Christian Soldiers: Soul Martyrs

Today I heard on the radio and subsequently saw on the internet the story of Gayle Williams who has been shot by the Taliban. her alledged crime was 'Spreading Christianity'. Her Christian humanitarian work for the charity 'Serve Afghanistan' was offerred to all regardless of religion or nationality. A spokesman for the charity said 'God loves people so we love people'. That was what cost Gayle her life: her love for mankind.

Just a matter of months ago Colonel Bo Brekke was gunned down in his office shortly after taking part in a worship service. The story goes that he was killed for taking a principled stand - the case is yet to be tried.

These two individuals - and countless others - driven by the gospel call to serve all of mankind have paid the true cost and gained their reward: 'To live is Christ and to die is gain' (Philippians 1:21). Both can be rightly and properly called Christian Soldiers and martyred because of God's guidance upon their soul. No one would want these deaths to occur. Not one person wants another to suffer in the name of Christ - but his living and teaching always let his followers know that the road would not be smooth. For those of his followers whose lives are easy the example of Bo Brekke and Gayle Williams serves to remind each one of us - today is the day we serve Christ. It will be costly to be a disciple and the company of followers gone before who have died in spiritual combat deserve our remebrance of their suffering as an inspiration for our sacrificial serve.

Thank God for our Soul Martyrs - Well done good and faithful servants.

What a weekend!

No not partying 'til I drop but following that sometimes narrow road up to the Caithness Coast, spending time with my boys and lovely wife who is thankfully getting stronger by the day although tiring very quickly.
Spending time with good people and remembering that experience is no preparation for personal pain particularly when someone is taken from us - their earthly life coming to an end their eternal life continuing but those who have ministered to them as friends are left with real pain and the challenge of continuing in relevant ministry, yet our God who calls home is the same God who equips for the day to day ministry of caring that continues. A new friend of mine is in my prayers as he faces the prospect of ongoing care for family members as well as pastoral care for others around the fellowship.
Having thought a lot about death in recent days I am now convinced more than ever of God's overall control and our utter helplessness in the face of that plan so that our faith is all we are left with - that and the knowledge that it is not until Jesus is all we have that we realise that he really is all we need.

Out of the (church) box.

In the last 24 hours I have spent time with someone church planting in Leeds, spent time talking with two barmaids in a pub in North Scotland and read an anti church rant from a fellow blogger - also had a son upset being told he was a failure by his teacher.

What is this about then?
The barmaids talked about what was great about their town - Elgin - and what wasn't, interested that we were thinking of 'doing something' in their area - and didn't step back when they realised I was from a church. In fact were very positive.
My companion on this trip was Andrew who is church planting in Leeds - he talked of the success and failures of his expereince - they were all grounded and realism and recognised that people within the church were challenged and challenging. Not everything has been sweetness and light and not much hypocrisy either.
The son who returned from school not only downhearted but scared and worried by the words of a teacher. Not a failure just someone who didn't fit in the box that they wanted him to fit in.
And my ranting blogger friend? again someone who feels that he doesn't fit in the church box and won't be squeezed to fit in either.

The church for me is something that is deliberatley non-conformist, counter cultrual, contrary and full of challenges - but it is something better belonged to rather than exited from because it's mighty difficult to change something from the outside.

Staying in the box is sometimes the most effective way of changing the shape of the box - and of those that share the space with us - as for people judging us - let them judge. God is my judge and him alone.

Pentecost in the Park

What a great day at my Corps yesterday, the worship was relevant and meaningful - at least it was to me - others felt the same and expressed it. Afterwards we all went to the local park and played games and chatted in the rain!! People around came and joined with us and when the rain was too heavy to stay out in we all went back to the hall - local families as well and played some frankly ridiculous games, drank tea and coffe and built something very special - relationships: within the fellowship and more especially with those who came with us from the community.
I really think it was a reflection of what the church is like when it's done properly - not being so precious about it's rituals and forms that it can't let it's hair down and do what the great commission says 'GO!'
I led evening worship - same building different congregation. They tell me it was a good service. We sat around tables and did theology together, we thought about unity of mind and spirit, we considered that the church is to be built only under the fire of the spirit and we can only have a part of that when we immerse ourselves in him. We prayed specifically for people that we wanted to come to know Jesus and we pledged to continue praying for those people both within and outwith the church. We even had a little fire in the building to demonstrate.

Oh and of course we ate!!

Camouflage

Took my children to a military museum for a camouflage day last week - the boys loved and the permanent staff were friendly and the day staff were very helpful.

It set me thinking as these things often do - what can I learn from this experience?

Firstly I considered the place of blending in with the rest of society - I suppose the missiological word would be 'enculturation' or something like that. Listening to the world and understanding it, not sticking out like sore thumb because your a Christian, that sort of thing - obviously you don't have to have camo paint on to do it - otherwise people would have real reason to thnk you were a nutter!

Secondly the purpose of blending in is, I think twofold, that people don't misjudge and mistrust us and also so that we can serve the individual s around us, build relationship with them by blending into their lives and backgrounds as well.

We probably want to call is incarnational living in 'Christian speak' but I prefer to think of it as just living in the world and witnessing faithfully to those around - not setting those who we have relationships with as projects - but being genuinely interested in their lives and well being to the point that we will unashamedly share Jesus with them.

It's sort of blending in so we can stand out.

Momentous Achievement

Well today was a spectacular day for me personally. It was the day that I received an e mail from Cliff College to tell me that my MA dissertation has been passed by the internal examiners. It has caused me to explore many things about my calling and about my relationships with others not least of all my friends - 'friendship and faith' being the subject of the dissertation.

Mission has been at the heart of this thinking. If I am not sharing faith with friends I am failing in my mission. If I have no friends who are as yet unsaved do I have a mission - I can't make friends as 'projects' to win and then be left to fend for themselves. Although that appears to be what many people do in the church (you'll need to read the full text to really get a grip on that one!!)

Through formal studies I have a renewed spirit myself and a renewed heart for mission and reaching out to the lost - some of whom are within the church.

So the family are now saying 'go on you've got to do the Doctorate' but I really can't see myself in a surgery saying 'take two paracetamol daily and your evangelism will be better within the month'

Oh well...

I never said it would be easy. I was warned by others. My expectations were raised then dashed without a care for my own feelings. What am I on about?... blogging of course!

I see so many people I know that blog away to their hearts content exercising a diligence in getting their thoughts onto the page with fluid expressions of feeling and astute and often witty comment (Gordon Cotterill on Boots '08 particularly so!) and yet I have had numerous false starts. This might be another one but hey - I guess I'm probably in the majority if that does turn out to be the case!!

I got into facebook in a real and meaningful way - met up with some people I haven't seen for years - fantastic! (I just have to stop joining groups that I don't really want to be in now) so why has blogging been so difficult for me? Maybe I'm just trying to be too clever when really I'm just a simple individual.

Anyway I'll keep trying...watch this space (although nothingmay occur!)