Weekend thoughts

Buckets and oceans - from A talk that was part of Christ Church's Growing in Faith evenings, originally from New Wine. 

I don't have my notes to hand so I am struggling to remember the persons name who was speaking about a bucket and an ocean. If you fill the bucket with ocean water, the ocean is in the bucket; however if you fill the bucket and leave it, the bucket is in the ocean.

Same with us and church. As a single person, we are a drop in the ocean of Christianity, the bucket is our own church - you take the bucket out of the ocean - separate church from the wider body of Christianty and it potentially struggles to grow. It's the same with us as the bucket and the ocean being our faith/spiritual life. You take yourself out of church/community, separating yourself from those who love and cherish you, and it becomes increasingly difficult to 'top up', to take stuff from the community that keeps your faith growing and getting through  the challenges of our weeks at work. 

I see young people separating themselves from church and community all of the time... Adults too. It is dangerous. 

People often ask... What is the point of church? And state 'you can be a Christian without church'. The truth is you can't, you can't be a fully rounded human without community and the same for faith... God calls us to community with believers and to show others what community in God's eyes looks like. If we're separating ourselves from that, how does that look to those outside of Christianity?

True, you can find God anywhere... Someone recently said 'nature is God's cathedral' that's their opinion... But being with others is God's community, where you can be known, be loved and understood. You don't have to be annoymous in God's creation, in fact, He doesn't want that at all.

Growing in faith 2 & 3

I didn't blog about the second session, because I was letting it sink in and things do get busy! Part of my previous post comes from session 2 and what Bishop Zack said. He spoke about how being safe in Europe is a huge problem for Christianity. Everything that he said is jumbled on my page, but he spoke about the idols that we have - the things we believe in that stop us from being true followers. Four things - religion, church, safety and security, youthfulness. The ultimate idol is 'me' which is a message, according to Bishop Zack, that the church and society sell to the individual. His closing message was about a bucket and an ocean - you're the bucket and Jesus is the ocean. So when the bucket is thrown into the ocean, is the ocean in the bucket or the bucket in the ocean? Is Christ in your or are you in Christ?

Season 3 was Simon Ponsonby and he spoke on Romans 7:22-23. He has four points too (starting to think I might construct my next talk like this).
1. Warfare is the way of the believer - once you have said you believe, the Devil will highlight every sin.
2. The battle ground is within yourself - and every day you need to recognise that fact (which is something the Bishop of Bradwell said tonight 'We need conversion every day')
3. The battle scars are mine - you have to take personal responsibility for your sin. It is yours and you have to care about it, because that draws you closer to God, but God is at work through all of it!
4. The battle cry is Thanks be to God! All of this, in all the sin, God has the glory, Christ's is the victory!

Finally, he talked about Christoph Blumhardt, who prayed a simple prayer over a girl who was possessed by an evil spirit

'Lord, we have seen what the devil can do, now what can you do?'

Christ has defeated death, his is the victory and we need to stand in that hope! Nothing is lost if we have Christ. One more bible passage

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28, 38, 39 NIV)

The Challenge

What would my conversations look like if God was in all of them?

Today I have been greatly encouraged to be more of who I am. In fact, this week has been really affirming, despite less time being spent 'at work' than normal.

So the challenge is to talk about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit more often... this comes from a personal frustration of not hearing it in my own conversations or in the conversation of some around me.

I don't have the answer, really, but I am going to attempt it - perhaps subtly, trying not to get drawn into those things that the world talks about and begin to discuss the nature, character, power of God... I am wondering if that's all it needs. I don't want to debate theology, but speak truth and life to people.

Any ideas?

Stand conference

I have been using the blogger app for the iPhone and it doesn't automatically save posts. I have just lost 35 mins of writing! Grr! I had a lovely long, poetic story about being at a conference for 20's and 30's on Saturday, something really heartfelt, but tech and human error have let me down (all because I am so used to saying 'no' when asked for permission for something).

So here is the abridged version, because I don't have 35 mins to write you another post!

Stand is amazing, it's a connection made through an email from my vicar, it is something that I am so happy about being connected to, and a place where I can see the growth and the need.

20's and 30's specific in and out reach is vital for the sustainability of the church. In because there is a strange lack of understanding the Bible, faith and the Holy Spirit and out for, well, the same reasons! I am privileged that this is already happening where I live, and has been growing for over a year.

Stand conference was a very well don 'in' event, the worship was brilliant and the teaching from Lin Button was astonishing! Two things that struck me

'God is fond of me' I am loved, I am cherished and I should not believe the lies that are told to me by the world. Being a strong and confident, blessed young woman is important and understanding God's calling or purpose is important too.

At the end of time, as the new heaven and earth are created, I will get a new name. It's somewhere in revelation, but I am excited about that, and God spoke so clearly about a new name for now that I wrote it down and won't forget it for a long time! What he wants to do with it, I have no clue, so I will keep on asking.

If you're involved in 20's and 30's work, either in or out, get in touch and let's get connected!

Les Miserables

Today I went to the cinema with my friend Susie to see Les Miserables. After much planning and missing several opportunities, due to family and work commitments (and not booking early enough for one showing), I finally made it! Can you see that the drama has already got me?

It was a really good. I want to see it again. For me, there wasn't a stand out performance, though it must've been awesome to be a part of it. All of those people singing on a massive stage! It really does make me want to see it in the west end too.

The cinematography was brilliant, really well done and makes you think about production (I am a 'how did they do that?' girl) and I also spotted a glaring continuity problem! It was not hard to miss and distracted me loads from what was going on.

There is a lot if death, and a lot of misery, and it didn't move me as much as I thought it would. Hugh Jackman annoyed me with his warble, which is a shame, because he is a cracking all-round actor.

The theme if forgiveness is really strong, and leaves me wondering what exactly happened to France for it to become a place where wearing a cross causes so much uproar. Also asking what the church has become/will become in the future. Strange I know, but it is a thing that I have been thinking about. How do we serve those on the margins of society?

Anyway, I will sit and wonder a while, and see which songs I already own!

P.S. general public - if you know a movie might make you sniffly, please bring a tissue with you, everyone loves someone blowing there nose so much more than your sniffling!!

It's an Alpha adventure

If you haven't heard or caught on, I'm going to be running an Alpha Course from Thursday evening. I am starting to get nervous about it, but at the same time, I am incredibly excited for the future of Alpha and where it will lead us. I could be running a second one before we know it, for more young people who have heard about it, but we will see!

Please pray with me, for me and for the young people that will encounter God!

I am going home to pray and eat!

Growing in faith week 1

Whilst my boss watches the tennis on the big screen and the band practices to lead worship in about 30 minutes, I will fill you in on what I thought of Growing inFaith, which is my churches response to the Transforming Presence document from the Bishop of Chelmsford.

Last Wednesday we gathered altogether for coffee and tea before watching Francis Chan, and his talk a out what God looks like and how we talk to him. I have heard plenty of people talk about the book of Revelation, some with passion (Mike Pilavichi) and some with fear (can't remember who!) but it hadn't struck me in awesomeness. Francis Chan said so much that I can't possibly mention all of it.

What is your picture of God? Is it a big man on a cloud who looks a little bit like Western Jesus, just a bit greyer? Or is it like the beginning of Revelation? Read chapter one, 12-17 slowly, and tell me what you think! Read the whole of chapter four, slowly and tell me if your picture changes?

We love in a society, Francis Chan says, that has the notion, has grown up with the idea that 'God is whoever you want him to be', which means we have watered him down, we have used words that don't do God justice. God says 'I AM' and nations fall to the ground, yet we wander into his presence and really don't take it seriously.

How are you coming to God? With the fear of the creatures who cry "Holy, Holy, Holy" or with absent mindedness and your shopping list on your mind? What is scripture teaching you about God?

Paul says in 1 Tim 6v16 that Jesus 'lives in unapproachable light' and that the honour should be to him forever! That's amazing! Yes, we are called to a relationship with Jesus, and the great thing is that we can go to him, and he will stand in the father's presence and petition on our behalf. God is holy, his name is holy and we shouldn't water it down at all.

After listening to Francis Chan, we were split into groups, for discussions about what we had just heard. Some excellent ideas and praying for each other came out of time in small groups, also some issues that we are praying about.

We sang at the beginning and end as well, which was encouraging for me!

Overall, I really enjoyed it and now I am sat in Church seeing how Wednesday night has affected some already and hoping that it will spread like wild fire.

It's Sunday and I'm looking forward a busy but lovely week. One passage keeps cropping up in my life, which I will stick to for the next couple of weeks... Ephesians 3:14-21