My Acting Career

Over the next few nights I’ll be playing the part of an actor. I may not be a great actor but I’m looking forward to taking to the stage.

If you’re in the Perth area I’d love to see you at Road to Bethlehem . We live reasonably close to the venue these days but even when we lived a long way where we are now, and before we got involved as actors, we’d make the effort to travel to experience the performance each year. It really is worth it.

I’m not the only one in my family who’ll be taking part. Our daughter Emily and son James will be members of the acting cast. We play a family in the first scene. The interesting thing is that as Pauline isn’t someone who enjoys performing, I’ll have a stand in wife for the performances over the next few nights.

The Road to Bethlehem is a remarkable portrayal of the Christmas story in the form of a free, interactive, dramatised experience featuring dozens of actors and singers. The script changes each year so even if you’ve been before, it’s worth another visit. In fact, there have been significant changes this time around, so while it contains the elements of favourite scenes from years gone by, there is sure to be much that hasn’t been seen before.

The idea is that you’re taken back in time to witness the events of the first Christmas as they unfold, providing a unique entertainment experience that the whole family enjoys.

Instead of sitting down and watching a show, you walk from scene to scene as you travel to your destination, the stable. Live animals, great humour and some wonderful angelic choirs add to the experience.

Before and after you’ve trod the Road to Bethlehem you can spend time in the welcome area where you’ll be entertained, take part in craft activities or even buy a meal.

Road to Bethlehem is hosted each year by the Livingston SDA Community Church in Canning Vale. It runs for three nights each year. It’s on tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday evenings, the 13th, 14th and 15th of December. It starts at 7 o’clock each night and there’s free parking across the road at Livingston Marketplace Shopping Centre.

I’d love to see you there. If you want to know more about the event just click the play button on the audio player below to hear my radio interview with David Shaw, one of the organisers of Road to Bethlehem. The interview was broadcast a couple of weeks back so we talk about it coming up ‘the week after next’.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR120310_1512.mp3]

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Chuck Missler

missler.jpgChuck Missler packs venues across the world when he speaks. People are eager to hear his insights on what’s happening in the world today.

After a distinguished military career and more than thirty successful years in the business world, Chuck Missler decided to pursue his life-long love of teaching the Bible on a full-time basis.

He founded Koinonia House, an organisation devoted to encouraging people to study the Bible.

He has spent many years studying the links between the scriptures and current day events. He recently joined me in the 98.5 Sonshine FM studios to talk about his views on Scripture and how words written thousands of years ago are relevant for the 21st century. His main emphasis is on knowing what’s really going on in the world. Where are we headed today? What part do we need to play in this rapidly chaning world?

You can hear what he had to say by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.



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A Boomer Birthday Competition

ESV.jpgOne of the blogs that you’ll find in my Blogroll, and which I regularly read, Boomer in the Pew, has just celebrated its first birthday.

The blog’s writer, David, believes that every birthday party should have presents but in this instance, he’s the one doing the giving.

One Boomer in the Pew reader is going to win a premium calfskin leather version of the new ESV Study Bible.

The Bible retails for $239.99, and is available free courtesy of his friends at Crossway.

David has all the details on how you can enter his birthday competition at his post, Win a Calfskin Version of the ESV Study Bible!

I’d really prefer to win the Bible myself but if I can’t win I’m hoping that one the readers of RodneyOlsen.net will win.

By the way, even if you don’t want to try to win the Bible, make sure you check out David’s blog and spend a bit of time following his journey.



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Finding the magic of Christmas

nativity.jpgRemember staying awake half the night on Christmas Eve with that feeling of excitement turning your tummy inside out? You just knew that tomorrow was going to be the most exciting day of the year.

Remember that feeling, even if it were just for one day a year, that everything was right with the world?

You thought that Christmas would be like that every year, but something’s changed. The magic’s gone. Some people say that it’s just a day for the kids but you and I know that’s not true. There was something amazing about those early years celebrating Christmas and the good news is that you can experience that again.

If you’re wondering where that special Christmas feeling that you remember from years ago has gone, take time out this Christmas to put something special back into Christmas.

Take time to reconnect with the simple joys of Christmas. Decide now to really engage with those you love. Choose to see the wonder of the day. Choose to be in awe. Look at the magic in the face of a child at this time of year. Choose to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas without the commercial hype.

Why not read the true story of Christmas as found in the Bible. Take time to refocus on relationships and the simple joys of being with those you love without feeling the pressure of having to give more than you can afford.

We can choose to restore the wonder and the magic. We simply need to slow down long enough and to notice the many blessings that we’ve started taking for granted.

I hope that you rediscover the magic of Christmas this year.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

Luke 2:8-20



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Christian Carnival 229

carnival.jpgThe carnival’s in town.

The weekly Christian Carnival is an opportunity for Christian blog writers to share their best posts from the previous week. The topic of the post doesn’t necessarily have to focus on Christianity but it must reflect a Christian worldview, and the writer must be Christian to qualify.

I’ve taken part in the carnival many times over the years but this is the first time I’ve hosted the carnival. I must say that it’s a real honour to be able to present such a diverse range of great posts.

If I was clever, like many carnival hosts, I’d create categories and do all kinds of tricky things, but instead, I’ll just present this remarkable body of work in the order that each submission arrived in my inbox.

Please take the time to read through each post … it’s worth it. You might also like to link to this week’s carnival so that your blog readers can enjoy the variety of styles and thought.

There seems to be something about money that makes many Christians squirm. Unfortunately that prevents many from taking a serious look at their finances to find God’s heart on the matter. Free Money Finance wades into the topic with Putting God First.

Michael Snyder gets political when he presents The Picture Of The Hindu God That Barack Obama Carries For Good LuckShattered Paradigm at .

The way that many live, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Christianity is just a set of beliefs that’ll keep us busy until we make it to eternity, but David Gushee’s post The market economy’s moral influence posted at CounterCulture explores our responsibility for stewardship of the world’s resources.

Another wonderful contribution to the carnival this week comes from Weekend Fisher who remembers the advice she never gave a friend … and what her silence cost her friend in her post Do Christians sell the faith short? Part 3: sexual integrity and abortion. She issues a call to stand up for integrity not as a set of intrusive Thou Shalt Nots, but as a blessing of a more livable life.

Ken Brown is looking at Art, Nudity and Sex and the City. Well … that didn’t come out quite right. Ken’s not really looking at that stuff, he’s writing about it and you should check out what he has to say at his blog C. Orthodoxy.

A blogger I’m pleased to have recently started reading is Kathie M. Thomas. She presents Between a Rock and a Hard Place at workplace-ministry.com. It’s a lovely post that brings out a life lesson from the things around us.

Dean’s another favourite on my ‘must read’ list. This week he presents Certain Location… posted at My Jarrol Spot. He talks about old places bringing back old memories.

Annette has been thinking about The Mandate for a Pastor at her blog Fish and Cans. Her post is well worth reading and I encourage you to spend some time considering what Annette has to say.

Us Christians talk a lot about faith, but what is it really all about? Elementaryhistoryteacher presents Oh Ye of Little Faith at Got Bible?.

Richard H. Anderson is Reading Schweitzer Again for the 1st Time. Richard’s post at dokeo kago grapho soi kratistos Theophilos is a great one to get you thinking.

Fathers’ Day is a joyous time for many, but for others it can be a reminder of how our earthly fathers have failed us. Jennifer’s post Revisiting Father’s Day posted at Diary of 1 is a wonderful exploration of what we should do if our memories of dad aren’t all happy memories.

What is the real reason that communication and organization is so bad in so many churches? Diane R has written about The Church “In” Group? at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet.

Jeremy Pierce says that while A.W. Pink takes an outdated and unwarranted view on the so-called Curse of Ham passage in Genesis 9, he believes that Daniel Hays goes a little too far to call his comments racist. Jeremy asks is A.W. Pink, Racist? over at Parableman.

Walking is an oft-used metaphor for our life’s journey. But what does it really mean to walk with God?  This week John at Light Along the Journey has a few thoughts in his post What Does It Mean to Walk with God?

Tom Gilson reckons that everyone wants to claim Jesus as their own, in one way or another and he thoughtfully explains what he means in his post Jesus: Who Was He, Really? posted at Thinking Christian.

There are so many varied thoughts on what the scriptures are saying to us. ChrisB asks if theological differences between Christian groups prove our beliefs are inconsistent in his post Do Denominations Disprove Christianity? at his blog Homeward Bound.

One notion about gender and church, especially regarding woman priests, is that woman and men are “interchangeable.” Mark Olson examines that notion in his post On Men and Women with a little History Thrown In at his blog Pseudo-Polymath.

To round of this week’s Christian Carnival I’ll point you to some people who are taking their faith in Christ to a massive audience around the world through their music. Earlier this week I saw the Soweto Gospel Choir in concert and was thrilled at how overt their spiritual message was. They have an amazing ministry of shining God’s light into darkened corners. Here’s my post, Soweto Gospel Choir in Perth, complete with a radio interview (including a wonderful live performance) that I conducted with them yesterday.

Thanks to everyone who contributed this week to the Christian Carnival. Get posting and get your submissions in for next week’s carnival over at Thinking Christian.



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