I found this really helpful from John Piper:
Is the Holy Spirit under emphasized in Evangelical circles?
Sometimes we hear people say that the Holy Spirit is the "forgotten person," or that he has been ignored and that we need to bring the Holy Spirit back in full force.
I have been around long enough to know that there are seasons when the Holy Spirit is over attended to. And there also are seasons when he is under attended to.
If you are asking me about right now, I would say that he is probably under attended to somewhere, maybe in "young, reformed and restless circles" — or whatever this movement is called - especially as it concerns the fullness of the work of the Holy Spirit. Not his role in effectual calling, but his gifts. His necessity for powerful witness. 'Wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes upon you... You will receive the Holy Spirit and you will be my witnesses.' So maybe we are under emphasizing the necessity and the power of the Holy Spirit for witnessing.
Also, I was just thinking the other day that we downplay the work of Holy Spirit in terms of his varied gifts. This is under emphasized too much in our reformed churches, and in typical evangelical churches.
Here is an illustration. If you've been praying for a person, or maybe even for yourself, to be delivered from a sin or sickness and if that moral or physical issue hasn't yielded to your prayer for years, but you still struggle from the moral or physical ailment, there are a few things to consider.
One absolutely biblically correct factor to take into consideration is God's sovereign timing. He wants you to pray and he is going to answer you, but it may not be for 13 years. In David Mathis' teaching the other night on Psalms, he drew attention to the fact that Joseph was sold into slavery and didn't understand why he was going through tremendous pain for 13 years. But when he became the vice president of Egypt and saved the seed of the Messiah, it all became clear. "OK, now I get it Lord, I'm willing."
But at year 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... 11... 12... you are saying, "God I'm trying to be faithful and I get lied about. I get thrown in prison. What is up with your children being treated this way?"
Everybody has stuff like that in their life. And timing is one answer. What about gifts being another answer?
Here's what hit me the other day. If there are gifts of healing. If there are gifts of faith, gifts of miracles, gifts of discernment. That means some Christians are going to be granted answers to those prayers where others aren't. So maybe the reason I'm not getting the answer to my moral struggle or my physical struggle is because I haven't asked Jane to pray for me. And Jane has the gift of healing. Or Jane has the gift of discernment of spirits and can see something here that needs to be seen.
But I've locked myself in my closet, "God save me. God help me. God strengthen me. God deliver me!" And God is saying, "Uh... I have taught you about spiritual gifts and you don't ever avail yourself of them. Don't come complaining to me saying that I haven't responded to you when I have gifts waiting for you and you never open the package."
So I think that I could do better, and we can do better at that level.
So the answer is that in various groups, various ministries of the Holy Spirit are probably underrated and under emphasized.
So in what ways might we be missing out on the Spirit's ministry because we don't seek and ask? How about we make more of a point of sharing in our different groups (Core Groups and Life Groups) the needs that we have and see what gifts the Lord might be wanting to use to bring about His work?
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Back in the Saddle
My sabbatical and the family holiday which followed has been great.... life giving, energising, inspiring- all that it should have been and needed to be. Now it's time to re-engage and I can't wait.
Whilst away I saw the 10th anniversary of my induction to the pastorate at Lymington and I'm more committed and excited than ever about the work here. I'm gaining steam not losing it!
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do in us and through us as, together, we learn to love Him well and enjoy Him greatly.
Whilst away I saw the 10th anniversary of my induction to the pastorate at Lymington and I'm more committed and excited than ever about the work here. I'm gaining steam not losing it!
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do in us and through us as, together, we learn to love Him well and enjoy Him greatly.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Counterfeit Gods
I’ve really appreciated reading Tim Keller’s book Counterfeit Gods. It’s helped me to identify the idols in my own life, that is to say those things that I look to instead of God to give me what only He can give. But more than a personal challenge it’s helped me to understand how we might connect the message of the gospel to our friends who, in many ways, appear to enjoy better lives than we do as Christ followers. Published just as the financial markets crashed it couldn't have been more timely.
In a chapter that looks at the idol of power Keller talks about how we are unable to heal ourselves. Try as we might we need Another to heal our hearts so that we no longer look to power to give us the security, identity and purpose that God alone can give. The same could be said of every other idol (success, political ideology, beauty, the opinion of others, children, relationships, morality….), we need God to work in us to heal our addiction to false gods.
Keller uses an extract from CS Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to illustrate this superbly well. He writes:
One of the main characters (in the book) is a young boy named Eustace. He clearly had a lust for power but he expressed it in the mean and petty ways that only a schoolboy could; in teasing, torturing animals, tattling and ingratiating adult authorities.
One night Eustace found an enormous pile of treasure in a cave. He was elated and began to imagine the life of power and ease he would now have. When he woke, however, to his horror, he had turned into a hideous dragon. “Sleeping on a dragon’s hoard with greedy, dragonish thoughts in his heart, he had become a dragon himself.”
Becoming a dragon was “a cosmic natural consequence”. Because he thought like a dragon he had become a dragon. When we set our hearts on power we become hardened predators. We become like what we worship.
Eustace was now an enormously powerful being, far more powerful than he had ever dreamed, but he was also fearful, hideous, and completely lonely. This, of course, is what power for its own sake does to us. The shock of his transformation humbled Eustace and he longed to be a normal boy again. As his pride faded the idolatry in his heart began to be healed.
One night Eustace the dragon met a mysterious lion. The lion challenged him to “undress”, to try to take off his dragon skin. He managed to peel off a layer but found that he was still a dragon underneath. He tried repeatedly but made no further progress. The lion finally said:
“You will have to let me undress you.” I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.
The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off…he peeled the beastly stuff right off…and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I’d turned into a boy again.
The lion of the fairy tale, Aslan, represents Christ and the story bears witness to what all Christians have discovered, that idolatry – seeking to find our ultimate joy in something other than God (in Eustace’s case, his idol was power) – leads to spiritual and, more often than not, emotional and relational death. What’s more it points to the fact that we cannot save ourselves. Try as we might to modify our behaviour, as hard as we try to find our security and value in God we can't do it. We might see modest change but deep down we remain the same.....we need Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
However, as Keller points out, if we let the futile experience of chasing after other God’s humble us and we turn to Christ then out of death there can be resurrection. We can emerge, finally, fully human with a tender heart that is reoriented towards God. But….it’s a work of grace that He does as we yield ourselves to Him.
In a chapter that looks at the idol of power Keller talks about how we are unable to heal ourselves. Try as we might we need Another to heal our hearts so that we no longer look to power to give us the security, identity and purpose that God alone can give. The same could be said of every other idol (success, political ideology, beauty, the opinion of others, children, relationships, morality….), we need God to work in us to heal our addiction to false gods.
Keller uses an extract from CS Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to illustrate this superbly well. He writes:
One of the main characters (in the book) is a young boy named Eustace. He clearly had a lust for power but he expressed it in the mean and petty ways that only a schoolboy could; in teasing, torturing animals, tattling and ingratiating adult authorities.
One night Eustace found an enormous pile of treasure in a cave. He was elated and began to imagine the life of power and ease he would now have. When he woke, however, to his horror, he had turned into a hideous dragon. “Sleeping on a dragon’s hoard with greedy, dragonish thoughts in his heart, he had become a dragon himself.”
Becoming a dragon was “a cosmic natural consequence”. Because he thought like a dragon he had become a dragon. When we set our hearts on power we become hardened predators. We become like what we worship.
Eustace was now an enormously powerful being, far more powerful than he had ever dreamed, but he was also fearful, hideous, and completely lonely. This, of course, is what power for its own sake does to us. The shock of his transformation humbled Eustace and he longed to be a normal boy again. As his pride faded the idolatry in his heart began to be healed.
One night Eustace the dragon met a mysterious lion. The lion challenged him to “undress”, to try to take off his dragon skin. He managed to peel off a layer but found that he was still a dragon underneath. He tried repeatedly but made no further progress. The lion finally said:
“You will have to let me undress you.” I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.
The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off…he peeled the beastly stuff right off…and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I’d turned into a boy again.
The lion of the fairy tale, Aslan, represents Christ and the story bears witness to what all Christians have discovered, that idolatry – seeking to find our ultimate joy in something other than God (in Eustace’s case, his idol was power) – leads to spiritual and, more often than not, emotional and relational death. What’s more it points to the fact that we cannot save ourselves. Try as we might to modify our behaviour, as hard as we try to find our security and value in God we can't do it. We might see modest change but deep down we remain the same.....we need Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
However, as Keller points out, if we let the futile experience of chasing after other God’s humble us and we turn to Christ then out of death there can be resurrection. We can emerge, finally, fully human with a tender heart that is reoriented towards God. But….it’s a work of grace that He does as we yield ourselves to Him.
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Returning from Retreat
I’m on the train travelling back from being up North. When I say up North I’m talking proper North, not what I used to consider North – Birmingham – but like, north of Newcastle! I’ve spent a week pretty much on the Scottish border in the middle of absolute nowhere. In fact, we were so far north that at 10:50pm it was still light, I kid you not – proper North!
Anyway, I was spending a week at the “Mother House” of the Northumbria Community. The Community is a network of hugely diverse people, from different backgrounds, streams and edges of the Christian faith that’s committed in its desire to express an ongoing exploration into a new way of living for Christ that offers hope in the changed and changing culture of today's world. They’re inspired by, draw from and live in the spiritual tradition of monasticism with an identity rooted in the history and spiritual heritage of Celtic Northumbria and, whilst a dispersed community, they have a base (Mother House), Nether Springs, which is where I stayed.
I was there for a “Leadership School” for church leaders and it was some of the best leadership input I’ve received. However, unlike other retreats and conferences I’ve attended the twelve of us on the programme were actually part of the Community, living and sharing life with them including the regular Offices (set times of prayer) and chores.
Richard Foster right at the start of his ground breaking book Celebration of Discipline says that "superficiality is the curse of our age". I remember quoting this when I first arrived at LBC and talking about the need there is to live deeply. We skim over the surface of life as we move at break-neck speed and just as it’s impossible to create anything of any real value (a painting, a meal, a relationship…) whilst at Mach 2 we can’t cultivate life in God whilst moving so fast. I’m really aware of this issue in my own life and hence, not only a 12 week sabbatical, but a five day incarceration in this monastic community. To submit to a rhythm of prayer, reading, reflection, rest, work and even a couple of pilgrimages was a gift and I know it’s been hugely helpful.
The trick, of course, will be maintaining a healthy, biblical and life giving rhythm on my return to normality. But the whole point of what I’ve been exposed to this week has been keeping attentive to God in the ordinary….saying the “Midday Office” in the time it takes for a kettle to boil, acknowledging the grace of God not simply before a meal but before enjoying any of God’s good gifts (TV, chess, watching a play, reading a newspaper, taking a bath), detecting grace in a bit of banter over washing up….that’s the real issue, noticing, trusting and enjoying God in the whole of life.
Anyway, I was spending a week at the “Mother House” of the Northumbria Community. The Community is a network of hugely diverse people, from different backgrounds, streams and edges of the Christian faith that’s committed in its desire to express an ongoing exploration into a new way of living for Christ that offers hope in the changed and changing culture of today's world. They’re inspired by, draw from and live in the spiritual tradition of monasticism with an identity rooted in the history and spiritual heritage of Celtic Northumbria and, whilst a dispersed community, they have a base (Mother House), Nether Springs, which is where I stayed.
I was there for a “Leadership School” for church leaders and it was some of the best leadership input I’ve received. However, unlike other retreats and conferences I’ve attended the twelve of us on the programme were actually part of the Community, living and sharing life with them including the regular Offices (set times of prayer) and chores.
Richard Foster right at the start of his ground breaking book Celebration of Discipline says that "superficiality is the curse of our age". I remember quoting this when I first arrived at LBC and talking about the need there is to live deeply. We skim over the surface of life as we move at break-neck speed and just as it’s impossible to create anything of any real value (a painting, a meal, a relationship…) whilst at Mach 2 we can’t cultivate life in God whilst moving so fast. I’m really aware of this issue in my own life and hence, not only a 12 week sabbatical, but a five day incarceration in this monastic community. To submit to a rhythm of prayer, reading, reflection, rest, work and even a couple of pilgrimages was a gift and I know it’s been hugely helpful.
The trick, of course, will be maintaining a healthy, biblical and life giving rhythm on my return to normality. But the whole point of what I’ve been exposed to this week has been keeping attentive to God in the ordinary….saying the “Midday Office” in the time it takes for a kettle to boil, acknowledging the grace of God not simply before a meal but before enjoying any of God’s good gifts (TV, chess, watching a play, reading a newspaper, taking a bath), detecting grace in a bit of banter over washing up….that’s the real issue, noticing, trusting and enjoying God in the whole of life.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
It's Been a While!
Well it's been a while since the last post and it isn't because not much has happened, quite the opposite. Let me mention some of the highlights now and over the next few weeks I hope to pick up on some of the detail.... so, what's been really good?
Attending a day seminar with Dallas Willard. This guy is one of the leading writers on spiritual formation (how we become more like Jesus) in our day. He loves Jesus and when he's not writing books he's a professor of philosophy at a state university in the USA. A very bright guy who said some extremely useful stuff - much of it I have to say went over my head. I got the impression that if you asked an awkward question he could just prove your non-existence! Glad he's on our team though...
Reading Adrian Warnock's book Raised with Christ. Great to think for a bit about how the resurrection impacts everything. Previously I'd had a far too narrow understanding of its implications but this book has really helped me to see I'd missed quite a lot!
Listening to a guy who used to be a senior manager with John Lewis and is now Director of Hospitality and Welcoming at Birmingham Cathedral. He was leading a day for the Baptist Union on welcoming and integrating newcomers to church. Some really helpful stuff not least the sobering statistic that in a survey conducted for the C of E 92% of all the people who go to church for the first time never return because they don't feel welcome........exactly!
Spending the day with Mark Mitchell in Chester. Mark runs three car dealerships with an annual turnover of £35million, he's got 100 staff (with the lowest turnover in the business) and is one of the most successful operators in the industry. He also loves Jesus and runs his business accordingly. It was quite amazing to see him in action, to sit in on meetings, to meet some of his managers and to have the opportunity of asking a multitude of questions. I hope to write more about this visit but suffice it to say that the overwhelming impression was that Mark was a Pastor to his people - staff and clients.
Visiting St Mary's, Upton (Wirral) for their monthly "Sundays at 7" service. For the last 6 years the pretty ordinary, traditional church has run an incredible monthly event to strengthen believers and reach seekers. The format is simple; glass of wine, special guest (this month they had Henry Olonga, the international cricketer) who is interviewed, presentational music and high, high quality everything (sound, video, lighting, publicity). It's so simple and very effective.
Meeting Andy Hawthorne, CEO of The Message Trust in Manchester. The work this organisation does is truly transformational as they take the gospel to the most difficult to reach young people and the toughest housing estates in the city. Again this was another opportunity to quiz a Christian leader about vision, faith, and leadership.
Spending time with Graeme Skinner, the vicar of St Mary's, Upton, and asking about his experience of leading a local church. He's a wise man who's leadership has changed in recent years through an experience of significant loss.
Having lunch with Russ Lowman, a full time elder with Church Central, an NFI church in Birmingham. Again, great to be able to talk church leadership and share some best practice. They're doing some great stuff in the city and it was really useful to hear some of the story.
Receiving regular spiritual direction from David Hugget. He's helping me to reflect on some of the issues raised as I visit places, read books and meet people. I'm really grateful to him.
Enjoying a week with the family during half term. Two sets of friends came to visit plus we had a day on the Island.
So hopefully that gives you a bit of a taster. Much food for thought!! Please pray I continue to keep attentive during this privileged season.
Attending a day seminar with Dallas Willard. This guy is one of the leading writers on spiritual formation (how we become more like Jesus) in our day. He loves Jesus and when he's not writing books he's a professor of philosophy at a state university in the USA. A very bright guy who said some extremely useful stuff - much of it I have to say went over my head. I got the impression that if you asked an awkward question he could just prove your non-existence! Glad he's on our team though...
Reading Adrian Warnock's book Raised with Christ. Great to think for a bit about how the resurrection impacts everything. Previously I'd had a far too narrow understanding of its implications but this book has really helped me to see I'd missed quite a lot!
Listening to a guy who used to be a senior manager with John Lewis and is now Director of Hospitality and Welcoming at Birmingham Cathedral. He was leading a day for the Baptist Union on welcoming and integrating newcomers to church. Some really helpful stuff not least the sobering statistic that in a survey conducted for the C of E 92% of all the people who go to church for the first time never return because they don't feel welcome........exactly!
Spending the day with Mark Mitchell in Chester. Mark runs three car dealerships with an annual turnover of £35million, he's got 100 staff (with the lowest turnover in the business) and is one of the most successful operators in the industry. He also loves Jesus and runs his business accordingly. It was quite amazing to see him in action, to sit in on meetings, to meet some of his managers and to have the opportunity of asking a multitude of questions. I hope to write more about this visit but suffice it to say that the overwhelming impression was that Mark was a Pastor to his people - staff and clients.
Visiting St Mary's, Upton (Wirral) for their monthly "Sundays at 7" service. For the last 6 years the pretty ordinary, traditional church has run an incredible monthly event to strengthen believers and reach seekers. The format is simple; glass of wine, special guest (this month they had Henry Olonga, the international cricketer) who is interviewed, presentational music and high, high quality everything (sound, video, lighting, publicity). It's so simple and very effective.
Meeting Andy Hawthorne, CEO of The Message Trust in Manchester. The work this organisation does is truly transformational as they take the gospel to the most difficult to reach young people and the toughest housing estates in the city. Again this was another opportunity to quiz a Christian leader about vision, faith, and leadership.
Spending time with Graeme Skinner, the vicar of St Mary's, Upton, and asking about his experience of leading a local church. He's a wise man who's leadership has changed in recent years through an experience of significant loss.
Having lunch with Russ Lowman, a full time elder with Church Central, an NFI church in Birmingham. Again, great to be able to talk church leadership and share some best practice. They're doing some great stuff in the city and it was really useful to hear some of the story.
Receiving regular spiritual direction from David Hugget. He's helping me to reflect on some of the issues raised as I visit places, read books and meet people. I'm really grateful to him.
Enjoying a week with the family during half term. Two sets of friends came to visit plus we had a day on the Island.
So hopefully that gives you a bit of a taster. Much food for thought!! Please pray I continue to keep attentive during this privileged season.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Do you Sin Comfortably?
Here's a good articulation as to why being in the Bible regularly is imortant if you want to grow and change as a Christian:
"The more we instil the Bible into our heart, mind, soul and bloodstream, the harder we will find it to sin comfortably. The Bible enlivens our conscience and drives us back to God in repentance and a longing to live as it pleases him."
Chris Wright Life Through God's Word: Psalm 119, cited in You Can Change, Tim Chester
"The more we instil the Bible into our heart, mind, soul and bloodstream, the harder we will find it to sin comfortably. The Bible enlivens our conscience and drives us back to God in repentance and a longing to live as it pleases him."
Chris Wright Life Through God's Word: Psalm 119, cited in You Can Change, Tim Chester
Monday, 10 May 2010
Staying Awake
It's the first day of my 12 week sabbatical. I get quite embarrassed talking about it actually. I feel bad that mine seems to be the only profession that offers such a thing and even then my Anglican friends get them only every ten years.... if they're lucky. I guess I know that if I don't pay attention to the condition of my own soul in a really intentional way then I'm going to end up totally ineffectual at best or out of ministry and probably in a nut house at worst.
After working really hard to get my "desk cleared", staying up all night to watch the election, overseeing Forest Fire, getting three hours sleep on Saturday after collecting yp from an event and burning midnight oil into the early hours of this morning I feel knackered.
And so it's my core stability class (I arrived bang on 2pm) and I'm laying on a mat breathing gently and trying to stay engaged with what the physio is saying, desperately trying to stay awake. Trying but failing. Falling asleep wouldn't have been so bad but it turns out I was snoring.
Think I need a rest. As I write the ferry is just pulling into Yarmouth.... 4 days of solitude. A bible, a notebook, John Grisham and a book about dead Christians.......soooooo looking forward to it.
After working really hard to get my "desk cleared", staying up all night to watch the election, overseeing Forest Fire, getting three hours sleep on Saturday after collecting yp from an event and burning midnight oil into the early hours of this morning I feel knackered.
And so it's my core stability class (I arrived bang on 2pm) and I'm laying on a mat breathing gently and trying to stay engaged with what the physio is saying, desperately trying to stay awake. Trying but failing. Falling asleep wouldn't have been so bad but it turns out I was snoring.
Think I need a rest. As I write the ferry is just pulling into Yarmouth.... 4 days of solitude. A bible, a notebook, John Grisham and a book about dead Christians.......soooooo looking forward to it.
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