two great services today - the challenge of circumcision and being part of a family of faith is a really tough one for it makes calling a real issue and additionally turns us around to look at what it means to be family too.
Today was a privilege, I only hope I took the opportunities that were before me and did justice to the challenges today presented. Two different congregations and so two different, and yet in essence the same, messages in a day of challenges which saw late starts, later starts and no heating.
Commitment looks like turning up for a early service, especially when the weather is poor and the season cold - we need to cherish our early service congrations for they are not the old stalewarts but the bedrock! For those who came to the 'main" service in a cold church, this is another facet of commitment that deserves to be nurtured and treasured. How do we pastor our sheep and be the good shepherds God, and they, desire?
This appears to be on God's books as a season of nurture and for treasuring those who make up our churches. A season of caring for the newcomers and for raising the bar in terms of Bible knowledge and lifestyle choices for all who follow Jesus, the Christ.
Lord, help me to reach the lost and to treasure every encounter this year. Bring me divine appointments and make me slow to engage with the dross of everyday church life, choosing instead to be present at the partying that surrounds new birth and the discipline of our calling.
Help me to make my diary a tool that assists rather than a chain that constrains and keeps me stuck in the dungeon of excessive work. I have nothing to prove and nothing to give but my love and worship, help me to take more time with you and to calm the daily rush of oft unnecessary toil.
Help me to cherish being part of a physical family and to walk the centreline that divides the two, putting neither to the sword and fulfilling that which I should be doing and giving opportunities for that which I desire to be doing.
Church should be a party not a homework session - a place of love, acceptance, and tolerance. MY this be the reality for me and the people I serve and the church of which I am a member.
Hallelujah
Showing posts with label commitment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label commitment. Show all posts
Monday, 2 January 2017
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
'All we want is a service on a Sunday!'
One of the saddest things I encounter are the words above given voice by one or more members of a church's congregation. The suspicion made flesh causes the heart to miss a beat and the energy to become dissipated and drained away through the hole the words have punched.
The reality is that, for some, all they require from their church is a Sunday morning service and that, having ticked the boxes, is the sum total of it all. And why not? After all there's loads on the TV and who would want to be in a church building when you can watch the many tempting offerings before us?
When I first became a Christian I couldn't keep out of the church building; I longed for the company of other Christians as discussions of the challenging bits the Bible and our praying together. As I grew up I found myself married and slowly and surely along came our children. We'd go to church as a family in the morning and then, leaving Wendy to look after the kids, would go back in the evening to get more of the same. Sometimes we'd switch and Wendy would go to the evening service and I'd stay at home - but the reality was that the Sunday evening slot was something special. The same was true of the various groups we belonged to during the day for Wendy and in the evening for me.
Now I'm not saying this to display my Pharisee-like observance of doing church but making the point that from the earliest days church was an opportunity to meet with other believers and sing God's praise, to hear His word and to continue my love affair with Him and those who shared my passion. My parents used to complain that I was never home for when I wasn't in church I was playing sport or woking shifts as an engineer.
'Times have changed,' people tell me when this topic arises, 'We have family and other things which crowd in and demand our attention,' and yet it was ever so and yet evening services were still being well supported!
The Christian faith is about so much more than 'just going to church'; it is about being so taken up with the love of God that you cannot wait to be with other believers and get excited about God in their company (you do get excited about God don't you?) and sing songs which put your feelings into words and excite you still further and hear words from the Big Black Book which excite you and challenge you and . . . Sorry, you seemed to have nodded off then!
There are many who tell me (by words or attendance patterns) that church is something that happens when there are no other distractions or demands: Church is, it seems, something we have to do rather than something we want to do!
So here is a challenge for you (and me - even though I know people tell me it's different for me because, 'I have to be in church,').
Step back for a moment and ask yourself what your church attendance looks like: Regular and frequent or hit and miss? Sitting in a pew or sat in front of the TV?
Now ask yourself when you last opened your Bible and read it; or took the sheets with the readings home and read that? Can you even find your Bible (last time I asked someone that it was under the coffee table stopping it rocking - honest!)?
When did you last spend time talking to God? What was your last prayer over (sorry, praying the person in front would get out of the way doesn't count!)?
Church attendance is a habit many of us has lost and as we allow our faith life to slow we begin a process which sees it eventually come to a halt. Just like some places and their evening services perhaps?
The reality is that, for some, all they require from their church is a Sunday morning service and that, having ticked the boxes, is the sum total of it all. And why not? After all there's loads on the TV and who would want to be in a church building when you can watch the many tempting offerings before us?
When I first became a Christian I couldn't keep out of the church building; I longed for the company of other Christians as discussions of the challenging bits the Bible and our praying together. As I grew up I found myself married and slowly and surely along came our children. We'd go to church as a family in the morning and then, leaving Wendy to look after the kids, would go back in the evening to get more of the same. Sometimes we'd switch and Wendy would go to the evening service and I'd stay at home - but the reality was that the Sunday evening slot was something special. The same was true of the various groups we belonged to during the day for Wendy and in the evening for me.
Now I'm not saying this to display my Pharisee-like observance of doing church but making the point that from the earliest days church was an opportunity to meet with other believers and sing God's praise, to hear His word and to continue my love affair with Him and those who shared my passion. My parents used to complain that I was never home for when I wasn't in church I was playing sport or woking shifts as an engineer.
'Times have changed,' people tell me when this topic arises, 'We have family and other things which crowd in and demand our attention,' and yet it was ever so and yet evening services were still being well supported!
The Christian faith is about so much more than 'just going to church'; it is about being so taken up with the love of God that you cannot wait to be with other believers and get excited about God in their company (you do get excited about God don't you?) and sing songs which put your feelings into words and excite you still further and hear words from the Big Black Book which excite you and challenge you and . . . Sorry, you seemed to have nodded off then!
There are many who tell me (by words or attendance patterns) that church is something that happens when there are no other distractions or demands: Church is, it seems, something we have to do rather than something we want to do!
So here is a challenge for you (and me - even though I know people tell me it's different for me because, 'I have to be in church,').
Step back for a moment and ask yourself what your church attendance looks like: Regular and frequent or hit and miss? Sitting in a pew or sat in front of the TV?
Now ask yourself when you last opened your Bible and read it; or took the sheets with the readings home and read that? Can you even find your Bible (last time I asked someone that it was under the coffee table stopping it rocking - honest!)?
When did you last spend time talking to God? What was your last prayer over (sorry, praying the person in front would get out of the way doesn't count!)?
Church attendance is a habit many of us has lost and as we allow our faith life to slow we begin a process which sees it eventually come to a halt. Just like some places and their evening services perhaps?
Monday, 6 October 2014
The Sinner's Prayer - It's not enough!
Talking with someone about their experiences I began to realise that the same old thing that troubled me many years ago regarding people being converted still runs rampant through any parts of the Church here and in the mission field.
My issue is with the (mis)use of the 'Sinner's Prayer'; that little prayer which talks of repentance and turning away from sin, sorrow for keeping God out of our lives and a commitment toward right living from that point onwards.
I have been in many services over the years where I have seen someone up the front ask those who have been convicted by what they have heard to stand up and commit themselves to Jesus. I have watched as friends and family praise God for the loved one (or at least the person they brought to the service) as they stood and repeated the prayer that was said, line by line, by the person at the front. I too have been grateful for the lives that have been committed to God and felt a sense of joy . . .
As time went on I found that joy turn, slowly at first, before it became, contractionlike, increasing in intensity and pain until I really struggled at the sight before me. Struggling because I knew that the reality was that for many who were saying the words of the prayer would progress no further in their journey of faith; what was before me was the pinnacle and conclusion of their Christian walk. We were celebrating scalps and not the beginning of a faith journey of exploration, growth and deepening discipleship. In fact, to put it rather graphically, we were effectively spawning (in the right sense of the word) 'bastard children' - for they, generally, would be left alone, untended, uncared for and undisciplined the very next day after their 'new birth'; left alone to continue as they had under the impression that they were Christians. No one would be assigned them as mentor and guide - they would just be left to their own devices and unless brought to church (any church) the following Sunday (or to a midweek service) then they'd be effectively lost and the window for effective discipleship was soon gone too!
Speaking with one from the missions fields in distant places I learnt that some might have prayed the sinner's prayer a dozen time in their lives but never been discipled. A situation that I've personally witnessed in the UK on a number of occasions.
So here's a simple plea:
If you're not willing to invest the time into help people become disciples of Christ then don't deny them the joy of a real relationship with Him because you want to win a scalp - encourage them and pass them on to a church (or person) who takes conversion and those who come to Christ seriously!
Leading someone in the sinner's prayer means that you are committing to:
Disciple them (or making sure that they are introduced to someone who will)
Be available for them (and that means being contactable and willing to spend time with them)
Pray for (and with) them (and this means teaching them to pray and to discern God's voice)
The sinner's prayer is the first step into a new way of thinking and living. You wouldn't leave a newborn to fend for itself so why on earth would you leave a spiritual newborn to do exactly that?
I have to admit that during my journey I have been part of churches who 'saw that hand' and led people n the sinner's prayer and yet never discipled those who stood and said it. I am grateful for the journey and sad for those who have passed by and fallen in their walk because of my unwillingness to make more noise about the situation or have remained silent through fear of attack from the leadership (says something about those who were leading I guess)!
There is a great temptation for us all to want to score a scalp but we must put that temptation aside and look to making disciples - anything else denies the love of God and acts detrimentally towards the life of the Kingdom.
Pax
My issue is with the (mis)use of the 'Sinner's Prayer'; that little prayer which talks of repentance and turning away from sin, sorrow for keeping God out of our lives and a commitment toward right living from that point onwards.
 |
| 'I see that hand ... let's pray!' |
As time went on I found that joy turn, slowly at first, before it became, contractionlike, increasing in intensity and pain until I really struggled at the sight before me. Struggling because I knew that the reality was that for many who were saying the words of the prayer would progress no further in their journey of faith; what was before me was the pinnacle and conclusion of their Christian walk. We were celebrating scalps and not the beginning of a faith journey of exploration, growth and deepening discipleship. In fact, to put it rather graphically, we were effectively spawning (in the right sense of the word) 'bastard children' - for they, generally, would be left alone, untended, uncared for and undisciplined the very next day after their 'new birth'; left alone to continue as they had under the impression that they were Christians. No one would be assigned them as mentor and guide - they would just be left to their own devices and unless brought to church (any church) the following Sunday (or to a midweek service) then they'd be effectively lost and the window for effective discipleship was soon gone too!
Speaking with one from the missions fields in distant places I learnt that some might have prayed the sinner's prayer a dozen time in their lives but never been discipled. A situation that I've personally witnessed in the UK on a number of occasions.
So here's a simple plea:
If you're not willing to invest the time into help people become disciples of Christ then don't deny them the joy of a real relationship with Him because you want to win a scalp - encourage them and pass them on to a church (or person) who takes conversion and those who come to Christ seriously!
Leading someone in the sinner's prayer means that you are committing to:
Disciple them (or making sure that they are introduced to someone who will)
Be available for them (and that means being contactable and willing to spend time with them)
Pray for (and with) them (and this means teaching them to pray and to discern God's voice)
The sinner's prayer is the first step into a new way of thinking and living. You wouldn't leave a newborn to fend for itself so why on earth would you leave a spiritual newborn to do exactly that?
I have to admit that during my journey I have been part of churches who 'saw that hand' and led people n the sinner's prayer and yet never discipled those who stood and said it. I am grateful for the journey and sad for those who have passed by and fallen in their walk because of my unwillingness to make more noise about the situation or have remained silent through fear of attack from the leadership (says something about those who were leading I guess)!
There is a great temptation for us all to want to score a scalp but we must put that temptation aside and look to making disciples - anything else denies the love of God and acts detrimentally towards the life of the Kingdom.
Pax
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Churchastrain
I struggle with many of the Christians who tell me how we do too much and boast that this their primary message from the pulpit and on the streets is : The Church needs to stop doing and 'Just Be'!" Now accepting that this is a mantra I have used myself I have to ask why does it cause such me such angst?
A conversation regarding this led me to realise that for many of us in Church the most apt analogy is that where the gathering of Christians is portrayed as a train, and here's my reasoning:
The locomotive is full of people with energy, vision, enthusiasm and commitment. It doesn't matter how long they've been Christian or how long they've been in the church or eve how old they are, these are the drivers, doers, movers and shakers. They have a head of steam and are keen to keep themselves and the church on the rails.
Behind them is the ministry team - those people who are keen to enable, equip and release those moving the train forward; fuelling, watering, maintaining and repairing wheresoever the need might arise.
Then come the carriages, each bearing the good names like 'just be' and 'family commitments' and (full of) 'good intentions' and once they are coupled to the tender, the train is ready to leave the station - with nothing to slow it's steady (also known as 'snail's pace') progress towards growing the kingdom.
Well nothing except perhaps the endeavours of the stalwart members (also know as 'stalewart' in some circles) who populate the brake van at the rear of the train whose job, as I'm sure many will already know, is to apply the brakes should the whole caboose start to run too quickly. This is done effectively in so many instances by the application of the mantras of 'tried that before, it didn't work' and 'we're not THAT sort of church' and the like.
When I was in my sending church I had a family and was a member of a church and there was little conflict between the two. We went to church and lived our lives as a family and the two aspects of our life rarely collided. If we went away for the weekend we did it in such a way that we had Friday and Saturday and managed it so that, as much as possible we were back for the Sunday service. After all, Sundays are usually taken up with getting up and having something to eat and then heading home so what did we miss by leaving early on a Sunday or late on a Saturday?
We balanced and managed our lives so that the two important things worked together and we were blessed by it (and I hope family and church were too) and so were not confined to the 'family' coach but were free to get on the footplate.
The 'Good Intentions' carriage is another struggle; for we all fall foul of this minefield. We all want to be useful and to be an active members (we do, don't we?) - but the problem is that we don't put the stuff in our diaries or perhaps we really mean to be somewhere but then the lure of friends and getting together or visiting a pub or doing any one of a million other things that crop up just get in the way. The problem is that this is the active outworking of the passage where the Bible tells us that where our treasure is, that's where our heart is to be found. If we are really engaged and committed then we will move heaven and earth, put off the distractions and get onboard with Church. It's like having friends who never come round (or perhaps never invite you to their homes) - eventually you realise that they are friends at all - same applies to Church: You get to realise that they are acquaintances and destined to never be close (or even, to be honest) friends (at all)!
The Stalewarts at the back are a real challenge because these are really the people who, knowing the
track, should be up the front in the loco' but instead struggle to keep their church as it was when they were young (a great example being a church member who recently told me that they wished the children who visited wouldn't because , "It spoiled the service!" Ironically it is a church with almost no children in it - wonder why?). Armed with buckets of water to extinguish the flames in the firebox they criticise and carp and complain and hearken back to the old days when, "You couldn't get a seat!"
Should they find people who want to take the church in a new direction they apply the brakes and rush round making sure the points are set in the 'right' direction and then, assured that they are on a familiar track, allow the train to proceed. Even then, should things start to speed up past the point of their liking then on go the brakes again until those driving things get the message and slow down, give up or (better still) leave!
Then along come the 'Just Be' folk - the people who, as I have in the past, tell everyone that it's not about doing but just resting in the Lord. The problem with this is that my reason for telling people this is to get them to develop a relationship with God because things will come out of that whilst it seems others are content to have those around them 'being' and equally content with them not doing.
When I was first married, having a wife who didn't drive, when I came home and knew she was shopping I would take the route I knew she'd be on so that I might see her and give her a lift home. At other times, if she was somewhere and it started raining, I'd go and pick her up to save her from getting drenched. The outworking of my love was that I did things for the focus of that love. This is what 'Just Be' is all about - it fosters stuff as the outworking of the relationship.
James 2 sums it up wonderfully for us:
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”- but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.
What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."
Faith produces doing and if you're not doing and yet claim to have a faith then something is wrong. Of course - just to make sure you don't get it wrong - if you go off doing stuff all the time and think this shows you be a Christian, then you've got it wrong (again) because regardless of how much you do, how much you give to the church or how many stained glass windows, pews or silver you give - you can't work or buy your way into heaven: It's all about relationship with God through Jesus, the Christ.
So some simple questions:
Are you on the train that is Church?
If you answered 'Yes': Where are you on it?
If you answered 'No' would you like to find out how you can be?
All aboard
A conversation regarding this led me to realise that for many of us in Church the most apt analogy is that where the gathering of Christians is portrayed as a train, and here's my reasoning:
The locomotive is full of people with energy, vision, enthusiasm and commitment. It doesn't matter how long they've been Christian or how long they've been in the church or eve how old they are, these are the drivers, doers, movers and shakers. They have a head of steam and are keen to keep themselves and the church on the rails.
Behind them is the ministry team - those people who are keen to enable, equip and release those moving the train forward; fuelling, watering, maintaining and repairing wheresoever the need might arise.
Then come the carriages, each bearing the good names like 'just be' and 'family commitments' and (full of) 'good intentions' and once they are coupled to the tender, the train is ready to leave the station - with nothing to slow it's steady (also known as 'snail's pace') progress towards growing the kingdom.
Well nothing except perhaps the endeavours of the stalwart members (also know as 'stalewart' in some circles) who populate the brake van at the rear of the train whose job, as I'm sure many will already know, is to apply the brakes should the whole caboose start to run too quickly. This is done effectively in so many instances by the application of the mantras of 'tried that before, it didn't work' and 'we're not THAT sort of church' and the like.
When I was in my sending church I had a family and was a member of a church and there was little conflict between the two. We went to church and lived our lives as a family and the two aspects of our life rarely collided. If we went away for the weekend we did it in such a way that we had Friday and Saturday and managed it so that, as much as possible we were back for the Sunday service. After all, Sundays are usually taken up with getting up and having something to eat and then heading home so what did we miss by leaving early on a Sunday or late on a Saturday?
We balanced and managed our lives so that the two important things worked together and we were blessed by it (and I hope family and church were too) and so were not confined to the 'family' coach but were free to get on the footplate.
The 'Good Intentions' carriage is another struggle; for we all fall foul of this minefield. We all want to be useful and to be an active members (we do, don't we?) - but the problem is that we don't put the stuff in our diaries or perhaps we really mean to be somewhere but then the lure of friends and getting together or visiting a pub or doing any one of a million other things that crop up just get in the way. The problem is that this is the active outworking of the passage where the Bible tells us that where our treasure is, that's where our heart is to be found. If we are really engaged and committed then we will move heaven and earth, put off the distractions and get onboard with Church. It's like having friends who never come round (or perhaps never invite you to their homes) - eventually you realise that they are friends at all - same applies to Church: You get to realise that they are acquaintances and destined to never be close (or even, to be honest) friends (at all)!
The Stalewarts at the back are a real challenge because these are really the people who, knowing the
track, should be up the front in the loco' but instead struggle to keep their church as it was when they were young (a great example being a church member who recently told me that they wished the children who visited wouldn't because , "It spoiled the service!" Ironically it is a church with almost no children in it - wonder why?). Armed with buckets of water to extinguish the flames in the firebox they criticise and carp and complain and hearken back to the old days when, "You couldn't get a seat!"
Should they find people who want to take the church in a new direction they apply the brakes and rush round making sure the points are set in the 'right' direction and then, assured that they are on a familiar track, allow the train to proceed. Even then, should things start to speed up past the point of their liking then on go the brakes again until those driving things get the message and slow down, give up or (better still) leave!
Then along come the 'Just Be' folk - the people who, as I have in the past, tell everyone that it's not about doing but just resting in the Lord. The problem with this is that my reason for telling people this is to get them to develop a relationship with God because things will come out of that whilst it seems others are content to have those around them 'being' and equally content with them not doing.
When I was first married, having a wife who didn't drive, when I came home and knew she was shopping I would take the route I knew she'd be on so that I might see her and give her a lift home. At other times, if she was somewhere and it started raining, I'd go and pick her up to save her from getting drenched. The outworking of my love was that I did things for the focus of that love. This is what 'Just Be' is all about - it fosters stuff as the outworking of the relationship.
James 2 sums it up wonderfully for us:
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”- but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.
What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."
Faith produces doing and if you're not doing and yet claim to have a faith then something is wrong. Of course - just to make sure you don't get it wrong - if you go off doing stuff all the time and think this shows you be a Christian, then you've got it wrong (again) because regardless of how much you do, how much you give to the church or how many stained glass windows, pews or silver you give - you can't work or buy your way into heaven: It's all about relationship with God through Jesus, the Christ.
So some simple questions:
Are you on the train that is Church?
If you answered 'Yes': Where are you on it?
If you answered 'No' would you like to find out how you can be?
All aboard
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Trains, planes, soldiers and faith
As a boy I used to walk past the (Ian Allan) train spotter's platform in North London's Finsbury Park and wonder at the people who populated that temple of locomotive transport with their camera, binoculars and Ian Allan locoshed books.
Time passed and I found myself atop the Queen's building at London's Heathrow Airport and was amazed at the 'plane spotters with their airband radios, cameras, binoculars and Ian Allan aircraft registration books.
The scene moved again and I found myself in the company of men who fought military campaigns in miniature (25mm) - from Greeks and Romans through to Napoleonic (first and second Empire) and on through WWI and II and into Dungeons and Dragons and space wars. The people were the same - hours were spent painting, researching and eventually battling. The only difference was that I didn't see any Ian Allan books though!
Church appeared on the horizon and again I was amazed and captivated by the Christians, Bibles and notepads under their arms, as they made their way to Church on a Sunday (usually twice) and turned up on a Wednesday evening for another service and on Friday nights for all-night prayer and Saturdays (it was only all-night once a month) for special training days and other events.
Now it seems that once again things have moved and once where you would have stood if you hadn't been in the building half an hour before the service it's possible to get a seat, many seats in fact, regardless of when you turn up. Not only that but should you chance your arm and pop in for an evening service there's an extremely good chance that should the song 'I love you with the love of the Lord' be on the menu, you'll cause one of the other handful present to blush!
Now I'm told that I need to watch the big names on the TV and enjoy the personal touch that bringing it into my house brings! It's all about my having a personal faith and sharpening it by listening to the latest clever person who will send me a 'free gift' should I send money and support their ministry - but, thinks I, if I send money and get something in the post by return, regardless of how you've portrayed it, I've bought it! Not only that but the more I send the more I receive in the post. This was called commerce when I was a lad!!!
Where are the ordinary folk who want to sharpen their minds, engage in healthy and robust dialogue and actually work at honing their faith into something of worth? The good, ordinary, decent people who want to live in community and celebrate the cross, resurrection and salvation? The people who are their in a crisis rather than having yet another one (but don't worry there's always another preacher/teacher who will whisper reassurance and take you're money - and always another fool who will pay it and believe).
'But I don't have a personal faith!'
I'm called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus the Christ and to read, learn, change, pray, grow and keep on doing it until the game ends.
It's so blinking simple - or so I thought?
I see people who can find thousands for their new caravan or the trophies that mark them out as an enthusiast and yet, if they're Christian, they appear unable to spend time (or money) to make their faith work. I know - it's probably me what's got it wrong, after all - their Christians aren't they?
I know - they told me they were.
Would have been nice if I hadn't needed to be told I reckons!!
Time passed and I found myself atop the Queen's building at London's Heathrow Airport and was amazed at the 'plane spotters with their airband radios, cameras, binoculars and Ian Allan aircraft registration books.
The scene moved again and I found myself in the company of men who fought military campaigns in miniature (25mm) - from Greeks and Romans through to Napoleonic (first and second Empire) and on through WWI and II and into Dungeons and Dragons and space wars. The people were the same - hours were spent painting, researching and eventually battling. The only difference was that I didn't see any Ian Allan books though!
Church appeared on the horizon and again I was amazed and captivated by the Christians, Bibles and notepads under their arms, as they made their way to Church on a Sunday (usually twice) and turned up on a Wednesday evening for another service and on Friday nights for all-night prayer and Saturdays (it was only all-night once a month) for special training days and other events.
Now it seems that once again things have moved and once where you would have stood if you hadn't been in the building half an hour before the service it's possible to get a seat, many seats in fact, regardless of when you turn up. Not only that but should you chance your arm and pop in for an evening service there's an extremely good chance that should the song 'I love you with the love of the Lord' be on the menu, you'll cause one of the other handful present to blush!
Now I'm told that I need to watch the big names on the TV and enjoy the personal touch that bringing it into my house brings! It's all about my having a personal faith and sharpening it by listening to the latest clever person who will send me a 'free gift' should I send money and support their ministry - but, thinks I, if I send money and get something in the post by return, regardless of how you've portrayed it, I've bought it! Not only that but the more I send the more I receive in the post. This was called commerce when I was a lad!!!
Where are the ordinary folk who want to sharpen their minds, engage in healthy and robust dialogue and actually work at honing their faith into something of worth? The good, ordinary, decent people who want to live in community and celebrate the cross, resurrection and salvation? The people who are their in a crisis rather than having yet another one (but don't worry there's always another preacher/teacher who will whisper reassurance and take you're money - and always another fool who will pay it and believe).
'But I don't have a personal faith!'
I tell them
'I have a personal salvation and a corporate faith!' I'm called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus the Christ and to read, learn, change, pray, grow and keep on doing it until the game ends.
It's so blinking simple - or so I thought?
I see people who can find thousands for their new caravan or the trophies that mark them out as an enthusiast and yet, if they're Christian, they appear unable to spend time (or money) to make their faith work. I know - it's probably me what's got it wrong, after all - their Christians aren't they?
I know - they told me they were.
Would have been nice if I hadn't needed to be told I reckons!!
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Rights and Responsibilities
Heard today how some clergy were becoming members of Unison (the union) so that they have support for them in what they obviously perceive will be a battle over their rights.
A few days back I chatted to a member of the clergy who was telling me about all their rights and how the church needs to understand and respect them . . . or else!
Often meet with members of church and and other organisations who are all too ready to tell me about their rights and what 'they deserve' or are 'entitled to' and to be honest it is just beginning to grind and grate and tug just a little too much for it to be comfortable.
Many years ago I was a member of a fraternity who found themselves very much acted against and to be honest, distrusted and quite despised. As a result of (misplaced) popular opinion this group found themselves legislated against in the sort of popularist, kneejerk way, that humankind excels at. Interestingly though, the kneejerk response aside, the clever people said that if legislation was passed then certain things would occur and some of society's ill would be remedied. Sadly though some seventeen years later that which they hoped to see change has actually gotten worse.
Now the incident that started it all was William Hamilton's murder of innocent children in Dunblane in 1996 and the subsequent law which removed handguns from the hands of those who legally held and used them did nothing to diminish gun crime, in fact the very opposite has occurred (I'll give you my theories some time . . but best continue).
The thing about having rights is that with them come responsibilities and yet I find it interesting that these days rights are what many people assume to have and responsibility appears to be what others have when it comes to the fulfilling of the expectations of those with rights.
Christianity is all about getting something because of grace, we don't get forgiveness, eternal life and the other 'benefits' of Christ's death because we deserve them - they are not a right but a gift. But in accepting that gift of grace poured out on the tree for us, we do find ourselves with responsibilities.
We have the responsibility to keep commandments - even when they deny what we think is a right - for let's be frank, many of the things people tell me are rights are actually little more than selfish, soulish and often unchristian desires. They are all about 'me' rather than reflecting who Jesus is and what he has done for us and how He lives in, and through, our lives today.
We have the responsibility to read our Bibles and pray daily and develop our knowledge and faith and when we don't we are failing in our duty and putting aside our responsibilities as believers.
We have the responsibility to put our obedience, worship and devotion to Christ before our personal pleasures, desires and ambitions.
We have the call to love one another and the duty to avoid making any one cause the defining sin; to avoid labelling any one group and without merit or unloved; to avoid preaching hatred and right or sin as acceptable.
We have the responsibility to proclaim and live out God's love in our own lives and as a covering for others.
If you don't agree, that's cool, but please don't kid yourself (or con others) that what you do is a right, Christian, or is right either - for even though it may well be such in the eyes of the world in the eyes of God, and in His sacrifice and commitment to us, it is merely selfish and sinful (and I don't expect this to be that popular) and therefore wrong!
Let's stop and have a reflect on the words of 2 Timothy 2:
'You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Keep reminding God’s people of these things. warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels and the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.'
A few days back I chatted to a member of the clergy who was telling me about all their rights and how the church needs to understand and respect them . . . or else!
Often meet with members of church and and other organisations who are all too ready to tell me about their rights and what 'they deserve' or are 'entitled to' and to be honest it is just beginning to grind and grate and tug just a little too much for it to be comfortable.
Many years ago I was a member of a fraternity who found themselves very much acted against and to be honest, distrusted and quite despised. As a result of (misplaced) popular opinion this group found themselves legislated against in the sort of popularist, kneejerk way, that humankind excels at. Interestingly though, the kneejerk response aside, the clever people said that if legislation was passed then certain things would occur and some of society's ill would be remedied. Sadly though some seventeen years later that which they hoped to see change has actually gotten worse.
Now the incident that started it all was William Hamilton's murder of innocent children in Dunblane in 1996 and the subsequent law which removed handguns from the hands of those who legally held and used them did nothing to diminish gun crime, in fact the very opposite has occurred (I'll give you my theories some time . . but best continue).
The thing about having rights is that with them come responsibilities and yet I find it interesting that these days rights are what many people assume to have and responsibility appears to be what others have when it comes to the fulfilling of the expectations of those with rights.
Christianity is all about getting something because of grace, we don't get forgiveness, eternal life and the other 'benefits' of Christ's death because we deserve them - they are not a right but a gift. But in accepting that gift of grace poured out on the tree for us, we do find ourselves with responsibilities.
We have the responsibility to keep commandments - even when they deny what we think is a right - for let's be frank, many of the things people tell me are rights are actually little more than selfish, soulish and often unchristian desires. They are all about 'me' rather than reflecting who Jesus is and what he has done for us and how He lives in, and through, our lives today.
We have the responsibility to read our Bibles and pray daily and develop our knowledge and faith and when we don't we are failing in our duty and putting aside our responsibilities as believers.
We have the responsibility to put our obedience, worship and devotion to Christ before our personal pleasures, desires and ambitions.
We have the call to love one another and the duty to avoid making any one cause the defining sin; to avoid labelling any one group and without merit or unloved; to avoid preaching hatred and right or sin as acceptable.
We have the responsibility to proclaim and live out God's love in our own lives and as a covering for others.
If you don't agree, that's cool, but please don't kid yourself (or con others) that what you do is a right, Christian, or is right either - for even though it may well be such in the eyes of the world in the eyes of God, and in His sacrifice and commitment to us, it is merely selfish and sinful (and I don't expect this to be that popular) and therefore wrong!
Let's stop and have a reflect on the words of 2 Timothy 2:
'You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Keep reminding God’s people of these things. warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels and the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.'
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Some days it's a Struggle . . .
You know what it is like when Sunday comes around - you're faced with those difficult choices:
Sundays
How do you do yours?
Sundays
How do you do yours?
Friday, 13 September 2013
Argue for your limitations ...
... and most assuredly they are yours!
This week I have had the privilege and joy of being in the company of a number of young people in a different setting to my usual weekly round. They've been tested and challenged to achieve and to test themselves in adverse conditions and tough places - and they have done so in a most admirable fashion.
What has been perhaps most interesting for me is that the setting for this has been 'Green' (by which I mean 'Army') and the parallels between this and 'church' are most obvious and informing. The Bible speaks in many places about being a soldier and the demands that soldiers have placed upon them. We often speak of discipline in church and how we need to look to the chain of command, regulations, decrees and the like, but in this world such things are mandatory and not a matter of preference. After all, consider church discipline - this only works if the person being disciplined accepts it! Imagine a prisoner in the dock standing up and saying, 'I don't want to recognise your authority or right to judge me and am not subject to your rule of law!' and then leaving!
Here, where I am at the moment, the young men and women have chosen to be part of this family - just as we perhaps have chosen to be part of God's family: The Church.
Here they, belonging to a smaller and more intimate family group - the Regiment, work together for a common goal; each member playing their part and ensuring that the people around them are safe and supported (and knowing that the same is true for them). Commitment is not a word but an action made real by their presence next to you (whether it is in a ditch or chilling in the mess).
Here, when the going is tough, people dig deep and are sure of encouragement (most of the time), support and a camaraderie that Church can often only look at with envy.
Like a mighty army, moves the Church of God - brothers are we sleeping where the Saints once trod?
The motto, 'Those who would have peace must first prepare for war' is one that many would like to ignore, but it is a sad truth; a truth that many Christians would do well to embrace, for unless we are prepared to train ourselves for battle against the excesses, the selfish nature and the propensity we have to ignore the needs and suffering of others then not only is the daily battle lost - but the war with it!
Today, when you see a wrong - will you address it or merely pass meekly by?
Today, when you have the opportunity to commit a wrong - what will you do?
Where is your moral compass - who and what forms your chain of command?
Pax
This week I have had the privilege and joy of being in the company of a number of young people in a different setting to my usual weekly round. They've been tested and challenged to achieve and to test themselves in adverse conditions and tough places - and they have done so in a most admirable fashion.
What has been perhaps most interesting for me is that the setting for this has been 'Green' (by which I mean 'Army') and the parallels between this and 'church' are most obvious and informing. The Bible speaks in many places about being a soldier and the demands that soldiers have placed upon them. We often speak of discipline in church and how we need to look to the chain of command, regulations, decrees and the like, but in this world such things are mandatory and not a matter of preference. After all, consider church discipline - this only works if the person being disciplined accepts it! Imagine a prisoner in the dock standing up and saying, 'I don't want to recognise your authority or right to judge me and am not subject to your rule of law!' and then leaving!
Here, where I am at the moment, the young men and women have chosen to be part of this family - just as we perhaps have chosen to be part of God's family: The Church.
Here they, belonging to a smaller and more intimate family group - the Regiment, work together for a common goal; each member playing their part and ensuring that the people around them are safe and supported (and knowing that the same is true for them). Commitment is not a word but an action made real by their presence next to you (whether it is in a ditch or chilling in the mess).
Here, when the going is tough, people dig deep and are sure of encouragement (most of the time), support and a camaraderie that Church can often only look at with envy.
Like a mighty army, moves the Church of God - brothers are we sleeping where the Saints once trod?
The motto, 'Those who would have peace must first prepare for war' is one that many would like to ignore, but it is a sad truth; a truth that many Christians would do well to embrace, for unless we are prepared to train ourselves for battle against the excesses, the selfish nature and the propensity we have to ignore the needs and suffering of others then not only is the daily battle lost - but the war with it!
Today, when you see a wrong - will you address it or merely pass meekly by?
Today, when you have the opportunity to commit a wrong - what will you do?
Where is your moral compass - who and what forms your chain of command?
Pax
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
All Member Ministry - Spinning Plates
Back from holiday, picking up the pieces and looking towards the second half of 2013 I find myself, once again, faced with so many opportunities that it makes my head spin! There's Tamworth Street Angels, the Mission Shaped Ministry Course, Schools ministry and more besides.
There are so many opportunities in the community we serve and for a small church we are blessed to have some wonderfully committed and engaged members, not that this means all the bases are covered but we do have a high proportion of people doing stuff (and that's a real blessing). and have a few slowly progressing along the path to lay and ordained ministry too (which is a blessing and gift to the church and the wider Church too).
There's enough emails to keep me busy until Christmas and so many more requests and opportunities for us as a church to engage with that I can see there being even more plates to be added before long - guess we need to pray in more workers :-)
I've been amazed at the number of people I have engaged with over the past few weeks who have told me that they couldn't find a role in their local place of worship and have found the common element was that they were looking to be people with influence rather than people who influenced by doing. Not only that but they knew what they didn't like and what they didn't want but were less sure about what they did and all, almost to a person, was upset because they 'weren't listened to' or were basically unable to have their own way.
Interestingly it was the pastor or dogcollar that came in for the real stick because they, 'Just weren't listening to them!'
I rarely find a leader who is unwilling to listen, they just tire of listening to the same old stuff and the demands that are more often than not unaccompanied by offers of real help and engagement.
As we get nearer to the September rush into Christmas can I encourage all of us to stop, pray, read (the Bible), think and discern where and what God is calling us to do - what parts we are called to play (which might not be the same as desire to be) and having done so, let us get off our bottoms and get stuck in to the work of blessing one another, building each other up and getting the work before us done?
A sad, yet equally funny, quote regarding someone who was a 'good giver' (which some consider to be enough these days I'm afraid) who left a church went thus: 'If you lend someone a tenner and never see them again it was probably worth it!'
This is true also of those who think that their presence is justified on the basis of what they give and that should be a factor in how they are regarded by the rest of the church (and especially the leader), but this isn't the case - it's not what you give, but how you give it.
It's not what you give that counts - it's how you serve!
There are so many opportunities in the community we serve and for a small church we are blessed to have some wonderfully committed and engaged members, not that this means all the bases are covered but we do have a high proportion of people doing stuff (and that's a real blessing). and have a few slowly progressing along the path to lay and ordained ministry too (which is a blessing and gift to the church and the wider Church too).
There's enough emails to keep me busy until Christmas and so many more requests and opportunities for us as a church to engage with that I can see there being even more plates to be added before long - guess we need to pray in more workers :-)
I've been amazed at the number of people I have engaged with over the past few weeks who have told me that they couldn't find a role in their local place of worship and have found the common element was that they were looking to be people with influence rather than people who influenced by doing. Not only that but they knew what they didn't like and what they didn't want but were less sure about what they did and all, almost to a person, was upset because they 'weren't listened to' or were basically unable to have their own way.
Interestingly it was the pastor or dogcollar that came in for the real stick because they, 'Just weren't listening to them!'
I rarely find a leader who is unwilling to listen, they just tire of listening to the same old stuff and the demands that are more often than not unaccompanied by offers of real help and engagement.
As we get nearer to the September rush into Christmas can I encourage all of us to stop, pray, read (the Bible), think and discern where and what God is calling us to do - what parts we are called to play (which might not be the same as desire to be) and having done so, let us get off our bottoms and get stuck in to the work of blessing one another, building each other up and getting the work before us done?
A sad, yet equally funny, quote regarding someone who was a 'good giver' (which some consider to be enough these days I'm afraid) who left a church went thus: 'If you lend someone a tenner and never see them again it was probably worth it!'
This is true also of those who think that their presence is justified on the basis of what they give and that should be a factor in how they are regarded by the rest of the church (and especially the leader), but this isn't the case - it's not what you give, but how you give it.
It's not what you give that counts - it's how you serve!
 |
| Add caption |
How's your serve today?
Friday, 28 June 2013
So what is my job? - Discipleship
A few days back I wrote:
'Those who are happy to come to the show and sing the happy songs and have their ears tickled - the day is coming when the battle will be engaged and you will find yourself 'not fit for purpose' - time to 'man up Church!
To which I received the following response:
'How much more emotional manipulation are you going to employ on your site to get people to be doing what you, Vic, think people should be doing?
This isn't your job, Vic - your job is to seek after God and put yourself at his disposal. Be loved by him and then love others as you are loved.
Your job is not to guilt-trip, embarrass or intimidate people into conforming to your ideology... this is the fast-track to burn-out.
Come back to me on this one, and tell me why I'm wrong.'
The good thing is that I will indeed tell you - and will do it here so others might engage with the discussion here (or on the forum). It's going to be quick and dirty but hopefully will hang together enough to make some sense:
Now I don't have an 'ideology' as I understand the word (which I take to be socio-political and not theological) but I do have a 'theology' and that theology comes from the Bible (the book formerly known as 'authoritative') and it informs and enlightens me as to many things regarding many areas that conspire to build our (Christian) faith life, namely:
Discipleship
This is a word that is all too easily banded about and features large in the writings of so many people and small in the manifestation of same. I think that the real problem is that some people in church confuse discipleship with doing and employ some oddly twisted work ethic where salvation comes through work; this is something the Bible offers a corrective on in Ephesians 2.8-9:
'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.'
Salvation comes through faith in God, which means in (and by) the salvific and atoning act of Christ upon the cross - and is worked out in us by the enabling of God's Holy Spirit. You cannot work your way into heaven!
In fact all God wants us to do is sit on our backsides and love Him. That's the message in a nutshell - purely and simply put. Of course as we sit God expects us to find out about Him and to talk with Him and to grow together with Him - it's just like being in any relationship: Without dialogue and communication and a developing relationship a marriage would be a sham and any friendship run on the same lines would be little more than a nodding acquaintance.
So here we are, in love with another person (who in this example just happens to be God) and this love soon turns into something whereby we know what pleases Him and so we do that; because we want to please and bless those we love don't we (we do, don't we?)? Here's an example from real life:
Many years ago when I drove and my wife didn't, if I came home and realised she was out shopping (in the days before mobiles) and it was raining, I would get in the car and drive the route to the shops to see if I could find her and give her a lift. I didn't do this because I was commanded to but because it was an outworking of my love for her. Form out of our love comes action!
This is what discipleship is, for:
First, I want to be a disciple because it brings me and the focus of my love closer - after all, I WANT to be more like Jesus.
Secondly, doing what is right helps me to be the person God WANTS me to be - so I am be obedient too!
Lastly - becoming a disciple shows other people, by the difference I have from the world, that there really is something in the God stuff - it is incarnational and, just as God incarnate came to save to to do we, in modelling and being part of that incarnacy through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we can proclaim that 'the Kingdom of God' is near.
Now, having all done 'disciple' to death we all know that it is someone who follows a teacher and is much like being an apprentice - we aim to learn from the master and to become as much like Him and Jesus tells us how we can do this in Matthew chapter 16:
'Then Jesus told His disciples,
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." '
Jesus is telling those who are His disciples to deny themselves (that is to not do the desires and wants) and to take up their cross (which is a burden of servanthood and potential suffering) and to follow (an active thing) Him. He is not saying come and be entertained and live lives that look like the world and live in their attitudes and see church as merely something to be enjoyed - He is telling them to get real and live life in the reality of the Christian faith seeking to be imitators of Him.
Now, whilst the writer of the comments above is right in that my call is to 'put myself at His disposal' it is also my calling to encourage others to do the same - and as I often hear myself saying - we need to be careful that we do not judge others (for as we judge, so too are we judged).
The call to discipleship is of of engagement for within the structure that is discipleship we find the call to 'love one another' and even more active is the call for us to 'love our neighbour as ourselves'.
There is also the call to 'go into ALL the world and baptising and teach others to obey God's commandments' - something that cannot be done by sitting in our comfort zones, living in the choices we wish to make and ignoring the call to be actively engaged. Of course, some seem to think that what God commanded is a moveable feast and this causes even more fun I guess - but it's good to have our challenges isn't it?
You see that whilst I seek to embrace the elements given above (and remember, this is a concise explanation) I have also to take on board the fact that I function as a believer and as one who has been called to 'shepherd the flock' too. I am also responsible for those under my care in that I encourage (for I never order) and attempt to lead by example.
But the bottom line is that, like a rowing crew I once used to see on the water, there are many who think that they are 'fit for purpose' but the reality is that once they to engage in the race, they will be devastated to find that they are soon 'rowed over' (that is to be left so far behind that it is like they were never there in the first place). My task is to ensure that we build a Church that conforms to the description in Ephesians chapter four:
'And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.'
What we have here is nothing more than a 'speaking the truth in love' for just as 'inclusive' Church is not 'permissive' or 'liberal' Church, neither is the Church of Christ a place where we seek to put off discipleship (which means emulating Christ) and reside as children who need to be entertained lest they become bored. No, we are called to celebrate, emulate and admonish each other to work towards being Christlike in all the fullness that this implies - strong in word, faithful to the teaching of Christ and exercising good words - not because works bring faith but because faith without works is an empty and futile faith (if you don't believe me - take a look at James chapter two* and understand that:
'For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.'
So here we have part the first in my surrejoinder - there's more to come and I pray that within the haphazard and rushed nature of this response, there is something of reason and merit to be found.
Pax
*James 2. 14 - 26
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder!
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” - and he was called a friend of God.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.'
'Those who are happy to come to the show and sing the happy songs and have their ears tickled - the day is coming when the battle will be engaged and you will find yourself 'not fit for purpose' - time to 'man up Church!
To which I received the following response:
'How much more emotional manipulation are you going to employ on your site to get people to be doing what you, Vic, think people should be doing?
This isn't your job, Vic - your job is to seek after God and put yourself at his disposal. Be loved by him and then love others as you are loved.
Your job is not to guilt-trip, embarrass or intimidate people into conforming to your ideology... this is the fast-track to burn-out.
Come back to me on this one, and tell me why I'm wrong.'
The good thing is that I will indeed tell you - and will do it here so others might engage with the discussion here (or on the forum). It's going to be quick and dirty but hopefully will hang together enough to make some sense:
Now I don't have an 'ideology' as I understand the word (which I take to be socio-political and not theological) but I do have a 'theology' and that theology comes from the Bible (the book formerly known as 'authoritative') and it informs and enlightens me as to many things regarding many areas that conspire to build our (Christian) faith life, namely:
Discipleship
This is a word that is all too easily banded about and features large in the writings of so many people and small in the manifestation of same. I think that the real problem is that some people in church confuse discipleship with doing and employ some oddly twisted work ethic where salvation comes through work; this is something the Bible offers a corrective on in Ephesians 2.8-9:
'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.'
Salvation comes through faith in God, which means in (and by) the salvific and atoning act of Christ upon the cross - and is worked out in us by the enabling of God's Holy Spirit. You cannot work your way into heaven!
In fact all God wants us to do is sit on our backsides and love Him. That's the message in a nutshell - purely and simply put. Of course as we sit God expects us to find out about Him and to talk with Him and to grow together with Him - it's just like being in any relationship: Without dialogue and communication and a developing relationship a marriage would be a sham and any friendship run on the same lines would be little more than a nodding acquaintance.
So here we are, in love with another person (who in this example just happens to be God) and this love soon turns into something whereby we know what pleases Him and so we do that; because we want to please and bless those we love don't we (we do, don't we?)? Here's an example from real life:
Many years ago when I drove and my wife didn't, if I came home and realised she was out shopping (in the days before mobiles) and it was raining, I would get in the car and drive the route to the shops to see if I could find her and give her a lift. I didn't do this because I was commanded to but because it was an outworking of my love for her. Form out of our love comes action!
This is what discipleship is, for:
First, I want to be a disciple because it brings me and the focus of my love closer - after all, I WANT to be more like Jesus.
Secondly, doing what is right helps me to be the person God WANTS me to be - so I am be obedient too!
Lastly - becoming a disciple shows other people, by the difference I have from the world, that there really is something in the God stuff - it is incarnational and, just as God incarnate came to save to to do we, in modelling and being part of that incarnacy through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we can proclaim that 'the Kingdom of God' is near.
Now, having all done 'disciple' to death we all know that it is someone who follows a teacher and is much like being an apprentice - we aim to learn from the master and to become as much like Him and Jesus tells us how we can do this in Matthew chapter 16:
'Then Jesus told His disciples,
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." '
Jesus is telling those who are His disciples to deny themselves (that is to not do the desires and wants) and to take up their cross (which is a burden of servanthood and potential suffering) and to follow (an active thing) Him. He is not saying come and be entertained and live lives that look like the world and live in their attitudes and see church as merely something to be enjoyed - He is telling them to get real and live life in the reality of the Christian faith seeking to be imitators of Him.
Now, whilst the writer of the comments above is right in that my call is to 'put myself at His disposal' it is also my calling to encourage others to do the same - and as I often hear myself saying - we need to be careful that we do not judge others (for as we judge, so too are we judged).
The call to discipleship is of of engagement for within the structure that is discipleship we find the call to 'love one another' and even more active is the call for us to 'love our neighbour as ourselves'.
There is also the call to 'go into ALL the world and baptising and teach others to obey God's commandments' - something that cannot be done by sitting in our comfort zones, living in the choices we wish to make and ignoring the call to be actively engaged. Of course, some seem to think that what God commanded is a moveable feast and this causes even more fun I guess - but it's good to have our challenges isn't it?
You see that whilst I seek to embrace the elements given above (and remember, this is a concise explanation) I have also to take on board the fact that I function as a believer and as one who has been called to 'shepherd the flock' too. I am also responsible for those under my care in that I encourage (for I never order) and attempt to lead by example.
But the bottom line is that, like a rowing crew I once used to see on the water, there are many who think that they are 'fit for purpose' but the reality is that once they to engage in the race, they will be devastated to find that they are soon 'rowed over' (that is to be left so far behind that it is like they were never there in the first place). My task is to ensure that we build a Church that conforms to the description in Ephesians chapter four:
'And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.'
What we have here is nothing more than a 'speaking the truth in love' for just as 'inclusive' Church is not 'permissive' or 'liberal' Church, neither is the Church of Christ a place where we seek to put off discipleship (which means emulating Christ) and reside as children who need to be entertained lest they become bored. No, we are called to celebrate, emulate and admonish each other to work towards being Christlike in all the fullness that this implies - strong in word, faithful to the teaching of Christ and exercising good words - not because works bring faith but because faith without works is an empty and futile faith (if you don't believe me - take a look at James chapter two* and understand that:
'For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.'
So here we have part the first in my surrejoinder - there's more to come and I pray that within the haphazard and rushed nature of this response, there is something of reason and merit to be found.
Pax
*James 2. 14 - 26
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder!
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” - and he was called a friend of God.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.'
Monday, 29 April 2013
So many ideas - So few to take them up
Last night past conversations crowded in. One upon another they crashed together causing sparks and yet, despite the highly flammable material of life, there was not even a hint of smouldering!
I woke with a start as the memories of so many opportunities for engagement were identified, acknowledged and . . . Passed by!
People issued the cry, 'Why doesn't someone do something about [insert any need you might have identified]?' That done, they look at me to provide an endorsement of their perspicacity and well-honed Christian missional skills and agree that, 'There must be someone!' And of course there is. But who?
So far this year I've worked with people in various settings and circumstances and, between us, we have tried:
+ sign up' sheets - but no one signed them!
+ vision meetings - but myopia appeared to rule!
+ training courses - but Downturn Abbey provided a greater attraction!
Many years ago I read a book by Richard Bach (illusions) which contained the words, 'Argue for your limitations and, surely, they are yours!'
I have found this year to contain more people who have told me why they can't do anything (it wasn't even 'more'); more people who have bemoaned the lack of engagement from 'the church' and complained about those who, 'Need to do more!'
I have engaged with people who are full of promise and ability who have promised much and delivered so much less than nothing as their inactivity (always accompanied by a reason and often an accusation) also debilitated others and rendered them, and us, impotent and defeated too!
There are eight months left to us in this current year:
+ eight months to make the case for all-member engagement (collaborative church)
+ eight months to motivate and mobilise members (courses, sermons, vision meetings) with no quarter given
+ eight months to get the message across that being Christian is not a hobby
Those who come to church, those on PCC or DCC, Volunteers, Pew Warmers, Lay Ministers, Clergy (for no one is exempt) - the gauntlet has to be laid down (and taken up).
It's so hard to smile and nod when people tell you that they can see the needs but don't care (they don't use those words, they merely absent themselves or tell you about their hobby, family, whatever; that takes them away to other things).
It's galling when people tell you that they've been challenged by something they heard so went somewhere else to avoid the feeling again!
So here is a plea to all who read this:
Get involved, get praying, get engaging or get the estate agent in and get ready to close our doors. We can no longer exist as museums showing where 'God used to live'; architecturally magnificent holy shrines to a former age; holy huddles who exist to meet for themselves, not their communities and certainly not God.
So here’s another line drawn - another challenge issued.
Please hear it, pass it on and respond to the call.
Pax
Monday, 4 March 2013
Hobby? Yes, I'm a Christian!
Intriguing conversation regarding what people do in their spare time, especially with regard to what we usually refer to as a 'hobby' (which I am defining as something done, for pleasure and enjoyment, on a regular basis outside one's usual work life); for it appears that alongside stamp collecting, railway modelling and toenail painting we also have that really, once most, popular hobby, that of 'Being Christian!'
All you need to do to thick this box is turn up every now and then (Easter and Christmas being the most favoured) and plonk your pound coin on the plate (see, admission hasn't gone up since the late sixties). The bestest bit of this 'Christian' bit is that it doesn't require any equipment and you don't need to keep rushing out buying stuff to keep it going either.
Interested?
Great, then let's do some comparisons and see if we can convince you to join a church near you - here are two of my (many) interests laid bare for you:
Fishing: To do it properly you have to buy rods, reels, lines, floats, flies (and if you're one of those coarse types - bait too!). Those who like the smell of salt can do it from piers or boats (or on beaches too) and get stuck in to a spot if sea fishing. The key to doing the fishing bit is that it takes you off for long periods, frequently and costs a bit : licence, day tickets, club memberships, bait (or flies and lures) and see you standing, sitting (or even sleeping) in sun, wind, rain and snow.
You need to be really committed to be able to say you're a fisherman. You need to put the hours in mastering the cast, the tactics, which sort of water and how to fish it and much more besides - fishing takes long periods of talking about the hobby in tackle shops, lodges and pubs. There are specialists for the type of fish - yes indeedy being a Carp fisherman is not a typo that denigrates one's abilities but more of a lifestyle!
Gliding: More of my passions and both powered unpowered flight are heavy on both wallet (especially if you fancy owning your own bird) and draining with regard to time. Gliding - once you've paid your subs you have to pay for each and every launch on the road to solo flight and then pay for the launch and the time you're aloft. The longer you're up the more you pay -which might explain why attempting to thermal in sink results in a cheaper hobby!
When you're not driving to and from the field and flying there's other stuff that demands your attention. It might be studying all the stuff you need to stay legal, understand the weather and navigate between launch and destination points. The arrival at the clubhouse in the early hours to make the dreaded 'eight O'clock draw' (when you each take a number and the lowest goes first and the highest flies last - usually meaning not at all!) on Saturday and Sunday (if you can get away with it!).
Then there's the hours in the bar when the weather stops flying and the club nights and the time taken just to arrive, even though not flying, to talk about flying, dream about flying and learn from the experiences of others who might have been flying longer (or are just better at it) than you. This occurs whether you have an engine or not - the bar is the chapel where aviation is worshipped and taught, where sins are addressed and rectified and dreams are made (and dashed) and flyers are discipled and grown. Yes - the clubhouse and the bar especially is more like Church than church for those who fly!
Even more strange is the fact that pilots (and fishermen too perhaps) are always pilots and fishermen and this is something that exists as a reality for them on a 7 * 24 * 365 basis. Meet a pilot at a party and they will almost always, in a short period of time, tell you that they are flyers. They will work long hours to get more money to support their chosen lifestyle (for hobbies are ephemeral whilst flying is always and for ever). They will talk about aircraft and flying and make you aware of everything about being a pilot and the benefits, challenges, demands and blessings that embracing the faith - whoops, I mean flying - brings!
Christianity: How great is this for a hobby? You turn up when you want and there's no need to go if you don't feel like it. After all if you're not making the tea or doing a reading or something else, you can go shopping for the day secure in the fact that you won't be missed.
'What do you need to do this Christianity thing, ', I hear you cry and that's the really cool bit, for the answer is, 'Nothing! Not even a Bible if you don't want one - after all they're either provided on projected onto the scree should you fancy reading it during the service.' There's no pressure on you to turn up to learn stuff - no ground school or classes (well not unless you're one of those 'keen' types anyway!) and if the weather's bad, then no one will miss you.
Better still - church fits in when you want it to and if you don't fancy it - then you don't do it. There's no standing outside in all weathers like those fishermen and no turning up early and, having drawn a high number, finding yourself pulling gliders about and doing jobs around the airfield to get others into the air.
Yes indeed - Christianity is, for most of us, something that we can do in under two hours on a Sunday and yet we can still wear the badge. Of course we don't tell people that we are Christians (after all we're not pilots for God's sake are we?) when we meet them at parties and gatherings, that would be weird (wouldn't it?) and we don't talk about services we've been to, book we've read and films we've seen - because (again), we're not pilots.
Being Christian is that little 'personal' thing we do when we feel the need; and of course when it fits in to our lifestyle choices (like flying) and work-life.
Do I have any hobbies?
All you need to do to thick this box is turn up every now and then (Easter and Christmas being the most favoured) and plonk your pound coin on the plate (see, admission hasn't gone up since the late sixties). The bestest bit of this 'Christian' bit is that it doesn't require any equipment and you don't need to keep rushing out buying stuff to keep it going either.
Interested?
Great, then let's do some comparisons and see if we can convince you to join a church near you - here are two of my (many) interests laid bare for you:
Fishing: To do it properly you have to buy rods, reels, lines, floats, flies (and if you're one of those coarse types - bait too!). Those who like the smell of salt can do it from piers or boats (or on beaches too) and get stuck in to a spot if sea fishing. The key to doing the fishing bit is that it takes you off for long periods, frequently and costs a bit : licence, day tickets, club memberships, bait (or flies and lures) and see you standing, sitting (or even sleeping) in sun, wind, rain and snow.
You need to be really committed to be able to say you're a fisherman. You need to put the hours in mastering the cast, the tactics, which sort of water and how to fish it and much more besides - fishing takes long periods of talking about the hobby in tackle shops, lodges and pubs. There are specialists for the type of fish - yes indeedy being a Carp fisherman is not a typo that denigrates one's abilities but more of a lifestyle!
Gliding: More of my passions and both powered unpowered flight are heavy on both wallet (especially if you fancy owning your own bird) and draining with regard to time. Gliding - once you've paid your subs you have to pay for each and every launch on the road to solo flight and then pay for the launch and the time you're aloft. The longer you're up the more you pay -which might explain why attempting to thermal in sink results in a cheaper hobby!
When you're not driving to and from the field and flying there's other stuff that demands your attention. It might be studying all the stuff you need to stay legal, understand the weather and navigate between launch and destination points. The arrival at the clubhouse in the early hours to make the dreaded 'eight O'clock draw' (when you each take a number and the lowest goes first and the highest flies last - usually meaning not at all!) on Saturday and Sunday (if you can get away with it!).
Then there's the hours in the bar when the weather stops flying and the club nights and the time taken just to arrive, even though not flying, to talk about flying, dream about flying and learn from the experiences of others who might have been flying longer (or are just better at it) than you. This occurs whether you have an engine or not - the bar is the chapel where aviation is worshipped and taught, where sins are addressed and rectified and dreams are made (and dashed) and flyers are discipled and grown. Yes - the clubhouse and the bar especially is more like Church than church for those who fly!
Even more strange is the fact that pilots (and fishermen too perhaps) are always pilots and fishermen and this is something that exists as a reality for them on a 7 * 24 * 365 basis. Meet a pilot at a party and they will almost always, in a short period of time, tell you that they are flyers. They will work long hours to get more money to support their chosen lifestyle (for hobbies are ephemeral whilst flying is always and for ever). They will talk about aircraft and flying and make you aware of everything about being a pilot and the benefits, challenges, demands and blessings that embracing the faith - whoops, I mean flying - brings!
Christianity: How great is this for a hobby? You turn up when you want and there's no need to go if you don't feel like it. After all if you're not making the tea or doing a reading or something else, you can go shopping for the day secure in the fact that you won't be missed.
'What do you need to do this Christianity thing, ', I hear you cry and that's the really cool bit, for the answer is, 'Nothing! Not even a Bible if you don't want one - after all they're either provided on projected onto the scree should you fancy reading it during the service.' There's no pressure on you to turn up to learn stuff - no ground school or classes (well not unless you're one of those 'keen' types anyway!) and if the weather's bad, then no one will miss you.
Better still - church fits in when you want it to and if you don't fancy it - then you don't do it. There's no standing outside in all weathers like those fishermen and no turning up early and, having drawn a high number, finding yourself pulling gliders about and doing jobs around the airfield to get others into the air.
Yes indeed - Christianity is, for most of us, something that we can do in under two hours on a Sunday and yet we can still wear the badge. Of course we don't tell people that we are Christians (after all we're not pilots for God's sake are we?) when we meet them at parties and gatherings, that would be weird (wouldn't it?) and we don't talk about services we've been to, book we've read and films we've seen - because (again), we're not pilots.
Being Christian is that little 'personal' thing we do when we feel the need; and of course when it fits in to our lifestyle choices (like flying) and work-life.
Do I have any hobbies?
Of course I do - I'm a pilot!
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Vicars using bad words in church!
It is a very sad fact to admit but I am meeting more and more church leaders who live in fear of their membership. The walk on egg shells and regard their life as one that, like Damocles, has a sword hanging above it.
They preach that which they know will avoid the four 'C's of church life (Conflict, Controversy, Criticism and Catastrophe which come together to form another 'C' - Crisis!
There are those who know that the very mention of yet another 'C' word - Commitment will cause a shuffling of feet and eyes that avoid making contact with the speaker. "They come to the services they choose to attend and think I should be grateful," moaned one frustrated (and looking for another job) cleric. The problem was that those who moaned the most about lack of opportunity to lead and 'be in charge' (BIC) of things for the BIC gene is one of the most prevalent genetic problems that Church finds itself plagued by. There are so many who suffer from it and yet, when given the opportunity fail to turn up when they should or complete the task they have taken on.
A different cleric explained how there was a spoken desire to see the numbers attending church grow among the church council but when asked who was willing to get involved in new ventures all gave their excuses for not being involved. When they started one of the projects on the list the attendance was phenomenal - almost all the church turned out. But sadly, as this was an evangelistic venture it was hoped that some from outside the church family might also be there. But there were none.
A month later and the leader, along with many others who had been at the first evening, failed to appear and when telephoned after the thing had ended explained that they'd had a hard week and hadn't had time to do anything and so decided not to come! The silly Vicar told the would be leader that that was unacceptable at many levels and used that terrible 'commitment' word! The result and the of this was that at the next PCC, resignations from both council and the church were given and the project ceased and the church became divided (and diminished).
For many of us, it seems that talking about that idyllic state of 'Church Growth' is what keeps the punters happy. Well it does as long as it doesn't call upon people to actually be 'Committed' and get out and do. This is reflected in the number of churches that I happen across where the evening service has ceded to 'Simply Come Dowton to the Antiques Fair' television programmes. "They don't come to the evening services because they are in conflict with television, or as in the case of one church I happened across, the local pub's 'Prize Quiz Night!'.
So, to cut a long blog short here's the beginning of a list of words to avoid and the way to use them should you really have to (add your own to the comments - they're always useful):
Commitment - something that we wish to see in others
Evangelism - something that we bring an 'evangelist' in to do
Giving - Something that we wish other people would do
Attending - Something that applies to others because you're here!
Pax
They preach that which they know will avoid the four 'C's of church life (Conflict, Controversy, Criticism and Catastrophe which come together to form another 'C' - Crisis!
There are those who know that the very mention of yet another 'C' word - Commitment will cause a shuffling of feet and eyes that avoid making contact with the speaker. "They come to the services they choose to attend and think I should be grateful," moaned one frustrated (and looking for another job) cleric. The problem was that those who moaned the most about lack of opportunity to lead and 'be in charge' (BIC) of things for the BIC gene is one of the most prevalent genetic problems that Church finds itself plagued by. There are so many who suffer from it and yet, when given the opportunity fail to turn up when they should or complete the task they have taken on.
A different cleric explained how there was a spoken desire to see the numbers attending church grow among the church council but when asked who was willing to get involved in new ventures all gave their excuses for not being involved. When they started one of the projects on the list the attendance was phenomenal - almost all the church turned out. But sadly, as this was an evangelistic venture it was hoped that some from outside the church family might also be there. But there were none.
A month later and the leader, along with many others who had been at the first evening, failed to appear and when telephoned after the thing had ended explained that they'd had a hard week and hadn't had time to do anything and so decided not to come! The silly Vicar told the would be leader that that was unacceptable at many levels and used that terrible 'commitment' word! The result and the of this was that at the next PCC, resignations from both council and the church were given and the project ceased and the church became divided (and diminished).
For many of us, it seems that talking about that idyllic state of 'Church Growth' is what keeps the punters happy. Well it does as long as it doesn't call upon people to actually be 'Committed' and get out and do. This is reflected in the number of churches that I happen across where the evening service has ceded to 'Simply Come Dowton to the Antiques Fair' television programmes. "They don't come to the evening services because they are in conflict with television, or as in the case of one church I happened across, the local pub's 'Prize Quiz Night!'.
So, to cut a long blog short here's the beginning of a list of words to avoid and the way to use them should you really have to (add your own to the comments - they're always useful):
Commitment - something that we wish to see in others
Evangelism - something that we bring an 'evangelist' in to do
Giving - Something that we wish other people would do
Attending - Something that applies to others because you're here!
Pax
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Bomber Command - Now Give Them Their Medal!
Today the Memorial to those who flew with, and gave their lives sering in, the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command will be unveiled.
This long overdue recognition of the courage and commitment of the 55,573 who gave their lives and the many others who served in such an awful role is something to not only be applauded but should be the start of the process that sees those who served rewarded with a medal to recognise this.
Whilst some will speak of atrocities and war crimes what we celebrate today is the courage and duty of those who served. This memorial has been welcomed by many, including those who inhabit the places that were the targets of the bombing campaigns of the second world war - which is just, right and fitting.
This long overdue recognition of the courage and commitment of the 55,573 who gave their lives and the many others who served in such an awful role is something to not only be applauded but should be the start of the process that sees those who served rewarded with a medal to recognise this.
Whilst some will speak of atrocities and war crimes what we celebrate today is the courage and duty of those who served. This memorial has been welcomed by many, including those who inhabit the places that were the targets of the bombing campaigns of the second world war - which is just, right and fitting.
 |
| 'We will remember them' |
Monday, 28 November 2011
The computer as a mirror
My foray into the issue of the unopenable Publisher has started me thinking about my own path along the world of computing starting back in the late seventies with a Commodore Pet, a majestic machine with 16k of memory and a screen 40 characters wide. This later grew to an 8032 (80 columns, 32k of memory) and a dual (5 1/4") disk drive, tractor-feed printer (yay, no more tapes) - a machine that lives in our garage and now and then awakes to play.
Life was exciting, I played games on my Apple ][e, which I filled with cards and added peripherals (my first FlightSim version!). CP/M and assembler ruled. This was the time when spreadsheets were new and exciting (3D too!) and the world expanded with the addition of a 300 Baud acoustic coupler. Life on the superhighway indeed!
Like any good addict life was taken away by Nascom computers (built them yourself - version 1 and 2), Z80 development kits (a week to program a ball bouncing on the screen all lost when plug removed!!! No storage!! The Osborne luggable (orange screen), the Dragon (6809 processor, mmmmm), the BBC (A & B - still a couple in the garage), the Radio Shark TRS-80 (trash eighty) and a host of other machines (never had Sinclair's ZX or Plectrum offerings)kept me sleepless and poor.
Then came the Apple Mac 512 and life was Gucci! Apache Strike, Zork (aah, Infocom - played them all), Larry and of course, FlightSim. MacWrite and Works made me productive when I wasn't being dissipated. I've probably owned most of the Apple products (some live in our garage) at some time and worked alongside those with some good DOS and windows machines (many of them) too! It's funny but my computing life has paid me (well), made me efficient and inefficient in equal measure. It's made me friends and cost me loads but I don't regret it (well perhaps the Trash 80).
I wonder if I have put in half as much time, energy, life, love or passion into my faith life?
Pax
Life was exciting, I played games on my Apple ][e, which I filled with cards and added peripherals (my first FlightSim version!). CP/M and assembler ruled. This was the time when spreadsheets were new and exciting (3D too!) and the world expanded with the addition of a 300 Baud acoustic coupler. Life on the superhighway indeed!
Like any good addict life was taken away by Nascom computers (built them yourself - version 1 and 2), Z80 development kits (a week to program a ball bouncing on the screen all lost when plug removed!!! No storage!! The Osborne luggable (orange screen), the Dragon (6809 processor, mmmmm), the BBC (A & B - still a couple in the garage), the Radio Shark TRS-80 (trash eighty) and a host of other machines (never had Sinclair's ZX or Plectrum offerings)kept me sleepless and poor.
Then came the Apple Mac 512 and life was Gucci! Apache Strike, Zork (aah, Infocom - played them all), Larry and of course, FlightSim. MacWrite and Works made me productive when I wasn't being dissipated. I've probably owned most of the Apple products (some live in our garage) at some time and worked alongside those with some good DOS and windows machines (many of them) too! It's funny but my computing life has paid me (well), made me efficient and inefficient in equal measure. It's made me friends and cost me loads but I don't regret it (well perhaps the Trash 80).
I wonder if I have put in half as much time, energy, life, love or passion into my faith life?
Pax
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Francis of Assisi
Poor old St Francis. I have an overwhelming desire to paint a statue of St Francis with bird droppings on his shoulders and a goat munching at his brown habit. He's always seen with birds on his shoulders, sheep at his feet and other animals nuzzling and generally milling around him and because of this so many people miss the bloke for who and what he was.
Francis (AKA Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone) is more than this. A rich kid who touched a leper, bothered a bishop during his mealtime, gave away his clothes and walked home naked, gave up a rich and excessive lifestyle for a life of poverty and service. This bloke has it all and is for us a rich and demanding example should we but examine his life.
So why not look past 'All creatures of our God and King' and the 'must have' rendition of 'Make me a channel . . ' and take some pointers from the man and his life:
Dare to touch those who are outcast (this means get involved - don't go and poke the first Big Issue seller you see!).
Dare to challenge the possessions that possess and control you (we all have them).
Dare to take God at face value and live as He calls us.
Give thanks for a man whose life inspires and instructs should we but allow it.
Happy Frankie Day
Francis (AKA Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone) is more than this. A rich kid who touched a leper, bothered a bishop during his mealtime, gave away his clothes and walked home naked, gave up a rich and excessive lifestyle for a life of poverty and service. This bloke has it all and is for us a rich and demanding example should we but examine his life.
So why not look past 'All creatures of our God and King' and the 'must have' rendition of 'Make me a channel . . ' and take some pointers from the man and his life:
Dare to touch those who are outcast (this means get involved - don't go and poke the first Big Issue seller you see!).
Dare to challenge the possessions that possess and control you (we all have them).
Dare to take God at face value and live as He calls us.
Give thanks for a man whose life inspires and instructs should we but allow it.
Happy Frankie Day
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Sporting Integrity
Living in a world where we see foul language, diving and many other forms of cheating form a big part of our national sport, football (which Americans weirdly call 'soccer' leaving 'football to be used with an flawed form of rugger) it is so refreshing to see an example of sporting behaviour on any playing field.
The example here is that of softball and the scenario is that of a player in their last year hitting their first, and destined to be last, home run. Take a look:
The team that acted so nobly went on to lose the game 4-2 and the home run hitter bowed out with a home run and as part of a very special event. The act cost them the game but their selfless commitment won them much more.
Let's hope we make the difference to whatever and wherever we are today.
Pax
The example here is that of softball and the scenario is that of a player in their last year hitting their first, and destined to be last, home run. Take a look:
The team that acted so nobly went on to lose the game 4-2 and the home run hitter bowed out with a home run and as part of a very special event. The act cost them the game but their selfless commitment won them much more.
Let's hope we make the difference to whatever and wherever we are today.
Pax
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
On Being Ordained
Petertide approaches and as I come to celebrate yet another year in Anglican ministry I was engaged in conversation with a friend about the nature of ministry and calling. This coming weekend will see people flocking into our Cathedrals and men and women are ordained deacon and rush off to serve their 'title' (this means your first job in the CofE as a minister) and be Assistant Curate (although we call them 'Curates', which refers to the person who has the 'cure of souls' in the parish (the incumbent), they assist this person and so are really (technically) bear the 'assistant' label) somewhere.
So, for those being ordained, for those who are seeking ordination and those who are merely interested, here are a few initial thoughts. A starting volley on a them I think I will run with this week. And we begin with a tough issue indeed:
I'm just not called to do that!
I'd like to set the scene for this post by posting the lyrics of a song by Keith Green called 'Sheep and Goats":
And when the Son Man comes, and all the Holy Angels with him,
Then shall he sit on His Glorious throne,
And he will divide the nations before Him, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
And He shall put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left,
And He shall say to the sheep; come ye, blessed of My Father,
inherit the Kingdom I have prepared for you from the foundation of the world,
For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink,
I was naked, and you clothed me,
I was a stranger, and you invited me in,
I was sick, and I was in prison, and you came to me.
Thank you! Enter into your rest.
And they shall answer Him, yes, they shall answer Him,
And they'll say, Lord, when?
When were you hungry Lord, and we gave you something to eat?
Lord, when were you thirsty? I can't remember. And we gave you drink?
Huh, when were you naked Lord, and we clothed you?
And Lord, when were you a stranger and we invited you in?
I mean, we invited lots of people in.
But Lord, I could never forget that face.
And Lord, when were you sick and we visited you?
Or in prison, and we came to you? Lord, tell us?
In as much as you did it to the least of my bretheren, you've done it unto me.
Oh yes, as much as you've done it to the very least of my bretheren, you've done it, you've done it unto me. Enter into your rest.
Then He shall turn to those on His left, the goats.
Depart from me, you cursed ones, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was naked, out in the cold, in exposure, and you sent me away,
I was a stranger, and I knocked at your door,
But you didn't open, you told me to go away,
I was sick, racked in pain upon my bed,
And I begged, and prayed, and pleaded that you'd come, but you didn't,
I was in prison, and I rotted there,
I'd prayed that you'd come.
I heard your programs on the radio, I read your magazines, but you never came.
Depart from me!!!
Lord, there must be some mistake, when?
Lord, when - I mean, when were you hungry Lord and we didn't give you something to eat?
And Lord, when were you thirsty, and we didn't give you drink? I mean, that's not fair
Well, would you like something now?
Would one of the Angels like to go out and get the Lord a hamburger and a coke?
Oh, you're not hungry, yeah, I lost my appetite too.
Uh Lord uh, Lord, when were you naked,
I mean Lord, that's not fair either Lord,
We didn't know what size you wear.
Oh Lord, when were you a stranger Lord,
You weren't one of those creepy people who used to come to the door, were you?
Oh Lord, that wasn't our ministry Lord. We just didn't feel led, you know?
Lord, when were you sick? What did you have, anyway?
Well, at least it wasn't fatal... oh, it was?
I'm sorry Lord, I would have sent you a card.
Lord, just one last thing we want to know,
When were you in prison Lord? What were you in for anyway? I had a friend in Levenworth..
ENOUGH!
In as much as you've not done it unto the least of my bretheren,
You've not done it unto me.
In as much as you've not done it unto the least of my bretheren,
You've not done it unto me.
Depart from Me.
And these shall go away into everlasting fire.
But the righteous into eternal life!
And my friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to this scripture, is what they did, and didn't do!!
And if you prefer to listen:
Back shortly!
So, for those being ordained, for those who are seeking ordination and those who are merely interested, here are a few initial thoughts. A starting volley on a them I think I will run with this week. And we begin with a tough issue indeed:
I'm just not called to do that!
I'd like to set the scene for this post by posting the lyrics of a song by Keith Green called 'Sheep and Goats":
And when the Son Man comes, and all the Holy Angels with him,
Then shall he sit on His Glorious throne,
And he will divide the nations before Him, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
And He shall put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left,
And He shall say to the sheep; come ye, blessed of My Father,
inherit the Kingdom I have prepared for you from the foundation of the world,
For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink,
I was naked, and you clothed me,
I was a stranger, and you invited me in,
I was sick, and I was in prison, and you came to me.
Thank you! Enter into your rest.
And they shall answer Him, yes, they shall answer Him,
And they'll say, Lord, when?
When were you hungry Lord, and we gave you something to eat?
Lord, when were you thirsty? I can't remember. And we gave you drink?
Huh, when were you naked Lord, and we clothed you?
And Lord, when were you a stranger and we invited you in?
I mean, we invited lots of people in.
But Lord, I could never forget that face.
And Lord, when were you sick and we visited you?
Or in prison, and we came to you? Lord, tell us?
In as much as you did it to the least of my bretheren, you've done it unto me.
Oh yes, as much as you've done it to the very least of my bretheren, you've done it, you've done it unto me. Enter into your rest.
Then He shall turn to those on His left, the goats.
Depart from me, you cursed ones, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was naked, out in the cold, in exposure, and you sent me away,
I was a stranger, and I knocked at your door,
But you didn't open, you told me to go away,
I was sick, racked in pain upon my bed,
And I begged, and prayed, and pleaded that you'd come, but you didn't,
I was in prison, and I rotted there,
I'd prayed that you'd come.
I heard your programs on the radio, I read your magazines, but you never came.
Depart from me!!!
Lord, there must be some mistake, when?
Lord, when - I mean, when were you hungry Lord and we didn't give you something to eat?
And Lord, when were you thirsty, and we didn't give you drink? I mean, that's not fair
Well, would you like something now?
Would one of the Angels like to go out and get the Lord a hamburger and a coke?
Oh, you're not hungry, yeah, I lost my appetite too.
Uh Lord uh, Lord, when were you naked,
I mean Lord, that's not fair either Lord,
We didn't know what size you wear.
Oh Lord, when were you a stranger Lord,
You weren't one of those creepy people who used to come to the door, were you?
Oh Lord, that wasn't our ministry Lord. We just didn't feel led, you know?
Lord, when were you sick? What did you have, anyway?
Well, at least it wasn't fatal... oh, it was?
I'm sorry Lord, I would have sent you a card.
Lord, just one last thing we want to know,
When were you in prison Lord? What were you in for anyway? I had a friend in Levenworth..
ENOUGH!
In as much as you've not done it unto the least of my bretheren,
You've not done it unto me.
In as much as you've not done it unto the least of my bretheren,
You've not done it unto me.
Depart from Me.
And these shall go away into everlasting fire.
But the righteous into eternal life!
And my friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to this scripture, is what they did, and didn't do!!
And if you prefer to listen:
Back shortly!
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Becoming holier by instalments
In response to my religious/non-religious humour stuff, Jake sent me something that made me smile and reminded me of some of the people I've known and their faith journeys in particular. But first the funny bit:
"I once knew a man in New York City, when I was a pastor there, and he was a former gang member. He came up to me one day and said, 'Yesterday walking down the street I was confronted by a man who pulled a knife on me. So I pulled out my gun and shot him in the knee caps.' Bursting into tears of joy, the man continued, 'But Praise the Lord! A year ago I would've shot him in the head!'"
Some of the people I have been privileged to lead into relationship with Christ have been, mmmm, let's say 'less whiter than White" with regards to their lifestyles and attitudes. One of them, having made a commitment, really struggled with the honesty thing. This person used to steal stuff and one day I met them on the street and asked how things were going. "Great, I'm only nicking cheap stuff now!" came the reply.
It took the person about five years to totally stop nicking stuff and eventually they became a full-time Christian worker.
The joke got me thinking about that person and the issue of faith, commitment and our attitudes and lifestyle as Christians. God doesn't ask us to do less, or lesser, sinful stuff but to stop doing it altogether. This is what those without the sin in question call the cost of commitment and those who engage in it, like the star of my story call '!?**! hard work'.
Got me thinking:
How hard am I (and you) working to stop doing the wrong stuff and how happy am I with less of it when there should be none?
Pax
"I once knew a man in New York City, when I was a pastor there, and he was a former gang member. He came up to me one day and said, 'Yesterday walking down the street I was confronted by a man who pulled a knife on me. So I pulled out my gun and shot him in the knee caps.' Bursting into tears of joy, the man continued, 'But Praise the Lord! A year ago I would've shot him in the head!'"
Some of the people I have been privileged to lead into relationship with Christ have been, mmmm, let's say 'less whiter than White" with regards to their lifestyles and attitudes. One of them, having made a commitment, really struggled with the honesty thing. This person used to steal stuff and one day I met them on the street and asked how things were going. "Great, I'm only nicking cheap stuff now!" came the reply.
It took the person about five years to totally stop nicking stuff and eventually they became a full-time Christian worker.
The joke got me thinking about that person and the issue of faith, commitment and our attitudes and lifestyle as Christians. God doesn't ask us to do less, or lesser, sinful stuff but to stop doing it altogether. This is what those without the sin in question call the cost of commitment and those who engage in it, like the star of my story call '!?**! hard work'.
Got me thinking:
How hard am I (and you) working to stop doing the wrong stuff and how happy am I with less of it when there should be none?
Pax
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Another Bloody Easter
Or something clean and sanitised?
For the children Easter is fluffy chicks, Easter bonnet parades, chocolate eggs and daffodils.
Easter is not for children is it? After all, how many of us have been to Easter plays at our children's schools? How many of us will have seen or heard about an innocent man dragged before puppet kings and rulers placed by occupying forces this year? How many of us will have seen the blood and the gore of a crucifixion? It's not like Christmas with the angels, wise men and stables is it?
Living the shortest life in history Jesus comes at Christmas and exits at Easter - job done. Many of us know nothing of the thirty-three years in between. We know nothing of the fact that we were all separated from God by the wrong things that we do, by the lives that put us first and the possessions that possess us until Jesus died in our place.
God wants to be part of our lives and wants to help us take the right paths and have the best we can in our lives and by the Cross, an instrument of torture, pain and death He beings for us peace, healing and eternal life.
Christians, like Jesus, seek to serve, restore and renew others, copying Christ, through programmes, interventions and good works. They give their time and money to bring relief, to show love and to bring healing but this is not enough. It's great to bring relief to troubles, but what the world cries out for is a cure, an end to the pain and the emptiness and confusion.
For all of humanity Easter is an invitation to have a relationship with the Creator of all that is. To find a peace that the world cannot take away and that never ends. For each of us, Jesus, the Christ, goes to the Cross and dies there for us. He takes the bullet for us and we, if we accept this reality, have a new life within us and before us.
Which will we choose - easter eggs and fluffy bunnies or a man upon a cross for us and life filled with God and good?
Hallelujah! Sunday's coming :)
For the children Easter is fluffy chicks, Easter bonnet parades, chocolate eggs and daffodils.
Easter is not for children is it? After all, how many of us have been to Easter plays at our children's schools? How many of us will have seen or heard about an innocent man dragged before puppet kings and rulers placed by occupying forces this year? How many of us will have seen the blood and the gore of a crucifixion? It's not like Christmas with the angels, wise men and stables is it?
Living the shortest life in history Jesus comes at Christmas and exits at Easter - job done. Many of us know nothing of the thirty-three years in between. We know nothing of the fact that we were all separated from God by the wrong things that we do, by the lives that put us first and the possessions that possess us until Jesus died in our place.
God wants to be part of our lives and wants to help us take the right paths and have the best we can in our lives and by the Cross, an instrument of torture, pain and death He beings for us peace, healing and eternal life.
Christians, like Jesus, seek to serve, restore and renew others, copying Christ, through programmes, interventions and good works. They give their time and money to bring relief, to show love and to bring healing but this is not enough. It's great to bring relief to troubles, but what the world cries out for is a cure, an end to the pain and the emptiness and confusion.
For all of humanity Easter is an invitation to have a relationship with the Creator of all that is. To find a peace that the world cannot take away and that never ends. For each of us, Jesus, the Christ, goes to the Cross and dies there for us. He takes the bullet for us and we, if we accept this reality, have a new life within us and before us.
Which will we choose - easter eggs and fluffy bunnies or a man upon a cross for us and life filled with God and good?
Hallelujah! Sunday's coming :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)