Vulnerable mutterings about grace: 2017

Friday 17 November 2017

New songs please

New songs please

I love singing. I am a rare breed as I love singing all the different songs you can sing in all the different flavours of church. I am as happy singing Wesley as I am Hillsong. I am as happy singing a Taize chant as I am a Getty. I am as happy praising God at New Wine as I am in Keswick. I love it all and when I sing my Spirit soars. The last few months though I have found singing more difficult. This is not due to not liking the music, I love the new songs coming out. I particularly love ‘What a wonderful name’ and ‘O praise the name’ by Hillsong. My issue has been that I seem to be always singing about the same thing. And that thing… Salvation… Salvation and more salvation!

Don’t get me wrong – salvation is so important. My favourite hymn is ‘And can it be’ and I will be singing louder than anyone else when I get to say ‘my chains came off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed thee’. Just this Sunday we sang 4 or 5 songs and they all had the same theme. Praising God for Christ’s death, then for his new life and then when we will be in heaven with him. Wonderful, and all those themes help me to sing ‘what a wonderful name it is’. But I want to sing about other things too. I want to praise God for all the other things he has done, all the things he is doing in my life and all the wonderful things he has called us to be together as his church.

The Creeds that some churches say are interesting. The Apostles creed says:

I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

What does this creed tell is about Jesus? HE was born, he died, he rose again, is ascended to heaven and one day we will be with him. Wonderful news and it makes me want to sing ‘what a wonderful name it is’. But what’s missing from our creeds? What’s missing from the songs we sing? How about:

He gave up the riches of heaven to be born of a virgin,

He bought good news to the poor,

New life to the marginalised,

Healed the sick

Freedom for the captives.

He bought a new upside-down way to living

Installed a new system of ethics

A new kingdom.

He called us follow him, do the things he did,

Filling us with the Holy Spirit, thus giving permission to join in with Gods mission

And now we have a mandate a purpose… a passion.

And not only that we do not do it alone,

For Christ began the church at the cross

We have others to live radically with

A family… and… as we live out this new life…

‘What a wonderful name it is... the name of Jesus.’

I can count on one hand the songs I sing about community and how wonderful it is to be a part of God’s church. Some of those are dreadful! (Bind us together)! My favourite is ‘Blest be the tie that binds us’. Wonderful words (awful tune).

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathising tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

This leads me to sing ‘what a wonderful name it is – the name of Jesus’. This type of community of family – leads me to sing ‘what a wonderful name it is’. Please musicians give me a new tune for this song and please song writers – give me more songs like this to sing!

I know a few more songs that are about joining in Gods mission. But how about Christmas we sing this wonderful hymn this advent?

1. Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

2. Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow'r to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

3. Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

4. Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

This leads me to sing ‘what a wonderful name it is’.

This week I went to a conference in Manchester called launch. The conference was all about joining in with Gods mission. I had this blog in mind as I went and was expecting to be cross once again that all we would sing would be about salvation and ignoring the rest of the good news. Good news that people are looking for. A new way to live. Purpose. Fullness of life. Good news for the poor. Radical community. But I was pleasantly surprised! And I loved the sung worship. I did get to sing songs of salvation – thank you Jesus. But I also got to sing this glorious song from Rend Collective:

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Come set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again
Increase in us we pray
Unveil why we're made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls
Holy Spirit come invade us now
We are Your Church
And we need Your power
In us

We seek Your kingdom first
We hunger and we thirst
Refuse to waste our lives
For You're our joy and prize
To see the captive hearts released
The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace
We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause
We are Your church
And we pray revive
This earth

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray (Change the atmosphere)

Unleash Your kingdom's power
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ
We are Your church
Oh, and we are the hope
On earth

And it makes me sing, ‘what a wonderful name it is’!

In conclusion. I love singing songs about salvation. But please more songs and more verses so we can sing about the entire gospel. Because there is so much good news for our villages, towns and cities to hear! To finish (because I feel like I could go on for months), we sang a new song from Hillsong I rather liked. Not sure how congregational it will be without the amazing band but worth reading below and listening here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=EuYOnYL6G0Y

Whatever you like to sing and wherever you are church may with heart, soul and strength proclaim ‘what a wonderful name it is – the name of Jesus’.

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
So will I
So will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

Tuesday 24 October 2017

Fellowship of believers

The fellowship of believers in Acts and today

You should never start with an apology, but I’m sorry! I was preparing for a sermon on becoming a missional community and the words that got stuck in my mind were ‘enjoying the favour of all people’.[1] So I went to that wonderful passage in Acts 2 that describes the early believer’s community to see why they were held in such favour… and I saw that passage for the first time through different eyes. The reason I begin with an apology is that I did not preach that sermon as I felt it wasn’t uplifting or encouraging enough! But here are some thoughts… First let’s look at Acts 2 and then let’s rewrite it for an average Christian community today…

Acts 2:42-47

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 (Today)

They devoted themselves to the worship leader and their favourite pastors preaching. They prayed together and remembered the Lords supper once a month. Some were filled with awe as they heard about wonders and signs performed in Africa and India, others received the news with cynicism. All the believers were divided and had very little in common other than the need to be in church on a Sunday morning and maybe a midweek group. They sold their property to get better property. When unable to sell their property, they gave it to a charity shop to distribute amongst the poor. They met together weekly in a church building. They broke bread at the church picnic and odd social and once in a blue moon in their own homes. The people did not look at them favourably but as those who do not think woman are equal and are anti-gay and responsible for many of the world’s problems (especially war). And the church grew with dissatisfied worshippers from other churches and very (very) rarely the lord added to their number those who were being saved.

I did apologise at the beginning!!!

I have preached many times on this passage whilst in church pastorate. Always with the desire to become more like those early Christians. I came with fresh eyes this time as I no longer lead a church. I can begin with a blank page. But how do we and our communities (those in churches and those pioneering) become more like the early Christians? I do not have the answers but here are a few thoughts and questions…

1). How do we move away from an institutional form of church? I have been to three churches recently who all consider themselves welcoming. We had a welcome at the door, invited to church quiz, picnic, welcome lunch… lovely! But all we have been invited too is more church activity. How do we get to the point where we are inviting people to our houses and into our lives?

2). How do really become family? It is often said that we are the church family, but does it look like family? I would do anything for my kids. If I have not seen them for a day or two I miss them. If they have a big thing going on I support it. I would love to be in a community where others felt that way about my family and I would love to view others that way.

3). How do we begin to expect the miraculous? Yes, I have heard the stories and been at the big events. But how do we get to the point where the miracles we are talking about are the ones we have been involved in recently?

4). How do we become radical with our (God’s) money? How do we counter the culture of more and better to become those who want less and give to those in need? How do we move away from the tithe to seeing everything as God’s?

5). How do we concentrate less on acts of mission and more on becoming the people God called us to be? Because God calls us to be faithful. The only thing that had nothing to do with the early believers is the very last line of Acts 2, ‘God added to their number daily those who were being saved’. We strategize and strategize how to get bums on seats when that is down to God, our role is to be faithful and to live out our part in a radical community.

6). How do we get the people around us to see us with favour? What doctrines/viewpoints do we need to lower in our list of importance? What is our overriding message? How do we show the gospel in our lives? Are we good news for the poor?

My desire is to be a part of a community like that recorded in Acts 2. Except wiser! We have learnt from past mistakes. I want to be a part of a community where I deeply love and live out my faith with those who have differing opinions and viewpoints. I want to be a part of a community where everyone is bringing a word/a teaching/an exhortation. I want to be a part of a community that sees God miraculously at work and bringing his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. I want to be a part of a community that is fighting for equality and leading the way in sharing its gifts with those in need. I want to be a part of a community that meets so often, loves so deeply that it feels like family. I want to be a part of a community where we hear and see what God is doing around us and with mutual encouragement join in. I want to be a part of a community that stops strategizing about mission and stops getting tired out with programme after programme but releases me to be all that God has called me to be in the world. I want to be a part of a community that is one… one in worship… one in prayer… one in Jesus. And my prayer is that God will add to our number daily those who are being saved!

If you are reading this and are a part of an institutional church, I’m sorry! But do have a go at rewriting Acts 2 for your specific community. How can it become even more radical? But be honest! I did not write this to do harm but because I think that people living like Acts 2 would see transformation in the lives of those around us.

With that in mind, please can I be so bold to ask that you pray for Ez, me and the kids as we strive to see this community come to fruition in Charlton Down and the villages of Dorset. We need it! Because the major problem of creating a wonderful community is that we will be in it!!!

God bless you and your community.

[1] Acts 2:47a

Friday 22 September 2017

Reimagining Church

Reimagining Church

If you ever want a challenging read regarding the status quo of the church then Frank Viola is your man! I was deeply challenged by his book Pagan Christianity and have really enjoyed Reimagining Church: Pursuing the dream of Christianity. I do not agree with all Frank writes but I do agree that we need a paradigm shift regarding the church from institutionalism to a more organic way of being. He helpfully describes the institutional paradigm and the organic paradigm in the table below, as you read it I wonder which you would prefer to be a part of?

Institutional Paradigm	Organic Paradigm
Sustained by clergy system	Knows nothing about a clergy system
Seeks to energise the laity	Doesn’t recognise a different class called laity
Limits many functions to the ordained	Makes all members functioning priests
Renders the bulk of its congregant’s passive in their ‘pews’	Allows and encourages all Christians to engage in whatever ministry god has called them to
Associates church with a building, a denomination, or a religious service	Affirms that people do not go to church; affirms that they (together) are the church
Is rooted in unifying those who share a special set of customs or doctrines	Is rooted in unreserved fellowship with all Christians based on Christ alone
Places its priority on programme and rituals that keep its congregants at arm’s length, insulating them from one another	Places its priorities on face to face, shared life relationships, mutual submission, openness, freedom, mutual service, and spirituality reality-the very elements that were built into the NT church
Depends on forced tithing and huge budgets	Depends on the spirit of god to bring about generous, grace based giving among members
Spends most of its resources on building expenditures and pastor-staff salaries	Spends most of its resources on ‘the poor among you’ and travelling workers who preach the gospel and plant new churches
Operates on the basis that the pastor/priest is the functional head (while Christ is the nominal head)	Operates on the basis that Christ is the functional head through the invisible guidance of the holy spirit through the believing community
Extols and protects the clergy, programme-centred system that serves as the driving machine of the organised church	Rejects the clergy system because it quenches the sovereign exercise of the Holy Spirit yet lovingly embraces every Christian within the system
Recognises and affirms hierarchical leadership	Rejects hierarchical leadership; recognises and affirms the organic leadership of the whole body
Builds programmes to fuel the church; treats people as cogs in the machine	Builds people together in Christ to provide the momentum of the church
Encourages believers to participate institutionally and hierarchically	Initiates believers to participate relationally and spiritually
Separates church (ecclesiology) from personal salvation (soteriology): views the former as a mere appendage to the latter	Forges no link between personal salvation and the church; sees the two as inextricably intertwined. (Scripture has it that when people were saved, they simultaneously became part of the church and immediately met together[1]

I am sure there are grey areas above and I like you may have some arguments about some of the statements. But! I do recognise the desperate need for a paradigm shift. I know which community I would prefer to be a part of having been shattered by institutional church with its too high expectations of leadership and programme orientated ministry. I have been so effected by this that as I go about looking to be a part of an organic movement I go about thinking about it in an institutional way! I have become despondent by institutional churches arms length love and unradical community. Its time for a change. A change to the Acts 2 model.

However, the thing I notice most as we go about making this paradigm shift is the cost. The cost to me of privilege, finances and status (some already made but much more to come). And the cost to other believers (especially spectator ones) as they share much of the load that sits on the shoulders of the one or two. But I am willing to take the cost. The thought of a vibrant Christian community impacting its community is too much of an adventure to begin by counting the cost...

So… for now… I’m excited about organic Christianity, what about you?

[1] Viola, F. (2008). Reimagining church. Pages 274-275.

Monday 4 September 2017

We are Family

We are family

I hope that you are as guilty as me? I have an online persona. What do I mean by this? Well I tend to only post online things that are positive and put me in a good light. Take the family for instance, I tend to only post pictures of them looking cute, having adventures or doing something funny. For those of you who do not see us regularly I could give the impression that all’s well in paradise. I do not tend to post photos of arguments, moaning, tears and upset. Forgive me for not being honest. My kids are amazing. I love them so much but please may I never give the impression that our family life is one happy moment after another. There are at times… tensions!

A couple of years ago we went on holiday to Norfolk. A pretty long drive from Bristol where we were living at the time. This is a tiny segment of a four-hour journey:

Gracie: I want the CD on

Mummy: It’s not I want, it’s I would like please

Gracie: I would like the CD on please

(Daddy changes CD)

Anna: I liked that one – put that one back on…

Gracie: (Whilst driving past Gloucester) Are we there yet?

Anna: I don’t want to be in the car

Anna: (The first of 1000 rounds) I want breadstick… I want raisins… I want banana, I want chocolate, I want ice cream

Gracie: Ooh… I want an ice cream – can we have track 5 now?

Bethany: Starts to cry

Daddy – can you put Bethany’s MEME (Dummy) in

Gracie: I can’t find it

Daddy: Have you looked

Gracie: Yes – oh wait it's there on her lap

Anna: I want my MEME, I want breadstick… I want raisins… I want banana, I want chocolate, I want ice cream

Gracie: How long to go

Daddy: 3 hours (tears gathering in eyes)!

Anna: I want to hold your hand Mummy

Ez: It’s not I want, it’s I would like please

(Ez gives hand)

Anna: (Bursts into tears and shouting) I want other hand – I want other hand…

Ez: I can’t reach with other hand make do with that one

Gracie: I wanted to hold your hand mummy

Anna: I want breadstick… I want raisins… I want banana, I want chocolate, I want ice cream

(It all goes wonderfully quiet as we all like track 8 except for…)

Anna: Don’t want Daddy to sing!

(A bit of quiet as we pass Cheltenham)

Anna: I want to take my clothes off

Mummy: you can’t take your clothes off

Daddy: (trying to make light of the situation) you want to get naked Anna – yes let’s all get naked!

Gracie: I don’t want to get naked

Anna: Get naked Gracie –

Gracie: No

(For next 10 mins argument about whether Gracie should be naked or not broken by...)

Gracie: Are we nearly there yet?

5 mins of a 4-hour journey!

God bought to my attention recently that when I was in my previous role as a pastor of an established Baptist church my family life and ministry had become quite separate. This was the first role I had where Ez wasn’t also in post and now she was enjoying being ‘full time’ mum. Most of my ‘work’ took place visiting or at the wonderful suite of buildings the church owned. Hospitality happened when the kids were in bed. It was not often enough my ministry and family life came together. God had bought this to my attention whilst I get used to my new pioneering role in Dorset called missional listening. We are very much called to do this as a family. But when we get invited out to meet people or to share dreams I am anxious because will I be able to be a ‘professional’ minister whilst also being Dad? Will they fall out and if brutally honest embarrass me? Will they judge me that I cannot control my kids? These thoughts came to a head when we were entertaining a good friend from Bristol. We were all in the car and enjoying an episode like the one experienced going to Norfolk. I shouted! Yes, in front of an old church member I shouted, was cross, was annoyed and ran of patience. I spent weeks feeling awful that this friend had seen me break the Christian perfection bubble I am guilty of sometimes trying to preserve. Something had to give.

Whilst at New Wine this summer God reminded me not to be embarrassed, not to stop showing my vulnerabilities and that it’s okay to have chaotic children. Even more so, to minister from there to others who I am sure are feeling and going through similar experiences (unless you are all telling the truth on Facebook) as we are. That is authentic ministry. Ministering out of who we are. The good, the bad and the ugly.

So please my friends, minister out of your weaknesses, bring all you have to the table, because it is in our weakness that God makes us strong. Let’s create a family, a community and a culture that we can be honest in, vulnerable in and by God’s grace then see healing, love, support and hope as we journey together.

I may not start posting all the difficult moments we encounter on Facebook. Just last week, I wanted to take a photo of one of my children having a tantrum on a train so that I could write a blog on materialism! Ez told me I had to comfort her instead! But you are so very welcome to join us as we minister in the villages of rural Dorset. You are welcome to join us for a meal, or to just hang out… and do church. We are not perfect, but we are loved by God and saved by the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. We would love you to join us as we explore what that means for us and the communities around. May God bless you and please do not fret about weaknesses but bring them to a community where you will be loved and nurtured and on the wonderful journey to Christ likeness. We would love to welcome you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkCv-_L-Aac

Vulnerable mutterings about grace