Salt Shakers Journal Summary June 2007

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Editorial (in full below)
As we rapidly approach Salt Shakers’ 13th anniversary, we were prompted to reflect on a question we have repeatedly been asked over many years. “How do you keep going?” People ask this because it seems we are always being opposed and sadly that is not only by the world but increasingly by our ‘own side’ as standards of morality fall within the church.

Character building- Nation building
John Tary argues that our nation’s moral character reflects and is influenced by the moral character of our elected leaders. Who we are as individuals and as a nation could be thought of as being shaped by character, hope and action.

News and Action
Euthanasia; Sex selection - IVF and ‘kits’; Pregnancy Hotline.

White Ants
Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo draws a metaphor from the story of an Australian who came home one day to find his house had collapsed and little remained but a pile of dust and rubble. Unknown to him, white ants had been eating away at the foundations and supporting timbers of his house for years.

Stem Cell research update
Updates from Victoria, WA, SA, Queensland and NSW.

Why marriage is, and should remain, specifically heterosexual
Peter Stokes analyses the meaning and significance of marriage and presents evidence of the importance of maintaining its exclusivity.

Sleazy advertising
Another sexually suggestive advertisement. The latest ad from Nando’s chicken showed a mother working as a semi-naked pole-dancer before going out to eat Nando’s chicken with her husband and children.

Taking action on advertisements
The next time you see an offensive advertisement on TV, in a magazine or newspaper or in a bus shelter, you can either ignore it OR you can take ACTION!

The God Delusion and Richard Dawkins
Pastor Steve McNeilly reviews this controversial book...

Dalai Lama Visit and Multifaith activities
The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist monk, is visiting Australia this month. Most of his tour is promoting Buddhism, with twenty-four lectures and functions over two weeks in Australia and New Zealand.

More multi-faith activiites
‘Multi-faith’ activities continue to be promoted. Australian mufti Sheik Hilali was barred from attending a multi-faith meeting of Muslims, Jews and Christians last month because some Muslims leaders said he did not represent them.

More on ‘Global Warming’
Since we wrote about global warming in March, more groups and governments are warning about the ‘climate change’. Naturally we need to care for our environment but our stewardship needs to balance this with responsible development.

USA: Ban on partial birth abortion upheld
We welcome the news that the US Supreme Court has upheld the ban on partial birth abortion by a 5-4 decision on 18 April.

USA: Hate Crimes Bill HR 1592
‘Hate crime’ laws impose additional penalties on the perpetrator of a crime if the victim has particular characteristics.

World News
UK: Homosexual books; USA: Teen sexual activity drops; Canada: Free speech; USA: Wiccan symbols

Editorial
As we rapidly approach Salt Shakers’ 13th anniversary, we were prompted to reflect on a question we have repeatedly been asked over many years.

“How do you keep going?” People ask this because it seems we are always being opposed and sadly that is not only by the world but increasingly by our ‘own side’ as standards of morality fall within the church.

There are four main points we can make when answering this question and one of them has become particularly relevant over recent months because if it fails then we simply cannot continue.

Firstly, we know we were called by God to do this.

Many of you may have heard us talk about our three year ‘apprenticeship’. This was the time we spent opposing the introduction of poker machines in our local shopping centre. It was towards the end of this battle, as we were about to lose it, that God’s call was confirmed by our Senior Pastor, Stuart Robinson. When I stated that we thought God was calling us to become more active he said, “Great, I have been praying for three years for someone to say that and I think you are the right couple”. Now you know who to blame - Stuart and God!!!

Secondly, a friend was asked to pray for us in Canberra and he prayed, among other things, “Lord, give Peter and Jenny the ability to laugh at things that aren’t even funny, because they are going to need it.”

How many times have we found ourselves doing just that. Had we not laughed we probably would have cried. Yet too much crying makes you want to give up, so we ‘laugh’, even when we lose.

That brings us to number three: We do not have to win!

Yes, it is nice to win, but God does not call us to win - He calls us to stand. The battle is the Lord’s and win or lose He will be glorified in the end. AND He has already won the final victory.

Why fight then? Because we are fighting for people’s lives - people we mostly don’t even know; for people who may well go to hell but for our seemingly small and insignificant voice giving them hope, showing them there is a better way to live and, most of all, that there is a saviour who died for them to set them free from the bondage of sin.

These are all very positive and they are things we can have some control over because they require a decision of our will to remember them and make things happen.

Number four is completely out of our hands. For nearly 14 years God has sustained this ministry with the one physical commodity no ministry can continue without - Money.

Faith, calling, commitment and laughter can make a big difference but without the ability to pay the bills, we will go under.

For 13 years God has provided - over the last 6 months though we have gone steadily backwards - what is God saying? Is he telling us it is time to stop? Is he simply testing our faith? Is he wanting to see if you, our readers, will tell us you want us to continue and yes, in that well worn phrase, will you “put your money where your mouth is?” All we know right now is that without extra help we cannot keep going,

We want to do what God wants. There is a time and a season. Is our time up?

I’m sure there are some reading this who will say yes. But others tell us we need to keep going. What will you say?

Yours in His Service
Peter & Jenny Stokes