I love it when people speak of the Kingdom whether they understand it or not. And who knows, maybe all those folks at Davos do really hear God speaking to them right now. Jim Wallis has captured it well in his article at Huff Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/creating-change-in-the-mi_b_441786.html
Who would have thought that Nicolas Sarkozy would be the one to preach God’s word to all those important people? I do think God has a great sense of humour!
Cheryl
A little while back I had a dream. I was in a large bus and in it were a number of people. One person (knowing who they are they maybe I can suggest that they represented a just-beyond-rising-generation person sold out to God and in what is popularly called full-time ministry (misnomer but that is another subject)) was sounding off about someone they grew up with, been to Bible school together, and how that person had lost their way. They had lost their way because they were no longer in full-time ministry but were pursuing secular employment (sorry about the terminology: this was a reflection of this person speaking in my dream).
I listened, then reflecting on my own journey I said:
it takes the same courage to follow Jesus today and come out of what you call full-time ministry as it did some 20-30 years ago to lay down any career path and enter ‘full-time ministry’.
In the dream it caused this person to respond with – never thought about that, will need to think about it. It caused me also to be impacted. It always takes courage to follow where Jesus leads. Today’s challenge is so different to yesterday’s.
To all the brave people out there.
Last night had a stimulating talk with Kyle. Began with ‘why do we feel it necessary to give an account… and who / what to?’
OK a lot of conversation ensued but, here is what I got out of it:
We want to give an account not because of guilt, or wanting to be approved, but because we have a perception and many people who track with us have a perception. Our perception: we are missionaries; their perception: they are missionaries.
Now contrast this for a moment with another scenario. Today many believers got up, went into work, interacted with people, but how many of them perceived themselves as missionaries, and do we perceive them as missionaries?
Followers of Jesus are missionaries.
If we are on a mission we want to know we are doing what we should be doing (WWMSJD: what would Martin Scott’s Jesus do?)… and in that sense we all want to be accountable. ‘This is how I am doing, this is what the Lord is saying to me, this is how I am responding, this is what I am wrestling with’, type of accountability.
Now the other scenario – do we feel we are here to give an account… ‘this is how I am handling the children in class, dealing with customers, handling the profit…?’
In the not too distant future we hope some of our income will be coming from the land. Let’s say something good takes place – a business that actually finances us (por favor, señor). Will anything change for us: will we still see ourselves as missionaries, will we still be perceived as missionaries? Will we cease to feel the need to give an account?
So this blog is to honour all the missionaries today fulfilling what Jesus requires of you wherever you are and whatever you are doing. A movement is here that is about the recovery of life as mission, and mission as life.
Tomorrow – a dream.
In a kinda busy little spell here so only a few quick notes to follow in this blog.
I have added Charles Strohmer to my blog links. His work on wisdom for society is great. This essay is on applying the principles in a paradigmatic way into the field of international relationships. He says:
I felt the time had come to send these particular ideas out from the foothills of the Smoky Mtns into the wider world in hopes of generating a whole lot of conversation about them across the globe. I hope the “Contact” link on my site starts humming!
I also had a request for some recommendations on books on Eschatology. (I had around 30 but most are sadly back in the UK, not inlcluding a further 20 commentaries on Revelation.) Here though are a few thoughts / names:
I am obviously very shaped by NT Wright. His framework of 5 act play approach to Scripture, emphasising the story being told from creation to new creation; Jesus as a first century prophet, who reconstitutes Israel around himself, the purposes of God being in Christ etc. So Jesus and the Victory of God is a classic, also worth checking is the NTwrightpage. Some great teaching material.
With Wright I see much of the proclamation not only being about personal salvation, but the proclamation of a new order to society breaking in. The message is political, but not party political, and not that of Christianising society.
Andrew Perriman – The Coming of the Son of Man. A must read. Alongside this go back and read the blog entry. That blog should help present clearly the concept of different ‘horizons’ in the NT.
For Revelation, anything by Richard Bauckham, David Barr are very astute in reading the book theologically and narratively.
Ben Withernington III and Jesus, Paul and the end of the world is good.
Older works by George Ladd – started life as a Dispensational, moved to being a historic pre-millennialist. We grew up on his A theology of the New Testament. Outdated now, but a great book. The Blessed Hope is one of his on eschatology.
OK comments are open – add some more material people…
Added a few new links to a couple of friends in the side panel:
And I am just in process of putting a web site together for a language school here in Palma [ Wyn Academia ]: ok I didn’t write all the Spanish, they gave me the text for it!!! After all they are a language school. Pedro and Meryl are becoming good friends. I am looking to develop a small amount of web site design, good for connections, a little income too – interested?
Tomorrow evening we have a small house warming fiesta. Hope to have between 15-20 here.
And finally, feels a good shift as we enter our second year here. Something probably shifted when we look back to the time we prayed with Roger, Sue, Graham and Nicky. Prayed into a release of an angel that Gayle had had a dream about a year before. I am sure there is much more we all have to learn about angels.
Well, promised you it would be random!
This podcast is a summary – trying to draw together what we have covered thus far, and also drawing out some of the implications. Ideal if you are looking to join now with the series. Listen to this podcast, then go back and fill in the material with more substance.
Here is a link to the notes that attend this podcast.
Geoff Daplyn sent through this email to me recently (check out: Your kingdom come.)
Scripture says that the church is founded on the apostles and prophets. However you interpret that, the prophetic is clearly important, but many do not understand it and fall into the trap of despising it – something that Paul in 1 Thes 5 urged us not to do. I’m afraid many who attempt to walk in the prophetic do not always help this situation.
Prophecy is often conditional, but it’s aim is always to motivate towards a deeper relationship with God. At the very minimum, the prophetic tells us what God wants to do. Often it isn’t fulfilled because we sit back and do nothing about it. We are to partner with prophecy and align ourselves with it. God is looking for people who will stand in the gap and speak into situations to change what is, into what God wants it to be. We are to be those who ‘call things that are not, as though they were’. (Rom 4:17) Thus, it’s always going to challenge the status quo. Roger Mitchell says that, “all prophecy must, I think, be subversive in imagining and choreographing the breakthrough of the new heaven and the new earth.”
So what does God want to do at the beginning of this new decade? Jesus said that the Father recognised different times and seasons. This is a good opportunity to use the internet to hear what other people, possibly in other traditions, probably believing different things to us, are saying. It gets us out of our ghetto (big or small) and gives us a wider perspective on what God is doing and is wanting to do.
Many of us still long for, pray for and work, for more encounters with God in OUR ways eg in regard to sickness, debt, injustice, relationship breakdown, lack of employment etc. etc. This is right, and we have had many successes in these areas (see Transformational Stories on the website). These encounters proclaim that the kingdom of God is here and demonstrates that what we say is true. But I believe that increasingly, God wants us to encounter Him in HIS ways.
As His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, they will challenge church and personal conventions, and many things that we were brought up to believe, we will discover are incomplete and inadequate. This may signal a shift from ‘service-oriented’ Christianity, and herald another major move of God. After all, we’ve enjoyed 270+ years of evangelicalism, and 40+ years of the charismatic movement, but are we any nearer reaching the 95%, even in the UK? Something has to change…..and this must be of God, not man. Some who are beginning to do it can be found in Blacon, Cheshire…
So this is not a time to hold too tightly to what we have built. The past and what has become familiar, will increasingly be seen to be a barrier to the future. Those able to run with this will begin to encounter God in HIS ways. Holding on to the past will often mean rejecting what God wants to do in the future. Some reactions to God doing stuff in HIS ways will be to disbelieve and denounce. Many others, though, will take note and begin to allow it to impact them and to change them. To follow this way this may involve a more intentional yoking, with those who are diligently seeking HIS kingdom first.
Geoff
I have valued the comments on Culture and kingdom, and on Cheryl’s piece about the kingdom coming. Maybe the provisional nature of the kingdom (already but not yet) being expressed in a fallen world prevents giving of easy water-tight answers.
Last night we had a great time. It was an evening to celebrate Saint Sebastian (!!) a martyr during some of the Roman persecution. He is the patron saint of Palma. History / myth – who knows? But of more interest to me is the question that such an event raises.
We were invited by neighbours, so off we set at 9.00pm, to streets and squares that were packed. Large barbecues burning in every square (health and safety???), people then put their own food on the fires, eat, drink, no aggro, great fun, talk, live music.
So here is my take on it. God is in it. It was an expression of healthy human interaction. It was sign that humanity – as community – is in the image of God. Fallen, yes. With the demonic making its presence felt, yes.
We were looked after so well – hospitality. We were truly cared for by our neighbours – pastored. Good / godly values.
Seems it is all part of the complex of:
So is it demonic – for me definitely not in any big way.
Is it harmless fun – no, I think it actually caused a lot of good and healthy interaction.
Is God in it – yes.
Was Jesus there? Now the answer to that must in part be what his followers have to give an account for.
(With thanks to Rachel Oliver for the photographs.)
Well, if you are a Spanish moving van then you come late, or not at all. That is one cultural response. When it comes to dealing with environmental crises (there are many) there are other responses. It forces me to think, as a Christian, what do I think the answer is, and how will it come. Tri Robinson’s view is here: “Is there hope for the Planet?” And certainly I agree with him, that humans alone just can’t do it. But is there a role for human beings, other than just doing righteous deeds, kind of holding the line? I suspect that God will use us humans to repair the damage we have done to creation. I believe that because Jesus made disciples and was bold enough to leave them to get on with the job. So we, who know the Kingdom, who live in the Kingdom now, are the ones to be discipled into creation care and live it now. We become the models for others. There are already lots of good folk out there doing good things and many of them would never claim to be Christians. I see them as Kingdom people too. You tell a tree by its fruit not by the name written on the label.
I think we are called to do two things in regards to creation, that is live rightly in relationship to the earth (which helps to keep us in right relationship with God and with others as social justice depends upon a healthy environment) and to pray. We need mighty prayer people for the planet. We need people who feel moved and inspired (by the Spirit) to pray species back to life, watersheds back into health, the oceans back to liveable and reduced level of acidity, and on and on. We even need people who can say to mountains, move so that they will be moved. I think specifically of the beheaded mountains in the south eastern US, where their heads now lie in the river valleys (polluting water supplies) as huge machines have gutted them for coal to burn. We need people who believe those mountains can be restored for they were beautiful and a fabulous ecology full of wildlife and trees and fresh streams of water.
So we need God in this mix, desperately. It is a good thing it does not depend on us. But we do need to be part of it too. God is gracious enough to use us if we are bold enough to believe.
Ciao,
Cheryl
P.S. I just found this article on the Guardian by George Monbiot. It is time that we as Christians made it absolutely clear in word and deed that it is not a Christian thing to destroy the earth! Here is his article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/jan/18/war-on-nature-badger-cull
The values of the kingdom are, of course, what shapes our lives and behaviour. But what about our culture – does that affect what we think are kingdom values? I am convinced about the latter: the divergence of opinion, for example, on economic issues: capitalism has been baptised as a Christian value by some, socialism by others.
This past week, though, we have made an interesting observation. Raul, a friend here in Spain, move house. He booked his removal van and people, and even confirmed again four days before they were due to come that they would be there at 10.00am on the appointed day.
10.00am and they did not show up. The reason? Van and person was now in Valencia!! After phone calls eventually someone else shows up with another van at 12.30… And finally the job was done. Very frustrating and somewhat perplexing.
So yesterday I was explaining this scenario to someone who said – well, the way things work is last in takes priority. Confirm them on Wednesday leaves four days for another request to come in which then takes priority.
For me, kingdom values? If I say I will do, then surely I do it. If I make a commitment I keep it. Or does my cultural background over-inform me as to what I think is a kingdom value?
This ‘vision’ is something I recently read. I liked it a lot – a vision for God’s presence in their context. Reminds me of the phrase concerning Jesus (I think from Oscar Wilde): he is very hard to find but he is present everywhere.
You’ll look and you won’t see it.
You won’t be able to look one up in the phone book.
You won’t find it advertised in the library.
You’ll wonder if and when anyone meets.
Is there anyone out there?
You’ll look and you won’t see it.
Unless as you are driving along you spot people standing outside a school or kneeling outside the town hall.
Just for a second and then they’ll be gone.
And in the lunchtimes on Wednesdays you’ll see pockets of people eating and chatting, leaning in as if for a higher purpose. Then gone.
Before mums and toddlers you might notice some already stained cups…
Email addresses exchanged between smiling strangers.
Dog walkers in deep conversation.
A video conference but not about stock figures.
Dinner invites.
You’ll look and just won’t see it
Unless you look a whole lot closer.
Then the question will not be
where is the church
but where is there left where
there is no church
is there anywhere?
Wheels within wheels
And a whole load of eyes.
I know some of you receive Kyle & Rachel’s newsletter. I am enclosing some excerpts from their January update of it here as a blog… if you wish to subscribe to it then email Kyle asking to be added to the list. To read the full newsletter use this link.
¡Hola Amigos!
Happy New Year, Feliz Año Nuevo and in Mallorcan “Molts D’anys”!
Last November began our second year in Mallorca; it also marked the beginning of the olive harvesting season. We joined in by harvesting the olives from our ‘olivar’ in our back garden, and then went on to the annual Olive Festival and sampled some of the islands best aceitunas (olives). A wonderful reminder of Isaiah 37:30 “…next year you will eat what springs up from the first year.” The olive is of major importance to the Mediterranean, and ‘Oliver’ is a common Mallorcan surname! The olive tree is hardy, drought, disease and fire-resistant, and can live for thousands of years. Its root system is very robust and capable of regenerating the tree even if it is destroyed. The trees can withstand radical pruning which both regulates production and shapes the tree for easier harvest. The olive tree never bears fruit in the same place twice, and usually bears on the previous year’s growth. I think we have a lot to learn from this magnificent tree…
We had a significant time of prayer on our 365th day of living here with Martin and Gayle Scott, Roger and Sue Mitchell and Graham and Nicky Jones from the UK. Their visit was timely and their prayers and encouragement welcomed. We discovered some incredible things as we followed the leading of the Holy Spirit on a wild goose chase around the island and asked for His help, signs and wonders and miracles to break out here in Mallorca, Spain, Europe and Africa. Come on!…
We have continued to host dozens of people for meals in our home, which in turn has created a “drop in/open house” atmosphere. This has been an incredible relational tool and something we feel is very important in a culture where, outside of family, people don’t do this. Having people in our home has quickly built trust, friendships and really enabled us to encourage people in a much more personal way (pubs and clubs are a bit noisy and smoky) . These times have been very significant and we have enjoyed eating, laughing and doing life together. We also celebrated ‘Thanksgiving’ with Spanish friends. One friend said she felt like she was in an episode of ‘Friends’ – she’d only ever seen Thanksgiving in American TV shows….
Last week, we signed a contract on a wonderful apartment in central Palma, 5 minutes walk from Martin and Gayle Scott’s new apartment which they moved into in December. The price is €250/month more than we have been paying and much more than we wanted to pay, but we really felt the Lord’s peace on the decision. It will also continue to provide adequate space to accommodate Hannah, who has been a wonderful friend and fellow pioneer and we are also praying into the possibility of housing a Spanish friend. The apartment also provides plenty of space to continue inviting those here we are journeying with into our home.
Much of the material that will be central to these posts will cover perspectives on the 'gates' of society, the places of influence that shape the culture. If transformation is a desired outcome, such aspects as strategic prayer and understanding the redemptive gifts of places will play their part. As prayer opens up space, filling it will be vital, not in a controlling, top-down sense, but with a servant spirit. Finding appropriate terminology is difficult. Maybe 'transformation' is not the right term, perhaps 'transfiguration', where inner qualities burst through.
I have chosen to use the term 'gates' and although they can be defined any number of ways these are the seven ways I have chosen to group them by:
These are in two formats. Epub can be read in many ereaders, such as Ipad, kobo etc.; if using a kindle then the format will be mobi. If there are difficulties in reading the format an internet search should show any peculiarities for your specific ereader
Vol 1.1 Epub format Vol 1.1 Mobi format
Vol 1.2 Epub format Vol 1.2 Mobi format
Vol 1.3 Epub format Vol 1.3 Mobi format
