This week's title is ironically very appropriate after the horror of last Monday in Manchester. The story of the early church was filled with the experience of persecution and the most terrible torture and killings. You could say it was because of these rather than despite them that the Church grew. Hardship makes us bitter...or better.They lead us to breakdown...or breakthrough. If we don't give up at that point when we feel we've reached the end of our resources, we find a new aliveness, the life of the risen Christ within us. (McLaren p242)
Rather than write any more, may I point you to something my friend Helen has written, so poignant and so much better than anything I could write. http://helenfaulds.blogspot.co.uk/.
I won't be blogging next week, as I am taking a week's leave. Next time, I will record something of Pentecost, and the launch of our 'Grasmoor' Mission Community. Go to
www.grasmoormissioncommunity.co.uk.
Friday 26 May 2017
Saturday 20 May 2017
The Uprising of Stewardship
Last Wednesday, I travelled down to London by train, to assist with the moving of my two aunts into care homes. It has been a difficult decision, reached after weeks of anxious deliberation, but at last they are now safe and cared for.
The journey both ways gave me some valued reading time: almost a whole John Grisham novel, and a theology book which has been sitting on my coffee table for months. By Walter Brueggemann, it is entitled 'Sabbath as Resistance - Saying NO to the Culture of NOW.' It's all in the title really. His claim is that our society is engaged in the fruitless, 'endless pursuit of greater security and greater happiness, a pursuit that is always unsatisfied because we have never gotten (sic) or done enough...yet. The gods...of market ideology...summon to endless desires and needs that are never met but...always require yet greater effort.' Just listen to all the General Election debates to realise the truth of those words! By learning to rest, to step aside from the urge always to do more or to do better, we become more fully alive. The 4th Commandment (about Sabbath) acts as a bridge between the first three - the worship of God - and the last six - concern for our neighbour.
If Sabbath is resistance to the Culture of Now, then I reckon giving is an act of defiance. Because the more we give, and the discipline with which we give, is a way of making sure that we are not enslaved by the desire to acquire.
So this week's theme is about stewardship - another 'uprising' in the community of faith after the Resurrection. Put simply, McLaren says, stewardship is love in action.
The journey both ways gave me some valued reading time: almost a whole John Grisham novel, and a theology book which has been sitting on my coffee table for months. By Walter Brueggemann, it is entitled 'Sabbath as Resistance - Saying NO to the Culture of NOW.' It's all in the title really. His claim is that our society is engaged in the fruitless, 'endless pursuit of greater security and greater happiness, a pursuit that is always unsatisfied because we have never gotten (sic) or done enough...yet. The gods...of market ideology...summon to endless desires and needs that are never met but...always require yet greater effort.' Just listen to all the General Election debates to realise the truth of those words! By learning to rest, to step aside from the urge always to do more or to do better, we become more fully alive. The 4th Commandment (about Sabbath) acts as a bridge between the first three - the worship of God - and the last six - concern for our neighbour.
If Sabbath is resistance to the Culture of Now, then I reckon giving is an act of defiance. Because the more we give, and the discipline with which we give, is a way of making sure that we are not enslaved by the desire to acquire.
So this week's theme is about stewardship - another 'uprising' in the community of faith after the Resurrection. Put simply, McLaren says, stewardship is love in action.
Saturday 13 May 2017
The Uprising of Partnership
It's been a long day! Spent with participants in our Worship4Today Course, which has been running since last September. Today was workshop day: 5 of them, with hardly a space between them. Not surprising we were all pretty tired by the end of it. The first workshop was on 'worship leading', where we distinguished between being 'worship leader' and 'lead worshipper.' How to be offering worship along with the congregation rather than being their 'conductor'. If there is one word which I think summarises the way we 'do church' today it is the word together. For years I have quoted the saying, It is not the job of the people to help the vicar run the church; it is the job of the vicar to help the people change the world. In practice, that can be quite a culture shift in some places.
So we find that tomorrow's readings emphasise partnership, beginning with Jesus' instructions to his disciples to make disciples of all nations...The words were spoken to a group. Our main study tomorrow is of Acts 16, where Paul and Silas find themselves in Philippi, in prison for causing a disturbance. After a miraculous release (an earthquake of liberation) they are cared for by Lydia and her friends in her house-church. It is clear that the apostles can only fulfil their ministry because other Christians are fulfilling theirs. So, says McLaren, we are partners in an earthquake of liberation...injustice at every level of society will be confronted, and people at every level of society will be set free! (McLaren p232)
Last weekend, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York released a letter to help all Christians reflect on how they might approach Election Day, and consider the choices before us. You can find it via the Church of England website: https://www.churchofengland.org/
So we find that tomorrow's readings emphasise partnership, beginning with Jesus' instructions to his disciples to make disciples of all nations...The words were spoken to a group. Our main study tomorrow is of Acts 16, where Paul and Silas find themselves in Philippi, in prison for causing a disturbance. After a miraculous release (an earthquake of liberation) they are cared for by Lydia and her friends in her house-church. It is clear that the apostles can only fulfil their ministry because other Christians are fulfilling theirs. So, says McLaren, we are partners in an earthquake of liberation...injustice at every level of society will be confronted, and people at every level of society will be set free! (McLaren p232)
Last weekend, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York released a letter to help all Christians reflect on how they might approach Election Day, and consider the choices before us. You can find it via the Church of England website: https://www.churchofengland.org/
Saturday 6 May 2017
The Up-rising of Worship
I am not a great fan of boxing, but I do take an interest when there is a big fight, and a British boxer is involved. Consequently, I was fascinated by Anthony Joshua's success last weekend, especially as I had seen a documentary about him just a few days earlier. He seemed such a likeable person, well 'earthed', and surrounded by buddies with whom he could be a relatively normal human being. It was an historic contest, and he gained very many admirers not only by his victory but by the way he achieved it - coming off the canvas himself to do so. But I fear for him: everyone will now want a piece of him. He is already a multi-millionaire, with great prospects. Success is very enticing and has been the downfall of many from emperors to soldiers, from sports persons to media celebrities.
In his book on Ethics, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be subdued only by success. It is not ideas or opinions which decide, but deeds. Success alone justifies deeds done...The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.
Bonhoeffer was writing at about the time that Hitler had over-run France, and forced the French to sign the terms of their surrender in precisely the same place and in the same manner that the Germans had had to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1918. His 'success' was applauded by a great majority of the German people at the time, causing them to overlook the terrible actions Hitler had already perpetrated upon Jews, homosexuals, the frail and non-Aryan people. Success is intoxicating and causes people to overlook many evils which might otherwise be confronted.
Dare I say that this has something to say to our current political debate?
For the Christian, the worship of Jesus Christ is the only sure way to avoid the seduction of success. Not that Christians are necessarily immune from this seduction! We too can be caught up in the 'worship' of success; and can become competitive in comparing one church with another. And yet, if our worship is of Jesus as Lord, we will know that humiliation, insults, persecution and hardship are par for the course in the life of any disciple or fellowship.
'Worship' is our theme this week: the 'up-rising' of Jesus from the dead lead to the formation of a new community, who knew full well that identification with Jesus could well mean suffering the same fate as him. They also knew that to worship him would enable them to triumph over every trial and temptation. Just this morning, a Christian friend said to me that going for a drive in her car, playing a worship CD, made a real difference in helping her overcome difficulty in her life. Or, as our author puts it, The more we praise God, the less we fear or are intimidated by the powers of this world. (McLaren p225)
In his book on Ethics, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be subdued only by success. It is not ideas or opinions which decide, but deeds. Success alone justifies deeds done...The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.
Bonhoeffer was writing at about the time that Hitler had over-run France, and forced the French to sign the terms of their surrender in precisely the same place and in the same manner that the Germans had had to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1918. His 'success' was applauded by a great majority of the German people at the time, causing them to overlook the terrible actions Hitler had already perpetrated upon Jews, homosexuals, the frail and non-Aryan people. Success is intoxicating and causes people to overlook many evils which might otherwise be confronted.
Dare I say that this has something to say to our current political debate?
For the Christian, the worship of Jesus Christ is the only sure way to avoid the seduction of success. Not that Christians are necessarily immune from this seduction! We too can be caught up in the 'worship' of success; and can become competitive in comparing one church with another. And yet, if our worship is of Jesus as Lord, we will know that humiliation, insults, persecution and hardship are par for the course in the life of any disciple or fellowship.
'Worship' is our theme this week: the 'up-rising' of Jesus from the dead lead to the formation of a new community, who knew full well that identification with Jesus could well mean suffering the same fate as him. They also knew that to worship him would enable them to triumph over every trial and temptation. Just this morning, a Christian friend said to me that going for a drive in her car, playing a worship CD, made a real difference in helping her overcome difficulty in her life. Or, as our author puts it, The more we praise God, the less we fear or are intimidated by the powers of this world. (McLaren p225)
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