URBANarmy

I stumbled across an interesting article from 1889 written by William Booth; called 'Salvation for Both Worlds', William Booth charts an interesting journey. Booth's desire was simple from the outset, 'to advance [God's] honour and carry out [God's] wishes on the earth'. The year before 'Darkest England and the Way Out' was published Booth's theology of mission takes an interesting turn. Booth acknowledges an initial, seemingly straight forward and unsurprising theology that reflects a familiar understanding of salvation, from which there should be no distraction. 'Temporal modification' was in his mind 'trivial, almost contemptible.' "What were the sorrows of earth when compared with everlasting damnation? Their temporary comfort or discomfort was as to nothing compared with the business of their rescue." Booth goes on to outline how he became increasing impacted by the brokenness of society and the 'earthly miserie...

And I've heard religion say you're to be feared But I don't buy into everything I hear And it seems to me you're hostage to those rules That were made by religion and not by you Driving to and from Swanwick was a highlight for being able to have some quality time not only with Kate, but also Sinead O'Connor's latest album Theology. Track 3 'Out Of The Depths' got repeated quite a few times with the melody and lyrics haunting within their insight. Out of the depths I cry to you oh lord don't let my cries for mercy be ignored If you keep account of sins oh who would stand? But you have forgiveness in your hands And I've heard religion say you're to be feared But I don't buy into everything I hear And it seems to me you're hostage to those rules That were made by religion and not by you And I'm wondering will u ever get yourself free Is it bad to think you might like help from me? Is there anything my little heart can do To help rel...

Off here for a couple of days to be inspired and refreshed at what is affectionally known as Officers Councils! What's great this year is that our old division will be there and it'll be great to meet up with a few old friends. I'm going with realistic expectations and the agenda of wanting to be surprised. See you there!

"Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier." Mother Teresa Charles Ringma points out that "A central impulse to living the Christian life is that we seek to do good to others. We want to help not hinder, bless not curse, build up not tear down, encourage not alienate." He goes on to warn that this desire must come from a 'good place'. Guilt or 'self-aggrandizement' is not a good place. The need to be needed or from the desire to please others is not a good place. Helping and serving people with these motivations and intentions is inuthentic and ceases to be the blessing that it wass intended to be. Ringma challenges us "being a blessing must come from a very different place."

I make a mental note to explore the possibility with God whether, next time he wants to get creative and teach the congregation a lesson, if he could humiliate someone else! There is not an easy way of saying this: I broke my G string in public worship this week. As the guitar started to lose its tuning I looked at the running order of worship with relief - next up, the singing group, enough time to restring my G string. My heart sank as our officer leading worship mentioned that the group would not be singing and that we would continue in singing Holy Holy (incidentally how many songs are there in your part of the world with holy, holy ad infinitum in the title? In the UK we have one with at least five holy’s!!). Before I played the necessary D chord I knew it wasn ’t going to be pretty, and it wasn ’t. Not wanting to let the side down I start to bellow out the Holy, Holy song acapella , the congregation join gamefully in. Two lines in and the mix of my holy with their holy wasn ’t ...

Miller on Institution... the starting point perhaps is the discovery of God's agenda for his creation as expressed through Jesus' life, death and resurrection, rather than the church's agenda as formed within Christendom. IT SHOULD BE SAID I AM AN INDEPENDENT PERSON. I don't like institutionalized anything. I don't like corporations. I am not saying institutions and corporations are wrong, or bad I am only saying I don't like them. Some people don't like classical music, some people don't like pizza, I don't like institutions. My dislike might stem from a number of things, from the nonpersonal feel I get when I walk into a corporate office or the voicemail system I encounter when I call my bank. It might be the nonengaged look on every fast-food worker's face or the phone calls I receive in the 'middle of dinner asking me what longdistance carrier I use. Those people never want to just talk; they always have an agenda. pp129 Miller, D (200...

I came over all Desert Fatherish yesterday during what the Training College call 'spiritual days' (we have a riot on the 358 non-spiritual days!). The theme of the day had been on faith and we had all been given the choice to discuss a variety of texts. My choice - God outlining his purposes for Abram: The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3 What hit me was the 'I Will' motif and the striking resemblance with God as 'I am' . Thinking of definitions of faith, that is when I went all Desert Fatherish and came up with "Faith is comfort in the knowledge that the great 'I a...

"It is important to stress, as Paul would do himself were he not so muzzled by his interpreters, that when he referred to "the gospel" he was not talking about a scheme of soteriology." OK this is intriguing. We've heard the 'gospel' rhetoric, we've preached the 'gospel' in the understanding that 'gospel' = good news and that good news is that Jesus lived, died and rose again accommodating whatever theory of atonement is in vogue or catches our whim. Paul's use of the word gospel however, could be and might represent ever so much more. NT Wright explores the concept to some depth and asks that to get to grips with the concept of 'gospel' there is a need to not only understand where the word came from, but also to get an insight as to what such a term would mean to Paul and to his readers. NT would argue that the term infers an announcement of kingship, of a new reign. The euaggelion , gospel, was announced when a new emper...

Looking likely that England will play NZ in the semi's - nevermind! It was good spoiling Australia's World Cup party! --- Did I say NZ? C'est la vie! France it is!

Great news that the ambulance has arrived. More pictures here

Websites like this should be banned!! Stick cricket Be warned!

Animal lovers and anyone remotely squeamish - beware - do not look at the picture to the left!! If your 11 year old is doing a homework project and needs a picture of a guinea pig - BEWARE GOOGLE IMAGE!!! Bethan is still in shock and never wants to visit Peru!

Conversations of extreme recycling of bodily functions - ever wondered why the flower beds of the London parks look so good? I look forward to Mondays. I remember using a quote by John le Carre who said "The desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world", I have been living dangerous life. I look forward to Monday's because that is the evening I get to go along to Faith House. This is only my second week and I realise that I have missed this kind of ministry more that I had realised. I'm just feeling my way with the group who come along for something to eat and a chat but already I am enjoying conversations that are reminiscent to life before college. Conversations of extreme recycling of bodily functions - ever wondered why the flower beds of the London parks look so good? Conversations of time travel and the shock of slipping back seven months and actually discovering it was April. Conversations of being sectioned, violence and arrest all over a fishfinge...