If you only have time to read one thing...

Read this!

It is poignant, inspiring and like the proverbial hammer and nail, making exactly the right contact!

There is stuff in here that resonates deeply with me, and I hope you find the time, no, make the time to read it.

Adding a site meter

I don't actually write my blog for an audience, although it's nice to get the occasional comment so that I know someone somewhere is reading my rambling thoughts. I've often looked for a simple visitor counter just to see what kind of traffic comes my way, but hadn't found one until I stumbled upon sitemeter.

So I've added it o my site and I guess I'll begin to get a picture of the comings and goings of the blog. It will be interesting even if it turns out to be a bit disappointing! I will just have to console myself with the thought that maybe more people read my musing via Facebook and RSS than by direct visiting. well I can dream!!

A talking donkey

Jeff Noble has posted some notes from a talk at a conference he's attending. It's a reflection on the story of Balaam and his donkey. Having just read the story in our Old Testament history reading plan that Anne and I are doing together, it was good to read these reflections.

One of the tough parts of the story is that God tells Balaam to go and then stands in his way. At face value it seems rather odd, very much like an earlier story in Exodus about Moses and God's attempt to take his life.

Mark Batteson, who gave the talk, makes the following helpful observation:

Some times God gets in our way to show us his way.

I also like the alternative moral to the story, but you'll have to visit Jeff's blog to read that for yourself!

Missional Habits

Have you read David Fitch's post about Instilling missional habits in a congregation? In it he outlines nine old habits to reject and offers alternatives along the way. It makes interesting reading. For example:

Kindly Reject doing Outreach Events. Instead direct imagination towards ways of connecting with people where they are.

and:

Kindly reject the Sunday morning gathering as an evangelistic event for it cannot be that in the new post Christendom cultures. Instead fire up imagination for the formation that comes from a communal encounter with the living God in Jesus Christ.

Worth a read.