Category Archives: ministry

Bitten off more than I can chew …?

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It’s 2am and I’m staring at the screen thinking I should go to bed but also wanting to get some things done as I’m wondering how I am going to fit in writing up and finishing off activities for 3 retreats, writing some assignments (well reading for them would be start!), following up some YFC pastoral issues, supporting the school I’m a governor at, planning a service for Love Gillingham and plenty of other things.

The problem is I have been away this week, I am away most of next week leading a retreat and the weekend is a SEITE training weekend. I have a distinct feeling of sickness thinking stuff just ain’t gonna get done.

I’m feeling that I read this weeks Quotes for Today too late this week:

Your capacity to say “No” determines your capacity to say “Yes” to greater things.

E. Stanley Jones

ah well … I’m off to bed to sleep on it!

mixed day

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I’ve met up with some special people today, all of whom are important to me in their various roles, but more importantly as friends.
Lunch in the noodle bar with Malcolm to hear dreams for Gillingham YFC. It does not seem like we started this over 10 years ago, and its exciting to see Mal taking this off in a fresh direction. I have the pleasure of speaking at their 10 year AGM later this week.
Drinking tea with Jean Kerr while talking about where I am and dream some more about my pioneering future. It’s always good to touch base with Jean as she always has a knack of bringing me back to earth!
Drinking more tea with John Saunders and talking about funerals and baptisms to fulfill the final bits of requirement to tick certain boxes …. or do I mean for my ministerial formation?! Time hearing and learning from John’s wisdom is always valuable.

The low of the day was finding out I need to spend £150+ to stop the weird noise the car is making, but at least it is nothing too serious. I was hoping to get a major service this month and replace some tyres before the MOT at the start of April … guess the service will have to wait! I hate cars – but annoyingly I can’t do this job without mine.

Tomorrow, however, I can use the train as I am honoured to be invited to the service to commemorate the bicentennary of the abolition of the slave trade act in Westminster Abbey. I’m representing YFC and not been inside the Abbey before so quite looking forward to it. Apparantly it’s broadcast live on the BBC, so if you look closely…

Ali’s 65th .. will and skill

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This week one of my hero’s celebrated his 65th birthday.
Muhammad Ali was 65 on Wednesday.
Great entertainer, great sportsman and who will ever forget the awesome sight of him climbing the steps of Olympia to light the Olympic Flame in 1996.
Ali has also said some interesting things over the years, and the BBC have set up an Ali quotes page.

I’ve been thinking a little about champions recently and was interested in this Ali quote:

Champions aren’t made in gyms, champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

The will must be stronger than the skill.

Seems to me today that even in church circles, there are a lot of people who have the skill but not the will.
I meet people who could be ‘champions for Christ’, running the race before them … they have all they need, but they lack the will, the desire is great but it seems to be far outweighed in their minds by the cost. They want the privilege and excitement of ministry, but are not willing to pay the cost, live in the territory that comes along as part of that ministry.

On the other hand I meet different people. People who give up secure jobs to follow their dream, people who wonder where the next pay cheque is coming from even though they could get a good job in the city, people I cry with as they count the cost of what they are doing for God which does mean missing out, economising, being criticised, being taken for a ride … I could go on.

I think the latter group are champions.
They have the skill and the will.
But the will is stronger than the skill.