2 PILLARS IN ONE DAY: GOVERNMENT & MEDIA

For those who do not understand the title, skip this post altogether, you won't understand the rest, so don't waste your time... But for those who understand the title, read on...

When I went to church this morning, I somehow came away from it all with this stronger feeling than ever that this church- small though it is, is one of the few that actively engages with society and seeks to influence it. First, Peter Young who is city councillor for Nerang shared about how the person in charge of Gold Coast Tourism's image was committed to changing the image of the city and steering it away from promoting culture and events which had questionable values. He requested that we all prayed for this person to have wisdom and ability to change the image of Gold Coast and he appeared emotional when he prayed it. As he did this, I sensed he loved the city and its people and shared God's longing for change in this place.

That was one.

The other thing was that the Christian radio station network 107FM Life was there too. Apparently, we were being featured as the church of the week, a program that they had been running. I did think at first, nah, they were just there to promote themselves, possibly get some christian advertisers out of the congregation, shake a few hands and get more people to tune into the station... But the station's head (can't remember his name) spoke about how the Gold Coast churches were still going thru the reconfiguration stage and had not come into full release of their true calling and purposes. He saw that churches in general need to wake up to the fact that God wants to change the city. This wasn't just about keeping another christian radio station going, but it was about affecting lives and bringing biblical truths and good values to Gold Coast families. Half the listeners were actually not Christians but they feedback to the station that because they were sick of the garbage in the media, needed a better alternative for themselves and kids and Life FM was giving it to them. However, it is a fight to keep it as they have to justify their license by convincing the govt. enough people are excited about them and their programmes. So, he asked the church to lend its support and be actively involved so that this medium can continue its work of influencing lives, values and mindsets in the city.. At the end of the meeting, the whole church went forward to support the station's team (music director, DJ, marketing director) in prayer. Something touching about this and I was asking why... then I remembered that media was such a long and forgotten pillar to be changed because it seems so out of reach, so abstract and glamorous, but when it is harnessed properly for the purposes of God, can be so powerfully effective in getting the message out there to the masses. And here was the church responding to the very people who could possibly pull it off.

We don't have this freedom in Malaysia and I look at Australia and yet they have been apathetic about maximising this freedom to talk about God and reach the city. It's ironic... somebody said we need people from places like yours to come and share about how it is so restricted in other countries for Aussies to wake up to the abundance they have,... At the end of it, we were treated to a free sausage sizzle by the radio station... Thanks for listening, folks... 2 pillars in one day can pretty much fill you up for the week in thought process....