The last day or so as a few last minute things came up. A friend needed a chat ‘last minute’ about something, Radio Kent needed an interview as a well known local bishop needed to be elsewhere ‘last minute’. I joined Phil Green to talk about Essential, and for you early birds it will be broadcast at around 7.10 am on Sunday. I won’t be listening!

I have also been invited somewhere (which I may blog about tomorrow)as someone has dropped out ‘last minute’ and today I got to the train ‘last minute’ after a meeting in London to be able to get home in time.

Seems to me that last minute stuff can be quite exciting if a little stressful and surprising.

This morning we met in a noisy room in the middle of London. There was no air conditioning so the windows were open. We were asked to still ourselves and cut out the noise of the traffic, the noise of the fans … etc. etc.

That was ok for most people, but to be honest I feel that, for me, at the moment I am meeting and seeing God in the noise and the busy-ness of life. I am meeting God in the hassles of living a last minute.com lifestyle. I love silence and retreat; but at this moment in my journey I am being challenged and inspired by experiencing the lastminute.com expression of God.

I must also add here, as a personal opinion, or rather a question … why is it that we have come to believe that the best way of experiencing God is in ‘the still small space’? Surely we can also experience God inthe vibrancy of a 21st century urban lifestyle – if not then what hope is there for many of us?

In many ways it is easier, getting used to last minute means I do not need to worry about (lack of) patience.

Tomorrow I am off to London again, so more last minute lifestyle stuff!

I blogged earlier in the year here after spending a day in Maidstone with Brian McLaren.

The mp3s of his talks and the Power Point presentations can now be downloaded from the website. I’d be quick if interested as I’m not sure how long they will be there for.

I joined with around 100 others yesterday from across London to meet in the Booby Moore Suite at Upton Park to launch the Global Day of Prayer for London.

The plan is to fill Upton Park stadium on the afternoon of May 27th with Christians from all across London (and wider) to pray for the city and the nation. A prayer initiative for London, London Prayer Net has been established for some time, but this will raise the bar. Raising the bar always involves risk, and holding an event like this will be, and is , a risk.

We heard from the Bishop of Barking who shared his excitement for this event coming from the East End, only a few years away from when it will be staging the Olympics. Pastor Jonathan from Glory House also shared his vision of seeing the whole of Wembley filled with Christians praying for the nation – now that would be something to be part of.

The buzz present today was one of excitement and support for the vision. As well as church leaders there were a number of organisations present, united in a shared belief that God wants to transform our nation and that to bring that about we need to be praying together for our nation.

Today was an exciting day, and a day when we were challenged again on the importance of the mystery of prayer.

We need to remember the bereaved, lonely and struggling today in our prayers.

I’m not sure whether to laugh or to cry!
Click here and you will see what I mean!
Saw this first over at Matt’s.

After the events of the past few days I have started to think differently. A few weeks ago, if asked, I would have said ‘Yes, Blair needs to go as soon as possible and Gordon should take over the party!’

Reading the press and seeing the events of the last few days unfold has been interesting to say the least. I find myself asking who is engineering what, who hopes to achieve what, who will ultimately lose out, and what is going to happen.

Saturday’s Guardian tells me that half the country want Blair out, so Blair needs to resign. That’s an understandable, but interesting and not necessarily accurate, interpretation to put on that particular statistic. 50% wanting Blair to go has the obvious unspoken statistic attached. The other 50% either are not interested, not bothered, or want Blair to stay! In light of some or all of this, Blair is quite right to stay in office for the moment, as half the people dis-satisfied is, actually, not a majority against him.

I have been disappointed this week by the actions of some. My confidence in Brown as a successor has been wiped out! He has time to change that, but I look forward to casting my vote in the leadership election of the party that takes pride in ‘one member, one vote’.

I hope that over the next few weeks we will see a different display; a display of integrity, strong leadership and people uniting behind what they stand for and believe, rather than being self-protective and worrying about how others might perceive them.

Just strikes me – I’m mot sure whether than hope is expressed towards the party or to the church, or both!

A really great weekend.
A weekend of highlights.
A weekend of family and friends.
Friday evening I received an unexpected bit of praise – a highlight because it was a surprise and set the tone for the rest of the weekend.
It’s amazing how a little bit of praise in such a way can have such a good effect!
Visiting a friend in hospital was a ‘joy’ and even better to hear that he was released a little while after I left on Friday!
Saturday was a cool time. Some of my personal supporters came to a BBQ and it was just fun to catch up with everyone in a relaxed atmosphere – a real highlight which does not get repeated enough. Lots of laughing, food and wine!
The weather has been fantastic!
Gillingham won their first away match, despite being down to 10 men for more than half the match.
Weymouth are still doing well in the conference!

Today lunch in the noodle bar with Landmark – always a good occasion for food and fun!

but … by far the funniest moment of the weekend was seeing Johnny Vegas as you have never seen him before! If you missed this in the Guardian at the weekend, prepare yourself before going here! Made me laugh! I wonder what Demi thinks?!

I have just finished reading Pete Rollins ‘How (not) to Speak of God‘ in just 2 days. It’s rare for me to read a theology book in such a short space of time. True, the book is only 137 pages long but I thoroughly enjoyed this read as well as be challenged by the content in such a way that I did not wish to put the book down. The best way I can describe it is a great theology book written in the style of a thriller where you just need to read the next chapter!

After reading, in fact during, I feel my mind has been challenged to re-think how I am a Christian (or how I am becoming a Christian), and my soul has been awoken and nourished in a way it has not for a little while. Quite often my mind shouted a silent yes as I agreed with Pete’s words; such as

what is important about revelation is not that we seek to interpret it in the right way but rather that we all love it and are transformed by it.

we do not do theology, but rather are overcome and transformed by it (easy to lose sight of as a student!)

we cannot grasp God, not because God is absent, but rather because God is always given in excess of our ability to grasp.

These are but 3 gems in a treasure chest of mind blowing challenge. In case you had not guessed I love this book!

In short, this is all about ‘how’ rather than ‘what’.

I have been brought up in a wing of the church that strongly emphasises the importance of what we believe. Rollins suggests what is key is how we believe. Believing in the right way and practicing in the right way are tantalising re-interpretations of orthodox and orthopraxis. How our belief changes us, how our practice allows us to be Jesus, how we show an increasing radical love as our search for God transforms our whole being and existence.

I’m going to need to dwell and reflect more on what I have read, and what this means for me. This may mean I blog more on this at a later date. If others have read it I would be interested in your thoughts.

I heard from Chris yesterday that he and Cassie got engaged at the weekend.

This is such excellent news, very exciting and they are a top couple!

I’m really looking forward to seeing them sometime soon.

On this side of the country I will be praying for sun as we hold a BBQ for those wonderful people that are my personal supporters and support us financially.

On the other side of the country, my good friends Annie and Phil, who run CSUK will be praying for waves on the north Devon coast for the Jesus Surf Classic.

I had the pleasure of working with Phil and Annie when we worked as youth worker for Holy Trinity church in Nailsea. It’s incredibly exciting to see how they have deveoped CSUK and the fun they are having by ‘simply being on a mission’.

Phil writes:

Dear All – Its that time of year again, the Jesus Surf Classic is on this weekend. We would value your prayers for the following subjects :
For Waves
For good weather
For Safety
For relationships with the non Christian Surfers,
Press and Spectators
For Safety and good vibes in the water
For key positions to be filled
For finances to come through to help run the event
Unity amongst over 100 in the helping team

At the bottom of this note you will see the ‘Surf Forecast update’ God is bigger than a surf forecast, but once again we will be putting ‘OUR FAITH ON THE LINE’ – Please join with us and praying for a Surf miracle, as we need surf for both days all through

Thank for all your ongoing support as we enter our biggest ‘Outreach’ weekend

Currently the forecast is ‘flat’ so please pray!