Wisdom...

Well I was going to talk about the nature of church and the place of worship & preaching - because I'm in Switzerland and had a fascinating chat with one of our WEC "Ethnodoxologists" (Ethnomusicologist specialising in worship & music).

Then I read this...

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
but delights in airing his own opinions"

(Proverbs 18 verse 2)

Thank you Lord!

Serving the Servant King

Had a very muddy bike ride today (25 miles by the Aire & Leeds-Liverpool canal), dodging the new-years-resolution keep-fit-new bike or jogging-gear people.

Floyd on the MP3 player (A Momentary Lapse of Reason) - the title that is (you could be forgiven for misinterpreting that).

These words:

The dogs of war don't negotiate
The dogs of war won't capitulate,
They will take and you will give,
And you must die so that they may live
You can knock at any door,
But wherever you go, you know they've been there before
Well winners can lose and things can get strained
But whatever you change, you know the dogs remain.

One world, it's a battleground
One world, are we going to smash it down
One world ... One world

After lunch and the obligatory falling asleep and drooling for a while I read two fascinating articles.

This one on Alleon by Tom Wright on Jesus as Servant King. Insightful as always.

This one on God's Politics by Jim Wallis on "How many deaths will it take"

Tom Wright was making the point that Jesus Servant King option is neither to follow the dogs of war, nor to take the opposite passive non-involvement option.

To my shame I have tended to do the latter. I'm happy to say my wife is a good example to me (and I know I dont listen to her enough!) - she was marching to say "Not in my name" in London before the Iraq war.

This Iraq situation is getting worse not better. And OK so maybe the Neocons have realised the error of their ways (some of them anyway - the chillingly evil "Project for the new American Century" seems to have packed up shop or gone bust).

I know WWJD was naff - but the idea was right on. What would Jesus the servant king do?

Certainly not nothing.

The chosen white van man

The chosen white van man, originally uploaded by ßlϋeωãvε.

There was a booming voice from above: "You! Yes, you in the white van, L421 WVM. Turn your radio off and listen carefully. You have been chosen to lead all white vans, to teach them driving skills and good manners on the British roads. Yes...I know it will be a challenge, but I have chosen carefully. I am confident in your abilities."

There was a pause and then a roll of thunder. "What? NO! You won't be able to claim triple overtime!"

(Quote from Tim's Flickr page)

Cool! I love Tim's photos.

It's sometimes good not to be needed

I was reading this magazine from New Frontiers, it is just amazing! The whole issue is about world missions. The picture painted is of a network of local churches that really have got being "missional".

There is a wonderful thread running through of curches intentionally planting multiplying churches, and aiming to do it where there is no church. There is passion for working at the frontiers (what we in WEC aim to do), and for establishing multiplying Churches (what we in WEC also aim to do). For caring ministry related in to church and church planting (what.. you get it).

There is a fantastic article on reaching oral communicating cultures. This is something I've been banging on about for a while since Phil Booth (founder of Radio Worldwide and of Oral Communicators Worldwide) told me about it.

Looking at the magazine I was thrilled! - And how do we in WEC fit in - well I don't think we do much! Do I care? (After all my job is to work on the relationship between UK church and WEC) - not a lot!

In fact if all churches were as this magazine portrays I'd be taking a long holiday.

(as if).

My Sister outdoes herself...

Ann has excelled herself this year - you see above my brother Phil & I modelling our presents from Ann.

I have never owned stretchy flourescent pants before.

Nolly on Sacrifice

Our latest magazine is on "Sacrifice" - one of the core values of WEC. We asked one of our missionary kids to contribute on the subject: "Living with your parent's sacrifices". I think this one is a stunner - see what you think:

Nolly Molton (12) and her family were evacuated from Côte d'Ivoire in November 2004 - when she was 10.

Trouble came like a fire, glowing here and there – there were rumours and gossip, but it never disturbed our area. Then one day we felt it burning all around us. Anger. Hatred. On all sides were mobs, bombs, guns. My heart started to pump fear, not blood. Fear tingled up my legs into my chest. Fear was the only reality. I remember that sleep wouldn't come. Adrenalin was racing through my body. But God has filtered the details and taken them to Himself. So I can’t tell you all about that night, only that I know what it's like to be very, very scared and for God to cover us with His wings, protecting me and every other person in the house.

People say 'Don't store up your treasure on earth.' Well, I try, but I've felt loss many times. I think if I went back to my street in Côte d'Ivoire, I might see girls wearing my now-tattered clothes and playing with my now-broken toys. I often try to ignore the fact that I left with only a few sets of clothes and some most beloved books.

England was an alien landscape. People confused me with their strange foreign ways but my teacher had grown up in Ghana and there were two other girls in my class with African backgrounds. We had a whale of a time!

At first I was ecstatic about coming back to Africa but the thought of leaving all my friends once again caused my lights to dim slightly. Now that I have arrived in Senegal I'm happy to be home – although I'll always be partial to the jungles of Côte d'Ivoire!

Oven Ready Church?

I'm really excited to see developments at church. There is a plan afoot for Wakefield Baptist Church - it is a fair trade shop (only slightly exciting) together with a new church plant (extremely exciting).

Here is part of the plan:

Linking in with other strategic partnerships which are in-line with God’s Global Village

Gatherings which feature post-modernal explorations of Christian faith and faith issues

Establish an accessible Christian Community

Actively serving Wakefield on Christ’s behalf. Eg. Street Angels (Brilliant initiative!)

The nature of the Christian Community will be defined by God’s desire for grace and justice and worked out through the lifestyle choices that the café and shop promote.

I've been reading stuff...

Some of it relevant. Terry Pratchett's "Going Postal" was a great book but not much of a help.

I scanned one book which looks fantastic: Roland Allen's "Spontaneous Expansion"

I've just finished Vincent Donovan's "Christianity Rediscovered" (oops! should only have read the first bit for Theology group!!) Couldn't put it down - I believe God chose a guy like him (A catholic priest) to shock us complacent evangelicals into re-thinking how church should be. A prophetic book. He was referring back to another prophet: Roland Allen.

Reflecting on Donovan I am left with some worries:

Things that could go wrong:

1. Christians will join the new plant (that is NOT church planting - it is church splitting). I would like to see that banned!
2. It will be shaped by the expectations of the planter/missionary rather than the new community
3. It will do "emerging church" (the fad), rather than "be" church emerging from the culture of the new believers (the spiritual roots of true emergent church)
   

Getting it right?

Probably partly down to:

1. Chosing the right planter/missionary
2. Having an exit strategy