Journal: it's part of the job!

Last week I managed three hours in the study surrounded by books and studying the Bible. I also managed a couple of undisturbed (No telephones) hours reflecting and praying (outside the usual daily round of reflection and prayer) and it was wonderful. The same is destined to happen again this week - but, despite the thoughts of some, it's not time off - it truly is part of the job!

One of my internal challenges comes in the shape of thinking that being out visiting and 'doing stuff' means that back in the study I need to work - and this often means an evening shuffling paper! But, as the wife has always said, "It's part of the job, not a skive!" The same goes for me when I shut the door and snuggle down with a God book and read, pray and reflect.

Today was a partial day off - but it felt like it was a day off as I took most of the afternoon and evening off and found myself using the Meerkat app to go and have a cheap trip to the cinema to see Hacksaw Ridge - an inspirational, yet uneasy, piece of cinematography. It is a stunning film and one that speaks of the valour of those who hold to religious views that separate them from the mainstream; well worth a watch if you can endure the carnage depicted.

Tomorrow is a day filled with funerals (back-to-back in the Crem') and funeral visits and stuff - the stuff my ministry is made of - and I'm ready for it; in fact I'm looking forward to it!

So Lord, for the day ended and the challenges and joys it held - may I have been a blessing to those engaged with - and may I have been your man in the places I found myself.

I will indeed praise you for not only and I fearfully and wonderfully made, but a gloriously redeemed. Your love provides, surrounds and upholds me and Your Grace enables my every breath.

Lead me in the ways I ought to go and keep my feet from flipping, my tongue from folly and my hands from sin.


This place of reflection is here for me to dialogue internally and gain insight and perspective. It first appeared in this current form for some of those looking at creating their own journal as part of the their journey to discerning vocation. The Morning prayer is there also for that same purpose: to create the discipline of prayer. Dialogue, insights and experience of others concerning this entry is always welcome - all grist to the mill.

Aberfan - 50 years on

And the pain will not have subsided;

not for those who lost children;

not for those who lost family members;

not for those who lost schoolmates and contemporaries and survived that day;

not for those who feel the resonance for themselves in the loss of a child.

not for a community that was irreparably and awfully changed in that moment in time marked today fifty years on.

Today at 9:15 - please stop and spare a moment to think, and pray, over those who are gone and those who remain.

As we enter our season of remembrance just a little earlier than usual with this - make time to pray for the repose of those gone and the presence of God's healing power in those who remain.

Church Growth strategies: 'Bring on the Holy Spirit'

The key quote to reflect on comes from Stanley Hauerwas:

'Church growth strategies are the death rattle of a church that has lost its way.'

We have considered, thus far,' the issues of worship' building  and the bus continues to move with us today considering the Holy Spirit. This is an area where I feel the need to be very honest and admit that I am what others describe as (so it must be true) an open evangelical, charismatic Christian (there, that's my problems aired and owned). I have, at some time in my Christian life, lived and worshipped in the pentecostal side of the Church.

The very first problem to be encountered is that those who think the  Holy Spirit is the general panacea to all the needs of the Church and totally correct and yet, as I will try to show, also very often wrong too! Let's do a quick bit of theology so we can clear this aspect out of the way with two quick points:

i. The Holy Spirit is not an 'it' but a 'He' (sorry if that offends anyone, but that the way the theology crumbles). 

That said, in John 14. 15-17 we do find the Holy Spirit described as an 'it' for one brief moment (this is done as I understand it to show that John knows his genders with regards to pneuma (spirit) being a neuter but having done this he then uses (the wrong) masculine to refer to the Holy Spirit. Generally our translators stick to 'he' to avoid confusion, but I think knowing this is helpful;

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper (Advocate, guide), to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him (it) nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

That the Holy Spirit is a person (as if 'He' wasn't enough) we also find reference made to 'grieving the Holy Spirit' (Ephesians 4.30) - you have to be a person to be grieved!

ii. The Holy Spirit, being one of the members of the Trinity is, by definition, God.  This means that He is one is who exactly the same of Jesus (homo ousios - 'One and the same substance) and He enables us to worship and to keep our walk (and talk) on the straight and narrow - and so much more, but I'm going to try and stay on track and return to the topic in hand for now). Suffice to say that whilst many seem to think prayer is about shopping lists ad telling God what to do, actually we serve Him because Jesus came and, serving us, reconciled us to God. 

Where the Gospel is preached then 'sign and wonders'  (this is the stuff those who go on about the 'Holy Spirit' are often looking to see manifested in their dying, failing or even dead church and experiences) - and the Holy Spirit doesn't 'leave churches' but can step back from the stones that make up the church: So if you are one of those who complains that, 'The Spirit has left this church,' then I have to caution you to examine yourself first and then repent and restore the relationship by remedying whatever it was (or is) that caused the breach. (or to put it simply: Get on your knees and sort yourself out!).

It seems that many Christians, in pursuit of the blessing, engage in the singing of naff 'worship' songs and take up the 'calling down fire' path to church growth. Now whilst this does indeed have the potential to be very entertaining I have to say that, when it comes to building Church, that we need to check back in our Bibles and remind ourselves of the fact that 'signs and wonders' follow the preaching of the Word. If you've forgotten this then take a quick look at Mark 16.20:

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

How I wish others would realise this and put off the methodologies and Sadly though, many of those who want to promenade along the charismaniac route often appear to give the most cursory, and often trite, attention to the word. That said it doesn't mean that if we give the monkey a peanut it will send down fire either: methodology and structure (or tongues and endless musical dross) are not the answer! 

We don't need to manufacture or fake it - there's more than enough on offer if you just put out your hands!

The answer is:

holiness (not a popular option for some it seems)

prayer (another apparently not too popular option)

preaching of the word (with integrity and belief perhaps?)

being lost in the love of God (now that can't be hard can it?)

worship (see the previous entry)

The Holy Spirit is not some amazing additive to Church but a vibrant and influential everyday member of it.  When we 'welcome Him' we are not bringing Him in but offering ourselves to be influenced by Him as He moves in and on us and sponsors us to lose the things that condemn Church to a mere ritual as being truly living stones. Mind you, I am certain that I'll encounter someone this week who will tell me that their church is dying and needs the Holy Spirit to reignite it :-)

Postscript: Just a quick niggle I need to leave somewhere before I bring my gift to the altar.

I really struggle with the attitude of some who make such a big deal about Pentecost! Each and every year they run around and spout about fire falling and gifts and tongues and other such stuff; the speak expectantly as if they expect it to happen because it is Pentecost. The reality is that Jesus having ascended (remember that?) meant that the Holy Spirit descended (again can I remind you of the 'If I don't go, I can't come passage?' and the 'I will not leave you as orphans, comfortless and alone,' bit?)

All those who are living today were born in the 'age of the Spirit' and the Spirit dwells in us and enables us giving gifts and manifestations of God's love so why do we act as if on that one day (Pentecost) we expect fire to fall and the dying embers before to burst into fire? The Spirit is in us and we are called upon to kindle the gift of faith that we have each and every day. We are called upon to pray and read and worship and be expectant and pray (yes, we pray a lot) every day - Pentecost is a marker of a new phase (the one after Jesus physically walked the earth and the one before His return) not the one day Black Friday-like affair some make it. We should be living in the reality of Pentecost every day and keep Pentecost as a celebration and a time for cake (although there's always time for cake isn't there?). Live in the power of the Spirit every day and people will be reconciled to the Father through Jesus, the Christ, and communities will be changed and Church will grow because of the manifestations of God's grace and love.

How hard can that be for goodness sakes?

Iraqi Christians: Pray - Act - Give

Says it all:

To save this image right click and select 'save image'

Acts 29 and Mars Hill Church

I was quite surprised and exceedingly saddened to read the statement from Acts 29  in which they distanced themselves from Mark Driscoll and the Mars Hill Church of which he is a part.

I always struggle with those who take joy in seeing relationships broken and ministries (and ministers) trashed for this honours no one and fuels only more separation and brokenness and the response from Mars Hill (who claim Acts 29 have been wrong in the way they have acted) doesn't seem to indicate that there's going to be any quick solution to this situation.

Living in the West Midlands I'm always stunned when people stop me and ask about issues like this because, and I mean this nicely, we are not in a place that's on the front burner when it comes to Contemporary Church and planting and the like - and yet stop me they do! They ask me about my views (which are usually 'dunno nuffink!') and seek to share the dirt over transgressions and the widely published and much-circulated rumours (which to be honest don't bless or enable me one little bit).

My plea regarding this situation is that we put ourselves in the place of the Acts 29 people, Mars Hill Church, the disaffected members, those who are baying for blood over stuff that was said many years back and Driscoll himself and having understood the issues (if we really need to) pray wisely for peace, reconciliation, restoration, healing and unity.

This is what interests me. We seek to honour God and bring reconciliation to Him and through this with each other - Simple really

So let's not take pleasure in this (or any other issues that might be found) but seek something higher and more honourable and get praying!

healing and reconciliation come through people praying

Qaraqosh: A place to be concerned and praying for

Reports are flooding in regarding the conquest and expulsion of the residents of the  'entirely Christian town' of Qaraqosh (located between Mosul and Arbil) by IS and associated forces.

The town (population c.50,000) is testimony to the sad reality that the Iraqi government is unable to protect those members of minority communities (Christians, Yezidi and Shabak) and highlights the ethnic cleansing and other war crimes that are taking place (and yet whilst HAMAS and Israel dominate the news, this is allowed to slip almost quietly by).

The Christian nationals are being eradicated (by death or forced exile) and are part of an extremely grave humanitarian crisis.

Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, Joseph Thomas, is quoted by AFP (Agence France-Presse) sources as saying, 'I now know that the towns of Qaraqosh, Tal Kayf, Bartella and Karamlesh have been emptied of their original population and are now under the control of the militants.'

Please pray

Please support those under threat (all faiths)

Please contact your political representative (wherever you live) and ask them what they are doing about this.

ISIS expel Christians from monastery

Reports are coming in that Islamist militants have seized the ancient 'mar behnam' monastery near Mosul and expelled the monks - allowing them to leave with nothing other than the clothes on their backs!

The monastery, dating back to the 4th Century, is an important Christian sacred space and a place of pilgrimage.

This expulsion shows the intolerance of the militants and demands some action from those who seek tolerance and peace as Mosul becomes a place where no Christians are to be found.

 Please pray - write to your MP and demand that our nation speaks up for those so sorely oppressed and threatened by the cancer that surely is ISIS.

Make a stand with our oppressed brothers and sisters in Mosul

ISIS is marking Christian homes with the letter N, in Arabic ن which means “Nazarean”, so they pay punitive taxes and, like the Nazi 'jude' label mark them out for attack and potential death.

Please change your profile images to show your solidarity with our oppressed brothers and sisters - and pray for them and the situation they find themselves in.

Thank you.

The Daily Office

Greetings one and all,

I'd like to recommend the practice of getting into the habit of doing a 'daily office' as part of your Christian discipline and discipleship?

When I first suggested this to someone the started doing this (but nowhere near as well!):

Another person's response was to do this:

Another person said: 'Oh, isn't that what Matthew six talks about when it speaks of those who babble on repetitively in the hope that their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.' They're in a trendy [sort of] evangelical nonconformist something or other independent congregational church - so it's understandable that they knew little of anything important ;-)

The reality is that the morning office, taken at it's simplest is an opportunity to read the Bible (Old and New Testament and the Psalms) and to reflect on what you've read and (listening done) pray.

It's an amazing opportunity to set you up for the forthcoming day (morning prayer) and an opportunity (if you have a go a Night Prayer) to reflect on what is past and pray intelligently for it before laying it down and taking up a good night's sleep.

It's a brilliant way of getting the read the whole Bible and develop a wider understanding of what is in it - and it's amazing how many Christians don't have a clue once they've left the comfort of their  'favourite verses' .

It's a discipline (I know that's not a popular word) - one that pays dividends. Like a marathon runner begins with a short distance and progresses as they become stronger, the same is true in a spiritual sense too!

So give it a try - there are great apps that let you do the daily Office, you can find an abridged morning prayer (lite) on this blog - it's perhaps a little more testing than some of the one verse and reflection books I was looking at recently but then again you don't want lightweight or twee?

Do you?

Give it a go for a month and tell me what it has (or hasn't) done for you

Click here for the Church of England Daily Prayer site (with links for ipad/phone and Android)

A message for ALL Believers

Saw this in another context and just thought I needed to make it applicable to those of us who claim to have a faith. I write this especially in the light of the stresses that aberrative and distressing mental health issues bring to sufferers, family and the wider community.

Please pray for those with mental health issues - touch out to them - open your arms to them - listen - care - support - PRAY

Wars and rumours of wars . . .

 . .  do not be alarmed!

Well that's what it says in my Bible (Matthew twenty-four, verse six: 'You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.') and I have to assume that it is a worthwhile thing to keep in mind as this morning I am finding so many prophets of doom predicting a 'firm and robust' American response to Russian boots on the soil of Ukraine. The reservists in that nation are being mobilised and this act of unwarranted aggression by Putin, who has gone from Sochi good guy to clown overnight (always was I fear), needs to be (and will be) dealt with politically.

To my colleagues who are writing that this is 'something spiritual' all I can say is 'Duh, really?'

There are always differences and conflicts and the way forward is by politics to do what politics does best rather than look to soldiers settling the dispute in the way that they do (which is politics backed by physical engagement as a last resort). As we move towards the end of our presence in Afghanistan the last thing we need is a new engagement!



Please pray

Please read more than one account of the situation and be informed when praying and intelligent when talking to God and those around you.

The only thing holy in war is the Bible that is used to pray over the dead - speak, pray, preach and be prepared (as the very last resort) to fight for peace.

Thought for the Day: Loony Christians

Here's the church

 


Here's the people

If we didn't have loony Christians we wouldn't know what sane ones were now, would we?

Of course the problem as I understand it is that there are so many people out there speaking for God when what we really need to have is God speaking for Himself, from His word - in context - and speaking to His creation - In Love.

This means that before we begin to utter forth on His behalf (regardless of whether you're being fundamental or liberal) and it doesn't matter what your motives are (selfless or selfish) you need to stop and ask yourself a few questions:

1. Do you fully understand the reality of the issue you're getting worked up over?
                 (watching Glee, Neighbours or Corrie doesn't count as authoritative!)

2. What does the Bible actually say over the issue in question - do you really know? 

                 (This is Not what do you want it to say or what you think it should say!)

3. Have you prayed about the issue? I mean REALLY prayed!

4. Have you discussed the issue with enough people to have developed a balanced and Biblical response?

5. Is your attitude loving: Righteous anger is rarely righteous or right!

6. Are you doing it the way Jesus would have? Because if it isn't - STOP IT

Unless you can answer 'Yes' to the above questions then you'd best go back to your Bible, your knees and find out all the facts - until then please do nothing that will give God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and His Church a bad name please.

Simple innit?

'Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.'     Gal 6

'Twas the week before Christmas...

And unlike the well-meaning attempt by one of the Police Forces to do something or other with the poem which deals with night before Christmas there's no stressing out or drink or sexual nastiness and blinking awful verse.

Here we are - just a week away from the nativity of the blessed Babe and I have just two Christingle services left. Seems like weeks since I did the first Christingle of the Advent season of the season (the reason being that it was weeks ago!) and yet here we are - glowsticks at the ready and virtual Christingle loaded and good to go. . . And I'm still excited!

There are still carol services to be done (loads of them) and candles to light (that's why we call them candlelit) and mince pies and mulled wine and Communion and ... Well, you know ... Loads of stuff.

There's still loads of time for people to tell me how, 'This must be your busy time!' Ironically, all the time is my busy time (and you thought I just worked one day a week) and the funerals crowd in as grief and Christmas trees clash and fight for the number one slot. There's still people who need communion at home and still more who need a listening ear and a gentle touch amidst the sea of life's problems.

Yes, it must be 'my busy time' - but that's true of every day that God gives me, because that's the nature of the calling (and the man) - so here's a gentle plea:

i. Please pray for those who daily toil is situated within the walls of God's house.

ii. Please don't assume that everything is squared away and sorted - use your eyes and head as see if you can offer assistance.

iii. If it looks like it's going wrong then, having discerned it, get stuck in and resolve it.

iv. Please don't tell your friendly dogcollar that you don't need to come to church on Christmas Day because you've already been if you went on Christmas Eve! Perhaps that should be 'Don't tell me' - but the reality is that Christmas Day is, along with Easter, one of the most important 'red letter' days in the Church's calendar.

v. Did I mention pray?

Have wonderful final week of Advent - our tree goes up this weekend and Christmas will be welcomed in to our home (the twelve days eagerly awaited and the journeying Magi awaited) - May Christmas be a blessing as we celebrate Jesus, God's wonderful Christmas presence.

Pax

Hope - Pray - Read - Do

Challenged myself with the image above.

Been thinking about those who sit in church and 'hope' things will happen;

And about those who 'pray' things will happen;

Or sit and 'read' about what happened in the Bible;

And those who 'make' things happen.

and wonder which combination of these made up my character.

And then prayed that it would be 'all' of them.

How do you do with it?

Reaching New Generations - Lichfield Diocese

Today is set aside in Lichfield diocese as a day of prayer for the young. As I was praying this morning, and as others in our church, parish and deanery will also be doing so, I was struck by a comment I heard this week:

Some people want it to happen,

Some people hope it happens,

Some people pray it happen,

Some people make it happen!

Now I don't want you to think that I am saying that prayer is not effective, for I know that this is not the case; what I am saying is this:

All too often I meet people who have either identified or been made aware of a need and their first response is to say, "Oh, let's pray about it." Then, having dutifully prayed, they consider their part done and sit back waiting to see how God is going to do it.

I encounter far too many people who are'concerned' but are not engaged. They clearly see a need and are willing to talk about it to whoever will lsiten at the time (and do the same with God) but do not examine their church to see how it can be made effective and welcoming. They ask the questions and bemoan the fact that 'nobody is doing anything about it' and drone endlessly on about how the need is 'never' met and how they hope that one day someone will wake up and do something.

Meanwhile God looks at the situation and wonders why one earth those people who can see the need keep asking Him to do something when he's already 'something' through the Cross of the Christ and the enabling of His Holy Spirit. What He needs is for those who are asking to do the something He's asked them to do in response!

Today we are praying for 'New Generations' and this is fantastic.

But are we opening our doors to them and seeking to reach them with an old and established message in ways that are culturally and linguistically effective?

Is inculturation something we are considering?

Are we putting on Kid's Clubs and other events that will bring the 'New generations' through our doors and into relationship with us?

Can I commend Lichfield's 'Reaching New Generations' document as something worthwhile to read on this issue? (click on the words and it will download)

We will reach new generations when we leave the comfort and security of our church buildings and get out where the 'new generations' are and engage with them, putting aside the tosh that you need to be young to be effective with them, in ways that break down the barriers that false opinions and attitudes create; by seeking to find the image of the invisible God in them and leading them into a place where they can see God's hand is already on them and His Spirit working through (in, and on) them too!

Please pray this prayer sometime today (and them resolve to make rather than want or hope):

Almighty God and loving heavenly Father

Thank you for calling us by name and welcoming us into your family

Help us to reach out to new generations

so that children and young people

may find their identity as your daughters and sons.

Bless all churches and individuals meeting for prayer today;

Give us vision, faith and hope

that your kingdom may come in our Diocese

and your will be done in and through our lives.  Amen

Pax

James 5 - What an ending

Yesterday our time with the book of James (the oldest of the New Testament books as he was martyred in 62 AD) drew to a close and he left us as he has been with us - growing and considering our Christian life.

We've considered the many ways in which our faith needs to be worked at. Compared tongues with rudders on ships - both relatively small and yet both are able to lead us onto the rocks. We've thought about giving and having and being and at last, thankfully, have reached the end of the book and can relax.

Let's say goodbye to James as he signs off with a blessing and greets the brethren (as Paul would have done). What? No way, he’s going down with all guns blazing as he tells us just how powerful prayer is and how we need to be accountable to one another. How prayer is effective and being in communication with God is the perfect network as we engage in ‘Pray as you go, anytime (it’s as if He was in the room with you it’s so clear' communications mode. And the network – U3 (of course)!

Prayer is about relationship – for too many live their Christian lives by ‘faith’ and yet neither engage in conversation with the other party (GOD) or have an relationship with Him! Try living with someone who doesn’t communicate – it’s a recipe for disaster and people would say, “That’s not a marriage!” – and yet we, as Christians do the same in out faith life!

That what our services are – two-way communications sessions. We sing songs to Him (and He to us), we read His word (and he talks to us about them) We talk to him (a quick prayer is enough) and He talks to us – continuously throughout the service – or do we.

It’s easy to pray when there’s problems

Easy to praise when you’re happy

But if you’re sick – call the elders?

If you've sinned – call on one another!

If we need rain – pray like Elijah (well not at the moment perhaps). ​

Prayer isn’t just about asking for things but it is communication. It is about being in relationship. It is about communication and conversation – it’s gossiping to God and hearing wisdom too!
Now, when there’s two or more of us (which is all about being a legal witness) we are considered by some to be Church and have Jesus in the middle.

Now I know the power of prayer triplets – when three get together and pray and agree (which isn’t what it sounds like – it is about one-mindedness not uttering 'I agree with you' noises), when we share good and God bad and God’s salvation.

So if you're reading this (and some people do I reckon) then it's time to find two others and pray with them for people you'd like to see come and join with you in the struggle (and for some the struggle is church itself!). It's time to form a triplet and pray for that person with needs and praying expecting to see those needs met!

And going to church? One of the best reasons for going is share stories of successes and learn from the failure of others. You are being successful aren't you?
Pax