Growing. Learning. Teaching.

This week will be my first teaching gig at my placement church and the first time exclusively teaching and leading adults in a ministry context. Am I terrified? Yes. Am I excited? Even more so.

The topic of the seminar is ''Kids Behaving Badly - Discipline in Children and Youth Ministry''. For many people even the title provokes strong reaction. Many assume it's a pet subject because of my background in teaching. Many see it as making a big deal out of something pretty simple. However, the workshop aims to be much more than just a 'how to' session. The first part consists of looking objectively and biblically at discipline, what it actually is and the neccessity of it. I think it is vital for people to understand that discipline is far beyond just making kids do what they're told. It's a means for making our ministry more effective. It's a process for discipling them to take responsibility for themselves and others. It's an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion about biblical behaviour. It's a gateway to deeper and better relationships. It's a tool for understanding those in our care and the issues that are affecting them. It is one way in which we love them and express our concern for them. It's a chance to get to know what's really going on in their hearts, minds and souls.

Discipline is so much more than just kids behaving badly.

Every Blessing

Well, since my last post what can I say... things just keep on getting better!


This weekend has been just brilliant. I had a suprise visit from my best friend who was home on study leave. I love the spontanious opportunities to catch up and just hang out together - makes me realise how few and far between such occassions can be. Friday night I was back at FNL as usual and was helping to put together the epic event that will be "FNL's Got Talent." Rebekah and I were putting the kids through their paces and checking the progress of each act. One group of girls in particular just blew us away with their efforts. They dance and cheerlead together and are best friends both in and out of school. Every week these girls turn up with a themed outfit of some variety - usually neon rave and on occassion their PJs! The girls came to us before the rehearsal with some drama about having had a fall-out and some of the group members weren't speaking. They agreed to rehearse anyway. I was just in awe of their efforts and the teamwork they put in despite the fact that they weren't on speaking terms. I had to sit the girls down and just tell them what a special friendship they had going on and encouraged them not to waste that. Thankfully they saw my point and made up. I realised how much I love the kids at FNL and I'm so grateful to be part of the ministry there.



Saturday - what an adventure!

I was at work 11am-8pm and it was a tough shift cause the rugby was on. However, at 11pm that night I set off to help on the launch of the new ICC Buddies Bus. The college recently aquired a new bus. Thanks to the extreme hard work and sheer determination of a few dedicated people it was completely transformed. A few weeks ago I went along to help with some on-board painting and decorating and it was great to see the work in progress. Saturday night was the launch of the new bus and the first time in over 7 months the bus ministry had been on the street. What a night! We had a huge response and interest from people in the streets and between 12:30-4:30am the bus was full of clubbers, rugby boys and people just out for the night. I met some brilliant people and God just blessed us by giving us a noticeable and welcomed presence in Sauchihall St. We teamed up with the Street Pastors, giving them somewhere to rest for a while and were supported by the patroling police officers. The launch night was so successful and I know it meant so much to those who have been putting so much work in to making it happen.




Sunday - needless to say after getting home at 5am I slept in quite a bit but in the evening I set off for my friend's sister's Baptism. I had really wanted to go but couldn't because I was on band duty at church with no-one to cover. With only 10 minutes to spare before rehearsals someone stepped in to cover me and I was able to go. It was a really special night - not just because two people I knew were getting baptised but because I could see God at work in a much bigger picture in the lives of their families and friends. I just felt so blessed to be able to witness that and share in the experience.





And finally... I've got a flat! I went with my parents to view a few flats last week and they put an offer in on a top floor flat just behind the college. Today we found out our offer has been acceppted! We still need to do all the formal paperwork and so forth but it's pretty much ours! I feel like God has just blessed me constantly for the past few months and it seems to be a confirmation that I trusted Him and made the right decision in moving to ICC. My leap of faith has been well and truly rewarded.

So...

What's been happening?

Quite a lot since I last posted. Personal circumstances and the pressure of exams squeezed out any time for reflecting here. Life at ICC was daunting at first, both socially and academically but eventually I settled in. I had my first four modules; Introduction to Old Testament, Christian Discipleship, Church History and Children, Family & Society. Each module was interesting; I learned more from some than others but even in a few months my faith, theology and perceptions have been significantly challenged. I'm delighted to say I've discovered that I love the old testament - it's so rich, challenging and inspiring all at once. I've considered my own spiritual disciplines and how I exercise my own faith and relationship with God and how I disciple others. Huge lessons were learned there - particularly lessons of integrity and honesty in dealing with others, learning to embrace and accept our differences in the way we pray, live and worship. I've learned a little more of the history of the church, how we got to where we are today and how to seperate tradition from traditionalism. It's good to know that even though the church today is a bit of mess... well... really it's always been a bit of a mess and it seems like we'll just never have the answers or get it right. Even the church fathers couldn't agree on everything! Looking at children, families and society has challenged the ideas that I take for granted of what family should be and how families should function. Families are messy... and there's no getting around it! The modules I've started this term are even more interesting and challenging; An Introduction to the New Testament, Explore Christian Beliefs/Doctrine, The Bible & Mission and The Bible & Ethics - all of which have inspired and challenged me already. In short... I'm loving it!





I've recently become involved in a local project which mentors young people age 14-25 through volunteering. I've taken on the responsibility of being a mentor and made a commitment to be the project convenor for the next year. So... lots of challenges to be faced there but I'm so excited and inspired about helping this project move forward and seeing it be developed to it's full potential. Working for an entirely secular organisation will be a good challenge to me personally too.

Today I found out I've been accepted on to the team of an SU Motiv8 Urban camp for this easter - something I'm really excited about! Thankfully my best friend Emma is coming with me. It'll be a challenging week for us both and it will be good to have each other there to share in the joys and struggles of the week.

That's about it... other things going at the moment including searching for a flat with two fabulous girls from college. The girls at college have been an absolute blessing. Over the Christmas holidays we had a great day out at Loch Lomond and it made me so thankful to have such a great group of friends there despite my initial fears I'd have none at all! I've also booked a holiday to Milan with four of my good friends - a much deserved rest I think!

Well that's about me... hopefully I'll get back in to my theological and reflective posting when time permits!

A Post-Consumerist Age

We had a brilliant lecture today from a guy involved in 'indigenous church planting' amongst other things, as part of our discipleship lectures. We covered a whole range of topics but the one that most caught my attention was the subject of consumerism and discipleship. There was a lot of discussion about how we deal with the subject, the role of material possessions in our life and so on. This, in light of the current economic situation, brought out some good discussion points about the kind of message we as Christians should be sharing. It got me thinking. We talk a lot about poster-modernisation and post-Christendom and it made me wonder... are we heading for a time of post-consumerism? Could there ever be such a thing? Is this the time for us as Christians to pro-actively encourage those around us to reconsider our obsession with the consumerist culture we've come to depend on? Do we in fact have a responsibility to bring a message of stability, security and hope to the western world which is currently so wrapped up in the controlling tide of the economy?

Not sure quite how I feel yet or what I really think. Will need to look deeper in to the subject but it definitely sounds like something worth thinking about...

Party

Well. Last night was my much-awaited 21st birthday party, joint with my friend Emma. We had a fabulous time. All our nearest and dearest were there and the odd mixture of people groups all got on rather well. Thankyou so much to everyone who came and made the night most special for us.

I Am

"I am a minister. I minister to the largest mission field in the world. I minister to children. My calling is sure. My challenge is big. My vision is clear. My desire is strong. My influence is eternal. My impact is critical. My values are solid. My faith is tough. My mission is urgent. My purpose is unmistakable. My direction is forward. My heart is genuine. My strength is supernatural. My reward is promised. And my God is real.

In a world of cynicism, I offer hope. In a world of confusion, I offer truth. In a world of immorality, I offer values. In a world of neglect, I offer attention. In a world of abuse, I offer safety. In a world of ridicule, I offer affirmation. In a world of division, I offer reconciliation. In a world of bitterness, I offer forgiveness. In a world of sin, I offer salvation. In a world of hate, I offer God’s love. I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgruntled, discouraged or distracted. Neither will I look back, stand back, fall back, go back or sit back.

I do not need applause, flattery, adulation, prestige, stature or veneration. I do not have time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, outdated methods, normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes or low vision. I will not give up, give in, bail out, lie down, turn over, quit or surrender. I will pray when things look bad. I will pray when things look good. I will move forward when others stand still. I will trust God when obstacles arise. I will work when the task is overwhelming. I will get up when I fall down.

My calling is to reach boys and girls for God. It is too serious to be taken lightly, too urgent to be postponed, too vital to be ignored, too relevant to be overlooked, too significant to be trivialized, too eternal to be fleeting and too passionate to be quenched. I know my mission. I know my challenge. I also know my limitations, my weaknesses, my fears and my problems. And I know my God. Let others get the praise. Let the church get the blessing. Let God get the glory. I am a minister. I minister to children. This is who I am. This is what I do."

(Roger Fields)

Where is God on Monday?

Our church recently changed the format of the evening services. Instead of having a 'one sermon fits all' approach we have experimented with 'Mosaic'. Each night when it comes to the time of teaching there are three seminars happening at the same time. Each person chooses which they would rather go to. Currently we have, "A Potted History of the Church", "Issues in Contemporary World Mission" and "Where is God on Monday?". Guess which one I went to...

So, where is God on Monday? Good question. Through these sessions our group has explored the theology of work; the way the church supports its members in their day-jobs, the emphasis and importance placed on our employment as a mission field, the theological place and value of work and the ethical questions raised by Christians in the work place. So far this has proved most helpful and useful as I'm currently exploring the ethics of my own work in the pub. Although there are two more sessions to go, I thought I'd post my reflections thus far.

Church and the work place: Statistically a very low percentage of Christians say that their church supports them in their work (meaning their employment or 'day job') and that they have never heard any specific teaching devoted to faith in the work place. This is an issue which needs to be tackled, as we spend a large proportion of our waking hours (sometimes 12 hours a day or more) at our work. It is imperative that the church examines it's priorities where the employment of its members are concerned. Is the work they do in the church on a voluntary basis any more important than what they do every other day of the week? Do we see the potential and importance of our work as our mission field? I suspect that often we don't. I also suspect that for most Christians, their work place is where they have the greatest contact with people of no or other faith. Why is it then that we spend the weekend fishing in puddles when every day we work in a pond? That is; why do we seem to focus our attention on the limited amount of time we spend working in our church when we spend a proportionately larger length of time in our work place? We need to step up to the challenge of witness in the work place and this means that churches need to be fully supportive and aware of what this requires. How do we support one another in fellowship concerning our work?

The theology of work: A very important distinction made in the last seminar was that of the difference between work and toil. 'Work' by its very nature requires action and effort but it can also be enjoyable. God created us to work (Genesis 1:27-28 ... Genesis 2:15) However, toil is a different issue. It a the mundane, difficult, unenjoyable aspect of working. I have had a few part time jobs which to me were simply toil. I did it because I had to, I worked without enthusiasm or care and every day I looked forward to 5pm. However, my current job I still consider as 'work' but it is work that I enjoy. Even though I get tired and occasionally have a bad or stressful shift, I'm happy to be there and happy to work. We all have to work, but it doesn't always have to be toil. Another important biblical principle is that of rest. The pace of our society is getting increasingly faster as people get busier, deadlines get shorter, expectations get higher and people are beginning to burn out. God gave us the principle of rest and sets His own example for a reason. We need it.(Genesis 2:2-3 ... Exodus 20:8-11... Leviticus 23:3) This is a lesson which has resonated with me several times since the summer. I am one of these people who likes to be doing things, who likes to see my day filled with productive things to do. Sometimes I take on too much and don't leave enough time for rest. This, I have discovered, brings no merit. We get too tired or unwell to do our work properly and we eventually become miserable. Rest is important.

I found my visit to Italy a few years ago an interesting culture shock. At lunch time everything shuts down and people have a good few hours rest. They meet their families and friends for a long and social lunch or go down to the beach for a swim. They rest. I also noticed that, minus one McDonalds, there was no fast food in the town. There were no pre-packaged sandwiches or salads, no quick-fix meals. Why would they need it? They took time to rest and eat. I think they have the right idea. God gave us rest for a reason.

Ethical Issues: This was only touched on briefly in the last session and will be explored in more depth on Sunday. One ethical issue relates to the above point - should we work on a Sunday? Or even if we have to work on a Sunday should we ensure that we have at least one day every single week that devoted to personal or family time? I think so. Someone also raised a valid point about Christians setting an example of a balanced working life which sometimes might mean that yes, we refuse to do so many hours of over-time so that we can see our families or that we really do leave the office at 5pm because we have done a days work.

Another issue is the divide between serving our boss and serving God. The bible instructs us to work for our boss as though working for God - doing our best, being respectful and following given instructions with care. (Ephesians 6:5-9) But what happens when our employer puts us in a compromising situation or puts our integrity at stake? Where should our priority in work be - expanding our business or expanding the Kingdom? On another note there is the issue of suitable work field for Christians. This one I found particularly interesting as people followed two specific lines of thought. One involved working in finance. Is it wrong to make copious amounts of money? I don't think so although I believe it's how that money is used that is of importance. There was some question over people working in finance and their responsibilities. In this time of financial and economic unrest how should Christians in such jobs respond? Is there anything they can do to promote more ethical working in their sector? There was also questions over Christians working in pubs. Haha - that got my attention. Questions such as, "Is it ethical for Christians to be selling alcohol in a nation with such a high level of alcohol addiction and abuse?" were asked and a few more besides. They are right, there are many issues in my work I've had to consider and to me it's still an unstable terrain. I'm not quite sure where my principles rest with my various responsibilities. Even working on a Sunday is a new thing, one I've not had to do before, and I'm currently working out my position on this. I have my thoughts which I may share at another time. There are some jobs which will be seen as unethical but if we feel strongly that it's where we are called to be can we ignore that? There are many people who have given up their employment on the basis that it is to compromising to their faith to continute, and well done to them. For others it's not so easy. Some people have very little choice over where they work, they simply have to get a job. How do we decide which careers are ethically, morally and theologically acceptable. How do we work out orthopraxy in relation to our beliefs?

Questions, questions, questions. Perhaps I shall soon have some answers.

Update: Further to the discussion on Sunday I've been asked to be part of a question panel in the next session, allowing people to ask questions about my work; how I wrestle with the theological, ethical and moral issues surround the nature of what I do. I'm looking forward to it because it will certainly get me thinking and pose more questions that I may not have thought about already.