Today I was the YFC representative at The Forum for Change.

This is a network of people, under the banner of EA and Joel Edwards, that is seeking to work together to bring transformation in the country through the arts, politics, business, education and media. A tall and ambitious order, but one that intrigues me which is why I have attended the annual meetings for the last 3 years.

Today our key note speaker was Lord Michael Hastings. He challenged people there and it was good to hear his words spoken in the environment it was spoken in this morning.

He challenged us to think about what is vital to our faith. What is vital to us? What is vital for people today? His answer was happiness. He quoted that happy people live 16 years longer than those who are miserable. He reminded us that we, as a nation, are prospering economically, but that we suffer from unhappiness.

He challenged an end to ambition, both personal and organisational.

He then challenged us to look at the Bible and find out how we could bring happiness, and that was by getting our hands dirty. People are attracted by rumours of angels, evidence of God working, not new projects or personal ambition of evangelicals, he said.

None of this is new, but in the setting with the people there who love projects, their organisations, and maybe even their popularity (not necessarily a bad thing) I think it was fresh new words.

He ended with an encouragement:

‘Aslan’s coming – it won’t always be winter!’

We were left with 5 questions which I leave you with:

1. Are you disappointed and frustrated?
2. If you could do it all again, personally and organisationally with the collective resources; would you do the same again?
3. If you had to step outside your comfort zone of work and church and work without the backing and recognition of others … would you be able to stand?
4. How competitive, ambitious and craving are you; and how much does this hinder you?
5. Have you been touched by the fantastic ever?

Comments?