The 3 Ls

Our beautiful magnolia tree with many buds still to open.

We have a rather large evergreen magnolia tree in our garden.  It was getting bigger than we really wanted so after the end of last winter, in early spring, my son pruned it back a bit.  They say that you shouldn't prune it too vigorously all at once but stage the pruning out over a few years.  So that's what we (he) did.  Last year we had a few flowers but this year, since pruning, the tree has produced no end of flowers and continues with more buds well into late summer and the beginning of autumn.  Yes according to the calendar we are nearing autumn.   

Clearing away some of the lawn to plant more produce

As now in the garden there are only  a few bulbs of garlic and the blackberries left to pick, I am beginning to think about next year and planning where I want to put what.  I have decided to get rid of a little bit more of the (quite large) lawn and move some of the strawberry plants in order to make room for more vegetables higher up the garden.  It seems that every year I'm learning new things about what grows best where in the garden.  Things I haven't had much success with then I have to admit defeat in that area and let them go while turning my hand to something else instead, something that will give us some fruit or vegetables.  I'm only an amateur gardener but I do enjoy my garden and am happiest when I can potter around it.  Basically I learn by trying, sometimes failing and discovering through experience what works where and what doesn't.  I am also aware that although I still manage to do about 1-2 hours gardening at a time, it might not be too long before these old bones won't let me do even that.  So each year I re-assess and plan for next year. 

The first signs of fruit on the fig tree.

Happily this year I have seen signs that our fig tree, bought from being a young sapling a few years ago, will indeed next year actually give us some fruit.  It has obviously matured enough now to produce the much awaited fruit.  There are small bud-like figs just appearing and this means that although they won't mature and ripen enough to eat this year, they will survive the winter, as long as they are covered and protected from any frost and continue to grow and ripen next year.  Here's hoping!  I just love fresh figs.  When I look at the fig tree I often think of the story of Jesus when he cursed the fig tree.  Knowing that small fig 'buds' usually appear during the autumn and ripen the following year, maybe Jesus knowing this saw that that particular tree had no signs of producing fruit and if it was a mature tree then he would know that it was indeed dying.  We tend to think of that story as Jesus condemning that tree to die, almost in anger but I like to think more that actually he was pointing out that it was a tree that wasn't giving any fruit, it wasn't fulfilling its purpose and would surely die.

 Sometimes we have to take a look at our lives.  There is a danger that our lives get so full of busy-ness that we leave too little space to actually flourish.  Maybe there are some things that need to be pruned back, cut out in order to open up into greater splendour.  Maybe we need to re-think what we're doing and if it's having the results we are looking for and maybe change direction somewhat, leaving some things altogether and learning new ways of growing and giving fruit.  We are all different and produce different fruit and need different types of soil in which to grow, having a variety of end results if we're nurtured and grown according to our individual purpose.  My garden preaches many sermons to me if I have the eyes to see and the ears to hear what creation is saying.  The 3 Ls - Look, Listen and Learn.

Efficient/Effective?

This week Vicky Beeching used a quote on Twitter that was originally written by Peter Drucker, an Austrian born American management consultant.  He has been described as the 'founder of modern management'. The quote was: 'Efficiency is doing things right.  Effectiveness is doing the right things.'  That set me thinking.  It's great to be efficient.  It gets the job done and done well.  But it is imperative that the things that are done are the right things.  You can be very efficient at doing the wrong things.  So being efficient in itself is not necessarily good.


Most of this past week in our home we have had the pleasure of the company of a friend from Latvia.  We have had some very interesting conversations about many things.  We got onto the subject of people going to other countries within the church setup on particular missions.  We both know of people who have gone with a particular project or 'programme' that they intended to put into practice, as though you can programme God. How often do we have plans and ask God to bless our plans when often they are not God's plans at all?  I have known people who have been very organised and efficient but not necessarily doing the right things.  They arrive full of what they are going to do, set up this meeting and that project and within 2 to 3 years they will have so many converts and will expand to other places when maybe it would be better to identify with the people and place where they intend to work, get to know the real situation and circumstances and what is actually needed.  I also read this week about a story of helping those who need help as opposed to those that we think need our help.  There are parts of the world where, instead of organising meetings and setting up Bible classes and teaching programmes, what is really needed is tools to dig a well to save the women from having to walk miles to get a bucket of water.  Instead of trying to explain the resurrection it would be more helpful to give seeds or animals or maybe teach them methods of agriculture and business so the people could feed and fend for themselves.  I can't help feeling that much of the work is in order to promote the public standing of the group, charity or denomination that is carrying out the missions.  It often seems to be more about adding numbers to their membership or following than sharing the Good News in practical ways.  

We can be very efficient in bringing plans to fruition and getting the job done but if we are asking the wrong questions, if we are focusing on the wrong problem, the seriousness of the situation will just continue and get worse.  We need to address the cause of problems in order to be effective in bringing about a solution.  When we go to the doctor with a health problem, we often get some medication.  If the problem continues then often a deeper, more intense and detailed study by xray, scan or tests needs to be carried out in order to identify the underlying cause of the problem.  It's no use taking painkillers if the real problem is a broken leg.  The painkillers will alleviate the pain for a while but unless the broken leg is mended, the problem will still exist and cause more pain and problems.  Sometimes we might think that we are helping a situation but when we take a closer, more in-depth look at the situation we discover that the real need is something that is not really being addressed.  And so the problem continues.  Our carefully thought-out plans and efficiency will get some sort of result but the real problems are not addressed and the situation does not change in spite of all our efforts.  


It reminds me of the words of Helder Camara, the Brazilian Archbishop who was assassinated in 1999 when he said, 'When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist'.  We can be very efficient but unless we address the root causes of problems and ask the right questions we will never be effective in showing God's love as Jesus taught.  Richard Rohr recently in his daily meditations when referring to the Desert Fathers and Mothers said that for them 'faith was first a lifestyle before it was a belief system'.  The first followers of Jesus were known as People of the Way (a way of living) before they were known as people who followed a belief system.  Maybe it's time to rethink why we do what we do.  Are we just efficient or are we effective?    

Refocusing

It was an easy job so I thought I would just go ahead and do it myself instead of bothering my son, asking him to do it.  All I had to do was to screw a couple of hooks behind the door to hang things on.  Simple!  I had the necessary electric tool ready and charged.  I marked the spot where I had to put the screw and made a small hole to make sure it didn't slip.  As I started screwing I discovered it wouldn't go in properly.  'I don't believe this!' I murmured under my breath.  I thought it was going to be so easy.  In the end I had to go and seek the help of my son.  He took one look and said 'You've got it on the wrong setting.  You've set it for drilling not for screwing.  No wonder it won't go in.'  Two minutes later it was done - by my son.  Please don't laugh, after all I am a woman and getting on in years.  Anyway, how was I to know that the thing had different settings?  I learnt something new that day!

Last week I had my yearly check-up at the optician's.  I knew my eyesight had deteriorated somewhat.  The clue was in the fact that I struggle to read the subtitles when the news is on the television and when I need to wait for the bus to be quite close before I can see which number it is and where it's going.  So the result was no surprise.  The young man was very kind and tried various lenses until I could read the letters on the screen clearly.  He was very helpful and explained the problem - the cataracts are obviously gradually getting worse but as yet it is possible to get lenses that will help.  So later today I go back to collect my new glasses.  What joy it will be to be able to make things out more clearly and at a greater distance once again, for a while at least. 
   
Another encounter I had was with someone who had visited a dietitian to get some help with losing a bit of excess weight.  She had always considered herself to be pretty healthy and always ate what she thought was a very healthy diet.  That is until the dietitian began explaining just where she had been going wrong and how the body reacts to different types of food.  She left the appointment quite humbled and said that after all these years of doing things a certain way she was now going to have to rethink and refocus her attention on other elements of her diet that until now she had considered ok.

All in all, it has been a week of refocusing and rethinking, learning and readjusting.  Things change and we have to change with the situation at hand.  We cannot always go on doing things in the same old way just because 'we've always done it that way' as I was once informed as a questioning child.  It has been said that the Nautilus begins life in a small shell but as it grows it doesn't have enough room and so it builds another bit of shell, another new compartment and moves out of the old, once comfortable place into the new part until it becomes too big for that part.  And so it goes on until it becomes quite large.  The different segments can be clearly seen around the shell of the Nautilus.  What a lesson - we need to keep learning and growing but also often this entails moving on from where we were.  We can't always remain static or we either stunt our growth or die.  We need regular check-ups and then refocus and move on, adjusting to the new situation in hand. 

I am not in the same place spiritually as I was a few years ago.  I have learnt more and moved on.  It's not about turning our backs on the past.  The nautilus carries its past around with it.  Our past is a reminder of where we've come from and what has made us the people we now are.  We look at our past but shouldn't live in it.  It was right for us at that time and in that situation so we need to be thankful for the past and how it has led us to the point where we are today.  It should be a progression on to something new and better.  In our spiritual lives, if we find ourselves in a situation where nothing has changed, then maybe we need to ask ourselves if we need a check-up, learn something new, refocus or do things differently.  If not, then there could be a danger that we might be just going through the motions while we are actually dying on the inside.  We are never too old to learn something new, no matter how long we may have been a Christian.  It is good to re-examine what we do - maybe what we thought was ok, no longer serves us well.   God is much bigger than any human understanding and the nature of his creation is to keep evolving and moving.

Give us a clue

Those who are familiar with quiz shows and magazines will know of the sort of quiz that gives clues and you have to guess the connection.  Small children are often engaged in such activities in order to teach them about different animals and what they're like, for example: 

Who am I? 
1) I live in Africa.                                            
2) I eat the leaves of tall trees. 
3) I am a sort of orange-y brown colour with dark brown patches.         
4) I have a very long neck. 

Of course the answer is the giraffe.  More points are awarded for the fewer number of clues required to guess correctly.

If a clue is 'they like to eat pizza and pasta' then it's a safe guess to say the Italians.  Likewise if the clue says 'They have been known to eat frogs' legs' then the answer would be the French  I began thinking about this in relation to people groups and their way of life and thinking.  Below is a set of clues that the average person in the street think and relate to:


1) They sometimes seem a bit standoffish.
2) They think they are better than everybody else.
3) They can be quite judgmental of others.
4) They don't like or accept gay or lesbian people, telling them they are wrong.
5) They are restricted in the things they are allowed to partake in so don't join in much.
6) They believe their sacred book and their leaders must not be questioned - they are infallible.
7) They join with others in a special building on a Sunday.

The answer to the clues is 'Christians'.  Christians reading those clues would be adamant that it certainly doesn't describe them.  They are nothing like that.  The sad truth is that most people who are not members of a particular denomination or organised religious group do have that impression of what Christians are like.  Over centuries they have been given a very negative portrayal of Christianity.  And sadly nothing like what we read in the Bible about how or what Jesus was, thought and did.  Christians are more often than not thought to be intolerant, homophobic people who consider themselves to be 'holier than thou', better than the rest and separate themselves from those who are not part of their exclusive Sunday club.  You can join their club only if you change who you are and become a clone.  This sadly is what others see.  


In contrast if we take each of those clues and refer them to how Jesus lived we would get something along the lines of the following:
1) He will talk to anybody.
2) He identifies himself with the poor and needy.
3) He accepts people's shortfalls and cares about them anyway.
4) He loves everyone and accepts anyone who wants to be his friend.
5) He goes wherever he is invited or people need his help or advice.
6) He has often quoted from his sacred book and law and tells people to think about it in a  different way.  He insists that the only true lord and master is God.  All others are fallible  humans.
7) He has been criticised for spending time walking in the fields with his friends and breaking religious rules on his special day of rest.

So it begs the question - how do we put that right?  Maybe we should go through each of the clues in turn,comparing the first and second set of clues and being honest as to which really describes us.  People are crying out 'We would see Jesus'.  As Jesus followers we need to set the record straight and show Him to others by the way we live.  People are not interested in going to a building - God is everywhere.  They don't want to listen to someone preaching at them, telling them how wrong and sinful they are.  They don't want to hear about Him, they want to see Him living in us.  So forget all the theological arguments, dogma and splitting hairs.  We need to have the mind of Christ and really put Jesus at the centre showing God's all-embracing love at work through our actions and attitudes in our daily living.  

Pioneers

There is a television advert that talks about doing things differently and uses the example of the man who changed the way athletes do the high jump.  Before they used to jump facing the bar but this man changed it by jumping with his back to the bar and his legs following.  That now is the norm.

Throughout the history of humanity there have been those who have pioneered new ways, thoughts and practices.  Galileo Galilei (known by his first name, Galileo) was a physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher.  He was born in 1564 and died in 1642.  Throughout his life he played an important role in the scientific revolution of his day, improving the telescope and compass among other things.  His improved telescope along with his love of astronomy and his observations of planets and the sun led him to conclude that the earth moved around the sun and not vice versa.  He was condemned for his beliefs and brought before the Inquisition.  The church took verses of Scripture to 'prove' that he was wrong.  Psalm 104:5 states 'the Lord set the earth on its foundations' and Ecclesiastes 1:5 says 'and the sun rises and sets and returns to its place'.  From those verses the church believed that the earth stood in a fixed position and the sun moved around the earth while Galileo was stating the opposite.  In the end he was judged guilty of heresy and kept under house arrest until his death.

In more recent times doctors Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards became well known for their pioneering work into IVF treatment for women who were unable to bear children the natural way.  The first baby to be born in this way was referred to as the first 'test-tube baby' and that was Louise Brown.  This was a ground breaking medical achievement.  But there were critics who raised some ethical questions about surrogate motherhood, 'baby factories' and wondering just where such knowledge would ultimately lead.  The photo is of Dr Steptoe, Louise Brown and her mother and also her own child who was born naturally.  This treatment is nowadays very common and an accepted part of life.

In 1966 the National Association of Food Chains met to discuss the possibility of automated check-out systems.  The scanning systems had been in operation in various forms for nearly 30 years but not on a commercial level on the High Street.  After this meeting, various tests were carried out until on 20th June 1974 a 10 pack of Wrigleys Juicy Fruit gum was scanned at 8.01 am.  This was the very first item to be scanned in this way in a shop and the Universal Product Code was born.  It was ridiculed claiming that there would never be enough for it to be worthwhile.  Some Christians thought that codes hid the number 666 and one TV host called it a 'corporate plot against consumers'.  At the time in the UK the programme Tomorrow's World was shown on TV.  They tried out new gadgets and gave predictions as to how well they might do in the future.  The then presenter Maggie Philbin famously said that she didn't think it would catch on.  How wrong she was!  Almost everything we buy now has a bar code and is scanned at the check-out.

It seems that all who move away from what is considered the norm and offer new ways of thinking and practice, are usually criticised, some persecuted, others questioned, not believed or taken seriously and even ridiculed.  There are many others - Christopher Columbus and his belief that there was land over the ocean, Martin Luther and his struggles against the established church, Lord Shaftesbury and his fight against slavery, the example of Nelson Mandela fighting for equal rights for all the citizens of his country, to mention just a few.  Although they all came across opposition, persecution and ridicule they all held on to what they believed was right and kept on fighting.  So I guess the lesson from these pioneers is to carry on and follow you heart in what you believe no matter what others say or think.  Who knows where it will lead?
 

Talk about Church

There has been much discussion about the word 'church' and what exactly we mean by it.  But the other day I got to thinking about the phrase 'doing church'.  Although we say that church is not the building, it does imply the meeting together.  There are those who claim not to 'go to church' as in attending a building.  Instead they meet in houses in small groups.  My question is 'what's the difference?'  It seems to me to be the same thing only in a different venue.  There tends to be some singing/worship, some chatting and some reading and explanation of some verse(s) of Scripture and prayer.  We claim that the small groups meeting in houses is how 'church' began.




Others who have left organised religion sometimes talk of 'doing church'.  This seems to incorporate the occasions when we meet up with someone for coffee and chat, visit someone or organise a meal or get together with some friends (who are often also among 'emerged' Christians).  But using the word 'church' still seems to imply some sort of gathering together, meeting, whether that is in a large congregation in some purpose built building or 2 or 3 sharing coffee.  Again I strain to find the real difference.  With or without the organised setup and music, (somehow, for some, music equates worship and 'feeling' near to God) the idea of assembling, meeting and sharing together is the same.


Jesus teaches that we are temples of the living God.  He lives within us.  The Bible clearly teaches that God does not live in a temple built by humans, no matter what we like to think.  Jesus is referred to as the 'cornerstone' of His temple and we are 'living stones'.  There is nothing there about going to some place.  It's rather about living and being part of His temple.  So maybe we should stop talking about going to church or doing church and start using the phrase being the church.  I love the words of the song Breathe:  'This is the air I breathe, Your holy presence living in me.'  You can find a version of the song here.  Jesus says the Spirit is like the wind blowing where it will.  You can't go to air; it's all around us; how do we 'do' air?; we just breathe it in; it becomes part of us; it makes us live.  And each one who breathes in the living breath of God is another living stone in His temple.  He doesn't put a load of conditions and rules, He wants us to breathe in His presence and be His presence wherever we are. 


We seem to get so hung up about some details of our living in God's family.  There is a danger of focussing so much on one aspect, sometimes the wrong thing.  It's not about taking sides for or against or how we 'do' church.  So much energy is being used up in negative attitudes, searching for a specific verse to prove our own particular standpoint and show that we are right, that we actually miss the point - that God loves us all and wants to be with us and in us.  I believe that God in His graciousness reaches out to all who seek Him, whatever the circumstances.  Going to church?  Doing church?  Maybe it's time to think differently.  We should start changing our whole concept of what church is and how we are church instead of trying to redo it and just bringing about another version of the same thing.  We live church by breathing in His presence whether that is on our own or with others and in His love He meets with us in His temple that He has put within us. 

Ramadan for Christians?

Although I have mentioned before about the gospel being all-inclusive and that God loves everyone, my mind has turned to it again this week.  I think that maybe this is as a result of it being Ramadan for Muslims and (as I have also mentioned before) I have someone in my extended family who is Muslim.  I have been thinking about her and following her blog as she writes about her experiences during this time of fasting. (You can click onto her blog here.)  We know that God loves everyone but I must admit that Christians particularly in the western world, believe this with a sort of condescending, patronising attitude of ‘yes but we have the truth’ as though we have the monopoly on the truth.  I say this having been guilty of this same attitude myself.  We tend to look at Muslims with a certain western arrogance.  And so this week as I rethink some of my attitudes and realise that I really know very little about Muslims or Islam, I thought that this would be a good time to try and learn more.

 

Rashid Kahn

Earlier this week I watched a programme called A Very British Ramadan. (You can find it here.)  It lasts just over 24 minutes - sorry about the adverts in the recording.  It is presented by Rashid Kahn, a Muslim with a very northern accent!  What I found quite surprising was how everyone seemed to be actually looking forward to the month of fasting – no food or water from sunrise to sunset.  After sunset the subsequent meal (iftar) is very important.  Many meet together, almost in festive mode and share the meal together.  They break the fast with dates and water and then whatever meal they want.  Some of those of Asian ancestry keep up family tradition but there was a group of very English Muslims, who had converted as hippies in the 1960s, and they celebrated together with vegetable soup! 

 

But Ramadan is not just about fasting and eating in the hours between dusk and dawn  but about prayer and charity to others.  There was a group of Muslim bikers (!) who stopped at a café and knelt down on the ground and prayed.  They were doing a charity ride to raise money – not for a Muslim charity but for Great Ormond Street Hospital.  There were those who shared food with neighbours as a gesture of charity towards others and those of other faiths.  One 24 year old young man was looking forward to part of the time (10 days) when he would be in solitude, praying and reading.  He was looking forward to what God (Allah) would be saying to him and what changes he would need to make afterwards to fulfil God’s will.  He said,

Seclusion is everything.  All hope, all fear of the world, worldly attachments and so on are removed and the only thing you care about is the love and mercy of God and 10 days pure – you and your Lord.

 

So I learnt that Ramadan is not just about fasting from food and drink.  It’s not merely a tradition that must be obeyed.  It’s more – it’s about charity, doing good, looking beyond the physical to our spirituality, learning where we need to improve etc.  I feel Christians could learn a lot from our Muslim friends.  I know of times when Christians have used the prayer and fasting thing more as a kind of spiritual bribe for God to do our bidding rather than it being for us to draw closer to learn what God wants to say to us.  For many the time of Lent is more about doing without sweets or some luxury rather than a time to hone our spiritual appetite.  These times should not be in order to fulfil some expectation that others may have of us or that we may appear somehow more holy by doing them (that is a sanctimonious, self-centred reason if ever there was one!) but for real spiritual growth.  I know that God does not love us more because of our efforts – He loves us just because He is Unconditional Love.  That is His nature.  I am not saying either that we should be tied to such disciplines as a necessary part of our communion with God but I feel that there is maybe a place for such times of discipline.  The mystics and the old Desert Fathers certainly thought so and I know that when I have carried out a 30 day Daniel fast (eating as Daniel and his friends did in the Old Testament) I found it of great spiritual benefit and could understand why those in authority took notice of Daniel and his friends.

 

It’s not about watering down my faith and beliefs to accommodate others – not at all!  There are points where I may disagree with Muslims but I think that if I am trying to understand people of other faiths, then at least I need to accept that for some people, this is a way that they connect with God.  Or as Richard Rohr so succinctly puts it,

When another’s experience of God isn’t exactly the way I would describe it, it doesn’t mean that they haven’t had an experience of God or that their experience is completely wrong. … … Could it not be that this Hindu, this Sufi, this charismatic, this Jewish woman has, in fact, touched upon the same eternal Mystery that I am seeking? Can’t we at least give one another the benefit of the doubt? I can be somewhat patient with people who think they have the truth. The problem for me is when they think they have the whole truth.

 

I feel that in the end what matters is that we connect with God in whatever way we feel is right for us.  I’m sure God accepts the prayer of a person regardless of their background – He looks on the heart.  I’m sure that He who is Unconditional Love doesn’t just listen to Christians and ignores everyone else.  Maybe I should try to understand others more from their point of view; see them how they are and not how I think they ought to be; see them as God sees them; not be judgmental towards others; be more willing to learn from others, whoever they are.  I am still learning.

 

 

 

 

 

Props and Supports

When we teach our young children to ride a bicycle we have either bought them something with 3 wheels to learn the motion of pedalling or have got them a bicycle with stabilisers to stop them from falling off and maybe injuring themselves.  When they grow up and get used to cycling, they won’t need that support and they will be free to cycle without fear or losing their balance.  It is a natural progression to want to be independent.  It’s a new adventure to go it alone.  At the other end of the scale as we grow more elderly we may need to use a walking stick or Zimmer frames to assist in walking.  Life in general is full of support mechanisms and groups that we find useful and often necessary to cope with life. 

Often the argument in favour of an organised Church is just that – that it provides a whole range of props and supports for our children and those new in the faith to help them walk the new path without stumbling.  Sadly what can happen is that the support mechanism becomes the actual way of doing things for all, even when they should have grown up.  Certain props in some denominations would be called idols in another.  We think of idols as statues and icons and associate them mainly with Roman Catholicism or Orthodox religions.  But an idol is anything that takes the place of the supremacy of God.  We begin a project and if we are not careful the project, which should be a means to fulfilling God’s work, becomes the end in itself.  We can get so caught up in the organising and making rules for ourselves that the original movement of God that inspired us soon becomes the tradition that must be kept going at all costs – after all this is God’s work.  The structures and supports take on a life of their own and many feel that such customs and ways of doing things are indispensable for a successful and spirit-filled walk with God.  Things that have been useful to our walk and connection with God can so easily become the focus of our attention – a legalistic approach to things like tithing, Sunday observance, daily devotional, the Bible itself, the need to be involved in organised activities within the denominational set-up etc.  They might all be good and useful but have taken on a role that is more important than is due to them – the usefulness has become the necessary tradition that we must conform to.  It has become the end in itself instead of being a means to the end of connecting with God one-to-one.

 

I was chatting with a friend the other day about how our walk with God is enriched when we can become more spontaneous and just listen to what He is saying directly to us without necessarily this being an integral part of the organised set-up of Church.  It is an adventure with God that is exciting but a bit scary as we don’t always know what to expect.  But without this it wouldn’t be an adventure – we would be comfortable to stay in a safe place and not venture further.  It’s a bit like taking away the stabilisers from our bikes and feeling the freedom to venture a bit further than we dared before.  Trying to be a little more detached from the organised construct of Church is a bit like that and it’s as though God is taking away the safety supports one at a time, layer by layer until we learn to ‘go it alone’ with Him our loving parent keeping a watchful eye on us so we don’t fall.  In an adventure the unforeseen often happens and we have to learn another way of coping; the safe organisation is no longer there.  We need to get to the heart of the matter – God Himself and nothing else.  I am reminded of Matt Redman’s lovely song –

When the music fades
All is stripped away,
and I simply come … …

I'll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, all about You, Jesus

How often we prefer the security of the safety props and so remain spiritual infants.  Maybe it’s time for us to grow up and leave off the stabilisers and enjoy the adventure with God.

 

 

 

 

Titles and Ministries

Evangelical charismatic groups talk about the fivefold ministries – apostle, prophet, teacher etc.  They each have their place and that’s fine but I do think that sometimes we get a bit hung up about particular sentences or phrases in the Bible.  Actually reading again Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:28 there are more than five listed!  But the main point that I’m getting at is that we can overemphasise some things and create a whole new (and wrong) aspect of following Jesus.  Some people attach a great deal of importance to titles.  I have heard people ask whether someone is a prophet or apostle or which ministry gift they possess.  It’s as though there are rungs to climb up the ladder of spirituality and according to the thinking of many people, apostle is really as high up as you can go because Paul mentioned that first!  He says ‘first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers … …’ but is he really giving them that order of importance in a hierarchical sense or is he just listing a few ministries that he thought of?  I know when I’m trying to think of a list of something, I mention them, sort of counting on my fingers, ‘there’s 1)this, 2) that … … ‘ as they come into my mind but that doesn’t imply any degree of importance to that order of items on the list.

My mind goes back a few years when I was with a prayer team in a northern city and we were at a conference with some of the church leaders of the area.  One particular man was so excited because he had just been given the authority by his congregation to be called ‘Apostle John’ (I say John as I don’t recall his real name.) To him and his congregation the title was very important.  It made me smile – I was pleased for him in a way.  Again, as I said last week about the term ‘missionary’ we need to rethink exactly what we mean and believe.  Some church leaders are so taken up with their own importance that no-one dare question their words – after all they insist on you knowing that they are God’s anointed and chosen and have authority over the rest of us.  It sounds much to me like the authority given to the Roman Catholic priest and the so-called infallibility of the Pope.  Maybe they forget the words of Jesus about ‘the first shall be last’ when the disciples were arguing about the very same thing – the importance of position.  But the Bible clearly teaches that we are all equal in the eyes of God!

 

Having said that, I must also affirm that it is good to seek after spiritual gifts.  The Bible teaches as much.  But there can be a danger of seeking with a misguided attitude; becoming almost like a child who sees another child’s new toy and immediately thinks ‘I want that’.  There can be a sense of following the latest spiritual fad or fashion; wanting to show off the latest ‘in thing’.  I remember being at a gathering when during the proceedings a group of people began to laugh – quite loudly.  (You may remember that the Toronto Blessing had such an effect on people, the Spirit filling them with such joy that they couldn’t help laughing.)  But on this occasion I couldn’t help wondering if this was a genuine outpouring of the Spirit or if it was more of a desire to be seen as being ‘full of the Spirit’; a sort of spiritual ego trip.  We must remember that spiritual gifts are given by God in order to help us fulfil His purposes and not for our own spiritual status within the Church

 

I think there are ministries that people are involved in that are not looked upon as such but can be life-changing.  This week (as those who follow me on Facebook will know) my son got a job after being unemployed for 2 years.  A couple of months ago he started as a volunteer in the local charity shop of St Margaret’s Hospice.  The manageress had said that they didn’t really have any vacancies but she had seen his CV and said ‘You’re too good.  We don’t want to lose you’ and so he began helping out whenever they needed it.  Those words made such a difference to his attitude and whole demeanour.  Until then he had begun to doubt his own ability and after 2 years without paid employment, self-esteem was very low.  Her words of encouragement made such a difference that after hearing her say that, he was a different person going for interviews.  Encouraging others and offering such friendly support is not in Paul’s list but surely God using someone in that way is as important.

As Paul says, not all are apostles or prophets but all are important to God and His kingdom.  What is most important of all is to be the person God made you/me to be and do what He asks of us.  That is far more important than any man-given title.  Sadly we get caught up with the attitudes of today when people are impressed with titles and position and forget that on the Christian journey our man-given titles aren’t important.  God is really not impressed by them.  He just wants us to listen to Him and go and live out His plan for our time here.  Whatever title may seem important to some people here on earth, there is no hierarchy in the Kingdom of God.

 

 

 

 

 

Missionary and Mission

Last week I wrote that I was praying for a revolution in the Church.  We need to rethink many aspects that have taken on a particular meaning.  I hope to unwrap some of those thoughts over the next few weeks but at this point don’t know how far I’ll get.  So here goes with the first one:

The word ‘missionary’ conjures up in the minds of most people an image of someone like David Livingstone going to ‘darkest Africa’.  Such people gave their whole lives and devoted themselves to the people for whom they left everything.  A more up-to-date equivalent would be someone like Mother Teresa who devoted her life to the poor in India.  The world has changed much since the days of David Livingstone and those who go on missions abroad nowadays often do so for shorter periods of time – some for only a few weeks.  I think of people like friends Julie and Dick Hogben (he is a GP and she works at a [different] surgery).  They link up with a charity in India called Asha and go every year to encourage and help in the slums.  You can follow their story here and here.

Margaret with some of the children she has helped

At one time it was thought that some sort of specialist training was needed to go abroad on some mission, particularly in medicine or education.  My friend Margaret also thought this for many years and it saddened her to think that she didn’t have any such qualifications but really felt she should become a missionary.  But now, retired from work and still without those specialist qualifications, she volunteers for 9 months every year in Nicaragua to help those who live in poverty and works with the charity SIFT to encourage (and pay for) the children to go to school and even university so they have a chance of getting out of the poverty trap.  With donations she receives from friends she is able to help many poor families in many other ways too.

I have other friends, Jo and Ian Storie, who are in Latvia, living and sharing life with others, helping to sort out problems of everyday living like heating their block of flats and making authorities aware of the problems of wild boar on the land where people need to grow food.  Their work is not connected to any particular denomination or charity.  Jo writes an update of their unfolding story every Monday.  You can follow their story here.

 

Although missions abroad have changed, not everyone feels any urge to serve God in this way.  Indeed, God does not ask everyone to do this.  So let’s rethink this whole idea of missionary in this 21^st century.  The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines mission as ‘a particular task or goal assigned to a person or group’.  So when Jesus commands His followers to go, share and show God’s love to those who don’t know Him, that includes all who follow Him.  That is the mission of each of us.  It’s a mandate, not just for those who feel a calling to go abroad, but for all of us, wherever we are.  A missionary is a person with a mission. 

 

There are countless charities that organise fundraising events in which many enjoy taking part.  Those who enjoy keeping fit often join in sponsored running or swimming events to raise money for their chosen charity.  But, if like me, you’re not particularly into that sort of thing, we should not feel that we cannot contribute anything or fulfil this mandate that Jesus left for His followers.  God knows what we can and can’t do – after all He made us.  We can make a difference without travelling to another country or partaking in any strenuous event but simply by sharing and showing God through our daily lives at work or where we live – stacking the shelves at the local supermarket; showing friendship to some elderly, lonely or vulnerable person; being a good neighbour; contributing to a food bank … … No doubt you can come up with many other situations.  We have a mission; we are missionaries just where we are; doing the everyday things; being involved with people.  We can use the things that we enjoy doing and make a difference.  The original mandate of Jesus was not building centred, it was focussed on people, their circumstances, their needs.  God is not really interested in how many names we can add to the outreach project of our particular organisation.  God just loves people, full stop.  We are all missionaries in this revolutionary Church.  Wherever we are and whatever abilities we may or may not possess, we can make a difference in the life of someone.