Growing and Learning

What would you do...?

2011-10-25T15:16:00.002+01:00

Read this article from today's BBC News...

What would YOU do?

Living with Reactive Attachment Disorder

2011-10-24T00:13:00.004+01:00

"In order to understand what an unattached child feels, one must understand his perspective. Imagine that you are the young child who must cross a frozen lake in the autumn to reach your home. As you are walking across the lake alone, you fall suddenly and unexpectedly through the ice. Shocked and cold in the dark, you can't even cry for help. You struggle for your very life. Alone, helpless, and hopeless without the very air you need to breathe for life, you struggle to the surface. Locating the jagged opening, you drag yourself through to the air and crawl back into the woods from where you started. You decide to live there and never, ever to return onto the ice. As weeks go by and you see the others skating and cross the ice, you become clearer in your perception that the ice hates you alone. If you go onto it, you will die.

The ice represents the strength of the bond and your ability to trust. It was damaged by the break in your connection to someone you trusted. Some children have numerous bonding breaks throughout their young lives. This is like crashing them through the ice water each time they are moved, scarring and chilling their hearts against ever loving and bonding again."

Thomas, N - "When Love is Not Enough" (2005:15)

What is worse, is that you can see the illogical stupidity of it all in your own mind, but you can never change how you feel. Regardless, that fear will never leave you.

The Primal Wound

2011-10-06T12:48:00.006+01:00

"For adoptees [in particular], the need to defend against the possibility of abandonment or other losses intrudes into almost every relationship, beginning with the adoptive [parents] and including their relationships to friends, lovers and even themselves." (Verrier 1993:59)

Attachment Theory has been at the forefront of psychological studies for decades. The concept of primal attachment, both prenatal and postnatal, has contributed greatly to both professional practise and practical parenthood all over the world. In recent years however, there has been a greater emphasis on what happens when attachment 'goes wrong'. Attachment Disorders are becoming more widely recognised as a social and psychological issue. Since the 1950s, Freud and Bowlby have contributed substantially to discussions on the need for secure attachment in the early years and the significant impact of what happens when loss or trauma occurs, derailing the attachment process. Much work has been added to discussions since then.

However, one place that this discussion is less prominent is within the faith community. Attachment disorders affect people greatly, from childhood right through to their adult lives, and will undoubtedly impact their faith development on many levels, as well as their ecclesial relationships. Those with insecure attachment will often experience severe mistrust, anxiety, emotional instability and relational difficulties. There can be no doubt that these difficulties will not only impact their human relationships but will transfer vertically to their relationship with God. Over the next 6 months I'll be doing more in-depth research in to the reality of attachment disorders and their impact upon children's daily lives and faith development. From time to time I'll post some of my findings here for others to engage with.

My studies will include children in foster care, adoptees, street children and children who have experienced significant loss or trauma in the early years. If anyone has good resources they can share or something they feel might contribute to my research, please get in touch! This is a very specific subject that has very little published material and any help would be muchly appreciated!

Moses: Child At Risk

2010-06-01T19:47:00.027+01:00

As a core part of my specialism in children's ministry this year I have been taking a module in the subject of 'Children at Risk'. It is without a doubt the area I am most passionate about and the area of ministry where I see myself working in the future. We have studied plenty of topics - including the tough ones; the basics of human development, children who have suffered trauma or grief, children of war and military families, children with HIV/Aids, street child, children who are victims of abuse and so on. These are not easy subjects to tackle on a daily basis but they are certainly a vital part of my training and I'm enjoying the opportunity to be more equipped to work in this area of ministry.

Sometimes it seems as if 'Children at Risk' is a new concept and something that certainly wasn't around in bible times. My Old and New Testament studies alike have revealed to me the very opposite. When thinking about children at risk in the bible there were plenty. The first few families in the bible are less than welcoming, stable environments for healthy child development (just look at Jacob and Esau or Joseph!). Hebrew children lived under the Egyptian oppression and lived through constant insecurity and instability in the exodus. Countless children lost parents and families in the epic battles and wars of Chronicles and Kings. The infant Jesus was under persecution from Herod. Young children lived in the Greco-Roman societies where cultic abuse was the norm. Children and their families were persecuted for their involvement in the early church - the list is quite endless. 'Children at Risk' is not a new phenomenon.

Perhaps one of the most distinct children at risk in the early Old Testament is Moses. Born a Hebrew boy under the threat of death from the Egyptian Pharaoh, Moses wasn't entitled to the freedom that other children were afforded. His mother kept him hidden for the first three months of his life. When she could hide him no more she put him in a basket of reeds and set him out on the river Nile with a prayer and a hope that he might survive. Health and safety? Don't think so! It is not unlike countless stories I have heard about women in the Middle East today hiding their children by all strange manner of means to avoid persecution, violence and abuse. By some miracle (and I use this word in it's fullest biblical sense) Moses survives and falls into the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh's daughter. The irony of this story falls in two distinct places. Firstly Pharaoh had ordered that all Hebrew boys were to be killed upon birth by drowning in the river Nile - the very means by which Moses was rescued from death (Exodus 1:22). Secondly, Moses is rescued by the very family who decreed his death. Sometimes stories like this help me to understand a little more of God's sense of humour. Now, safe from imminent death our little Moses is nursed by an Egyptian midwife in the royal palace and grows up in what can only be assumed as luxury accommodation. It is at this point and through Exodus 2:11-13 that my curiosity of his situation really begins. What, if anything, was Moses told about his own circumstances? Did Pharaoh's daughter pretend that he was hers by birth? Did he know his roots and the story of his people? Where did he get his familial identity from? Perhaps if he knew the truth (which I suspect he did but can always only speculate) he would suffer from much of the difficulties faced by children in 21st century social care. It might have troubled him deeply to know that he was separated from his biological family. He may have struggled to trust his 'grandfather' the Pharaoh knowing what he might have suffered at his hand. Biblical narratives are at times a flat and objective and I often so wish that there was a way to find these things out. In Exodus 2:11-13 Moses defends a Hebrew man, 'one of his own people' (NIV). Did he know that his family origins were of Hebrew decent? Is this simply a factual detail from the writer? I'm not sure but I suspect that given the subsequent events he might have known. As a young man exiled to a distant place he marries in to a different family yet again. Did this help him to absolve any struggles he may have had? Did his own experiences impact the way he raised his own children? Undoubtedly. How could they not? When leading the war against Pharaoh in the name of 'his people' I wonder what went on in his mind. It is clear that God had called him to this task (Exodus 3) but did he struggle with family loyalty? He was essentially rebelling against the people who had raised him - his 'mother' and 'grandfather'. Did he struggle with the fact that he considered them his family? Would he feel guilty? Was he appeased by the fact that his loyalty lay with the Hebrews - 'his people'? By this time Moses was 80 years old. How much baggage had he accumulated in his life-time? More than most. When the passover happened and the angel of death wiped out each first-born of Pharaoh's people did he have any remorse for the fact that this would have been his own fate at the command of the Egyptians? Did he feel differently given that it was the command of the Lord? Another ironic turn in the story - Pharaoh's own command is reversed on to his own family. The biblical writers often make the stories sound incredibly factual or somehow easy to grasp but there is a great depth to each character that is often missed out - one which we can only look at with a speculative view.

There are so many questions I'd love to ask of what went on in the mind of Moses. Growing up I often thought of him along with Abraham as one of 'the old beardy guys' who led people on long journeys and failed to see any depth in his character as a human being. Today I'm looking at him through different eyes. I see in Moses a lot of the struggles and questions I've seen in the children I work with - a struggle with personal identity and family relationships. Moses adventure is so beautiful in that he returns to join the Hebrew people and liberate them from oppression, as one who could identity with their struggles.

So what can the bible offer children who's family circumstances are messy, complicated and difficult? I'm slowly learning that it gives us significant insight into the lives people who had similar struggles and the way in which God aided and used them as agents of change. It is easy to glance at the bible and assume that God called and used only the greatest of people with the strongest family history and those were clearly equipped for the tasks He presented. Even a short study of the story of Moses would reveal the opposite. His family situation was messy, complicated, difficult. He faced a real struggle with personal identity. He wasn't even able to speak for himself at critical moments - relying on Aaron who had a greater gift of speech. Many children today who are fostered, adopted, live on the street or have 'complicated' families struggle with their own identity and self worth. It can be difficult for them to believe that God has any purpose or use for them. It seems to them impossible that they are capable of serving in the Kingdom of God. I believe that for many children the story of Moses offers a hope and reassurance that God does not call those who are equipped but he equips those whom he has called. He does not wait for the perfect CV, a tidy family background or people who 'know who they are'. He takes the broken, the weary, the disadvantaged and the complicated, trading their piles of ashes for future glory. This is the God I know.

And the other six days?

2010-03-01T21:51:00.011Z

Very often when I tell people I'm going in to full time ministry, or more specifically Children's Ministry, I receive that irritating response experienced by most ministers:

"I see... so what will you do the other six days of the week?"

Sigh. "Give me grace, Lord, give me grace that I might not hit a fellow human being." I jest. (But it is tempting.) So, what exactly will I fill my time with when I leave college?

The specifics I'm not yet sure of but the questions in recent classes have given me a clue as to the kind of work I want to be involved in. This semester I'm taking two Children's Ministry modules: "Children and Church" and "Children at Risk". Both are incredibly challenging classes, as not only the theory is so complex but it's implications for practice are even more so. Here are just a few of the questions we've been considering in the last week or so:

What are the immediate and long-term losses suffered by children in crisis (ie. those who have experience neglect, abuse, war, violence, trauma) and how does this affect their social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cognitive development?

How should the Church respond to these losses and intervene in the cycle of violence?

What hope does the Gospel have to offer children who are suffering?

Every week we read case studies of children who are involved in militant warfare; who suffer abuse or neglect at the hands of their carers; who are lost in illegal immigrations; who are separated from their families; who are exploited by adults for economic benefits; whose lives are in imminent danger from natural disaster; who are feeling so pressured by the demands of life that death seems an easier option. This is not an uplifting class but it is in every way a realistic and helpful one.

It is incredibly challenging and difficult stuff. In my current work situation with children in the East End of Glasgow I'm working alongside children who have experience loss, trauma, neglect, abuse and violence. It is not easy. What can I offer them in the way of help? What can I offer them in the way of hope? What does it mean to have compassion for these children? What would Jesus do to help these children? There are no easy answers - there are more difficult questions than easy answers. How do I remain strong in my faith in light of what these children are going through? How do I approach God and ask him "WHY?".

Though it is difficult ,it is good theoretical and emotional preparation for what I may face in my trip to Brazil this summer. I'm going out with a team from the church to visit our missionary partners who work in the favelas of Sao Paulo. There we'll help to do some building work on a house that will be used to shelter the children who live on the street or in abusive home situations. We'll go out to visit the children living on the streets of the city and build up relationships with them. We'll encourage the local churches to reach out and offer their help and support to these children in crisis. It's going to be tough stuff but definitly worth the challenge.

Children's ministry can be fun - but it's not always. These are the kind of things I know I'll be facing in my future ministry. It will be my job to offer help and hope to children who are at risk or in crisis. So, what will I do the other six days of the week?

Reach Out. Build Up. Persevere. Pray.

Lamentations 2:19 (NIV) "Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the live of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street."

Growing. Learning. Teaching.

2010-01-25T22:47:00.004Z

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

2009-03-23T23:32:00.006Z

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...

2009-02-27T18:19:00.009Z

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

2008-12-10T23:43:00.009Z

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...

I Am

2008-11-11T12:58:00.003Z

"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?

2008-10-20T23:28:00.028+01:00

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.

Flash

2008-10-02T21:41:00.013+01:00

I thought I'd throw in a general update on things at the moment. I've not had much time to sit and reflect on the past couple of weeks as it's gone in a flash and I still don't know what's happening! So here's a general overview:

ICC - I started last Tuesday at the International Christian College and already I'm feeling quite at home. Both the staff and students are incredibly friendly and it's not full of 'hippy hoodie Christians' which was my initial fear. The past week however has been overshadowed by the illness and death of beloved Vice Principle Ted Herbert. Although I knew him only from a distance I knew from being in college only a day that he was the most loved and respected man, known for his integrity, compassion and open-door policy of never turning anybody away. Such a man is a living testament to love and compassion of Jesus Christ even when he is no longer here. This aside, college life has begun positively and I'm looking forward to settling in and getting down to work.

KBC - Life at my home church is going well. Things are settling down for a new term and I'm enjoying being back to my regular services. I was rarely at church over the summer just through working, being away or just sheer exhaustion. I must admit it's good to be back. Last week I was even back with a different role - taking the sermon! The sermon was split in to two parts. Fellow-student Keith did the first part, talking about how God builds our patience through prayer, and I did the second part, talking about how God helps us to understand His will through prayer. It was pretty nerve-wracking and I'll admit I wasn't as prepared as I could have been (our lovely DG is not so generous with pre-warning or forward planning!). Still, all went well and the message was well received. I had some good conversations and positive feedback afterwards.

Other stuff - I left my job at the pharmacy and worked my last ever shift. I'll admit I gladly rejoiced. I'll miss the people but certainly not the job. It will be so nice to have my Saturdays back! Work at the pub is going well. Last night was the staff night out which was good fun and although I was pretty tired I made it out till about 2am. It was good to just to socialise with people and get to know a bit more about them. There's a diverse range of personalities on the team and somehow that's what makes it such a good group for me. I genuinely love them and pray for them often. I also believe that many an adult would be impressed at the way a group of 18 to 20-somethings can efficiently run a fairly big operation every day. It's not easy but I'm always impressed and encouraged by the team work and capability shown on every shift.

Two weeks ago I started back at Friday Night Live. This was the 'week on' where we were running the new format of having pods (workshops of different varieties) and The Big Show (similar to the Friday Night Project??) which I co-host. It was pretty crazy! There are loads of new, younger kids and it's going to be a case of settling them in and getting them used to keeping within the rules which at the moment they seem quite adamant to test. The joys! Still, I feel it's going to be a good and productive year at FNL.

Friday and Saturday this weekend I'll be attending the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit which our church is hosting. I'll no doubt be back on here soon with further reflections from that.

That's me at the moment... Life is full. Life is different. Life is good.

Religion vs Relationship

2008-09-10T20:17:00.015+01:00

It's a peculiar thing - telling people that you're going in to or are involved in Christian ministry. It can be awkward - very awkward. You never know how people will react. Sometimes I find it easier to have the, "I'm adopted, I've been in at least 6 foster homes, I don't know my birth parents and my siblings are in jail for murder..." conversation first. I haven't even begun my studies at ICC but sharing my plans for the next four years has provoked some interesting reactions. One reaction I have noticed most recently is the 'automatic stance' - that is, where people feel the need to immediately spell out their position in the faith spectrum, whether atheist, agnostic or other, and make quite clear their beliefs. Why is this? Perhaps it's a defence; a way of saying, "Don't try and convert me, I've made up my mind!". Perhaps it's an invitation or even a challenge; "Well I know what I think. What have you got to offer?". Whatever the motive, it's interesting. I rarely say much in such encounters, particularly when a person is new or unfamiliar to me. More often than not they seem to expect a reaction, a counter argument or perhaps a submission - an indication that I will not pursue it further. My response is neither. Instead, I listen... then I move on. To some it may appear as submission or even a lack of theological grounding to contest their viewpoint. In some cases this is certainly true. I am not foolish enough to take on arguments to which I cannot present a valid contribution. However, even where I feel able I rarely pitch in on these initial exchanges other than to ask a question or two. Why? Well, most recently it's because the viewpoints I've been presented with surround the issue of Christianity as an organised religion. In particular there is strong feeling about the church; the power of the global church and it's misuse, the unnecessary traditions, the irrelevance of the bible and the attitude of those in ministry. Very often if I dig deeper I find a significant history - people who used to go to church (or were dragged there), people who have been affected negatively by the church and people who altogether find little relevance in what they know of Christianity.

However, what I'm slowly calling in to question is this: Are people judging Christianity as an 'organised religion' or as an authentic relationship? Do they separate the issue of the church / the organisation of Christianity on a global scale, and the fact that Christianity is, according to the gospel, a living and authentic relationship between each individual and God. In many cases, I suspect not. It is for this reason that I rarely engage in any initial discussion about the organisation of the church, the authority of the bible or the impact of Christianity world-wide. If my understanding of the Christian faith is correct (and I am always willing to be corrected), it stems down to the individual. It is about being saved by grace through faith - faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, His defeat of death and the gift of grace which is an open invitation from God to everyone. It is the acceptance of this invitation, resulting in an authentic relationship with God. It is not about religion: it is about relationship.

When people have made up their mind about Christianity as an organised religion, sometimes no constructive debate, historical evidence or academic reasoning will change their views. They may not ever understand Christians or why people follow 'Christianity as a religion' until they have seen a demonstrative example of this relationship, between the individual and God, lived out. Therefor, in an attempt to witness I do not see it as my place to argue them down and change their views on the religion of Christianity and the relevance of the church. There is a time and a place for those conversations. I see it as my job to be an example of genuine faith to help them understand the gift of grace. I'm no saint. Very often I will fail to live up to the example I hope to set. But I will try - try to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ and the God's gift of grace through the way I live.

Perhaps then I will engage in conversation - not about my religion but about my relationship.

Riots

2008-08-29T15:12:00.008+01:00

Browsing the news headlines again today I came across this article. It caught my attention because the reported incident took place not far from my home town. Admittedly I don't know much about the St Marys Kenmure Centre and had to to a little further research. As with my previous entry this article threw me more questions than answers. My first question would perhaps be why the young people were so keen to hurt and destroy the facilities which are supposed to offer them a better, more secure way of life and the people who are volunteering to help and support them? I understand that the young people who are placed in the centre have emotional and behavioural issues which will be the main factor playing a part in such incidents - these are not just your average teenagers. Personally, I can't imagine what life must be like for them. It saddens me to think of young people living their life in such detention - no matter how good the facilities it's still not a 'normal' life however much the centre claims to provide. What makes me even more curious is that those involved in the riot have been sentenced to four years detention. For young people already living in care centres, how will detention contribute to the progress they are supposed to be making? Will it strengthen or destroy the work already done by volunteers there? I can't make too much comment on the issue as my own experiences are different I know very little about the children's panel and related systems but I would like to know more about it.

However, apart from calling out for my compassion articles of this nature also present a real challenge to the church. What are we doing to help young people like this in our area? One of our own church ministries, FNL, takes in a lot of kids from the local area each with their own history and certainly some of them are challenging. I love being involved in this ministry because we provide safety, security, activity and a certain inclusiveness to our local young people. I do think that such an outreach can be extended. Does our local council know the kind of support that we provide? If they did would they make better use of it? Can we extend our ministry from bringing young people in, to taking our volunteers out and extending our mission to places like St Marys? Could the local church make better links between themselves and council projects across the country?

I know great work is already being done - I always like to challenge us to do more.

The Great Commission is the greatest challenge to Christians to show the love of Jesus Christ in this world. If we fail to reach out beyond our own doors are we rising to that challenge?

Headlines

2008-08-28T17:04:00.009+01:00

While browsing the BBC news pages I came across this article . It was this caption that took my notice: "So many parents have been chasing university places for their children that the admissions system is now letting parents act as their agents." My instant reaction was, "Please tell me you are joking..." but it appears to be true.
So, from this article I gather that when young people enter in to the university admission systems they can 'opt to' choose a parent or guardian to be their 'agent' - someone who will deal with the majority of the admission process including sitting in on the actual interview. For children whose lives are already governed by pushing parents who have already decided what they would like their children to do, can you imagine anything worse? It may be optional but how much option do they really get? I know several people whose parents pressurised them in to doing medicine or law when it quite clearly was not what they themselves would have preferred to do. Latterly, such people have left their degree with much anguish and disappointment caused to their parents. The choice of degree or further education or even an alternative option, is very much the choice of the young person and not their parent. Why, therefor, should parents be allowed a greater degree of input than is already in place?

I understand from a parent's point of view, as discussed at the end of the article, that they do not want to simply hand over cheques and start renting flats when they have no idea or little understanding as to what it's all going towards. I understand that this choice for a parental agent is 'optional' (though somehow that thought makes me laugh...). However, the responsibility lies with the young person to inform their parents sufficiently as to what is going on and the parents are quite entitled to say 'no' to paying out if they feel they are insufficiently informed. Is this bid for greater parental access and input going to replace the need for family communication or take away the independence which young people feel they have finally been granted? Could it be that roles are reversed and that in turn, the young people will be the ones left out?

Independence is a primary concern for me but to educationalists there is also a secondary concern as noted in the article. Is this new parental control going to blur the professional line between school and higher education? Tutors and university faculties have a professional relationship with their students much like an employer and employee. Few employers would dream of phoning to consult an employees mother over professional issues, surely? Why then are those in higher education so keen to allow it? Does it allow the lazier students to hand over the their responsibilities and have someone else to the work for for them? Does it hinder those who see university as a step towards independence and a step away from parental control? How are university faculties going to 'manage' this system and ensure that the students really have actually opted for a parent to be involved rather than being pushed? There may be benefits to this system but it seems to be the drawbacks and need for further questions that immediately stand out to me.

Your thoughts?

Bars and Beer

2008-08-26T16:54:00.006+01:00

For the past three weeks now I have been working in my local pub. It's been a bit of a change from working in the pharmacy but a much needed one. This change of course brings all the usual uncertainties of any new job - a new workplace, new skills, new managers and staff and an altogether very different atmosphere. So far I've enjoyed it. As always I'm still learning the tricks of the trade but the staff team have been exceptionally helpful and understanding as I make mistakes and learn along the way. It's definitely been a change for the better.

Of course, as could be expected there has been the issue of being a witness in a new workplace as well. As far as I know I'm the only Christian on the team and it didn't take long for people to work it out. Asking for Sundays off was probably the first give-away, haha. I make no effort to hide it but I am always conscious of people's reactions and like to get to know people before having 'that conversation' to avoid being labelled from the offset. Interestingly, when it's come up in discussion the usual reactions are questions about my permissible activities; "Do you drink?" and "Are you celibate?" being amongst the most frequent. Some are curious and others complacent but so far all have been quite accepting. It does make me wonder about people's preconceptions of Christians and Christianity. Do they see it as a religion of "Dos and Don'ts" ? Do they see Christians as "the ones that do..." and "the ones that don't..."? So far most of the questions I've been asked have been very much along this line. Over time I'd like to find out what people think about Christianity from an outside perspective. Until then, I'm enjoying the company and even the work. Long may it continue.

We Are Together

2008-08-03T13:42:00.006+01:00

I recently watched the docu-film on channel four "We Are Together" - the story of the Children of Agape. It was crafted sensitively and beautifully and refrained from becoming a typical Oxfam-esque appeal to the wealthy nations. The film followed the lives of the children at Agape - an orphanage in South Africa.

"Agape was founded by a lady called Gogo "Grandma" Zodwa. She was working as an HIV counselor and found that many of the people she was counseling expressed deep concern about what would happen to their children when they were no longer around. So Zodwa established Agape to look after these children. Agape has had a tumultuous journey, but under Zodwa’s loving guidance it continues to grow stronger. Agape is a Greek word meaning “unconditional love”, which is exactly what the children at Agape receive." (http://wearetogether.org/children/)

Grandma Zodwa noted that she wanted to show these children the unconditional love of God that everyone deserves. This was not a story of destitution and lives torn apart, but a quiet observation of orphaned children getting on with life as they know it. The hope-inspiring twist to this tale is the music. Singing, as naturally as breathing, takes place morning, noon and night in the orphanage. The children formed a choir and together they express their love, hope, dreams and sorrow through the songs they sing. They have no written music, no instruments and no accompaniment. They simply sing - and they are fabulous. The man who conducts the children said that, "We cannot all speak at once but we can all sing." How true.

It is this gift of music that has provided significant funding and hope for Agape. The orphanage was destroyed in a fire and the centre lost everything it had. However, the children were invited to perform in New York with Alecia Keys and they recorded an album. I thought that perhaps given this opportunity they would get a big band and make their album a stunning, technical, musical masterpiece. Thankfully they recorded only their voices, keeping the album as pure and true as the gift they have been given. The money from this was used to raise a new centre which could house even more children than before. It was a truly moving piece. There was no narration, special effects, fancy camera work or significant bias. The cameras merely recorded and reflected real life. I would encourage anybody to download some of their music from iTunes or buy it online. Watch the DVD and you will understand it even better. In the title track from the album, "We Are Together" the children sing, "We are together, we are family." This is what Agape provides along with unconditional love - a family.

Thankyou Lord for the gift of music and the hope that it brings.

Mission Field

2008-07-30T22:24:00.009+01:00

I have recently returned from my Stepout Mission in the infamous Bo'Ness. It was lovely to be back. It's another place I can consider 'home'. I struggled a bit as I had to work at the pharmacy on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, therefor I had to drive there and back late at night every day. It got quite tiring and I struggled having missed out on all the kids club work. None-the-less I had a fabulous time when I was there. Half of the team were completely new to me and I had the opportunity to get to know some interesting people. I was reunited with the usual suspects from the church - all of whom are absolutely treasures and so hospitable you wouldn't believe. So here's a basic run down of the week...
On the Sunday evening the team attended the church service and basically introduced ourselves and laid out our plans for the week. We invited anyone who was interested to come along and help or to simply visit and observe. At the end of the service the minister led a time of hands-on prayer for the team. It was a truly moving moment as individuals from the church were united in prayer and poured out compassion and support for the week ahead. I felt so privileged to be among such Godly people. After the service the work began.

Throughout the week we had a total of 37 kids attending the RockStar club in the morning. A lot of these were from families who have no other contact with the church. There were plenty of games, stories, activities and memory verses. One of the crafts involved using the little round boxes that package Dairylea Cheese. Cindy had been collecting them for some time but still hadn't managed to get enough. I phoned the manager at Asda in Grangemouth, flirted precariously and managed to score another boxes for free. God is good. The kids had a fabulous time and although I only got to visit the club on the first and last day I saw a marked difference. The children were happy, safe, secure and very much enjoying their time spent in the church. God bless them. A lot of the boys between P5-7 turned up in the afternoons and evenings just wanting to hang out with us and play football. We felt really blessed that they genuinely wanted to be there. One young, non-church-related boy made a commitment to Christ on the last day. I think he was about 10 years old. It was a really special moment for us all.

Every evening I helped at the youth cafe. It was a very chilled out set up - music, board games, the Wii , football and various other activities. All week the centre was quiet with maybe only 4-6 youth turning up at any one time. However, throughout the week, as testimonies were told, questions were asked and conversations were had. Two girls made a quiet, conscious commitment to follow Christ. There was no dramatic alter-call and no sudden transformations of the crows; simply two young people carefully considering the effect of having Christ as their king and accepting freely the grace of God.

On the Friday evening we had a BBQ for all the children, parents and youth who had been in contact with us throughout the week. We invited and encouraged them all week to attend and arranged catering for about 100 people in the hope that they would all come. We had a fabulous turn out. There were parents and kids galore. We had good weather and were able to use all our outdoor space. At one point I stopped and stood back, looking out at what was going on. I liked what I saw. There were kids playing football on the grass. There were children drawing with chalk on the concrete. There were parents playing games with their family and just enjoying their children for what they were. I nearly started crying as I looked out and just saw families and community alike being drawn together simply because the church had given them the space and the freedom. Moments like that make it all worth it.

Cindy asked me to give my testimony or the 'story of my life' as I like to call it. I readily agree to these things but when the time came I was quite nervous because the room was full and I suddenly wondered what all these non-churched, non-christian parents would think of it all. I just prayed that I wouldn't ramble. It seemed to go well. I had some really good conversations with parents after that and with a couple of church members too. On the Sunday morning one of the ladies who had been there came and had a long chat with me about 'the story of my life' and asked if I would considering speaking to the social work students at Napier about it. I said I'd be glad to and whether or not this will come to fruition it's good to know that the opportunity is there. All the talking about where I've come from and where I'm going makes me stop and marvel at how God's hand has been in my life from the very beginning. Before I was even old enough to stand or speak He was watching over me and shaping the path that my life could take if I would only choose to follow it. I thank Him whole-heartedly that I made the right decision. He has blessed me more than I can ask or imagine.

It was a great week and I learned so much and saw so much of God of work. I would like to extend a real heart-felt thanks for the people of Bo'Ness Baptist - for their enthusiastic involvement and prayerful support. May God bless them.

The Prayer Room and Other Stories

2008-07-19T22:21:00.004+01:00

Well, camp ended a few weeks ago but it's taken me some time to gather my thoughts on the week. I was extremely ill the week after camp and it took a while to recover. I had a great but stressful week. I thought I was only getting four campers in my group but arrived to find that I had eight. However, to balance out this little surprise I also found that I was in a leaders dorm with my best friend Emma and my trainee Sarah - what a blessing! God is good. Lynn and I went through two days early to begin working on the prayer room. The plan was to get the four gazebos up to begin with and then start all the walls and decorations. However, it took us over two hours to get two gazebos up and we were both almost in tears after the third one simply refused to fit together. We went home closer to midnight than we had intended feeling somewhat defeated. Many a desperate prayer was uttered before we headed up to try again the next night. God gave Lynn a brainwave for measuring the gazebo poles and lo and behold - the last two were up in a matter of minutes! We were so relieved. Several hours and lots of material later the room was up and ready. I have to say it looked fab and I was so excited to see what God was going to do there. If you want to know more about what was in the prayer room just let me know and I'll explain it!

Over the week the kids went in to the prayer room alone or with friends and spend time exploring, looking, watching, thinking, reflecting, praying, creating, wailing, crying, learning and praying. Each day there were new things up on the walls - all honest outpouring of what was going on in their heads, hearts and lives. A couple of days I went in to spend some time with God and it was so fulfilling. With all the worship to organise I got a bit stressed out and it was so good to have a little corner of quiet where I could rest with God and seek His council. The room had that feeling that one cannot readily describe but the room felt covered in prayer and filled with the spirit. It was a place for healing, for listening, for learning. Several times I was brought to tears just looking at the evidence of prayer and praise that had been happening throughout the week. All our effort was truly worth it and more.

Apart from the prayer room many good times were had at camp. The campers were responsive to the worship and praise party on the Friday night just blew my mind. Leading the whole thing was truly exhausting and I had to keep it together and hold in a lot of emotion. I could see lives changing, God working and the spirit moving. The kids worshipped with true abandon and the commitments made were a testimony of God's grace and love sweeping through their lives. These times always serve to remind me of what a privilege it is to be involved in the work of SU because I get a glimpse of God at work and am reminded every time of the way in which Christ loves us. It was hard work - but oh so worth it. I want to say a huge thankyou to all those on the team who made it such a special week for me. You know who you are. =)

A day in the life...

2008-06-21T22:12:00.006+01:00

I've run out of time and steam for the blog at the moment. Life's business is taking over but I thought I'd post a general update until I have any form of intelligible thoughts to share.

I have several projects going on at the moment which are taking up most of my time. First and foremost I've been helping to put together a youth programme for the volunteers who are going out a Stepout Mission with the Baptist Union this year. This is the first year there has been material provided for the youth events as normally it's just given for the children's work. It's been a long and difficult process trying to think of things that would connect with young people from across the spectrum - all ages and stages, churched and unchurched, urban, suburban and country kids! The pack is almost finished and I'm not as pleased with my work as I could have been but hopefully it will serve to inspire the teams to put it to creative use. At the training weekend on Friday I led a couple of activities from the pack as exemplars. I had anticipated there would be about 25 people there but I think there was around 45! Still, it seemed to go well.

As well as the Stepout stuff I'm preparing for camp at LM - my favourite week of the year! This year we're incorporating a prayer room - inspired by the one we had at church recently. It's been a bit of extra work and I'm having to go up a couple of days early but I'm so glad it'll be available. It's been a good chance to let out some of my creativity and share good times with close friends. I've also been asked to co-ordinate the worship for the week so I'm trying to ensure that those who volunteered all get a chance to play, that those doing the talks get to make the arrangements they need and that rehearsal times co-ordinate with all the other rotas. It's a work in progress! Still - I'm very much looking forward to camp and I anticipate that I'll see great things happen. It's always a privilege to be involved and I've never been at a camp where God didn't show up in both subtle and obvious ways. It will be most interesting to see what the prayer room will add to the week. Watch this space!

Frenzy 08

2008-06-10T00:35:00.005+01:00

This year has been a good year so far. I've been to lots of exciting places and events. On Saturday I attended Frenzy for the first time with some friends from church. I decided to go this year since David Crowder*Band were playing and they've been a favourite of mine for a few years. I didn't know what to expect but I can tell you that the whole day was brilliant!

We arrived early - about 10:40am - and didn't have to wait in much of a que to get our wristbands and programmes. The sun was shining and straight away I began meeting people I know from various different places. I love these big Christian events because you're guaranteed to meet at least ten other people you already know. At a rough count I think I met at least 20.

We spent most of the early afternoon outside having some food and wandering for the initial sets. After the first band came on there were some general promo videos which I didn't take much interest in until lo and behold the SU promotional video was played! There I was on the big screen at Frenzy. Bit of a shock but pretty cool.

Most of the bands I had never heard of and didn't take a particular interest in until Leeland came on. A fabulous band. These guys were just so humble and Earnest - there was no attitude from these guys. I really loved their music but the moment that won it for me was when they sang "Come Lord - Come to Scotland." I think that right there and then they won the patriotic hearts of every Scottish person in the hall.

DC*B wasn't on till later but I went in early to make sure I got a good view. Did I get a good view or what - right up at the barricades in front of the stage - nobody in front of me and 7000 people behind me. It doesn't get better than that! All the gigs I've been to I've been in the middle or at the back without a great view but this made up for them all. The crowd was clearly anticipating their arrival and got really hyped up a good 15 minutes before they appeared. When they finally did the place erupted. They did a great set and got everyone really excited and it was clear that they were enjoying themselves too. I just loved it.

Following DC*B was Chris Tomlin. I kept my spot at the front for that and I wasn't disappointed. Again there was a real humility from him and the band as they played. They did most of my favourites and somehow even the songs I'm usually sick of seemed so much better - fresher even. At one point the audience overtook the band with chanting and the band just stood back and watched. There's no crowd like a Scottish crowd!

Words can't really describe how immense the day was but it was just amazing and definitely a memory to treasure. I can say I've been there, done that and I even got the tshirt.

Jesus

2008-05-06T10:32:00.007+01:00

Jesus was...

A challenge to the hypocrits

A healer to the sick

A comfort to the broken hearts

A friend to the sinner

The one who chose the weakest and somehow made them strong.

A man who gave the outcasts somewhere to belong.

Jesus is...

The teacher with faith in his pupils

The shepherd who watches his flock

The father who loves his children

The creator who delights in his creation

The light in the darkness

The hope that chases out fear

The salvation of the lost

The lamb who chose the slaughter

The gift of life

Jesus will....

Work undeniably

Move unexpectedly

Love relentelessly

Forgive endlessly

Heal miraculously

Care tenderly

Accept graciously

Reveal intentionally

Appear triumphantly

Last night in my prayer time I was directed to read Ezekiel Chapter 2. I'm not sure why but I feel like I have a challenge ahead and this is God's warning or direction. I'm not sure what it's about right now but I'm anticipating that God will work undeniably, unexpectedly and unimaginably.

Heroes

2008-05-02T01:16:00.009+01:00

Last weekend I was back at LM for the SU Bearsden/Milngavie schools weekend away. It was a fairly relaxed weekend and I enjoyed it. I had a group of S2 girls so I got to sit in on the senior teaching times which is a nice change since I'm usually in the primary section. Over the weekend we looked at four biblical 'heroes' and what we can learn from the journey they each made with God. More specifically, we looked at the lives of Joseph, Moses, Simon-Peter and Paul. Although the teaching was short I really loved looking at an overview of their lives and the way God used them to change the course of human history. Joseph saved the lives of almost an entire nation, as did Moses. Peter and Paul spread the gospel and helped the beginning of the Christian church as we know it. With each person we looked not only at what God had to say to them in their lives but what we can learn from them to apply to our own lives. So what did I learn?

First of all, each of the four 'heroes' was a complete and utter sinner. Murder. Lies. Denial. Doubts. Despite these faults God forgave each of them and was willing to use them despite their inherently sinful nature. My group picked up on the concept of forgiveness pretty quickly and asked questions like, "Does God really forgive you even if you murder someone? Did God really forgive Saul even though he'd killed loads of Christians?" Even as I explained it to them I began to see more clearly the sheer depth of God's grace that such things are forgivable. I always imagine the Old Testament heroes like Moses and Abraham to be the mighty leaders who never stumbled, never doubted, never strayed. Just looking at these guys I realise how human they were and that there was nothing perfect about them. God used weak and sinful men in mighty and wondrous ways. So it is for us, that despite our failings, our weakness and our sins that God forgives us. Not only does he forgive us but He is willing to use us for His divine purposes. Jesus didn't pick disciples who were perfect either. Each individual had some really obvious flaws: Simon was a zealot, Thomas doubted, Peter denied, Judas betrayed. As Rob Bell points out in his Nooma DVD 'Dust', not only were guys imperfect but they were unqualified for the job. These were the guys who didn't make the cut for any other Rabbi. They weren't good enough and yet Jesus called them. He called them and used them in incredible ways. So we see that we don't need to be perfect either. Jesus will call us to follow Him and if we have even a little faith we'll go. We don't need to perfect, we don't need to be great: we just need to follow.

Another thing I noticed is that these guys didn't always have it easy. Joseph lived a real roller-coaster life. Just when things were good they took a turn for the worst. Just when things were bad he got a 'Get out of jail free' card. He lived an extremely unpredictable life. Moses... well he didn't have it easy by a long shot. He gave up a life of royalty and security because he killed a man, then lead an entire nation out of slavery against the will of the very man he called his father. Paul started out by killing Christians. Peter who declared his undeniable love for Jesus denied Him to save his own skin. It's so easy for us to read the bible now and say, "Well yes but you can clearly see that God had a plan and these bad times were a necessary part of it!" Hindsight is a wonderful thing but neither Moses or Joseph knew what lay ahead. Given their circumstances it would have been easy to give it all up and walk away. How often in our own times of trouble do we keep absolute faith that God has a greater purpose and that this is all part of his plan. We like to quote Jeremiah 29:11 at people but do we believe it ourselves? Very often when we take the time to look back over the journey that we've made so far we will see that God has been in both the bad times and the good and that we are indeed part of His great plans.

I learned a whole lot more besides this but that would make for an incredibly long post! Still, I feel I've been challenged a little and given plenty to think about. Times like this give me a real desire to spend more time in the Old Testament looking at individuals and the way God used their lives. There are so many lessons to be learned.

Resolutions

2008-04-21T21:53:00.007+01:00

New years resolutions. It's a bit late I know but I didn't want to make them at the time. So, my resolutions for 2008 are:

> Go new places

> Meet new people

> Take more opportunities

Last year was pretty restricted because of teaching placements and other things but this year is much more flexible now that Jordanhill is behind me (resits permitting!). Therefor I want to make the most of my time by going to new places and meeting new people. On Saturday night I went to a random 21st and met a few new people which was good. I have also met a few great new people at camp. I'll be the first to admit I suck at keeping in touch with folk so part of my new resolution is to properly keep in touch with people after camps and parties etc. In particular I have a great set of friends from uni who I really want to keep up with. Meeting new people specifically includes those of the non-christian variety. It's easy to meet new Christians because the Christian networking in Scotland is immense but I need to spend more time out-with Christian circles. Take more opportunities: By this I mean take up those opportunities for random weekends away or going to gigs that might not come around again or whatever it may be. Last year I spent too much time thinking about things and never got round to doing them. So far I had a nice weekend away in Dundee, I've booked my tickets to Frenzy and a weekend in London. Hopefully this year will continue to open up opportunities that I can really make the most of.

Did you make any resolutions? How are you doing so far?

Happy Campers

2008-04-13T14:00:00.011+01:00

I am now back from what was a completely exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable week away at Lendrick Muir. As always, God moved in unexpected, undeniable ways and I had a fabulous time. The team as a whole got on so well - no personality clashes or internal issues. The kids were mostly well behaved and responsive during the worship. I love it. LM is like my spiritual home (however un-PC that might be, I can't really explain it.) It's the place where I've been challenged, I've learned, I've grown and where I've been loved and supported by those who, over the years, have become close friends and family to me. Countless lives have been changed by God in there and those who go are eternally grateful for the goodness of God in providing such a place for his ministry.

So what have I learned this week? Not to judge kids before I know them. Sounds obvious but I realised that very quickly I took a dislike to a couple of the younger boys who I found arrogant and irritating. However, after actually spending some quality time playing pool or on the ropes course with them I discovered that they were little gems and was ashamed of my snap judgements the previous day. I also learned that these weeks are not all about 'converting' the campers and making sure they leave as Christians. These weeks are about giving the kids the best week of their lives through loving them, caring for them, getting to know them, sharing experiences with them and sharing a little about Jesus with them too. Some kids are not ready to hear about God or make any kind of life-changing decisions. All we can do is sow the seeds and let God take care of the harvest. I also lead the worship which I'm not used to doing and found it a bit scary but God by His grace used His strength in my weakness and we saw some great responses to the work of the Spirit during the worship sessions. All in all I had a fabulous week with lots of great people and I feel all the more blessed for being there. A special thanks to SU for the incredible work they do. Thanks be to God for his providence and care.

Role-Model Education

2008-03-24T14:25:00.032Z

"No printed word, nor spoken plea can teach young minds what they should be. Not all the books on all the shelves – but what the teachers are themselves."
Rudyard Kipling

role model: n. A person looked to by others as an example in a particular role or situation. (Concise Oxford - 9th Edition)

I am currently trying to work my way through a short essay on teaching and learning. Can't say it's the most exciting way to spend the Easter weekend. Still, while doing some research I came across the above quote, used in this article. Some of the results in the research mentioned, though unsurprising, are certainly interesting and relevant to educators and Christians alike.

The research from the article expressed the fact that most children and young people identified their role models first and foremost as the people closest to them in their circle of family and friends. Celebrities and media figures came after these in terms of significant influence. Daniel Rose suggests that this is because, "The gap between theory and practice is bridged, as ideological concepts become realities before the eyes of the students. Once they have truly understood an idea, because they have seen it at first hand...they are only then in a true position to judge its validity to their life, and then make the relevant lifestyle decision." An interesting and somewhat scary thought. After reading this I considered the most significant role models in my life and, agreeing with the research of Anton Bucher, I found that these were in fact the people closest to me in my circle of family and friends. These people are from whom I have sought help or advice from, talked to about their values and have then seen for myself the validity and integrity of what they do in practice. This has then in some shape or form influenced the decisions I have made in my own life. I think that teachers, as Rose suggests, can have an incredible influence over their pupils and not one that they should use without consideration. With ACfE focusing on values and lifestyle pupils will seek to establish role models and identify the connection between theory and practice in the lives of their teachers. This is a huge responsibility, because if the practice of the teacher cannot be justified according to the values they are trying to pass on, their integrity will lie in tatters and I imagine that the pupils' respect will be lost. However, this also has huge implications for us as Christians too. The words that we say and the faith that we profess can be powerful, but those who wish to inspect our faith more closely will probably seek to evaluate the link between our thoughts and our actions. If this link is somewhat tenuous then not only will our integrity be at stake but our witness could be catastrophically tainted.

Rose says that, "Children, especially during adolescence – their most vulnerable and impressionable age - are in need of role models, and take them from all areas that are close at hand". This then begs the question, what kind of role models do our children find in church? A scary question and when children are honest in their opinions we sometimes dislike the answer. Children will not only look for role models in individuals but will also look at the church corporately. I suspect that they will notice where the church as a whole fails to put in to practice the value of children that they profess to have. I suspect that they will notice when a commitment to making church enjoyable and accessible to younger people is lost in translation between word and action. We can teach them about the example that Jesus sets, but I feel that the integrity of our teaching can be seriously diminished where we as individuals and as a church fail to live this out in our own lives. A case study I recently examined showed that a primary 5 pupil knew that, despite the teacher talking about fairness and equality, she only directed questions to children who were likely to know the answers. If children can spot the difference then we are presented with a huge challenge - a challenge not only for those who work with children. If we wish to be good role models for our children, in church and in life, then it requires integrity, honesty and commitment. Let's be the kind of role models that Jesus taught us to be. Perfect? We are not. Honest? We can be. Good role models? Let's find out.

Hope and Prayer in Troubled Times

2008-03-13T16:29:00.008Z

I've been praying a lot for some very close friends recently. There seem to be so many things going on at once with various people and I find myself asking God to carry the burdens which are just too heavy for the rest of us. Sometimes I find myself saying, "There's nothing we can do but pray..." and I get frustrated by that. Prayer is one of the most productive things you can do and saying that makes it seem like a last resort. What better to do than to bring the problem to the almighty creator of heaven and earth? However, I do understand that in a time of crisis we like to be able to 'do' something practical to help. When my friends present a problem and I'm not sure how to help sometimes it's best to just ask, "Is there anything I can do?". However, I struggle when it comes to non-christian friends. When there's nothing practical to be done, and we can only pray for them, how do we present them with any hope? Though they may doubt it at times, Christians will most likely understand that God has a plan and a purpose for them and that He will not let them carry more than they can handle; but with our non-christian friends how do we offer any kind of hope or solice in desperate times? Sometimes I tell them that I am praying for them but does this help? Is it a comfort? If they don't believe in God, much less the power of prayer, I suspect it doesn't. So how do we help? How do we really show that care and compassion in our outreach? How do we convey that we are doing the best thing that we know we can do, when their own beliefs may be a barrier to them understanding what we mean? More questions than answers I'm afraid. I confess that I am neither confident or consistent when it comes to praying but deep down I know that doesn't matter. When it comes to my friends I pray with honesty and hope because I want to see God moving in their lives. I just wish that people could understand more clearly the love and compassion that goes in to prayer and that, although to them it might not seem like much, some times it really is the best I can do.

The Road Ahead

2008-03-06T11:55:00.006Z

At last!

At last night's members meeting the church (KBC) voted through the decision to employ a part time Children and Families Worker. Everyone was supportive of the decision and recognised the needs of our children as a separate entity from the youth. I am SO pleased about the potential for our children and families to get the support and vision that they've been needing for so long. God is gracious and does not forget his children. Thank goodness the church hasn't either. I have an optimistic feeling that this is the start of great journey for the children and families in the community of Kirkintilloch...

From the Mouths of Babes

2008-02-24T15:08:00.005Z

Today in church we had the primary and nursery aged kids coming up the front to participate in the service. They were asked to think of something to thank God for - something they couldn't buy from the shops. A young boy, who I guessed was somewhere in the early primary stages, said something to the effect of: "You can't buy yourself or your abilities - like being able to swim" . Isn't it great that our kids can be so insightful?

Planning Our Journey

2008-02-21T12:25:00.015Z

For those of you who pay enough attention to education these days, you will know that the national curriculum guidelines are changing. Out with the old and in with the new. It's about time for a change and although there is no guarentee that the Curriculum for Excellence will be as wonderful as it claims, it's child-centred approach is one I'm all in favour of. The plan is that those who teach under ACfE will support and enable their students to become Confident Individuals, Successful Learners, Responsible Citizens and Effective Contributors. If all this works and the 'yoof of today' is transformed in to such things I would be mightily pleased. (Sarcasm? Me? Never.) Still, despite reservations, I think that the key principles of working with our young people to help them become all these things are good. Rather than ticking boxes I think that CfE allows teachers and pupils to go on a journey together and to observe more rewarding progress. With the ever-present power of 'linking-thinking' this led me to think about the journey that we plan for our children in our churches. What exactly do we hope for them to become? How do we envision their growth? Do we actually have a plan?

All too often I have seen Sunday schools whose primary focus is on getting through the service and getting through the material. Week by week each tick box is complete as another worksheet is done and another story is told. In all of this, what is it that we intend our young people to be doing? In what way do we see them growing?

I think it's important that, just as we do for our church and sometimes our youth, we set out a coherent vision for our children and their place in the church. We must define our key strategies for enabling this vision and ensure that we have team who is working well towards achieving it. If we don't our kids are left floundering and bored with the little opportunity for growth that sunday school provides. I would also suggest that working towards an agreed vision rather than through an agreed material allows far more space for individual leaders to exercise their creativity. I believe there are many people who can communicate wonderfully with our children but are restrained by the step-by-step, worksheet-by-worksheet regime that currently exists. I have a vendetta against worksheets being a main resource but I will admit that on occassion they do have their place. I'm more in favour of an experiential type of learning; taking our kids out and letting them experience God in a whole variety of contexts. That means not just learning stories and verses (which is of course important) but actually doing and seeing and trying and thinking. So, in a very students-with-placards way, I'd like to say: "Abandon the worksheet! Let our children grow!".

We want to see spiritual growth in our children, that they may become confident individuals in themselves, effective disciples to their peers and welcomed contributors to the life of our church. It may well require more thought, more preparation, more trial-and-error but let's give these kids the opportunity. If we don't, we'll lose them younger and quicker as church slowly turns them away from Jesus or at least away from church. I have seen kids as young (or even as old...) as Primary 7 truly worship and weep with love for Jesus. It's possible! So let's plan a journey with our children and let's be part of it. Let's prepare our kids for knowing Jesus now and just when they're 'older'. Let's enable our kids to be diverse, creative, expressive and loved as we nuture their growth and uncover their potential. Let's provide genuine opportunities for our children to engage in worship, to wrestle with scripture and to walk with the whole church. Let us never underestimate what our children can teach us about God - if we only let them.

The Christian Message

2008-02-07T13:23:00.000Z

Oh how true this can seem.

Thanks to http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/page/2/

Embracing Our Culture for 21st Century Ministry

2008-01-28T12:19:00.000Z

Bet you took one look at the title and thought, 'Ooft - sounds heavy. Not reading that!' but perhaps if I say the words 'Bebo' and 'Forums' you might change your mind? If so, read on!

Very recently a young girl in our church died, age 16, after a two year battle with cancer. It was a devastating occasion for all those who knew her. On the day she died I got a phone call in the early afternoon to let me know. By the time I got home from university at 4pm and checked my bebo (there it is again!) I saw that many of the young people who knew EJ had set up a bebo page in her honour. It was a beautiful thing to see. To some it might seem inappropriate or unkind to create such a site but as I thought about it I began to see a different side to that story. This is 21st Century youth culture. It is how young people communicate, keep in touch, let others know what is going and how we show our common interests and appreciations. What better way to celebrate someone's life than to bring them in to this culture? Our minister kindly acknowledged the Bebo page during the remembrance service. It seemed surprising that such a thing should be mentioned in a church on such an occasion but I realised that it was a validation and an acknowledgment that the young people had expressed their love for EJ in the way that they knew best.

When we seek to engage in mission and ministry, as with teaching, it is so important that we learn to embrace the culture of our mission field and understand the way it works. This is a vital way of showing people how relevant the Christian faith is to every aspect of life and makes the church, in a sense, more accessible. If we wish to meet with the unchurched community around us we must, where appropriate, acknowledge and validate their surrounding culture and seek to engage with them in a time and place where they will understand the relevance of the Christian faith in their lives. As a good friend once said, "There is no aspect of your life that God is not interested or involved in." Where our kids are passionate about sports and skating, let's bring the gospel to the skate parks. Where our young people struggle with the morality of conversations held on msn or by texting, let's talk about it in bible classes and house groups. What ever their culture let's acknowledge it, respect, talk about it and use it.

Our church has recently opened a discussion forum online for the worship teams to discuss any aspect of worship, the music, the services etc. and to engage in the sharing of thoughts and ideas. It has only been running for a short time but has proved itself to be a productive and valid way of communicating. We don't have time to come to meetings every week and discuss all our current thinking and ideas. We tend to share them with close friends who perhaps pass these conversations on to others, but rarely have time to sit down as a whole team and talk about it. Opening the online forum has provided an easy and accessible way for us to do this and to formalise our discussion. Of course, every online venture has it's dangers but where there is a genuine desire for productivity and meaningful discussion, such forums can be a valuable tool for the ministry of our church and the mission in our community. Naturally, all the outcomes will be brought to meetings and face to face discussion in due time - it is essential that we do so - but until then let me be thankful that we are moving forward with the times and culture of today and using it to further our thinking and effectiveness as a team.

"Therefore go..."

2008-01-16T10:38:00.000Z

For those of you who browsed my blog a while ago you may have noticed that on my "Currently Reading" section I had posted Vaughan Roberts' book 'Distinctives'. The book did not sustain my interest although generally I liked and agreed with the concept of each chapter. However, the other day I was flicking idly through it when I came across a small paragraph which seemed to click in to place with a lot of my recent thinking. The chapter title is, "Certainty in a world in which everything is relative" in which Roberts explores our response to the Great Commission set by Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20)

Here Roberts makes what I found to be a very acute observation of church evangelism.

"It is tempting to respond to that pressure by limiting our evangelism to the 'Christianized' - those who have a church background but have drifted away from church activities. That, in effect, is what most churches have done. Evangelism means inviting those on the fringe of church life to attend an event in our building. We have turned the 'go' of Jesus' Great Commission in to a 'come', and we interpret the 'all nations' as 'those like us'." (p.85)

How right he is. It would seem that sometimes in a desperate attempt to prove our evangelistic capablities we are tempted to reach out soley or mainly to those on the periphory of church life. Why is this? Perhaps it is because we know they are already familiar with the gospel and we can skip over explaining 'the basics'. Perhaps it is because they are less likely to put up a resistance to hearing the message and we can appeal to their already-Christianized nature. Let me be clear that it is important that we should continue to reach those on the edges of our church as they are no less important. However, if we are to be following the Great Commission as it was given then we must be going out before we start inviting people in. The word 'mission' translates from Latin roots meaning 'to send'. Therefore the Great Commission was not a command to invite others to our church but to take the church to the community and the nation.

As Roberts points out very few people in Britain are actually church-goers now compared to the last century. Church is an unfamiliar, uncomfortable place and many would rather not darken our doors. Why then is it that we expect them to come to our place of worship to hear the gospel? How ineffective waiting around inside the church may prove to be if this our only strategy for mission and evangelism.

All of this struck a chord with me because of the aforementioned challenge from Luke, where the disciples went out to the place Jesus sent them to catch fish. Jesus did not say, 'Sit about in the boat just here and I'll herd the fish over to you'. No. Jesus said, 'Get out there - I know you don't think it's going to be productive, it's not a likely place for a catch, but get out there!'. If we followed such a command with even greater faith, we truly could be 'fishers of men'. We cannot simply wait in our comfort zone and expect Jesus to send the nation to our doors. No. We must go to the empty places, or indeed the places where there are so many other destructive pressures that there hardly seems to be room for the gospel. If we go out, commissioned by Jesus, we need not fear that our efforts will be fruitless. The fishermen were sceptical yet Jesus displayed his power despite their doubts. How much more could Jesus do if we went out, encouraged by such a message and inspired by such a commission?

Roberts, V. (2005) Distinctives. Milton Keynes. Authentic Media.

Miscommunication

2008-01-13T16:12:00.000Z

Communication, it would seem, has been greatly aided by all the modern technologies of the 21st century. If we wish to contact someone, even someone a great distance away, it only takes a call, a text, an email or even, dare I say it, snail mail. It would seem that communication is so easy and that we as a church or as Christians should have no trouble in getting ourselves heard in sharing the gospel. However, in church this morning David Gordon brought about the concept of noise as viewed by communication theorists. In a world where communication seems so clear and easy there are a variety of ways in which 'noise' - whether it be physical, semantic, psychological or cultural - interferes with what we are trying to communicate and what is actually heard. He then brought about the reality of this concept by relating it to the passage in Luke 11: 37-54. Here Jesus challenges the Pharisees about what they are trying to communicate, what is actually being communicated and the 'noise' which is interfering with the whole process. In this case, the noise preventing them from clearly communicating the gospel is that of their 'religious protocol'. Jesus challenged the Pharisees on the way in which their pedantic obsession with external matters was greatly deflecting the reality of Godly living. By creating an uneccessary need for perfection they were distracting people from hearing the real message of God that they were trying to get across. They created too much noise to communicate clearly.

By exploring the passage we find that not only did Jesus challenge the Pharisees on their actions and attitude but He also challenges us with six very important issues.

1. Our priorities. Are we more concerned with ensuring that we have given enough of what is demanded of us to withhold our reputation or are we concerned with the matters of justice and salvation? (v.42)

2. Are we too concerned with our own importance and place within our church community? (v.43)

3. Are we modelling Christian living in a way that will have a positive effect on those around us? (v.44)

4. Do we burden others with our high standards and demands or do we help them to carry their own load? (v.46)

5. Are we listening to God? (v. 47-51)

6. Are we a help or a hindrance to others in terms of bringing them to faith? (v. 52)

Jesus presents the pertinent example of the bowl - clean and shiny on the outside (which is nice but doesn't help) and filthy on the insde; the part which has a greater impact on the effectiveness of it's use. Such is the nature of hypocrisy that our appearance and importance soon outweigh the importance of our heart and our faith; the parts which make all the difference to the effectiveness of our witness. It is easy to focus on external issues such as reputation, importance and being seen in the right places with desirable people, however, this will not only deflect the heart of the gospel but it will fail to engage the community around us.

God is in the process of challenging me about my 'image' or the persona that I try to convey, with particular relation to where I'm seen and who I'm seen with. A lot of opportunities have come up for hanging out with non-church / non-christian people in a variety of places which some would deem as 'unsuitable' places for a Christian girl to be seen. However, what this passage confirms for me is that no matter the external image which is presented, what God is concerned about (and indeed what the church should be concerned about) are the motives and the attitude upon which our actions are based. No matter how shiny we are on the outside we can be in tatters, barely clinging to our faith on the inside. If this is the case, how then will we communicate as effectively with the world around us?

Vapour in the Wind

2008-01-06T23:14:00.001Z

I tumbled out of bed this morning and was less than amused at the thought of going to church in my half-wakeful state. I remember once leading a discussion on preparing our hearts before going to church and being ready to receive God's word that today. This morning I was not in the mind or mood for preparation but thanks be to God that He can speak to me despite my human disgrace. Anyway... This morning David Smith from ICC was speaking at our church. The first thing I noticed as he got up to speak was that, alarmingly, he had no power-point. Sometimes in the morning, having failed to prepare my heart and mind, I rely on the power-point to guide me through and I could tell that this morning was going to require extra effort. Good on him for keeping my attention.

This morning's passage was from James 4. A mixture of verses, in particular v. 13 and 14. These verses are echoed in the song 'Who am I?' by Casting Crowns and as soon as the words 'vapour in the wind' were read I found myself hearing the song. David's whole interpretation of the passage embodied the attitude of James that we must realise and accept our own mortality. As he pointed out we are living in a day and age which seems to deny and prevent the very process of age and refuses to speak of death for fear of being pessimistic. We live in an age which encourages us to map out our lives from one step to the next, always pushing us forward at every opportunity and barely - if ever - allows opportunity for God's will to the deciding factor, however unpredictable it may seem. Although, as David pointed out, the relevance or credibility of the writing of James has previously come in to question I found the passage valid and encouraging.

Always debating the precariousness of my current situation and the fact that I am very vague about what the future holds other than God's leading, it was an encouragement to have my attitude verified. My mother is ever in favour of taking practical measures and having a plan A, B and C. At the moment I seem only to have a sense of God's leading to step one and am as yet unaware of step two or three. Sometimes I wonder if this is just me being the 'hippy' that I would like to be - leaping in to the future with uncertainty and enthusiasm and I wonder if in fact I should become the level-headed, plan-ahead person that my mum is. However, David's message this morning convicted and encouraged me once more that, although practical measures for the present must always be in place, there is no predicting what God will do today or tomorrow. I have one life and want to live it for the kingdom - for what other cause would be worth devoting a life time to? As Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Money, power and status are becoming a priority in this life. While each in their own right is not a bad thing, our vision must be set beyond these for in a life as frail and unpredictable as this, what good will any of them do? Previous to David's sermon I had been listening to a song by one of my favourite artists, Nicole C. Mullen. Her song " When Heaven Calls" just about sums up James's attitude to the nature of this life and the vision of eternity.

"When Heaven Calls"
Nicole C. Mullen

"Much faster than the blink of an eye,
Lightning will flash and he'll split the sky.
Nobody knows the day or the time,
The trumpet shall sound and we will arise.

*
When heaven calls and this life is over
We'll stand before our God and Saviour.
When heaven calls
We must be ready
To trade these mortal things
For immortality
When heaven calls.

*
For every man there is a time
To love and to laugh, to live and to die.
So I'm living for the one who is Love
And I'm dying to hear Him say 'Well done'
*

When heaven calls and this life is over
I'll stand before my God and Saviour.
When Heaven calls I will be ready
To trade these mortal things
For immortality
When Heaven calls."

A Child's Touch

2008-01-02T22:43:00.000Z

A statue which somehow captures the heart behind everything I do.

Music for the Soul

2007-12-31T17:41:00.000Z

The final day of 2007. This morning I had to get up at what seemed like a horrific hour (8:30am) and head over to the 'KBC sound studio' as I now know it, to do some recording. This was a first. Usually anything I have recorded has been an 'all-in-one' production, just hitting record and doing it in one take. However, today I was recording the first song from my album - the song I wrote for our previous youth minister's leaving service. I'm ashamed to say the song was only half-written when I performed it due to work pressure and time constraints so I vowed to someday rewrite and record it properly. At least I can say I managed by the end of the year.

Recording it 'properly' was a new experience but one I thoroughly enjoyed. The difficulty in composing the song was that it was just me and the piano - I had to invent and practise all the other parts separately and just mix them in my head. It was a beautiful journey to hear each part be recorded and come together just as I had imagined. I was working with a brilliant team - three of my best mates and Deacs, who has become a complete legend in my books. We just got down to business and started putting it together. The girls were fabulously patient as I did all the piano, all the synth etc. and just waited until their parts were due. The vocals were the part I was most nervous about. Somehow when singing I feel like I'm giving away part of myself and so if it doesn't sound good I can be quite unhappy. I managed to get away with only three or four takes and although I'll never really be happy with the way my voice sounds, the edited production will sound great thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

So, one song down, six to go! My new year's resolution (one of them anyway) is to finish the album by the end of next year but more preferably by the end of summer. Now that I have a better idea of what's involved in the recording I can be more prepared. I'm so grateful to the people who are willing to come on this journey with me and be part of a new chapter in my life. With that in mind I'm looking forward to the next year despite the onslaught of work I am facing. I'm sure I'll find my therapy in making the music that I enjoy with the friends that I've been blessed with. Here's to another year.

Research

2007-12-26T14:52:00.000Z

Christmas should be a holiday, it really should. Unfortunately, for some of us, it's just a chance to catch up with work and write one of the many assignments which will soon be due for handing in. I was never really one for studying. Although I'm quite good at writing an essay (even at 3:30am - yes it has happened) I find the research painstaking and often struggle to find the motivation to even open a book. However, where the subject of my research actually captures my interest, particularly where the research is voluntary or self-chosen, the results prove to be more satisfying and the learning much more valuable to myself.

As previously mentioned, I have taken on an independent study module as part of my graduation process. I considered various subjects to research, weighing up the options of picking something easy and which I already knew a lot about or embarking on a completely new area of research that would be both interesting and useful in my current and future work. Being ever in favour of taking on a challenge I opted for the latter. I was asked to prepare a presentation on behaviour management for the team at Friday Night Live, part of the ongoing youth outreach at our church. At first I felt this would be easy enough, I could simply transfer my existing knowledge of discipline and the various techniques of pupil management in to the youth ministry context. However, as I considered the issue surrounding discipline at FNL I realised that there is far more to the issue than meets the eye. Always in favour of making life easy I decided to make the topic of my independent study module the same as that of my presentation, therefor allowing myself sufficient time for proper research. So, I am currently studying what will be known as, "The Implications of Discipline in a Christian Youth Work Setting."

I've found the research fascinating as I've covered various subjects such as active listening and counselling skills, pastoral approaches, responding to challenging behaviour and looking at all this in parallel with the mission statement outlined by Jesus and the intended purpose of the youth ministry at FNL. The more I read the more questions arise; How do we 'do' discipline in youth ministry, particularly in detatched youth work? What is the purpose of our discipline and what do we convey by the standards we set? What, if any, effect does our discipline and it's application have on our relationships with the young people? How does our discpline communicate the gospel?

I see a PhD on the horizon. Watch this space.

Christmas

2007-12-11T22:21:00.001Z

After commenting on Lynn's post about what we love or hate about Christmas, I finally gave in to the glimmer of festive spirit that's waiting to explode as soon as my uni work is done. I confess that I am awaiting the moment my assignment is handed in and I can immerse myself in festivities. Until then I shall control myself and simply ask for your thoughts.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Job

2007-12-08T19:46:00.000Z

Following my last blog I felt that my knowledge of the book of Job wasn't very sharp and that it would pay to do a little digging. I found my study guide to the Old Testament and looked at some of the questions there to help guide my thoughts.

The book of Job was first drawn to my attention during the summer. I was idly flicking through my bible one night and came across one of Job's speeches. I found it compelling. The intensity of his anger, his suffering and his situation just seemed so real. As I read it felt almost as if Job was in the room, yelling out with frustration. The whole passage just resonated with my feelings at the time. Here is a small excerpt as translated in The Message:

"Let God step on me - squash me like a bug, and be done with me for good.

At least then I'd have the satisfaction of not having blasphemed the Holy God, before being pressed to the limits.

Where's the strength to keep my hopes up?

What future do I have to keep me going?

Do you think I have nerves of steel?

Do you think I'm made of iron?

Do you think I can just pull myself up by my bootstraps?

I don't even have any boots!"

(Job 6:8-13)

If we're honest, how often do we feel like that? There are times where we feel there is little to go on and we might as well give up. It is not a favourable situation to be in. The reality of the whole situation became clearer as I studied the book of Job and began to unravel the context in which it was set and the different perspectives from which the story can be told.

God: He is proud of Job. He knows that Job is a good, honourable and loyal servant. He has give Job many blessings and is proud of the faith which Job has maintained. So proud in fact, that he can boast to Satan of the faithful servant that he has.

As a point of reflection we could ask ourselves, "What would God boast of us? Anything?" I often wonder, if God were to discuss my faith with Satan (which I very much doubt) who would be prouder of the work they have achieved in my life? A scary thought.

Satan: He's convinced that Job is only a fair-weather follower. He believes that Job is only faithful because God has only ever blessed him.

Should we ask ourselves, "To what extent are we only fair-weather friends of Jesus? Are we only faithful when the blessings have been bestowed?" Being a Christian is difficult and it is a challenge which we endure from the day we are saved until the day we die. Throughout the course of our life time there will be many high points (one would hope) and also many lows. But just how faithful are we in the times of darkness and desperation? Do we talk God up to our friends as long as he's giving us blessing to boast about? Are we even prepared for the fact that suffering will approach because we are in a relationship with God? I'm not sure that I always am.

Job: Job is convinced (and he was right) that he has lived a life worthy of God's approval. He has been loyal, honest, faithful and even repentant on behalf of his sons on the occasions that they 'might' have sinned. Therefor, in some respects, it is understandable that when unexpected suffering comes he is not at pleased and feels that such suffering is a good deal less than what he really deserves. His challenge to God is simply, "Tell me what I did. Tell me what I have done to deserve this and I will pay my dues." He believes that the suffering set upon him is deserved because of some sin he has unwittingly committed. The irony is that his trials were brought about because he was such a faithful servant. When things go wrong in ourselves, how much do we question ourselves and question God? If we were Job could we really have even begun to work out what was going on? Do we automatically presume that God is bringing punishment on us or being unfair? I admit that there are times when I do.

Job's friends: on the other hand, were far less than helpful. It is important to note that the 'theology' of Job's friends is far from accurate in many ways and God makes a point of saying so.

To begin with his friends did well. They sat with Job and identified with his pain. However, it's all downhill from there as they attempt to either prove Job guilty or second-guess God's plans. Neither of these approaches gained much and only made Job feel worse.

"When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends should at least stick by them," Job says. "And you, my so-called friends are no better - there's nothing to you! One look at a hard scene and you shrink in fear."

Tough words. Would our friends say the same about us? When we are suffering just how helpful are our friends? Do they sit, as Job's friends initially did, and identify in our suffering? Do they bring themselves to where we are and look out with the same perspective or do they second-guess God's working, standing on the dock presuming that we are at fault? Do we as friends do the same to others? Do I?

I am in a situation where I currently do have friends who are grieving, who are suffering, who are lost. Reading Job has made me consider my approach and my attitude as I try to help them through. I would hope that Job's description of his friends would not be one that would easily reflect me. The challenge now is to working on applying what I have learned from my brief study of such a telling story. There are great lessons to be learned from Job about being a Christian, about suffering, about God, about being a friend and about Judgement. I still feel that I have a lot more to learn fromJob and am looking for a better study guide to work with. Roll on ICC. In the mean time let's see how much of my learning I can apply to myself - not as a means of becoming a better person in the eyes of God or anyone else, but so that I can provide comfort and care that is truly of use to those who need it. How can I identify with them and stop myself from judging? Perhaps I also need to think more carefully about how I how I respond to my own situation and how I approach God with my complaints. There's much to be learned here. It's all part of growing and learning.

Blind Faith

2007-11-29T15:44:00.001Z

As noted on my ‘currently reading’ list I have been reading Ben Elton’s latest book, Blind Faith. My Gran gave me the book with a wonderful note attached: ‘To Amie. A subversive book from a subversive Gran.’ My Gran is consciously atheist and no doubt wished to expand my thinking beyond that of my faith. Quite right. Always in favour of expanding my thinking (and quite frankly, being short of a good novel to read) I took up the challenge with enthusiasm. It is a very post-apocalyptic story which in many ways reflects the direction of our current society. The main character, Trafford, asks a question that is the pinnacle or point of the whole story. His question is this:

“Wouldn’t faith itself be more valuable if it was arrived at through question and doubt? What’s the use of blind faith? Seriously, it’s not difficult saying you have faith if the alternative is being burned alive. But does that mean you really have faith?”

A valid question, I feel.

Coming from a Christian background and church based up-bringing I would further that question by asking, “Do we allow ourselves to question and to doubt? Do we allow others to do the same?” Having a lot of Christian friends I have seen many of them (and myself) struggle, facing sometimes what can be a deep crisis of faith or a need to challenge what they have always believed. There can be a tendency to try and make people avoid this, to take their questions and throw back the answers that we feel they should already know. Is this helpful in maintaining their relationship with God or is it simply promoting blind faith? It is easy to be scared that if people begin to question or doubt what they believe in that they will find other answers or some other truth – one that is far less desirable. However, I know from my own times of crisis or from questioning my own values and beliefs, that very often I come back to the original conclusion but with a far better understanding of what I believe and why I believe it. Sometimes I have also come to the conclusion that the things I had being doing were pointless and yes, based on blind faith but of no real benefit to my relationship with God or others.
Job was as guy who really questioned God. He remained faithful through significant trials and did not speak a word against Him despite the hardship that he faced. However, there came a significant point where he could not go undoubting any longer and with some fervour, really question his faith and his God. The book of Job reflects a conversation between Job, his friends and God. He questions what he has been doing and believing in for so long. His friends are not of much use. They give him the kind of answers that just attempt to shut him up and stop him from challenging things. They provide the kind of answers that yes, are based on scriptures and true on many counts but they’re given in a know-it-all nature. They stand on the other side of the fence telling Job how it is. Their answers do not seem to come out of any kind of compassion or even admission that they do not know the answers either. They provided all the religious wisdom they could muster and yet had no impact on bringing Job closer to God in his time of suffering. In the end, it was God who provided the answers and God alone who could reveal any truth to Job. Not only did he reveal the truth but he rebuked Job's friends for spouting rubbish and speaking untruths about God when they really hadn't a clue.
I am not suggesting that when our friends are doubting or questioning that all our attempts to bring scriptural truths or our own words of wisdom to the situation will be futile or worthless but I do feel that, rather than standing at the side shouting out the answers, we should attempt to walk with our friends through their challenges, to give them freedom to ask questions and explore new territories and remain faithful in prayer for them throughout. God may use us to bring people to (or back to) faith through our relationships with them and we should be ready for that.
If a person is really seeking the truth of God we should trust that God himself can and will reveal what needs to be known in His own time, which we cannot second-guess. Surely if we believe that God is all-powerful and the only real truth in this world, we know that he can reveal the answers that people need to restore their faith. We should journey with them and help them to build a solid foundation of understanding rather than a life built around a lack of questioning.

So, from this line of thought what is the challenge for me? To provide my friends with support, freedom, comfort and, where I can, wisdom in their times of doubt and questioning. Questions are dangerous, oh yes, but are they any more so than blind faith?

Teaching was my boat - Ministry is my storm.

2007-11-26T19:28:00.002Z

Today I visited my tutor at the Centre for Life Long Learning to discuss my independent study assignment. I am taking this to help make up the credits to graduate early and the very fact that I was doing so brought around the reality that I really am giving up teaching, despite the fact that my applications for ICC have not even been posted. It is, as I have been constantly reminded since making this decision, a big risk to miss out on my honours year.

Risk. A word people are reluctant to explore. It involves taking chances and the implications are often huge. There is uncertainty, a wide variety of possible outcomes and often throughout the risk-taking process a lack of security in the days ahead. Taking a risk is not something we often choose. Jesus was good at taking risks and encouraging his disciples to do so. He sent his followers out to minister and as he sent them he commanded them to take no food, no money, no staff and no robe. This was a big risk. No food meant no provisions for the journey; no money meant no security. Going without a staff meant that they had no defence against attacks and to go without robes meant no protection from the cold nights. Sometimes from this passage it's easy to think that Jesus was a little mean. However, in sending them out unequipped for the long journey ahead, Jesus was in fact enabling his disciples to learn to rely on God. If they did not have any of the essential things they needed, they were taking a risk. They had to have faith that God would provide.

'If You Want To Walk on Water You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat' is one of my favourite books, written by John Ortberg. Here Ortberg explores the passage in Matthew 14 where Jesus walks on water and calls Peter out of the boat. I never thought you could get so much encouragement and challenge out of such a short passage. The whole story encompasses the risk we take as Christians in our daily walk with Jesus. Here Peter takes a life-threatening, faith-making risk. He is required to leave the safety and security of his boat and step out on to a tossing sea, in which he is almost certain to drown. Never the less, when Jesus confirms his calling, Peter goes. He actually has the courage to climb over the side and take his first few steps across the water to Jesus but as his fear gets the better of him and he begins to sink. Jesus holds out his hand and pulls Peter in saying, 'Why did you doubt?'. Why did he?
The boat is our comfort zone. Jesus is our goal. The storm is everything in this world that may prevent us from reaching that goal.

Teaching is my boat. Ministry is my storm.

If I did my honours I would have a professional degree and my future could be secured. But God called me. Giving up my honours seems to deplete my security. Taking up children's ministry presents a degree of uncertainty and an element of risk that there is no guarantee for my future. However, if I have learned anything from the ministry of Jesus it is this: When God calls you, it is a risk: but you go. Jesus called to his disciples, "Come and follow me." so they dropped their nets and they followed. The disciples accepted the risk of persecution and rejection throughout their ministry. Over and over again they took risks which required immense faith. In each and every case, God remained faithful to his word and he provided. God is a God of providence. If I begin to doubt that, I too will sink.

So, a challenge for those who are insistent that I should have teaching as a backup:
There is nothing wrong with having a plan B. It is practical and it is helpful but when God has called us to go... we go. If there is concern that by missing out a year of university I am throwing away my future security, I have to call in to question your faith. Do you have so little faith that you doubt God will provide? Or do you have so little faith in me and believe that I am bound to fail?

Matthew 6:33 "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provision. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow." (MSG) v.34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have it's own worries." (NCV)

Not only does it make sense that we trust God given the biblical evidence that he will always provide but the bible commands us not to worry. This is our assurance that where God will lead us he will be true to his promises. We sing the words of Psalm 23 where we profess that God leads us to quiet waters and green pastures, that he is our protection through the darkest path. We sing, 'I will trust in you alone.' Heaven forbid that we should sing such songs for the moment and not apply them in our daily lives.

It takes faith to take a risk. I will take it and I will not worry about tomorrow.

Teaching was my boat. Ministry is my storm. Jesus called me. Do you really think I'd just sit in the boat?

Exodus

2007-11-22T16:50:00.000Z

Last night I finally got around to watching 'Exodus' - the television film directed by Penny Woolcock based on the second book of the Old Testament. I am at the best of times sceptical of bible-to-film productions especially where they are rearranged in to a 21st Century context. After watching the film my initial thoughts were as follows:

- The setting, visual elements and cinematography were brilliantly done. It had a very apocalyptic feel to it. The use of amateur actors, especially those with special needs, was wonderfully effective.

- It was far too long and the script was poor. Film-wise it was on the same wave as Titanic, too much time for not a lot to happen.

I did a little research of the piece on the net to see what other people thought and found a review from the Telegraph saying this:

"More surprisingly still, Woolcock retained the central religious element of the original version – although not in a way that religious viewers will necessarily have found comfortable. Indeed, by sticking so close to the biblical story, Exodus reminded us just how brutal that story is. "

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/11/20/nosplit/bvtv20last.xml

This brings me to my third thought regarding the film which is this: The whole production completely misrepresented and betrayed the relationship between Moses and God. When reading the bible it was clear to me exactly how direct God was with Moses. God appeared to Moses in a face-to-face encounter and throughout the story there is a conversation going on between them. The relationship portrayed in the film was far too subtle and indirect. The whimsical voices gently speaking to Moses were nothing like the powerful experiences depicted in the bible. Not once in this film did Moses fall to the ground in fear.

I always allow room for creative licence but I didn't feel that in this case it was justified. Interestingly, I wonder if this is why the article above stated that 'religious viewers' (whoever they might be) may have found it uncomfortable. If by 'retaining the central religious element' they mean that yes, God was mentioned once or twice and his presence merely hinted at then they are clearly mistaken. The main point of God being in this story is that He leads his people to freedom and how He uses a mediocre guy like Moses to lead an entire nation out of slavery through deep political minefields and what could be classed as spiritual warfare. The film portrayed Moses as the hero and showed very little input from God which I found altogether disappointing.

However, despite that slight setback, the film did mange to bring some reality to the story for me. It can at times be very difficult to make even such a powerful bible story come alive when simply reading it. Through the film my eyes were opened to to exactly how intense the whole experience was for the people and for Moses. It is tempting to think of him as the Great Leader of the Israelites, wandering around with a staff and a beard being very docile throughout the whole thing. The film helped me to capture the reality of his plight including his role as a father and husband along with the frustrations of leading a people who were volatile and zealous.

Although the film may have been a successful political statement regarding terrorism, 21st Century warfare and the treatment of refugees in Britain today, in my opinion, it could not be classed as an accurate reflection of the biblical story it sought to portray.

Did anyone see it and think otherwise?

A Soft and Fluffy Jesus

2007-11-20T17:35:00.000Z

I am a harsh critic of Sunday Schools or "Children's Church" as the terminology goes these days. It frustrates me. There are many elements including teaching, training of volunteers, the planned and unplanned curriculum and the investment in resources, which all frustrate me. However, I'm not going down that road today. Today I want to contemplate the warning bells which have been ringing in my mind recently. Those bells are bringing to surface my concern that in our Sunday schools or "Children's Church" today we are painting for our children a soft and fluffy Jesus. Even more concerning is the thought that we may be painting a soft and fluffy easy-reading bible which has become a book of helpful hints for Christian living. Do we white-wash our stories and leave them devoid of any unpleasant reality to make it more than digestible to our sensitive youngsters?
I grew up in the church with the stereotypical image of Jesus that plagues many non-christians today: He was a nice guy who loved everybody, did miracles and had great hair. While our children may be too young to understand the social, political and cultural implications of what Jesus did in great detail, neither must we lead them to underestimate just how radical his actions were.

It was only in my teenage years that I began to understand how radical he was. In a video interview my friend described Jesus as radical, "someone who always makes us think outside the box and challenges us to do things differently". In all my years of Sunday school I never thought of Jesus like that - I thought he was just a really nice, gentle, loving guy who died a gruesome death to save us from our sin. (This is not a debate on how graphic our projection of that death should be as our children grow up - that again is a discussion for another time.) Never did I realise then that his ministry and the life he lived as told in the gospels was every bit as radical as the death he died. I thought that he caused a little upset here and there but everyone loved him. Again, I didn't realise that he caused huge political and social shifts where-ever he went and was extremely unpopular for breaking social taboos and defying the political pressures of the time. My concern is that we bring up our children in the church, whether consciously or not, to put Jesus in to a nice fluffy box, portraying him as the guy that everybody loved and that in turn may cause them a struggle to unpack such images later in life.

One small step...

2007-11-20T07:10:00.000Z

Following my recent post about sundays, their purpose and a day of rest I made a small step of progress. That is; I didn't go to church on sunday morning. I didn't simply opt not to go and waste my time doing nothing - that would achieve little and be a pointless exercise. Instead, I chose to have morning coffee/lunch with my best friend as she was home from Dundee for the weekend. Sunday morning was the only time I could really see her. Usually my response would be 'Well I'll see you at church' and we would try to squeeze in some time for chatting before and after. However, this time I decided that quality time with my closest friend seemed more important at the present moment. It was wonderful. We had lunch, relaxing and chatting and for me, actually resting before the business of the rest of day commenced. For once, I didn't feel guilty. I am not ruled by the sabbath - my sense of urgent obligation to attend church is slowly being released. I have not lost interest in church and neither am I become slack in my attentiveness to the teaching of the gospel. I am simply learning to rest.

The Here and Now.

2007-11-18T02:30:00.000Z

I've recently been blogging on PebblePad - a wonderful system but I fear I'll lose my account when I leave Strathclyde. Therefor I have opted to blog here instead. I thought I'd do the old 'copy and paste' of some of my previous blogs to fill the space between where I was and where I am so that future blogs have some sort of context and make (I hope) some sort of progression and sense.

05 November 2007

Mark 2:23 - 28 : This would be yet another occasion where the Pharisees are trying to trip up Jesus, to take a snatch at his integrity and find a loophole in his teachings. I've recently been challenged with church quite a lot. I find myself to be challenging my priorities and reviewing the purpose of all my activities on a Sunday and for the church throughout the week. My Sundays... busy, hectic, from one place to another, frequently running or rehearsing for an event. Day of rest? I don't think so! Since being a young child I could count the number of Sundays where I have not been to church on two hands - literally. I grew up in the sort of mind set that to miss church was unchristian and showed lack of commitment. Yet recently I have begun to challenge that. The thinking started by reading the blog of my former minister Stuart Blythe. His post, 'Easy like Sunday morning' flags up the issue of what we do with our Sundays and the role that church plays in that. Having prayed and thought further I came across the passage above. One sentence in particular struck a chord with me,

'Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, "The Sabbath day was made to help people; they were not made to be ruled by the Sabbath Day." '

I wonder how often the Sabbath day rules me. I think that in the context of the passage, the Pharisees were questioning Jesus working on the Sabbath (and not for the first time - see the passage of Jesus healing on the Sabbath.) and breaking Jewish law. It was a day of rest where absolutly nothing classed as work was to be done - perhaps to an absurd degree.

However, what is a Sunday for? For rest? For spending time with family? In church are we simply there for community or duty? Should I in fact spend all my Sunday working for the church - especially when I do so every other day of the week? Yes I want to contribute to the life of my church, to engage with my friends and be part of the fellowship but to what extent should I make every aspect of being in church a working one? I believe that when we come to church we should be prepared to work - worship and participating in the ministry there should not be passive, but perhaps I have in fact deprived myself of a 'day of rest' entirely since I work for uni every day and work 9-5 on a satuday. Perhaps as the bible commands I should find a day of rest. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Sunday... but it would be nice if it was. It would seem that my priorities need shifting.

Following on from the previous entry...

12 November 2007

As previously mentioned, I've felt challenged recently about my lifestyle and my priorities, especially where people are concerned. More and more I'm getting the feeling I spend so long working in and for the church that I'm missing out on witnessing to the 'outside' world.
(Is this ironic since I'm going in to ministry? Hopefully not as I hope to be engaged in mission and evangelism throughout.)
In both the services I was at today the speakers talked about witnessing, seeking the lost and saving lives - not by waiting in church for them to come to us but by going out and reaching them. I cannot spend time socialising with non-church people because I am always working in, around and for the church. I see it as noble and a good witness that I do so but then... if I'm so wrapped up in a church-based-bubble what kind of witness is that?

The pastor at KBC this morning told us of a lifeguard who asked his trainee guards, "If was drowning would you come and save me?". Their reply was an enthusiastic, "Of course!"

The pastor then asked us, 'If I am lost will you come and find me?'. He compared this to the story of Zaccheous in Luke 19 where we are told that Jesus came to find 'what is lost'. We are told that God is a seeking God and so we ought to be a seeking people. Am I really seeking? Or am I simply working with whoever will come along to my church, my territory, my comfort-zone? Zaccheous himself was seeking Jesus, despite being the epitomy of someone with a focus on self-gain and loose morality. How his life was changed because Jesus responded to his search; not by inviting the man to church, but inviting himself to the house of Zaccheous. Jesus went to the seeker, he did not just say 'come and find me'. Just as we should be seeking the lost, so we should not just wait for and overlook the lost who are seeking. We need to put down the invitation to church and pick up the invitation to 'their place.'

In the evening Gary talked about How To Save a Life based on the song by the Fray and linked to Romans 10:14-16. We are told in this passage that people are saved when they believe, they believe when they hear, they hear when they are told, and they will only be told if someone is sent. Therefor we are to go out to save lives and seek what is lost. Jesus has sent us out. As I have said before, I feel I am not seeking, I am waiting.

My priorities need to actively change.

The Great Teacher

2007-11-15T21:15:00.001Z

While as academics we study the educationalist, the philosophers and the proffessionals who have done the research and written the books, there is one great teacher that very often we miss. Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey and Bruner - well recognised names in the educational world, each known for their philososphy and approach to teaching and learning. Very often in lectures and so forth we are asked to consider which of these amongst others we are most like in our approach to teaching, learning and education. However, I have found a significant other who has inspired my approach to teaching- one less familiar to the educational masses and yet whose approach was significantly forward thinking for his time. Jesus. Jesus is often referred to as 'teacher' by his disciples and many others. This made me pause and think, maybe I could learn something from somebody else who seemed to be involved in teaching and learning. Jesus very often began his teaching with the people, their knowledge, their experience and their needs. He started where they were at. He told them stories that related to their existing knowledge and experience. At first glance to those unfamiliar with the bible, stories of shephards, sheep, kings and servants may not be as hard-hitting and cutting edge as we might imagine, but they related to the lives and experiences of the people at the time. He helped them to make the connection between old and new information. He had captive audiences of thousands who would sit and listen to his stories, hanging on every word. How often do we wish for that in our classrooms? When people questioned him he often illustrated his points by looking at their experiences and their lifestyle, tapping in to the knoweldge and cultural capitol of the individual. He used questions carefully, making people think and reflect on what they already knew in a way that would lead them to expand their thinking and reach new conclusions. Vygotsky thought he had something new to say? Think again. Jesus often used scaffolding with his disciples - teaching and training them by building up their knowledge a little a time. He not only told stories and gave the information, he backed it up using scripture and more importantly he lived it out, giving the ultimate example of what he was trying to teach. In a very curriculum-for-excellence type of way, Jesus focused as much on the 'doing' as he did the 'telling' - much like the philosophy of Dewey - and made sure he addressed the needs of the whole person, spiritual and intellectual needs included.

So in conclusion, His was a people-centred teaching approach aimed to benfit the thinking and development of the whole person, starting with where they were and what they knew. He tapped in to the culture of this surroundings and used the interests of the people to get along side them. I think it would benefit many of us particuarly those involved in teaching to learn a little something from one of the greatest teachers ever known.