danny Titus’ sermon on dealing with diversity

Read, Scripture: John 4:1-30

1. The times we are living in
   

Dear sisters and brothers, young people, some children. We live in a time where we have to realize that there are many differences among us. Particularly when it comes to religion. We need to respect and recognize the cultural and religious diversity in our country. And also as we know, within our Christian churches there are differences, and even within our Uniting Reformed Church there are differences. Our praise and worship in Riverlea differs greatly from that of Coronationville or that of Eldoradopark. I personally would like to see that we use our Sionsgesangboek more in Riverlea and that we read the Ten Commandments and the Confession of Faith more in this service too. But that is a matter I will take up with the Church Council.

Fact of the matter is that we need to be mindful of the differences and not disrespect them and to see ourselves as better, but to remain respectful.

 

The concern I have is that we become so mindful and respectful that we forget our own Christianity and our own belief in Jesus Christ. It is not time that we become clear on what it is that we believe in, who it is that we serve and what it is that we stand upon? We can be different, but first of all: know who we are as Christians, be clear why we chose for Jesus Christ and why we belong in this particular church.

 

This is becoming also evident in our backsliding, our falling down when we should be standing up in the name of Jesus Christ. There are so many distractions, we stray so easily. That is one of most painful things to observe: how Christians, brothers and sisters in Lord are ripping each other apart, how we are backstabbing each other, how we hate each other with a passion that has got nothing to do with the Passion of Jesus Christ.

 

"Ag, hoe het die getroue vesting 'n hoer geword!" Sê Jesaja 1:21.

 

"Dit was vol reg, geregtigheid het daarin vernag – en nou moordenaars!

Jou silwer het skuim geword; jou wyn is vervals met water.

Jou vorste is opstandelinge en metgeselle van diewe; elkeen van hulle het omkoopgeskenke lief en jaag belonings na. Aan die wees doen hulle geen reg nie, en die saak van die weduwee kom nie voor hulle nie."

 

Hoe het die getroue vesting 'n hoer geword!

 

We have to speak in general terms my sister and brother, but we will have to search ourselves in this church of Riverlea URC whether it does not apply to us as well. And when we find our answers we drastically will have to do something about it. Because the same Satan that has attacked the church throughout the ages, the same Satan will not leave our church, our brothers and sisters alone. He just loves it when we rip each other apart, when we stab each other in the back, and when we hate each other with a passion.

 

My sisters and brothers, we are sinking very fast and we need to find a way to get out of this mess. Jesus Christ paid a price for our lives with His Life, for our sins, our transgressions, our iniquities. We can choose for Him again, we can turn our lives away from our daily sins to Him. Toe Jesus vir Petrus uitnooi om met Hom op die water te loop, was daar een wat Petrus eers moes doen: hy moes eers uit die bootjie klim. Klim uit jou bootjie uit. Dan hou jy jou oë gevestig op Jesus. "Wié is Hy wat op die water loop? Dit is Jesus die Seun van God." Wie is Hy wat so lank reeds die pad met jou loop? Jou beskerm, jou oppas, jou niks laat ontbreek nie; jou laat neerlê in groen weivelde; jou lei na waters waar rus is, jou siel verkwik, jou lei in die spore van geregtigheid. Wie is Hy wat op die water loop? Dit is Jesus die Seun van God.

 

1. Johannes 4:1-30
   

We find Jesus in John 4 where he is on His way to Samaria. The Bible says He was on His way to Galilee and He had to go through Samaria. But, we are told, He did not really have to go through Samaria. There were other ways to get to Galilee. But as we know Jesus, nothing He does is without a reason. He is quite deliberate in what He does and why He does it. Those of you that experienced His love and passion in your lives will know how He does things deliberately. His plan on earth was clearly God's plan, His plan with our lives is without a doubt, God's plan.

 

"Voordat Ek jou in die moederskoot gevorm het," sê die Here aan Jeremia (1:5), "het Ek jou geken; en voordat jy uit die liggaam voortgekom het, het Ek jou geheilig; Ek het jou tot 'n groot profeet vir die nasies gemaak."

 

"Want U het my niere gevorm, my in my moederskoot geweef." Psalm 139: 13.

 

Ons is deel van God se plan, lank voordat ons gebore is.

 

And so we see Him at the well in Sigar in Samaria, Jacob's well. He sat down and it seems He was thirsty, for when the woman came He asked her to give Him some water. Now the relations between the Jews and the Samaritans was not a good one. The Samaritans were the family that the Jews never wanted to know. This so-called hatred between the two nations came from quite far. The Samaritans claimed that they were also children of Jacob, just as the Jews were. But the Samaritans only recognized the first five books of the Bible as the Holy Scriptures. The rest of the Bible did not exist for them and the Jews saw this as heresy and did not forgive them for this at all. In 721 BC the city of Samaria was destroyed and the Jewish citizens were taken into exile. Upon their return under Ezra and Nehemia the Samaritans offered to help the Jews with the rebuilding of their temple. But the Jews refused this offer. In 128 BC the Jews burnt down the temple of the Samaritans in Gerasim. The relations were never restored.

And so, for Jesus to go through Samaria had much more to it than met the eye. In fact, for Him to sit at the well and to ask for water from a Samaritan woman is taking us into a drama, a theatre filled with tension and bottled up dynamics.

 

The woman was perhaps a widow or divorced or at the time not recognized as an upstanding character, someone about people probably loved to gossip and who were looked down upon. En waar ons daarvan hou om so lekker te skinder, die ou bekkies so te laat klap en reg te staan met ons stokke om te straf en te veroordeel, wys Jesus ons iets anders. Sy stok is nie daar om te straf, en te slaan en te veroordeel nie; Sy stok en Sy staf is daar om te vertroos. Gaan lees maar weer Psalm 23. U stok en U staf, die vertroos my.

 

Jesus starts the conversation and sets the tone of the story. He was not supposed to talk to her. As a man and as a Jew, and more so as a Jewish rabbi He was breaking the rules and customs. The Samaritan woman on the other hand stays calm, Jesus is not forcing her. It also shows that whatever the town was saying about her, she was not intimidated and she was not going to let that define her. Even when Jesus showed that He knew about her past it did not faze her or scare her.

 

"Hulle praat helder oordag, in 'n openbare plek terwyl sy en Jesus bewus is van die tradisie, die reëls en taboes wat die gedrag van mans en vroue bepaal. Jesus het hier 'n punt om te maak. Dit, eerder as 'n gevoel van skaamte en vrees om nie in ander se geselskap te wees nie,...is die rede vir haar teenwoordigheid by die put...".

 

"Jesus moes deur Samaria gaan; die vrou uit Sigar moes kom water haal op daardie uur.."

 

That Jesus talks to her so openly, is a public trangression of the rules and at the same time a public criticism of the rules. A man and a rabbi like Jesus was not supposed to talk to a woman. Women were not counted at all, they had to sit in a special place in the synagogue. In the first century there was a Jewish prayer that went like this:

 

"Blessed are Though, o Lord, who did not make me a woman or a heathen."

 

The feeling against women was quite strong..

 

One rabbi stated it like this: "Let the door of your house be open wide, and let the poor and the needy be seen as your family, …and do not talk to women at all." Today we may laugh about this and find it ridiculous. However, you know and I know how young men still cling to this absolutely stupid belief that they can treat women like dirt, violate them and even violently assaulting them. Ons het twee dogters en ek sê vir julle meisies en selfs volwasse vrouens: moenie dat hy op jou trap nie, jy is nie sy vloerlap nie. As hy sy hand vir jou lig, skop hom uit. Ek weet dis nie altyd so maklik nie, maar maak daarop aanspraak dat jy met liefde en waardigheid behandel word. Daar's baie visse in die see. En aan die broeders, julle hoef mos nie soos varke aan te gaan nie. Jy het geen reg om jou hand vir 'n vrou te lig nie. Wees lief vir haar, versorg haar en wys aan jou vriende hoe dit gedoen word. Breek die siklusse waarin ons gemeenskappe so vasgevang word. Dis baie maklik: plaas jou vrou, plaas jou meisie eerste in jou lewe. Dis hoe die Here dit wil hê.

 

Jesus kom en vat die gesprek nog 'n stap verder, dieper en hoër. Dit gaan nie net oor die verskille tussen Jode en Samaritane nie, dit gaan ook nie net oor mans en vroue en stupid gewoontes nie. Jesus wil haar as persoon aanspreek. Hy wil haar anders laat kyk na haarself, anders as net 'n Samaritaan en anders as bloot net 'n vrou.

Jesus doen hier twee dinge:

1. Hy deurbreek die simpele ou reëls en praktyke wat die Jode aan gebede en God se genade gekoppel het. Die etniese-nasionale engheid van ek is 'n Jood en jy 'n Samaritaan, ek is 'n African en jy bruin, ek is wit en jy nie. Hy breek daardeur en bring ons helder en duidelik by Johannes 3:16

"Want so lief het God die wêreld gehad (nie net die Jode of die Samaritane nie, of die wittes of die swartes of die bruines nie? So lief het God die wêreld gehad.) dat Hy Sy eniggebore Seun gegee het, sodat elkeen wat in Hom glo, nie verlore mag gaan nie, maar die ewige lewe kan hê."

 

2. In die tweede plek wil Jesus "die terreur van die verslawende, fatale tradisies en taboes wat die verhouding tussen mans en vrouens bepaal, aan die kaak stel, omkeer en tot niet maak." Die vrou word dus geplaas in die bevrydende ruimte van die koninkryk van God, beide as vrou en ook as Samaritaan. Liewe susters, al sê die mense wát, my suster, Jesus het jou herstel in jou vrouwees, Jesus maak jou vry, al sê die mense wat. En dieselfde geld vir die mans: die gedagte dat Adam eerste geskape is en dat mans daarom altyd voor vrouens moet wees, is werklik onsin. Laat ons dit uit ons gedagtes haal. En verder die gedagte dat Paulus gesê het dat die man die hoof van die huis is, is net sulke onsin. Paulus sê, die man is die hoof van die huis, "soos Christus die hoof van die kerk is." Dit gaan oor die woordjie "soos". Wees soos Christus wanneer jy met jou vrou omgaan. "Ek is swart soos die nag," verduidelik my vriendin uit Diepkloof my jare gelede, "ek is nie die nag nie."

 

En dan, my susters en broers, dan trek Jesus hierdie Samaritaanse vrou die koninkryk van God in. Hy maak 'n diepe teologiese waarheid aan haar bekend, Homself en die die "gawe van God".

"As jy die gawe van God geken het en geweet het wie Hy is wat vir jou sê: Gee vir my water om te drink, sou jy Hom gevra het en Hy sou vir jou lewende water gegee het."

 

Sy is verward en wil nie te voorbarig wees nie, maar sy vra Hom oor sy skepding. Hy het dan nie eers 'n skepding nie en sy kan Hom nie haar skepding gee nie want die Samaritane word as onrein gesien deur die Jode. En buitendien, die put is diep; waarvandaan kry U dan die lewende water?

 

It is then sisters and brothers, that Jesus speaks to her, with the clarity of mind and message in a way that has kept us spell-bound to the Word of the Lord for ages. Please go and read this message at home over and over again, make it part of your body and of your life. Let it flow inside of you, nourish you and give you strength. To you and your family, to you as a woman, as a wife, as a mother, as a lover and as a friend. Become part of the Kingdom of God, yes you will fall and backslide, but yes too, you will stand up and rise up in the name of Jesus. The name that breaks down all barriers, all sin and that brings forgiveness and strength.

 

"Jesus antwoord en sê vir haar: Elkeen wat van hierdie water drink, sal weer dors kry;

maar elkeen wat drink van die water wat Ek hom (en haar) sal gee, sal in ewigheid nooit dors kry nie, maar die wat Ek hom (en haar) sal gee sal in hom (en haar) word 'n fontein van water wat opspring tot in die ewige lewe."

 

En dan wanneer Jesus Hom aan haar openbaar as die Christus en die Messias, daag die dissipels op. Die Bybel sê, hulle was verwonderd dat Hy met 'n vrou in gesprek was. Ook hulle, ten spyte van die feit dat hulle so na aan Jesus was, was ook nog mans met geknelde idees oor vrouens, en tog, sê Johannes 4:27 het niemand gevra, waarom spreek U met haar nie.

 

Dit is dan wat hierdie Samaritaanse vrou uit Sigar, 'n vrou sonder naam, opstaan en na haar mense gaan, hulle van Jesus vertel en hulle het uit die stad na Jesus toe gegaan. Jesus wie maar net "deur Samaria" moes gaan, het twee dae by die Samaritane gebly en hulle het in Hom geglo.

 

1. Conclusion
   

Sisters and brothers what makes us different than dogs and cats and mice and flies? We have bodies, they have bodies, we have minds and they have minds. But God has given us one thing that makes us different and that is our ability to choose between right and wrong.

You do not need to follow the pack, to follow the group and what they think is right you have the power to choose, to make your own choices. That is what the Bible is all about: the power to choose.

Let us choose to drink from the water that Jesus gives us; water that will never thirst us, "water that shall be in us a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

Joseph succeeded because he forgave

That's so simple, isn't it? Yet, its so difficult. Sunday's word by Malin Fisher, candidate for ministry from our Riverlea community, still keeps us talking.

Fisher, reflected on Gen 45, reading the text in context. He focussed on how Joseph, (the Muslims would call him Yusuf) could overcome the odds stacked against him, by forgiving those that hurt him deeply in his life, in particular his own brothers. Why was it possible for him to have this spirit of forgiveness ? He was able to see God's bigger picture- he was able to see God's plan.

Many times we struggle to succeed in life because of the past. Some-one said this or that to me, others unfairly discriminated against me. These experiences becomes the basis upon which I judge myself and my potential for success. More-so, many times I become obsessed with these hurts and resentment. I nurture them. In order to be free from these shackles, we should not wait for others to some and repent or show remorse-Joseph took the initiative, called his brothers together and forgave them, blessed then with gifts and released them. This liberation was not only critical for the brothers, but also for Joseph. He was freed from a victim-mentality, from an oppressed-self image, to being a new person... not oppressor nor oppressed; not victim nor perpetrator... he was a free human being.

Pray for Hungary

Last year I had the priviledge of visting Hungary. In particular I spend some time in Budapest, and at a mission conference on the lake Balaton.

It is a beautifull country, with beautifull people. The churches came through a period of struggle and persecution, hence we don't find a lot of the bravado and arrogance, which is to be found in other parts of the world. The churches remain close to each other and are closeknit families.

We need to pray for our sisters and brothers in these countries, as they also struggle to rebuild their country and churches. They need to know that God is faithfull and with them in their struggles to remain faithfull to the gospel.

Riverlea's got talent

Inspired by the initiative from our young people, we may challenge a deeper look into the question, how is talent transformed into produducing champions. What are the relationship between talent and success?

A book that is dealing with the question comes from Dr John Maxwell, entitled Talent is never Enough: Discover the Choices that will take you beyond your talent.

According to Maxwell, talent is Godgiven, but discovering your talent is only the first step. We need to take it further and he suggest three steps:
1)We need to realise, everyone has talent. Every person is capable of doing something better then the next ten thousand people. In Discover Your strengths Marcus Buckingham & Clifton, speaks of your ‘strength zone’. Find it and make the most of it.
2)Develop the talent you have and not the talent you want. Maxwell, is clear, 'stop working on your weaknesses and start working in your strengths'
3)Anyone can make choices that will add value to talent. He qoutes, William Jennings Bryan, who states, ’Destiny is not a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it’s a thing to be achieved.’ Talent is a given, but you must earn success...

We will continue to elaborate on these points, as part of the current Riverlea's got Talent-credo of our young people..

knowledge is compassion

Somebody made the comment today that knowledge is compassion. We often heard the old adage, 'knowledge is power' and we end up with fights and brutal wars. Often, I am amazed as the brutality of people. Espescially people that you expect to be mature and sophisticated, intelligent people. What do you do in these situations ? Does one succumb to the temptation of simply letting go and give him what you've got. Or what ?

The challenge for Christians is to be conscious of the choices me make and why we make it. We become people conscious of our mental state and how the minds operate. The apostle Paul makes an interesting statement, he states, 'we destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ....' (2 Cor 10:5-6)

He is conscious of thoughts of the workings of the mind- because the brutality is bred, in an environment where we allow rash thoughts to control our behaviour. If knowledge doesn't breed a new humanity, new relationships then its simply vanity.

a Third of children in South Africa stays with both parents

We often speak of family values, family-based this and that, or perfect family, etc. A recent study amongst families on South Africa, in 2002 and 2007, found that only about 40% of children stays with their moms, 3% with their fathers and 23% don't stay with any of the mother or father.

The Beeld reports that there is a significant difference amongst white, coloured, black and indian families, with black and coloured young people generally not staying with both parents. The article suggest that this could be part of the reason for the rise in crime and social decay.

Of course, the question need to be asked what the reasons are for this state of affairs. What are the reasons for the racially skewed nature of family-life. Are coloured and blacks simply generically prone to promiscuity or immoral, cursed or sinful?

Furthermore one should grapple with the more difficult one, on how to respond to this reality, as a church and as Christians, in particular. It seems as if the old 'tug' (discipline) system need to be reviewed, as well as our deepest assumptions about 'normal' or 'perfect' families.