kleenex

I am down at the moment with a throat infection. I lost my voice while speaking at a conference; I'm not sure what God is trying to say to me. getting really board i switched on the t.v. One of the adverts was by Kleenex. the scene is of a couch in the high street and people being invited to sit for a chat just for a couple of minutes. A lot of folks do and there are tears, hugs and everyone feels better as they wipe their eyes with kleenex.
Have advertisers worked out that people are isolated and need someone to listen to them. Is it relationship where we have control- two minutes share or burdens get encouragement then move on. Are people desperate to be listened to?
How is listening being worked out in our life and worship. Do we need a listening seat where people can came forward for a minute and share with others?

conference burn-out

In the last few weeks i have been travelling around attending a few conferences. i have been at Crieff where Mark Green was doing "work place stuff" Then i was at CWW in Aviemore ( spectacular run among snowy mountains) Tommy Mcneil was the main speaker. then i was at a mission Scotland night with Jonathan lamb.
All the conferences were quite different but two things stuck with me. The width of the evangelical constituency. i met EA members at each conferences although they were very different in tone. It is brilliant to see and share with groups of people working out their faith together. Iron does sharpen iron and it was great to engage with folks with widely various views about how to follow Jesus today.
Also people were encouraged by hearing one anothers stories. In talking to some who were attending it was the listening to narratives from others that was lifting them. people were growing when they heard what God was doing amongst his people. While there was good teaching at all three it was the sharing that had had most impact. We need to be sharing and listening to one another that is what is lifting us.
I wonder who you would have as guest speakers for a conference if you could pick anyone from history. I am going to exclude anyone in Scripture.

The great shredder in the sky

i was listening to a story about new year in New York. Some people had set up a large shredder and invited folks to bring stuff that had held them back last year. The idea was to shred the past and move on. Apparently the place was packed, one man had a picture of a girlfriend who had left him for someone else. Another had a copy of his credit card statement that had weighed upon him. people brought all sorts of things.

It made me think of what i might want to place in a shredder at the start of the year? Some of my prayers- more focused on my will than kingdom priorities. Hurtful comments and lack of faith that made me doubt and plunge rather than soar.

Thinking wider- world poverty, child trafficking, broken promises, weak politicians, loveless leaders. and so the list goes on.

what would you shred?

spiritual space 2

last night was great. I was invited to a thanksgiving service for DECA. It is a coming together of 16 churches and 3 other ministries in Dundee. These churches signed a covenant together to pray and support each other so that the Kingdom might advance. The worship was great and Jim Clark from central Baptist preached. As people shared ,as brothers and sisters in Christ there was a real sense of the presence of God. Is God calling us to highlight what unites us rather than what separates? In this time of change we need to be seen, by the world, to love one another.

Spiritual space

I am back from a trip to Tuscany. While there we visited Pisa, and went to look at the cathedral and baptistery. It was a tremendously interesting visit.As i looked around i was struck by two different groups gathered for different reasons. A couple came in , knelt and then went to light a candle before praying silently. the woman was in tears. At the same time there was a group of tourists busy flashing the digital cameras and moving swiftly on. I am not sure they even noticed the couple. It was the spiritual and the secular together in the one instant. For the devout and needy a mystery for those rushing on ?. Is there such a thing as spiritual space, places that have been invested in centuries of prayer and reflection. Is anywhere potentially spiritual because it can be inhabited by the Spirit? Is it only those with eyes to see and ears to hear who really get it?
Like a lot of things in the spiritual journey i find myself asking questions without having any answers.

hope

I am about to take a few days of . There has been a lot of pressures recently and i am glad to be having a break. On Friday i was at the Meeting of the core team for Hope 2008. I really feel that this may be a great opportunity for Churches to work together in mission and gain strength from one another. the biggest question will be whether people are willing to set aside something of themselves for the wider work of the Kingdom. How seriously to we as churches take the idea of servanthood? Is it possible that building our church becomes more important than extending the kingdom of God?

Burma

Do you feel as helpless as i do about this situation? It reminds me so much of the demonstrations in China a few years ago. Poor people struggling for a voice. people drawn together with a common desire for dignity and hope. And yet fear and violence lurk in the shadows and the authority crushing hope is a very real one.
Where is Jesus in all this? Is He in the longing within the human heart for freedom and justice. Is he in the courage and struggle? What does this situation say to the church in the world?
These questions have been gong around in my head all day. I don't have any clear answers. i guess i will start by praying for peace and justice.