Believing the impossible

For the last couple of posts I've been talking about being in our local secondary school, participating and leading lessons for year 7's and 8's (that's anyone aged 11-13, if you don't understand our schooling system!). The year seven groups have heard all about church from a Christian perspective (I can't do it any other way!) and the year eights have had the horror of crucifixion (believe me, it's not very nice to hear the description every day, I haven't got used to it yet and I hope I never do!).

I wanted to call this post 'Celebrating the Ordinary' but I think that what we've come across in the last three weeks has been extraordinary, the students we've spoken to, taught and listened to have all been interested in church and Jesus, His life, His ministry. Which for me is amazing, we don't know their backgrounds, but you can be certain that some of them have parents who have never set foot inside a church. I have been astonished by the wealth of knowledge that we have come across, and I hope that they all remember it for a very long time!

(Of course, we have our funny stories - one boy when asked the difference between real bunnies and the Easter bunny said that Easter bunnies lay chocolate eggs - a highlight of the time we've spent in school!)

The year seven's are doing a church project, they have to visit a local church and build up a report of it, and present it. It's a big part of year 7 R.S. and being one of the closest churches to Mayflower School, we end up getting a few young people through our doors. It's a great idea and it gives me a chance to talk about a building I grew up in, and this week I spotted this


(I love that I have a 5 megapixel camera with me all of the time)

Some pretty cool shots of the church I know so well and I have the privilage of working in.

These images are really key right now, particularly the one of the cross and the banner. We're heading quickly into Holy Week and before you know it, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be upon us... but Sunday is a'coming.

This time last year, I was scared, I didn't know where I was going, what I was doing, but this Easter, I'm excited, full of passion for what I believe to be true, the saving grace that has brought me this far, and the ability to put it into words and share the truth of Easter with those I care about the most. To speak about a history that stretches beyond my imagination and to help others catch a glimpse of what it means to be a Christian with a rich tradition, after all Jesus was a Jew!

I've been reminded this week as well that the Trinity will deal with doubters, God will arrive and say

"Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." Job 40:7

Jesus will appear and say to those who are unsure

"Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:27

And the Holy Spirit will turn up and speak to those in their own language, so that they will believe. (The whole of Acts)

The one thing that made me chuckle is that the Thomas story appears in John, and if you know anything about John the writer, you'll know he's a little self centred at times. (Don't believe me? Read John 20: 3-9) Just made me laugh that he's a little 'I can point the finger, because I'm so great'.

Any way... pretty powerful ideas, it's for us to love the doubters, to listen to their worries, their theories, but believe that God will show up in a big way to change their lives.