We're currently doing a series from Acts. I like Acts. I like it because it describes the early church as it develops through the ups and downs of discovering and following God's big plan.
On Sunday we reached Acts 13 and I talked about the church unleashed. The titles for this series are all borrowed from a study guide I picked up, but I can't remember who wrote it. If I find it any time soon, I'll give proper credit to the author, but meanwhile I'll just say thank you to whoever it was that came up with the titles I've purloined for use in this series!
So, the church unleashed then. I have pretty strong views about the church, don't we all. I have my share of frustrations and issues with the way we've become institutionalised over the centuries and I long for a simpler, more relationally based expression of church than I currently see in almost every church setting I've served or been a part of in any way.
When I look at Acts 13 I am always challenged by the sheer simplicity of worship, prayer an fasting, followed by hearing, discerning and acting. we are so quick to look for long-term strategies and sustainable outcomes, both of which are important, but sometimes done at the expense of simply getting on with being the church born of and built by the God of mission.
In Acts 13 cultural barriers were crossed, malevolent forces encountered and persecution experienced. There were setbacks and triumphs, successes and failures. But the church grew and the kingdom advanced. All of which was at the very facilitated by a group of unnamed pioneers who pushed out beyond the primarily Jewish confines of the early community. Faith was spelled r-i-s-k, and they just got on with trying to be good news the people around them.
People who can think like this and act like this are probably quite rare. Most of us are shaped to fit our culture and work within it. We're not naturally disposed to think differently. But we need those who can. Without such people we might still have a slave trade, women might not be voting and children might still be working in factories and mines. Someone saw a different world and showed it to others who saw it too.
A number of years ago a book was published called something like On giant's shoulders. It was either Melvyn Bragg who wrote or Melvyn Bragg who hosted a programme on Radio 4 discussing it. I don't remember. I do remember the argument of the book. It suggested that it would be wrong to assume that if key figures like Einstein or Newton hadn't made the discoveries or developed the theories that they had, others would have done so. These men and women of history were giants upon whose shouldres we all get to ride. Without them, development would have been quite different.
So those pioneers in Acts didn't do what anyone could do, they did what they could do, and maybe they alone were destined to do.
If we're going to become the church unleashed in the 21st century, then perhaps we need to recognise a few giants too. And if not giants at least we need to think differently.
And as we think, we shall also need to pray, worship, even fast, as we seek to discern and then follow God's lead.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Continuing reflections on church
As I continue constantly to reflect upon the nature and purpose of the church, upon the need I see (and desire I have) for simpler expressions of church life and the questions I have about the structures we impose upon the movement we have made into an institution, I can't help wondering what questions we should be asking and what questions we ought to avoid. All too often we ask church centred questions rather than gospel centred questions. We ask what the church should be in order to reach our wider community more effectively. But ought we not to be asking what the gospel looks like in our modern cultural setting?
I'm not suggesting changing the core message, but surely we have to agree that only church people think in terms of the role of the church. Most people outside the church see it as little more than an irrelevance. At best it's where you might consider getting married, if the setting will give you nice photographs.
Our structures also bear little relevance to the world beyond the bricks and mortar. I have a Masters degree in theology. If I wanted to teach in a theological college I've been told I would need a doctorate or at the very least a published book! But neither of these qualifies me for anything in the wider world. Outside of the church these degrees and diplomas mean nothing. It means very little to very few people.
What does matter is that I'm there when a member of the family passes away. What might matter is that I'm there to cheer them on when everyone else has given up on them. What could matter is someone being available when they need friendship. And you don't have to be a minister or pastor to do that!
Perhaps the gospel looks like the community we say it is but often fail to live out in any real sense. Like everyone else we've become too busy in our individual world to be connected to anything beyond ourselves.
All this rambling brings us again to the need to live the gospel and not just preach the gospel. For we preach the gospel in isolation to the already converted for the most part. And all. The while, those who desperately need to both hear and experience good news are beyond our reach because we don't have the time in our busy and complicated expressions of church to spend any quality time with them.
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I'm not suggesting changing the core message, but surely we have to agree that only church people think in terms of the role of the church. Most people outside the church see it as little more than an irrelevance. At best it's where you might consider getting married, if the setting will give you nice photographs.
Our structures also bear little relevance to the world beyond the bricks and mortar. I have a Masters degree in theology. If I wanted to teach in a theological college I've been told I would need a doctorate or at the very least a published book! But neither of these qualifies me for anything in the wider world. Outside of the church these degrees and diplomas mean nothing. It means very little to very few people.
What does matter is that I'm there when a member of the family passes away. What might matter is that I'm there to cheer them on when everyone else has given up on them. What could matter is someone being available when they need friendship. And you don't have to be a minister or pastor to do that!
Perhaps the gospel looks like the community we say it is but often fail to live out in any real sense. Like everyone else we've become too busy in our individual world to be connected to anything beyond ourselves.
All this rambling brings us again to the need to live the gospel and not just preach the gospel. For we preach the gospel in isolation to the already converted for the most part. And all. The while, those who desperately need to both hear and experience good news are beyond our reach because we don't have the time in our busy and complicated expressions of church to spend any quality time with them.
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tennis Break
With a little apprehension on both our parts, Anne and I set off for a few days in the wilds of Norfolk on a tennis break. We've never done this before, so we both wondered what it might be like. Anne, as a beginner, was having some specially arranged private lessons and I was joining the group course that was at the heart of the programme.
As a novice I suppose I was more concerned that everyone else would be so much better than I was and that I'd just end up embarrassing myself. I needn't have worried. Lots of encouragement and fun was the order of the day.
We came home with a few sore muscles and a new group of friends who we hope to meet again if we're ever on another break together.
Many thanks to Nick Ring Leisure who organise these things and who went out of their way to meet our needs by adding the private one-to-one lessons into the schedule for Anne.
As a novice I suppose I was more concerned that everyone else would be so much better than I was and that I'd just end up embarrassing myself. I needn't have worried. Lots of encouragement and fun was the order of the day.
We came home with a few sore muscles and a new group of friends who we hope to meet again if we're ever on another break together.
Many thanks to Nick Ring Leisure who organise these things and who went out of their way to meet our needs by adding the private one-to-one lessons into the schedule for Anne.
Friday, March 04, 2011
Simple Church
I've often looked at the life of the average cutch and wondered to myself how it managed to get this complicated. The church, in its mainline, established form, take a lot of organising. There are meetings to plan, events to arrange, rotas as to fill. Hardly surprising that one well-known church leader once said they resigned because they no longer wanted to "run the church".
I have often commented that the church is more like a garden than a business. It needs nurturing not running. But we so easily fall into maintaining our structures and meeting our internal needs, that in the end it can look more like a maintenance programme or a business plan than a mission.
So it is that I find myself wondering how to simplify church. When I first read Neil Cole's book about Organic Church I was captivated by the idea of simple church structures that allowed a more organic approach to church to flourish. It's not without its challenges for an established church, but that doesn't mean it's not worth the effort of exploration.
Two websites have come my way recently that together explore simple church and tell stories about it. If you are interested in exploring these ideas, then you might like to visit Simple Church and its related site Simple Stories.
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I have often commented that the church is more like a garden than a business. It needs nurturing not running. But we so easily fall into maintaining our structures and meeting our internal needs, that in the end it can look more like a maintenance programme or a business plan than a mission.
So it is that I find myself wondering how to simplify church. When I first read Neil Cole's book about Organic Church I was captivated by the idea of simple church structures that allowed a more organic approach to church to flourish. It's not without its challenges for an established church, but that doesn't mean it's not worth the effort of exploration.
Two websites have come my way recently that together explore simple church and tell stories about it. If you are interested in exploring these ideas, then you might like to visit Simple Church and its related site Simple Stories.
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Thursday, March 03, 2011
Blasphemy laws
I was interested to hear a bit of a debate on the radio this morning about our need or otherwise of a blasphemy law in the UK. It's been some time since we had one, I think the last one was repealed sometime in the early 70's.
I've often thought that such a law is actually an expression of weakness when it comes to religious faith. I don't think we need this kind of protection from those with whom we disagree. If we, as Christians, want the freedom to express ourselves freely, then we have to live with the freedom of expression of those who don't like what we believe. Whether they do so militantly or thoughtfully doesn't really make a difference.
I've often thought that such a law is actually an expression of weakness when it comes to religious faith. I don't think we need this kind of protection from those with whom we disagree. If we, as Christians, want the freedom to express ourselves freely, then we have to live with the freedom of expression of those who don't like what we believe. Whether they do so militantly or thoughtfully doesn't really make a difference.
February walking stats
For the shortest month and one day when I was so ill I didn't leave the hotel room, I didn't do too badly. Overall I managed 321022 steps which is approximately 160.5 miles. My best day was 24697, equivalent to almost 15 miles of flat walking.
So, after 7 months I've managed 1270 miles and over 2.5 million steps. And I've also discovered a possible simple repair to the worn heel lining of my shoes. After only two and half months I've worn away the lining on the heel of my tennis shoes. Something I also do to my trainers albeit over a slight longer time period. Usually the shoes are still pretty good and I keep wearing them, but every so often the worn lining begins to rub a blister on my heel. The reason for the wear is a small bump on my heel that feels like extra bone.
Anyway, I've tried all sorts of running repairs using tape, but this usually just rolls up and creates more of a problem. What I needed was something soft to put over the worn patch. I found some foam sheet we'd bought in Hobbycraft. It's a bit like felt, but latex. I cut a square out and fixed it in my shoe using double-sided tape.
You need to be careful putting the shoes on, and make sure you don't roll the edge over, but it seems to be working a treat. My tennis shoes no longer rub my heel and their life has been extended. I'll try it in my trainers when they wear out sometime in April.
So, after 7 months I've managed 1270 miles and over 2.5 million steps. And I've also discovered a possible simple repair to the worn heel lining of my shoes. After only two and half months I've worn away the lining on the heel of my tennis shoes. Something I also do to my trainers albeit over a slight longer time period. Usually the shoes are still pretty good and I keep wearing them, but every so often the worn lining begins to rub a blister on my heel. The reason for the wear is a small bump on my heel that feels like extra bone.
Anyway, I've tried all sorts of running repairs using tape, but this usually just rolls up and creates more of a problem. What I needed was something soft to put over the worn patch. I found some foam sheet we'd bought in Hobbycraft. It's a bit like felt, but latex. I cut a square out and fixed it in my shoe using double-sided tape.
You need to be careful putting the shoes on, and make sure you don't roll the edge over, but it seems to be working a treat. My tennis shoes no longer rub my heel and their life has been extended. I'll try it in my trainers when they wear out sometime in April.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
National Days Of Prayer & Fasting
I came across this too late for the 30th January, but have put the other dates in my diary. You might want to read more here unless you already know about it all!
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Parenting
I had a bit of a grumpy old man moment yesterday. It's an age thing! I'd decided to go for a swim and thought I'd chosen a time when any parents with kids were probably heading to MacDonalds. Sadly I was wrong. Slipping into the swimming lane, it soon became crowded as 2 then 3 more people entered the water.
After a short while I gave up swimming around other bodies and retired to the heat and safety of the sauna. Having inspected my foot that had been clawed by the long-nailed woman who seemed to think swimming diagonally across the lane was the best way to get the water to herself, I settled down to roast and watched through the window as parents stood in the pool encouraging their water-winged future Olympians to jump into the water. And that's when the grumpy old man took over and I found myself moaning about the state of parenting.
What struck me was that here were parents who probably complained when their children failed to do what they asked them to do, actively encouraging them to break the rules printed on the rather large notice as you enter the pool area. It quite clearly says: No diving or jumping into the water. It's a safety thing, not a kill-joy rule. The water simply isn't deep enough.
Maybe I'm just being picky, but if we teach our children that you can pick and choose which rules to obey based upon whether they suit you or not, then we can't really complain when they do that with our rules.
Grumpy rant over.
After a short while I gave up swimming around other bodies and retired to the heat and safety of the sauna. Having inspected my foot that had been clawed by the long-nailed woman who seemed to think swimming diagonally across the lane was the best way to get the water to herself, I settled down to roast and watched through the window as parents stood in the pool encouraging their water-winged future Olympians to jump into the water. And that's when the grumpy old man took over and I found myself moaning about the state of parenting.
What struck me was that here were parents who probably complained when their children failed to do what they asked them to do, actively encouraging them to break the rules printed on the rather large notice as you enter the pool area. It quite clearly says: No diving or jumping into the water. It's a safety thing, not a kill-joy rule. The water simply isn't deep enough.
Maybe I'm just being picky, but if we teach our children that you can pick and choose which rules to obey based upon whether they suit you or not, then we can't really complain when they do that with our rules.
Grumpy rant over.
Faith in the Pub
Now I know that it isn't ground-breaking stuff for many folk, but we had our second "Pub Group" last night. There were seven of us altogether and to be honest, Anne and I were really quite excited and pleased with the evening. We had a good discussion across a range of topics and it was all interesting. There were a few moments where it might have got tense, but it didn't, and I think overall it was another positive step.
We also learnt a few more things. First of all, we need to go with some topics in mind. It could so easily drift into an unhelpful discussion that simply focuses on the same things month after month. Last night we talked about the Middle East. About how we felt about it, the politics and issues and the questions. We also reflected on how we can pray most effectively as the events unfold. We drifted into conversations about church and reaching our community, about men in church and about one or two others subjects that cropped up.
Secondly, where we sit is also quite important. We were in the corner furthest from the bar. That meant we had little, in fact no interaction with others beyond our group. I'm not sure quite how we address that. There aren't that many comfortable seats near the bar and I don't fancy standing up all night! We will have to think about it if we want people to be able to overhear our conversation and feel able to join in. But maybe in these initial meetings it's less of a problem while we find our feet.
We also learnt a few more things. First of all, we need to go with some topics in mind. It could so easily drift into an unhelpful discussion that simply focuses on the same things month after month. Last night we talked about the Middle East. About how we felt about it, the politics and issues and the questions. We also reflected on how we can pray most effectively as the events unfold. We drifted into conversations about church and reaching our community, about men in church and about one or two others subjects that cropped up.
Secondly, where we sit is also quite important. We were in the corner furthest from the bar. That meant we had little, in fact no interaction with others beyond our group. I'm not sure quite how we address that. There aren't that many comfortable seats near the bar and I don't fancy standing up all night! We will have to think about it if we want people to be able to overhear our conversation and feel able to join in. But maybe in these initial meetings it's less of a problem while we find our feet.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Foundations and footings
I watched a video of Ken Robinson talking about education that I may have seen before, but I can't remember. Anyway, the link came via a friend and I'm really glad they sent it. The basic premise of Robinson's argument is that our educational systems educate creativity out of us. The result is that by the time most of us reach adulthood we are only interested in the right answer and generally afraid of getting the wrong answer. So we simply learn not to think creatively, because that might lead us to the wrong answer. It's a really interesting video and there is much to learn and apply to the church.
What also interested me was something he said about what originally drove public education and how it came to colour how we deliver and measure it. Two things determined all public education policies. One was the enlightenment the other was industrialisation. To some extent you hear echoes of this every time an industrialist wades into the argument about the outcomes of education. Anyway, I'm moving away from the point I want make.
Some time ago I began to ask questions about the nature of leadership in church and I wonder if we'd been building on the wrong foundation. Instead of building on apostles and prophets, we were building on pastors and teachers. But Robinson's point made me wonder how we got there. Where did we start? What turned a missionary movement into an institution? Was it just the result of moving from the margins to centre of society after the conversion of the Roman emperor? I don't think so.
For the most part we have to acknowledge that we are essential a selfish people. We not naturally predisposed to think what might be best for others at the expense of what might be best for us. You never hear the wealthy say to government, "Raise our taxes so that the poor don't have to suffer." On the contrary, we wriggle and squirm our way towards an economic construct that assume that if you make the rich richer, it will trickle down to the poorest parts of society.
So I think we need to take seriously that simple truth that we do what meets our needs first. And that is true of church. Perhaps we have built upon the wrong foundations, but we have done so because it suits us. It creates a comfortable environment for us and we can simply blame the world for not recognising the truth we preach. And that needs to change.
I have long held the view that those of us who know Jesus as leader and forgiver will have an eternity to sort out our problems and issues. An eternity where we can enjoy the fruit of our relationship with God and possibly even improve our backhand! On the other hand we are surrounded by people who only have a lifetime in which to make that choice. So what should be our priority? comfort for ourselves or engagement in mission for the sake of others?
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What also interested me was something he said about what originally drove public education and how it came to colour how we deliver and measure it. Two things determined all public education policies. One was the enlightenment the other was industrialisation. To some extent you hear echoes of this every time an industrialist wades into the argument about the outcomes of education. Anyway, I'm moving away from the point I want make.
Some time ago I began to ask questions about the nature of leadership in church and I wonder if we'd been building on the wrong foundation. Instead of building on apostles and prophets, we were building on pastors and teachers. But Robinson's point made me wonder how we got there. Where did we start? What turned a missionary movement into an institution? Was it just the result of moving from the margins to centre of society after the conversion of the Roman emperor? I don't think so.
For the most part we have to acknowledge that we are essential a selfish people. We not naturally predisposed to think what might be best for others at the expense of what might be best for us. You never hear the wealthy say to government, "Raise our taxes so that the poor don't have to suffer." On the contrary, we wriggle and squirm our way towards an economic construct that assume that if you make the rich richer, it will trickle down to the poorest parts of society.
So I think we need to take seriously that simple truth that we do what meets our needs first. And that is true of church. Perhaps we have built upon the wrong foundations, but we have done so because it suits us. It creates a comfortable environment for us and we can simply blame the world for not recognising the truth we preach. And that needs to change.
I have long held the view that those of us who know Jesus as leader and forgiver will have an eternity to sort out our problems and issues. An eternity where we can enjoy the fruit of our relationship with God and possibly even improve our backhand! On the other hand we are surrounded by people who only have a lifetime in which to make that choice. So what should be our priority? comfort for ourselves or engagement in mission for the sake of others?
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Home Again!
So, we've been away for a short break. Every year for the last 10 or more years, Anne's parents have spent 2 or 3 weeks in Tenerife and this year we joined them for a week. There's something very pleasing about winter sunshine. It's a very odd feeling to walk around in shorts and a t-shirt in February. It's almost surreal, but surprisingly easy to get used to!
We stayed in a place that was created from nothing as a holiday resort by the looks of old photographs of the area. Not even a hint of an old fishing village. One suspects that Tenerife has suffered a little from over development and is now suffering the consequences of the economic crises that have hit the more affluent economies of Western Europe. Testimony to this was a large abandoned hotel complex overlooking the town. What was once the boom industry of time-shares and holiday homes has fallen on very hard times indeed.
We spent 7 days in a hotel built in 1967 as the focal point of this new resort. My in-laws like it because they feel safe and they know a lot of regular visitors who come year after year. It's quite interesting to be the person with new eyes, seeing what they overlook because they like the company and the security. Luxury is no substitute for feeling comfortable in your surroundings.
The food was okay, but probably not what you might expect from the star rating of the hotel. Their idea of a vegetarian option was somewhat lacking in imagination. I don't consider a quarter of a white cabbage and a baby marrow to be a well balanced meal!
Anne and I set ourselves the target of doing 15,000 steps a day and we were well in advance of this until yours truly got floored by a nasty little virus that stole two days of the holiday and got everyone wondering about alternative travelling plans in case I wasn't fit enough for the return flight on time. I was, and we made it home, but it meant that for the first time in over 6 months I actually had a day when I didn't walk further than the bathroom, which fortunately wasn't far!! Still, I managed the equivalent of about 50 miles in only 5 days.
I spent my time when well playing tennis, swimming, reading, walking and playing more tennis. Having started to learn to play in the cold months of November and December, it was something of a revolution to have the sun on your back and dry tennis balls to hit. We had two courts at the hotel and I found a partner for a singles game and a group for social doubles in the mornings. Sadly the virus put paid to being able to play everyday, but it wasn't a total loss.
We didn't explore the island at all, too much tennis to be played. Maybe another year we'll get up into the mountains and visit a few places. To be honest, I'm not that interested in doing that. I like being active, but I'm not a great sight-seer.
We stayed in a place that was created from nothing as a holiday resort by the looks of old photographs of the area. Not even a hint of an old fishing village. One suspects that Tenerife has suffered a little from over development and is now suffering the consequences of the economic crises that have hit the more affluent economies of Western Europe. Testimony to this was a large abandoned hotel complex overlooking the town. What was once the boom industry of time-shares and holiday homes has fallen on very hard times indeed.
We spent 7 days in a hotel built in 1967 as the focal point of this new resort. My in-laws like it because they feel safe and they know a lot of regular visitors who come year after year. It's quite interesting to be the person with new eyes, seeing what they overlook because they like the company and the security. Luxury is no substitute for feeling comfortable in your surroundings.
The food was okay, but probably not what you might expect from the star rating of the hotel. Their idea of a vegetarian option was somewhat lacking in imagination. I don't consider a quarter of a white cabbage and a baby marrow to be a well balanced meal!
Anne and I set ourselves the target of doing 15,000 steps a day and we were well in advance of this until yours truly got floored by a nasty little virus that stole two days of the holiday and got everyone wondering about alternative travelling plans in case I wasn't fit enough for the return flight on time. I was, and we made it home, but it meant that for the first time in over 6 months I actually had a day when I didn't walk further than the bathroom, which fortunately wasn't far!! Still, I managed the equivalent of about 50 miles in only 5 days.
I spent my time when well playing tennis, swimming, reading, walking and playing more tennis. Having started to learn to play in the cold months of November and December, it was something of a revolution to have the sun on your back and dry tennis balls to hit. We had two courts at the hotel and I found a partner for a singles game and a group for social doubles in the mornings. Sadly the virus put paid to being able to play everyday, but it wasn't a total loss.
We didn't explore the island at all, too much tennis to be played. Maybe another year we'll get up into the mountains and visit a few places. To be honest, I'm not that interested in doing that. I like being active, but I'm not a great sight-seer.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
January walking
Well another month is over and another tally of steps and miles has been calculated. I might just see what it all comes to after a year, but I'm not sure. It is quite interesting to see the miles add up and the steps pass certain markers. I'm also wondering about what to do as a next challenge. I've already done my 100-day challenge and I've walked the equivalent of the length of the country. I wonder how far it is around the coast? That will probably keep me going for some time to come!
To the numbers:
Steps: 372,212
Equiv. distance: 181 miles
Days over 10k: 29
Av. per day: 12,007
Total from 1st August: 2,237,639 steps; 1,109 miles (1,774Km); 12,161 steps a day average.
Apparently, as far as I can determine, the total coastline of Great Britain runs to about 7, 700 miles. The main island is about 5,000 miles. So, at my current rate of approximately 6 miles a day, that would take 833 days of which I've done 184! That leaves 649 days. I think that would mean I'd finish that challenge around the 11th Nov. 2013. Maybe a day early given the leap year!
I think it would also cost me about four or five pairs of trainers! Maybe I'll buy them all now before the price goes up!
To the numbers:
Steps: 372,212
Equiv. distance: 181 miles
Days over 10k: 29
Av. per day: 12,007
Total from 1st August: 2,237,639 steps; 1,109 miles (1,774Km); 12,161 steps a day average.
Apparently, as far as I can determine, the total coastline of Great Britain runs to about 7, 700 miles. The main island is about 5,000 miles. So, at my current rate of approximately 6 miles a day, that would take 833 days of which I've done 184! That leaves 649 days. I think that would mean I'd finish that challenge around the 11th Nov. 2013. Maybe a day early given the leap year!
I think it would also cost me about four or five pairs of trainers! Maybe I'll buy them all now before the price goes up!
A Challenging Call
When Jesus stood strong, He was crucified. When the apostles spoke the truth, they were martyred. When the early church modelled the message, they were persecuted. But they turned the world upside down. Many were rescued from emptiness and despair by their message of the cross! Is our calling any different?
Church Awakening, 270
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Monday, January 31, 2011
Two great questions
I came across tow great questions while reading a post about missional communities:
I've rephrased the questions slightly, but the essence is still the same. We might even rephrase the first question again by asking:
Of course we'd probably answer that globally and therefore generally. "Everyone," is what we'd most likely say, but that misses the point. If God has placed in a particular community, then maybe that is where he'd most like to partner with you in mission.
And the question is important because good news might look very different in one community compared to another. It's also helpful because it asks us to stop making the good news a set a beliefs we present, but a life we live.
- To whom do you want to be good news?
- What does good news look like to those people?
I've rephrased the questions slightly, but the essence is still the same. We might even rephrase the first question again by asking:
- To whom has God called you to be good news?
Of course we'd probably answer that globally and therefore generally. "Everyone," is what we'd most likely say, but that misses the point. If God has placed in a particular community, then maybe that is where he'd most like to partner with you in mission.
And the question is important because good news might look very different in one community compared to another. It's also helpful because it asks us to stop making the good news a set a beliefs we present, but a life we live.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Psalm 48
I was struck yesterday by two phrases in Psalm 48 that caught my attention and got me thinking. The first comes in verse 8:
As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty
I'm not really sure what it was that resonated in my heart about these words, but something did. Perhaps it's the sense that we don't see, that we've done a lot of hearing, but we simply don't see. "As we have heard, so we have yet to see" might be our experience and feeling. And yet God is doing things, he continues to be at work and yet we don't see.
I long to see.
The second phrase comes right at the end:
For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
The God who is described and active in the Bible is the same God we know today. Times may have changed, but our God has not. If he did it then, whatever "it" might be, then surely he is able to do it now!
There was a third thing in this psalm that I noticed and wondered what difference it might make if this were our practice too. In verse 9 it says:
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Notice that the preoccupation in the Temple was not with right doctrine or expression of worship. It wasn't about dotting the i's and crossing t's of our theology. It was about meditating, focussing on the love of God.
Three things worthy of reflection I thought.
As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty
I'm not really sure what it was that resonated in my heart about these words, but something did. Perhaps it's the sense that we don't see, that we've done a lot of hearing, but we simply don't see. "As we have heard, so we have yet to see" might be our experience and feeling. And yet God is doing things, he continues to be at work and yet we don't see.
I long to see.
The second phrase comes right at the end:
For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
The God who is described and active in the Bible is the same God we know today. Times may have changed, but our God has not. If he did it then, whatever "it" might be, then surely he is able to do it now!
There was a third thing in this psalm that I noticed and wondered what difference it might make if this were our practice too. In verse 9 it says:
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Notice that the preoccupation in the Temple was not with right doctrine or expression of worship. It wasn't about dotting the i's and crossing t's of our theology. It was about meditating, focussing on the love of God.
Three things worthy of reflection I thought.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Daily Prayers
Over the course of the last year or so I've developed a routine of daily prayers that I pray for the church. Recently I shared them with the leadership team and we thought it would be good for us to take on board these daily prayers ourselves. We've since presented them to the church and asked them to take up the challenge of praying five things everyday. Here are the five prayers in outline form:
It took me a while to adapt to feeling that they were no longer my prayers but someone else's. Originally I chose to pray these prayers because I felt a sense of call to do it and a sense of discipline about developing a routine of intercession on behalf of the church. I still feel that way. In fact my list of daily prayers has ten items on it, but in truth I can only every remember these five, the other five I have to look up! And maybe five things are enough. Who knows.
February has been a month of prayer for me for a number of years. I try to write a simple prayer guide for the church so that we can all pray about the same things. Each year I look at the previous year and ask myself which items should remain and which should be reworded or replaced by something new. Each year I also wonder what impact last year's month had!
Anyway, if everyone prays at least the five daily prayers for the month, that would be great. Perhaps there will be stories to share along the way. Maybe this year I will try and blog about the prayer month as we go along. We shall see.
- Renewal and restoration
- That God’s Spirit will overflow continuously in me and the church
- The Growing Kingdom
- That God will draw into his kingdom those who are far from him
- Sharing God’s mission
- That God would lead us in mission
- Sharing the struggle
- That God will give us his peace, as we help each other through our struggles.
- God-Honouring Change
- That God will guide us as we seek to make changes that honour him.
It took me a while to adapt to feeling that they were no longer my prayers but someone else's. Originally I chose to pray these prayers because I felt a sense of call to do it and a sense of discipline about developing a routine of intercession on behalf of the church. I still feel that way. In fact my list of daily prayers has ten items on it, but in truth I can only every remember these five, the other five I have to look up! And maybe five things are enough. Who knows.
February has been a month of prayer for me for a number of years. I try to write a simple prayer guide for the church so that we can all pray about the same things. Each year I look at the previous year and ask myself which items should remain and which should be reworded or replaced by something new. Each year I also wonder what impact last year's month had!
Anyway, if everyone prays at least the five daily prayers for the month, that would be great. Perhaps there will be stories to share along the way. Maybe this year I will try and blog about the prayer month as we go along. We shall see.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
New Books
The second book to drop through the box is Right here, right now: Everyday mission for everyday people by Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford. According to Reggie McNeil it is a powerful new resource. It is both inspirational and instructional for serious Jesus-followers who understand church as a verb.
I'll get going on these just as soon as I finish Church Awakening.
In between times I'm dipping into Hit the ground kneeling by Stephen Cotterell and I want to have a look at All-Age Worship by Lucy Moore, bought on the basis of a review I read the other week.
So, as usual, a lot of reading to get through!
New Trainers
It was mainly in the sense of support and cushioning, which all suggest that the old ones were well past their best. They will become general purpose, wandering around the garden and garage, doing jobs trainers. The closest thing to recycling them I guess!
Do you think that now I'm lighter they will last longer?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Church Awakening
I'm only part way through reading The Church Awakening but I have to say it is full of gems and encouragements and challenges. Often reading a book like this can leave you feeling somewhat inadequate-wondering if you fall into the category of leader who would be judged as falling short of pressing biblically or failing to pursue grace. But you have to cut through those insecurities and let the book both refresh your sense of call and commitment to seeking to lead according to God's heart and to challenge you to invest more fully in building those things into your ministry.
Throughout the book there are sets of principles and patterns that set out the core of being a biblical community. There's nothing controversial, just a plain and simple call to profound realignment of the church with biblical models. A call to face up to the reality that we need to pay attention to those things that work to erode the fundamentals of being the church that Jesus wants to build.
The danger with such a book is that it makes a straw man of the emerging church or the ideas behind missional communities. I think Swindoll avoids this. His concern is not with a return to some bygone age where all in the church garden was rosy. No, his concern is to address the slow, subtle and silent erosion of core values that happens over time as we drift gently on the tide of popular thought and away from our biblical moorings.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, January 17, 2011
Who's to say?
I've been quietly annoyed ever since I read a comment about someone being a challenging preacher even though they hadn't had any formal training in preaching. I remember the times we had some apparently very good preachers come to college to show us how it's done. I'd like to think that it was the artificial nature of the circumstances that made these events less than inspiring!
Maybe one day we will describe someone as a challenging preacher despite their formal training.
Rant over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Maybe one day we will describe someone as a challenging preacher despite their formal training.
Rant over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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