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Direction for all of life’s decisions
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FIRST WORD HI THERE! Not sure of the kind of winter you’ve had so far, but for me it has been a combination of rainy days at home in Hermanus, a lekker week away of retreating into the vast forests of Hogsback, playing lots of squash in Durban (#TheEndlessSummer), and reconnecting with old friends in Cape Town. It would be remiss of me not to tell you about the worst case of flu I’ve ever experienced in my life. I was literally out of action for over a week where it felt like my head was going to explode as phlegm came out thick and fast. Gross, right? I was seriously man down. But why do you need to know about this nottoo-pleasant detail? Why couldn’t I just have stopped at the ‘reconnecting-with-old-friendsin-Cape-Town’ part? It has a lot to do with how transformation works. By only offering a romanticised version of our lives, which is basically what most are doing on social media, it’s like we are forever trying to shine a bright light in the day – there is no contrast. “But,” I hear some asking, “Why does it feel like I need to go through the night before I see the sunrise?” Kyle Johnston offers a great answer on page 17 & 18 based on what James 1: 2-4 says is the reason those who follow Christ will face trials of many kinds. It says there that as Christians approach hardship with joy, which is the testing of their faith, it will grow in them a greater perseverance or resilience to make it to the end. Joy is not a
superficial happiness with a sort of ‘fake it till you make it’ mentality. It is the deepest motivation for the believer to keep pressing on, not in their own strength, but in the strength that only God gives. Ever heard of God’s Kingdom being described as the ‘now-but-not-yet’? Yes, Jesus ushered in this Kingdom through His death and resurrection and left His Spirit so that, through His people, it would extend across the earth. But the Kingdom in all its fullness will only be consummated when Christ comes back. No-one knows when this will be, even though there have been lots of predictions! It could be today. But until that day comes, God’s ‘now-but-not-yet’ Kingdom is being built up globally until the King’s return. One of my favourite Alternative Rock bands, Switchfoot, brought out a song in 2000 called ‘Dare You To Move’ (yes, that’s almost 20 years ago!) which captures this idea of the ‘now-butnot-yet’: “The tension is here Between who you are and who you could be Between how it is and how it should be” I’m not sure whether Jesus’ death and resurrection is something you believe in or not. That’s okay. All that is published on the Scope Student Platform is about trying to speak into the life of any university student, wherever they may be at. Christian, or otherwise, it is worth considering these two questions:
Transformation starts with you before you hope to see it in the world. 1. What is the future you that you dream about becoming? 2. What do you see in the world which you know is wrong and you hope will one day be made right? There is no better place to go to than the Creator of the universe who made you in His image. May you begin to see your life through His eyes as you start a relationship with Him who you can call your Father, becoming one of His children, making Jesus your King and truly “share in his suffering in order that [you] may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17). Transformation starts with you before you hope to see it in the world. Much love, Jonathan Just: Publishing Director Recommended Read – ‘Why I Believe’ blog post by Philip Yancey
Inviting all university students to a bigger scope of our world today through the lens of the Gospel.
03 First word 06 Music in Motion- ‘Slow Down’ by Jonathan Ogden Singled out - ‘Joy Invincible’ by Switchfoot
WINTER ISSUE 2019
07-08 Generation Rising - ‘Who are you becoming?’ by Mégan Schilder Singled out - ‘FREE’ by WHATUPRG Singled out - ‘Dry The River’ by Majozi 09 Storey - Christan Barnard Singled out - ‘As Far As I Go’ by Timothy Gilmour 10 Music in Motion - ‘The Search’ by NF Singled out - ‘Butterfly’ by Josh Garrels 11 FTW - ‘Transforming your mind as a young entrepreneur’ by Vanessa Kaliwo Singled out - ‘Breathe’ by Deraj ft. Cass 12-13 Faith & Fact - ‘Miracle in the Normal’ by Wandile Mhlongo Singled out - ‘Don’t Let Go’ by Mike Crowster ft. Tami Kolbe 14 Music in Motion - ‘Anonymous’ by Incense Word up - ‘Transformation IS’ by Puno Selesho 15 Music in Motion - ‘The Rush’ by Kings Kaleidoscope Singled out - ‘Unity’ by Lunga 16 Recipes on the run - ‘Champion quick meals anyone can make’ by Dani Kreusch Singled out - ‘New Life’ by LOVKN
17 Music in Motion - ‘Every Little Thing’ by Hillsong Young & Free ft. Andy Mineo Singled out - ‘The Second City’ by Steven Malcolm 18-19 Through the storm - ‘Let perseverance finish its work’ by Kyle Johnston Singled out - ‘Something Real’ by Jonathan Ogden Singled out - ‘Transformed’ by Gruth 20 Music in Motion - ‘Reason’ by Unspoken Singled out - ‘Days Gone By’ by Hillsong Young & Free 21-22 Cross-culture - ‘How can I change the culture around me?’ by Dambudzo Mushambi Singled out - ‘Meant For Me’ by Ty Brasel Singled out - ‘You’ve Always Been’ by Unspoken 23 Music in Motion - ‘Hold Me Back’ by KB Singled out - ‘Blessed Up’ by Wande 24-25 On Beat - ‘People’ by Hillsong UNITED album reviewed by Jonathan Just Singled out - ‘I’m my worst enemy’ by ANGEL!NA 26 Singled out - ‘Legendary’ by Skillet Music in Motion -‘Goliat’ by Straatligkinders Singled out - ‘Clean’ by Hillsong UNITED 27 Last word Singled out - ‘Oxygen’ by Kings Kaleidoscope
All opinions expressed in this issue do not reflect our advertisers or Scope Magazine
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WE’RE ON
Click here to listen to the whole ‘Singled out’ playlist: https://bit.ly/2Yr9QRW
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WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘SLOW DOWN’ BY JONATHAN OGDEN
WATCH HERE
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‘JOY INVINCIBLE’ BY SWITCHFOOT LISTEN HERE
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Who are you becoming? by Mégan Schilder
T
here is no denying that our world is in a real mess. At the same time, seeing that sentence in black and white is a bit difficult to swallow because it’s not the whole truth.
If you’re anything like me, you may be reading this and thinking, “There are also people committed to bringing about real change, who have already seen real change happen.” The history of South Africa makes it easy for us to recall stories of people finding hope and overcoming impossible situations. But what about today? What will it mean for you to stand together with others who live radically different in a culture that encourages us to be selfcentred and affirming of self-regulated ‘truths’? Most people I’ve asked have said ‘authenticity’ is the one word to best describe the state of being one’s truest self. This seems simple, even common knowledge and language – especially among our emphatically self-aware friends – until you look up its definition. It didn’t take more than a quick Google search to find that ‘authentic’, in this instance, is to be “made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original”. That’s major if we would dare to call ourselves authentic. Here’s a moment for honest reflection: I have never been more
aware of the ache in my soul for authenticity. The ache for something that takes me back to the place of zero striving and fully being –something quite like ‘an origin’. I, also, have never seen this same ache burn in the hearts of those around me as much as I do now. It seems the more humanity chases after that which appears desirable, the more chaotic the world becomes, ironically leaving us less satisfied and driven further away from our hopes of finding “a way that faithfully resembles an original”. We cannot run away from our longing for something real as much as it seems we cannot run away from the counterfeit contaminating our preferences. As we work out our lives and ideals in this tension, where do we go to find resolve and hopefilled clarity? In a rapidly progressing world, let us not forget that the beginning always gives greater definition to the end. This may seem like an unrelated place to start when partaking in the conversation for transformation. But it makes no sense that we fervently stand for change and can hardly agree on the type of change necessary for lasting transformation to be truly embodied. Let’s go to the beginning, then. God created the heavens, the earth and every living creature on it. More specifically, as Genesis
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‘FREE’ BY WHATUPRG LISTEN HERE
08 WINTER ISSUE 2019
READ GENERATION RISING
We cannot run away from our longing for something real as much as it seems we cannot run away from the counterfeit contaminating our preferences. 1 verse 27 says, “God created human beings in his own image… male and female, He created them.” To give expression to our authenticity is to find the point of departure for humanity: in God. This Truth undeniably meets the biggest desire every person has: inner peace and having our most basic needs met. When you believe completely that He is God and that you came from His hands, you automatically recognise that the meaning of life is locked up in knowing Him. The miracle of your whole story then becomes a satisfied life – fully at peace and fully alive – because you know the God who is faithful in your ever-changing circumstances. In God’s kindness, He has given definition to the beginning of humanity’s story and He has given definition for its end. This is true for everyone – the marginalised, the poor, the broken, the
widow and orphan, the rich, and all those in between. All are welcome in His Kingdom. Just before Jesus left the earth, He told His disciples to go to a particular place to wait for His Holy Spirit. Once God’s Spirit came on those who followed His instruction, they were empowered to go and tell others about Jesus. The Spirit was the one who gave faith to those who never saw Jesus with their natural eyes. What was the result of this? Acts chapter 2 describes how the church grew in numbers but also in good deeds. Their Christian experience led them to share resources in a way that we would generally deem radical. Yet, that was an authentic response to the compulsion of God’s Spirit in them. He cares for the world more than we ever would. In our good desire to be change agents in the culture, it only makes sense to partner with the One who is all-powerful and has already set the plan in motion for true transformation. Our plight only makes sense if it rides on the back of this one thing: abundant life coming to all through God who sent Jesus Christ as a way to know the ‘Original’. Living authentically according to who God created us to be. Becoming an embodiment of transformation that is allencompassing, foreshadowing the Kingdom yet to come. Mégan Schilder is just a human, journeying through, learning her place at the feet of Majesty (and currently addressing herself in the third person :P)
LISTEN SINGLED OUT
‘DRY THE RIVER’ BY MAJOZI LISTEN HERE
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WATCH STOREY
CHRISTAN BARNARD
WATCH HERE
LISTEN SINGLED OUT
‘AS FAR AS I GO’ BY TIMOTHY GILMOUR LISTEN HERE
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WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘THE SEARCH’ BY NF
WATCH HERE
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‘BUTTERFLY’ BY JOSH GARRELS LISTEN HERE
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WATCH FTW
‘TRANSFORMING YOUR MIND AS A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR’ BY VANESSA KALIWO
DOWNLOAD THE WORKBOOK HERE: https://bit.ly/2YaOCs0
WATCH HERE
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‘BREATHE’ BY DERAJ FT. CASS LISTEN HERE
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READ FAITH & FACT
by Wandile Mhlongo SCIENCE AND THE SUPERNATURAL If matter, space and time are all the universe consists of, then I suppose we can confidently conclude that miracles are impossible. Miracles are events taking place in our material universe, yet with an origin outside its confines. For miracles to be possible there must be a world existing independently from ours. That world we will call supernatural, and ours natural or material. Atheists believe that science has disproved the existence of the supernatural – in my view this is mere speculation. To draw conclusions about the supernatural from instrumentation purely concerned with the natural world is equivalent to drawing conclusions about astrophysics from botany. Simply, the scientist can only and should only make conclusions within the limits of his/her field of study of the natural world. Therefore, to use science as a defence against supernaturalism is to be either dishonest or ignorant about its proper functions. MIRACLES AND MAGIC Some may object to miracles because they think of
them as magic. However, the two are different from each other. Magic has historically been regarded as a practice outside of, and even contradictory to, monotheistic religions such as Christianity. Miracles, on the other hand, have had a positive association with monotheistic religions and the various cultures influenced by those religions. Miracles carry a sense of awe and wonder, and their results are often part of a grand scheme whose influence is beyond specific acts or experiences. Also, you will have no magic without a magician, however, miracles do occur without a mediator. THE CASE FOR MIRACLES What evidence is there to prove the existence of the supernatural? I am afraid a direct method of proof cannot suffice for this question. I have already pointed out that miracles are events taking place in our natural world, thus a miraculous event may very well be indistinguishable from that of a naturally occurring one. My point is, for us to know what miracles are, we first need to have an understanding of natural laws, and in so doing, we may begin to have an understanding of the supernatural. This may come as a surprise. For example, say I have only two R10 notes in my wallet.
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According to the laws of arithmetic I should only have R20. Now say I misplace the wallet and later recover it with only one R10 note. The only sensible conclusion in such a case would be that someone, a thief, had taken my R10 note. It would be foolish of me to blame the laws of arithmetic, as these laws had not been tampered with, they had only given me the results of what was left after an external force had acted upon my wallet. I believe the same is true of our material universe when it interacts with the supernatural. The supernatural acts like the thief in the above example, introducing or removing certain characteristics to the blueprint of the material world. What may be understood as nature randomly taking its course could rather be nature taking its course under the commands of the supernatural. Furthermore, it does seem logical to point to natural laws in explaining why nature behaves the way she does, however, many are mistaken to suppose that these laws can be a cause in and of themselves. For instance, Newton’s laws of motion determine how a billiard ball would act once it has been set in motion by a striking stick. However, they cannot determine if whether the ball will be set in motion in the first place. A different law must then be involved. Laws, therefore, are not the initiators of an event but rather act upon the event once it has been initiated. This then begs the question: who or what initiated all the events in existence today? Things like the precision of the earth’s orbit, the position and orbit of the moon, our distance to the sun, and the oxygen available for our lungs. All is too conveniently placed for us, compelling me to believe there was an intentional force behind all this. THE ANATOMY OF A MIRACLE If miracles are possible, this ‘force’ cannot be a mindless entity floating about in space – like us, it must have personhood. Christians believe that this personhood is God, Creator of matter, space and time. They also believe that God is outside of
WHAT MAY BE UNDERSTOOD AS NATURE RANDOMLY TAKING ITS COURSE COULD RATHER BE NATURE TAKING ITS COURSE UNDER THE COMMANDS OF THE SUPERNATURAL. His creation, yet not far from it, and being outside the material world does not make Him abnormal and unwelcomed. In fact, natural and supernatural coexistence may be His normal state of affairs. For Jesus to make a blind man see may be to Him as normal as it is for us to wear a pair of glasses or remove a cataract through surgery. The only difference is that His ways are more definitive. I do not believe God uses anything alien to bring about a miracle – He uses what is already in existence today: the bread and fish to feed the 4000, Mary’s womb to carry Christ, water and the wine jars etc. These and many other miracles we read about in the Bible which may seem scientifically impossible are actually as logical as nature itself. If there is a Creator who set in motion the form and function in which everything is ordered, then the way we study that which is supernatural is often from the surprisingly normal that God uses to demonstrate His awesome presence. Wandile Mhlongo is a final year UCT medical student. Founder of UCT PaedSoc. He has interests in philosophy, ethics, economics and Christian thought.
LISTEN SINGLED OUT
‘DON’T LET GO’ BY MIKE CROWSTER FT. TAMI KOLBE LISTEN HERE
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WINTER ISSUE 2019
WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘ANONYMOUS’ BY INCENSE
WATCH HERE
LISTEN WORD UP
‘TRANSFORMATION IS’ BY PUNO SELESHO LISTEN HERE
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WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘THE RUSH’ BY KINGS KALEIDOSCOPE
WATCH HERE
LISTEN SINGLED OUT
‘UNITY’ BY LUNGA LISTEN HERE
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WINTER ISSUE 2019
CHAMPION QUICK MEALS ANYONE CAN MAKE by Dani Kreusch
READ RECIPES ON THE RUN
EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN’T KNOW ME FROM A SLICE OF CHEESE, JAMIE OLIVER SAVED MY STOMACH MORE THAN ONCE DURING MY STUDENT DAYS. HIS TWO RECIPES BELOW ARE A STUDENT-BUDGET-TIMEFRIENDLY STAPLE, BUT STILL HAVE FLAVOUR, NUTRITION AND THE ABILITY TO FILL YOU UP.
VEGETARIAN FRITTATA
COMFORTING SAUSAGE BAKE
SERVES 4 TOTAL: 25 MINUTES
SERVES 4 PREP TIME 10 MIN COOKING TIME 45 MIN
400G MUSHROOMS
600G CHERRY TOMATOES
8 LARGE EGGS
4 CLOVES OF GARLIC
80G CHEDDAR CHEESE (OPTIONAL)
200G ROSEMARY FOCACCIA (SUBSTITUTE WITH NORMAL BREAD WITH ROSEMARY STALKS POKED THROUGH THE PIECES)
50G ROCKET
1 X 450G WHITE BEANS
200G MIXED VEG OF CHOICE
12 MINI SAUSAGES
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Steam or boil the vegetables until they’re just shy of being cooked fully. Chop them roughly into small pieces. Chop the mushrooms and fry in 1 teaspoon of olive oil until golden, tossing regularly. Add sea salt and black pepper. Lightly beat the eggs, then pour into an oven-safe dish that’s been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray. Drop the vegetables, mushrooms and cheese – grated or roughly broken, depending on preference – into the egg. Place the dish into the oven for 10 minutes, or until nicely set. Loosen the edges with a spatula and remove the frittata from the dish onto a plate or serving board. Garnish with rocket.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Halve the cherry tomatoes, peels and finely slice the garlic, and tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Place it all in a 30cm x 35cm roasting tray. Pour in the beans and their juice, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and red wine vinegar (optional), add a splash of water, and mix it all together. Quickly pinch and twist each sausage in the middle to make them into two mini sausages and randomly dot them around your bake, lightly pressing them into the beans and tomatoes. Roast for 45 minutes, or until everything is golden, bubbling and delicious.
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‘NEW LIFE’ BY LOVKN LISTEN HERE
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‘EVERY LITTLE THING’ BY HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE FT. ANDY MINEO
WATCH HERE
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‘THE SECOND CITY’ BY STEVEN MALCOLM LISTEN HERE
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WINTER ISSUE 2019
READ THROUGH THE STORM
Let perseverance finish its work
by Kyle Johnston
P
ain is unpleasant. We all know that! Pain is something we seek to avoid. None of us would voluntarily choose to experience suffering. And yet, in the Bible, we are taught that God can use pain for good. While this raises all sorts of complex philosophical questions, my goal in this brief article is to see how the New Testament writer James highlights how persevering through trials transforms our character. In a section from his letter, James says the following: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2–4 It’s a surprising, if not unnerving, opening line! Why should Christians rejoice when they encounter trials and suffering? Well, not because pain is pleasant, but because the painful trials they experience tests their faith, which then produces perseverance. The logic goes something like this: a) Be joyful in trials and suffering b) because your faith is being tested c) and when your faith is tested, it produces perseverance
d) and perseverance works to transform your character. In other words, James is asking his Christian audience to respond to trials with joy because he knows that they are working to produce a deeper, stronger, and more confident faith. Now, while this may sound absolutely foreign to us, to James’ original audience, who had a Jewish heritage, the concept of God strengthening faith and deepening character through trials actually had a long history. For example, Abraham, the father of faith, was tested by God (Genesis 22:1). So this was a familiar concept to his readers—testing produces a deeper faith and a more complete character.
Scaling the mountains Because this might be new to us, let’s think a bit more carefully about this work of perseverance. What kind of transforming work does perseverance produce? Perseverance could be defined as ‘staying power’; the ability to keep going amid challenging situations. It’s a picture of someone carrying a heavy load for a long time—think of a hiker carrying an enormously heavy bag over mountain ranges. Just as that hiker’s muscles grow strong through bearing the heavy load for an extended period, so too, from a spiritual perspective, will the
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‘SOMETHING REAL’ BY JONATHAN OGDEN LISTEN HERE
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Christian’s character develop through perseverance. The work of perseverance is the development of character. But here’s the challenge: if the hiker stops hiking, they will not develop their muscles. If they put down their heavy burden and stop scaling mountains, they will not experience the muscular benefits of perseverance. If they stop hiking, they will get weaker, not stronger. Because you only develop muscles as you persevere! Likewise, if the Christian stops persevering in faith, they will not experience the renewal of their character. So James counsels them (and us!): Let perseverance finish its work.
Even in the storm, God wants to renew and transform you. Getting Personal Let’s get personal for a moment: What are the mountains you are currently having to climb? What are the valleys you have descended into? Here’s a list to get you thinking—you’ll know which one(s) are most relevant to your life situation: •
•
Psycho-spiritual problems, confusions or questions
Maybe you’re facing one of these trials. Maybe you’re at the intersection of all these things, and a whole lot more. In the midst of these, when we feel overwhelmed and tired, we can think that God is absent and doing nothing. And that’s where we see how powerful James’ point really is, because he’s saying this: it’s as you climb that mountain, it’s as you walk through that valley, that your spiritual muscles grow. It’s as you endure, it’s as you persevere, that you get stronger. Endurance doesn’t sap you, it strengthens you. Trials make you stronger, not weaker.
Perseverance and Joy… Together!? So how should we respond to trials and suffering? With joy. Not because we are happy, and not because pain is pleasant. But we respond with joy because we know that through faithfueled perseverance, God is at work deepening our faith and developing our character. We rejoice because He is at work in us! In the hardest seasons of life, in the most trying of circumstances, in the middle of pain and suffering, the claim of the Bible is that God is at work. And so we can cry out to Him, praise Him, and pray to Him with joy. We can joyfully endure with the strength He supplies. Even in the storm, God wants to renew and transform you. So keep that backpack on, keep shouldering that burden, keep scaling those mountains and keep walking through that dark valley. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete.
Relationship difficulties
•
Financial concerns
•
Academic challenges
Kyle Johnston is a pastor and counsellor at Jubilee Community Church in Cape Town. Kyle provides leadership and oversight to the counselling ministry and serves on the preaching team at Jubilee.
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‘TRANSFORMED’ BY GRUTH LISTEN HERE
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WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘REASON’ BY UNSPOKEN
WATCH HERE
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‘DAYS GONE BY’ BY HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE LISTEN HERE
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How can I change the culture around me? by Dambudzo Mushambi
E
arly last year, a multimedia messaging app and a popular music artist got into a disagreement. After the artist put up a single negative post on social media about that app, the app lost one billion dollars’ worth of value. Wall Street was stunned. The app – Snapchat. The artist – Rihanna. Snapchat never stood a chance. When we think of culture changers or influencers, people like Rihanna easily come to mind. The kind of people that make or break trends, and at a word can cause massive losses to the value of share stock seem to fit the bill when we’re talking about changing culture. In our globally interconnected spaces, shifting the culture begins to feel like it’s about changing global trends and ideas around something. A mindset can develop that says you either blow up and shift the culture in a major way, or you
might as well not bother. Go big or go home, as they say. Becoming a culture changer starts to look like a thing for the select few. Let me introduce another perspective. God, through Romans 12:1-3, invites people into a different way of thinking. Being ‘transformed’ and ‘renewed’ in our way of thinking means setting aside our current mental architecture and adopting a new, different way of seeing and being in the world. In a book written to pastors, Zack Eswine makes an interesting point when he talks about the temptation to be ‘big’, ‘relevant’ and ‘influential’. You might be saying, “Hey man, I’m not a pastor. What’s that got to do with me?” I feel you but hear me out.
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‘MEANT FOR ME’ BY TY BRASEL LISTEN HERE
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While those heroic moments are not everyday things, Christians still believe ‘that God is doing something larger than we can presently see’. The thing about the human condition is this – we’re all in it. In their own line of work, even pastors face the pressure of wanting to be influential and culture change-makers. We all want to have a ‘hero’ moment. Who doesn’t want their book to be on bestseller lists? Who doesn’t want to have their name scrawled on news chyrons, or to be invited to give a TED talk that scores millions of views and changes the conversation in that field? At the root of it, what we’re dealing with is the question of impact, and how we measure it. In line with Romans 12, Zack enjoins people to take up a posture he calls romantic realism. Romantic realism When we think about being culture change-makers, some are mired in romanticism more than others. They struggle to live in the ordinary, ‘restlessly [moving] themselves from one grand moment to the next’. Day to day life has lost all charm, and for them significance lies in the monumental. Others ‘inwardly decay through resignation’. They have long since given up all expectation of the extraordinary coming to them or
being accomplished through them. There seems little point in trying. This results in the ‘all or nothing’ mentality we spoke about before. As Zack puts it, “Either everything is grand or nothing is… romanticism and resignation both have this motto in common”. Romantic realism contrasts with both resignation and romanticism. For Christians, Jesus has given them another perspective and mindset through which to look at life. Christians recognise that as heavenly as heroic moments are, they are not heaven. They are ephemeral, at best, and ‘someone else among a rare few will most likely have that momentary role’. While those heroic moments are not everyday things, Christians still believe ‘that God is doing something larger than we can presently see’. Consider, for example, the story of how, over about three centuries, a powerless group of Palestinian Christians made a lasting impact on the Roman Empire, not through force of arms, but through love. It used to happen that baby girls or deformed children were left in town squares to die. The Christians took these children into their homes and raised them as their own. When plague ran
rampant, many victims were abandoned by their families as people fled. The Christians would tend to the sick and bury them if need be. It wasn’t heroic, Instagram-ready work, and many did not see the impact of their actions in their lifetimes. However, they were equipped with a changed mindset that prepared them for the long haul, whether they encountered an immediate groundswell of support (which sometimes happened), or if they faced fierce opposition (which definitely happened). These communities, whose work was a precursor of modern-day orphanages and hospitals, trusted that God was doing something bigger than they could see, and He was. Finally, you must ask this – What change is needed in my culture and how am I becoming part of God’s solution to the problem? It doesn’t have to be monumental. It will often be mundane. But empowered by God’s love and His Spirit, be faithful in the little things. He will bring the change. Dambudzo Mushambi is a Jesus follower from Zimbabwe. He is the husband of one wife (Hilary) and has three children. He enjoys reading, writing and thinking about all things human. He is the co-founder of Janana, a Christian platform for dialogue in South Africa about all of life for the common good.
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‘YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN’ BY UNSPOKEN LISTEN HERE
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‘HOLD ME BACK’ BY KB
WATCH HERE
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‘BLESSED UP’ BY WANDE LISTEN HERE
24 WINTER ISSUE 2019
READ ON BEAT
‘People’ by Hillsong UNITED Reviewed by Jonathan Just Contemporary Christian Rock band, Hillsong UNITED, released their 14th studio album on 26 April 2019. The response has been nothing short of phenomenal. People reached number 2 on the United States Billboard 200, a record chart ranking the 200 most popular albums and EPs in the USA, which equated to 8 million streams and 100,000 albums sold within its first week. Why has the album been able to garner so much interest by a lot of people who probably wouldn’t call themselves ‘Christian’? In short, it powerfully declares the mystery of God’s love. It presents so many facets about the one thing every person desires – love. This is the essence of God in the person of Jesus. What Hillsong UNITED did well in this latest offering was return to their ‘old Rock sound’ so many used to associate with them before they started fusing more electro elements into their set. They have truly honoured the people who were there with them from the beginning with a style that has become synonymous with ‘worship music’ in churches worldwide. There are definitely some tracks on the album which might sound similar to the UNITED of almost two decades ago, but in terms of composition and lyrical depth – they have seriously raised the bar. There is a creative clarity and authenticity about their declaration of the Gospel that can both powerfully build up the believer and soften the skeptic’s heart.
A lot of bands or artists these days may have one or two stand-out tracks in an album worth purchasing. Not so with People. It is a 12 -song masterpiece where you feel like if you miss out on even one song, somehow this portrait is missing crucial brush strokes and texture which adds to the whole. Go here to find lyrics to each of the songs I would recommend following while you listen. In track 1, ‘Ready Or Not’, all are invited to come “as you are or as you want to be.” These assuring words from the last two choruses really set the tone for the rest of the album: He’s still faithful to deliver Mighty as ever to save He’s still good on His promises
He’s already bought our freedom He’s already paid our debt He’s already done the miracle He’s already conquered death He’s our light and salvation He’s our rock solid hope He’s already done enough for us He’s already doing more The upbeat second track, ‘Here’s To The One’ trumpets who God is, what He’s done in Christ and what that salvation will mean for all who receive it, best highlighted in verse 3:
And His love still never fails
Here’s to all the things that Your love has done
He’s not moved by perfection
Here’s to the way You wiped away my past
Or how well we look the part
Here’s to the future and the things to come
But He’s wild about the hidden stuff Like He’s wild about the heart
Here’s to my Saviour’s everlasting love
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A hallmark of Hillsong UNITED’s recent work is their ability to share their faith with raw honesty and stirring melody many are able to resonate with. One of the places this is epitomised most is in the chorus and closing bridge of the fifth track, ‘As You Find Me’:
Another aspect of God’s love which is stressed in a few of the songs like ‘Highlands (Song of Ascent)’ (Track 8) and ‘Another In The Fire’ (Track 10) is that He will be with His children in the highs and lows of life. Here is the chorus for ‘Highlands (Song of Ascent)’:
I know I don’t deserve this kind of love
So I will praise You on the mountain
Somehow this kind of love is who You are
And I will praise You when the mountain’s in my way
It’s a grace I could never add up To be somebody You still want
You’re the summit where my feet are
As the space between wears thin I can feel the ground shake beneath us As the prison walls cave in Nothing stands between us Nothing stands between us Band leader, Joel Houston, said that a core message of People is accepting that even in your brokenness, God is madly in love with you. Now, because of His great love: Let a sleeping world awaken
But somehow
So I will praise You in the valleys all the same
You love me as You find me
No less God within the shadows
And the enemy is shaking
If You want my heart
No less faithful when the night leads me astray
As the graveyards spring to life
I won’t second guess
You’re the heaven where my heart is
‘Cause I need Your love
In the highlands and the heartache all the same
More than anything I’m in I’m Yours
Meditate on these promises from the bridge of ‘Another In The Fire’:
Your love’s too good to leave me here
And I can see the light in the darkness
Your love’s too good to leave me
As the darkness bows to Him
There’s a new day on the rise
We will sing We will dance Till the earth echoes the heavens Sing His praise Till we see the other side - Last chorus, ‘Echoes (Till We See The Other Side)’
I can hear the roar in the heavens
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‘I’M MY WORST ENEMY’ BY ANGEL!NA LISTEN HERE
26 WINTER ISSUE 2019
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‘LEGENDARY’ BY SKILLET LISTEN HERE
WATCH MUSIC IN MOTION
‘GOLIAT’ BY STRAATLIGKINDERS
WATCH HERE
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‘CLEAN’ BY HILLSONG UNITED LISTEN HERE
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LAST WORD “D
o not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” These words, from Romans chapter 12 verse 2, should make everyone ask two crucial questions for their lives today:
You show that something is important to you by giving your time, energy, resources, and thoughts to it. Verse 1 is saying that in view of how merciful God has been to you, the only right response is to give Him all of who you are because of how great He is.
1. What is the “pattern of this world” to not conform to?
There is a song called ‘Defender’ by Rita Springer that has these lyrics: “So much better Your way”. This is essentially what verse 3 is about; by breaking free from the mould the world had you in, you understand more and more how much better it is to go God’s way.
2. What does it look like to go from following this pattern to being “transformed by the renewing of your mind”? The verses around this passage – verse 1 and 3 of Romans chapter 12 – help us to see that there is something deeper going on. Verse 1 talks about worshipping God with your whole life and verse 3 says that transformation will lead to testing and knowing whether something is the will of God (or not). Who you are comes down to who you worship.
What would it look like to go God’s way for every area of your life? How can those who are being transformed by the Gospel, who know what transformation looks like, bring this kind of transformation to society where it’s needed most? Mark 7 verse 37 records how people were overwhelmed with amazement because Jesus
WHO YOU ARE COMES DOWN TO WHO YOU WORSHIP. did everything well, making the deaf hear and the mute speak. The work of Jesus is restorative in every sense of the word. It will always be. He ushered in a new Kingdom, powered by His Spirit, to transform people who are dead in their transgressions and make them new creatures in Christ. He transforms culture through His people, the Church, by redeeming that which is broken and making it well. Are you ready to go?
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‘OXYGEN’ BY KINGS KALEIDOSCOPE LISTEN HERE