A Blind date with Jesus

Picture the scene... You're sitting in a restaurant at the table in the corner waiting for your blind date to walk through the door and in walks Jesus. Your friends have told you all about this guy, they've told you what he's like, what he does, and why he's perfect for you and pretty much everything they know about him... It is because of everything your friends have told you that has caused you to agree to this blind date and now you are finally about to meet this guy for yourself, you have preconceived ideas but none based on your own experiences or interactions with him and so begins the date.

Christianity can be closely parralleled to a blind date... It's because of friends that we invite God into our hearts or allow ourselves to actually meet him. When we let him into our lives, we have no real idea of what he can do and who he is except what we've heard and from the moment we let him in, begins the journey of getting to know him, the friendly dinner time banter...

But how many of us agree to this blind date but then sit in silence the whole night?
Instead of chatting and finding out more about him, we'd rather look at the others around us or the menu or we just sit on the phone chatting to our friends about the man sitting opposite us. Instead of taking time to get to know Jesus ourselves, we rely on preaches and words of others to expand our knowledge of Him.

Jesus is there opposite us, yet we choose to ignore him.

We have been given full access to Jesus, He is sitting waiting for us to give him our attention. He doesn't just want this blind date to be the only experience we have of him. He wants that date to be the start of a whirlwind romance, he wants you to tell him all about you but he also wants to tell you and show you everything about himself. He's just waiting for you to start the conversation

So why not put down the menu, the phone, or what ever it is and just give Jesus some time to show you who he really is.
You won't be disappointed.

More on the man with the 'beard of fury' (Gabe)

This week, I had the once – in - a - lifetime opportunity to catch up with our old friend Gabe “Strawberry jammy” Phillips. I thought I’d use the opportunity for the greater good so I asked him a few questions to try and pick some revelation out of his ginger head. His revelations were so weighty that he typed them in red just like Jesus did in the bible. And on that perfectly clear day of bright blue skies and a fresh light breeze in Durban and that icy cold, dark and unpleasant day in Cape Town, this is how the dialogue went:

So Gabe, why did you leave C.O.G.S? Was it because of offence, a broken heart or for attention?

Just kidding, tell us the real reason. Was it easy?

Leaving my family (both Sue and Ro as well as COGS) was the hardest thing I have ever done…and I’ve handled some really tough situations in my time(i.e living with red-hair, living with ben). But it was so hard not because of where I was going, but because of what I was leaving behind. I had made my tightest mates at COGS, got rebuked at COGS, found Jesus at COGS etc. A lot of who I am today is because of COGS and the people who have been a part of my life there, so in a sense I was leaving behind all that I had ever known…my safety blanket if you will. And that was some of the reason of why I left as well. I wanted to find out whether I could learn to lean on Jesus alone away from all the other things that had carried me for so long. That and also because God said so.

What have you boasted the most about in Cape Town?

Honestly, people have asked me to stop talking about “Paul” and “Richard”! But that wasn’t quite boasting…I have probably spoken about COGS Youth and all the incredible stories that we were a part of over the years about a million times! I am so proud of everything that God is doing in and amongst COGS youth that I have boasted about it from day one! I have shown many people David’s videos (Gavid productions), I have quoted Paul at every possible moment (“We really do need to get someone full-time for this”), I have spoken glowingly about Jono (most talented muso ever) Rich and his boys cell, and of course I’ve mentioned at every school I go to the amazing things that are happening at Danville school! I am so proud of COGS youth that I’ve even told people about Brad “slowest talker ever” King and Niki Rich’s unstoppable WITK team!

What are 3 of the most valuable lessons you learnt here at COGS youth?

Don’t overload trolleys with milk cartons and then try and wheel it down past Peets car

Listen to Paul and Rich when they tell you not to date someone

When you say you will finish the keys, do it!

But seriously,

Lead (be) like Paul and you can’t go wrong (seriously, that’s my real answer)

If you had to vote someone off of the youth leadership team who would it be?

Jenna-lee Collier

If you could be one piece of a drum kit which piece would you be?

Kick-drum (pretty standard really)

Please tell us the difference between passion and anger?

There’s a difference? A quote from ol’ Charlie Spurgeon that I hold dear says, “I have two emotions: angry and asleep”

If you came back to COGS youth now, what would you tell us to not take for granted?

The incredible youth leadership team and the cell groups…

Please tell us some of the most important lessons you’ve learned since you’ve been in Cape Town.

Lesson #1: Gay jokes don’t go down so well

Lesson #2: That the Gospel works! IT CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Is Roger Basil Haynes really the perfect man, even after you’ve seen him in his own home?

Absolutely and utterly flawless! He has no imperfections. Add him as a friend on facebook and check out his photo’s…you’ll see what I mean!

Tell us a little bit about your journey from the beginning of the year until now.

When I speak at COGS youth this Friday it will be officially 4 months since I left Durbs. In four months I feel I have been stretched and grown like never before. The youth here has literally been birthed out of nothing into something that is already having an impact in the community and schools around us. We have a youth around 40 people on a Friday night, two cell groups and 5 leaders you are desperate to see the city changed. The schools are erupting and God is opening doors like never before. I feel really clueless at times but I am so convinced that God is in absolute control.

Plus I’ve also grown an impressive red beard

Has anything caught you by surprise in regards to being in full time ministry?

I now understand the importance of Monday off! I have never been more tired in my life! Leading something on your own is very different than being just a part of the team. And I feel the pressure!

Would you rather have ginger hair, freckles and a red beard or be blind, deaf, mute with no motor skills?

I’d rather have dreadlocks, a funny face and have the nickname “Gherkin”

No seriously, you make it sound like a disease. I like to refer to my “condition” as having , “hair that shines like the sun, beauty spots handed down from the Gods, and a red beard of fury”.

Who is the real chief of Cape Town?

Roger has the title, but I have the capacity (or as Rich would say, “the capacity, capacity, capacity”)

Is there anyone in Cape Town who is OVEEZ on guitar?

I am COMPLETELY oveez! And I let everyone know it! (what is happening to me?!?! I think I’m becoming like Paul!!!!)

Who would you say is the “Brad Klynsmith” of Cape Town?

If by Brad Klynsmith you mean skinny, pale and a bit of a joke then the answer has to be me…but if you mean the desire of every Christian single lady then it has to be a guy from Common Ground named JP Le Riche. Handsome, flipping funny and controversial at the same time (he has a tattoo on his chest…I’ve seen it many times!)

Please list for us your world cricket team selection (players of the 90’s – so I know who you’re talking about)

1) Mark Taylor (Saeed Anwar)

2) Gary Kirsten

3) Brian Lara (David Boon for you)

4) Sachin Tendulkar

5) Steve Waugh (captain)

6) Inzaman Ul Haq

7) Ian healy(Daid Richardson)

8) Shane Warne

9) Curtly Ambrose

10) Allan Donald

11) Glen McGrath (Craig McDermot)

12) Jonty

…

Please give the members of COGS youth a charge.

Speak to God about men more than you speak to men about God

Make everything about Jesus

Eat as many Rave burgers as you can…they’re very very good

So that’s it folks!

Thank you Gabe for your time. And I know, I just know it, that the members of COGS youth have been counting down the days til Friday.

Well, you guessed it people, only 3 days left until you get to hear the revelation in red from the horses mouth and see the red beard of fury for yourselves.

Signing out

Pasta Coloss & Pasta Gin Gan