tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-119764612024-03-06T22:20:22.979-08:00The RaceI am a little Irish person who thinks a lot.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-17665719345610524612011-06-09T08:17:00.001-07:002011-06-09T08:17:58.922-07:00I've movedNow I blog <a href="http://bigbadmo.wordpress.com">here.</a>Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-42715901046631530282009-11-07T08:13:00.000-08:002009-11-07T08:25:34.606-08:00The Gospel and CommunitySo, it's the thing today to emphasise the role of the community in reaching people with the Gospel. Hurrah for that emphasis; it is indeed the church that demonstrates God's wisdom, and it is also the love that we have for each other that makes people know we are Jesus' disciples. I agree with the Bible- big surprise. <br /><br />However, I see people making a jump here that I'm not sure is in Scripture, and I think, actually, is making us all risk feeling like failures. Yes, it is our love, our community that backs up our witness. But is the unbeliever supposed to <strong>like</strong> our community (and want to join in?) I'm not sure I see that idea anywehere in the Bible. Should they even <strong>want</strong> to belong before they believe? Isn't the idea actually more that the unbeliever thinks our community is weird as it's made up of a random group of people who still love each other? <br /><br />Discussing this with some friends the other night, I was sharing that, for example my housegroup, which is a lovely friendly group of people have been trying this for some time. Lots of emphasis on spending time together, bringing non-Christians along, sharing our lives. Now, not once has someone who isn't a Christian come along and joined our housegroup and thereby become a Christian. Are we doing it wrong? Should we be worried? <br /><br />I don't think so. Many people have commented and chatted to their Christian friend about our group being friendly, but more than that, how they have found it weird that a group of Christians like us hang out together. To be honest, though, the 22 year old Chinese people who come along probably have no desire to come back and hang out with <strong>me</strong>, nearing middle aged guy. Why would they? But hopefully the group makes them also wonder why their Christian friend wants to. <br /><br />The friends I was discussing with agreed that they would be far more likely to invite some non-Christian friends to their house for dinner with similar Christian friends than to their house group social where there would be such a huge range of people they aren't used to, that they would sit in a corner and the inviter would end up talking to them. <br /><br />In short, are we putting pressure on ourselves by saying our love for each other makes non-Christians want to join our community? Is it, rather, that our love for each other, madly diverse and different as we are is really strange to non-Christians, and almost unattractive in its weirdness? And that is what makes them wonder about where this odd ball community comes from?Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-41585925247237688032009-11-03T04:21:00.000-08:002009-11-03T04:35:00.860-08:00The Gospel: a good idea<a href="http://christthetruth.wordpress.com/">This</a> rather thinly veiled attack on apologetics by Glen got me thinking. It didn't quite sit with me and I couldn't work out why. <br /><br />And then I realised, it is, yet again, all about doctrine of creation. So, the Gospel is not a good idea, a "worldview amongst worldviews" (apparently) it is in a totally different spiritual category: "good news." A spiritual, other-worldly category, totally different from the ideas of this world. <br /><br />My problem with this is that it is a diminution of the Gospel. Truly the Gospel is <strong>more than</strong> a good idea. But that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea. It is <strong>more than</strong> a worldview, but nevertheless it is the best worldview because it is God's very own view of the world. Surely the Gospel appears foolish to us, that does not mean it actually IS foolish! <br /><br />This idea, that if you can only preach "good news" not the Gospel's worldview, is dependent on the wrong assumption that the Gospel works on us entirely in a different way to any other discussion. God works outside our normal way of thinking, of logic, of relationship to bring us to Jesus, rather like magic words the Gospel "good news" separate from everything else I think, brings me to God. One wonders why it is necessary to use sentences people can understand at all - may as well just insert the words "Jesus is Lord" anywhere into the following collection: pig, sheep, house, car, McDonalds. Sure people won't understand, but an appeal to their understanding is apparently intellectual pelagianism. <br /><br />No, the Gospel is a message, revealed in words, that through the power of God's Spirit we can be persuaded of and understand. It truly does explain the reality that we see around us. It is much more than a good idea, but it is really a good idea too.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-11634603707141370102009-07-23T01:08:00.000-07:002009-07-23T02:56:19.383-07:00Local church - hope of the worldBoth my brother and <a href="http://timchester.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/the-local-church-changing-the-world/">Tim Chester</a> have drawn my attention to <a href="http://www.tearfund.org/News/Press+releases/In+the+Thick+of+It">this report</a> on the role of the local church in sustainable development work. <br /><br />It makes interesting reading, and is a wonderful commendation of God's Gospel community modelling his grace to the world. <br /><br />Tim makes the suggestion that Tearfund's next logical step should be to start planting churches for the poor. <br /><br />I admit to having several reservations about that. Church planting nearly always needs to be organic in my experience - resulting from believers being somewhere and meeting together. I'm not sure how a very corporate (in a good way) organisation like Tear Fund can faciitate that without being controlling. I may be wrong - it happens. <br /><br />My other reservation may come from my professional status! But there does in many church circles at the moment seem to be an appeal to church planting as a panacea to all ills. I have come across a rather unappealing macho "how many churches have you planted?" approach to ministry. <br /><br />My experience of local church is that even at its best it is not a brilliant driver to new and radical projects. Furthermore, I think the real risk of church planting for particular people is that church quickly becomes homogoneous - a church for the poor unchurched and a different one for he middle class churched. <br /><br />I heard Tim Keller say recently that church is there to be broad (heterogeneously, not theologically) and para church is there to take us deep - to lend the church particular expertise in getting deep into a particular subculture, in the hope of drawing those people to being Christians who love others different than them. <br /><br />I applaud Tear Fund highlighting the work of the local church which is, after all, God's expression of his wisdom. But I would, if they were to ask my advice (and they haven't!) counsel against churches being "set up" for particular groups of people.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-80314369829411408562009-07-20T12:24:00.000-07:002009-07-20T12:43:08.365-07:00Some thoughts about the lawSo, I have been having some thoughts about the law. <br /><br />I have always been of the mind that stresses the differences between the way believers related to God in the OT and the way that they relate to God now. So, God promised to rescue his people, the law was "put in charge" to show us our sin, and then Jesus fulfilled the law and introduced the way that we can know God as sons. <br /><br />I have had several prompts to rethinking this recently:<br /><br />1) The long discussion about the Angel of the Lord on The Coffee Bible blog. Now, I'm still not convinced about TAOTL being Jesus and I am really not convinced that I have to believe that he is to avert myself from pluralism, but it did highlight to me that I do need to think through how OT believers were saved. <br /><br />2) On another totally different tack, I have just attended a really excellent week of lectures on the topic of sanctification given by a committed Presbyterian. They were really inspiring, both in content and form and gave me much to chew on. I wondered though whether in my task of working out how OT believers and NT believers can be saved in the same way his approach to the law might help me. So, I have been thinking maybe my mistake is I have been thinking very flatly "people are saved by Jesus, so I must be able to find that in the OT". How about "people are saved by following the law, which is trusting God, and Jesus does that perfectly and we are in him"? You got to give me that it is snappy. <br /><br />It has the advantage that I have always wondered why OT believers loved the law so much. It has the disadvantage of leaving me in a right old quandary about Galatians 3. <br /><br />Hmmm. Lots to consider.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-65378769966573098972009-06-15T03:38:00.000-07:002009-06-15T03:51:17.943-07:00May he add...I kind of love it and kind of hate it when the Bible comes back to bite you. <br /><br />A few weeks ago we looked at the tragic and farcical story of Jacob's two wives in Genesis in house group. It was tragic and yet great to see that fighting for the approval of someone, basing your worth on it, even someone whose approval you should actually have (your husband!) always leads to disappointment. It will never be good enough. <br /><br />In fact, desperation for that approval on Leah and Rachel's part leads to all sorts of sin and mess: including getting their husband (who already had two wives = not ideal) to sleep with their maidservants. <br /><br />Eventually God does listen to Rachel and gives her the son she has always wanted to prove she can be as good a wife as Leah. <br /><br />And how does she respond? Well, she does give praise to God, but only because this child "takes away HER disgrace." Makes her look good in other words. And then? She calls him Joseph. "May he add." The moment of thanks ddn't long, and quickly became "I want more of that respect from others." God give me more of this lack of disgrace. <br /><br />At the time I could apply that readily to all the silly people I know seeking the approval of others. "It will never satisfy" I tutted. "We should happy with God's approval, guaranteed in Christ" I preached. <br /><br />And then, recently I was in a situation where I was desperate for others approval. And, in God's kindness I mostly got it. Very nearly. Almost totally. And all I can think about is the small bit I didn't get. "Praise God for his kindness" I thought "but why didn't he add the rest?" <br /><br />People's approval, even where it is morally deserved, is not an idol worth chasing. It will never get you what you want, it may lead you down all sorts of dark alleys and you will always want more added to it. I say you - I mean I. <br /><br />When you let it sink in, the Bible has teeth. It bites. Even a long time after you have turned the page.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-52014562179859047552009-04-12T10:54:00.000-07:002009-05-16T09:02:42.022-07:00We are over committed to modernism.I know - sounds riveting. <br /><br />Recently I had to do some stuff for church about spirituality and words, which made me do some thinking on modernism, post-modernism and all that stuff. <br /><br />It's almost a cliche in some circles that evangelicals are over committed to modernism: we can think it all out. <br />Well, I'm not sure about that: I think we are committed to words, and that they are a useful way of communicating meaning because we believe that God communicated, and continues to communicate through his words. <br /><br />However, we could be too committed to the idea that we can think ourselves clear on things to do with God - perhaps we don't respect our fallen-ness enough there. <br /><br />Let me explain: I was having a conversation recently about emotions in worship. Yes, that old chestnut. The person said something like "We just need to make sure we don't get carried away by our feelings." Maybe true. But I must say I have never heard anyone saying "I just think there is a danger we were going to think too hard about that talk." Far from it - being thoughtful, engaging our minds, struggling to understand are all seen as very positive things in my corner of the Christian world. <br /><br />Why is that? I guess we could say that we should be suspicious of our feelings because they are fallen. But - er...isn't my intellect fallen too? And if I think the Holy Spirit has regenerated me and is enabling me to think from God's point of view, why not my feelings too? <br /><br />It boils down to, I think, that we think that words are more reliable, somehow, than anything else. Thoughts are better than feelings. And I wonder, I just wonder, if that means we are, as people sometimes say we are, over-committed to modernism.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-31419672003265062792009-02-20T06:13:00.000-08:002009-02-20T06:43:50.777-08:00I'd like to have faith but I just can't.This was a very common question from people at Newcastle mission. I think in a sense it is a really good sign, as I think it comes from people seeing a real difference in the lives of their Christian friends and just thinking "I just don't think I can be like that!"<br />I tended to take 2 different tacks, and you can tell me what you think. <br /><br />1) The assumption behind this question is that faith is a qualitatively different thing when talked about with regard to religion than it is in every day life. Having faith in your chair to hold you is different, in some way, to mustering up this moral quality "faith" within you to believe in God - that some people have that and some don't. In fact, the two are, if not exactly the same, then pretty similar. You examine the evidence for something, and you rely on it to help with your problem - whether that is not having somewhere to sit, or not knowing where you will spend eternity! This can then lead to an interesting discussion- because if you get into enough depth people can often see that they are relying on something to give them what the Gospel offers: "functional Saviours" as I have heard them called. The "front foot" nature of this reply is to say that "I'm just naturally cynical, and therefore could never accept this" won't wash as a reason. The real question is "Is there a reason to be lmore cynical about Jesus that whatever you are relying on at the moment?" The answer is, after some discussion, usually no! <br /><br />2) This is slightly more offensive answer, but Jesus does say that people don't believe because they don't want to - they love the darkness. If we reject him it is not because the evidence is insufficient or unworthy of our trust but because we have an inbuilt predisposition not to want God telling us what to do. So this, "I can't have faith" can be a smokescreen for "I actually don't want to." A useful question here is "If I could prove 100% now that Jesus rose from the dead, would you admit that you whole life belongs to him and live that way from now on?" If the person says no, and you ask why then you have really unmasked the heart of the issue for them. <br /><br />The latter approach I would take very gently and carefully, only after the person has themselves seemed to have some realisation that not being able to believe is not their only problem. At the end of the first conversation you just want to invite (firmly!) to look carefully at the evidence - both for Jesus and comparing what he says to their own experience of the world - and see if it is trustworthy. <br /><br />Anyway, that's what I did, but I would love your thoughts!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-13099265085779793072009-02-13T14:57:00.000-08:002009-02-13T15:05:36.854-08:00Newcastle: Day FiveSo - it's all over - or rather, we hope, it has all just started!<br /><br />Today we had good numbers at the lunch bar although not some of the individuals we hoped to see which was sad. However, good questions at the second one: I did a much more straight talk from Mark 8, so maybe it just didn't provoke as many questions. <br /><br />An interesting group discussion afterwards with the naturalist again, a lapsed Mormon and a professing atheist who couldn't process that there is no value to humanity if we are simply a group of atoms, or that there is any rational thought behind Christianity or, indeed why she should consider Christianity as an adult because she didn't like Sunday school when she was 6. Great group dynamic! Interestingly she came because she was totally offended and affronted at one of her atheist friends becoming a Christian, and insisted that Christianity is intellectually totally unfeasible, and one should only make progress in the other diretion. I didn't feel I answered her at all well, and the other atheist and the Mormon weren't exactly being helpful. Please pray for C to have her eyes opened. <br /><br />Last event was a jazz night with live band, dancing, and a talk on Mark 6 from me - about 2 parties. Talks in that setting are hard, but people seemed to listen. <br /><br />And home we go. I guess I always feel a bit disappointed when people don't profess suring the week - but no point teaching Mark 4 if we can't believe it. Please pray for new life here, and for Mark and Ruth as they sort out the follow up: lots of expressed interest, it would be great if they came through. <br /><br />I want sleep.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-82985768753443148132009-02-13T10:51:00.000-08:002009-02-13T10:53:35.377-08:00Please......can someone write a book that is readable for non scientist Christians on explaining our views on evolution/ID/Genesis to non-Christians (NOT another tiresome, should Christians believe in a young earth book) and why evolution does not equal atheism PLEASE Lord Jesus. <br /><br />AmenLittle Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-66088017053753409572009-02-12T08:26:00.000-08:002009-02-12T09:05:26.065-08:00Newcastle: Day fourSo - another good day, although in a covering of snow. A few snowballs at the marquee, and a big lot of snow hanging over the doorway threatening to fall on people - but well done to the CUGs for preventing any accidents! <br /><br />We were on the Bible today, and I just tried to get people to consider the evidence for the Bible's accounts of Jesus being reliable, and then had a little sting in the tale saying that we don't believe because we don't want to, rather than because the evidence isn't good enough. <br /><br />Great encouraging chat with a former atheist who became a Christian last week: asking me all the questions her housemates are asking about her conversion. Plenty of folks about - a bit less than yesterday due to snow - and good and serious questions. Some people who have come back every day - please pray that they will come through to faith. <br /><br />Just considering with the CU now how follow up should work. Agape have been quite involved here, and were excellent at training students to do personal follow up alongside their staff, but have now decided to pull out to set up their own group. So I am hoping and praying that the vision for personal follow up will continue in the students: at least 30 people have signed up to say they would like to meet with a Christian to discuss further. <br /><br />Finally, encouragingly, a group of guys decided in an impromptu way to run a grill a Christian this afternoon in the tent with a panel of students. Its snowing, cold and people are busy (Thursday is not an afternoon off for people here) and yet when I left there were 80 students in the tent, firing questions of all sorts at their peers. Two people on the panel not from Christian families answered about Hell in an incredibly moving way. It was the best of CU in action - students reaching students: showing them that it is possible to live as a Christian at uni. <br /><br />Praise God for these brave young people and pray that they may have the joy that they long for - seeing their friends turn to Jesus.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-22774334583913162342009-02-11T07:50:00.000-08:002009-02-11T08:19:50.524-08:00Newcastle: Day ThreeHey troops. <br /><br />So, what an exciting couple of days. Last night's pub quiz was packed with lots of people and loads of CU peeps who had clearly brought friends - so thanks for praying. I always feel a bit like the talk is tacked on to this type of event, and feel a bit uneasy, but in fairness to the CU they had made the content very clear on the publicity. Everyone seemed to be listening, although, as one CUG said, it felt a little bit like people were enduring rather than engaging with the talk! Nevertheless, this is really important seed sowing stuff for people whom don't connect with lunch bar titles and we just pray that the CU members who brought people will be able to make the most of the ice having been broken.<br /><br />Today was the best morning and lunch time so far. Ed the Relay Worker did a top job in organising surveys with people, and lots of interest, chats and visits to the tent because of links there. <br /><br />The first lunch bar had about 70/80 with some great questions - including some quite detailed ones from one guy about Mark - which is great. The second lunch bar was absolutely packed out - abotu 130 and standing room only! <br /><br />Today was on "I'm not a murderer or a rapist. Isn't it good enough to be good?" I really addressed it from the point of view of morality being totally removed from relatonship. Seemed to stir up a lot of questions - which all really lent themselves to re-explaining the message, the best type! S from yesterday was definitely back, although he didn't stay to chat. Pray that the Spirit is silently working. <br /><br />A long and frustrating chat with an all out scientific naturalist - any clues on how to deal with someone who will only accept "scientifically verifiable" evidence? Interestingly, though, he keeps coming back because CU people are so kind generous and open with him. Great witness. <br /><br />Please pray for fruit. A lot of the systems are in place, students are praying, working hard and loads of great examples of taking risks for their faith by asking friends, standing by the difficult stuff I am saying, and getting onto campus to chat to people. They would love the encouragement of new life. Please Lord, let salvation spring up from the ground!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-69427508153514741772009-02-10T09:32:00.000-08:002009-02-10T09:50:26.933-08:00Newcastle: Day TwoThanks so much for your prayers!<br /><br />Last night's international event was totally awesome. It was co-ordinated by a local church worker but had CU "hosts" on every table to discuss with people. There must have been 150 people there - great meal, a talk on Mark 7 and then people sitting round chatting. At one point I looked round and every table was filled with people, Mark's Gospels open, having chats. Loads of students there from so-called "closed" countries, and a real privilege to be involved in. <br /><br />Cold start again today in the tent for prayers and CUGs, then some work, and came back to find a gaggle of people around a laptop doing worldview surveys. That seemed to act as a good pull into the tent and both lunch bars were much busier (50 and 100 at a guess) with some great questions. Lots of questions about what to do if you don't "have faith" - so people claiming to want to be Christian but saying unable to believe. How to deal with that without accusing people of moral dishonesty I'm not sure! <br /><br />Please pray for S, a Canadian student who can't believe that being good isn't good enough, another S from Mormon background, and a Muslim guy who asked a question about the trinity and said he'd read Mark. <br /><br />Pub quiz with Mark 2 talk tonight!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-20057558516746934892009-02-09T08:45:00.000-08:002009-02-09T08:58:24.426-08:00Newcastle: Day oneSo day one began early in a very cold marquee! We prayed and then had a great CUGs meeting, where Lewis reminded us that evangelism is calling people to be included in the internal love of the Trinity. Awesome. <br /><br />What's really interesting, and may be the shape of things to come, is that the university has been quite firm on the things CUGs can and can't do. A CUG can only flyer or do a questionnaire with a student, and the only CUGs allowed are on a list which has been previously approved by the chaplaincy. Gone are the days when one can just wander onto campus and do evangelism - which makes student led CUs more strategic than ever, I guess. <br /><br />Anyway, after a bacon sarnie, a little bit of faff putting up a FREE banner outside the tent and getting the heater working, it was time for lunch bar round 1. Quite a small number in round 1 - maybe 30, and I rather barrelled through my talk as I was a bit nervous. No questions but some folk staying to chat. <br /><br />Round 2 much better in lots of ways, lots more people, some great questions and I was a lot more relaxed. <br /><br />The first talk was on "I'm not really bothered, what's in Christianity for me?" I tried using Buffy the Vampire slayer as a model of how we are fed the idea that if we don't get to choose our own destiny we are being limited, but actually how "what's in it for me" is not at all a useful question for running your life. Then how Jesus can free us from slavery to that. <br /><br />I'm not sure if I quite got the balance of attacking secular worldviews and offering the Gospel right - but we'll see. <br /><br />Tonight is an international event. Clearly this is a great onoging work that some people in Newcastle are awesome in their faithful commitment to, and I am just slotting in! So it's great to be in partnership with faithful folk who really have been putting in the hard yards. Mark 7 on the difference between religion and Jesus. <br /><br />Its great to see some first year guys bringing loads of mates along - but so far not loads of inviting from the whole CU and it feels like little direct response after talks. Tomorrow is on "I don't like discrimination, why doesn't God accept everyone?" which has the potential to generate a bit more heat! Please pray that I would challenge people's wrong assumptions and clearly present the alternatives, and for CU members to feel confident in bringing folk along.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-68060669751547796022009-02-05T09:13:00.000-08:002009-02-05T09:17:44.780-08:00If anyone is still out there..I am heading North tomorrow - lunch bar in Durham and Saturday CU central, and then to Newcastle for a week of mission. <br /><br />I'm going to try and "live-blog" the events each day in the hope that some of you out there will "hold the rope" and pray for God's righteousness to be known on their campus. <br /><br />Paul went to Corinth to preach in great fear and trembling: I know how he feels! <br /><br />If, indeed, there is anyone still reading this blog at all!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-70864387423037634922008-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:002008-12-04T08:55:53.182-08:00Zephy Zephy Zephy Oi oi oi.Good times in Zephaniah, both with Newcastle CU and now with my Relay Worker as we prepare for Relay 2. <br /><br />It's amazing how a bok I know well now opens up new things each time. Some fresh things this time:<br />1) Everyone worships something. The people have ignored God (so much so, they had lost the Book of the Law and not noticed) but that doesn't mean they had stopped worshipping and being shaped by something outside themselves. Far from it - they became like those around them - following their stupid made up gods, and doing the things they did, instead of their lives being shaped by the amazing God of the universe and his truth. How stupid. How real! When we lose our respect for God's word, we think we are free - in fact we become pathetic apes of the world around us. Silly. And not at all surprising that it provokes God's anger. <br /><br />2) The humble seek humility. Zephaniah addresses the nation, but calls the humble to seek humility. Eh? Weren't they humble already? Well indeed - its those who are humble enough to listen to God who are called to humble themselves repeatedly - the way in and the way on are the same. I don't want to read too much into this - but it seems that the hope of the nation is not that the whole nation will respond to Zeph's warning (although they should) but rather that those who do respect God seek to humble themselves before him even moreso, and seek Him and seek righteousness. <br /><br />Let's not start applying the message of judgement to all and sundry first. True, they need to hear the message and respond. But first and foremost, let's see God for who he is ourselves and seek righteousness and seek humility, and seek the Lord. That's where the hope for the people around us begins. <br /><br />I've been reading a bit about some of the evangelical awakenings recently. Isn't it stark that they began with the church seeing their own sin and God's holiness so clearly that <span style="font-weight:bold;">they</span> repented of their weakness of commitment, their love of money, their fitting in with the culture around them? Would that we would see God's holiness as Zephaniah shows us, and we would be renewed in seeking God and seeking humility. That is the hope for the world.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-75128623390732840532008-11-25T04:06:00.000-08:002008-11-25T04:26:03.265-08:00The Colossian JesusThat hideous thing "The Gospel conversation." For years it was the holy grail I pursued with particular friends, when I waited for the opportunity and the spilt two ways to live or the four spiritual laws out onto them. Looking for ways to "Get the Gospel in". Eeek. <br /><br />That's not the way Paul seems to view it happening with the Colossians, as me and my lovely Relay Worker noted last week. We have had a great time as he has led me through and we got to the random bit at the end of chapter 4. Rather he says "let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt." What that means is, I think, not that we are looking for ways to get the Gospel in (although we should do that) but rather that there is something different about the way we speak all the time that reflects the grace of the Gospel. <br /><br />And that isn't about merely trying to be different. Its believing what Colossians says about Jesus - that everything, that means everything, is created by him and for him. That means there is no topic of conversation to which Jesus is unrelated and no situation where it is impossible to give a distinctive Christian perspective. <br /><br />Recently in church one of the other elders told the story of how his wife was chatting to another Mum about life and its stresses and said, quite naturally "there is a great sense of peace knowing someone you trust is in control." Discussing it afterwards the reaction of people seemed to be "I'd never have thought of that" or "I'd never have the nerve to say that". It seems to me the solution to those problems is simply to believe in the Colossian Christ - that all we talk about is made by him and for him anyway.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-14446519196650468302008-11-20T00:20:00.000-08:002008-11-20T00:32:05.539-08:00Grace becomes a workI am very into and have been much helped by the idea that our issues with sanctification stem from believing (or not believing) things about the Gospel. Much thanks go to Jerry Bridges who has been writing about this stuff for years, and also to Keller, Chester and others whose names end in er. So the issue is not "how to stop sinning" but "how to start believing and accepting the Gospel in a particular area of my life."<br /><br />However, I see a problem developing in me, and in some of the people I work with. Not a problem with the theology, but a problem with its application. The issue is that this "apply the Gospel to your sin" can in itself become a work. Am I <span style="font-weight:bold;">good</span> at applying the Gospel to my pride? Have I been <span style="font-weight:bold;">successful</span> at applying the Gospel to my self esteem? Have I <span style="font-weight:bold;">done well</span> at applying grace to my temper? <br /><br />For me, this theological stuff which truly is excellent can so easily make the Gospel of amazing grace into yet another technique to improve myself and either feed my self righteousness, or beat myself up for my unrighteousness. I was struck recently when I was with a friend discussing something I was struggling with. I nearly found myself saying "I don't want you to know how rubbish I am at trusting the Gospel!" (Yes Maurice, that would be the Gospel message that says that you are, y'know, rubbish.)<br /><br />But the Gospel is not a self improvement technique. It is just good news that God loves me, and that the amazing generous and kind Jesus is my Lord, and that there is a new creation coming, and that God's Spirit dwells in me, and that Jesus intercedes for me in my weakness. Those things are TRUE, and to be rejoiced in, not simply USED to move on in holiness. <br /><br />Heaven help us all when believing in grace becomes a measurable work.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-29695876622775287092008-11-19T01:38:00.000-08:002008-11-19T02:05:51.589-08:00Possessions.comWhat would Jesus say to Michael Phelps, plus a talk at Liverpool CU on the rich young ruler plus Zephaniah has got me thinking about possessions. <br /><br />It seems to me that the Bible doesn't say that being rich is wrong but that it is dangerous. The thing is about having stuff is that it makes you feel like everything is ok. So, I wake up in a warm bed, I go to my lecture and have a coffee, I hang out with my mates, have a few drinks. It doesn't feel like I am in desperate need of forgiveness from the great God of the universe. I feel like if there is a problem then I can deal with it. <br /><br />Isn't that what makes mission to students so difficult? Most people don't feel any need because their material comfort has made them immune to the message that they need God to be kind to them. They don't feel that they need God's kindness! <br /><br />Zephaniah is very similar. I guess a question for lots of us, is why so strong on judgement? At least part of it is the recurring theme of the people thinking they are safe because they have money, vineyards and wine! It all felt pretty comfortable. And it takes God's shocking description of where we truly are before him to wake us up from our money-induced stupor. (In fact, for those people, even that didn't seem to work!)<br /><br />Once at a Christian conference, I heard someone ask the speaker on the issue of poverty "should you give money to homeless people?" The speaker looked them up and down and said "I think it would be good for you to give some of your money away." There is wisdom there. I'm not sure I'm listening or teaching enough on not only the great things we can do with our money, but how our possessions are a danger to us. <br /><br />Incidentally, Bish, if you are reading this, where is your resource on money for students? We need it!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-42394288473897616052008-11-17T07:01:00.000-08:002008-11-17T07:22:37.263-08:00Big QuestionsSo - great week at Cumbria with lovely students who are doing a brilliant job of getting alongside the students on their campus. There was good attendance at events, but as it should be, it was the students doing the work not us, taking Gospels and giving them out in their lectures and getting stuck into campus life. It really felt like the events were part of the ongoing Christian life which these guys are living out amongst their friends on their small campus, which is great. Also, they gave us a nice plant, which we love. <br /><br />Then it was off the Scottish borders for the Newcastle Houseparty. It was great to spend time with these guys, digging into Zephaniah in preparation for their events week which we'll be heading up to in February. It was great to get into the book, talk mission, pretend to be Louis Walsh and make a new group of first year friends, including hearing the other side of an hiilarious Word Alive story. <br /><br />But it was also a weekend of disturbing questions: do we want to believe in the God that Zephaniah describes. Is it true that, as Zephaniah seems to say, human rights are less important than God being honoured for who he is? Can't we have the value of humanity, without the God of Zephaniah who judges and destroys? Why can't we simply agree that people have intrinsic value without the basis of the Trinitarian God? <br /><br />I think we need the God who will judge, the God who is the centre of morality. It isn't just God who sets the standards, but God's purpose of glorifying himself that is the standard. <br /><br />There is a real risk that we begin to read the Bible through cultural lenses. For any of us. My guess is that if you live in the world where the consequences of rejecting God are really obvious then Zephaniah doesn't seem so extreme - if you have seen a genocide or starvation or grinding poverty so others can be rich, then God's awesomeness in frightening people into the humility - which means that we don't enforce our rights on each other - that to me is the key to morality. <br /><br />But hey - what do you think?Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-63961106096346217202008-11-07T01:58:00.000-08:002008-11-07T02:11:06.062-08:00What I mean and do not meanA phrase I hear bandied about a bit these days is the phrase "the priority of the local church." I am happy to sign up to this, and am very clear that the Bible teaches it but I want to be clear what I think it means:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What I mean:</span> The local church family is the vehicle by which God is demonstrating his wisdom to the world, the primary place for most Christians to receive teaching and care and God's major strategy for reaching the world with the Gospel. As such, any ministry that operates as a conglomeration of people from different local churches should have, as its ultimate aim, the building up of the local church, and should not even risk taking away from people's commitment to their local church family. The attitude of any ministry, denominational organisation or training institution should be "what can we do to serve local churches?" rather than "what can local churches do to serve us?"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What I do not mean:</span> That any sort of Christian teaching, training, or Christian service has to take place with the explicit permission and "under the authority of" a local church. I do not need to ask for a local church's permission to preach the Gospel, serve as a Christian, encourage others in a particular place. It may of course be polite to do so, and it often will involve talking to local churches so I can live out the priority of the local church as I do understand it. But the local church's priority does not make it into the regulator of what is acceptable ministry somewhere, as, after all, I am an evangelical who believes in the authority of Scripture, rather than believing in the authority of the church. <br /><br />Now we have that cleared up - in other news:<br />- we are off to Lancaster for a week to help at the University of Cumbria CU mission. It's exciting, with lunch bars every day on "What would Jesus say to..." different people, and evening events with talks on Mark. Jesus has come to the sick not the healthy - pray for his cleansing work this week, opening blind eyes, calling people to follow him and be clean. <br />- then we are both off to the Scottish borders for Newcastle Uni houseparty. Zephaniah - loving some time with my favourite book. Do please pray that it would be a brilliant time of firing us all up for mission as we get a small glimpse of God's greatness. <br /><br />Busy week - but exciting times.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-45469252360212823982008-10-27T02:21:00.000-07:002008-10-27T02:34:15.343-07:00sweeter than honeyI think I have blogged on this title before! My thoughts aren't ever original. <br /><br />This week we went off to North Wales to do some training for the Welsh team - the third time we have done our Bible handling roadshow! It was fun as we looked at Psalm 19 again, I loved that description again - God's word is sweeter than honey. <br /><br />It was great to experience it too though. On Thursday we went off to Lancaster for me to speak at the launch of the Free project for the universities there. It was SUCH as awesome time (I particularly loved the testimony from the gruff Yorkshire lad who became a Christian through reading the Bible last academic year: "If you don't think there's power in these words then you have got some serious thinking to do." Love it.)<br /><br />To be honest, I struggled with this talk a bit, grappling all day to know how preach it - Mark chapter 7. But as I did preach it, the amazing sweetness of the words hit me: we are darker and more unclean than we ever could imagine, yet simply calling out to Jesus, wherever we are, wherever we are from, he will make us clean. It's SUCH good, sweet, awesome, generous, worthwhile, excellent, exciting amazing news. It's great to just be faced with the truth, dark as it is, that there need be no masks with Jesus. He knows that evil comes from inside me, and he is still willing, no, longing to help. And its so good to know that when people meet Jesus all they need to do is call out and he will make them clean. <br />Also encouraging was the fact that the Lancaster/Preston kids are so up for it. Please pray that for their clearly very deep conviction that God's word can change people shapes them to introduce Jesus to their friends. <br /><br />This week: mission planning for Cumbria in a couple of weeks, and then off to Poland to plan for the IFES Formacion conference from Wednesday till Saturday. I'm so pleased that we are doing Mark there - please pray that all we do will help us to meet Jesus, to call out to him, to trust him and experience his amazing power to clean us up. <br /><br />“It is finished!” O what pleasure<br />Do these precious words afford;<br />Heav’nly blessings, without measure,<br />Flow to us from Christ the Lord:<br />“It is finished!” “It is finished!”<br /> Saints the dying words record;Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-16717344564639776422008-10-20T01:05:00.000-07:002008-10-20T01:20:18.971-07:00Setting forth the truth plainlyWe're having a great series in 2 Corinthians at church at the moment (so is Bish apparently). I am struck by so many things - but yesterday in 2 Corinthians 4 I was so struck by how Paul carries around Jesus death in order to see the life of Jesus at work in others. <br />Andrew so helpfully pointed out that, far from Christianity being a way to fulfil one's potential (contra a sermon my wife was listening to on the internet), and far from non-Christians being brought to new life by people seeing how great our lives are, actually new life is brought by us carrying round Jesus death - dying so that Jesus looks great. <br />2 Corinthians is so counter-cultural and so contemporary. It's a brave book to teach trying to attract thousands of victims of "God wants you to have endless spiritual highs" Christian youth work to your church. For it says, not only is our weakness real, but it is the way that God displays his greatness. Not only is suffering and difficulty part of the Christian life, it is part of God's planned method for building the church. <br />And that people are led to Christ by plain speaking Christians and God's power. <br /><br />So, with that in mind, if you are praying for us this week, please pray for: <br />- us to be content to carry around the death of Christ so that the life of Christ can be seen in others<br />- to maintain confidence in the truth spoken plainly to change people through God's power: especially as we go off to do Relay training in Wales on Wednesday and I speak at the joint CUs mission launch at Lancaster on Thursday<br />- for me and Anna, and all the members of Christ Church to speak the truth plainly to the people we know who aren't Christians. <br /><br />Thanks!Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-78198331539072061632008-09-30T05:36:00.000-07:002008-09-30T05:42:47.760-07:00When knowing "the word of God" is not enoughLast week up in Scotland with the Relays (good times, and happy days) I related a story of a church I once visited. This church was publically committed to the Bible being viewed as the word of God.<br /><br />It came that time in the service for the collection and the service leader asked the people there who were particularly struggling with some issue in their lives to raise their hands. You know, a relationship, money struggle, or looking for a new job. He then read this passage from Malachi :<br /><br />Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.<br /><br /><br />And then he said “so what the Lord is saying to those people with problems is, you should give the most generously to the collection, and if you do, God will open the floodgates of heaven and pour blessings out on you.”<br /><br />Now, as I related this story there were (rightly) gasps of shock at the crassness of theology on display here. One could say many things about the man’s handling of Scripture, not least that he had failed to harmonise the passage with nearly everything else the Bible says about the Christian life.<br /><br />But I think the real problem was this. The guy was committed to God speaking relevantly to people through his word, but was not at all committed to the doctrine that God’s word comes to us not by dictation but by incarnation. That is to say that God gives us his word that speaks to us powerfully today, but he gives it to us through particular people at particular times in particular contexts. Our theology is not Islamic, God dictated it, but rather that God perfectly revealed himself in human form. “The Lord is my shepherd” is no less God’s word for being David’s expression of his relationship with God. Malachi was spoken to people living under a promise made to them at a significant time in their history, not to me on a Sunday in August 2003.<br /><br />You see, often the problem with Scripture is that people lower the God-ness of it. But sometimes the problem is (as with Jesus) that people reduce the human-ness of it too. The wonder of it is, as much as that the living God would speak to us at all, that he speaks to us through an epic story through human people in real situations. There is something inherently incarnational about how God likes to reveal himself – to understand the media properly we need to get that clear.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11976461.post-16581181454497334662008-09-22T07:56:00.000-07:002008-09-22T08:13:03.071-07:00Gifts and stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4Fc2VLPrLf3K6bNjOhFygBBAu1BIDNvjBeLYkTltiY7z3Wsd5SnJgcyiQxAYCnKeWFboPtdVYD77LBTcpsGDNfl579s7E-cBk8fUUB0GKYPpMxKeYEczkNjrdz0Xp9SBRxbW9w/s1600-h/present.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4Fc2VLPrLf3K6bNjOhFygBBAu1BIDNvjBeLYkTltiY7z3Wsd5SnJgcyiQxAYCnKeWFboPtdVYD77LBTcpsGDNfl579s7E-cBk8fUUB0GKYPpMxKeYEczkNjrdz0Xp9SBRxbW9w/s320/present.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248863666650675650" border="0" /></a><br />A very challenging sermon about what grace means in practice at church today. You can listen to it <a href="http://www.christchurchliverpool.org/blog/?p=166">here</a><br />Great stuff - the Gospel frees me to love by absolutely making sure that I don't think of myself more highly than I ought! No more building my identity on trying to be better than others!<br /><br />Almost as an aside Steve raised the issue of gifts and how the Bible doesn't really seem to expect us to spend time sitting round considering, going on courses or filling in questionnaires about our spiritual gifts. Rather, it seems to create an expectation that you just do it.<br /><br />Someone asked a question about that, and Andrew helpfully added that we need to be careful not to impose our society's obsession with self fulfilment onto the word. You see there is a problem of definition here:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our definition: </span>a gift is something that God gives me, that I am good at and which I enjoy which can, if I so choose, be used for the benefit of the church.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paul's definition: </span>a gift is something God gives the church that you can do for the church. (As Andrew said, you might hate it, but it could still be your gift)<br />This isn't simply hermeneutics 101. It actually makes a difference.<br />You see, of course, if you think a gift is the former, you'l have to spend lots of time self analysing to find out whether it is, indeed your gift. AND, you'll be a total nightmare to any church that can't find a place for you to do what you're good at. Meanwhile Rome burns.<br />If its the latter, you won't think of yourself more highly than you ought, using the church as your tool on the journey to self fulfilment, rather you will see a need that you can fulfil, have a heart filled with sincere love with those who have the need, and serve them. That's Spirit empowered worship!<br />The Gospel is clever you see, it actually changes us so that we form the community God wants, by <span style="font-weight: bold;">forcing</span> us not to think of ourselves and our gifts more highly than we ought. Clever, innit!<br /><br />ETA: I'm actually finding the way that this disgusting present picture clashes wth my blog quite pleasing.Little Mohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02680087854701127111noreply@blogger.com11