Amazing Grace:The Movie

I watched this film on DVD last night with my son. Though Wilberforce did not exhibit the machoism of a Rambo, Rocky or Arnie, in spirit he was equally as strong,courageous, patient and determined. Well worth watching.AK

A New Imagination for the Church by David Dunbar President of Missional Journal

I like this article by David Dunbar. In his first point he rejects the 'McChurch'(i.e. The McDonald burger way -mass produced for the masses but not necessarily nutritious)approach to mission which though having success in many churches is sometimes in danger of producing a 'packaged Christian' marked by the 'McChurch' brand be it Alpha disciple or otherwise, instead of a spiritually healthy and robust child of God. Personally I find some of these courses too formal and a little contrived but I can not deny their success and many have gone through them and been challenged by God to follow him wholeheartedly.

Dunbar's second point promotes the incarnational approach to mission as opposed to the attractional. Stott for years has argued that all authentic mission is incarnational and I must agree.Both of course should be used depending on the gifts within the individual church but certainly the incarnational approach should not be rejected.In general it is a ministry that all the members can be part of whereas the attractional approach can be a cop out by letting a few charismatic individuals do all the evangelism.

Dunbar's third point which encourages the cultivation of spiritual discernment is important especially in churches where 'programmes' have replaced the work of the Spirit. I remember reading Tozer who wrote said that if the Holy Spirit left the Church much of what it was doing would carry on as usual. The danger is for churches to get 'on a roll' and carry on an activity which seems to work but which sadly is not pleasing to God. We must both inquire and listen to God in regards to the Church's mission. Jesus and Paul used all means to 'save some' and we must be open to the Spirit to firstly discern his will: then do it. What do you think of his take on mission? Feel free to comment.
AK

In the last issue of the Journal I suggested that the challenge for Christians in the West is re-imagining the shape of the church and its ministry in a post-Christendom environment where it must function on the margins of (worldly) power. Are there any obvious patterns that will characterize their structure and function?

At this point we see only the leading edge of the missional transformation. A variety of experiments are currently under way and more will follow if churches successfully navigate the transition period. While I am hesitant to prophesy about the future, I think it is probably safe to anticipate a number of distinctives.

1. Missional is not McChurch

Since the 1990s the term "McChurch" has referred to a consumer-oriented Christianity which pursues church growth by offering more and better spiritual goods and services. Sometimes the notion of franchising is even included, i.e. the practice of marketing to the larger Christian community the programs, practices, or strategies of churches regarded as particularly successful.


The popularity of the franchise approach is understandable. Church leaders passionate about reaching their culture are looking for help but don't know what to do in a time of cutural upheaval. Buying a program off the shelf, or looking for an external prescription that produces results when applied faithfully, is a strong temptation.

The problem with this approach is that it is not missiologically sound. It doesn't take into consideration the fact that the medium and the way the message is presented will vary, at least in emphasis, from one local context to the next. Most Christians recognize the need for missionaries to translate or contextualize the gospel in appropriate ways to specific cultures--our churches need to do the same.

Missional practitioners recognize that the principle of contextualization applies equally to churches in the West. From region to region, city to city, neighborhood to neighborhood, we see a kaleidoscope of cultures. One size will not fit all. Franchising is usually unsuccessful. Missional therefore means a local, culturally-specific application of the message.


2. Evangelistic/attractional → missional/incarnational

At this point I am borrowing the language of Alan Hirsch to distinguish two basic approaches to communicating the gospel. By evangelistic/attractional Hirsch means the traditional approach of the Western church in the culture of Christendom. In this context a church may grow largely on the basis of attraction--a nice building in a good neighborhood, with a charismatic leader and/or good programming, can bring in non-Christians to be evangelized (presented with the message of salvation).


By contrast Hirsch advocates a missional/incarnational pattern. It is missional because it is "an outwardly bound movement from one community or individual to another. It is the outward thrust rooted in God's mission that compels the church to reach a lost world. Therefore, a genuine missional impulse is a sending rather than an attractional one. The NT pattern of mission is centrifugal rather than centripetal" (The Forgotten Ways [Brazos, 2006], pp. 129-30).

It is incarnational because it understands God's action in Christ as the model for the life of the church. "If God's central way of reaching his world was to incarnate himself in Jesus, then our way of reaching the world should likewise be incarnational. To act incarnationally therefore will mean in part that in our mission to those outside the faith we will need to exercise a genuine identification and affinity with those we are attempting to reach" (Forgotten Ways, p. 133).



Incarnation requires a church's presence in the community. Missional leaders commonly speak of "moving back into the neighborhood," of learning to listen and build relationships and create a context in which the gospel may flourish in word and deed. In the words of Bryan Stone: "The reign of God proclaimed by Jesus and embodied in his person becomes a concrete possibility in the world when a space is created for it through the Spirit's formation of persons into the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (and thus into his 'body')" (Evangelism after Christendom [Brazos, 2007], p. 108). As the church confronts wide-spread cynicism about the Christian message, the gospel displayed will give credence to the gospel declared.

I don't want to argue for missional to the exclusion of all attractional aspects of current church practice. Many people are drawn to the church by good preaching, good programs, and fine facilities. The problem is that 1) many of those attracted (not all) will be disgruntled members of other churches and 2) the percentage of the population who can be reached in this way is rapidly shrinking.

3. Cultivating spiritual discernment

In the culture of late modernity many churches adopted a corporate model for leadership, decision-making, and planning. Pastors became CEOs, elders (or deacons) transformed themselves into corporation directors, and top-down, vision-driven planning became the order of the day.

It is a sign of biblical-theological health that this paradigm is being questioned in the missional church movement. Here is a good place to begin "re-imagining" the nature and function of the church for a post-Christian and postmodern era. What is there about the decision-making and planning process of the church that makes (or should make) it distinctively Christian? Or, to ask the question differently, what is missing from the older model?



The short answer is sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit. Or, in the words of Craig Van Gelder, "An essential dimension that Christian leaders must attend to in the midst of a discernment and decision-making process is how to keep God in the conversation" (The Ministry of the Missional Church [Baker, 2007], p. 99).


One can hardly read the narrative of Acts and fail to note the level to which God is "in the conversation." From Pentecost onward the Holy Spirit is repeatedly identified as the directing and empowering force in the expanding mission of the church. Individuals like Philip, Peter, and Paul experience the direct leading of the Spirit at missionally strategic points (Acts 8:29; 11:11-12; 16:6-7).


However, there are also critical points at which the gathered body discerns the leading of the Lord. Luke tells us (Acts. 13:1-3) that the commissioning of Barnabas and Paul for the expanded mission to the Gentiles was the result of the Antioch believers hearing from the Holy Spirit during a period of worship and fasting (likely focused on discerning "next steps" in God's purposes for the congregation). The Jerusalem Council is another example of communal listening for the voice of the Spirit which allows the apostles and elders to speak with (for us!) surprising assurance: "it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us . . ." (Acts 15:28). Luke also records the warning given to Paul by the Spirit through the community of disciples at Tyre, which Paul ignored to his own detriment--and perhaps that of the mission (Acts. 21:4).

The point is that missional churches need to cultivate what for many of us is a forgotten art--the ability to discern what God is up to in our world (or neighborhood). This is best accomplished in a community of believers who are able to listen prayerfully for what the Spirit is saying in Scripture, in and through the voice of the congregation, and in the specific context where the church is located.

From a practical standpoint, it is important to realize that good listening/discerning is often dependant on asking good questions. So perhaps I should close by listing a few questions that can help churches and leaders who desire the Spirit's guidance toward a new day of missional engagement. For instance, consider a retreat for your church in which small groups wrestled with these questions:

o What means or activities in the history of our church have proven most effective in introducing non-Christians to the gospel? (This is not the same question as what activities have been most effective in adding members/attendees to the congregation.) What can we learn from this that might guide our present efforts?


o Jesus taught us to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven." If the kingdom were to come today, what things would be different in our neighborhood? How might the answers to this question guide the participation of our church in the mission of God?


o The Abrahamic covenant promises that Abraham's descendants will be blessed in order that they may be a blessing (Gen. 12:2-3). How is our church a blessing to our community? How would our neighbors answer this question?


Now imagine a congregation posing such questions, listening carefully to the answers, and with prayer (and fasting?!) asking for the Spirit to guide them toward one small missional experiment. And, perhaps six months later, another missional experiment. And then . . . well, just imagine!

A Risky Step of Faith and a Scandalous Welcome by Richard J Sudworthy

This is a challenging piece of writing by Richard Sudworthy of Life Words(formerly Scripture Gift Mission). Immigrants and assylum seekers are flooding into Western Europe at an incredible rate.It is also not just a Western European problem:due to political unrest,war,famine etc it is happening in many parts of the world.How should the Church respond? Certainly the churches must have a policy towards them that is biblically based and expresses the love of Christ.Personally I believe it is a gift to the Church so that it can exhibit God's compassion for the alien and stranger;before a watching world.No matter what, they are increasing in number each week and we can either befriend, ignore or resent them. The choice is ours.AK

If you’ve ever been to a football match or a rock concert, you’ll get a feel for what was happening around Jesus in Luke 8. The writer leaves us in no doubt that it was chaotic: “the crowds almost crushed him”. Jesus and the disciples were en route to the home of Jairus and his twelve year old daughter who was dying. This was not to be missed: this Jesus had already healed a demon-possessed man, his followers reckoned that even the winds and waves stopped raging at his command. Rumour had it that some time ago, he’d even raised a widow’s son from the dead.

In amidst all this pushing and pulling, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years was desperate to meet Jesus. This is her story:

STORY:

“People don’t understand what it is like to face my life; with no prospect of change, no real future. It wasn’t just the bleeding, though that was bad enough. I was “unclean”; all women are once a month. But for me, there was no let-up. This meant that I couldn’t go to someone else’s house. I could never go to the synagogue or the temple. I couldn’t touch anyone without them being unclean; no husband, no children, no intimacy. Nobody could come near me. I’d done nothing to deserve this; well, nothing more than anyone else. And this Jesus: the miracles are amazing, the stories almost beyond belief. But he seemed to give a priority to people like me: lepers, the sick, women, the poor, even foreigners. All those categories of people that the rich, the powerful, and the very religious keep outside. We’re too messy for their world.

Anyway, I guess I thought that Jesus would make it all better. The trouble was, I couldn’t go near him, couldn’t ask him for help so I had to hatch a plan. Getting into the crowds, where everyone would be looking at Him, that was my best option. They’d be too fussed following his odd groupies to the next miracle to worry about me and if I put a scarf around my head, then I’d be insured against any nuisance of a neighbour pointing me out and keeping me from the action. If I wore some extra layers to hide the give-away stains, maybe I could get near. I’d seen him heal someone before. It seems that he just places his hands on them. I’d heard he’d even done this for a leper. Sounds insane doesn’t it but I reasoned that if I could touch him, he’d understand that it was against the rules for me to be around people and just heal me anyway; no fuss, no bother. It was worth a try.

Well, there we were, hundreds of us, dozens screaming for help. Some people were falling over, pulling his clothes; his followers were trying to be bouncers, steering him in a particular way. But Jesus seemed to find his own path even if the crush got worse. I was trying so hard to get to him, I was pushed over and fell onto the road, getting kicked and shouted at in the process. And then He was there, barely an arm’s distance from me. I stretched and just managed to touch the hem of his cloak, trailing in the dirt of the road. Instantly, the constant warm trickle of blood that has plagued my life for twelve years stopped. I knew Jesus had healed me. The pain and discomfort that were my permanent companions had gone. I was on my hands and knees in the road, with the crowd all around me, weeping with joy.

The next thing that happened was like a blur. Jesus shouted out something to the crowd because it all went quiet and then he shouted out again, “Who touched me?. I knew exactly what he meant but one of his bouncers laughed and pointed out that hundreds of people had been touching him. Jesus knew, and I knew. I slowly got to my feet, shaking with fear. I’d done wrong; I shouldn’t have been here, let alone touched God’s prophet. I’d got Him all wrong; I thought He’d be more compassionate with people like me. So there I was, standing in a crowd, the “sick woman” that no-one went near, ready for their abuse, shaking with shame in anticipation of their rage. How many of them were now unclean and would have to make a detour to the priests and get ritually “included” again?

But Jesus wasn’t angry: “Daughter”, he called me. Can you believe it? Me? A man, a teacher, clearly someone from God and he calls me his daughter! “Your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Peace: “Shalom”. I know what that word is meant to mean: peace inside, peace with other people and holding it all together, peace with God. All the stuff of peace that had been dream territory for twelve years, was possible. Jesus had made it so. And what’s more, hundreds of my neighbours, the community leaders, the religious types, they had just heard I was healed and was ok to be around again. All those witnesses: I was acceptable, healed, could be hugged again, could worship God again, could love again. Life had opened up beyond measure!”

I hope that we see in this encounter something of Jesus reaching out across boundaries, typically breaking convention but embracing people that were excluded. Many of us working alongside refugees and asylum seekers recognise the similar needs and patterns and are convinced that Jesus would make a priority of the excluded strangers in our community.

REFLECTION:

1) It’s good to get a feel for the backdrop of the story and notice, as so often with Jesus, that he will not be squeezed by other agendas. There are huge demands on him but Jesus will never be rushed. Responding to the grave request from Jairus, Jesus is too late, waylaid by dealing with the sick woman. Jesus is “late” to heal Lazarus and criticised by the family for his seeming callous disregard for the urgency of the situation. We are presented with a picture of Jesus as someone who, dare I say it, knows his limitations, “will only do what he sees the Father doing”, and refuses to be railroaded into action. This Messiah does not have a Messiah-complex!

2) When doctors receive patients, they will ask about what they term the “presenting needs”, the outward signs of ailments that may point to a particular diagnosis. The woman seeking Jesus’ help had a very clear presenting need: an end to the constant bleeding. As doctors try to see beneath some symptoms to perhaps deeper behaviours, contexts or emotions that trigger physical reactions, Jesus goes way deeper with this woman. Taking the social and historical context of the woman’s life, the sickness would mean that she was excluded from society. Wonderfully, Jesus does not let her slip away healed, unobtrusively but brings her story to light. The whole community would now know that she was restored. A ceremonial cleansing could be performed and touch, friendship, worship could be hers. Jesus had pronounced on her healing, endorsed her in public and given her that right of entry into a fuller life.

3) If we’re honest with ourselves, we can see our own hunger for security and significance, for a sense of belonging. Jesus was especially able to relate to the marginalised because he himself took that place. In what ways can we be honest with asylum seekers and refugees about our own struggles? Do we feel it is even good to share our own vulnerabilities or should we always be giving from a position of strength?

4) This whole process of Jesus drawing attention to the woman is worth reflecting on. Luke tells us that she was “trembling”. As well she might; she HAD broken the rules. Why did Jesus have to be so cruel as to put her through this ordeal? We so often sanitise and domesticate Jesus as “meek and mild” in an ineffectual, do-gooder hippy type. The reality of the Jesus of the gospels is so very different. He is robust and focused, unable to be manipulated by the agendas and priorities of others, direct and uncompromising about hypocrisy and scathing of those in power. The “meek and mild” stuff tells us about the equally bold ability Jesus had to shun the trappings of power and self-service. He never seemed to justify himself, assert himself over others or seek the easy route of fame or influence. And Jesus was robust with those he healed: “what do you want?”, “your sins are forgiven”, “stop wailing”, “it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs”. Jesus was not a Disney fairy godmother who responded to each request with a benign smile in a world divided between goodies and baddies. There was a toughness about Jesus healing this woman, a toughness that was hard for her to bear, and painful, but it was necessary for the deeper and richer intentions that Jesus had.

DISCUSSION:

Are we conscious of our own limitations and boundaries in our work of service? In what ways might we be tempted to think that we can solve all the problems of asylum seekers that we know?

What are the presenting needs of asylum seekers and refugees that you know? What surface issues do they bring to you?

What deeper needs and perhaps more fundamental help do they seek? How can we be more sensitive in responding to some of the deeper needs and getting to a point of listening and “hearing” those?

Jesus clearly saw the inclusion of this woman in society as a priority concern. Though we may be powerless to change anything legally on that front, what kinds of work and ministry foster communities and churches that are genuinely inclusive? How might we be able to gauge progress in “inclusivity”?

Jesus brought some pain and discomfort to the woman in the process of bringing healing. Are there situations where some discomfort and pain might be helpful in the process of independence and dignity for refugees and asylum seekers who have become dependent on the help of others? In your own situation, are there practical measures that reveal something of Jesus’ robust approach to the woman that you can adopt that ultimately put refugees in a stronger place in our communities?

Don Moen - 'When its all been said and done'

I hope you will be both challenged and blessed by this great spiritual song.

When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for you?

When it's all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I have done
For love's rewards
Will stand the test of time

Lord, your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness
That you found purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints

I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and in heaven after
For you've joined me at my true home
When it's all been said and done
You're my life when life is gone...

A Meditation

Awake, my soul, awake! show your spirit, arouse your senses, shake off the sluggishness of that deadly heaviness that is upon you, begin to take care for your salvation. Let the idleness of vain imaginations be put to flight, let go of sloth, hold fast to diligence. Be instant in holy meditations, cleave to the good things which are of God: leaving that which is temporal, give heed to that which is eternal. Now in this godly employment of your mind, to what can you turn your thoughts more wholesomely and profitably than to the sweet contemplations of your Creator's immeasurable benefits toward you. Consider therefore the greatness and dignity that he bestowed upon you at the beginning of your creation; and judge for yourself with what love and reverence he ought to be worshipped.
Anselm (1033-1109)

THE 'AMSTERDAM AFFIRMATIONS' TWENTY FIVE YEARS ON. Are they still applicable for evangelists in a postmodern culture?

These fifteen points known as the Amsterdam Affirmations were developed and released at the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists held at Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in July 1983. The conference, known as Amsterdam '83, brought over 4000 evangelists from 133 nations of the world. These statements were individually and corporately affirmed by the assembled evangelists at the conclusion of the conference.Having printed these out for the students in my evangelism class I thought I would share them with the readers of this blog for your perusal and comments. The text was taken from "A Biblical Standard for Evangelists," by Billy Graham.
1. We confess Jesus Christ as God, our Lord and Savour, who is revealed in the Bible, which is the infallible Word of God.
2. We affirm our commitment to the Great Commission of our Lord, and we declare our willingness to go anywhere, do anything, and sacrifice anything God requires of us in the fulfilment of that Commission.
3. We respond to God's call to the biblical ministry of the evangelist, and accept our solemn responsibility to preach the Word to all peoples as God gives opportunity.
4. God loves every human being, who, apart from faith in Christ, is under God's judgment and destined for hell.
5. The heart of the biblical message is the good news of God's salvation, which comes by grace alone through faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross for our sins.
6. In our proclamation of the Gospel we recognize the urgency of calling all to decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savour, and to do so lovingly and without coercion or manipulation.
7. We need and desire to be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit as we bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because God alone can turn sinners from their sin and bring them to everlasting life.
8. We acknowledge our obligation, as servants of God, to lead lives of holiness and moral purity, knowing that we exemplify Christ to the church and to the world.
9. A life of regular and faithful prayer and Bible study is essential to our personal spiritual growth and to our power for ministry.
10. We will be faithful stewards of all that God gives us, and will be accountable to others in the finances of our ministry, and honest in reporting our statistics.
11. Our families are a responsibility given to us by God, and are a sacred trust to be kept as faithfully as our call to minister to others.
12. We are responsible to the church, and will endeavour always to conduct our ministries so as to build up the local body of believers and serve the church at large.
13. We are responsible to arrange for the spiritual care of those who come to faith under our ministry, to encourage them to identify with the local body of believers, and seek to provide for the instruction of believers in witnessing to the Gospel.
14. We share Christ's deep concern for the personal and social sufferings of humanity, and we accept our responsibility as Christians and as evangelists to do our utmost to alleviate human need.
15. We beseech the Body of Christ to join with us in prayer and work for peace in our world, for revival and a renewed dedication to the biblical priority of evangelism in the church, and for the oneness of believers in Christ for the fulfilment of the Great Commission, until Christ returns.

CRACK DOWN IN CHINA

China is facing a difficult time. The Chinese government has to make sure it doesn’t lose face before the world at the Beijing Olympics this March, and they’re ‘cleaning up’ anything that might not make them look good. Unfortunately, that includes some Christians and foreign workers, North Korean refugees, and some humanitarian aid workers!
From behind the great wall of Chinese censorship, evidence of ongoing persecution of Christians continues to emerge, with China Aid Association (CAA) yesterday reporting a significant increase in harassment, arrests and detentions in 2007 compared with 2006. In its annual report on persecution in China, CAA reported a total of 60 incidents in 2007 but cautioned that, due to censorship of communications in China, the total number of incidents was likely much higher.

Incidents included the arrest and sentencing of Christian rights defender and pastor Hua Huiqi in Beijing on January 26, 2007 and the arrest and detention of Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan in Beijing on November 28. Authorities released Shi on January 4, citing “insufficient evidence,” although a source said he is awaiting a formal trial. No date has been set for the trial, nor have authorities revealed what the new charges against him would be.

Let’s remember our Chinese brothers and sisters in our prayers in the run-up to the Olympics. Let’s not forget to pray for the government, too: the Bible talks a lot about submitting for God’s sake to those he’s put in authority over us (1 Peter 2:13, for example, or Titus 3:1), so they need our prayers to govern wisely.( Open Doors Youth)

Todd Friel's response to the Bullhorn Guy: Preach the gospel at all times AND ALWAYS USE WORDS.

This is a video response to the Bullhorn guy from Tom Friel of the Way of the Master. His approach is very different from Rob Bell's. He is certainly convinced of what the gospel is, and because he believes that it is such an urgent message that everyone needs to know, he is compelled to share it.

He believes that man is lost and destined for hell because of his sin. Man can not earn salvation by his own good works and therefore needs a Saviour. God is a righteous Judge but at the same time he is also a God of love. It was therefore because of his love for humankind that he sent his only Son to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins.

It was here that God’s perfect justice was satisfied; His perfect Son taking the rap for sinful humankind – the just dying for the unjust to bring us to God. Though Christ died to take our sins it is only those who respond through repentance and faith that will be forgiven and become children of God.

Todd therefore can not understand the reticence of Mr Bell and others to warn and persuade others to follow Christ, to be forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice and gain a certain hope of heaven and escape the pains of hell.

Many Post modern Christians find this almost impossible to believe. They can’t believe that God would send his son to die on a cross. It was the Romans and the Jews that killed Jesus but certainly not God because God is love.

The question is: Is Todd right in his approach and message or has he got it wrong? In a few of the articles I did on evangelism Presence, Proclamation and Persuasion ( see the links on this blog) Mr Bell would seem to be more of the ‘Presence’ sort whereas Friel’s mode of evangelism would be that of Proclamation and Persuasion.

Also,what doctor would you be according to Todd?

Rob Bell 'The Bullhorn Guy'| Preview

This is an introduction to The Bullhorn Guy No 8 of Rob Bell's Nooma series. The full version can be seen at www.pinpointevangelism.com/Bullhorn.htm. It seems to me that he deliberately uses an easy target, a poor example of what street evangelism can be( no resonance with the audience, untrendy guy, shouting,yelling etc), but in doing this, Mr Bell also rubbishes all street evangelism with the implication that those who do it just haven't 'got it'. They're not ‘cool' like Jesus who came to show love and who never condemned or judged anyone. That is despite the fact that he called on people to repent and believe his message, as well as talking about the H word more than anyone else!
Why does Rob do this? Is it just a reaction to against a Christianity that fails to portray the love of Christ or is it deeper? What are your thoughts?

Go and Make Disciples

This article was written by Leonard Lee a church planter and a veteran of over 25 years of ministry. He currently pastors Bayside of Central Roseville and loves to hunt, fish and play.

He has much experience in evangelism and nurture and makes some insightful comments. I think it is often better to listen to men and women who have been doing the Master's business rather than 'ivory tower' theologians who spend most of their days with either Christians or other academics, having little deep relationships with people in the ‘real world’. In other words Lee’s conclusions and insights don’t just come from books but from the experience of walking with God over many years and struggling with the problems that face a Christian who desires to bring young Christians to maturity. This is not to say I never read theology, I do, probably too much, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Here Mr Lee is very strong on the relationship of the three personalities involved: God, the evangelist (That is the older disciple, for as George Verwer says we should always wear our L plates) and the younger disciple. He also is not an authoritarian disciple maker but one who through example appears to show love, loyalty, and sacrifice; not one who demands it. Christ laid down his life for the sheep: Would be Shepherds should do the same.

Lee also emphasises friendship. I think this an important aspect for both parties. Even if the older Christian must spend less time with themas they mature ( And to enable them to work with more needy ones), the prodigy must never be seen as a mere pawn or number. The younger must also appreciate that though their mentor spends less time with them, they are still loved by them and very much in their heart. One might also consider the love Paul had for the likes of Timothy and Titus. AK

'Go make disciples… These are the marching orders of our friend, Jesus. On the surface it seems simple and sometimes when we read the accounts in the book of Acts the details of how disciples were made gets lost in the fact that people were converted. Of course Jesus makes it easy to understand, travel with 12 guys for three plus years and “viola’” you have disciples. I have been in ministry over 25 years and still struggle to make disciples, but here are a few of my random thoughts that I am trying to flesh out as I endeavor to carry out the marching orders of my friend, Jesus.

Make discipleship about becoming a friend of God rather than looking like a Christian. Near the end of Jesus ministry he pulls his guys together and says. I am not calling you servants anymore; I am calling you friends because a friend knows what their friend is up to. (this is the Leonard Lee slandered perversion) As I disciple people one of the primary truths I try to teach is what a friendship with God looks like. Here are a few of the descriptions I try to apply.

I want people to understand the size of their friend. When I was a kid I was short. I had a couple big friends. The size of my friends gave me confidence to be a bit of a daredevil smarty pants. I could muster up courage to say things I might not have were it not for the size of my friends riding backup. One reason for boldness is the size of our friend. God is immeasurable and honestly, that is cool. When faced with a tough conversation or decision I will often think, “Do you know how big my friend is? He can do anything!”

I want people to understand loyalty. Loyalty is the quality in a friendship that allows us to not understand and still remain close friends. I have to admit, sometimes it is loyalty in my friendship with Christ that holds me until the fog can clear.

I want people to understand gratefulness. When gratefulness is in a friendship, faithfulness is in a friendship. I cannot remain faithful to any friendship I am not grateful for and I cannot be grateful unless I choose humility. The key to any great friendship is putting your friend first. No greater love hand any man than this than he lay down his life for his friends. This is not just a statement about Christ’s friendship with me but a standard for my friendship with him and his frineds.

Familiarity is huge in a great friendship. I have a buddy and we simply know. I know what he is thinking and he knows what I am thinking. This has made for the best in our friendship. We rarely have to apologize to each other because we rarely offend each other. We talk for hours on end, repeating stories because we know we love to hear each others thinking. We know exactly how to encourage each other because we are aware of each others strengths and weaknesses. This has happened by logging the time necessary to be familiar. Familiarity breeds contempt only when humility is absent.

I want people to understand love. Love is the action word for all friendships. Love is what causes me to live out the desires of my friend’s heart. In other words I love what my friend loves because I love my friend. Love is what drives remembering the values of friendship and of my friend in the middle of life. Here is another one of my slandered perversions of scripture.

Love is the act of kindness; love is patience applied; love is the enjoyment of my friends success (does not envy), love is the sharing of my success; (does not boast), love is seeking others first, love is choosing to not let hurt turn into anger; love chooses to erase the chalk board of offense; love holds on to holiness while being embarrassed by sin; love shields friends and friendship from harm; love starts every conversation believing the best; love is confident love is the best path; (love hopes) love hangs in and love holds the line when nothing else will. 1 Corinthians 13 kind of…

I want people to understand sacrifice. Great friendships are never based upon doing the minimum but upon sacrifice. No friendship ever grew deep without generosity. This is really the premise of “we love because he loved first.” God’s sacrificial, generous investment of love into my life is why I love.

Here is the impact. When friendship is a primary value, the tools for friendship are not burdensome. Church, the bible, prayer, giving, witnessing, serving are all on the list of good Christians but in reality these do not make me a good Christian, they are how I express and build friendship. Because I value my friendship with Christ these become no brainier’s to me, not burdens of being a Christian'.

For discussion: How do you build your friendship with God? How do you teach others to build a friendship with God?

Dick Staub : The Culturally Savvy Christian(Part 1b)

I couldn't resist giving you the second part of the interview. If you have 9 minutes its worth listening to.AK

Dick Staub : The Culturally Savvy Christian (Part 1a)

This video is worth seeing. Dick Staub is the author of the book ‘The cultural savvy Christian’. He refers in this vid to the various portrayals of Jesus in film, be they Jesus as the Divine as in ‘The greatest story ever told’, or Jesus the man as in ‘Godspell’. This is the first of five parts to the interview; the rest can be seen on Youtube .
It is true that Christians should be ‘culturally savvy’, that is culturally relevant, but also 'biblically savvy’, that is sharing the authentic message in the culture we find ourselves in. To do this we need wisdom, humility, sensitivity, love and most of all the Holy Spirit. AK

'Everything ' by LightHouse

These are the words of the song called 'Everything' by the group LightHouse which featured on my last post. A young friend who saw it said that if someone who wasn't a Christian saw it, they would be 'converted' there and then: so powerful is the message. I agree that it is a most moving piece of drama that both Christians and non-Christians will be touched by.

Recently I've met many 'backsliders' both young and old, who when asked, would they love to experience again the peace and joy they had when they followed Christ,told me they would.They also acknowledged that they were restless as they tried to find again that same peace and joy through other means- drugs, sex, music, sport etc. But were unable.

As one great Christian once said in a prayer to God: 'You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless till they find their peace in thee'. I realise that many have been hurt by 'the Church'and have in turn sadly turned away from Christ.

But He still stands at the door of your heart seeking entrance. The most winsome,kind,loving and good personality who ever lived wants to share a life of intimacy with you. Will you let Him in today? If you respond to His invitation please let me know. AK

EVERYTHING
find me here
and speak to me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you
you are the light
that's leading me
to the place
where I find peace again

you are the strength
that keeps me walking
you are the hope
that keeps me trusting
you are the life
to my soul
you are my purpose
you're everything

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this yeah

you calm the storms
and you give me rest
you hold me in your hands
you won't let me fall
you still my heart
and you take my breath away
would you take me in
take me deeper now

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

cause you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

you're all I want
you're all I need
you're everything
everything

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

and how can I
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this

Dancing With Jesus skit

My good friend Geoff from Liverpool told me about this skit. I hope you enjoy it.Without words it says more than most 40 minute sermons.

Bob Dylan - What Can I Do For You?

This is one of the very fine devotional songs to Christ from Dylan's 'Saved' album. The harmonica playing on it is outstanding and the words simple but sublime. When I got the L.P over twenty years ago I played it constantly. May you be blessed by it also. AK

Rob Bell’s ministry proves ‘divisive’ in some religious circles By Drew Nichter

A Google search of the name Rob Bell yields nearly 300,000 results. Although not all of those Web pages refer to Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., a majority of them do.

One will find links to the Mars Hill Web site, a page promoting Bell’s NOOMA video series and of course, his Wikipedia entry. One will also find a site promoting Bell’s recent lecture tour, “The gods Aren’t Angry,” which made a stop in Louisville Nov. 29. The tour tackled the topic of religion and its origins throughout human history.

In an interview with the Western Recorder, Bell described the tour as a “way of answering the question, ‘What is grace?’ without ever using the word ‘grace.’

“I want people to be overwhelmed with grace,” he added.

The up-and-coming young pastor certainly has been an overwhelming figure in recent years. Bell’s Mars Hill congregation, founded in 1999, quickly became one of the fastest-growing churches in history, exceeding 10,000 members. He recently released the 18th video in his NOOMA series which has received “phenomenal response,” Bell noted. In between all of that, he even managed to write two best-selling books, “Velvet Elvis” and “Sex God.”



CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE Rob Bell during his recent “The gods Aren’t Angry” speaking tour stop at the Brown Theater in Louisville. (Photo by Drew Nichter)


With that success has come plenty of controversy, which Bell maintained he does not pay attention to. “I don’t Google my name,” he said.

If he did, he would find a Rob Bell “archive” on a Web site called Apprising Ministries.

The site is the work of Ken Silva, who describes himself as “an ordained (Southern Baptist Convention) minister who has dedicated himself to the study of comparative religions and non-Christian cults.”

Silva has a long list of targets including Mormonism, Rick Warren, even the SBC. But he seems to take special note of Bell, with more than 100 entries criticizing his teachings, lectures and ministry.

Bell declines “emergent” label
The criticism most often leveled at Bell is his affiliation with the emergent church movement. He is often linked to Brian McLaren, the pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Maryland and a strong proponent of the emergent church movement. In 2005, McLaren was invited and then disinvited to speak at the Kentucky Baptist Evangelism Conference because of some controversial passages in his book, “A Generous Orthodoxy.”

Bell’s name even surfaced alongside McLaren’s during discussions at September’s “Convergent” conference examining the emergent church at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.

When asked whether he is an emergent church leader or claims any affiliation with the movement, Bell simply said, “No.” Discussing the role of the emergent church movement, he said he understood it to be “simply a conversation asking, ‘What does it mean to be the people of Jesus?’”

Addressing anyone who is critical of such a movement, Bell said, “I wonder whether that person is a Christian. That seems like a conversation they ought to have.”

Another charge that has been thrown Bell’s way is that his teachings oversimplify the gospel for the postmodern generation. In his “The gods Aren’t Angry” lectures, Bell asserts that God is not angry and that He has made peace with all of humanity through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This principle prompted protests outside at least one tour stop.

Jeff Fuson, a longtime youth minister at Crestwood Baptist Church in Oldham County who recently became pastor of a new church plant, attended Bell’s lecture in Louisville. Fuson agrees that while some of what Bell teaches can be seen as “divisive,” it can help believers think about their faith.

“Even if we don’t agree with (Bell), he still challenges us to think and to pull some things apart and to wonder about our faith,” Fuson noted. “If a person can’t think about their faith, then their faith may be too brittle.”

Bell had much stronger words for those who are “scared” by those who offer a new approach to theology, calling them “the original Pharisees.”

“They’re obsessed with absolutely minutiae issues surrounding, ‘What words do you use to define the Bible?’” he said. “They absolutely obsess about people who, in their minds, don’t use the exact proper definitive language they’ve agreed upon somewhere.”

And Bell insisted he is not worried about offending “fundamentalists,” adding that each time he does so, “there are a thousand people who are now listening.”

Fuson emphasized there currently is a “clash of worldviews,” adding that “people are scared” of that.

“It’s a very challenging debate right now and it’s way bigger than Rob Bell,” Fuson noted.

He said that debate is between those who believe that in order to be a follower of Christ, one must adhere strictly to certain doctrines. On the other side are Bell and other “new thinkers” who are challenging some of that doctrine.

But Fuson added that they’re all on the same team and could learn from one another.

“What the people talking about doctrine are trying to accomplish and what Rob Bell are trying to accomplish are actually the same thing,” Fuson suggested. “This is to arrive at a place where you have people who are full-on followers of Christ. Both want the same thing, but they’re attempting different methods.

“The reality is we probably need to learn from both sides.”


Western Recorder issue date: December 11, 2007

Have you heard Rob Bell speak or read his books? Is he a heretic as Mark Driscoll has said or is he an example of the new evangelism that is required for the post-modern age or do you take the position of Fuson who takes a middle position?AK

Free Hugs Campaign.

'Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whose sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.

In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.

In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person... Fom the youtube site.

I love this video. There seems something very innocent about it.It seems to me to be an acted parable: that of showing love to strangers. I don't think the authors were Christians but they certainly showed some 'milk of human kindness' which is sure to touch anyone who have a heart of flesh. Perhaps the Church could take a leaf out of their book.Many people have no one to hug them, many are so lonely that even a kind word said to them or a smile given would make their day. Should Christians not be at the forefront of showing such love, as the salt and light of the world? John wrote 'we love because he first loved us'.Sadly we are often more apt to condemn those both inside and outside the Church. Did the Master not say: 'freely you have received freely give', and again
'Whatever you do to the least of these my brethren you do it onto me'.Let us be bold and move out of our comfort zones a little bit more, let us take a few more risks. Preaching and sharing the gospel with strangers is also thought foolish by some.But if only one out of every ten or every hundred responds, is it not worth it? AK

A Covenant With God

Methodists hold an annual Covenant Service, at which they celebrate all that God has done for them, and affirm that they give our lives and choices to God. Most churches hold the service in the New Year.

In the Methodist church I was brought up in in Northern Ireland we held this service on the first Sunday of the New Year. As a teenager I felt it was almost a blood curdling commitment:'Put me to suffering;let me be laid aside by thee;let me be empty;the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

If we therefore end up having to go through a terrible year of trials, we can't really complain too much as we have given Him permission to allow it. But even then, we can still ask for mercy.

'I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt,
rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing,
put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full,
let me be empty.
Let me have all things,
let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine,
and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven'.
Amen.

The Covenant above makes it very clear that this affirmation is a serious one that embraces the whole of our life, in all its parts. Most people find it quite tough to say, and really mean it. But the prayer is so central to the Christian life that other Churches have also adopted it.

In our culture we tend to prize our ability to make decisions and choose our own path in life. It can feel very hard to give that up. But this prayer is like a love poem. It is about surrendering to God in love and joy.

THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST

More than two thousand years ago, there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.

He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education.

In infancy He startled a king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the waves as pavement, and hushed the sea to sleep.

He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service.

He never wrote a book, and yet perhaps all the libraries of the world could not hold the books that have been written about Him.

He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the songwriters combined.

He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students.

He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired.

He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near.

Once each week multitudes congregate at worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.

The names of the past, proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone. But the name of this Man multiplies more and more. Though time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the mockers at His crucifixion, He still lives. His enemies could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.

He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the risen, personal Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We are either going to be forever with Him, or forever without Him. It was the incomparable Christ who said:

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through Me."
(John 14:6)

"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men."

I encourage you to do this today.

The Rebel's Guide to Joy - Charles Wesley

Enjoy this video about Charles Wesley the author of the great Christmas hymn:
'Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the new born king'.

Below are the words of another hymn mentioned in the video and was also one of the first hymns he penned after his 'assurance of faith'.

Note in this hymn that he is not merely content to sit and muse on his own deliverance, rather, he calls and invites all others to share the blessing he's received.

Says Jesus:'Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men'.Charles Wesley and his brother John were to become such 'fishers' and are numbered among the greatest of them.

1 WHERE shall my wondering soul begin?
How shall I all to heaven aspire?
A slave redeemed from death and sin,
A brand plucked from eternal fire,
How shall I equal triumphs raise,
Or sing my great Deliverer's praise?

2 O how shall I the goodness tell,
Father, which thou to me hast showed?
That I, a child of wrath and hell,
I should be called a child of God,
Should know, should feel my sins forgiven,
Blest with this antepast of heaven!

3 And shall I slight my Father's love?
Or basely fear his gifts to own?
Unmindful of his favours prove?
Shall I, the hallowed cross to shun,
Refuse his righteousness to impart,
By hiding it within my heart?

4 No! though the ancient dragon rage,
And call forth all his host to war,
Though earth's self-righteous sons engage
Them and their god alike I dare;
Jesus, the sinner's friend, proclaim;
Jesus, to sinners still the same.

5 Outcasts of men, to you I call,
Harlots, and publicans, and thieves!
He spreads his arms to embrace you all;
Sinners alone his grace receives;
No need of him the righteous have;
He came the lost to seek and save.

6 Come, O my guilty brethren, come,
Groaning beneath your load of sin,
His bleeding heart shall make you room,
His open side shall take you in;
He calls you now, invites you home;
Come, O my guilty brethren, come!

7 For you the purple current flowed
In pardons from his wounded side,
Languished for you the eternal God,
For you the Prince of glory died:
Believe, and all your sin's forgiven;
Only believe, and yours is heaven

It is hard to read such words and not feel the passion of this great evangelist.
If you would like to read more, click the 'Wesley Fellowship' link on my fav Websites and you can download any or all of his great hymns and messages.

What does the Kingdom of God look like in the Asha slums? letter of reflection from Dr Kiran Martin

My dear friends,

What does the Kingdom of God look like in the slums, where little children play with excrement, fall into dirty drains, where waste rots, pigs feed, flies feast, pollution lingers, odours ferment and diseases mock? Where children live in tents stitched with rags, neglected and abused, where the joy of childhood is never experienced? Where women are suppressed and beaten, stripped of their rights, voiceless?

I began my spiritual quest nearly 20 years ago through sitting outside a tiny slum hut, one among hundreds of huts squeezed together along a filthy drain. I treated the sick all day, listening to them and comforting them. Today, nearly two decades later, as I see the beautiful women holding their heads high, empowered and confident, healthy children living in safe and secure homes, and playing happily on the clean paved streets, perhaps I have had a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God looks like in the slums.

In this Kingdom, the slums become a place where the poor, created in the image of God, become possessors of a dignity, their inherent worthiness, which is inalienable and inviolable. Where they are empowered to live full and meaningful lives. Where God's justice and impartiality are consistently expressed. Where the oppressed and exploited, those treated with scorn, exclusion and contempt, are defended and comforted. Where the fainthearted are encouraged, where the dimly burning flame is never quenched, where fairness and truth reign.

It is a place where we respond to injustice through non-violent resistance and active peacemaking, thus showing ourselves not violent or weak, but rather courageous and dignified and strong, exposing the naked greed and cruelty of our oppressors.

It is a place where compassion and love is the fundamental thing. And it is not just about loving friends and hating enemies, but about loving our enemies. About pursuing forgiveness and reconciliation, not retaliation and revenge.



It is a place where we practise a liberating generosity toward the poor, to dethrone greed that clouds our outlook, and topple the regime of money.

It is a place where joyful, worshipping communities of the poor and the outcasts experience God's forgiveness and blessing, healing and restoration.

Those belonging to this Kingdom refuse to respect economic, class or social barriers, but rather treat everyone with kindness and respect. They enjoy the company of the poor, the homeless, the disadvantaged, the social outcasts and the marginalized women and children, eating and drinking with them.

This Kingdom advances not through those who are preoccupied with money, power, status and control, but through those who are preoccupied with service and love, justice and mercy, humility and hope. With those who are fired up to sacrifice their time, intelligence, money and energy in the advancement of this Kingdom. And once we get a glimpse of this Kingdom, nothing else will fully satisfy us.

It is my prayer that my slums will become a place God is at home in, a place that God takes pride and pleasure in, a place where God's dreams come true.

God bless you and keep you.

Dr. Kiran Martin
Founder and Director
Asha Society

New Delhi INDIA

God, Jesus, Billy Connolly, Bruce Almighty and Homer Simpson: Using pop culture as a tool for spreading the gospel.

I was struck the other night when studying the gospel of John with some unchurched youth in Belfast.We were talking about the Spirit coming down from Heaven upon Jesus when one of them asked me: ‘Did you see the film ‘the man who sued God', there was a scene in it when the sky opened up and God spoke, it was amazing.’ I told him that though I hadn’t seen it I had seen ‘Bruce Almighty’ . This lead to us talking about different scenes in it, such as the massive filing cabinet which contained the details of all the words, thoughts and actions of disbelieving Bruce.

One of the guys is just off cocaine so during the study I encouraged him to reject the devil’s temptation which might come to him in a seductive manner such as : ‘take it this once, it’ll be okay this time, go ahead and take it’ while the Spirit would be encouraging him to be strong and resist the devil’s lies. He replied : ‘Yea, its just like in the Simpsons when Homer is in the bar and the devil is on one shoulder saying ‘go on take it’ and an angel is on the other telling him to resist.’
I had always believed that we could and should use aspects within the culture which can make the gospel accessible to those with no biblical background, but never had I seen it so clearly illustrated as this.

When Paul preached on Mars Hill in Athens Paul he did not quote Moses or other Old Testament prophets as he did when he preached to the Jews. He did however quote Epimenides who wrote of Zeus ‘In him we live and move and have our being’. He also quoted the Greek pagan poet Aratus who said ‘we are his offspring.’

He was not afraid to go outside scripture to make his point and use even pagan writers to speak the truth about God. He certainly did not pull any punches when he called on the Athenians to turn from their false notions and turn to the true God: ‘In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands people everywhere to repent, for he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.’

Such 'mission practice' by Paul should encourage us to use aspects of culture because it is not all bad though much of it needs redeemed be it the internet, television and cinema.

What have Rocky, the Pocket Rocket and St Paul got in common?

Answer: Discipline.

'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever.

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize'.

St Paul to the Corinthians

'Fork Handles' Evangelism

‘Four Candles’ Evangelism
This is a classic sketch from the ‘Two Ronnies’ in which a customer goes into a hardware shop and asks for different items. His request is always ambiguous e.g. he says to the assistant ‘fork handles’ and the assistant goes to get him ‘four candles.’ Sometimes when doing evangelism the evangelist is like the customer in that his message is not clear, literally sending out the wrong message (e.g. ‘are you washed in the blood of the lamb’ or ‘are you saved brother’ which may mean nothing to the hearer.) Likewise if the assistant were the evangelist, rather than assuming what the customer wants he should be trying to really listen to him, engaging him in conversation in order to fully understand what his real needs were. Evangelists often assume that one response or evangelistic script fits all and will not spend the time listening to the felt needs and pains of those they seek to reach. Jesus the Master evangelist on the other hand dealt with the woman at the well in a very different way than he did the Pharisee Nicodemus. Each person was unique; each had a very different set of problems and background and therefore had to be dealt in a unique way.Enjoy!

Chuck Smiths by Mark Driscoll

This is an interesting post taken from Mark Driscoll's Resurgent website.Here he discusses two generations of 'evangelicals', the oldstyle represented by Chuck Snr and the new style ( emerging type) by his son Chuck Jnr.I find myself in disagreement with some of the views Chuck Snr who was dogmatic on some disputable doctrines ( e.g.the Rapture )as well as Chuck Jnr who has certainly less confidence than his Dad on the authority of Scripture. Likewise I am also in agreement with each of them on certain points.They might well be described as a double jeopardy.

You may not agree with all Driscoll's conclusions but it should provide some insight into the way the Church in America appears to be heading.We should also be aware that when America sneezes the UK and Europe often catches the cold.AK

Chuck Smith Sr. (79) is the founder and leader of the Calvary Chapel movement, which is one of the most amazing church planting and evangelism works of God in the history of America. His ministry includes his 15,000-person church, the 1,000 Calvary Churches that look to him for leadership, as well as his many books and radio and television ministries. His son and namesake, Chuck Smith Jr. (55), pastors a church not far from his father's church. Over the years there has been a growing theological rift between the two; it recently spilled over onto page one of the LA Times newspaper. Here's the link to the full story.

Some of the more pertinent quotes are listed below:

Chuck Smith Jr. on his growing lack of certainty on some biblical issues: "Even when I speak, some of what I say is opinion and confusion and error,' says Smith Jr., 55, who wears shorts and flip-flops as he welcomes a visitor to his church. 'I'm more in a place of learning than I am in a place of certainty.'"

Chuck Smith Jr. speaking of his father: "'He wasn't present emotionally, even if he was present physically. To hear him speak, you just get the impression this is such a warm and intimate person, but the closer you got to him, the more you'd realize he really didn't have those intimacy skills.'"

Chuck Smith Jr. on hell: "For years, Smith Jr. said, he had preached about hell uncomfortably, half-apologetically, because he couldn't understand why a loving God would consign his children to eternal flames. It felt like blackmail for a pastor to threaten people with hell-scapes from the Middle Ages to induce piety. Now, he came to believe that the biblical images used to depict hell's torments such as the 'lake of fire' and the 'worm that does not die' were intended to evoke a feeling rather than a literal place."

Chuck Smith Jr. on the Rapture: "He also grew disillusioned with the Rapture, the notion that believers in Jesus will be whisked to God's side during Armageddon. His father had predicted the end of the world would arrive in the 1980s, based on his reading of the Book of Revelation. He has continued, year after year, to announce its imminence with absolute confidence."

Chuck Smith Jr. on homosexuality: "'I met homosexuals who were trying to live celibate lives or be heterosexual, and I heard all about their struggles, and I never wanted to exacerbate that. My heart went out to them. Listening convinced me that homosexual orientation is not something people chose.'"

A comment on masculinity: "There was also, theology aside, the question of the son's temperament. He hardly fit the mold of the Christian soldier championed by his father in his book 'Harvest,' in which he spoke of 'the ideal of a biblical man who is strong and not vacillating or weak' and denounced 'the new touchy/feely men.' Smith Jr. weeps before his congregation, making no secret of his ongoing battle with depression that took him to the brink of suicide after his 1993 divorce. At the time, he stood before his congregation explaining that his wife of 18 years, the mother of his five children, was leaving him despite his effort to save the marriage."

A comment on pagan syncretism with Christianity: "Fundamentalists have also been troubled in recent years by gestures they see as a throwback to paganism, such as Smith Jr. giving the sign of the cross at services and hanging his sanctuary with paintings of Jesus in the iconic Byzantine style. In 2005, to make matters worse, he took several extended retreats to a Catholic monastery in Big Sur."
For those wanting to hear a reading of Chuck Smith Jr.'s written response it can be found on video at his church's website.

There are really two kinds of issues at work here.

First, there are the personal issues between a father and son. I cringed as I read the article because it pained me to see the hurt between a father and son on the front page of the LA Times. We should all be praying that whatever hurt or bitterness might exist between the two Christian men would be taken care of by the atoning death of Jesus so that they might enjoy loving reconciliation in this life.

Second, there are the theological issues, which are incredibly important and really a snapshot of the growing chasm between older evangelicals and the new brand of Emergent-type Christians. I have never met Chuck Smith Sr. though I have great respect for all that God has accomplished through him. I have only met Chuck Smith Jr. on one occasion when we were both teaching at a pastors' conference in California many years ago. He seemed like a very loving and gracious man who was also influenced by writers like Brian McLaren, which leaked through his teaching and is now more clearly identified in the LA Times article. The article noted eight theological issues. I will outline them below, not for the sake of picking on the Smiths, but to use their disagreement as an example of a much broader rift in American Christianity that has only begun:

Creationism. Chuck Smith Sr. holds the conservative position of a young earth while Chuck Smith Jr. holds the apparent position of an old earth. This is an issue where there should be some room for disagreement among even biblical literalists. Why? Because though the Bible is clear that God created the heavens and the earth, it does not tell us the age of the earth. The age of the earth can only be inferred and is therefore not a point on which Christians should divide, though we can certainly debate and disagree about the issue as it relates to the Bible.

Kingdom. The problem with the older generation of strong dispensationally minded evangelicals was that they had an under-realized eschatology. By this, I mean that they saw the kingdom of God as an almost entirely future event. The younger generation of evangelicals are more prone to embrace an over-realized eschatology whereby the kingdom of God is essentially here already, so talking about heaven, hell, and the eternal state is not important. On this point, Smith Jr. echoes a drum regularly beat by McLaren and others affiliated with the Emergent group. The problem is that the kingdom of God is not yet here, but it does break in through the church, the preaching of the gospel, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, a balanced eschatology that holds the "already/not yet" tension of Paul is the only hope for a biblical position on this issue.

Hell. Again echoing McLaren and the Emergent folks, Smith Jr. says in his response video that he does not believe hell should be used for evangelism and such. While this sentiment may sound kind, it is not. Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone in the Bible and any effort to downplay eternal conscious torment of the unrepentant in hell is the first step in promoting false doctrine. Additionally, for those who are dying, the consideration of an eternity in hell is not only an effective means by which to compel them to repent of sin and trust in Jesus, but also a pastorally kind one because if they die apart from Jesus they will spend eternity in a fiery hell. It is more kind to offend them today and spare them that fate than to spare them today and send them to that fate.

Rapture. The rapture, like the age of the earth, is an issue that Christians should discuss and debate, but not divide over. Years ago when I first read Smith Sr.'s book Calvary Chapel Distinctives, I was surprised to see that in addition to the Holy Spirit, Bible, grace, Jesus, and love, which all make sense, the premillenial pretribulational rapture of the church was an essential doctrine. Curiously, the rapture is a doctrine that has existed for less than two hundred years in the church's history. The word itself started at a peculiar and possibly cultic charismatic prayer meeting where a women prophesied that the church would be raptured. From that simple beginning, the doctrine has now become the leading eschatological position in American evangelicalism. For more on this issue, the book The Incredible Cover Up: Exploring the Origins of Rapture Theories by Dave MacPherson is a fascinating historical read. Since the doctrine was not even heard of by men such as Athanasius, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, and Wesley, we should not make this doctrine the litmus test of biblical faithfulness, otherwise we are saying there was no faithful eschatology for the first 1,800 years of the church.

Masculinity. There is a trend underfoot to have an effeminate Jesus who never said harsh things, never hurt feelings, and would never have the stones to torment someone in hell. This is the result of an increasingly effeminate culture with men who are not masculine like they should be. There must be a return to a delight in all that it means to be made male and female.

Homosexuality. While Smith Jr. never says homosexuality is permissible, he also seemingly lacks the courage to simply declare that all sex and sexual lust outside of heterosexual marriage is sinful. This issue is a growing rift in the church between an older generation of evangelicals and younger Emergent types who either lack the courage to speak truthfully or do not see homosexuality as a clear sin and therefore dance around the issue as cautiously as possible. On the issue of whether or not homosexuality is a sin, there can be no debate by those who believe the Scriptures. Regarding the best ways to love, evangelize, and minister to people trapped in sexual sin, however, there can and should be much debate so that Christians are most effective in sharing the love of Jesus with all people.

Literalism. The article also raised the issue of biblical literalism. This issue is an old one that dates back to Eden when the Serpent asked, "Did God really say . . . ?" What is curious is that everyone is a biblical literalist, except of course when it is inconvenient. For example, I recently chatted with a homosexual who said that the parts of the Bible telling him to not have sex with men were not to be taken literally. Yet, he wanted me to be very loving in my disagreement with him because he had also chosen to take the parts of the Bible demanding love quite literally. There are, of course, figures of speech in the Bible and we are often clued in to them by the words "like" or "as," which denote that a literal truth is being communicated in a figurative way. Therefore, on the issue of literalism we must take the Bible literally and I mean that literally, of course.

Certainty. Much of Smith Jr.'s confusion and likely Smith Sr.'s frustration stem from their epistemology. In Sr.'s world there is certainty provided by objectivity according to the modern paradigm of knowledge. In Jr.'s world there is uncertainty provided by subjectivity according to the postmodern paradigm of knowledge. This issue is essentially the fault line of the other debates I have mentioned. The result is that objectivists (Smith Sr.) see subjectivists (Smith Jr.) as compromised, while the subjectivists see the objectivists as legalistic, dogmatic, and arrogant.
In conclusion, Christianity is supposed to be a two-handed religion. In the closed hand of unchanging certainty are to be such things as a high view of the Bible and literalism, commitment to the Trinity, belief in original sin, salvation by grace through faith in Jesus alone, creation by God, literal hermeneutic, heaven and hell, clear gender roles, and loving humility. In the open hand of less certainty are to be issues that are of a secondary nature that we can disagree and debate over without dividing. They would include such things as age of the earth, perspectives on predestination and election, view of the rapture, worship styles, church government forms, and mode of baptism. These secondary matters are not unimportant, but simply less important than the primary matters that belong in the closed hand of certainty.

The Smith's rift is a very painful example of a national trend that shows no sign of slowing. This trend has the potential for one group to push every doctrine into a closed hand of certainty (the error of classic fundamentalism) and for the other group to push every doctrine into an open hand of uncertainty (classic liberalism)

'Hearing the Gospel for the first time' by David Dunbar of Missional Journal

...Jesus' teaching about the kingdom resonated deeply with the hopes and aspirations of his first hearers, while also challenging some of their most cherished assumptions... ......This is what always happens when the gospel confronts specific cultures and people groups: there are elements that attract and elements that repel. The danger in all this is that any culture, including the culture of North America, tends to suppress or distort aspects of the gospel that are incompatible with it. Darrell Guder calls this problem "reductionism."


Missional churches are concerned for both the fruitful reception and faithful communication of the gospel. So the question is, how does the church in America stumble over the good news of the kingdom? Where might reductionism be obscuring or domesticating the strong words of Jesus and the apostles?



In this article and the next I suggest a few places where the kingdom teaching of Jesus confronts deeply ingrained cultural/theological assumptions in the lives of many Christians, including me.


Eschatological reduction



The teaching of Jesus focuses on the present and the future. In many places we find an emphasis on the kingdom as a present reality. It is present in the power of Jesus to heal (Matt. 4:23), and to exorcise demons (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20), and to feed the multitudes. The kingdom is working in the world like seed germinating in a field, or yeast fermenting in bread. It becomes visible in the lives of Jesus' disciples who "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33) and who endure persecution even as they pray for their persecutors (Matt. 5:11, 44).


On the other hand, the fullness of the kingdom awaits the end of the age. Only then will the wicked and the righteous be separated finally and forever (Matt.13:40-43). This is the renewal of all things (Matt. 19:28), when the King gathers with his disciples for the banquet of eternal celebration (Luke 14:15).



What is important for the missional church is balancing these two aspects--present and future. Reductionism occurs when we play one off against the other. If the church focuses too much on the present reality of the kingdom, it runs the risk of slipping into mere religious humanitarianism. This was modeled for us in the last century by Protestant liberalism. This type of reductionism entices us to lose sight of the kingdom as a supernatural reality that remains ever dependant upon the initiating and sustaining grace of God.


But there is also the risk that we will focus too much on the future aspects of the kingdom. This also was modeled in the twentieth century as many streams of fundamentalism reacted to liberalism by cultural withdrawal. Perhaps the most extreme cases were found in churches immersed in Dispensational theology. The older expressions of this theology believed the kingdom was specifically Jewish in its focus and had been "postponed" until the completion of "the times of the Gentiles." Such theology easily leads to a posture of separation and isolation from the surrounding culture--seeking God's kingdom and righteousness (Matt. 6:33) is generally understood as a privatized "getting right with God"--what Dallas Willard aptly calls "the gospel of sin-management."



In contrast, a balanced eschatology is holistic. It understands salvation as a reality that is "already-but-not-yet." It touches all of life--private and public; individual and corporate; local, national, and international. Jesus taught us to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The second clause explains the first: the kingdom comes as God's will is done on earth.



Therefore, missional churches don't just ask, "How can we preach to more people?" or, "How can we grow larger congregations?" They ask, "What would our community (or nation, or world) look like if God's will were done on earth today?" Certainly part of the answer is that people would know and love the one living and true God who has revealed himself in Christ. But wouldn't it also mean that injustice would be righted? That broken marriages would be restored? That abused children would be cared for? The oppressed liberated? The weak, the sick, and the hungry cared for?


Missional churches believe that the gospel addresses all of life and that being God's missionary people means taking this holistic ministry to the world. Scot McKnight recently wrote that the atonement is not just something that God does for us, but rather is what he does in us in such a way that we are called to participate with God in his redemptive work. The church therefore is called to incarnate the principles of a world set right with God and by God. "A thoroughly biblical understanding of atonement, then, is earthy," says McKnight. "It is about restored relations with God and with self, but also with others and with the world--in the here and now." (A Community Called Atonement [Abingdon, 2007], p. 132)



The idea of incarnating the gospel is critical. It reminds us that the mission of the church is patterned on the mission of Jesus. The incarnation of the Son of God was not an abstract metaphysical process for improving the world. It was God taking the form of a specific Jewish male in Palestine during the reign of the first Roman emperor Augustus. Jesus came to a specific people at a specific time and place in history.


Missional churches believe that the gospel still has this aspect of particularity and contextuality. They believe that the Spirit of God will lead them to embody the good news in fresh and distinctive ways for their own communities, and they cultivate a spirit of discernment which allows them to be "laborers together with God" in their specific context.

The Mission:Scene portraying one man's guilt,remorse,self effort,despair,grace,forgiveness,redemption and final restoration.

This clip shows one of my favourite scenes from ‘The Mission’. In it Mendosa (superbly acted by De Niro) is doing penance for the guilt of killing the brother he loved. He would have preferred to die for the killing but was talked out of it by Father Gabriel (Irons). When the native holds the knife to his throat it seems almost a relief to him. He had come to the end of his own self effort to free himself from the guilt but failed. To use the Pauline phrase of Romans 7 he had cried out in his heart: ‘Wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death’. It is then, when he comes to the end of himself, he receives grace and forgiveness when the tribesman cuts lose his burden and lets it fall along with his sins and guilt into the water. Here we see echoes of ‘Christian’ being set free from his burden in Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress. He’s finally free at last.

'The mission' A must DVD gift for Christmas

This film was made over twenty years ago yet even seeing this short trailer above brings back memories of the first time I saw it in Belfast. Emotions of anger, sadness and joy come flooding back as I watch the scenes and listen to the powerful music. It is also inspiring spiritually and also brings into conflict the pietisic,incarnational as well as the 'liberation' approach to mission-I find myself torn between following De Niro and Irons in the latter part of the film.It also reveals the conflict between the mission of organised religion, fraught with politics,greed and self interest and 'authentic mission' based on love,loyalty and self sacrifice. In my opinion one of the best films ever made.AK

A visually stunning epic, THE MISSION recounts the true story of two men--a man of the sword (Robert De Niro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons)--both Jesuit missionaries who defied the colonial forces of mighty Spain and Portugal to save an Indian tribe from slavery in mid-18th-century South America. Mendoza (De Niro) is a slave trader and colonial imperialist who murdered his own brother (Aidan Quinn) and seeks penance for his sins by becomining a missionary at Father Gabriel's (Irons) mountaintop mission; Gabriel is a devout and idealistic man who extols nonviolence and peaceful interaction with the natives and colonialists. Despite their differences, the two men must unite to save the mission when Spain, Portugal, and the Catholic church begin negotiating their boundaries in the area negotiations that will affect both the freedom of the natives and the well-being of the Jesuit missionaries who have set up safe havens for them. Director Roland Joffe's sweeping masterpiece is a haunting account of the unjust treatment of the Guarani Indians of South America and the men who fought desperately, in very different ways, to save them. The film features a mezmerising musical score by Ennio Morricone that weaves a stunning combination of church choirs and native Indian panpipes into the lush images of the Brazilian rainforest.

Book Review :Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution--A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First by Alister McGrath

This is McGrath's third book title borrowed from his atheist bête noir Richard Dawkins. But don't let the titular borrowings fool you: this is an original and important book. Someone had to imitate the long, popular works of history being written on secular subjects from Lewis & Clark to FDR, and McGrath has the theological and historical expertise necessary to tell a story stretching from the Reformation's origins in the 16th century to today. The dangerous idea was Martin Luther's: that individual believers could and should read the Bible for themselves. The result was occasionally violent (as in the peasants' revolt and the English Civil War), occasionally brilliant (musicians like Bach, theologians like Calvin and Jonathan Edwards, poets like Milton) and certainly world altering (the Calvinist Reformation clearing space for the rise of secular science and capitalism). McGrath concludes not with the faith practices of present-day England or America, but with the increasingly Pentecostal global south. The book occasionally falls into the dry tone of a textbook and assumes points that historians would want to debate, but is still the most readable introduction to the history, theology and present-day practices of Protestantism. (Oct.) From Publishers Weekly
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Book Description
The "dangerous idea" lying at the heart of Protestantism is that the interpretation of the Bible is each individual's right and responsibility. The spread of this principle has resulted in five hundred years of remarkable innovation and adaptability, but it has also created cultural incoherence and social instability. Without any overarching authority to rein in "wayward" thought, opposing sides on controversial issues can only appeal to the Bible—yet the Bible is open to many diverse interpretations. Christianity's Dangerous Idea is the first book that attempts to define this core element of Protestantism and the religious and cultural dynamic that this dangerous idea unleashed, culminating in the remarkable new developments of the twentieth century.
At a time when Protestants will soon cease to be the predominant faith tradition in the United States, McGrath's landmark reassessment of the movement and its future is well-timed. Replete with helpful modern-day examples that explain the past, McGrath brings to life the Protestant movements and personalities that shaped history and the central Christian idea that continues to dramatically influence world events today.


For a most interesting interview with Alister McGrath click the link below http://www.theresurgence.com/theology/vintage_saints