URBANarmy

This kind of dovetails nicely with the discussion "Most effective churces emphasise three areas: the head , which is good theology and biblical foundation; the heart , or a passion for worship and for reaching the lost; and the hand , meeting the needs of the community... many churches are one-prong churches". More here Pope, R. (2005) Civil Engineers. Leadership Journal. Spring 2005 pp 25 "Many churches are one-prong churches" .... I think that was what I was getting at. ---- BTW - I am having problems replying to comments. Bear with me!!

Interesting that 'liturgy' is related to Leitourgia which is work or to act in a way that benefits the public at large Bosch asks "can we hope for such renewal of our celebration that it returns to this authentic liturgy?" I must have got to that sad stage in my blogging life where I do repeats, or it could do something with my age! But this modern day parable does the trick for me everytime I read it. One day after dinner, while finishing dessert, a father sent his boy out to cut the lawn. Smiling broadly, the son said, "No, Father, I just want to stay here experiencing your presence, expressing my love for you, my dear Father." The father frowned and said, more firmly this time, "Actually, Son, I would rather you go out and cut the lawn." But the boy acted as if he didn't even hear his father, and he replied, "Dad! Guess what? I just wrote a song expressing my love for you!" The son began to sing, his eyes closed in sincerity and in...

I was on a college staff retreat on Sunday. General Coutts was quoted twice... Apparently General Coutts had three Concerns The way some salvationists speak about the Army The way some officers speak about their colleagues The way in which some letters are written within the Army somewhere else he said "There is plenty of good news to be celebrated in TSA, and yet many within TSA are quick to talk themselves down. They need to hear good news and rejoice in what God is doing. Incidentally it is one of the few movements that make themselves the butt of their own jokes. The Anglicans make fun of the Baptists and vice versa. The Salvationists mock themselves." Not a bad rule of thumb in the blogging world and beyond!

We were inside the shop when we heard the shouting. The scene opened up as we all gazed out at a man walking up the street with a huge stick clenched in his fist, shouting and swearing. Then we saw another man terrified, cornered. We and the rest of the shop were transfixed at the scene. A drug dealer seeing off the competition. As I look back I see Bethan mouthing "no ..... please no...!" Then the violence exploded, a punch a headbutt a kick as the man reigned blows on the other. I run to the door of the shop and look over my shoulder at the other shoppers in hope that a posse would soon be at hand to stop the violence. As I look back I see Bethan mouthing "no ..... please no...!" My heart is torn - something needs to be done as the man staggers to his feet to be hit again. But as quickly as it started the scene is over. The stick brandisher drops his weapon and runs off to catch a bus. The beaten man gets to his feet and walks off shaking his head. A little shakin...

I saw this over at Jonny's simsweatshop It is excellent but be ready to feel uncomfortable.

When successful, spiritual reformation unites the divided heart and life of the individual, and such people can then bring remarkable harmony into the groups where they participate". (Willard 2002) Mission and Spiritual Formation... Exploring Spiritual Formation is going to be a big part of our new role as we move on from Poplar to be Spiritual Programme Directors at The Salvation Army Training College. I've been trying to make sense of this latest twist of our journey in ministry. Dallas Willard sets the foundations for Spiritual Formation and makes a comforting connection for me - Mission and Spiritual Formation are intrinsically linked. "The individual's life is often divided into incoherent fragments. Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control (Prov 25:28). In a world deeply infected with evil and ,stuff' that just happens, the usual case is that the individual does not consistently do what his or her own heart says is good and rig...

There is an old Swahili proverb that says something like... "when two elephants fight, it's the grass that suffers". I've used this before but it seemed appropriate for TSA in the UK this last week. Whatever the issue ... I feel a little flattened! I'm not wanting to have any SA political comments for those astute enough to work out what is behind the cryptic - so for the first time ever I have disabled the comments.

We found our new dentist in Camberwell and we all have had our check ups. I was worried that Kate may have booked us into a private clinic. The laminate flooring and trendy warehouse type brick affect reception was worlds away from what I was used to - I searched for threadbare carpets and 5 year old readers digests in vain. Minutes later I walked into the consulting room and was struck by the most fabulous and elaborate hand painted mobile - calming not distressed babies in a cot but distressed dental patients. I smiled at the idea as I was given some sunglasses and asked to open my mouth. Feeling a little distressed I decided to make use of the mobile fish above my head. But the underside of the mobile was shapeless and colourless. Babies unite with distressed dental patients, shout at the injustice! I've been reading a little of Von Hügel's concept of faith development. He looks at three stages that relate to Infancy - where we absorb information, Adolescence - where we ma...

The girl's and I have found the answer to the world famous emporium of Poplar - Steve Best's. Everything in this shop is 99p a veritable treasure trove of temptables for both Bethan and Eryn and at 99p a cheap walk to the shops. As we walked I saw a situation brewing on the other side of the street. Two men expressing views. The shouting turned to pushing and the pushing to good old fistycuffs! The fight was stopped before it got going. I was interested in Bethan's obsvervation. "Bit posh here isn't it?" I looked around and struggled to see what Bethan based her observation. "Posh...... why?" "Well when that fight happened everyone stopped to watch, when it happened in Poplar no-one was bothered enough to look!!" :0)

Paul Fromont at Prodigal Kiwi(s) has been interviewed at NextReformation . This quote caught my eye and encouraged me in my life post-Poplar as I work on Spiritual Formation material for TSA Training College. "Spirituality, it seems to me, has a lot to do with what David Bosch describes as being in tune with what God is doing in the world and participating in God’s work (missio Dei). It also has to do with being in tune with what God is doing inwardly in us – for this too is part of the missio Dei." Mission without holiness makes as little sense as holiness without mission!

House Three at theTraining College has an amazing view of the London skyline. I took in the irony of the beauty of a skyline that for the mother I'd just been to see represents a city that stole the life of her son. Francoise arrived a couple of days ago. There was no staff at the college over the weekend so it fell to me. Francoise needed somewhere to stay in London, originally from Congo Brazzaville she now lives in Paris. She had to come to London because last week her son on holiday in London was murdered. I had a conversation with someone last week that was bemoaning the college's lack of missional edge! I'm not so sure - it felt good to be part of a reaching out to this family that are search for peace and justice.