A number of interesting things have been happening in the pub which I have been hanging out in in my dog collar. It’s amazing me more and more what God is seeming to start to do through a willingness to be in the same place wearing a dog collar.

One day this week I was plunged into a depth that took me outside my comfort zone. I was getting ready to leave. I saw a bloke I had not seen before heading for the exit when he saw me, turned around, knelt next to the sofa I was sitting in and started to weep as he shared stuff that he was guilty about. It was an uncomfortable, but sacred, moment.

I felt uncomfortable. I was conscious lots of people were watching this man but it was a privilege to sit there and listen. I did not offer stuff to fix the situation (I wanted to but was lost for words!) and this seemed to be the right thing for this guy. I simply listened and then went for a walk with him outside. I hope I meet him again sometime.

Other things are also happening – I have been asked to pray for people, a guy in his late 70’s has cancer in the pancreas and is having an operation at the weekend – his brother asked me to pray as there is a chance he will die on the operating table. Please join me in praying for this man and his brother.

I used to go in and wonder what I was achieving by being here – but now it seems that someone talks about something nearly every day – it is truly amazing! I have even been asked (jokingly!!!) by a woman if I would marry her and her boyfriend after she gets him drunk enough to say yes!!!

There is a mix of humour and seriousness which I think helps people to kind of break the ice. I think people want to talk, want to worship, are looking for answers but are not sure how to approach churches and people in churches because the church has a history of retreating from culture, particularly the places I hand out in.

The other week I reflected on people not wanting to enter the sanctuary becasue they felt they were not good enough, or that the place was too special to step into. Soem would have us believe that people cannot sense, and neither are they interested in, the spiritual anymore.

These experiences lead me to think this is not the case.

This may be all small stuff but it is encouraging stuff and stuff that seems to show that God is indeed working in his world – and that people are sensing that but not sure what to do about it. As ‘church’ I think we need to think more about how we can help people in that discovery.