Of That was the command given for tomorrow - no matter who it is, I'm not to answer the telephone!
How that will go I have no idea - but let's let tomorrow take care of itself, eh?
Today has been a day of order, started later than usual as I stayed in bed later than usual and had a gentle start sorting out paperwork and receipts to get the last of the tax sorted. There have been plenty of pastoral things to cope with and I had a couple of visits (to me) and a couple of trips out too. BUT I managed to get a couple films in and finished another book too.
Readings and listening to lectures, sermons, talks, and almost anything is one of my great loves - along with music and writing and playing and singing and ... Let's try that again: Amongst my many loves you'll find reading and listening to the spoken word! Having found a free source of ebooks I have embarked upon a journey which sees me reading around a book every couple of days. I do this in the 'down time' when others around me are sleeping.
The latest has been the reminiscences of an American Baptist pastor and because they are reminiscences, of course, each tale ends with the focus of the story dying - and that gets a little ????
I recall a detention because of my, as usual, cheeky response regarding the monarchs. All I said was, "They were born, they lived, they died; end of story - nothing to see here, let's move on!" But to the history teacher this was akin to treason and so a week of staying behind writing the names of the kings and queens of England was gifted to me.
Today, when I needed the the passages of scripture were close at hand, unlike the monarch's names, and this reminded me, as I reflected, upon the power of words to confer love, life and something more - eternal life. For the written and the living word are more than the name implies - they each have the ability to reach in past the obvious and 'out of nothing' (ex nihilo) make something special happen.
Francis of Assisi never said, "Go and evangelise, use words if you have to," or any other variant of that - it would have been nice if he had but actually mime isn't that strong a medium! I'm sure that those who use the phrase are pointing to acts and works of kindness, but even the image of the cross, without the words, "All this, for you!" and without the understanding of the what and why and who at least make only for an image of torture and death.
It is only by using words that we can qualify or explain - it is only by being with people (why else does God do the 'incarnate' thing?) that other things also take on flesh - and under all this we have prayer (words, whether spine or thought, still worlds).
Words give form and shape and substance - the living word does this no less than the spoken.
But unless we make Him known, how will they hear?
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Saturday, 7 January 2017
When 'doing enough' is called for . . .
Words from the Larry Norman song - with the added emphasis, "I wish we'd all been ready!" Hit me today.
Today was another varied and challenging day as work started at the desk by seven am and in the office around half past four - today we celebrated the feast of epiphany and the arrival of the world to Jesus' door and in the act, we celebrate the message and ministry of the Christ becoming known by the Gentiles (that's all the non-Jews).
The Communion service was pretty well attended - amazing how many folk seek to keep the feats isn't it? - and once we'd done the service, had a brew and a chat it was time for a funeral visit and a funeral service before the joy of being able to visit family and take them Communion where they were.
I think the biggest problem we have with Church today is that we are so preoccupied with the church before us that we forget the Church who are no longer able to come into our buildings - and this is not just a tragedy but a disgrace.
Today, with no Kid's Club, I drew the line and was done by six pm - and I enjoyed immensely the opportunity to chill and relax (so be warned) and yet still felt pulled by the work on the desk.
A colleague recently sent me this:
The working day should be divided into three sessions:
morning, afternoon and evening; clergy should be available for 2 out of 3 sessions per working day. So if a cleric has undertaken a funeral services in the morning and has a PCC in the evening, they should work morning and evening i.e. two sessions out of the working day.
Whilst doing my Area dean training I was taken to task by one of the people leading the course after they asked me about my work practice. I think they were 'concerned' that I had done a communion in the morning, a funeral after lunch and then joined the course for the start in the late afternoon.
As we chatted they told me how I 'must' have the evening and the whole of the next day off - returning to work at the start of the day the day after so that I could take, "Proper time off!" One of the others in the group chimed in with the fact that where they were they, once a month, they ended work at six in the evening (let's make it a Wednesday) and then had all the Thursday and Friday off, returning at nine am on the Saturday. To my surprise, others around me nodded in approval!
Boy, did I feel like a naughty schoolboy - because I wasn't bunking off!!!
But, encouraged by someone who acts as a spiritual director and bookseller, I have decided not only to follow Jesus but to engage in a box of plastic spoons. looking at the weeny-four hour period I am closing off the day at 22:00 and opening again for business at 09:00. This leaves me thirteen hours to split into morning, afternoon and evening slots. from this I guess that I can take a couple of hours off to each lunch and dinner which leaves me with eleven hours. Now I can remove a couple of hours for morning and evening office and reflection so that leaves me with nine hours which I can split into three and before I know it I'm hardly doing stuff at all. Doesn't sound as much fun as the sixty hour week I often enjoy.
Is the problem in the fact that I'm not doing a job (although those who tell me they don't 'do church' on a day off seem to think it is!) and if I'd have left work and taken a pension I'd have been doing as much (more possibly) as I do know. This is all about being available and about keeping myself mentally, physically and spiritually squared away.
Think I will need to revisit this - I know day's off and time in the evening something get swallowed up but that's because of the people You gave me Lord - Perhaps I need a perfect parish where everyone is healthy and there is no need and all the church members fight to do the stuff that needs doing :-) Seems the average week for me has more hours in the day that others think we've been given.
So I'm booking a retreat and I'm going to have a think, pray and reflect on it for a couple of days.
Night Boss :-)
Today was another varied and challenging day as work started at the desk by seven am and in the office around half past four - today we celebrated the feast of epiphany and the arrival of the world to Jesus' door and in the act, we celebrate the message and ministry of the Christ becoming known by the Gentiles (that's all the non-Jews).
The Communion service was pretty well attended - amazing how many folk seek to keep the feats isn't it? - and once we'd done the service, had a brew and a chat it was time for a funeral visit and a funeral service before the joy of being able to visit family and take them Communion where they were.
I think the biggest problem we have with Church today is that we are so preoccupied with the church before us that we forget the Church who are no longer able to come into our buildings - and this is not just a tragedy but a disgrace.
Today, with no Kid's Club, I drew the line and was done by six pm - and I enjoyed immensely the opportunity to chill and relax (so be warned) and yet still felt pulled by the work on the desk.
A colleague recently sent me this:
The working day should be divided into three sessions:
morning, afternoon and evening; clergy should be available for 2 out of 3 sessions per working day. So if a cleric has undertaken a funeral services in the morning and has a PCC in the evening, they should work morning and evening i.e. two sessions out of the working day.
Whilst doing my Area dean training I was taken to task by one of the people leading the course after they asked me about my work practice. I think they were 'concerned' that I had done a communion in the morning, a funeral after lunch and then joined the course for the start in the late afternoon.
As we chatted they told me how I 'must' have the evening and the whole of the next day off - returning to work at the start of the day the day after so that I could take, "Proper time off!" One of the others in the group chimed in with the fact that where they were they, once a month, they ended work at six in the evening (let's make it a Wednesday) and then had all the Thursday and Friday off, returning at nine am on the Saturday. To my surprise, others around me nodded in approval!
Boy, did I feel like a naughty schoolboy - because I wasn't bunking off!!!
But, encouraged by someone who acts as a spiritual director and bookseller, I have decided not only to follow Jesus but to engage in a box of plastic spoons. looking at the weeny-four hour period I am closing off the day at 22:00 and opening again for business at 09:00. This leaves me thirteen hours to split into morning, afternoon and evening slots. from this I guess that I can take a couple of hours off to each lunch and dinner which leaves me with eleven hours. Now I can remove a couple of hours for morning and evening office and reflection so that leaves me with nine hours which I can split into three and before I know it I'm hardly doing stuff at all. Doesn't sound as much fun as the sixty hour week I often enjoy.
Is the problem in the fact that I'm not doing a job (although those who tell me they don't 'do church' on a day off seem to think it is!) and if I'd have left work and taken a pension I'd have been doing as much (more possibly) as I do know. This is all about being available and about keeping myself mentally, physically and spiritually squared away.
Think I will need to revisit this - I know day's off and time in the evening something get swallowed up but that's because of the people You gave me Lord - Perhaps I need a perfect parish where everyone is healthy and there is no need and all the church members fight to do the stuff that needs doing :-) Seems the average week for me has more hours in the day that others think we've been given.
So I'm booking a retreat and I'm going to have a think, pray and reflect on it for a couple of days.
Night Boss :-)
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
'It's like you were born again!
It's an odd reality that in life there are times when the only way to progress comes through finding the ability to stand still! So often we find ourselves talking about great advances made in some area or the other. Today the news has been filled with the news that a man whose spinal cord was severed has had it repaired and is walking and driving again. Darek Fidyka, speaking of his feelings towards the treatment he had received said, "When you can't feel almost half your body, you are helpless, but when it starts coming back it's like you were born again."
Darek's words struck me because for many of us we can remember a time when we were living lives in which we were out of touch with our feelings, unable to control our bodies or regulate our thinking, and it was the coming into relationship with God, the Father, through the actions of Jesus, the Christ, that caused us also to be able to say, "We were helpless and were out of touch with ourselves and the surroundings around us until we met Jesus and, regaining our senses and right mind, it was like being born again!"
Today as we celebrate the first steps of a man for whom medicine has made so much difference I wonder how many of us can remember what it was like when were were were out of control and distant from God? Much more so I wonder how many of us have stopped to check that we're still in touch with 'all of ourselves' because I meet so many Christians who are obviously not living as believers in all departments; so many who limbs, brains and tongues most definitely function wrongly and over which they too apparently have no control!
My prayer is that those who claim to be 'Christian' (beginning with me) will take the time to see which part of their body, and their lives, they are out of touch with in terms of Christian living. How many of us are not standing tall, walking straight or thinking rightly because the connections between them and God - their intentions and realities - are severed or severely limited?
I leave us all with the words of Paul (Romans 7) where he says:
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."
As we celebrate medical advances I pray that we will, by examining ourselves, make advances in our own lives and the way that we have control of our whole body and mind.
Pax
Darek's words struck me because for many of us we can remember a time when we were living lives in which we were out of touch with our feelings, unable to control our bodies or regulate our thinking, and it was the coming into relationship with God, the Father, through the actions of Jesus, the Christ, that caused us also to be able to say, "We were helpless and were out of touch with ourselves and the surroundings around us until we met Jesus and, regaining our senses and right mind, it was like being born again!"
Today as we celebrate the first steps of a man for whom medicine has made so much difference I wonder how many of us can remember what it was like when were were were out of control and distant from God? Much more so I wonder how many of us have stopped to check that we're still in touch with 'all of ourselves' because I meet so many Christians who are obviously not living as believers in all departments; so many who limbs, brains and tongues most definitely function wrongly and over which they too apparently have no control!
My prayer is that those who claim to be 'Christian' (beginning with me) will take the time to see which part of their body, and their lives, they are out of touch with in terms of Christian living. How many of us are not standing tall, walking straight or thinking rightly because the connections between them and God - their intentions and realities - are severed or severely limited?
I leave us all with the words of Paul (Romans 7) where he says:
 |
| Now, which finger do you choose to use? |
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."
As we celebrate medical advances I pray that we will, by examining ourselves, make advances in our own lives and the way that we have control of our whole body and mind.
Pax
Friday, 8 August 2014
At the cross where I first saw the dark!
Of course the words of the Isaac Watts hymn are, 'First saw the light,' and yet it is surely the darkness, the fruit of sin harvested and made obvious in the separation that Father and Son experience, that illuminates! How odd to think that the darkness is the source of the light that dispels the darkness within us - a real conundrum.
William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, said:
'Most Christians would like to send their recruits to Bible college for five years. I would like to send them to Hell for five minutes. That would do more than anything else to prepare them for a lifetime of compassionate ministry.'
Many years ago I tried this by taking some Christians to Soho's red-light district and found, to my surprise, that the experience did not raise their blood pressure and enlist them to stand against the darkness against which we are called to contend. I tried it with Amsterdam's red-light district (a notch lower still and sure that this place where self-respect and cheapening of life combine to surely make us draw a line and determine to make a stand. And yet, even though distaste was found, there was no inflamed passion and no taking up of the King's shilling!
The news coming in from Iraq at the destruction of Christian communities has raised among many Christians a hearty, 'Oh dear!' I've seen more passionate responses from Christians over their football club's cup run or league place than I have over Iraq. Change the scenery and I can honestly say that I've seen more enraged, and engaged, passions from Christians over the right to be, or have, or do, than I have over the conflict between us and the result of sin.
It is at the cross where the pain of separation is made manifest. The problem is that the promise of eternal life overwhelms us and causes us to deviate from the real issue - that moment when the distance is made obvious - and rather than contend with sin (in us, in others) we look merely to the blessing that we 'deserve', that healing which 'by divine right' should be ours for the taking. We retreat into our own self-serving world and cling to the salvation Jesus (being the Christ) wins for us without ever being touched by the darkness of it.
Would that those around me who claim the label 'Christian' might find in the darkness of the cross the passion to live as befits the life we claim to live rather than the self-serving and hollow deceptions so often found.
The darkness is apparent and yet many Christians are more concerned with their own blessings than the scene at the cross and the import of what happened there. They are blinded by the promises so much that they cannot see the road they take is wrong. The light dazzles and confuses rather than renders the darkness impotent and broken.
We look to Grace and forget discipline (but who liked the cabbage when they were young?); we look to eternal life and live each day unable to fly on God's breath. We hear the words of life and live by their sound and not the voice that spoke them.
Would that for one brief second we would understand that darkness that Jesus experienced for us on the cross - that we would, glimpsing hell, take up for ourselves a 'lifetime of compassionate ministry' rather than the self-serving religion we have made for ourselves as a parody of that which Jesus died to give us.
William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, said:
'Most Christians would like to send their recruits to Bible college for five years. I would like to send them to Hell for five minutes. That would do more than anything else to prepare them for a lifetime of compassionate ministry.'
Many years ago I tried this by taking some Christians to Soho's red-light district and found, to my surprise, that the experience did not raise their blood pressure and enlist them to stand against the darkness against which we are called to contend. I tried it with Amsterdam's red-light district (a notch lower still and sure that this place where self-respect and cheapening of life combine to surely make us draw a line and determine to make a stand. And yet, even though distaste was found, there was no inflamed passion and no taking up of the King's shilling!
The news coming in from Iraq at the destruction of Christian communities has raised among many Christians a hearty, 'Oh dear!' I've seen more passionate responses from Christians over their football club's cup run or league place than I have over Iraq. Change the scenery and I can honestly say that I've seen more enraged, and engaged, passions from Christians over the right to be, or have, or do, than I have over the conflict between us and the result of sin.
It is at the cross where the pain of separation is made manifest. The problem is that the promise of eternal life overwhelms us and causes us to deviate from the real issue - that moment when the distance is made obvious - and rather than contend with sin (in us, in others) we look merely to the blessing that we 'deserve', that healing which 'by divine right' should be ours for the taking. We retreat into our own self-serving world and cling to the salvation Jesus (being the Christ) wins for us without ever being touched by the darkness of it.
Would that those around me who claim the label 'Christian' might find in the darkness of the cross the passion to live as befits the life we claim to live rather than the self-serving and hollow deceptions so often found.
The darkness is apparent and yet many Christians are more concerned with their own blessings than the scene at the cross and the import of what happened there. They are blinded by the promises so much that they cannot see the road they take is wrong. The light dazzles and confuses rather than renders the darkness impotent and broken.
We look to Grace and forget discipline (but who liked the cabbage when they were young?); we look to eternal life and live each day unable to fly on God's breath. We hear the words of life and live by their sound and not the voice that spoke them.
Would that for one brief second we would understand that darkness that Jesus experienced for us on the cross - that we would, glimpsing hell, take up for ourselves a 'lifetime of compassionate ministry' rather than the self-serving religion we have made for ourselves as a parody of that which Jesus died to give us.
Lord, help me to live in the reality of the cross;
To look into the eyes of Jesus and to walk in His footsteps,
To walk in the light rather than be blinded by the promises.
To live a life of truly compassionate ministry.
Amen.
Sunday, 3 August 2014
Vain Philosophies - Dodgy Teachers
Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high- sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
Col 2.8
Here we have a passage from Paul, a bloke what gave the world - especially the Christian world - a rather large collection of stuff that some would claim are naught but a bunch of philosophies! And this is where, if we are to try and live as Christians, that our problems begin!
Problem? What problem (I hear some ask)?
The minute we try to live as Christian we are saying that we want to live 'like Jesus' - this is the time when someone will pop up and say, 'All you need is Jesus to do that. He is God's living word. There's no need of the Bible, or of rules, or trying to be what you're not for God's Grace is sufficient and because Grace is always sufficient you just need to be free and live within it.'
And you know what? They are right!
There's no need of rules and regulations, for these merely tie you down and condemn. Yes indeedy folks: There's no need to do anything other than live in the freedom that being 'Christian' brings because, at the end of the day, 'God just wants you to happy' and doesn't it say that, 'God so loved the world that He gave His only son (nothing about things Sophia-like or female here I'm afraid) to set it free - not tell it that it is wrong (AKA condemn).'
So let's write that down:
1. There's no need to write anything down you just need Jesus and to love and be loved and live in God's Grace and be happy!
Oh! perhaps we need to scrub that out as we've just broken our first rule - which of course we shouldn't have anyway because there are no rules, regulations or philosophies (are there?).
And this is where the problems all begin, for everyone I have encountered starts off by telling me that Rule One applies and then they break it by telling me that this applies to everyone else's Rule One, not theirs! we don't need anything but Grace and we can't out sin Grace so why try to keep Paul's philosophical scribbles and rules? Be free and happy and live in the knowledge that that's enough (and buy my books, sermon videos, CD and other merchandising because 'a workmen is worthy of his wage' and of course you mustn't criticise me because you must never act against the Lord's anointed either!
This is the root of all the error in the Church today. The feeble-minded, seeking blessing that should come from the labour of their own hands, instead seek God's anointing and blessing and prosperity and health and status and positions of authority ('I want to be up the front and be applauded and feted') and power and everything that Jesus died to bring us.
But that's where it goes wrong, isn't it?
Jesus came to take on the role of Christ. To reconcile each of us, by name, to God the Father by that one atoning act of dying (in our place) upon the cross. His words, which we need to read and learn and learn to live by, are important and valid and lively - you cannot be a Christian without the Bible (Old and New Testament) and you need to look at the words written and ask yourself how you might live by them.
And this is where the error is to be found. For taking the truth and adding just a little deviation from that which Jesus calls us to be; to write off paul as 'vain philosophy' or to call Christians to live without the Bible is akin to telling Vegetarians that eating meat doesn't deny your vegetarian beliefs.
You cannot live as a Christian without love or Jesus
BUT
You cannot live as a Christian without writing things down, reading the Bible, and seeking to live by them.
The laws and written codes that stood (and continue to stand to this day) opposed to God's solution for the world's ills (Jesus), the condemnations and accusations, the powers and authorities (Col 2) have been trampled underfoot: They are a laughing stock.
And this we know because Jesus (God's living Word - Logos) lives in our hearts by faith supported by the written word (logos) and the ways in which we are shown how to respond to this amazing act of love.
It is so very simple - it isn't rocket science now, is it?
So let's turn off the TV and stop going to the Christian cabarets; let's toss the CDs, DVDs in he bin; let's stop pouring money into all the miraculous ministries (because the only miracle to be seen is the fact that you spend what you don't have to fund someone who already has more than is right or proper).
Go to your local church and celebrate being Church.
Get yourself a job and earn your living and pay your tithes and make sure that none who are without because they cannot work or because life has dealt them a bit of a blow can survive.
Read your Bible and meet with the other Christians and discuss what you have read - write what you have learned down and share it - weep with the proven, pray for the sick, rejoice with the joyful and herald in the Kingdom of Jesus, God made man, saviour, healer, redeemer, teacher and coming King.
And now I've put the world to rights I'm off to a Scottish Episcopal church service to rejoice at being Church and celebrate the fact that Jesus
HE IS RISEN :-)
Col 2.8
Here we have a passage from Paul, a bloke what gave the world - especially the Christian world - a rather large collection of stuff that some would claim are naught but a bunch of philosophies! And this is where, if we are to try and live as Christians, that our problems begin!
Problem? What problem (I hear some ask)?
The minute we try to live as Christian we are saying that we want to live 'like Jesus' - this is the time when someone will pop up and say, 'All you need is Jesus to do that. He is God's living word. There's no need of the Bible, or of rules, or trying to be what you're not for God's Grace is sufficient and because Grace is always sufficient you just need to be free and live within it.'
And you know what? They are right!
There's no need of rules and regulations, for these merely tie you down and condemn. Yes indeedy folks: There's no need to do anything other than live in the freedom that being 'Christian' brings because, at the end of the day, 'God just wants you to happy' and doesn't it say that, 'God so loved the world that He gave His only son (nothing about things Sophia-like or female here I'm afraid) to set it free - not tell it that it is wrong (AKA condemn).'
So let's write that down:
1. There's no need to write anything down you just need Jesus and to love and be loved and live in God's Grace and be happy!
Oh! perhaps we need to scrub that out as we've just broken our first rule - which of course we shouldn't have anyway because there are no rules, regulations or philosophies (are there?).
And this is where the problems all begin, for everyone I have encountered starts off by telling me that Rule One applies and then they break it by telling me that this applies to everyone else's Rule One, not theirs! we don't need anything but Grace and we can't out sin Grace so why try to keep Paul's philosophical scribbles and rules? Be free and happy and live in the knowledge that that's enough (and buy my books, sermon videos, CD and other merchandising because 'a workmen is worthy of his wage' and of course you mustn't criticise me because you must never act against the Lord's anointed either!
This is the root of all the error in the Church today. The feeble-minded, seeking blessing that should come from the labour of their own hands, instead seek God's anointing and blessing and prosperity and health and status and positions of authority ('I want to be up the front and be applauded and feted') and power and everything that Jesus died to bring us.
But that's where it goes wrong, isn't it?
Jesus came to take on the role of Christ. To reconcile each of us, by name, to God the Father by that one atoning act of dying (in our place) upon the cross. His words, which we need to read and learn and learn to live by, are important and valid and lively - you cannot be a Christian without the Bible (Old and New Testament) and you need to look at the words written and ask yourself how you might live by them.
And this is where the error is to be found. For taking the truth and adding just a little deviation from that which Jesus calls us to be; to write off paul as 'vain philosophy' or to call Christians to live without the Bible is akin to telling Vegetarians that eating meat doesn't deny your vegetarian beliefs.
You cannot live as a Christian without love or Jesus
BUT
You cannot live as a Christian without writing things down, reading the Bible, and seeking to live by them.
The laws and written codes that stood (and continue to stand to this day) opposed to God's solution for the world's ills (Jesus), the condemnations and accusations, the powers and authorities (Col 2) have been trampled underfoot: They are a laughing stock.
And this we know because Jesus (God's living Word - Logos) lives in our hearts by faith supported by the written word (logos) and the ways in which we are shown how to respond to this amazing act of love.
It is so very simple - it isn't rocket science now, is it?
So let's turn off the TV and stop going to the Christian cabarets; let's toss the CDs, DVDs in he bin; let's stop pouring money into all the miraculous ministries (because the only miracle to be seen is the fact that you spend what you don't have to fund someone who already has more than is right or proper).
Go to your local church and celebrate being Church.
Get yourself a job and earn your living and pay your tithes and make sure that none who are without because they cannot work or because life has dealt them a bit of a blow can survive.
Read your Bible and meet with the other Christians and discuss what you have read - write what you have learned down and share it - weep with the proven, pray for the sick, rejoice with the joyful and herald in the Kingdom of Jesus, God made man, saviour, healer, redeemer, teacher and coming King.
And now I've put the world to rights I'm off to a Scottish Episcopal church service to rejoice at being Church and celebrate the fact that Jesus
HE IS RISEN :-)
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
Blue Sky Thought - Night Before
This is a wonderful quote from someone who enjoyed a 'Paddy Party' to the very fullest possible.
Sadly though, despite the headache and red-rimmed eyes, they say they'd do it all again (whatever it was as they can't quite remember) :-)
Sadly though, despite the headache and red-rimmed eyes, they say they'd do it all again (whatever it was as they can't quite remember) :-)
Saturday, 18 January 2014
How Christians SHOULD be living
I saw this and thought it was one of those 'spot on' things to remind me and anyone else who happens to pass by about the way in which Christians should be living:
Don't copy the attitudes, behaviours and customs of this world - BUT let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12 (Revised Vic Version)
Friday, 17 January 2014
Antony - An inspiration
I have many people who inspire and challenge me. One of those is celebrated today in the church's calendar*: 'Antony of Egypt, Hermit - 356'
What makes this man so amazing special is the fact that he is one of what we call the 'desert Fathers' - an amazing bunch of people who sought God in the places where He was perceived not to be and who went into the 'rough places' and found Him!
Much of what we know of this man comes from Athanasius' 'vita' (life):
The lifestyle, harsh as it was must have suited him as he died at the age of one hundred years and five (b. c.251 - died 356).
Although wealthy he too the words of Jesus in Matthew 19 to heart and lived what he believed, giving what he had to the poor. Matthew's words go like this:
'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me.'
I am always inspired by people who make their faith life real for, in every age, there have been so many of us who have been willing to proclaim Jesus as Lord and live unregenerate lives. Here we have a man who put aside comfort and possessions and took up his cross, denied himself and followed Christ.
What has always struck me most was that with the acceptance of Christianity by Rome there were many who struggled and sought a separation between the Christian faith and the things of Caesar (disestablishment was with us from its earliest days). Antony was at the bleeding edge of this mindset and lifestyle.
Would that the Church today perhaps followed his lead and became a little more counter-cultural and were less in bed with some of the political parties and power-brokers and more engaged in keeping its hearts and hands clean.
Antony, and others then, knew where true power was to be found and what was important for a long and full life and a true profession of the Christian faith - may his life touch, challenge and inspire us.
(I accept that your church doesn't do feast or festivals and so I suggest you read this as 'the proper church's calendar' - Bazinga!)
What makes this man so amazing special is the fact that he is one of what we call the 'desert Fathers' - an amazing bunch of people who sought God in the places where He was perceived not to be and who went into the 'rough places' and found Him!
Much of what we know of this man comes from Athanasius' 'vita' (life):
The lifestyle, harsh as it was must have suited him as he died at the age of one hundred years and five (b. c.251 - died 356).
Although wealthy he too the words of Jesus in Matthew 19 to heart and lived what he believed, giving what he had to the poor. Matthew's words go like this:
'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me.'
I am always inspired by people who make their faith life real for, in every age, there have been so many of us who have been willing to proclaim Jesus as Lord and live unregenerate lives. Here we have a man who put aside comfort and possessions and took up his cross, denied himself and followed Christ.
What has always struck me most was that with the acceptance of Christianity by Rome there were many who struggled and sought a separation between the Christian faith and the things of Caesar (disestablishment was with us from its earliest days). Antony was at the bleeding edge of this mindset and lifestyle.
Would that the Church today perhaps followed his lead and became a little more counter-cultural and were less in bed with some of the political parties and power-brokers and more engaged in keeping its hearts and hands clean.
Antony, and others then, knew where true power was to be found and what was important for a long and full life and a true profession of the Christian faith - may his life touch, challenge and inspire us.
(I accept that your church doesn't do feast or festivals and so I suggest you read this as 'the proper church's calendar' - Bazinga!)
Friday, 2 August 2013
Praise - not always easy
But truly and most assuredly essential!
It's so easy for us as Christians to issue forth with the trite little statements, especially when, for others, the fan has become the target for some of life's excreta! You probably know what I mean, those little, 'Well praise the Lord anyway,' moments.
Praise is easy when things are running well and life just keeps on being good and yet more often than not the self same people who 'encourage me' and exhort me to praise are the very worst example of how not to do it right when it's their turn in the stocks of life. It's never easy to find that those you thought were part of the family never were or to have people who should know better proving they know little of what Christianity should be or how they ought to behave.
The dark moments when people you thought we're friends turned out to be anything but and the struggle to live in that place where their 'not being friends' doesn't become 'being enemies', the confusing moments when instead of tending our wounded - we shoot them!
In the middle of our struggles we find Hebrews 13.15 and the call:
'Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.…'
Regardless of the situation before us, we need to 'count our blessings' and to see past the immediate struggle - putting it into perspective and rather than get lost in the mire, rise about the situation, the people, the follies and foolishness and focus on what is good. Philippians 4.8 hits the nail firmly on the head:
' Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
think about such things.
May this truth be ours, and in those around us, today and every day of our lives.
Pax
It's so easy for us as Christians to issue forth with the trite little statements, especially when, for others, the fan has become the target for some of life's excreta! You probably know what I mean, those little, 'Well praise the Lord anyway,' moments.
Praise is easy when things are running well and life just keeps on being good and yet more often than not the self same people who 'encourage me' and exhort me to praise are the very worst example of how not to do it right when it's their turn in the stocks of life. It's never easy to find that those you thought were part of the family never were or to have people who should know better proving they know little of what Christianity should be or how they ought to behave.
The dark moments when people you thought we're friends turned out to be anything but and the struggle to live in that place where their 'not being friends' doesn't become 'being enemies', the confusing moments when instead of tending our wounded - we shoot them!
In the middle of our struggles we find Hebrews 13.15 and the call:
'Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.…'
Regardless of the situation before us, we need to 'count our blessings' and to see past the immediate struggle - putting it into perspective and rather than get lost in the mire, rise about the situation, the people, the follies and foolishness and focus on what is good. Philippians 4.8 hits the nail firmly on the head:
' Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
think about such things.
May this truth be ours, and in those around us, today and every day of our lives.
Pax
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Psalm 1 - a model for church growth?
I have always been of the impression that Psalm one is the model for church growth and the more I think of it, the more convinced I am. My reasons for this are that as it lists the three stages of falling into sin I assume that satan, having neither invention or tactical awareness merely chooses to use that which God has made for his own ends. This means that he has merely taken what works and used it and the psalmist tells us this:<br /><br />
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Here we have the three elements of church growth:
Walk in Step
One of the hardest things for many of those in church is for them to get out of their buildings and get involved with those outside their doors.
'But we are a welcoming church,' they cry,
'We sit here and wait for them, but they never come in!'
So they stop and have a think and then they try again with a different strategy . . .
and see no new people come through their doors; and so they say:
'We became an 'inviting' church. We invited everyone, putting leaflets through door and we even put an advert' in the local paper. But no one came!'
Of course they didn't, because they needed someone to 'bring' them to church and the only way that happens is by building relationships with the people outside the church doors. We need to go out there and get in step with them; but not to adopt their attitudes and practices (and not to criticise and attack them either) but to build relationships.
If people get to know us and find that we're not the pains they thought we were then they build relationships and it is these relationships that will eventually (and 'eventually' can be a very long time indeed) lead them into the church building with a degree of confidence that they are not just 'scalps'; for the great evangelistic machine. Unless we relate and become relevant to the people in our community then regardless of how welcoming or inviting or anything else we are, we are not (generally) going to see growth.
Stand
This is the next stage and it's important because it means that they've stopped to engage. They are no longer tabbing on through but have considered you to be worth a stop and chat. This is where some of the important stuff happens for this is the place where you are Christian but you don't push, press or proselytise. So often I find people going for the jugular because they've stopped to talk and to do so is to encourage them to not just walk, but probably run (in the opposite direction).
I had a conversation with a well-meaning and kindly Christian who told me that whenever they saw a neighbour they gave them a tract telling them how they were sinners and outlining the ways they might repent and be saved. When I tried to explain that the concept of needing to be saved was not only alien to many, but was also highly offensive for it said, 'You are not a right person!'
And we all like to hear that don't we?
That said, I don't think we can ever deny Christ and if mentioning Jesus in some context that applies to us occurs we don't actively decide to divert the topic or circumstance - do we? We just do not push Him to the point of alienating or embarrassing others.
Sit
If people have allowed us to walk with them (it's them that controls the engagements, not us) and have decided to stop and engage then we need to handle that offer of relationship gratefully and gently; and if we do, they end up sitting and chatting, drinking tea, coffee and dunking biscuits wit us.
It is here that we can engage more fully. This is the place of Fresh Expressions and START courses (eventually) and is the place where Jesus, God, the cross, resurrection and most importantly - forgiveness and love - are to be found.
When people are sitting comfortably, then we can begin (how I miss the Home service and 'children's hour').
In Step, Stop and sit - a three-part model for church growth that demands time, engagements, the ability to share the story of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the cross and new life (they called it the kerygma [keruggma] in the early Church - everyone learnt it and shared it with others). Being an evangelist isn't the job for someone in the pulpit, a tent or a football ground mission event, it's what we are called, each and every one of us, to be and do.
So congratulations if you have a welcoming, inviting and engaged church, but if you don't - get outside of your church building and leave it open for the community and get down and alive with the world outside - and you, and others will be like a tree in the desert which is tended and cared for and planted by streams of living water.
Perffick picture - innit?
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