Love - Scope Magazine Edition 2 - Stellenbosch by Scope Magazine

a new view

ISSUE 02 2015 #02 FREE GRATIS

STELLENBOSCH

love PERSPECT IVE

RE V IE WS

T E ST I F Y

SAVVY S T UDENT

MORE THAN A FEELING

BOUWER BOSCH

DR. MICHAEL MOL

OMSIEN EN OMGEE

WHAT I S S CO PE MAGA Z I NE?

Don’t you think there could be more to life than what young people are reading and hearing about in mainstream media? Scope Magazine seeks to be distinctly different, introducing students to a bigger scope of our world today through the lens of the Bible. We all have some sort of worldview or lens through which we see the world around us and it has been said that one really begins to develop this framework of belief during the formative university years. Our intention in everything that we publish is to encourage a conversion about how the Gospel does permeate into every sphere of reality, speaking on a level that is easy for anyone to engage with. Expect to find a broad range of different articles catering to a broad range of different readers. From the heavier theological issues and prevalent cultural topics that need to be raised and grappled with, through to music and book reviews, interviews and testimonies, and more lighthearted practical resources worth taking note of as a student. There is truly something here for everyone.

W E WA N T TO H E A R F R O M Y O U ! Was there something in this edition which struck a chord in you that you would like to share? That’s exactly what we’re about as a media platform. Please feel free to share your thoughts or feedback on anything that you read. We’re genuinely interested in what your worldview is and how we can have healthy dialogue around the things that matter most in life.

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Introducing students to a bigger scope of our world today through the lens of the Bible.

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contributors

team EXECUTIVE EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR COPY EDITORS

WESLEY FREDERICKS

MAIN FEATURE ..

PARADIGM SHIFT

LUZEL OPPERMAN

OUTLOOK REASON

JENNA COWLEY

ROSS NETTERVILLE

PROOF READING

MY STORIE?

LOUNEL STRYDOM

DESIGN

WEERKLINK

PAUL A-ANN SMIT

PHOTOGRAPHY

INTERVIEW

DR. MICHAEL MOL

DISTRIBUTION SECRETARY

COMMUNITY

RUAN SPIES

NUTTIGE WENKE

NICOLETTE VAN SCHALKWYK

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LO V E

contents

PERS P EC T I VE

TES TI F Y

AHAVA LOVE

LOUNEL STRYDOM

MORE THAN A FEELING

DR. MICHAEL MOL

THE SOCIAL MEDIA MASQUERADE

VARSITY PULSE

REASON

REVI EW S BOUWER BOSCH

BLAQUE NUBON

THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE

S I MU NY E PLUGGED IN

WE NEED EACH OTHER

S AV V Y S TU DENT EXPRESSIONS

OMSIEN EN OMGEE

FIRST WORD H I AL L , I hope that this semester has been treating you well so far and this edition of Scope Magazine will be a great encouragement to you as we enter the sunny summer exam season! These days, the word ‘love’ is so often about how we feel about something or someone that we

“ LOVE IS MORE THAN JUST A MATTER OF TICKING ALL THE RIGHT BOXES, BUT A NEW ATTITUDE THAT GOD CAN ONLY GIVE US. sometimes forget the deeper meanings of it. A rich scripture in the Bible regarding love is 1 Peter 4:8 which says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” What does this mean? When we have been wronged in some or other way, we need to make a choice to love. You probably won’t feel like it, but offering forgiveness is the right thing

to do and is often an act of the will. Read the main feature by Wesley Fredericks and ‘More than a Feeling’ by Luzel Opperman to find out more what they think. In Romans 13:10 Paul says that love is the fulfillment of the law. Love is more than just a matter of ticking all the right boxes, but a new attitude that God can only give us. In a world of sin and suffering, the only weapon we have is love and we should wield it freely and actively like Jesus did. ‘We Need Each Other’ by Ruan Spies and ‘Omsien en Omgee’ by Nicolette van Schalkwyk are both really practical pieces on how we do just that during the crazy exam period, and beyond.

from different students what their opinions are, and offers an answer from her Christian point of view. The holidays are almost here, and I can’t wait to grab my sunscreen and picnic equipment! Let’s share the love, laughter and lekker times this festive period..

ENJ OY!

It was a real honour to feature Bouwer Bosch and Dr. Michael Mol in this issue. I recommend you check out what they had to say on page 10 and 11, and page 15 and 16. One of my favourite articles has got to be the prevalent question that was raised in Varsity Pulse: ‘How can we love one another best in our racial differences?’ In the recent wake of discussions around racial transformation on campus, Masego Mothei does a great job in hearing

“Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God’s saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us.” - Tim Keller, The Meaning of Marriage

P E R S P E C T I V E M A I N F E AT U R E

ahava

love BY WESLEY FREDERICKS

n 1993 an artist named Haddaway released the song, ‘What is Love?’ Although perhaps a bit out of date musically, the question posed in Haddaway’s song is more relevant than ever. Many people go through life searching for love, desiring love but often misunderstanding what it should be.

Can you imagine a more anxiety-inducing, confidence-crushing environment to be in? Yet so many people live with this idea of love. Worse than the negative emotional and relational consequences of this concept of love, often we impose this view of love onto God. We wrongly believe love to be something that God only offers in return for good behaviour.

A SHALLOW LOVE Sadly, the predominant view of love in our culture today is that it is simply a commodity that can be traded for something in return. The general belief is that love is about securing one’s own happiness above anything else. This version of love is a shallow concept that is weak and unsafe. It’s weak because a relationship built on this version of love cannot survive difficulty. If things become too uncomfortable then one simply leaves. It’s unsafe because in this view of love one is not free to be oneself. If one fails to deliver on one’s end of the deal or if one shows imperfection or weakness then, as the king of blues BB King so aptly put it, “The thrill is gone baby…”

A SCANDALOUS LOVE The Christian view of love is vastly different to what has been described above. In John 3:16 Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The phrase “For God so loved” implies that there is a weightiness or volume to the love that is being described. Rather than being shallow, the love that God gives has substance to it. The Hebrew word for love is ‘Ahava’, which basically means ’a love of the will’, or a ’giving of oneself’. It implies that there is a choice and commitment behind the love being expressed. Ahava says: “I have seen you at your worst, yet I still choose to love you!” It doesn’t condone what is wrong, but it is committed to the good of the other person even if there is a personal cost involved. In a culture where the predominant view of love is flippant and dependent on one’s feelings, Ahava love is something that we desperately need to understand and embrace. This is not to negate the idea that emotions are important. I’ve been married to my wife for eight years and she still gets my heart racing. I am head over heels in love with her. But there are days in our marriage when we have to practise Ahava love, where we choose to love each other even if we’re not feeling in love with each other. This description of Ahava is a dim reflection of the love Jesus has for all of us. Jesus’ love led Him to make the ultimate sacrifice in giving up His very life for people who reject Him. The love described in John 3:16 is not flippant and weak; it is a love with substance

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and depth. The answer to Haddaway’s question, “What is love?” is this: Jesus Christ dying on the cross for your sin and my sin. Or, as Paul put it in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. In order for us to be in a relationship with the living God who is holy, righteous and pure, we need our sin to be dealt with. All of our self-absorption, disordered loves, our deviances and the things that we want no one else to know about need to be forgiven. Jesus enabled this forgiveness by taking the punishment for our sin and offers us a relationship with Himself. This amazing act of grace is articulated in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Theologians have called this ‘The Great Exchange’ where God took all our sins past, present and future and put them on Jesus in order that they would be dealt with and paid for eternally. Every single one of our sins was dealt with on the cross when Jesus died. This allows us to become the beneficiaries of the greatest act of love that has ever been displayed in the world. We don’t deserve anything from God, yet He has chosen to demonstrate His love to us in a way that can only be described as scandalous. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? The implication of God’s scandalous love is that it sets one free to be authentic and real about one’s struggles and failures. There is no need to portray a veneer of perfection if one has experienced the forgiving love of God. When Jesus

died on the cross He was, in effect, saying: “You are messed up, sin has spoiled you and you need my help because you don’t have what it takes to save yourself. I will do this for you because I love you. Come to me and let me forgive your sins and make you whole...” The love of God frees us from the fear that we are going to be rejected by Him as 1 John 4:18 so clearly states: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” If you’re someone who may be struggling to know if God could ever accept you, just come to Him exactly as you are. It is only because Jesus was prepared to pay the ultimate price for your sin that you can confidently stand blameless before God. The whole emphasis of John 3:16 and the overarching theme of the Bible is that God loves us and has made a way for us to be forgiven. This is vastly different from the shallow love that was described at the beginning of this article. God’s love pursues us when we are at our worst and have nothing to offer in return. This is Ahava love. Will you receive it today? WESLEY FREDERICKS has been married to Leigh for 8 years and they have a daughter named Ruth. Wesley works in the e-commerce industry and serves as one of the Pastors at Jubilee Community Church. He loves people, playing the guitar, eating good food and watching football.

“ IN A CULTURE WHERE THE

PREDOMINANT VIEW OF LOVE IS FLIPPANT AND DEPENDANT ON ONE’S FEELINGS, AHAVA LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND EMBRACE.

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P E R S P E C T I V E PA R A D I G M S H I F T

More than a Feeling BY LUZEL OPPERMAN

“G

reater love has no-one than this, that he may lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 5:13-14) My friend and I once decided to stop mid-conversation and pray for each other (the ‘casual’ things Christians do hey?). His prayer went a little like this: “Lord, please help us to not allow our emotions run our faith, but instead let our faith take charge of our emotions.” This prayer stuck with me. I thought about how I often allow emotions to control most of my actions. Love had just become a very strong emotion that consumed me. However, what I thought love was is not how the Bible defines it as we read in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I admittedly thought love to be some sort of consumer system – what I give I will receive. If I do not receive love the way I expected, I take my business elsewhere. In short, I was being selfish instead of selfless. I put a penny into the love vending machine, and if what came out was not satisfying, I would go in search for it somewhere else. Day-dreaming about love distracted me in class as thoughts of countless hours with my crush seemed far more entertaining than the assignment outline my lecturer was telling me about. Yet, the Bible teaches us differently. It teaches us to be selfless as we live in a covenant relationship of unconditional love from God, instead of being a consumer. The Bible teaches that God is the source of love. He is not just an emotion-dispenser, but the root of love. A great place to turn to is 1 John 4:7-10 which reads: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Being in a relationship with God is living in a counterculture to the empty promises of the world, where your life becomes more than what you feel is best for yourself. As our lives become a physical representation of the invisible reality that we have been saved by the love of Christ, our relationship with God will deepen. And as that relationship deepens, so does our love for God and the things of God.

Being in a relationship with God is living in a counterculture to the empty promises of the world, where your life becomes more than what you feel is best for yourself. “

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WHAT CAN SATISFY? Many confuse happiness for joy. The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is my strength1. Yes, you can feel joy, but it goes beyond that. If you think that the ultimate thing you need in this world is a spouse and kids in a wonderful, perfect little house or big mansion (whatever floats your boat), you will never truly be happy. Jesus is the living water that will satisfy your thirst. This is a joy that the world doesn’t understand. Imagine being in a boat on the ocean; you are surrounded by water that you cannot drink. Living in the promises of the Word, on the other hand, will mean that you can drink from the stream of life! Contrary to the sea water, this water is rejuvenating. It will leave you wanting more and more and will always satisfy. We need to love Jesus more than we love anyone else. If we don’t, then we not only fail to understand the true definition of love, but will also never desire to love and serve others like He does. We need to meet Jesus at the well, and believe that He is the only One who can quench our thirst. Imagine again that you are at sea, so thirsty that you’ve tried the sea water, but it just can’t bring lasting satisfaction. Horrible thought, right? Well, if you continue to chase after the things of the world, the same will happen. Only Jesus can bring deep, lasting joy and fulfillment that your heart yearns for. When you allow your emotions to run your faith, you act in ways that may make you feel good. But when you allow your faith in the sure promises of God’s word direct and lead your heart, your selfish desires become less so that you live more and more selflessly as a vessel of light in this dark world. ENDNOTES 1) Nehemiah 8:10

LUZEL OPPERMAN was born in South African and raised in Britain. She loves making jokes and even teaches people to be funny at improv class. She sings on stage and in the shower, but is also studying to become a teacher at Stellenbosch University. Her favourite joke you ask? What is irony? The opposite of wrinkly.

P E R S P E C T I V E O U T LO O K

THE SOCIAL MEDIA MASQUERADE BY JENNA COWLEY

here is a new presence in our lives: it joins us for lunch, work and follows us home after-hours. Its name is social media. According to The Facebook Investor Relations website, Facebook has approximately 1.44 billion users and Twitter has approximately 302 million users. Social media can be used to maintain contact with loved ones who may be on the other side of the world, or organize a braai with close friends for a given weekend. With prominent growth in traffic, social media has been used (to great effect) as a marketing tool for businesses and products, and as an advertising platform for campaigners to raise awareness about important social issues.

However, chief among these applications is the fulfillment of the needs, and wants, of the individual. It’s part of our human nature. We desire to be liked and approved by others. The social media culture, with its various channels for self-expression and interaction, introduces a new dimension to how we desire to meet this innate need. How popular or special we feel about ourselves is dependent on how many ‘followers’ or ‘likes’ we manage to get. Many social media users begin, and end, their days on these platforms, checking out what others are up to and counting their ‘likes’, ‘shares’ and ‘retweets’. It’s something we think we have to do. We are deeply invested in impressing others through our online profiles. We share all the exciting things we get up to and compare our ‘digital’ lives to those of others. We look forward to updating our profiles with events ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary.

“

WE COULD BE TOO FOCUSED ON THE EXAMPLE IMAGE WE ARE PROJECTING INSTEAD OF REALLY LIVING OUT WHAT WE’RE POSTING.

John Piper identifies six reasons why people are so quick to turn to their social media first thing in the morning and before they go to bed1. He calls them candy motives and says that there are three different kinds: Novelty Candy, Ego Candy, and Entertainment Candy. 1. Novelty Candy refers to how we like to know what is new and happening in the world and among our friends. It’s great to be the first to know what has happened instead of hearing about it at a later stage. 2. Social media serves as Ego Candy, as it fulfils our need to

be recognised and affirmed by others. We love to know that someone has thought of us and mentioned or followed us on social media. We feel connected and important and this gives us a sense of satisfaction. 3. Entertainment Candy is one of the main attractions of social media. It is filled with stories, images and videos that are waiting to meet our need for something thrilling and interesting. AM I FAKING IT? We need to ask ourselves: Why am I really using social media? Why am I posting this new profile picture? Do I really just want to share this moment in my life with others, or do I want to let other people know that I’m having a great time? Something else to consider is the amount of time we actually spend on social media. Even if our intentions for using social media may seem innocent and be encouraging to others, we could be too focused on the example image we are projecting instead of really living out what we’re posting. The reasons why we use social media platforms may expose the deeper issue at play here: are we trying to seek the approval of others? Are we running to others for the acceptance that we all long for, yet God can only fully satisfy? Taking a step back, it’s plain to see the manifold effects of social media usage. The merits are hard to deny. And why should we deny those merits if they enable us to reach people that would otherwise be unreachable and maintain relationships beyond the limits of geography and time? Making the most of social media has many advantages, but with those advantages also come sacrifice. Is it your time? What about your relationships outside of Facebook or Twitter? What about your relationship with God? The most potentially destructive thing that social media could do to a person is when it consumes them to the point where they forget who they are or what they stand for in reality. Listening to so many voices and craving the instant attention and affirmation won’t live past the day. The only thing that counts for eternity is how God has spoken for you. How He has loved you not only in what He has said, but also in how He has acted.This is the indescribable, soulsatisfying love of Jesus. ENDNOTES 1) desiringgod.org, “Six wrong reasons to check your phone in the morning”.

JENNA COWLEY is a linguist in the making and finishing up her Masters degree. She works at Stellenbosch University as an assistant in the Postgraduate Skills Development programme and as a tutor in the General Linguistics department. She enjoys research, running and striving to serve the Lord.

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P E R S P E C T I V E VA R S I T Y P U L S E

How can we love one another best in our racial differences? - Masego Mothei

ver the past few weeks Stellenbosch University has attracted a great deal of attention due to protests around its language policy. Attention grew even more rapidly with the release of the video Luister by Open Stellenbosch, an organisation calling for the transformation of Stellenbosch University. Granted centre stage by the media, this issue has become one of national interest. WATCHING THE CROWD PROCESSION FROM AFAR… Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that the issues and stories brought up through this campaign and the Luister video are deeply saddening and should definitely be addressed. That is undeniable. One cannot deny the pain that people are going through. It should never be belittled or swept under the rug. However, as I quietly watched a large, energetic crowd of people rush past me, singing struggle songs with the occasional videographer recording the procession, I asked myself a question that stuck with me: where is God in all of this? I am yet to hear any mention of God in this conflict, coming to the conclusion that the only Person who truly has the ability to resolve all these issues of reconciliation has been totally sidelined. He has not been included in the discussion at all. Should He be a part of it? “ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS ABOVE ALL...” (EPHESIANS 4:6) There is reconciliation in Jesus Christ. When one accepts Jesus into their lives, their old self dies and their minds and habits are renewed by the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is written that we should not “be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind.” (Romans 12:2) Sometimes one believes in Jesus but still carries racial judgements about others. Whether one expresses them or not, they are still judgements. The only way that two people who have significant differences can begin to see themselves as equal, is if they both lay down their old identities at the feet of Jesus. They need to lay down the habits and behaviours that they have been told identifies someone as ‘White’, ‘Coloured’, ‘Black’, or ‘Indian’ and what they believe defines a Zulu, Afrikaner or English speaking individual. When we go to Jesus with the intention of laying down the old sinful thoughts and ideas that we formulated and accepted before we came to believe in Him, God restores us. He gives us a new identity as His very own children. Once God reveals

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His love to us, we can never remain the same. Two people who could never see eye to eye before are suddenly made brothers and sisters in Christ. Thus the issues between them, which seemed impossible to resolve before, are of secondary importance in light of how God has loved us even though we have sinned against Him. “BE RECONCILED TO GOD.” (2 CORINTHIANS 5:20) Yes, I know that this may seem too basic a solution for the racial issues which span across decades and decades of history. The command in Leviticus 19:18 to, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself,” sounds far too simple to deal with an issue as complex as racism, but the fact of the matter is that it is the answer. By our own strength we will keep on circling around this issue, proposing a wide variety of forums, organisations and debates to try and resolve it, while at the same time ignoring the basic foundation from which all forms of discrimination come from – hate. Hate is evil and can only be conquered by love. However, love is more than a feeling or abstract concept; love is a Person. The world hated Jesus even though He was the very embodiment of God’s love. He came so that we would be reconciled to God and seek reconciliation amongst one another. WHAT DO MATIES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS? After thinking about this topic, I took to the streets of Stellenbosch to ask students whether or not they think that seeking God can resolve our racial differences. This is what they had to say: DO YOU THINK THAT SEEKING GOD CAN RESOLVE OUR RACIAL DIFFERENCES? Zhané 20. BCom Industrial Psychology Yes. I am a strong believer that seeking God can call us to racial reconciliation. God wants to mould us to be more like Jesus. When we enter into a relationship with God, He changes our hearts to reflect His heart. His heart is filled with love and it is a reconciling heart so seeking Him will definitely help us in reconciling our differences. Ayanda 19. BA Humanities Absolutely. It is something that I feel the Lord has been speaking

SCAN TO GIVE YOUR ANSWER!

to me about. I recently asked Him, “Lord, wouldn’t it be easier if we were all one colour? Wouldn’t it be simpler?” The Lord just replied to me that, that is not how unconditional love works. Unconditional love means that, even if you don’t look like me, even if I am not used to you, I am going to love you because you are made in the image of my Dad as well. I feel that this (our skin) is just an earth suit. I don’t deny that we look different, but at the end of the day this is not who we are. We are not defined by the amount of melanin in our skin. That is not who we are and I think that when we begin to seek God, we begin to look at people differently and we begin to look beyond that. If I push for my own Xhosa agenda and my friend Adriaan pushes his Afrikaans agenda then we will never unite. We can only unite when we accept Jesus and begin pushing for heaven’s agenda.

“ The only way that two people who have significant differences can begin to see themselves as equal, is if they both lay down their old identities at the feet of Jesus. Justin 20. BCom Investment Management I am not religious, but I do believe in God. I believe that the Bible is about morals and being morally correct. So yes, I do believe that seeking God can resolve our racial differences because the morally correct thing is for all of us to live together. In the Bible it says that everyone must love each other no matter what. Everyone is the same inside, so I don’t understand why people are racist because in essence everyone is the same.

Brendan 20. BCom Financial Accounting Yes, I think it could definitely work. Religion gives people something to believe in and something to guide them. The Bible would definitely help people and guide them to a better place. Devenia 21. BA English Yes. I think that everyone going towards one thing can bring people together. But, I think we have to think about the different ways people view God from different religions and I think the question should be narrowed to “do you think that seeking God through the Christian faith can reconcile our racial differences?” In that case I think yes, I think that God is a great medium to bring people together and to humble people and to bring out the best side of people. But people have to be willing because there is a stereotype of Christians being judgmental and overbearing so I think one needs to redefine Christianity for people because it doesn’t always have a good reputation. Adriaan 19. BCom LLB I think that because our parents grew up in the Apartheid era, some of their thinking does sink into us. But I also think that when we pursue God, He will change us. All the things that may have sunken in from our parents will fall away. We will look at each other through God’s eyes. And when God looks at us, all that He sees are His children, His loved ones. Jesus is the answer to everything. Forgiveness will come through Jesus, through pursuing Him. A friend once asked me, “Is there an answer besides Jesus?” I replied that no, there is no other answer besides Jesus because no other being and no other god can do what Jesus can do. That my solution for racial reconciliation. There is no other answer except Jesus. Kim 20. BCom Economics Definitely, because I don’t think that there is a race or a division when it comes to religion. If people begin to live for the principles of religion, then it can help them take down the racial barriers they have put up. Mienke 25 BCom Industrial Psychology (Hons) I don’t think so, because everyone has different ideas about God and different religions. It will be tough to come to one conclusion because of these differences.

What do you think? Do you think that seeking God can resolve our racial differences? Participate in the open forum at scopemagazine.co.za to give your opinion.

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PERSPECTIVE REASON

could a loving god

send people to hell? BY ROSS NETTERVILLE

y father has always played a massive role in my life, being a role model for me to look up to and strive after. When I was a young child, my dad was my superhero. He knew everything and was capable of anything. Yet, there came a time where I had to accept that my father is not perfect. Many have experienced this disconcerting revelation; that their fathers are not all that they had previously hoped them to be. A similar feeling of disappointment arises in me when I consider that God, who claims to be love, and is therefore supposed to be loving, is capable of sending people to hell. This is perhaps one of the more challenging questions which many Christians grapple with. Firstly, it is not an easy one to answer. Secondly, it drives straight at the character of God, challenging His goodness and potentially eroding our confidence in Him. Similar to a child who realises that their father is not an all knowing superhero, we are shaken by a question which implies that the God of the Bible could fail to be loving. From the perspective of those who do not have a relationship with God, the idea that God sends people to hell casts a shadow on the desire to fall under His rule. Who, after all, wants to follow a divinity with the power and authority to do good, yet chooses to banish people into eternal punishment? If God has such a moral flaw while still claiming to be sovereign, He ought to be feared rather than loved. The apparent contradiction that this question raises is that God is loving but still sends people to a place of eternal anguish, regret and punishment. The first question we should ask is whether there is truly a contradiction in that statement? I would contend that there is not. God is indeed loving, therefore knowing what is truly best for us. He gives us a chance to choose the things that are truly best for us. This strikes at the heart of the matter; what is truly best for us and what happens when we choose not to accept this from God? Firstly, what is truly best for us is to live in relationship with God, striving to know God on an intimate level, relying on Him and obeying Him. This relationship with God is a choice that we must make, and God allows us to reject Him. God does not force us to accept Him, yet there are terrible consequences to rejecting Him; hell. If we choose to reject God, the only way in which we would avoid this fate would be for God to override our freedom of choice and force us to love Him – which He will not do. Secondly, God is just. Justice is something which God cannot overlook. When an injustice is committed, a

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response is warranted. We have all sinned, therefore justice demands that the consequences of our decisions be met. Rejection of the eternal ruler of creation leads to a right response of wrath from the Creator. What appears difficult here is understanding how God can exercise justice against those who go to hell, but not those who go to heaven when we have all sinned. Is God a moral monster for sending some to hell, but saving others, if we have all committed the same injustice against Him? Why don’t all enjoy that what is truly best for them, namely a relationship with God? In addition, how do we make sense of the fact that some people go to hell while others do not, even though all have committed the same injustice of rejecting God’s authority? The answer to both of these questions lies in the person and finished work of Jesus.

“ what is truly best for

us and what happens when we choose not to accept this from God? Jesus is how we are able to come to a relationship with God, because He stood in our place to meet the demands of justice. By accepting on our behalf the consequences of our rejection of God, He not only ensured that the required punishment of death was carried out, but He also rose from the grave and opened the way for us to enter God’s household as His sons and daughters. We learn that God will uphold justice as well as accept the consequences of our actions in order to show what is truly best for us. God’s response to our actions, and the length to which Jesus went to meet the demands of justice on our behalf, shows more clearly than anything else the character of God. This is the Father to which I can look up to, knowing that I will never experience disappointment. The Father who has shown me such love that my only reasonable response would be one of reciprocated love. ROSS NETTERVILLE is a business analyst based in Stellenbosch who loves reading, asking questions and teaching. Usually found spending time playing his guitars, learning programming, teaching teenagers to understand and apply God’s word at youth Bible studies at Christ Church Stellenbosch, and when possible sleeping to the crack of noon on Saturdays.

PERSPECTIVE WEERKLINK

liefde-wen aktivis en vermaaklikheids entoesias DEUR PAULA-ANN SMIT

ouwer Bosch is vele dinge; ŉ talentvolle sanger, filosofiese liedjieskrywer, opkomende regisseur en Liefde Wen-weldoener.

Bekend as hoofsanger vir die multi-bekroonde Rock groep Straatligkinders, het Bouwer se solo debuut kort daarna geseëvier. Onbereid om sy talente tot een genre te beperk, het hy in die filmindustrie begin rondspeel. Die resultaat? Bouwer Bosch films. Ten spyte van sy vele talente, is dit sy plat-op-die-aarde houding en opregte persoonlikheid wat opvallend is.

Hy beskryf homself as iemand wat “sing wat [hy] nie kan sê nie,” en al is hy “nie ŉ komediant nie”, “vind hy [homself] soms snaaks.” Gretig om meer te leer oor hierdie “sit-down comedian,” huiwer ek nie om my eerste vraag aan hom te stel nie:

“Waar kom jou belangstelling in musiek vandaan?” “Ek het altyd aan die slaap geraak voor die speaker in ons huis, wat weird is. My boetie het na Rock en Roll geluister, jy weet, soos Buddy Holly en daai goed, en ek het net my kussing langs daardie harde speaker gesit en aan die slaap geraak,” onthou hy. >

WEERKLINK

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ek het my christenskap opgegee om vir jesus te volg

Herinneringe uit sy kinderjare ontlok nostalgiese gedagtes vir Bouwer, wat voortgaan om uit te brei oor sy jeug: van sorgeloos sing in die laerskool koor tot bekommernisse wat ŉ sestienjarige nie behoort te hê:

“Ons het gesukkel, finansieël. Nadat ons die huis verloor het moes ons saam met ŉ ander gesin intrek. Die oom by wie ons gebly het, het sy kitaar vir my gegee en gesê ‘skryf neer alles wat jy voel. Skree dit uit, whatever, kry dit net uit’- so ek het.”

Leiding van sy barmhartige Samaritaan het ŉ silwer randjie om sy donker realiteit gebring. Bouwer is geïnspireer om met die elektriese kitaar te begin “rondspeel,” soos hy dit beskeie noem. Die musikale saadjie was geplant: nadat hy vir twee jaar deel was van die jeugprogram C-Kruis, het hy na die land van die “star-spangledbanner” gekeur om meer te leer oor die dramatiese kunste. Die droom was om musiek aan Berkley Kollege te studeer, maar toe die wisselkoers dit nie toe laat nie het hy teruggekeer na die moederland.

Musiek het duidelik nog altyd ŉ groot rol in sy lewe gespeel, maar het hy ooit gedink dat dit permanent brood op die tafel sou sit?

“Selfs toe Straatligkinders begin het, het ek gedink dat dit net ŉ tydelike ding gaan wees. Toe maak ek die besluit om musiek te persue, nou het dit verander na films en televisie. Jy kan seker maar sê dat ek die besluit gemaak het om entertainment te pursue. Dis wat ek doen; dis wat ek kan doen. Dis waar ek nie worry of stress nie. Ek voel nooit incompetent nie.” Voldoende begin nie eers om vir Bouwer op te som nie. Hoe bly hy grounded?

“Ek glo nie in fame of dat die wêreld sal verander deur musiek nie”, beweer hy. “As dit die geval was , glo ek dat Jesus ŉ musikant sou gewees het, maar inteendeel, hy het meubels gemaak. Dit maak nie vir my sin dat ek anders behandel moet word net omdat ek ŉ liedjie op die radio het nie.” Gretig om te hoor wie dan die wêreld gaan verander, antwoord hy eerlik: “Die wêreld het dit verkeerd. Die werklike mense wat die samelewing

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verander is normale mense ; onderwysers , verpleegsters, polisie en -brandweermans. Daar is crazy mense in hierdie bedryf. Sommige sien hulself as, jy weet, Barrack Obama, want hulle het een liedjie op die radio. Ek weet dat ek verantwoordelikhede het, want musiek is powerful. Maar vir iemand om te dink dat hulle is bekend in ‘n derde wêreld land is ‘n joke.”

Om die klein invloed wat hy wel het te gebruik, het Bouwer Liefde Wen gestig: ŉ organisasie wat goedere met ŉ ooreenstemmende embleem verkoop, en die winste skenk aan Suid Afrikaanse liefdadigheids-organisasies. Hulle doel is nie net om organisasies finansieël te ondersteun nie, maar ook ŉ sosiale bewustheid skep oor die krag van liefde. Soos hulle webtuiste dit beskryf: Liefde Wen is nie net ŉ produk nie, maar ŉ leefstyl. Wanneer hy praat oor sy breinkind is Bouwer se entoesiasme opvallend:

“Ek het nog altyd geglo in die konsep dat liefde wen . Ek het hierdie kerk agtergrond, en wou nog altyd die wêreld daardeur verander, maar het geen idee gehad hoe om dit te doen. Tog het ek ‘n vriend wat is ateïs is, maar ook die wêreld wil verander. So, ons het ‘n platform geskep waar almal kon deelneem , ongeag van hul godsdiens of ras. “

Bouwer het die veldtog as ŉ student begin, met sy eie geld. Tog het hy nooit ingedink dat dit só ŉ positiewe reaksie uit mense sou ontlok nie: “Dis amazing om te sien dat daar goed in die wêreld is en dat mense wil deel wees daarvan.” Ten spyte van Liefde Wen se dominante teenwoordigheid op sosiale netwerke en stop strate, noem Bouwer dat Liefde wen groter op papier is: “Een maand is daar ŉ R1000, die ander maand R10 000. Die droom vir Liefde Wen is om meer te word as net ŉ klerereeks, maar ontwikkel in ŉ liefdadigheids-organisasie wat uitreik na mense op ŉ daaglikse basis.” Soos jy ongetwyfeld reeds besef het, is Bouwer ŉ Christen. Hoe beïnvloed sy oortuigings wie hy is as ŉ kunstenaar?

“Ek het my Christenskap op gegee om vir Jesus te volg,” antwoord hy onomwonde. Hy verduidelik dat hy die besluit geneem

het nadat hy gesien het hoe kerke musiekgroepe soos Fokofpolisiekar geoordeel en boikot het:

“Ek wou ŉ ander voorstelling van die kerk wees as wat daai ouens (Fokofpolisiekar) gewoond was: ŉ kerk wat stenig, oordeel en judge. Ek wil ŉ kerk wees wat nie judge nie, wat verstaan en almal verwelkom. Ek wil net vir almal lief wees.”

Dikwels gesien as omstrede, huiwer Bouwer nie om sy standpunt oor Christenskap uit te beeld deur sy musiek nie. Sy onlangse skepping is ŉ gesproke video getiteld “Kleurblind.” Hierin daag hy die oortuigings van baie Afrikaners uit, met lirieke soos: “jy kan nie ‘n Christen en ‘n rassis wees nie , Jesus het nie gesterf vir jou vel kleur nie en Jesus is nie ‘n Voortrekker nie.” Gevolglik het Bouwer, vrywillig of nie, opgestaan as ŉ stem vir ŉ nuwe generasie van Christene. Hoe dink hy behoort ‘moderne’ Christene op te tree?

“Mense moet nie so sensitief wees,” is sy onmiddellike reaksie. “ Ons lees die Bybel , maar dit skok ons nie. Het Dawid nie daai een dude in die voorkant van die weermag gesit, sodat hy kan doodgaan nie , toe het hy ( Dawid ) met sy vrou geslaap ? Dit is soos die voorblad van die Burger of Beeld elke dag! Ek meen, Jesus se voete is gewas deur ‘n prostituut. Ek het nog nooit eers met ‘n prostituut gepraat nie , tog noem ek myself ‘n Christen. So, hoe kan ons kerke uitfreak oor onderwerpe soos grootdoop of gays, as Jesus so contraversial was?” Hy eindig ons onderhoud op ŉ positiewe nooit, deur by te voeg dat die jeug die toekoms is van ons land, en om die nasie te genees: “Hulle word meer kleurblind groot as van ooit tevore.” Dit is nie net sy opregte houding of sy dapperheid om Suid Afrikaners te herinner waaroor Christenskap eintlik gaan wat ŉ indruk op my laat nie. Dit is sy geloof, nie net in sy skepper nie, maar in ons jeug, wat my verstom. PAULA-ANN SMIT is ‘n aspirante skrywer en kuns-liefhebber. Wanneer sy nie droom oor haar rubriek in die New York Times nie, swot sy Taal en Kultuur aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch.

REVIEWS NEW TUNE

blaque

nubon

hat would you get if you combined a boy from the townships, a hardhitting message, and electric soul, set to a beat that makes you wanna dance? The answer is the music of rapper Blaque Nubon.

The Christian hip hop artist has introduced a side of his genre that is distinctly driven by the desire to worship and glorify the God of the Bible. His unique sound blends ‘70s soul, classic vocal samples and a stream of thoughtprovoking lyrics that stay with the listener, long after the music fades. His lyrically driven music tackles issues head on, spearheading the movement for ‘solution’ music that aims to shed light on real problems in the world. The 26 year-old talks about what has shaped his own life: being disillusioned with wealth and ambition, the brokenness of the city and the idolatry and hypocrisy of the modern life. Blaque wishes to engage with his listeners beyond grooves and beats, giving them real life-transforming hope. In a chat that I had with him recently, he says that if his music does not point them to this hope, then it’s essentially lifeless

and therefore pointless: “I don’t want my music to just be an extension of myself, it has to start conversation with and among people to create change. I want to [be] talking to my listeners in their heads and hearts even when I’ve stopped rapping.”

Blaque, born and bred in Tembisa, Johannesburg says his musical journey was catalysed by turning to Christ. While he had always dreamt of creating a statement through art, he never knew what that statement was until he found a concrete

WISHES TO ENGAGE “ BLAQUE WITH HIS LISTENERS BEYOND GROOVES AND BEATS, GIVING THEM REAL LIFE- TRANSFORMING HOPE.

reason to create. The pressure to be someone great steadily wore him down and Blaque increasingly lost himself in a life without purpose or meaning. His life was a mess until God called him to use his love for music for something bigger than his own ambitions. “My life was upside-

down, but Christ flipped it right-side up again.”

Generally, Blaque aspires to see Christian hip hop recognised as a solid genre complementing the larger South African music landscape. He believes that it can challenge and engage people unlike a lot of other stuff out there. Personally, he hopes that it will also be a viable means to sustain himself and his family. Since his conversion, Blaque has desired to use all his talents, dreams and experiences to share his Saviour with the world. Signing with Fresh Impression Music Company, he released his first two solo albums The Inception EP in 2012 and Reformation Mixtape vol. 1 in the same year. Just a few weeks ago he won the SABC Crown Gospel Award for Best Rap Album in his collaborative offering Watchman. “Next year I will be touring around Africa while working on my next album, hoping to create, create, and create some more!” - CLAIRE MORRISON SCAN TO PURCHASE WATCHMAN ON ITUNES

ANDY MINEO

S.O

JON FOREMAN

PILLAR

UNCOMFORTABLE

SO IT ENDS

THE WONDERLANDS

ONE LOVE REVOLUTION

The Reach Records Christian Hip Hop artist continues to blow all expectations out the water with his fresh, unconventional sound that challenges the status quo about living comfortably in this world.

This super-talented Christian rapper from the UK brings out an absolute gem to conclude a trilogy of albums that started with So It Begins back in 2011.

This, Foreman’s second solo album, consists of four different EP’s/chapters entitled Sunlight, Shadows, Darkness, and Dawn, making up 25 carefully crafted works of musical genius.

After an almost six year hiatus since Pillar released their previous album, the hard rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma are back with a bang!

GO ONLINE TO THE ‘ON BEAT’ BLOG TO READ THESE AND OTHER FULL ALBUM REVIEWS.

WWW.SCOPEMAGA ZINE.CO. Z A

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R E V I E W S F O R YO U R R E A D I N G It is refreshing that not only does the book address those already married, providing perspective to strengthen those relationships, but it also addresses itself to the unmarried, who no doubt have their own fears, expectations and ideas about what marriage is all about. A helpful idea that is brought through is the concept of “apocalyptic romance”, where people hope to find complete spiritual and emotional fulfilment in the perfect mate. This has come about as a result of a shift in ideas about the purpose of marriage – marriage is seen

“ THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE TIMOTHY KELLER WITH KATHY KELLER 280 PAGES, +- R200

he Meaning of Marriage is not your typical book on marriage. Tim and Kathy Keller navigate both the experience of married and single life without varnish or flinching from reality. The book is solidly based on Scripture, and it shows in the way the glories and pains of marriage are explored in an open manner.

Marriage teaches us about our sins in unique and profound ways and grows us out of them through providing someone who speaks the truth in love to us. not as a way to ‘create character and community’ or reflect the ‘Real Marriage our souls need’ – which is relationship with Christ, but instead is a means of reaching personal life goals. With this comes the crushing burden of looking for the right/compatible person – sexually attractive, well adjusted and willing to support our goals and ambitions without changing us too much. The end result is that we are trapped in unrealistic

expectations and longings, since there are no perfectly adjusted people without any problems of their own. The main idea of the book is that “marriage has been instituted by God and was designed as a reflection of the saving love of God for us in Jesus Christ”. Firstly, this challenges the notion that marriage is only a ‘piece of paper’ or something that we humans came up with and therefore can tinker with as it suits us. While not directly addressing the issue of homosexuality in this book, this reader would have appreciated a more direct treatment of this issue. Secondly, it challenges our contemporary notions of what love is. Keller writes that God’s love toward us in the gospel doesn’t overlook our sin, nor does it refuse to commit to us because of our flaws – it does both in a glorious way. Marriage teaches us about our sins in unique and profound ways and grows us out of them through providing someone who speaks the truth in love to us. The same works out for singles in deep meaningful community with God’s people. I found the book a highly enjoyable read. It is well researched and written in an easy-to-read style that is inviting, clear, biblical and very practical. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to steer their relationships wisely toward lasting fulfilment. - DARLINGTON MUSHAMBI

THE FOUR LOVES

CRAZY LOVE

THE RELATIONSHIPS REVOLUTION

REDEEMING LOVE

C.S LEWIS

FRANCIS CHAN

NIGEL D. POLLOCK

FRANCINE RIVERS

Trying to encapsulate the true nature of love is no small feat, but Lewis brilliantly divides it into four categories – Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Charity – and shows why Charity is where all the others need to stem from.

God’s radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love is so much bigger than what we could ever fathom. You weren’t created to religiously keep a list of do’s and don’ts, but encounter His love and allow it to transform you from the inside out.

Our sexuality as human beings form an integral part of who we are. Pollock shares honest stories from students with their questions, and provides compelling answers from the framework of the Bible.

This historical romance novel is a literary classic that has sold over one million copies in print. Set in the 1850s Californian Gold Rush, it is inspired from the book of Hosea in the Old Testament.

GO ONLINE TO THE ‘LIT’ BLOG TO READ THESE AND OTHER FULL BOOK REVIEWS.

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T E S T I F Y M Y S TO R I E

Lounel Strydom D

ie liefde van God is een van my gunsteling onderwerpe om oor te gesels. Dit het my lewe verander en vorm steeds elke dag deel van ŉ soektog om meer van God se onbeskryflike liefde te ervaar. Jesus is die fondasie van God se liefde aan ons; die feit dat Jesus sy lewe vir ons neergelê het, aan ŉ kruis gesterf het, en die dood oorwin het, het vir ons ŉ deur oopgemaak wat reg tot die Vader se hart lei. Oorspronklik van Bloemfontein, het ek as ŉ enigste kind grootgeword. Ek het altyd gehoor van hierdie God en van ŉ Jesus en Sondae myself getrou as ŉ Christen beskou. Op ŉ doodgewone dag het een massiewe en onverwagte ongeluk my lewe 180 grade omver gegooi. Ek was net twaalf jaar oud toe hulle by ons huis ingebreek het. My pa het die diewe betrap met gevolg dat hulle sy lewe geneem het. Dié gebeurtenis het my laat twyfel in die goeie God waarvan ek so baie gehoor het. Daarna het ek myself gou bevind in hoërskool. Ek het deel gevorm van ŉ sisteem se slagoffers, opsoek na liefde en aanvaarding, omdat ek baie seer in my hart gedra het. As jy wou inpas op hoërskool was drink, rook, onwettig na kuier plekke toe gaan en rondslaap ŉ moét. Boonop het die wêreld my laat verstaan dat lang meisies, soos ek, nie normaal is nie. Vir so lank as wat ek kan onthou, het hoe ek lyk en wat ander mense van my dink ŉ groot hou-vas op my lewe gehad. Vir my was mooi-wees, maer-wees, en gewild-wees die sleutel na sukses. As gevolg hiervan het ek ŉ eetversteuring ontwikkel en gereeld gekuier, as maniere om te ontsnap van al die druk. Die ironie daarvan is dat dit nêrens naby ware vryheid was nie. Dit was net ŉ valse

prentjie van geluk; dolleeg en vol van vrees. God se liefde het my naam eindelik geroep. Uit ŉ plek van baie hartseer, alleen- wees, ŉ lae selfbeeld en vrees, na ŉ plek waar Hy my verseker het dat ek Sy dogter is, dat ek inpas en deel vorm van Sy groter plan. Die Vader wat ek leer ken het en wat my uit donkerte geroep het, het ons gemaak om ŉ verhouding met Hom te hê en saam met Hom elke dag te stap. Dit was Sy plan reg van die begin af. Die het slegs vir my ŉ realiteit geword toe ek ŉ openbaring gekry het van wat Jesus vir ons kom doen het. Sy liefde is nie ŉ vaagde konsep of ŉ beter-voel feeverhaal nie. Dit is naby en persoonlik; God is naby en persoonlik. Die liefde van God bepaal wie ek is. Dit wys vir my dat ek deel is, dat ek ‘tuis’ gekom het. Die beste deel is, dat jy dit eintlik glad nie verdien nie. Die Woord van God sê dat ons almal sondaars is, en dat dit ons ontbreek van die heerlikheid van God. Tog word ons deur Sy genade, sonder verdienste, deur die verlossing van Jesus Christus regverdig (Romeine 3:23). Dit is net deur ŉ lewendige verhouding met Jesus Christus wat ons toegang kan hê tot die oneindigende en onbeskryflike groot liefde wat God die Vader vir ons het (1 Johannes 3:1). Vandag kan ek met sekerheid sê, dat ek weet ek geroep is deur God. Hy is lewendig en Hy is ŉ realiteit. Een van die grootste maniere hoe ek God se liefde leer ken het, was deur die liefde wat ek ontvang het vanaf die geestelike familie waar by Hy my gevoeg het. My lewe kan nie anders as om te getuig van die goedheid en getrouheid van God as My Vader nie.

Sy liefde is nie n vaagde konsep of n beter-voel feeverhaal nie. Dit is naby en persoonlik; God is naby en persoonlik. WWW.SCOPEMAGA ZINE.CO. Z A

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TESTIFY INTERVIEW

DR. MICHAEL MOL CHATS TO PHATHISWA MANGANGANE ABOUT WHY HE BECAME A DOCTOR, LIVING HEALTHILY, LOVING GOD, AND HOW STUDENTS CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES DURING THE HECTIC EXAM TIME.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A DOCTOR?

I wanted to able to know that by the end of my life I would have made a real difference. I also contrasted the idea of being successful vs. being significant. Success is more me-focused, “what

NOT ONLY ARE YOU A DOCTOR BUT YOU’VE HAD YOUR OWN TV SHOW, BEEN A TV PRESENTER AND HAVE QUITE THE FLAIR FOR BUSINESS. HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?

Don’t manage your time but manage your energy! We attempt to manage our time effectively ultimately cramming so many activities into one day without sufficient energy to complete them. Like a heartbeat which consists of a loop of relaxed and contracted moments, that is what your energy management should look like. When I’m at work

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can I gain?” where significance is, “what can I do for those around me?” Being significant was really important to me and I felt like I could do that by becoming a doctor.

there is a lot of stress, energy and focus but then I take time to recover and then I work again. This idea of stress, recovery, stress, recovery etc. is what indefinitely allows me to give a high level of performance for the important tasks without burning out. Understanding my purpose also helps stir up my passion and energy for the day.

THE THEME FOR THIS ISSUE OF SCOPE MAGAZINE IS ON LOVE. WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOVE OUR BODIES AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO LIVE HEALTHILY?

What you and I do today impacts what we do tomorrow. All of us want to live long, but no one wants to get old, so we need to live well. God has given us a certain amount of heartbeats and we should want our bodies to out-live our number of

IN A COOKBOOK THAT YOU AND JOHN BERRY WROTE, ‘YOUR BEST LIFE: QUICK & HEALTHY FAMILY FARE’, NOT ONLY DO YOU COVER IDEAS FOR HEALTHY MEALS AND DRINKS, BUT SNACKS AS WELL. HOW WOULD YOU ADVISE STUDENTS TO SNACK HEALTHILY WHILE STUDYING FOR LONG HOURS?

Your brain’s primary source of fuel is glucose – carbohydrates. So you don’t want to start any fad diet that limits carbohydrates. There is also an amazing amino acid called tyrosine which is great for enhancing your brain’s effectiveness (ability to

about that. I love what Bono – the lead singer from U2 – said during an interview with Larry King. After King asked if Bono was religious Bono replied, “No, religion is often what happens when God leaves the building. I have a relationship with God.”

LOW-CARB, HIGH FAT? MUCH LIKE HIPSTER BEARDS, THIS SEEMS TO BE QUITE EN TREND IN THE DIETARY WORLD TODAY. WHAT DOES THIS CONSIST OF AND WOULD YOU ADVOCATE THIS LIFESTYLE FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO GET HEALTHY?

Yes. I would particularly recommend it to those who are diabetic and pre-diabetic. (Pre-diabetic is the phase just before official diagnoses of diabetes). It is vitally important because at this stage you can still reverse inevitable diabetes if you adjust your lifestyle accordingly. For those not affected by diabetes it is also a healthy choice as it addresses

“

retain and retrieve memory). It is found mostly in egg. You also need to start eating properly right throughout your exams, not just on the day you begin. Vitamin B and D is also good to have.

“A HUSBAND TO ONE, FATHER TO THREE, FRIEND TO FEW, A STRANGER TO MANY…BUT NOT GOD.” THAT’S QUITE A PROFOUND TWITTER BIO. HOW HAS KNOWING GOD INFLUENCED YOU IN YOUR LIFE THUS FAR?

God is everything to me. He is part of who I am. He is my Saviour. He gives meaning to what I do. If you do not have relationship with God it’s almost hard to understand the sense of joy in the plan God has for your life. There is something very motivating

heartbeats i.e. your body asking your heart for a few more beats when your time is up, rather than your heart having numerous amounts of beats to complete without a healthy body to use them.

our addiction to carbohydrates and sugar. My family and I love this concept because you need fuel to operate and fat is a good long-lasting fuel as opposed to the quick burst of energy that carbohydrates emit. Sugar and carbs also impact heavily on inflammation. Sugar is a big culprit of this.

WHAT YOU AND I DO TODAY IMPACTS WHAT WE DO TOMORROW. ALL OF US WANT TO LIVE LONG, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO GET OLD, SO WE NEED TO LIVE WELL. 7

IF YOU COULD GIVE STUDENTS 5 ESSENTIAL MUST-DO’S TO MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH AND SO LOVE THEIR BODIES DURING THIS CRAZY TIME OF EXAMS, WHAT WOULD THOSE BE?

I would firstly recommend eating properly. Starting the day with protein and eating healthily during your entire study period. SCAN THIS TO WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW

Exercise! You can think quicker and concentrate for longer. Not only does it enhance brain activity, but pumps much needed endorphins into your system.

7 to 8 hours of sleep. Your body needs to recover and sleep helps detox your system and increase memory retention. Supplements like omega 3, vitamin C, B and D. And Planning!

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S I M U N Y E P LU G G E D I N

JOSHGEN

What is Simunye?

SHOFAR

‘Simunye’, which in Zulu means ‘we are one’, is an on-campus church collaboration initiative that operates through the local church network for the Stellenbosch region of the Western Cape. Its desire is to see the up-and-coming generation belong to a community radically changed by the love of God who openly show what real unity in diversity looks like. The words from Jesus Christ in John 13:35 are simple but challenging: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The time has come for churches with a presence amongst students to be joined together by their love for one another and their love for the university. If Gospel partnership is to happen anywhere, it must happen here. Simunye is merely a medium for students both inside and outside church to reconsider the importance of this while studying.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SIMUNYE AND THESE CHURCHES IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD GO TO WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA/SIMUNYE.

KRUISKERK

CHRIST CHURCH

GK 6 JOSHGEN

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SHOFAR

EVERY NATION

GRACELIFE

KCI

KEY 1. JOSHUA GENERATION CHURCH. PROVENCE, MILNER RD., WELLINGTON 2. SHOFAR CHRISTIAN CHURCH. HUGENOT PRIMARY SCHOOL, GENERAL HERTZOG ST., WELLINGTON 3. CHRIST CHURCH STELLENBOSCH. 26 BANGHOEK RD., STELLENBOSCH

13 HILLSONG

4. GEREFORNEERDE KERK. MARAIS ST., STELLENBOSCH

14 NEWGEN

5. KRUISKERK. VICTORIA ST., STELLENBOSCH 6. JOSHUA GENERATION CHURCH. VAN DER STEL HALL, BERGZICHT RD., STELLENBOSCH 7. SHOFAR CHRISTIAN CHURCH. ANDRINGA ST., STELLENBOSCH 8. EVERY NATION CHURCH. JANNASCH RD., STELLENBOSCH 9. STELLENBOSCH GEMEENTE. 15 HEROLD ST., STELLENBOSCH 1O. GRACELIFE. RHEENISH GIRLS’ HIGH, KOCH ST., STELLENBOSCH 11. KINGDOM CHURCH INTERNATIONAL. 7 LINTON ST., STELLENBOSCH 12. STELLENBOSCH BAPTIST CHURCH. 6 MERRIMAN ST., STELLENBOSCH 13. HILLSONG CHURCH. CNR. OF MAIN & CENTENARY DR., SOMERSET WEST

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14. NEW GENERATION CHURCH. 13 DERRICK DR., SOMERSET WEST

S I M U N Y E CO M M U N I T Y

WE NEED EACH OTHER BY RUAN SPIES

ne of the biggest concerns I had when coming to university had little to do with academics. It had more to do with the people that were all around me. I had a strong desire to relate to those in my residence and lectures, wanting them to accept me for who I am. I cringed at the idea of being lonely. Despite being surrounded by large numbers of people at university, the reality is that many students still feel lonely and long to be part of a community.

FEAR OF REJECTION Very few people have not been hurt by someone that they trusted. By nature, we fear the possibility of feeling hurt or rejected. Avoiding rejection can so often dictate the way in which we relate to people. Western culture is largely built on the ideology of individualism, where it has become all about me and serving my needs without any sacrifice in return. Don’t give too much of your time and resources to other people, because how will that benefit you in your pursuits and interests which is the only thing that matters? Worse than actually falling prey to this way of thinking, by closing yourself off from other people you will inevitably become lonely.

A DIFFERENT MODEL If you think of any movement that happened in history, it always stems from people with a collective desire to be part of a community – to feel like they belong and are accepted for who they are. It is a place where differences are not merely tolerated, but celebrated and learnt from. This sort of community is possible and it has been in operation for almost 2000 years. In Luke’s record of the early church1 there is a description of a diverse community of people who shared their lives with each other. They ate meals together, had everything in common and even sold their own possessions to take care of those in need. It is not only a model for how Christians are to love one another today, but should be what attracts the world to Christ. Paul reiterates this way of living in his letter to the church in Philippi2. He speaks of how each person should regard others as more significant than themselves and look not only to their own interests, but also to the interests of others. He is trying to drive home how Jesus humbly gave up His life to the point of death so that those who enter into relationship with God can love like He does. Without knowing and experiencing the love of Christ there will always be a void of loneliness that no other relationship can fill. Only God can fully satisfy the desire for real community with relationships marked by true self-sacrificial love.

COUNTING THE COST As you make this decision to follow Jesus and seek to be a blessing to others, it will require breaking old selfish habits. It may mean offering up time for other people and making others part of your daily life even in busy times. Sometimes inviting somebody else into your seemingly trivial day to day activities is more significant than what you realise. Be intentional about sharing what you have. Even

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE AND SERVE OTHER PEOPLE WITH EVEN THE LITTLE THAT YOU HAVE. “

though most students don’t think they have all that much to give, everyone has the capacity to share – whether it is coffee and biscuits, or a homemade meal. Look for opportunities to give and serve other people with even the little that you have. The only way true, meaningful relationships will ever come about is when we are prepared to be vulnerable with one another. C.S. Lewis put it well: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”3

IT STARTS NOW As students, it is easy to think that this is something that we will start doing only once we finish university. But as we begin to form habits of hospitality now, our capacity to give will grow later in life. Are you prepared to be vulnerable and perhaps, with God’s help, conquer some deeper fears of rejection? Take your eyes of yourself and fix them on Jesus. You need Him. And we need each other. ENDNOTES 1) Acts 2:42-47 2) Philippians 2:3-7 3) The Four Loves- C.S. Lewis

RUAN SPIES is a seeker of joy and love in Jesus through everyday life. He enjoys reading, coffee, music and speaking about God. He is passionate about Church unity and empowering people. Ruan is studying engineering at Stellenbosch University.

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S AV V Y S T U D E N T E X P R E S S I O N S

POETRY & PROSE

WRIGHT RECIPES

Limitless Love

MAGICAL PAVLOVA

BY JONATHAN JUST

The way this world defines love is nothing short of a tragedy. Why do we dispense love’s currency from this nonsense philosophy that four letters which encapsulate the gravity of God are merely what we should subjectively equate to rosy romance, blissful blueberry icecream, and rich mouthfuls of Red Velvet cake? Is that all there is to it? To me, this just sounds like another flimsy, fleeting stimulation neatly packed away in bubble wrapped feelings – “fragile, easily breakable” – your heart for my broken promises. I give. You take. *** Four letters? Yes, but not ‘love’ – ‘fear’ – like an eagle incapable of leaving the nest falsely thinking its wings have been clipped while the skies are beckoning this majestic creature to soar into unfathomable freedom. I call it uncertainty; like a baby restlessly crawling wondering if there could be anything more than what it is seeing from its limited perspective, the painstaking standing and falling until one day running into unimaginable potential. Love is the only force strong enough to bring you from darkness into the parameters of where you were destined to flourish; a metamorphosis of genesis faith entering the cocoon not knowing that you’ll one day become someone beyond your wildest expectations.

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GREG WRIGHT

***

COST: R50

Four letters? I call it a four-part SOS Morse code message from God to man, connecting the dot, dot, dot, dots between Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

PREP TIME: 90 MIN. (GIVE OR TAKE)

In the beginning, the world once had this perfect connection with a Network Provider even better than your best day with Vodacom. To think that supernatural communication channels on an unbroken line to the Eternal were once normal. Then, in a single decision encouraged by the serpent’s deception, we were led away from service and out of Eden’s range to wander in the wilderness wondering if we could ever come back into divine reception. But how could we have ever thought this possible with a faulty airwave transmission and a messed up signal? Who could fix it? Believe it or not, the Maker Himself came on a rescue mission destroying sin’s frequency and signaling true love’s manifestation. Calvary’s final cry, “It is finished!” is the harmony between man and God – the old has gone, the new has come.

SERVES: 5

Pavlova is a simple dessert which is not too heavy on the budget. It’s rather versatile in that one can use most fruit combinations to make it a taste bud sensation. The crisp and chewy delight that is meringue topped with glorious quantities of whipped cream and fresh fruit is perfect for a hot summer’s day.

INGREDIENTS 4 egg whites 230g castor sugar – 1 cup Pinch of salt 250ml cream – whipped 2 Kiwi fruits 100g Strawberries half Tin Peach slices Any other fruit you want to add

METHOD MERINGUE 1

Heat oven to 140C

Line a large baking tray with baking paper

Ensure the mixing bowl used for the egg whites are free of any grease (wipe the bowl with a little bit of vinegar if you are unsure).

Place the egg whites and the pinch of salt into the mixing bowl and whisk on low for roughly a minute.

Then turn up the speed to medium and whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks - that is; when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl the mixture should form a peak and hold its form.

Using a large metal spoon, spread the mixture evenly onto the baking paper, forming a large circular or rectangular shape.

Bake the meringue for 30-40 minutes or until the meringue is pale and dry to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the oven door open so the meringue can cool down.

*** Four letters? No, love’s definition was demarcated on the four corners of an old wooden cross where a Saviour was stretched and nailed on your behalf.

Then while whisking the mixture gradually add the sugar while whisking on high speed. This part may take up to 8-10 minutes. The mixture should come out smooth, stiff and glossy.

TOPPING 1

I call it limitless love

Wash, hull and halve the strawberries, peel the kiwis and slice. Drain the liquid from the peach slices. Place all the prepared fruit into a bowl

Whip the cream until stiff

Spoon the cream onto the top of the cooled meringue (the amount of cream used is up to you) and sprinkle the fruit over the top.

S AV V Y S T U D E N T N U T T I G E W E N K E

Omsien en Omgee DEUR NICOLETTE VAN SCHALKWYK

ou studiejare is die tyd waarin jy lewenslange vriendskapsbande smee, ’n leeftyd se herinneringe opbou en die saadjie plant vir ’n suksesvolle toekoms. Dit is veronderstel om niks minder as ’n vreugdevolle en opwindende ervaring te wees nie. Vir baie studente is die kampus ’n tweede huis en daarom is dit gerusstellend om te weet dat wanneer eksamenstres jou aan die strot gryp of jy van alleenheid in ’n hoekie wil kripeer, jou mede-studente daar is om jou val te keer. Dit is egter nie die geval vir alle studente nie. Ons vind dat ons dikwels in die massas verdwaal en verby mekaar leef. Die enigste manier om dit hok te slaan is om werklik ’n gevoel van omgee en liefde op kampus te kweek. Hier is ’n paar maniere hoe jy jou bydra kan lewer.

Leef volhoubaar As ons dink aan liefde en omgee, dan dink ons dadelik aan ons medemens. Tog is daar ’n ander element waarvan ons dikwels vergeet: die omgewing. Dis belangrik om nie net respek teenoor jou mede-studente te wys nie, maar ook teenoor jou kampusomgewing. Dit is nie altyd prakties om ’n kompostuin in jou koshuiskamer te kweek of om met ’n swartsak rondom jou nek te loop en vullis op te tel nie, maar daar is wel ander, maklike maniere om jou bydrae te lewer. Maak gebruik van die vuilgoedblikke op kampus wat vullis sorteer volgens herwinbare en nie-herwinbare materiaal. Gebruik herwinbare produkte of vind ook uit of jou kampus ’n pendeldiens het en maak gebruik daarvan eerder as om met jou eie motor te ry. ’n Bietjie stap of fietsry sal ook nie skade doen nie. As jy nou dink die wêreld se voortbestaan rus alleenlik op jóú skouers, dink weer! Dis nie net jou verantwoordelikheid nie.

Ons is immers magtiger in ons massas. Moedig jou mede-studente aan om ook hul bydra te lewer om die kampus skoon te hou en raak betrokke by organisasies wat help om besoedeling te voorkom. Een so ’n organisasie is Greenpeace1 wat regoor Suid-Afrika mense in spesifieke omgewings soek om op sosiale media omgewingsbewustheid te skep.

Die mag van ’n klein gebaar Mense leef dikwels onder die illusie dat liefde en ondersteuning deur middel van groot gebare gewys word. Moet egter nie die waarde van ’n klein gebaar onderskat nie. Volgens Max- Marc Fossouo2, ’n verhoudings-ontwikkelings-deskundige, is ’n glimlag die perfekte teken om te wys dat jy toeganklik is vir nuwe verhoudings. Dit laat mense onmiddelik meer gemaklik en tuis voel in jou teenwoordigheid. Net soos ’n vriendelike glimlag, kan ’n kompliment op die regte tyd ook wondere verrig. Dit mag dalk maklik wees om een van jou vriende te komplimenteer, maar toets dit ’n slag op een van jou mede-studente. Onthou net om jou woorde mooi te kies. As jy nog nooit die persoon ontmoet het nie, moet jy verkieslik komplimente soos “jou hare ruik baie lekker” of “ek hou van jou Facebook-fotos” vermy. Jy wil mense gemaklik laat voel, nie die berge injaag nie! Buiten ’n vriendelike glimlag of ’n kompliment, is ’n gewillige oor ook ’n maklike manier om jou liefde en omgee vir jou mede-studente te wys. Glo dit of nie, maar almal het soms nodig om af te pak, al is dit ook by ’n vreemdeling. Baie studente verlaat die veilige nes van hul ouerhuis om op ’n vreemde plek 2000 km van die huis af te studeer. Die nuwe omgewing, die >

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NUTTIGE WENKE

Buiten ’n vriendelike glimlag of ’n kompliment, is ’n gewillige oor ook ’n maklike manier om jou liefde en omgee vir jou mede-studente te wys.

massas mense, tesame met die enorme werklading, is die perfekte resep vir ’n gevoel van alleenheid en mismoedigheid. Miskien is jy een van hierdie studente of ken jy so iemand. Met hul familie aan die ander kant van die land (of wêreld), het hulle soms iemand nodig om mee te praat. Iemand met meer begrip as hulle huiskat. Dis waar jy inkom. Moenie altyd wag vir mense om hulp te kom soek nie. Bied dit sommer aan! As jy sien iemand gaan deur ’n moeilike tyd, lyk effens verlore of staar vir meer as 30 sekondes na ’n leë rekenaarskerm, is dit tyd om jou innerlike sielkundige op die proef te stel. Moedig hulle aan om met jou of God te praat. Jy hoef nie eers noodwendig raad te gee nie. Partykeer is ’n gewillige oor al wat nodig is om iemand weer moed vir die lewe te gee.

Vier diversiteit Universiteite is ’n diverse kookpot van taal, ras, kultuur en belangstellings. Jy word tien teen een elke dag omring deur ’n mengelmoes van mense wat ander oortuigings en belangstellings as jy het, maar dit is geen rede om neer te kyk op mekaar nie. Nie alle studente behoort aan dieselfde kultuurgroep nie en dit is iets wat ons eerder moet vier as wat ons dit onder die mat vee. Die rektor van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, professor Jonathan Jansen3, het onlangs ’n baie belangrike punt hieroor in die Cape Times gemaak. Hy stel voor dat studente mekaar se verskille moet erken en dit as ’n geleentheid moet sien om by mekaar te leer. Daar is min dinge wat medemenslikheid, omgee en liefde so duidelik uitbeeld, soos wanneer jy agting vir ’n ander se kultuur toon. Tog is dit moeilik om waardering vir iets te hê as jy dit nie verstaan nie. Hiermee word nie bedoel dat jy onmiddellik vir jou ’n braaivleisrooster moet aanskaf of in elf amptelike landstale moet begin praat nie, maar daar is ’n paar ander praktiese goed wat jy kan doen om meer te leer oor die verskillende kulture waarmee jy jou daagliks omring. Moenie bang wees om vrae te vra nie. Jou klasmaats sal maar te bly wees om ’n bietjie van hul erfenis met jou te deel. En onthou, dis nie ’n eenrigtingstraat nie. Voel vry om ’n bietjie van jou eie kultuur ook te deel. Moet ook nie jouself onttrek van ander se geselskap net omdat hulle nie jou kultuur, ras of belangstellings

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deel nie. Wend eerder ’n poging aan om iets van jou mede-studente se kulture te leer sodat jy in die toekoms hul voorkeure kan respekteer. Nie net sal jy hierdeur meer respek vir ander toon nie, maar jy sal vind dat jy ook in die proses jouself verryk. Slegs as ons tot die besef kom dat diversiteit ’n bate is, sal ons in totale vrede en liefde met mekaar kan saamleef.

Raak betrokke Raak betrokke by organisasies, projekte en gesprekke wat ondersteuning bied aan studente wat dit nodig het. Of miskien is dit juis jý wat opsoek is hierna. ’n Maklike manier om betrokke te raak en ’n ondersteuningsbasis op te bou is deur in te skakel by jou kerk se jeuggroep. Vind ook uit oor jou kampus se welwillendheidsorganisasies en word deel daarvan. Dis ’n goeie manier om nuwe vriende te ontmoet wat jou ondersteuningsbasis kan word. Besoek jou kampuswebtuiste en vind uit oor hierdie tipe organisasies en hoe jy betrokke kan raak. Kontak ook gerus die instansie waarby jy studeer en doen navraag oor beradingsdienste indien jy met iemand wil praat. Hier onder is ’n lys van organisasies waarby jy betrokke kan raak as jy hulp soek of mede-studente wil ontmoet: HOOP-projek by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch wat omgewings- en gemeenskapsondersteuning bied: +27 (0)21 883 3584 of stuur ’n e-pos na info@stellenbosch360.co.za Die Universiteit van Stellenbosch bied raad en ondersteuning aan eerstejaarstudente wat dit verlang: studentaffairs@sun.ac.za. University of Stellenbosch Centre for Student Counselling and Development: 021 808 4707 EcoMaties: ecomaties@gmail.com ENDNOTES 1) www.greenpeace.org/ africa/en/ 2) www.selfgrowth.com/ articles/ 3) www.timeslive.cp.za/the times/2015/09/17/

NICOLETTE VAN SCHALKWYK studeer tans drama by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en hoop om na my dramagraad joernalistiek te studeer. Ek beskou God as die anker in my lewe en die Een op wie ek altyd my hoop en vertroue plaas. My grootste wens is om eendag te gaan backpack in Suid-Amerika...

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ENCOMPASS

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FAITH & FACT

LIT

THROUGH THE STORM

GENERATION RISING

VERSE

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ON BEAT

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CANVAS

IN RETROSPECT

CAMPS AND CONCERTS

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