HALLELUJAH !

This Christmas, musicians seem to be queuing up to sing 'Hallelujah'. Out in front is X-Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, who selected the song for her breakout pop release. But hot on her heels is Jeff Buckley's sparse and passionate version, currently being championed by highbrow fans of the late singer, protective of what they consider to be his definitive rendition. Down the years the song has proved an inexorable draw for performers as diverse as Willie Nelson, k.d. Lang and Susanna & Her Magic Orchestra, with dozens of versions having been recorded since Leonard Cohen's gruff original.

What should we make of 'Hallelujah', with its biblical references and insistent refrain?

Cohen's song tracks the sad descent of a relationship from seduction to cynicism, via obsession. Identifying with the songwriter, David, who is then tempted by Bathsheba, he uses the biblical story as a metaphor for the ignition stage of a passion, escalating in verse three into an intensity of lust and desire, and referencing Samson along the way. Verses four and five capture the realization that love can be tiresome, with even sex failing to move the writer any longer. Finally, we hear Cohen reflecting back on a life of love, having been led 'cold and broken' to suspicion and discouragement.

Cohen's love appears driven by lust, and so we should not be surprised that he ends up so disillusioned with it. Far from being a pop song, it is a sensitive and poetic attempt to encapsulate the trajectory of a love in six verses, allegedly culled from 80 candidates.

From a Christian perspective, the deep irony of the song is that Cohen was onto something in each plaintive chorus. Whilst we might feel that in all versions of the song the 'Hallelujahs' sound hollow, in our 'Praise the Lord', we recognize God for who he really is. If we expect another person to supply needs that should properly come from God, we will be disappointed. Supremely, when Jesus was born, a vast and immeasurable act of love was initiated by God to save a lost humanity. We did not earn this love, we do not deserve it, and we are left to exclaim:

'Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live' (Psalm 146:1-2).

Hallelujah, indeed!

John Lee(licc)
LYRICS:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/hallelujah.html

How to pray when you’re worried

‘DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; INSTEAD, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING…THEN HIS PEACE WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS. ‘ PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 NLT

Are you worried today? Have you lost your peace of mind? Begin to pray this prayer until it takes root in your heart and becomes your fixed attitude:
‘Father, You told me not to be afraid because You are with me, You will uphold me, and those who come against me will not succeed (Isaiah 41:10-11).
You said no evil would come upon me, nor any plague touch my home for You have ordered Your angels to protect me (Psalm 91:10-11).
You said when I walk through rivers of difficulty (when I’m ‘in over my head’) You won’t let me drown, and when I walk through fires of adversity (when ‘the heat is on’)You won’t allow me to get burned for You are watching over me (Isaiah 43:2-3).
You said no weapon formed against me shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). I cannot keep the enemy’s weapons from being formed, but I know You will keep them from prospering.
You said if I ask anything according to Your will, You would grant my request (1 John 5:14-15).
You said when I walk in obedience before You I will be blessed when I come in and blessed when I go out, blessed when I lie down and blessed when I get up (Deuteronomy 28:6).
You told me to give all my troubles to You and You would take care of me (1 Peter 5:7).
So here they are!
Today I’m standing on Your Word.
You said it!
I believe it!
That settles it!
Amen.’

Thanks to The Word for Today www.ucb.co.uk. See also my Sermons blog.

Treasure Hunt

THE MIST CLEARS ON THE PEMBOKESHIRE COAST PATH 2006MJ

Thanks to Brian Draper of LICC for this little 'gem'

This week, I had a lucky find. I was walking a muddy path that circumnavigates the village of Pleshey. (I was at a retreat centre, and had only managed lunch and a quick sit down before I needed to get up and 'do' something.) It was so achingly cold out that I put my hands in my pockets; and there, among the keys and loose change, sat a little stone. Puzzled, I pulled it out; then, I remembered.

Some time ago, my five-year-old son found this sparkly purple object and with great delight came running up to share it with me. 'I've found treasure!' he exclaimed. 'And you can have it.'

At the time, my mind must have been on other things - dwelling somewhere in the past, perhaps, as I sifted an old conversation for anything remotely hurtful (something I'm good at), or stretching into the future to worry about how I could survive my next few work projects.

I can't even remember where he found the stone; I just remember his words. I must have put it in my pocket oblivious, unthinking. But as I wandered lonely, with only the blur of a deer and a brace of pheasant for company, the little stone finally had my attention. Treasure. My son had found treasure and had given it to me.

A string of words were carried in on the chill breeze. 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' Jesus.

Somehow I knew, there and then, that I treasured so much nonsense: security, possessions, 'happiness', reputation; I realised, too, how, through fear of losing such 'treasure', we can end up burying it, stashing it along with our hearts in the boot of the car we've bought on HP, or the foundations of the house we've almost killed ourselves to 'buy', in the boardroom where we've built up our personal stock or in the wrong bedroom where we've massaged our wounded egos.

Sometimes - especially in these times - we need a treasure map to find where we have misplaced our hearts. Sometimes, we may find real treasure in the most unexpected of places, like the pocket of an old pair of jeans. But always, surely, we need a little stillness and space, to help us recall and recover those things of great price we didn't realise we'd been given, but which we'd been carrying all along.

Movement, Institution, Museum

WOLLATON HALL


Roger Johnson writes:
I recently visited the Industrial Museum at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, and was fascinated by the items on show there. There were old bicycles (penny farthings), old motorbikes, telephones and a whole host of machinery used in days gone by. It made me reflect in particular on the telephone and how things have moved on since they were first introduced into the public arena.

With the uptake of mobile phones, BT can see little point in maintaining boxes which are little used and often vandalised. They have become museum pieces. Recently we have heard stories of how communities have asked BT to save their red telephone box. Some people have become so attached to them that they put carpets and flowers inside – but they rarely use them for the purpose for which they were intended. A similar story surrounds Post Offices. They are much loved and often provide a sense of community spirit – but some are little used and costly to maintain.

Is this a picture of the Church? Very often we hear stories of churches which face closure. When the community catch wind of these plans they are in uproar protesting, ‘You can’t close OUR church!’ But do they use it? Often the answer is ‘no’, except at Christmas or for weddings and funerals. In other words, they don’t use it for the purpose for which it was intended.

Christianity started out as a movement – founded by Jesus, inherited by his apostles, and spread by the proclamation of the message of salvation through Jesus, often at great personal cost until, one day, it became the official religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine. From here on, it has been argued that Christianity progressed (if that is the correct word) from a movement to an institution, supported and encouraged by the state.

It is good to reflect upon the difference between a movement and an institution. Movements are founded by visionary people and are furthered by the sacrificial actions of those who believe in the cause. They are forward-looking and will seize opportunities presented to them, even if it involves risk. An Institution is supported by a body of people who fund it, manage it and put programmes in place to keep it in the public eye. The danger here is that the visionary zeal and sacrificial actions of its founders can disappear. If, like telephone boxes, they ceased to be used for the purpose for which they were intended, then there is a danger that they could disappear altogether and become Museum Items. Museums, in contrast to movements, are backward-looking and delight primarily in what lies behind them.

Is there a danger that some churches have progressed from movement through to institution and now risk ending up as museum items? It is a sobering thought that some churches can be well managed and have a number of activities in their weekly programme and yet are declining.

At the heart of the Christian Church is the gospel of salvation. If members have lost their zeal for this central message, then no matter how busy they may be, they may no longer be moving forward with God’s Spirit to reach those who need this message most. The Church was founded sacrificially by Jesus in order to be the agent through which a missionary God would establish God’s Kingdom here on earth (Matthew 6:10). This is our primary calling.

Perhaps it is a time for some churches to reflect upon how and why they were first established – what is the ‘birth narrative’ of the church – and ‘are they still faithful to their calling?’ It is sad to see churches drift aimlessly along from movement through to institution and end up as museums, fondly remembered by their community but no longer serving a useful purpose. Someone once said that they had visited a number of churches with ‘a great future behind them’.

Let us remember in this period of Advent that God has not lost his missionary zeal and that the world is just as much in need of the establishment of God’s Kingdom as ever. Come, Lord and renew us in our primary calling.

Roger Johnson is District Evangelism Enabler of
Nottingham & Derby District of the Methodist Church

Paul: What's new?

All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas. Acts 17:21

In the crowded Athenian marketplace of ideas there was still room for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do we sometimes feel that there is no room for it in our novelty-seeking, information-packed society?

Many people hold this view, most often on the grounds that the gospel is old, out-dated, out of touch with the spirit and values of the age. Such parodies of the gospel will remain as long as people perceive the church as a gloomy dark building, echoing with emptiness. Or as long as Christians believe, in the words of the Rev. Jerry Falwell, that the debate about global warming is 'a tool of Satan being used to distract churches from their primary focus of preaching the gospel'.

When the apostle Paul arrived in Athens, he found a city very different from any that he had been to before. There was apparently no synagogue, nor even as in Philippi a place where the Jews met for prayer. There was no equivalent to the common Jewish culture, which generally formed the background to Paul's preaching. The Greeks didn't take seriously the stories of their gods: hence the Athenians' fascination with the latest ideas.

The differences between Paul's presentation of the gospel in Athens and the speeches that he made in other cities have been observed by many commentators. Four points seem to be particularly relevant here.
First, Paul was polite about the Athenians' worldview: 'I see that in every way you are very religious' (v.22).
Second, he picked a single tenet of their belief to use as his starting point: 'I found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD' (v.23).
Third, he used as his 'text' something from their own popular culture (even though his strict theology might have dissented from it): 'As some of your own poets have said, "We are his offspring"' (v.28).
And fourth, having thus met them on their own ground, Paul built a bridge to the heart of the gospel.

Our greatest opportunity lies in the fact that the old gospel is ever new: it offers what everyone is looking for - hope, security, identity, freedom from guilt. Our greatest challenge is to make people understand that this is so.

Thanks to Helen Parry(LICC)

Charles Darwin

Most people have an opinion of Charles Darwin. And those that don't will have by this time next year.

As the Natural History Museum opens its doors to a new Darwin exhibition, a year of lectures, events, publications, debates, and exhibitions gets underway. Even the most devoted Darwinist might be a little tired by December 2009.

For some, Darwin is the great liberator, a scientific Moses leading his benighted people out of the intellectual slavery of superstition and ignorance. For others, he is the great Satan, architect of a theory that led to atheism, materialism and genocide.

Neither picture is remotely accurate.

Darwin himself was a rather ordinary man. He did have extraordinary gifts of observation, patience, association and speculation. And he was also remarkably courteous and respectful (qualities not immediately obvious in some of his modern disciples). But beyond that, he lived a somewhat conventional, mid-Victorian life.

He did lose his Christian faith but, in truth, that faith owed rather more to the ordered, rational, natural theology of William Paley than to any personal, Christ-centred conviction. 'I do not think that the religious sentiment was ever strongly developed in me,' he admitted in his Autobiography.

Moreover, he lost it for a good reason - not so much his theory of evolution (although that played a part) but more because he witnessed his favourite child, Annie, aged ten, die a slow, painful and degrading death. Few people, no matter how strong their faith, could endure such a loss without severe doubts. In this, as in so much else, Darwin has much to teach us.

Darwin's Christianity was more philosophical than theological, built on the seemingly secure foundation of universal human reason, rather than on the particularities of the Christian story, let alone the counter-intuitive scandal of the incarnation and crucifixion. Yet, as soon as Christianity moves away from the foot of the cross and loses sight of the crucified God, it became defenceless against accusations of suffering and injustice. No amount of philosophical justification or arguments for the immortality of soul is enough. The pain, the sense of injustice, the sense of loss becomes overwhelming. Christianity stands by the cross or it doesn't stand at all.

In truth, Darwin's own faith never stood anywhere near the foot of the cross. But which of us can say ours does?

Nick Spencer (LICC)

KNOWING FOR CERTAIN

SUNSET ON THE PEMBOKESHIRE COAST PATH MJ2006

IT'S INTERESTING HOW THIS KEEPS COMING BACK AGAIN......SEE PREVIOUS BLOGS AND SERMONS ON 'I KNOW THE PLANS...'(JER 29:11).
WE ARE REMINDED YET AGAIN THAT IF GOD KNOWS THE PLANS, THAT IS ENOUGH FOR NOW, EVEN THOUGH WE CANNOT SEE AT PRESENT.

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, 'Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own.' Genesis 15:12

Being one person (or one family, one community, one small business) in the middle of a very big picture can be very disturbing. 'My hands are tied', 'I cannot change the outcome', 'I don't know how to protect myself', 'I don't know where to turn', 'I don't know what to do'.

God had given Abram grounds for ambitious expectations about the future, a belief that his dynasty would make the world a better place, a sense that he had a big part in God's plans, but he could see nothing. He had only glimmers of understanding that any of this would happen. There was only darkness. He could not see the big picture. So, God said to him, 'Don't worry - I know what will happen to you. Just know for certain that these are my plans for you and they will work out. in the long run.'

Abram would not see any of these long-term plans work out, nor, incidentally, would he know that the promises would only be fulfilled completely at the end of time. The picture is much bigger than the son who has not yet been born to him, much bigger than his descendants, much bigger than the children of Israel living in the Promised Land, or exiled from it. The picture is the whole of human history.

We cannot see the whole any more than Abram could - and his calling was special and unique. We cannot tell what part in God's plan our little moments play. We, too, sometimes are in places of darkness. But we can know for certain that the God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ is wholly trustworthy, will keep all his promises and will make sure that his best of all plans works out in the end. Meanwhile, as an essential part of that plan, we walk with him circumspectly, ethically, and joyfully, even in the dark, knowing that we are writing our own unique and highly significant story into God's big one.

THANKS TO Margaret Killingray (LICC)
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An astounding story !

It was either the most astounding coincidence, or an act of God; literally. The small Methodist Church needed a new building, so when somebody donated a piece of land they accepted. It was low-lying land so they constructed a wooden church and put it up on brick pilings. Days later a storm lashed the town and the locals witnessed something amazing. The church building, still intact, was afloat! The flood had lifted it off its pilings and sent it down the road. At the town centre, as dozens of people watched helplessly, it made a sharp, inexplicable right turn and continued on. Finally, in the same decisive manner it veered off the road, it headed straight for a vacant lot and stopped dead in the centre! The flood waters eventually receded but the building is still there. In fact, 130 years have passed since the church, now called Providence Methodist Church, floated itself to the most desirable location in town. What’s amazing is this: The lot where it settled had originally been the congregation’s first choice for their building, but landowner Sam Sadler turned them down. The morning after the flood, he presented the pastor with the deeds to the land! ‘”For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass”’ (Ezekiel 12:25). No doubt about it; when God makes up His mind, nothing gets in His way!
Thanks to 'Word for Today'www.ucb.co.uk

Remembering all of you

Barmston, East Yorkshire MJ2004

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. Phil.1:4, 7

Astonishingly, Paul, who met so many people on his constant travels, appears to have remembered the individual Philippian believers, holding them all in his heart, and 'longing for them with the affection of Christ Jesus' (v.8). He wrote to the Philippians from prison; yet, far from going on about his own problems, his concern was focused on them.

Innumerable people come into and out of our lives, year after year. But how many of them do we consciously remember? Of all the people that I have known, the one with the most phenomenal memory is John Stott. Over the years, in his teaching ministry, John met thousands of Christians all over the world. When a man from India, say, whom John had met three years before in Chennai, came to London to attend a course at LICC, John would welcome him by name, and then ask by name after his wife and children. An extraordinary memory and meticulously kept records, no doubt. But also an extraordinary love. A love that cherished every individual. A love that prayed.

The story is told of a young man who forgot an appointment with John. When he rang up, mortified, to apologise, John replied, 'I used to forget engagements too, until I started praying through my diary every morning'.

We are often embarrassed when we forget people - particularly if they remember us! But there is a more frequent - indeed, almost daily - forgetfulness, which is less excusable. When I forget a phone call, a neighbour's operation, or a colleague's child's illness.When my personal concerns stop me from listening to someone else's. isn't it often though a lack of prayer and a lack of love?

In a climate in which people don't really listen to each other, and so readily forget others' needs, an outstanding witness to Christian love is simply this: to remember and to ask: 'Is your wife better?' 'How did your son do in his exams?' 'How did that difficult meeting turn out?'

And sometimes one can say, 'Would you like me to pray for you?' And surprisingly often the answer may be 'Yes'.

Helen Parry (LICC)

Why Go To Church?

FONTEVRAULT CHAPEL, TINTAGEL MJ2006
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A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something!
Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!
Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

St Patrick’s Breastplate

This poem/hymn attributed to Patrick (5th Century)may seem quite strange to us today.
But I challenge you to pray it... it is immensely powerful.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of the holy Virgin,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.
I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort, [i.e., at home]
Christ in the chariot seat, [i.e., travelling by land]
Christ in the poop. [i.e., travelling by water]

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Helping those who are sorry they messed up

'IF A MAN IS OVERTAKEN IN ANY TRESPASS...RESTORE SUCH A ONE IN A SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS.' GALATIANS 6:1

When somebody messes up, God says; 'Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.' But what if they've disgraced themselves and provided fodder for the sceptics who already think all Christians are hypocrites? Why bother with somebody like that?
Firstly, : Because the Bible says, 'If a man is overtaken [caught by surprise]...[consider] yourself lest you also be tempted.' If it happened to you you'd want somebody to help you, right? And if you're thinking you would never embezzle money, have an affair or slap a child in anger, think again. When you're under financial pressure, sleep deprived, lonely and depressed, or your marriage is on shaky ground, you might be surprised what you'd do. Paul says, 'We are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so...self-confident...You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else' (1 Corinthians 10:12 TM).
Secondly, : Because Jesus is your example. While He had no time for Pharisees who hid their sins under a religious facade, not once did He condemn anybody who was 'overtaken' by temptation and failure. When they repented He forgave and restored them. Theologian Victor Shepherd writes: 'When we're face-to-face with someone who's been surprised because trespass overtook them, do we deflect their shame back into their face, or do we own it as ours? Do we rub their nose in it, or do we absorb it, put an arm around them and affirm our solidarity-in-sinnership? Do we regard ourselves as superior, or do we say, "Take my hand...I know the way to the cross?"'
The word trespass comes from the word 'misstep,' which means to take a step in the wrong direction or to make an error in judgement or conduct. When you lose your footing or you slip on an icy sidewalk, you didn't intend to fall but now it's happened and you need help to get back up again. That's the kind of trespass the Bible talks about when it says, 'Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.' In Greek the word restore has two shades of meaning:
1. Resetting a broken bone. Paul says, 'Christ makes us one body...connected to each other' (Romans 12:5 GWT). When you think about it, your spiritual family is even more important than your physical family because it will last forever. By reinstating a brother or sister who has been overtaken by sin, you help to heal their pain and enable them to become a vital, functioning part of Christ's body again.
2. Removing a tumour. Malignant tumours are life-threatening and spiritual tumours are soul-threatening. By removing one you not only help save somebody, you obey the Scripture, 'Bear one another's burdens, and...fulfil the law of Christ' (Galatians 6:2 NKJV). And make no mistake, sharing their shame and humiliation is a burden. Nevertheless, 'We should do it... [giving] special attention to those who are in the family of believers' (Galatians 6:10 NCV). In God's army we are not supposed to shoot our wounded. Indeed, if the wounded can't find mercy in the ranks of the redeemed, where are they going to find it?

The Word for Today 25/26 Sep 2008 www.ucb.co.uk

shift to thrift

It has often been said that Jesus talked about MONEY (in one form or another) more than any other subject. In our culture the challenge comes to us something like this: 'What are you doing with your money, posessions, gifts, skills and time? Are they invested for God's glory?'
On the other side of the coin (!) is the issue of debt. How about this for a question?: 'Are you getting credit for something you really need, and can you afford to repay it?'
Peter Heslam (Director, Transforming Business, Cambridge University) has written this excellent article on 'thrift', which I recommend you read more than once. Entirely pragmatic, he also effectively tackles the knotty question of 'laying up treasure on earth' v 'putting your money to work' . What do you think?

Recovering Thrift to Solve the Credit Crisis

The credit crunch stems from a deeper moral and spiritual crunch. At stake is a virtue on which capitalism depends - thrift. Resolving the crisis will involve a recovery of this virtue.

Most westerners have long had access to grassroots saving institutions, such as building societies and credit unions. But recently, while commercial banks have focused their investment opportunities on 'high net worth individuals', financial institutions targeting the 'sub-prime' market have proliferated. The growth of this anti-thrift sector is partly responsible for the high levels of consumer debt that have become an accepted feature of advanced economies, but now threaten to undermine them.

This raises questions not only about the morality of debt, about which today's moral and religious leaders are generally outspoken, but also about the importance of thrift, about which such leaders are generally silent.

Despite this silence, Hebrew and Christian scriptures support a theology of thrift. Literally, thrift means 'prosperity' or 'well-being', meanings encompassed in the Hebrew notion of shalom, which is central to the biblical theme of redemption. True, Jesus warned against laying up treasure on earth. But his warning is against greed and miserliness, which undermine thrift. In fact, the fear that generally accompanies these vices is evident in the words and actions of the third servant in Jesus' parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). This servant's fear, based on a harsh picture of God, led to actions that were unimaginative, unproductive and risk-averse.

In contrast, the fearless words and actions of the two servants who 'put their money to work', reflect a God who inspires the imagination, productivity and risk-taking that characterize the thrift needed to convert barren money into fruitful capital. Having made this conversion, which underlies all investment and entrepreneurship, these two servants are welcomed into God's shalom economy: 'I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.' Their thrift leads to stewardship and happiness. This resonates with two further meanings of thrift: 'prudence' and 'providence', words that appear in the names of two large companies that began as explicitly pro-thrift institutions: the Prudential and Friends Provident.

Opinion formers emphasizing 'happiness' should draw inspiration from the way happiness is obtained in Jesus' parable, to mount a public education campaign on thrift, linked to government-backed bonds to be sold at National Lottery ticket outlets. Millions of consumers, currently bombarded with gambling and credit options, would thus be offered the freedom and opportunity to save. This is the freedom and opportunity of the market economy - an economy built on thrift.

I know the plans.... PAUL and GUIDANCE

'Well, obviously not this way....'

We've been challenged by God so much recently about Jeremiah 29:11 'I know the plans I have for you' says the Lord.... (see parallel 'sermons' blog and also below).
I got this article today from LICC which takes us a further step along the way...

Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us'. After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Phil.16:9-10

At a critical juncture in Paul's life, thwarted and unsure, he received an unambiguous vision. And so began the journey into Europe of the good news of Jesus.

Luke tells us that immediately before this, heading north towards the provinces bordering the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, Paul and his companions were 'hindered by the Spirit'. These few verses in Acts show us that guidance wasn't a simple matter for Paul. Only three times do we read that he had a vision. Often he was no doubt guided by common sense, as, in this same chapter, when, arriving in Philippi, they sought out the Jews by the river 'where they expected to find a place of prayer' (v.13).

When Paul set out on his first journey, the Spirit spoke to the church, not to him personally. So he and Barnabas were sent out ('by the Spirit') together. Perhaps the decision to go first to Cyprus was simply because that was where Barnabas came from. Later, a quarrel between the two of them resulted in their going off in different directions - and thus two evangelistic teams grew out of one.

Elsewhere, Paul describes himself as being stopped by Satan from going to Thessalonica (1 Thes.2:18); the visit to Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15 was not part of his plan, but was dictated by circumstances; his longed-for arrival in Rome was not according to his own agenda, but as a prisoner, under guard.

Most of us struggle with guidance, particularly when critical decisions have to be taken. Paul's experience shows us that there are no simple, formulaic solutions. So appropriating to oneself a single verse or example from scripture can be very unhelpful. Even more unhelpful is the friend who says, 'God guided me like this, so he will guide you in the same way'.

God had a purpose for Paul's life, but it wasn't a blueprint. Motivated by his calling, and his love of Christ, he constantly 'pressed towards the goal'. Sometimes his guidance was clear, sometimes not. Whether or not we have a clear calling, or explicit guidance, we, too, seek in everything to govern our lives by the principles of Christ.

thanks again to LICC (Helen Parry)

The Power of Story

A hotel executive tells this story:

'The hotel I manage is located near a renowned hospital. Recently, we noticed that a man and a boy were visiting regularly and surmised that they were father and son, and that the son was undergoing treatment at the hospital. One evening, the father sent the boy up to bed and called over the head waiter. "My son is about to start chemotherapy tomorrow," he said. "He's really upset at the prospect of his hair falling out, so he's decided to shave it all off tonight. I'm going to do the same to support my son. When you see us tomorrow morning, please don't react."

'The head waiter was touched by the story and briefed his colleagues. The next morning, father and son came down with bald heads, feeling rather nervous. But, as they went in to breakfast, they gradually realised they weren't the only ones who looked a bit different that day. No fewer than ten members of staff had shaved their heads out of solidarity with the boy.'

'That,' she concluded, 'is how my staff live the corporate value, "Show you care."' (As reported by Hashi Syedain in People Management magazine.)

It's no surprise that business is beginning to exploit so movingly 'the power of story' for its capital gain. It's only natural, surely: we make sense of life by sharing stories with each other, so why shouldn't we make sense of our work in the same way? It seems there is life after 'death-by-PowerPoint', after all.

And what of our faith? We talk much, in Christian circles, of 'the power of story', as custodians of the Greatest Story Ever Told (GSET). But do we still prefer to leap to the 'moral' of the tale, rather than inhabit the story itself - with its unresolved tensions, suspense and wonder?

It takes courage to reflect upon our own story: where we've come from, the characters who've played their parts, the times when the plot has twisted for good or bad. And it takes creativity to demonstrate how it fits with the GSET - the masterful narrative that imbues our smaller stories with meaning, yet is somehow, mysteriously, shaped by their very unfolding.

Hardest of all, perhaps, is to attend, with grace, to the story of others. Yet surely the power flows most fully between those who are usually denied a voice, and those with ears to hear. Thank you for listening.

Brian Draper (LICC)

Hero or model?

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

I had a friend whose father was a very well known church minister. She had two heroes, her father and the apostle Paul!

Paul a hero? Yes, surely - a man courageous, single-minded, passionate, motivated by love for God and humanity. A man who changed the course of history, launching a movement that has shaped human values and behaviour for 2000 years.

But are our biblical heroes intended to be models for all Christians at all times? What about Jacob, Samson, Jephthah, Ruth or Daniel? All were used by God in significant ways. We can learn positive lessons from some, but mainly negative ones from others. These were real fallible people, behaving in certain ways in particular circumstances. God used them, certainly, but that doesn't mean that we, whose personalities and situations may be different, should seek to emulate them in everything.

So what did Paul mean when he wrote 'Follow my example', or when he resolved to make himself 'a model for you to follow' (2 Thes.3:9)? Never is he so arrogant as to set himself up as perfect: in each case he is illustrating a particular principle that he embodies in his own behaviour. So we do not have to imitate Paul's personal attitude to women and marriage, for example, any more than we have to imitate Gideon's experiments with a fleece (Judges 6:36ff).

Even in the case of Jesus, we don't know WWJD (what would Jesus do?) - all we know is what Jesus did. And perhaps what we need to know is what Jesus would have me do. Jesus washed his disciples' feet, and told his disciples to do the same (John 13:14-15). Some Christians, in spite of shoes and changing culture, obey this literally (though more as a ceremony than an everyday act of hospitality). But each of us, according to our personalities and circumstances, must seek to live out Jesus' example of humble servanthood.

In a society that is desperately short of positive, wholesome role models, all of us - in our gloriously different ways - should be seeking to embody the principles of the gospel, which were so perfectly exemplified by Jesus and earnestly pursued by his less-than-perfect apostle, Paul.

Helen Parry (LICC)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3170908278495640769

Stick to the plan

sunrise Scarborough
MJ 2007

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'I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU.' JEREMIAH 29:11

Today God is saying to you, 'While in process, stick to the plan!'
Nothing takes God by surprise. He's a master planner.
Joseph discovered that when your family turns against you, your friends let you down and you finish up in trouble, God still has a plan. Looking back Joseph could say, 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good' (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
When your situation seems too hard to handle and downright impossible to explain, remind yourself that God said, 'I know the plans I have for you.'
Some of us are not sure God has made up His mind about us, so we keep trying to earn His favour. Give it up! Receive the truth that God, for Christ's sake, has decided to bless you. And when God decides, temporary situations or the actions of others don't change His decision. There's nothing the enemy devises against you that God hasn't already made 'a way of escape' for. Paul writes, 'God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it' (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Observe that:
(1) In times of testing you discover how faithful God is.
(2) He knows what you can handle.
(3) He will 'make a way' so you can exit this season stronger, and ready for what He has next. So stick to the plan.
The fact that you have a problem is a sign that you have a promise. It's only a matter of time before God reveals the solution.
Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, yet He didn't stop him. He could have summoned twelve legions of angels to help Him, yet He didn't call on them. Under the weight of our sins He cried from the cross, 'My God, why have you forsaken me?' That's because He understood it was all part of God's plan for Him. His words, 'God, where are you?' teach us that:
(a) You can be in God's plan, yet at times feel overwhelmed and alone.
(b) When God doesn't answer, you must stand on the Word He has given you.
(c) the pain of this season will eventually give way to the joy God has awaiting you on the other side of it.
So stick to the plan; that's what disciples do. The word 'disciple' means to be disciplined. It means sticking to the plan when you're under attack. It teaches you how to function when you don't feel like it.
The enemy will come against the plan of God in your life, because that plan is like a hedge of protection around you. As long as you stay in God's plan, nothing that the enemy does can destroy you.
So, when you feel like you've reached the end of your rope tether and you can't go another step, do what Jesus did; - pray, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit' (Luke 23:46 NIV). Give it to God! Look up and say, 'Lord, I'm trusting You to do what I cannot do. Bring me through this. Here it is; I'm turning it over to You. My life, my future, and my all are in Your hands!'

Peter proved that as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus and stick to the plan, you won't go under.
Notice:
(1) Before you get into something, make sure it's God's will for you! Peter said, 'Lord, if it's you, bid me to come to you on the water' and Jesus said, 'Come.' Before you take on something like water-walking, pray and be sure God's in it. In other words, get God's plan and stick to it.
(2) Don't expect everybody in the boat to go with you. Water-walking is a lonely calling; it sets you apart from those who are timid and security-minded. It also tends to bring criticism from those who think you're making them look bad by contrast.
(3) If you wait for good weather you'll miss your moment. When Jesus said, 'Come,' they were in the middle of a storm. Face it; we'd all like the stars to line up, or some big donor to underwrite the whole project before we make a move. But how often does that happen? Peter wasn't walking on the water; he was walking on the Word! What has God told you to do? Stop waiting for ideal conditions and start doing it!
(4) Don't expect a mistake-free performance. Nobody walks without fluctuation. The Bible describes its heroes in one sentence: 'Whose weakness was turned to strength' (Hebrews 11:34 NIV). All the great men and women of God you admire, go through sinking spells when they cry out, 'Lord, save me.' And do you know what? He does! And He'll do the same for you.
Peter didn't walk on the water all by himself, he did it with Jesus. Today Christ invites you to walk with Him and experience His miracles.
Why don't we see more MIRACLES in our lives?
Because:
(1) We don't pray and believe God for them. Jesus said, 'If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you' (John 15:7 NKJV). Your prayers give God an invitation, an entry point and a channel through which His miraculous power can flow to change your circumstances. But you have to pray and believe Him to do it!
(2) We think the day of miracles is past. The Scriptures declare, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever' (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). In reality there never has been 'a day of miracles,' there's only a God of miracles, and He never changes. So don't limit Him!
(3) We allow sin to sabotage our confidence. John writes, 'If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him' (1 John 3:21-22 NIV).
(4) We look at the situation instead of the Saviour and our faith falters. When Jesus told Peter, 'Why do you doubt?' He was saying, 'Don't allow this storm to overwhelm you. I'm right here with you. Your problem is under My feet, therefore it's under your feet too. Just keep your eyes on Me, keep walking by faith and stick to the plan!'


Thanks to 'The Word for Today' Aug 2008 www.ucb.co.uk

A new earth?

sunset MossYard
Solway Firth MJ 2005

Then whoever invokes a blessing in the land shall bless by the God of faithfulness, because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my sight. For I am about to create a new heavens and a new earth. Be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating. Isaiah 65:16-18

'I believe in the resurrection of the body.' However many millions have repeated those words in every continent and time, in thousands of languages, we still have a tendency to believe that heaven is somewhere above the bright blue sky and that's where our disembodied souls go leaving their bodies and the earth behind.

But we also say, 'I believe in Jesus Christ, who on the third day rose from the dead'. If Jesus' battered dead body could come alive again and be gloriously restored, so that he could stand beside the lake in the early morning and cook breakfast for his friends, then I believe the words of the Lord that come to us from Isaiah and are repeated by John in Revelation. There will be a new earth and I, as part of the physical universe, will live in it in a new body.

All the delights of our earth will be restored and recreated. The fractures between God and humanity, between human beings, between humanity and the natural environment and between God and his creation will be mended,* totally and for ever, through the cross of Christ, who is the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15).

Sunset and rainbows, roses and redwoods, paintings and music - all will be ours to enjoy, unspoilt. The damaged earth healed, the lion eating straw beside the ox. Perhaps we will all understand and rejoice in the poetry of each others' languages; perhaps we will meet and recognise with joy 'the infant that lived but a few days' (Isaiah 65:20). Maybe we will live in cities - the promised new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2).

When we pray, 'Your will be done on earth as in heaven,' we are 'invoking a blessing in the land', and promising to do all we can to continue the process of restoration and redemption that Jesus began on the cross, not just in individual lives, but in the world around us. Our work, whatever we do, is to make our earth more like his heaven until he comes again in glory and creates a new earth. Margaret Killingray (LICC)

The Interface

Introducing www.theinterface.org.uk: where Christianity meets Culture

Is the UK populated only by cynical people who are unable to have faith in the sincerity of others? Where are the people of hope? The writer of this article asks if she is alone in thinking that the current media approach to politicians and leaders of large institutions is demeaning and cynical.
Does believing in God lower your IQ? A recent declaration stated that intelligence is a predictor of religious scepticism and that a high IQ turns academics into atheists. What do you think?
These are two of the issues under debate on the interface website. The site was created with the aim of providing a friendly space for Methodists to discuss hot news topics and their implications for our faith.

www.theinterface.org.uk

Staying in God's Presence

How long should I stay?

“…THEY SOUGHT GOD EAGERLY, AND HE WAS FOUND
BY THEM…” 2 CHRONICLES 15:15 NIV

You’ll keep returning only to a place of pleasure, so stay in God’s presence until you create memories strong enough to keep bringing you back. If you don’t, you’ll be lured away by lesser things. Memories of the good times he’d spent with his father were what eventually brought the Prodigal Son back home (Lk 15:17). And the right memories will draw you back into God’s presence, time and time again. “How long should I stay?” you ask.
(1) Until you’ve truly repented. Listen: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…” (2 Cor 7:10 NIV)
(2) Until your mistakes have been dealt with. Listen: “People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy” (Prov 28:13 NLT)
(3) Until your anger subsides. Listen: “…My [own] peace I now give…to you…stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed…” (Jn 14:27 AMP)
(4) Until your fear leaves. Listen, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you,” (Isa 41:10 NIV)
(5) Until your pain is healed. Listen: “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord…” (Jer 30:17 NIV)
(6) Until your strength is renewed. Listen: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isa 40:31).
(7) Until change begins. Listen: “But we all…beholding…the Lord, are changed…from glory to glory…by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18)
(8) Until you understand His plan for your life. Listen, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11 NLT)
(9) Until you recapture your motivation. Listen: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living…be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:13-14 NIV)
(10) Until you receive His wisdom. Listen: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Ps 32:8 NIV)
(11) Until new ideas are born. Listen: “See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you” (Isa 42:9 NIV)
(12) Until Christ becomes the centre of your life. Listen: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37:4 NIV).

Have you been spending enough time in God’s presence lately?

thanks to UCB.co.uk THE WORD FOR TODAY

Living hope

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15

Just over 100 years ago, looking forward to the 20th century, Thomas Hardy heard the song of a frail thrush on a bleak mid-winter evening. He wrote:


So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.

Hope. Surely we, too, have few grounds for hope. In spite of the vast technological progress of the past century, in spite of unprecedented prosperity, people are more depressed, the inequalities of the world are as great, resentment and envy breed hatred and potentially apocalyptic terrorism, and a new economic crisis threatens our comfortable lives. Most people, particularly in the West, seem to be deeply pessimistic about the future, often hidden behind a mask of cynicism.

And yet it is hope that Peter describes here as the distinctive mark of the Christian, a mark so distinctive that it will arouse curiosity and elicit questions. Always, he writes, be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

So what is Christian hope? Peter is clear about its origin: we are born again, he declares, into a living hope, into a heavenly inheritance (1:3-4). This is not just pie in the sky when I die: it is based on the historical fact of Jesus' resurrection, and on the merciful character of God. But it is far more than the individual assurance of salvation. It embraces the whole world. It is a hope that God can change individuals and that through them he can change societies; that God has good purposes for people and nations; and that eventually he will make all things new.

What is it that makes you different? That's a question that we shall never hear while we affect the cynicism of those who, being without God, are also without hope. Perhaps being prepared to give an answer doesn't involve a prepared formula for presenting the gospel, but a spontaneous response from a heart overflowing with hope.

Helen Parry LICC

God in Everything

Thanks to Roger Johnson for this:

I’ve just returned from a staff meeting where the opening devotions centred upon the theme ‘God in Everything’. People shared how they had experienced God in the simple, everyday things of life. We reflected upon our journey to the meeting and the way in which we had been surprised by a special moment in which God’s presence came upon us unexpectedly.

For some it was a smile shared with a complete stranger at the petrol station or when walking in the street - for another it was a sudden flash of sunlight on a desolate landscape – for another it was sad news being received in a gentle and warm manner.

Many books have been written about the way God has shown up at the most unexpected moments – a time of depression, a time of bereavement or a similar time of struggle when we felt that God was distant. It’s not that God plays ‘hide and seek’ with us but rather that our expectation of God’s presence is too closely tied up with good times and not difficult times. The Bible is full of divine encounters which happened when people were at a low ebb – Elijah in the cave, Job assailed by disasters, Simon Peter after the resurrection beside the Sea of Galilee – you can probably add many more.

Sometimes God breaks in to our lives in strange incidents which only become meaningful months or years later. I remember when I was a very young Christian that I was in a Christian bookshop in Cambridge. As I browsed the shelves I knocked a book on the floor. As I stooped down to pick it up, although I knew nothing about it, I felt compelled to buy it. The book was ‘The Imitation of Christ’ by Thomas à Kempis. It was only later as I started to benefit from these ancient meditations that I realised I was treading a well-worn path.

As some of us will be winding down for a summer break, perhaps this is a time to ask God to reveal himself to us in new ways which will energise us when we return in September. The photo at the top of this bulletin* is a reminder of the beauty, harmony and intricacy of nature – something which, if only we take the time to observe, is rich with revelations of God’s nature. Jesus was constantly pointing people to natural things around them when explaining the truth about the Kingdom of God – a man sowing seeds, yeast in the bread, mustard seeds, birds of the air and so forth. Indeed he helped us to realise that the Kingdom of God, rather than being ‘otherworldly’ can be experienced in the ‘here and now’.

Stephen Cottrell in his recent book ‘Do nothing to change your life’ advocates regularly switching off and doing nothing for three minutes in order to experience God’s presence in your life. He stood on a London station giving out egg-timers to help people to do this.

There’s no better time than on holiday to practice the discipline of seeking God in the unexpected and everyday moments of life.

*the photo is mine, not Roger's, and shows part of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path West of Cardigan

Driven to Distraction?

Youngest daughter is currently learning how to drive. I hope she passes her test sooner rather than later !!

Teresa Clarke finally passed her driving test this week - after 27 years. It was the thirteenth test she had taken, after a total of 450 hours of tuition, at a cost of £15,000. Naturally, she was delighted; or, as her relieved driving instructor put it, 'she went absolutely bananas.' Well, wouldn't you, after 27 years?

Truth is that many of us would have given up long before. However, despite all the setbacks she encountered, Mrs Clarke insists that she, 'never wanted to give up learning to drive.' The primary reason why her success is newsworthy is because such perseverance is a rare thing in our 'instant society'.

Perseverance, of course, is the hallmark of true discipleship (Luke 9:62). However, in seeking to demonstrate the relevance of the Gospel to contemporary culture, we need to be careful not to create the impression that culture is the authority that authenticates the Gospel. Rather, as those believing in the divine authority of Scripture, we should seek to help people view culture through the lens of a biblical worldview, in order that they see things for what they really are.

In the case of Mrs Clarke this means celebrating her achievement for what it is - perseverance in passing her driving test - but steering clear of the temptation to interpret it as what it is not - an object lesson in persevering in discipleship. We don't need Mrs Clarke passing her driving test to teach us to persevere in discipleship - Jesus does that in the Bible. However, Mrs Clarke is an example of the difference a commitment to a biblical worldview makes in everyday life.

Mrs Clarke, you see, is a committed Christian, and it is in this context that her perseverance in learning to drive should be understood. 'I'm looking forward to taking people to church, to not having to ask my husband to take me shopping and to going to see my daughters', she commented after passing her test. Her perseverance in learning to drive was motivated by a desire to serve others, relieve them of their burdens, and be a blessing to them. These are thoroughly biblical values - testimony that Mrs Clarke's faith has informed her thinking as regards what's worth persevering with in life. In our 'instant society' she refused to 'conform to the pattern of this world', but was 'transformed by the renewing of [her] mind' (Romans 12:2).
What do our ongoing commitments say about our perseverance in the faith?
Nigel Hopper (LICC)

Take it to the Streets

On Wednesday Church Leaders from Scunthorpe met with Les Isaac, founder of 'Street Pastors' in the UK.
Arrangements are under way to train and introduce Street Pastors in Scunthorpe, probably on Friday and Saturday nights, maybe as soon as Christmas.
Watch this space for more info.

Today I got this article from LICC (Godincidence!)

Being a policeman is not an easy task. Take the other night, for example; the PC visiting the youth group I help out with had the unenviable task of giving a talk on police policy for stopping and searching young people. A fairly routine PR exercise for the boys in blue, but in this instance the speaker knew not only that many of the youths had first hand experience of being stopped and searched, but also that it was he who had carried out those searches.

Talk about making yourself vulnerable to criticism.

And, of course, this wasn't just a routine chat. In the light of 17 deaths due to knife crime in the capital alone this year, stop and searches will become more frequent; so improved dialogue between young people and the police is an extremely positive step.

But there is another solution to seeing crime on our streets reduced: flip-flops.

This is the story of a Christian woman who carries flip-flops around in her handbag. She has done so ever since meeting an inebriated young woman on the streets at pub and club turnout time (when the potential for violence is at its highest), who'd lost those fancy, but ever so flimsy high heels she was wearing. So the Christian woman resolved that whenever she went out at night in future, she would take a supply of flip-flops, to help revellers in a similar state get home safely.

Of course, this woman wasn't alone; she was part of one of the many Street Pastor teams that are rising up around the country. These teams - coalitions from churches - man the pavements outside bars and clubs, and take care of those minor incidents that swallow up so much police time. Like making sure vulnerable, single women get home safely, and that rows don't escalate into fights, and calling an ambulance when it's absolutely necessary.

This isn't about random acts of kindness; it's about intentional kingdom living (Matthew 25:31-40). This is living out God's rule of compassion and mercy on the streets, and giving hope to paramedics and police, as well as the punters in the pubs.

It's fantastic that police forces are keen to dialogue with churches and youth groups. But, as the Street Pastor initiative has been doing, let us be equally keen to initiate talks, and bring rescue to our violent streets, by seeking to actively serve those who serve us so willingly.

Jason Gardner

Prince Caspian - Leadership Under the Lion

Narnia returns to the big screen this week as Prince Caspian opens in cinemas nationwide, a week after hitting the very, very big screen of the O2 arena at its UK premiere. The new film sees the Pevensie children - Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy - summoned back to Narnia by the eponymous hero, who is rightful heir to its throne. But it is an occupied and embattled Narnia to which they return. True Narnians are now a persecuted minority, and the murderous usurper, Miraz, rules by fear, division and violence. Cue lots of CGI, fantastical violence, elaborate sets and beautiful scenery; together with some subtle details that will please die-hard fans of the book.

And, of course, Aslan.

The story is, in many ways, about leadership.

Caspian, much like the biblical David, is being hunted by a former father figure (see 1 Samuel 18-26). His desire to avenge his true father is partly responsible for the devastating defeat at Miraz's castle. Peter, as High King, is called to release Caspian into kingship. Instead, he commandeers the army and pulls rank on Caspian. He quickly loses faith that Aslan will save them; attacking the castle, defensively digging in, and calling up the ghost of the White Witch are all pursued as alternatives to waiting for, as Edmund remarks, the one who 'really defeated the White Witch'.

Yet the most significant kind of leadership is demonstrated by the youngest, Lucy, who, after a few false starts, heads out alone to find Aslan. When she finds him, she discovers that if she had followed the lion to begin with, even in the face of the others' opposition and doubt, the tragedy at Miraz's castle might have been averted.

That even the most insignificant person has a responsibility to seek the true King, regardless of their official status, or whether anyone else believes them, is a key theme in the original Prince Caspian novel. Lucy does seek him and, as a result, Narnia is restored and Caspian completes the transition from sheltered Telmarine prince to King of Narnia, under the favour and protection of Aslan. Even Peter completes his task and hands Caspian his beloved sword, 'Rhindon'. All this makes for a surprisingly satisfying and engaging film which, while its Christian symbolism is more understated than that of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, still carries a refreshing fragrance of truth about life - and leadership - under King Jesus.

Christina Winn (LICC)

Hope and Faith against the odds

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God."~William Carey

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Thanks to Av for giving me the transcript of this BBC Sunday Worship the other day.

Here's the Link to the transcript: here
Listen to the whole service here: audio

There is real honesty. The future presents massive challenges, and yet the hope and faith and confidence in God shines out. Take time to read it (or even more time to listen!), especially the sermon by Peter Hullah, who is the Headteacher, and the bit by Tracey Barford.

Be inspired!

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Revival and Healing

< Todd Bentley in action.

You may have heard of Todd Bentley and the 'Florida Outpouring'. Roger Johnson, Evangelism Enabler for the Nottingham and Derby Methodist District takes a look:

From time to time we hear of places where revival and associated healing miracles break out in profusion. A few years ago we had the Toronto Blessing, a manifestation which surrounded the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. Church leaders debated long and hard about its authenticity and reflected upon the division caused within the Vineyard movement as a result of this. Peculiar stories emerged about how people were given gold fillings, experienced unusually bodily actions (shaking, laughter, quaking and so forth) and this naturally put some Christians on their guard about the whole thing. However, Toronto Blessing hotspots broke out in this country too.

Well this isn’t going away. Only recently, God TV (not a channel I have access to) have been featuring the most recent phenomena – the Dudley Revival. Inspired by the ministry of the Canadian healing evangelist, Todd Bentley (who ministers regularly to crowds in excess of 10,000 in Florida), the church in Dudley is packing hundreds into their meetings and experiencing Toronto-like manifestations along with dramatic healings.

Now, I don’t know where you stand on all of this, but it has always perplexed me why God should choose Toronto rather than East Midlands or Stanstead and why certain people have an overdose of spiritual gifts while other equally faithful ministers and evangelists struggle on in relative obscurity bearing little fruit in comparison.

Is it Revival?
For me revival is about the fulfilment of the Lord’s Prayer, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven”. Can we therefore say that what has broken out in Toronto, Florida and Dudley is revival? It may be the first-fruits of it but until society has been transformed in a measurable way, surely it is premature to use such a word.

Unconventional?
For respectable, middle class, British Christians with a fair smattering of the ‘stiff-upper-lip’, this all has an air of unorthodoxy. Todd Bentley is covered in tattoos and body piercing and has engaged in child abuse. I don’t know which theological college he went to or who he reports to. I also have concerns about itinerant evangelists who leave a trail of emotionally hurt people in their wake.

But let’s be honest. All this could have been said about Jesus. He was not part of the religious establishment, had no theological qualification to boast about, went from town to town at will, rarely went back to visit those he had healed and was, by the standards of the day, unconventional (healing on the Sabbath – tut tut!). Much to the disdain of the religious authorities, Jesus attracted the kind of crowds they could only dream of.

Verification
I suppose that the real test of the authenticity of these ministries lies in verification. If statistics show that those who come forward for healing have been verified, by health professionals, as healed and their lives have been changed to become more Christ-like, what can we say against it? If, as a result of these outpourings, churches across the nation become more open to the healing work of the Holy Spirit in the same way as the charismatic movement has touched all denominations and streams over the last few decades, then surely that’s something to welcome.

A Word of Warning
In spite of all this, I can well understand the Christians who look at the stage antics of Todd Bentley which, frankly, fit more comfortably with shamanism (see here) than Methodism, and question whether these manifestations are genuinely God-inspired. We know that Christianity does not hold the monopoly on healings and miracles. I’m reminded of those sobering words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23). So, what do you think?

Judge for yourself
Here are a few useful links about the latest phenomena:
Todd Bentley Florida Healing Revival
Dudley Revival Fires
Studio Discussion on the Florida Outpouring Christianity Magazine – July 2008

Thanks to Roger for opening the discussion...

There's a lot of bizzare stuff going on, and we need to be careful.

However, I'd like to quote some Scriptures for reflection:

'John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, "Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?" Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on:

The blind see,

The lame walk,

Lepers are cleansed,

The deaf hear,

The dead are raised,

The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.

"Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!"'

Matthew 11 v2-6 The Message

'By their fruit you will know them'. Matt 7 v20 NIV (just before the 'Lord, Lord' bit).

and '...fruit that will last' John 15v16 NIV

Comments back to me here or to mike@mjoyce.co.uk.

Roger Johnson LINK:

http://www.district-evangelism.org.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=b0597dac649bc84a1d9bd2b2dc1e99da

Courage and Conviction

TOPICAL CHALLENGE FROM LICC:

The reason we talk about having the 'courage of our convictions' is because there are consequences that flow from those convictions - and not all of them happy ones.

This week, in an interview with The Times, George Bush reflected on his presidency and expressed regret that the rhetoric he used in regard to the Iraq war has created a legacy for him as 'a guy really anxious for war.' Had he known back then what he knows now, about the consequences of his language, he would have taken a different tone.

Hindsight, of course, is a wonderful thing. However, it's also, by definition, what's never available to you when you'd value it most. This makes the biblical insistence on counting the cost, and weighing the consequences of our actions at the outset a real pearl of practical wisdom (e.g. Luke 14:25-35).

You may or may not agree with the wisdom of David Davis's decision to stand down as an MP in order to stand up for his convictions in regard to civil liberties, but we can affirm that he does at least appear to have made his decision in full awareness and acceptance of the possible consequences. Having stated his intention to resign and force a by-election he went on to say, 'Now, that may mean I have made my last speech to the House.'

Indeed he might. For whilst there have been many voices of support for Mr Davis's 'brave' and 'principled' stand (though note the observation of the BBC's Nick Robinson that 'Courageous is code in Westminster for bonkers'), there's also been no shortage of more cynical responses - 'the stunt of a vain man' being but one example.

David Davis's decision was not a faith-based decision. Christian faith, however, if it is properly engaged with the whole of our lives as per the biblical vision, will inevitably lead us where we do not want to go - into times when we feel duty-bound to 'swim against the tide'. Jesus had warned the apostles that the world would hate them on account of their conviction about him (John 15:18-25). Accordingly, in Jerusalem they were flogged for having the courage of their convictions (Acts 5:40). The nature of the consequences we must embrace in taking a stand for Christ might not be so barbaric, but that doesn't mean the experience of them will be any more pleasant. Nevertheless, Christ invites us to mould our legacy as faithful followers as we live, rather than look back regretfully over a life less extraordinary.

Nigel Hopper LICC

Father and son

Turn on your sound and take a quiet moment and watch this.
Let it speak to you.

'The same gentle hands hold me when I'm broken...'

.

Back to the Roots

Thanks to Cell UK for this article.
Do you agree with Bill Beckham?

Dear friend
Renowned British historian Arnold J. Toynbee concluded that civilizations self-destruct when they no longer have a spiritual base for moral actions and ethical decisions. “Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder.”

Many modern day prophets confirm Toynbee’s research: Western civilization is facing the danger of self-inflicted spiritual wounds. The West has aimed the pistol of humanism at its head, has placed the bullet of unbelief in the chamber of the gun and has its finger on the secular trigger.

The only questions are: Will the West actually pull the trigger? If so, when? After pulling the trigger will the death throes be immediate or drawn out? Some of us also wonder if the West can reverse the suicide process and the death wish? Can and will God intervene through the Church one more time?

The god of humanism

The West is suffering consequences in the 21st Century for things that went terribly wrong in the 19th and 20th Centuries. These wrongs attacked the core roots of society. Aleksandr I. Solyhenitsyn recognized the importance of roots: “In order to destroy a people you must first sever their roots.”

The 21st Century West has returned to the roots of ancient familiar gods. These ancient gods were reborn in the vacuum left when 19th Century man rejected God as the absolute for his thinking and 20th Century man rejected God as the absolute for his life and actions. Three of these major gods have grown into a 21st Century pagan unholy trinity: humanism, materialism and hedonism.

Humanism is “any system of thought based on the interests and ideals of man.” Materialism is the doctrine that “everything in the world, including thought, can be explained only in terms of matter.” Lived out to its conclusion, materialism means that Man is a machine with no soul. Hedonism is “the self-indulgent pursuit of pleasure as a way of life.”

Humanism is the root deity of this unholy trinity. All of these gods are expressions of the first sin in the Garden of Humanism: “You will be as God.” During the 20th Century Man in the “Christian” West reverted back to the most primitive sin: Man is the absolute and center of the universe. Solyhenitsyn described this root god as: “Rationalistic humanism or humanistic autonomy; the proclaimed and practiced autonomy of man from any higher force above him.”

Roots

The West will not think its way out of this situation, work its way out, spin its way out, spend its way out or educate its way out. Familiar and trusted social and political structures are now powerless to save the West. The West must return to its Judeo/Christian roots from which it was born and from which it has detached.

The West cannot reconstitute or re-root itself because it has rejected the very soil from which the roots have grown: Christianity. Only the Church can re-root Western Civilization. Therefore, the Church must be the ethical and moral root of Western civilization. The first step to saving the West is not to change civilization but to change the Church within civilization.
If the Church withdraws from society it condemns the West to its slow suicide.

Therefore, the church must engage society but not at the point of law and conflict. The church cannot maintain ethical influence in society because of favorable laws and the cultural pressure of a Christian majority. The church must become the roots of society by its love, truth and justice. The Church must speak the truth in love and must love to live the truth.

Roots are unseen and under appreciated. Roots do not share in the glory of the flower or the fruit. Roots find their place down in the dirt and the darkness of death.
The Church must once again out-live, out-think, out-love and out-die all other philosophies and belief systems down at the roots!

Yours for His Kingdom
Bill Beckham

You in your small corner

Thanks to Margaret Killingray (LICC) for this:

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. The wealth of nations shall come to you. Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you. Isaiah 60:1-10 (extracts)

When my neighbour's third child was born, the three year old, watching his new sister in the bath, asked in a puzzled voice, 'But, what's Maisie for?' We all laughed, but it is, actually, a serious philosophical question. What are we for? Purpose gives shape to life; purpose drives us and gives us fulfilment. Even limited purposes can divert us from everyday anxieties - organizing a holiday, packing and planning, for example. Serious loss of purpose can often lead to listlessness and depression, whether it's job loss, children leaving home, or even the end of a purpose that has been a hard grind, the award of a degree, or the achievement of a planned expansion of operations. What are we for?

Isaiah's wake-up call challenges Israel to be what they were meant to be. And this challenge, this call to take up God's purpose is a big biblical theme, often using this metaphor of light, shining in the darkness, bringing the dawn. 'You are the light of the world, the city built on a hill that cannot be hidden, a light shining before others', Jesus told his disciples. We have this purpose, those who belong to the Lord, as individuals, in our families and friendship groups, in our neighbourhoods and at work, but above all, in our fellowships. Peter in his first letter applied all the great Old Testament titles of promise and purpose - a priestly kingdom, a holy nation - to the new Christian fellowships. What Israel was called to be then, we together - the body of Christ - are called to be now.

So even when our limited purposes fail us, the children leave, retirement has come, achievement is not what we thought it would be, then more than ever, our greater purpose, to shine for our Lord in every circumstance, should bear us up and carry us through.

How many of you remember singing, 'Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light, like a little candle burning in the night. In this world of darkness, so let us shine, you in your small corner and I in mine'? That's what Maisie's for!

God's perspective?

As we come to the end of Christian Aid Week, here's a challenging (and even controversial) article from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity:

Disaster Relief

"This report contains images that some viewers may find distressing."
This is a line that our television newscasters have to deliver with alarming regularity. Barely are we coming to terms with pictures of lifeless bodies floating in filthy water in Burma when we are confronted with pictures from China, of bodies buried under tonnes of rubble after the earthquake. Both sets of pictures tell the story of thousands of lives lost and of human misery in epic proportions.

The fact is that, even in a world over which God is sovereign (a theme reiterated throughout the Bible), suffering seems to strike utterly at random. The tension implicit in this statement is one affirmed within Scripture. The 'preacher' of Ecclesiastes, who takes the existence and sovereignty of God for granted in his observations on life, concludes that 'time and chance' happen to everyone (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

It is right that our engagement with, and response to, such events takes the form of generosity and compassion towards those affected. After all, another repeated emphasis within Scripture is the requirement that God's people become neighbours to those in need.

So why, when confronted with the news of the cold-blooded murder of some of his fellow Jews by the Romans, did Jesus' response apparently lack all compassion? Linking the senseless slaughter with the random deaths of 18 people crushed when a tower collapsed at Siloam, he dismissed any attempt at establishing a direct link between suffering and judgement, before shooting the warning to the messengers, '.unless you repent, you too will all perish' (Luke 13:1-5).

Perhaps our inability to discern compassion in this response reflects the ease with which we allow worldviews other than that of Scripture to inform and shape us. According to a biblical worldview, God is in the process of renewing his creation. And whilst Scripture precludes neat equations of human suffering with divine judgement, it nevertheless insists on the reality of the latter as part of the outworking of God's purposes for the cosmos. Viewed from this perspective, doesn't Christ's warning look as much like compassion as do his healings, or foreign aid arriving in Burma, or rescue teams working tirelessly in China?

Christ's warning is an example to us of cultural engagement of the very best kind - that which broadens human horizons to take in the reality of eternity. But let's be under no illusions; this kind of connecting with culture won't do anything to enhance our street-cred; except, perhaps, in the place where the streets have no name.

Nigel Hopper LICC