I just finished reading The Shape of Things to Come. I like to finish books later than everyone else and listen to their comments as I read and take on board what is being said as I digest for myself the words and ideas coming off the page.

I am really excited and find myself resonating with a large chunk of what Frost and Hirsch say, and I think I will be blogging in installments over a few days maybe.

I particularly resonate with the view that ‘the medium is the message’. By this, they mean basically that WE are the message! Our very lives, our daily existence, is our message.

I guess this is the age old ‘your actions speaking louder than words’ stuff which we all know is true. Sometimes, though, we forget. I think it is more than actions, it is lifestyle and I have had a few chats with Sarah about this recently.

When someone says they are an athlete we have some idea of how they are different to us. If we think of Kelly Holmes, I know that while I am tucked up in bed she is training early in the morning. While I am eating curry and drinking Cobra on a Friday night, she is stocking up on carbohydrates for her Saturday race. What she is determines who she is and we all see the difference in her lifestyle to ours.

I was chatting to Sarah and asking whether our neighbours see us as being any

different to them. My neighbours know I am a Gillingham football fan as on a Saturday I leave, with Tom, kitted in a footie shirt waving my season ticket around. What I do stands out and is different. The observant ones would know I read the Guardian, and from particular posters at certain times of the year they know I vote Labour. What I do stands out and is different.

They see me go to church on Sunday – but I ask whether that is different enough. I have been challenged by this statement of message and medium.

The really exciting thing about us being the message is that God chooses to partner with us wherever we are and through whatever we do. Rather than a guilt trip that I may have put us all on a little while ago, the real question we should be asking ourselves is:

Can we join with God in his mission in whatever place we find ourselves?

I was brought up to believe that it was my task to take God to people, to my community. For a few years now I have felt this was actually wrong and quite unbiblical. I found myself thinking how bizarre it was to be actually thinking I could take God into a world which he, and she, (another blog post for another time when I feel in a particularly provoking mood!!)had created.

It was so good to see someone else thinking the same and drawing attention to the same. I agree with Frost and Hirsch, God is already there in the world. We do not need to lead people to God as such, God is already wooing them. What we need to do is join in that mission of wooing people to God.

This is where the exciting bit comes – to join this wooing we need to be joining God in the places where he is working. Places where the church would normally keep well away from, but places where we need to join with God to meet people.

In the relevant chapter, Hirsch and Frost give an example of John Smith, an Australian evangelist leading a stripper to Christ in her strip club. They then ask the question: was God in that strip club? There is, of course, only one answer. And if God is in that strip club was it right for John to be there? Again, there is only one answer!

Sometimes we think God is only in certain places, but he is everywhere and we need to have the courage to join him in mission were he leads us. I don’t think I could join God in a strip joint; I think I am weak enough to be distracted, but John wasn’t. Is that a mission field for others?

The important thing is, I think, that we have the courage to join God where he is, to look outside our boxes to see where we can join him. Is there some kind of precedent for this? – come to think of it, around 2000 years ago there was a bloke who hung around with drunkards, robbers, prostitutes and really offended the religious leaders of the day – he paid the price for it though!

Saw this on Maggi’s blog and it made me laugh.

How true some statements can be!

Now Sir Bob is joining the meeting tomorrow in Trafalgar Square. Afterwards they are joining the finance ministers. Let us be praying that they are not only given a good reception but that their thoughts and words will be listened to and results in a change of policy that really does result in making poverty history.

Could this really be history in the making?

It looks like Jamelia is now joining the trafalgar Square meeting for a one off gig in honour of Nelson Mandela.

Jamelia says:

“I certainly hope that thousands of people take an early lunch break this Thursday and join me in Trafalgar Square to witness Nelson Mandela’s support for the Make Poverty History Campaign. It is a true honour to be able to perform at this momentous occasion, not only for a man I greatly admire and respect, but also for the UK public and fans around the world”

Adrian Lovett of the Make Poverty History coalition said:

“The excitement about Mr Mandela’s visit is growing all the time. We’ve been overwhelmed by the numbers of people saying they want to see him at Trafalgar Square. When he delivers his tough message to the world’s most powerful decision makers, thousands of voices will be cheering him on”.

More details here

I share today’s reading from Celtic Daily Prayer, which is from Michael Quoist’s Prayers of Life

Lord, you seized me and i could not resist you

I ran for a long time, but you followed me.

I took by-paths, but you knew them.

You overtook me. I struggled. You won.

Here I am, Lord, out of breath, no fight left in me,

And I have said ‘yes’ almost unwillingly.

When I stood there trembling

like one defeated by his captor,

Your look of love fell on me.

The die is cast, Lord, I can no longer forget you.

In a moment you seized me,

In a moment you conquered me.

My doubts were swept away, my fears dispelled.

Nothing matters to me,

neither my comfort nor even my life.

I desire only you, I want nothing but you.

Today I was invited to the second meeting of the Forum for Change at the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.

‘The Forum for Change is a network of agencies who are working for change in the UK and any church or originsation can participate that has a passion for transformation’. The vision is to create an environment where we can all work together, having a stronger voice, less duplication and so maximize our impact on the nation.

This originally came from a dream to see the nation transformed again by Christian values of respect, integrity, love and trust.

The vision is great – but I find myself wondering if it is achievable.

There was a lot of talk of reclaiming and a lot of talk about how the reformation transformed this country which resulted in the growth of our civilisation and practices as we know them today.

We were reminded that the reformation resulted in people learning to read the bible for themselves, learning to think for themselves and so becoming individuals with the right to question and challenge. We were also reminded that the reformation resulted in the end of slavery and the access of mass education to all.

It was suggested that evangelicals could, again, dictate the agenda as Wilberforce and Shaftesbury had in the past. It was believed that just like then we could positively influence art, the media, politics and education.

How could we do this – we need to know our enemy, pick our battles and be strategic. We do not know who our enemies are and so we need to look out for them. It was also suggested that to transform the country we need to challenge and put God back on the agenda.

I want to see this country transformed – I would love to see the UK seen again as the honest trading nation with a the backbone of Christian morals. I a not sure that this will work with ideas being expressed today.

Much of what I heard was good – but there seemed to be a partial memory. Yes, evangelicals were at the forefront of transformational change. There are, however, instances of where evangelicals have upheld injustices. Institutional racism, sexism, homophobia – these are just three that I believe evangelicals could be considered as upholding currently.

Before we can start to influence, I wonder if we need to repent. Actually, today, two people from the Shaftesbury Society said as much. The church needs to repent for the wrong it has done in the past and, I believe, for the lack of love it is showing to the marginalised, the poor and to those from different traditions.

In addition I heard no comments or suggestions that reminded us that at the time of the reformation people were presented with Christian belief or no belief. The 21st century UK now has all the major world religions and many others. The voice of Jesus is but one voice amongst many. This in itself needs to be taken on board as a major factor when we look to transform the nation. We cannot just believe a second reformation will transform our nation!

I have a lot of questions – mainly on the practicalities of being able to work together and whether organsations have the guts to adopt a kingdom view and work together, pooling resources and dropping stuff for the good of others. I don’t think that will happen without a fight – but I don’t think we can transform without that kind of commitment.

I did, however, leave inspired. There are a lot of issues and a lot of difficulties, but God brought together around 100 ‘senior’ leaders from churches and organisations to actually talk to each other about how we might work together to transform this nation. That on its own should be seen as a miracle. I do not believe that could have happened only a couple of years ago.

Maybe, as Joel Edwards and the steering group of the Forum believe, there is a move and prompting of the Holy Spirit in this. The issues I have and outlined above are human issues and I fully accept God can sort them if he chooses to.

Transformation of this nation – now wouldn’t that really be great!

On Thursday, at noon, Nelson Mandela is talking in support of the Make History Poverty Campaign inTrafalgar Square. The details are here.

I hope to be able to get there – be good to catch up with any others who intend going.

Today I feel let down and with that I carry a great hurt. The pain is quite tangible, I feel like I have been stabbed in the gut, punched in the head and kicked to the ground.

For years we have invested in a person, been there to pray, been available to chat, shared our family, supported as much as we could, encouraged as much as we could.

Now we have been kicked in the teeth. Now the truth has been twisted. Now we have been labeled. Now we draw back. The person had a small issue and could not even face us with it, after 10 years of friendship! We were acting out of love, but I am confused by this reaction.

If this was a developing young person I think I would cope as you kind of expect to take 3 steps forward and 2 back. But this is a Christian adult who has been to my house on many occasions and who we thought of as a friend. Maybe they still think they are, but friends do not do that. Friends don’t complain about you to someone else. Friends are honest. Friends are direct with you. I wonder whether the friendship ever really existed. Was it always one-sided?

My words can’t express the anger, hurt, betrayal and sense of injustice that I feel.

I do fear the friendship will never be the same again.

I do fear I will now, for a while, be more guarded in choosing friends.

I do fear that won’t be able to be ‘Christian’ to this person when I see them next.

I ask ‘Why did I bother?’

I’m thinking ‘Maybe next time it will work better.’

written Tuesday 25th Jan

I wrote the above a few days ago – and it has been in draft wondering whether I should post or not. As I write this I am still wondering on that question. If I do, it will part of a cathartic process for me along with my underlying reason for keeping this blog and no other reason. I keep this blog for me, so I can reflect back over the year(s) and see what makes me tick, and how I have changed through my encounters with God, people and experiences. I guess the above reflects an encounter with a person which could result in a change in my behaviour or character, so I probably should post.

A few days later I feel that I should not have been so surprised. As Christians, Jesus warned us that we would be slated, hurt, put upon – and by those close to us. The cause of a lot of stress for Christians is, err …, other Christians! Why get stressed over stuff that God says is going to happen anyway! Seems mad when put like that.

I think if I change too much from how I work, and try to protect myself from others, that I would lose my style of ministry. I work through vulnerability. I have no desire to make a name, and to be honest if I really analyse my motive, I don’t really give a toss what people think of me. My motivation, my passion, my central drive in life is to see Jesus impact on me and on people (and probably selfishly in that order!); and to see peoples lives changed by an encounter with God. The way I have a little part in this is to make myself vulnerable and get alongside people and point out God to them or challenge them.

This means I will be slapped again – oh deep joy with fluffiness!!!!!! But I am going to carry on in that vulnerability, because through it I know that I will see God doing great things with people. Anyway, I don’t know any other way to work!

Today I have seen a different side of my son. I am always proud of Thomas but today my proud feelings shoot through the roof.

This morning he did not get the news he was hoping for regarding schools next year, but he has been ringing friends and congratulating them! He was a little upset to start with but then remembered that he had asked God to sort out the best school for him and send him to the school where God wanted to use him. I find that quite exciting.

I know I am biased but I am convinced that God has a big plan for Tom. He has so many gifts at just 11 and he has a great desire to tell others about Jesus. I’m not surprised, all of our children are gifts from God and when we were waiting for Tom to arrive we prayed that God would bless him with gifts of evangelism – and he has!

I’m proud of you mate and love you loads!

Last night (Friday) I visited Glory House in Plaistow in the East End of London. This was a meeting for the youth leaders of Newham to get together to chat about what they could do together. Roy and I were there just to listen and make comments if appropriate. I never realised as I went, but this was the first time these people were getting together. That in itself was exciting.

Glory House itself is a wonderful church. I’m guessing it must be one of the largest churches in the UK, seeing around 2000 people over 2 services on a Sunday. Pastor Jonathan,one of the church leaders, who I met was very gracious, enthusiastic, and switched on to God. All that you would expect of a Pentecostal pastor – and more. IT really was a real privilege to meet him.

I arrived early and followed the noise to where I thought the event must be. I walked in on the youth group prayer meeting! They pray every Friday night and experiencing their prayers was both humbling and encouraging. It was simply an amazing experience. There were about 20 of them, all crying out to God, all asking him to act, all expecting him to act – I do not think they had heard of quiet, reserved prayer. This prayer meeting was livelier than a lot of worship service I have been to. I am sure many of us could learn from these young people who so obviously had an active prayer life with God.

While I was waiting for the meeting to start, I met Liz who has a great vision for Newham. She lives in the borough and has taken a year out after A levels to support things happening in Newham schools. She has a particular dream to have prayer groups in schools.

As well as Jonathan and Liz, I met lots of other wonderful dedicated and enthusiastic people who are committed to seeing Newham transformed with Christ.

It was a great way to spend a Friday evening. I don’t know what it is about Newham, but every time I visit there I feel a ‘buzz’. I’m sure the people of Newham are about to see some very exciting things happen. I’m really looking forward to the next time that I can visit.