I met up with the London cluster of YFC directors today in the coffee shop of the British Library. It’s a pretty outstanding place and behind us there were thousands of books in glass cases representing hundreds of years of work. When we prayed for each other at the bottom of this glass case of history it struck me as a special moment signifying that at the root and base of all this history, research and talent was God – whether God is recognised or not does not alter that.

Later in the day I met up with Damien at the Sacred Cafe just off Carnaby Street – a good place to have a meting to talk about furthering our mission.

I had a great and amusing time with Lyndsay, the new director of Chislehurst YFC, today. We batted around her dreams and vision for the area and considered what we could do to reach young people.

My job is now to take her ideas and weave them int a mission plan with her so that it makes sense to the people she works with and for.

While in Lyndsay’s office I took this picture. She has this weird but nifty little button which does just what it says – opens the tea and coffee cupboard in the kitchen about 20 metres down the hall. Upstairs the equally creative person has installed electric window openers to the windows in the youth room. It’s quite bizarre really, but this creative guy has time on his hands and wants to make life easier for those working there.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a button to push when you just want something done. I want a button which fires people up for mission. Or a button which shocks people (Simpsons style) into seeing what God sees around them. I want a button that enables the rich to give and the poor to receive. Or a button which allows people to understand the ‘lifestyle is worship’ thing.

C’mon God … push the button!

I’ve returned frommy hectic little tour of the south west centres and friends.
It’s impossible to pick out highlights as all the centres are doing some really exciting stuff and I picked up some fresh ideas to share with other centres which is cool. Along with the excitement of mission, I also heard about the stresses and difficulties that inevitably come with the mission focus that we have. Stresses such as the need for money, the need for people, the need for understanding, the need for support, and so on. I must admit I got frustrated as I listened – not with my YFC friends but with God.

I don’t think we have a right to expect things, but why does God seem to be fairly succesful at calling people into mission but not so succesful at calling people to resource it? By that I mean we have hundreds of staff that have answered the call, left jobs, taken pay cuts, taken years out and so on. (I share that as an illustration and not to brag!)Despite this every church or mission agency that you can think of always needs money.

Each centre I visited has a need for financial and people resources. Last week I was looking at budgets at YFC and we need to trim them to balance the books. Despite this there are many Christians ‘out there’ in these towns that could make a significant difference by regularly giving money (as little as £10 per month!) to these centres. Many more could give more.

Why can’t, or won’t, people resource mission that they see others called to do?
Is it because they like their comfortable lifestyle?
Do they think those involved in the mission should get a real job?
Is it simply not important to them?

A shocking fact is that I know in some of those centres and churches I have been involved in that the biggest givers will be some of the staff themselves. When I directed Gillingham I know this was the case. So those called are paying themselves in effect as from the little they get paid they tithe to their centre or church!

This is not just a YFC thing – it’s the same in church – including Fresh Expressions and Emerging Church. Workers are struggling for finance to enable things to happen.
I can’t think of anything else to say but … ‘it’s not right!’ As a body with different tasks, some are blessed with teaching, preaching, pastoral or healing gifts while others are blessed with financial, prayer and encouraging gifts.

All parts of the body need each other to complete the task.

This is a good time for me to thnk my personal supporters – you know who you are – that read this as without you having sorted this ‘body thing’ out in your head I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing – so thank you.