URBANarmy

Sleepless nights, creeping out of bedrooms, sitting outside Eryn's door saying "shh shh shh" in a fog of deprived sleep seems a long time ago. As I sat at the top of the steps outside Eryn's room I ploughed through Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy; for months I read and re-read the same page with the whole thing of "I'm reading this but thinking about something completely different..." going on. That was 7 years ago and I remember every page was a slog. I finished the book after what seemed an age - thinking that was good but having no way of knowing because my brain was mush. I promised myself that I would re-visit the book when I reacquainted myself with undisturbed sleep! For a couple of years now it has been catching my eye on my book shelf crying out "read me, try me again" . I rarely re-read books but I picked it up as my over Christmas reading. I've discovered that my brain is still mush! However, it is one of those books ...

"Our love for an institution is in proportion to our desire to reform it" John Stuart Mill McBrien, R. (1998) Ministry: A Theological Pastoral Hnadbook, Harper. p. 66 Here's another "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today!!" African Proverb I read them both in Resourcing Renewal by Martyn Atkins

It was a case of wee to wii this Christmas and it was good... A good day yesterday with a varied collection of people with nowhere to go apart to get themselves to ' Crisis at Christmas ' for another Christmas dinner! I was in the kitchen most of the day helping to cook the turkey dinner for the 40 or so people who came along to Southwark SA for Christmas, but when I did get out of the kitchen the vintage of eau de pee pee was not disappointing! I remembered a recent comment by Kapten Clark regarding thanking God for our own type of "incense"! It was a case of wee to wii this Christmas and it was good to finish the day with the family and to watch my 83 year old Dad playing ten-pin bowling!!

Hope it is meaningful for you all! Sent from my iPod!

There was real discomfort in the congregations eyes. I was preaching at Nunhead and was in full flow when I heard Richard, I could see the drama unfold as a local alcoholic made his entrance and staggered up the aisle with his tell-tale blue plastic bag hiding his super-strength cider. Much of the discomfort came from whatever was causing the trail that followed his staggered track! A couple of the congregation help him as he decides to leave. I contend with the loud ongoing conversation and then the full on aggression as Richard loses his cool outside in the foyer. It reminded me of Poplar days. As we left after the meeting, the foyer had a certain aroma. Bethan turned to us smiled and nasally said "that's what Poplar used to smell like at Christmas!"

"I don't believe in what you believe but I believe in what you do..." He'd put his rolled up tenners in the bucket and had gone almost before I could smile. I was collecting for Deptford SA as they raised money at Borough Market and for the rest of the time I spent collecting while the carols were played I wished I could've explained to the guy that he might have been surprised how close our beliefs may be. So much of what I believe is shaped by doing, and living out the life and values of what I see on the life of Jesus! It always seems a shame that the church has done so well making that which people saw as being amazing in Christ so predictable!

I've had a clearing the desk day, reading articles, books, magazines that over this term have built a formidable wall. It has been good to get rid of the clutter! I've had 'Mission in the 21st Century' on my desk to read through for quite sometime and a brief skim through has confirmed that this is a book that needs to be bought or not returned just yet! The five marks of mission it explores give a great framework for understanding mission. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom To teach baptise and nurture new believers To respond to human need by loving service To seek to transform unjust structures of society To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain an renew the life of the earth. Ken Gnanakan goes into bat first and explores what it is to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom - he concludes... The Gospel of the Kingdom must be considered anew so that our proclamation and our methods take on fresh significance. While there is a need to renew o...

“I was bought up to not believe in God; to distrust the church and have nothing to do with religion. The more I come to these events though I have to say I’m not to sure anymore. It's like you lot are a magnet and I'm getting drawn in to something bigger!” Paul lives local to William Booth College and has come along to every event that the college has put on in its local park. ‘Carols in the Park 2008’ was the latest in a series of events designed as the college seeks to make itself known in its community. As the college band set up on the bandstand, a small crowd gathered in anticipation, people were ready to share in community. With successive carols the crowd grew as more people arrived to join in singing of the Christmas message. Many nonplussed at no sign of a collecting box, but rather gifts of tea, coffee and a mince pie, there were smiles and carols all-round. For over a week posters dotted around Ruskin Park adjacent to William Booth College announced "carols in t...

A massive chunk of family tree has come to light with some interesting connections. For eight years I felt really at home in Poplar our last appointment. Now I know why - my Great Great Great Grandfather William Chapman was born there in 1791!! (And get this Chris from Falmouth - the next generation has Baldwin's in it!!! I've always said with your height we must have been separated somewhere!!!)

There was an interesting article in the Times this week, a friend photocopied it for me to have a look. I wanted to keep a copy as a useful discussion starter! You can read it here .

Affluenza n: a contagious middle class virus causing depression, anxiety, addiction and ennui... I sat on the bus with Oliver James' new book poised. ( James, O. (2007). Affluenza .Vermilion ) I notice a guy with an iPhone and I become transfixed with what he was doing. Quite obviously he was meeting someone but wasn't sure where he was going; fascinated I watch him pull up some A-Z app and work out his route with a route planner. Then I watched with increasing jealousy as he zoomed in and out to get the finer details of the journey; place names, roads, bus routes. Increasingly I felt I want one of those. By the time matey boy was talking to his friend and giving him the time of his arrival I was fast trying to convince myself - I need one of those! Worried that matey would see me agog I start the book. Flick through acknowledgements and contents and get to the "Are you infected with Affluenza ?" Keeping a careful eye open on the iPhone seeing him listening to music w...

I'm not into big band bashing; 13 years in The Regent Hall band played a big part of my development as a young Christian. I have great respect for the commitment of those that still engage in this ministry; some of which goes largely un noticed. Some of these ISB guys I know willing to help small inner city corps with their carolling effort in order to raise funds for ministry into their communities. So I'm not really that bothered about the ISB recording deal - and I really hope that the venture raises the money that is hoped for and that it will then be put into those areas that need it. But something bothers me. I asked Bethan what she thought the poster said about The Salvation Army. She looked and said "...we're more bothered about the countryside..." "Do you think that is right..?" "No... something is missing!" "What? " "Community!" I smiled but then again maybe I am still a rabid inner city officer with a chi...

I'm reading through some material I am presenting tomorrow on Nouwen and I was struck with his words on leadership and the temptation of power. "I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self." Nouwen, H. (1993). In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership "What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life." Nouwen, H. (1993). In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership Interesting thoughts that remain acutely relevant for us.

I first read A Churchless Faith about four years ago and found it immensely helpful for myself to understand faith more as a verb than a static noun. I'm evermore convinced of it's importance in Spiritual Formation and Jamieson's summary of Fowler's work on FD is helpful. I want to periodically highlight some of Fowler's stages of faith thanks to Jamieson's summary. He uses some of Fowler's qualifying statements to set the scene. Fowler's work on development of faith is like a map that describes the terrain and shows key landmarks; but it is like a map at the back of a tourist map - helpful but not detailed or authoritative. Faith is a dynamic, changing and evolving process. Rather than merely something you have or do not have or just an acceptance of certain statements of belief, Fowler suggests that faith is a dynamic process a way of living. Faith development is more about how we believe (operation of faith) rather than what we believe (contents of ...

One of the interesting things about Faith House is the conversation and observations you get about other agencies that offer help to the homeless. One of my favourites has always been the story of a Roman Catholic outreach to the homeless somewhere in the West End. The friendliness has never been a complaint, nor has been the food, which from all accounts is well up there! The issue isn't even the worship and imposed 'God slot' - the problem is the two nuns who stand by the exit playing guitars to stop anyone leaving. It is almost worth popping along to see it in action - a nice twist on the popular Ship of Fools Mystery Worshipper . I have a new favourite story that has had me chortling for several days. It involves a church group that uses a bus to create a nice space for homeless people to get a hot drink and a conversation for a couple of hours. Jim is a highly articulate member of the FH community, his exasperation in telling the story made it all the better. Not reali...

OK of very little worth and a complete waste of time. But if you did happen to play for Brazil what would your name be? A bit of fun here Yours sincerely Cottereiro da Costa!

Mostly I use puesdonyms when I write, sometimes I don't - I'm glad Mr Hopgood was always really Mr Hopgood. Mr Hopgood was a regular feature of URBANarmy several years back. At the time I could not get my head around how I could not help this elderly, very eccentric homeless guy who had been made street homeless when a hostel closed for a refurb. Everyday Mr Hopgood would come into the community lounge at Poplar for breakfast, lunch, warmth and a sleep. Everyday we would help Mr Hopgood in with his over sized suitcase. Everyday Mr Hopgood would sit and create his own atmosphere as the aroma of street aftermath would percolate! Mr Hopgood had a story. They say a brilliant mind that for some unknown catalyst went over the edge. He spent most of his adult life in hostels refusing to bath or on the streets. He came to us in the winter frozen. He came to sleep and to eat. There he would find warmth and tolerance among the mothers and their children. Then at 1:30pm after a lunch off ...

As we learn to 'live within the contours of God's future', eschatology rather than an excuse for disengagement becomes the 'empowerment for radical engagement'. Charles Ringma talks of a church's preoccupation that loses sight of the fact that the Christian faith is fundamentally eschatological in orientation. Something is missing when people's preoccupation for tomorrow leaves no significance or time for today. Yet a strong emphasis exists that would indicate the real danger of living for the future in such a way that the present is seen as unnecessary; a real danger of living waiting for the 'life to come' at the expense of the world now; a real danger of 'soul-saving' that has heavenly significance at the expense of the work of justice and social transformation. I sometimes wonder if eschatology could represent a lost theme of mission? "Why offer a sticking plaster when major surgery is required .... why offer a sleeping bag when an e...

It was great to be able to visit Poplar to lead worship today, great to see old and new faces and to catch up with old friends. There is something odd about being a visitor where you feel totally familiar and at home. It was great to see some of the old characters and to catch up with those we shared a significant journey with. The only disappointment really was that there was no Patrick Pantlin. He slept in!

I saw him leaving on the Close Circuit TV monitor as I was putting my bag in the office. I had arrived late - as usual! - to the drop in at Faith House. As I slipped the rucksack off my back I saw him look vaguely in the direction of the security camera and then disappear in the the evening streets of Kings Cross. Chris never stays long - just long enough for us all to see and acknowledge his life. It was good to see him. Chris had not been seen at FH for most of the summer and we were getting worried. Phone calls had been made to hospitals, fearing the worst, the next stage was to make contact with the morgues. Chris is clearly very ill, it doesn't take much imagination to think that he is HIV+, for weeks we had seen him deteriorate. So his complete disappearance was a concern for us all. I came up into the kitchen " heh ... was that Chris I just saw leaving...?" The joy and celebration in the eyes of the other workers and volunteers was tangible. "It ce...

While Pentecostal 'Bishop' Michael Reid has drawn some negative attention in recent years, and his book in many ways represents one of those give away Ph.D's from an unknown American seminary. There are some interesting points that are worth noting when considering evil and spiritual warfare. After giving a historical context through looking how an understanding of evil developed as an apologetic for the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the subsequent period of exile (586- 539 BC) and how the exile also exposed the Jewish people to new influences in particular Zoroastrianism he makes several interesting points worth keeping in mind in wrestling with any theology of evil and spiritual warfare that goes beyond glib! We fail to understand where Christianity ends and paganism begins. We do not know where the boundaries are. There is no explicit biblical teaching relating to the demonisation of Christians, by implication the Scripture makes it quite clear that this ...

I got to see Channel 4's Grow Your Own last week. I bought the DVD for Pernell and took a sneak preview before I posted it over to him. Great little film, full of character and charm. A modern parable for what church should be. The dynamic at a set of allotments is upset when the white working class gardeners are introduced to various immigrant families who are given allotments by social services in order to develop a sense of purpose and self-sufficiency. It was great to sit back and watch this 'nice' film develop if not rather predictably. Themes of inclusion, grace, love, compassion, restoration, justice, integration are woven together as the various ethnic groups become accepted and move in from the margins to a place of value as a new community is built and developed. I loved this film and went and bought my own copy!

It is the little things that count at Faith House, things that we would all take for granted but speak volumes in helping the largely valueless in society to feel some kind of worth. One of the things that I have learned at Faith House is that the average drink is tea two sugars. There is something really profound in being able to remember how someone drinks their tea. For some of these guys, for someone to not only know their name but also know how many sugars they take in their tea is symbolic of belonging. It speaks of family. Acceptance. When I first arrived at FH I marvelled at the memory of some of the volunteers who knew just how people took their tea, and saw how included the men were left feeling. Now I know that you can't go far wrong in guessing - tea ... two sugars!

If you receive a Facebook message (or a Facebook message alert in your email) with a questionable subject line, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK IN THE BODY! All of the information in this post was garnered from an awesome article from news.com.au by Narelle Towie. Questionable subject titles vary from “Maan,yyou’re great!” to “your ass looks not bad in this video”, “Some0ne thinks your special and has a *Hot_Crush* on you. Find out who it could be*” or a youtube link that says ‘”i can see yooooooooo”. These links disguise a trojan worm and should not be clicked. Having had six messages today from various random people suggesting how good various parts of my body look on videos they have found on youtube - I'd say this is very much a true threat. For the techies apparently a trojan virus. Fabulous Firefox out foxed them when I explored what it was about by pasting the link rather than clicking on it. Someone is after your bank details....? More here

The 'Soup Kitchen Challenge' is a novel fundraising idea that the New Covent Garden Food Company is doing in conjunction with The Salvation Army. With the proceeds raised to support resettlement work and social programmes that focus on food and nutrition. Find out more here

My daily Henri Nouwen email meditation said this today... How does the Church witness to Christ in the world? First and foremost by giving visibility to Jesus' love for the poor and the weak. In a world so hungry for healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and most of all unconditional love, the Church must alleviate that hunger through its ministry. Wherever we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the lonely, listen to those who are rejected, and bring unity and peace to those who are divided, we proclaim the living Christ, whether we speak about him or not. Subscribe to the email service here .

It was great to relax last week in Portugal - Algarve has to be one of most stunning coastlines I've been to and to be able to sit back and enjoy it in the sun was a boon! I thought I'd catch up on some novels while away. Young, W. (2007). The Shack. Grand Rapids: Windblown Media The Shack I read with the warning that I would hate it! Certainly the disclaimer that if I didn't enjoy the book it was not meant for me was a handy loophole. I think it would only be fair to say I would imagine that there would be others that would benefit from this book more than me!! Trying not to be bruisingly cynical and without wanting to spoil the plot, I struggled with the over personification of the Trinity, particular moments of intimacy, knowing looks and winks in the community of God made me gag. The overplay of the obvious left me groaning with too many 'oh really moments...!' Put that aside and the ridiculous depiction of God the Father as a pastry baking 'mamma two s...

A week in the sun made a difference for a Cotterill family holiday - well done Portugal!! It was good to read, enjoy various beaches, coves and inlets on the Algarve. To explore the delights of Moorish castles and ports. To play in the sea, to eat Sardines, to make up stories and enjoy being together!!

I must admit that a week in Portugal is looking really appealing. A quick look at the 10 day forecast has cruelly raised our hopes that we might get some decent weather! Back in a week!

It definitely took some getting used to which left me with a niggling frustration. WBC hosted the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit and while the material was good, exceptionally well produced and polished, it was achingly 2D! Not that I didn't benefit from the event, there was some great material to digest - the highlight being Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission . Within the context of his work with IJM his session was about leadership based on things that matter to God rather than leading things that don't matter to God. Are Jesus and I interested in the same things? What is God passionate about..? were good questions to act as a kind of litmus test to motives for mission. Unsurprisingly his thing was to talk about justice at a international scale - you can check out the website for the exciting interactions. "If you say justice is not my thing - God says well I'm not your thing...!" as a conclusion left me with loads of questions and areas that ...

I get a daily Henri Nouwen meditation arrive in my email inbox -usually always helpful. This was yesterday's and while it wasn't totally for me yesterday it was for some friends today. Our faith in God who sent his Son to become God-with-us and who, with his Son, sent his Spirit to become God-within-us cannot be real without our faith in the Church. The Church is that unlikely body of people through whom God chooses to reveal God's love for us. Just as it seems unlikely to us that God chose to become human in a young girl living in a small, not very respected town in the Middle East nearly two thousand years ago, it seems unlikely that God chose to continue his work of salvation in a community of people constantly torn apart by arguments, prejudices, authority conflicts, and power games. Still, believing in Jesus and believing in the Church are two sides of one faith. It is unlikely but divine!

The look was incredulous and unbelieving. I had just introduced Eryn to General Shaw Clifton who we happened upon while walking home from school through the grounds of WBC. "...and who is this young lady?" the General asked me offering his hand to Eryn. As Eryn shook his hand I introduced our youngest daughter. "Well I am very pleased to meet you Eryn" the General offered as his small entourage looked on. Thinking that Eryn didn't have a clue who this man was I thought I'd explain. "Eryn - this is the General of The Salvation Army...!" Fortunately I think I was the only one to hear her incredulity. "yeah right...!" "yeah really....!"

A bit more van Gelder as he explores the nature of the church and the centrality of the cross. This is an ineresting exploration of a narrow understanding of salvation which then supports a narrow understanding of mission. "Those who make the cross the starting point for their discussion of redemption often find it difficult to see the bigger picture inherent both in creation design and God's redemptive reign as announced by Jesus. Starting with an understanding of the mission of God in the world provides a broader framework for considering the meaning of the cross. The cross is still central within this framework, but its purpose is understood in light of the broader scope of God's mission. Understanding the cross in relation to creation is critical to being able to grasp the full character of the church's ministry in the world." (2000: 130 ff) Gelder, C. (2000). The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

NT in his commentary on Romans deals, I think, helpfully with the question of evil when he looks at Romans 6.12-14. This is what he says. "There are two spheres, two places to live, the Adam-humanity and the Messiah humanity. Paul doesn't mention the devil at this point, but when he talks about 'sin' there is a sense of a suprahuman power, a force or energy which is more than the sum total of unhelpful instincts and wrong actions. This force can and does act like a tyrannical landlord, making demands and backing them up with threats. You must live like this: you must go out and get drunk; you must indulge your sexual appetites as fully as you can; you must help yourself to other people's property; you must develop new types of weapons to kill more and more people; you must extend your business empire as far as you possibly can....if you don't live like this, you're missing out on real life; you'll never be satisfied until you give in; you'll get s...

"Whispers of paedophilia, and of his computer being seized was enough for him to run for London leaving all he owned behind for a new existence on the streets ..." He came in late to the drop in and made a bee-line for me. He was looking for somewhere to sleep, he needed some food and a sleeping bag. I noticed the deep cut under his left eye as we drank tea together; he began to tell me something of his story. As Jon blinked awkwardly he was keen to tell me that he had a home up in Yorkshire but was homeless in London because of fear. Fear had driven him out of his home; his neighbours had turned on him. Whispers of paedophilia, and of his computer being seized was enough for him to run for London leaving all he owned behind for a new existence on the streets but not before someone tried to gouge out his eye. Encounters like that leave more questions than answers. Whatever the circumstances it is good that FH can be a place where fear isn't, even if it is for the length...

Estelle goes on a rant here Apparently conservative delegates at their recent conference found in their welcome pack vouchers to go to a lap/pole dancing club. Harmless fun or have we a case of supporting a way of life that makes a market for trafficked women? Hmmm ?

My Mission class at college are currently looking at this assignment - "Mission is not a programme of the church but rather an attribute of God" (Bosch 1991:390). Critically analyse this statement in the light and experience of mission in your placement. I've just uncovered a quote from Graham Tomlin that sets the scene nicely: The God of the biblical story displays very different characteristics from the Greek gods, or even gods of eastern faiths. He is not capricious but faithful,keeping his promises and covenants from generation to generation. He is not a sea of placid detachment from the world, but instead interacts with it.... Instead he is humble, lavishly creating a world in which he remains hidden, a world that is not full of signs demanding we pay Him attention and give Him His due. The qualities that mark him out are those of patience, faithfulness, perseverance, kindness, goodness, self-control, humility, joy, creativity and above all, love (2006:83). Tomlin, G...

Joel Edwards puts a compelling process of thought together in what he calls ' An Agenda for Change: Living Out the Social Gospel '. Rather than jettison the Evangelical label he argues for rehabilitation! Rehabilitating Evangelical : The Challenges: We need to humbly reassess some of our tribal theological rigidities- " If evangelicalism is to reposition itself as a transforming movement in the twenty-first century, then it is the vast majority of people in the evangelical centre who are going to take us there." We must present Christ credibly in cultures which have increasing vendettas against the idea of God in the public square - "a credible response needs to undomesticate the Christ evangelicals have held captive in fearful subcultures. We have become too comfortable with a risk-averse Christ who is not the Christ of the Bible. I’m not convinced that Jesus would be publicly identifiable with our moral agenda." We must integrate long-term thinking. -...

Hiebert makes some interesting points regarding Spiritual Warfare and evil. He points to three worldviews but 'Cosmic Dualism' would it seem to influence much of what I have read regarding SW; it underlies a sense of redemptive violence where order can be established only when one side defeats the other in spiritual warfare. One side seeks to establish a kingdom of righteousness and order, and the other an evil empire. Sounds familiar - Hiebert interestingly draws parallels with other religious similarities found in Zoroastrianism, Manicheism and Hinduism where mighty gods battle for control of the universe. Hiebert points out that: Many current Christian interpretations of spiritual warfare are based on an Indo Euro worldview which sees it as a cosmic battle between God and his angels and Satan and his demons for the control of people and lands. The battle is fought in the heavenlies, but it ranges over sky and earth. The central question is one of power - can God defeat ...

A bit more van Gelder as he explores the nature of the church. The nature of the church is defined by the mission of God in the world The nature of the church is the result of the redemptive work of Christ The nature of the church is holistic in relating this redemption to all of life The church exists as a social community that is both spiritual and human The church exists as a full demonstration of a new humanity. The attributes of the church's nature determine the church's ministry. pp128 Gelder, C. (2000). The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

Cameron continues to come along to Faith House and it seems he values the sense of family that exists within the staff, volunteers and guys that come to the drop in. He was quite shocked this week because he had been spotted on Tottenham Court road as a potential model for a catalogue shoot. Apparently he has the looks and physique that met a certain brief (so to speak!!). As he showed me the contact card - he shrugged his shoulders "they'd have to do a lot of 'airbrushing' to be able to use me..." As I thought how to encourage him, before I could speak he added. "I've too many stab wound scars...!" More about Cameron here .

It was an interesting start to the evening; stood outside a very well locked up inner city church wondering if we were in the right place to hear Tom Sine. Five of us sensibly getting there early just in case we didn't get in. We didn't have much to worry about! Eventually some life and Tom and his hosts arrive and we are let in together with a young dread locked boy seemingly looking for community and warmth. Gradually a small crowd joins us and we introduced to parts of his new book The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time . His thing is definitely that of being a friendly voice to the emerging church, championing a new generation of innovators, risk takers and entrepreneurs, those he perceives God is doing something new through. He used Strictly Ballroom to make the point that this new generation are "fed up of dancing other people's steps" and with this motivation these new conspirators engage with the emerging crisis facing church...

As the commuters busy themselves to make the next leg of their journey into work I wonder if The Salvation Army is more emerging than we think They were not there when I came back. I saw them from the top of the 185 bus as I made my way to Victoria to do a stint of collecting for the SA Annual Appeal - ironically sleeping under the bridges - as I went to 'do something'. As the bus slowly passed overhead I looked at the time 6:30am, the group seemed to be slowly waking up, some of the group folding away sleeping bags, others folding up their cardboard, their only insulation. Five minutes later I am signing in at Victoria, collecting box poised - I'm hopeful that I might have a better place to stand than last week when at another station I stood in front of a poster boldly promoting its message "DO NOT ENCOURAGE BEGGARS BY GIVING THEM MONEY". For the next three hours with the image of Vauxhall Bridge in my mind I 'encourage' people to contribute and I am hap...

'Mastering Evil' - Henri Nouwen... "Choosing life instead of death demands an act of will that often contradicts our impulses. Our impulses want to take revenge, while our wills want to offer forgiveness. Our impulses push us to an immediate response: When someone hits us in the face, we impulsively want to hit back. How then can we let our wills dominate our impulses? The key word is wait. Whatever happens, we must put some space between the hostile act directed toward us and our response. We must distance ourselves, take time to think, talk it over with friends, and wait until we are ready to respond in a life-giving way. Impulsive responses allow evil to master us, something we always will regret. But a well thought-through response will help us to "master evil with good" (Romans 12.21)."

Eryn starts an accelerated ballet course at The Royal Ballet today; with Kate away we are just about to head up to Covent Garden and the Royal Opera House. I can't help being proud and a little bit nervous - the tying up of the hair into a bun is a little intimidating!!

While exploring the essence of church unsuprisingly the theme of the Reign of God comes into play. Van Gelder pulls out some key themes in what he calls God's redemptive reign. This reign reflects creation design This reign anticipates the new heavens and new earth This reign defeated the principalities and powers This reign was demonstrated in Jesus' life and ministry This reign brings redeemed life to all the created powers This reign anticipated the church as creation of the Spirit pp102 Gelder, C. (2000). The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

I like the biblical imagery that Dutch artist Kees de Kort captures and have added him to my art that speaks label. More here .

After a couple of minutes of nonsensical conversation he starts digging deep into his jacket. He pulls out a police evidence bag with a wad of paperwork and says "can you make sense of this...?" More about 'I don't know Adrian' here and here . The first wave of guys leaving after their plate of pasta was in full swing, the small room at Faith House opened up and when a chair became available next to Adrian I was able to sit next to him. He had been more agitated this evening than usual, he has a kind of musical chair routine throughout most evenings - tonight there was more to it, there was something up. He seemed pleased even relieved that someone had sat next to him. After a couple of minutes of nonsensical conversation he starts digging deep into his jacket. He pulls out a police evidence bag with a wad of paperwork and says "can you make sense of this...?" I have a quick look and see that Adrian is out on bail. Adrian has been involved in a violent ...

A book that challenges you before you have finished with the contents page has got to be special! Drawing from his own experience; the desert tempations of Jesus; the restoration of Peter and the necessary disciplines for future Christian leadership - Henri Nouwen does it again in three short sections and a beautiful epilogue. From Relevance to Prayer The Temptation: To Be Relevant The Question: 'Do you Love Me?' The Discipline: Contemplative Prayer From Popularity to Ministry The Temptation: To be Spectacular The Question: 'Feed My Sheep' The Discipline: Confession and Forgiveness From Leading to Being Led The Temptation:To be Powerful The Challenge : Somebody Else Will Take You The Discipline: Theological Reflection Nouwen, H. (1993). In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. NY: Crossroad/Faith & Formation.

"Horsley takes an interesting angle that needs processing should we wish to avoid a glib response to the question of evil and spiritual warfare." Richard Horsley writes primarily on the dangers of depoliticising the person and message of Jesus - he contributes to an understanding of the political context within which Jesus' message and ministry is set. It is very hard to do this without addressing the question of evil. Interestingly he looks in particular at the exorcisms and their significance in illustrating that 'God is accomplishing a political as well as a religious or spiritual victory'. (2002:102) In other words: The series of episodes in which Jesus exorcises demons and the discussions of the significance of Jesus' exorcisms in the Gospels indicate that precisely in his practice of exorcism God's kingdom is defeating Roman rule. (2002:99) He illustrates that 'warfare with Satan - was one of the principal ways that Galilean peasants as well as ...

God on Trial is well worth checking out on BBC iplayer if you missed it last night on BBC2. The setting is based on the story that prisoners in Auschwitz put God on trial. Their suffering at the hands of the Nazis pushing their faith to breaking point brought forward the charge that God was in breech of contract. God had broken his covenant. As those selected for the chambers leave the question is heard. "Now we have found God guilty, what do we do?" "Pray...!"

I've got a great Dad! He likes his newspaper and He's keen to make sure I am up to date with those little stories that I could miss. So whenever I visit I come home with a stack of clippings to equip me! That is a long way round to legitimise why I am about to point to a story in the Daily Telegraph!! There is an interesting story about Mosab Hassan Yousef , the son of one of the top guys in Hamas - the Palestinian Islamist group. You can read it here . In short Mosab Hassan Yousef started to question and deconstruct his faith but reconstructed it through what he read in the Bible. The one time successor of leadership of Hamas is now a Christian, having found himself excited at what he read in the Gospels. The answers to the end of violence he found in forgiveness and what he saw as the foundation of Christianity 'love your enemies'. He is well worth googling.

The advantage of Salvation Army uniform is that it draws questions. Kate and I rushed out at lunch time to Sainsbury's to get some food for the house. I went for the bread and was aware of the Sainsbury member of staff bearing down on me. As our trolleys pass in the bread aisle he fires a broadside! "Salvation Army?" "Yes!" "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" I pump myself up. He's an older guy - perhaps wanting to find out more about how faith can impact his life; perhaps searching for something that has been missing in his life; perhaps some deep regret eating away at his sense of peace. I - resplendent in my uniform - am in the right place and the right time for him. "Sure" I look expectantly. "Who is the General of The Salvation Army?" Not the question I was expecting - nevertheless I am able to give him the answer to 11 across in the crossword puzzle he was doing. He goes away happy! Whistling.

Had a good break in Devon - one major question that would not leave me - "is this August?" Thoroughly enjoyed Dawlish Warren, Teignmouth and Shalden, the stainglass at Buckfast Abbey, playing on the dunes at Exmouth, cream teas in Dartmoor - meeting up with someone who really helped shape my mind at University - Professor Paul Cloke. It was good to read and spend time with the family even though it rained 80-85% of the time!! Whatever happened to the Augusts with sun?

This year it is South Devon's turn to bear the brunt of the weather that follows us around when our tent comes out. Our apologies to any with the misfortune to have booked the same two weeks as us!

The Church is... Van Gelder suggests that to understand the essence of the church, there is a need to start with what 'the church is'; he connects this with an understanding of the kingdom. "The understanding of the church must start with an understanding of the kingdom of God. More specifically, it must start with the announcement of the inauguration of God's redemptive reign in the person and presence of Jesus. The redemptive reign of God must serve as the foundation for defining the nature, ministry and organisation of the church. The church must find its core identity in relation to God's redemptive reign as introduced by Jesus in his announcement that the "kingdom of God has come near". (2000:74) Van Gelder argues that any consequent understanding of church has 'profound implications for our understanding of the nature of the church'. Not only does such a core identity lend itself to a 'proper understanding of a missiological ecclesiol...

I had not see Cameron before. Sitting with him it was soon obvious that Cameron was a highly intelligent guy. "My thing is Japanese, it all started when I couldn't sleep and I got watching an Open University programme on spoken Japanese" As we are chatting one of the new volunteers at Faith House - a student studying theology at Durham - is having a conversation with one of the homeless guys about New Testament Greek which quickly draws Cameron's interest. Rolling a cigarette, hardly looking up Cameron complete's the Greek alphabet. With incredulity in his voice our new volunteer says "that's right!!". Cameron just 30 had big dreams for his life, a talented sportsman, particularly football and Judo; who knows some of the dreams may have been realised had his mid teens not been a cocktail of wrong decisions. A life of drugs and violent crime landed Cameron in trouble and until six months ago his twenty's have known only prison. As Cameron offe...

I've read a lot of Nouwen's material - although I admit that the bulk being that of Nouwen quotes in other book. This year I have tried to read more Nouwen direct and I have to say that I have not been disappointed. 'Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life' in particular is a beautiful and challenging little book. Page after page of comforting yet disquieting insights as Nouwen leads us to become aware of 'different poles between which our lives vacillate and are held in tension'. Nouwen suggests that these poles can offer a context through which the spiritual life can be communicated and seen by anyone 'striving to live a life in the spirit of Jesus Christ'. "The first polarity deals with our relationship to ourselves. It is the polarity between loneliness and solitude. The second polarity forms the basis of our relationship to others. This is the polarity between hostility and hospitality. The third , final and most important pol...

I think that this observation is significant and easily forgotten: "The personified force of evil, “the satan” is important but not that important. It is wrong to think of the satan as “personal” in the same way that God or Jesus is “personal,” which is not to say that it is a vague or nebulous force. I use the term “subpersonal” as a way of refusing to accord the satan the full dignity of personhood while recognizing that the concentration of activity can and does strike us very much like that which we associate with personhood". NT Wright (2006) Evil and the Justice of God

Reminiscent of the Hirsch and Frost's mantra 'Christology - Missiology - Ecclesiology', Van Gelder points out how important it is to maintain an understanding of the relationship of the 'nature - ministry and organisation' of church. The order has to be right when considering the development of a missiological ecclesiology... "The church is. The church does what it is. The church organises what it does" "In developing a more fully-orbed missiological ecclesiology, three aspects of church life must be defined and related to one another: what the church is - its nature; what the church does - its ministry; and how the church is to structure its work - its organisation. The interrelationship of the three aspects is clear. The church is. The church does what it is. The church organises what it does" (Van Gelder 2000:37) Getting the order wrong can reduce the perspective of church from that of a unique community of God's people to that o...

"Worship has taken on a hybrid character made up of elements of pantomime, 'last night at the proms' and Jerry Springer!" I watched the tear slowly roll down John's face and disappear into his unkempt beard. I listened to his story as alcoholic fumes engulf me; his yellowed eyes misty as he talks about his family that he is too embarrassed to visit. "I'm not well..." John and his mate Danny have been coming to Nunhead SA for a couple of weeks and they are bringing colour to Sunday morning worship. Worship has taken on a hybrid character made up of elements of pantomime, 'last night at the proms' and Jerry Springer! There is a feeling of not what is going to be said next - John is very funny and his enthusiastic, inappropriate wit is what every church needs. Stood talking to John, as he spilled his tea through his shakes, gave me a snap shot of his life. "I've done good things Gordon... but I'll always be remembered for the wr...

View Upload your own "The effects of social exclusion are often all too easy to see: family breakdown, poverty, poor health, addictive behaviour and homelessness. The purpose of The Seeds of Exclusion, the fourth in a series of reports published by The Salvation Army, is to identify how patterns of early-life experience contain the seeds of later problems, and how The Salvation Army and others might tackle them." TSA has published its latest report looking into issues of social fragmentation - it's called Seeds of Exclusion - you can read and download it here .

C. S. Lewis famously suggested two errors when people thought and spoke about the devil. That of imagining him or it as a being equal and opposite to God or to Jesus. The danger outlined is that of an excessive interest and expectation that a satanic influence and activity is behind every problem. That of sneering and mocking the idea of the demonic. The comic caricature conjured from medieval art is probably the foundation of much of the embarrassed dumbing down of any talk of the demonic. NT Wright points to the irony that it was left-wing political theologians who reclaimed a theology of satan in the understanding of systematic failure as being evil. Finding a position between the two extremes causes a tension that is worth exploring. I blame Constantine - he seems to get the blame for everything else!!!? Wright, N.T (2003) The Resurrection of the Son of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God)

It comes to something when you need to go to the Dr. to get your toenails cut, because to cut your toenails constitutes a risk to life. Frank is only 3 years older than me but looks like he is nearer 60. Drink in his life has taken its toll and he knows it. Frank is one of the miracles of Faith House, when he first arrived apparently he was all you would expect from an alcoholic whose life was drink and sleeping on the street. I ask about his training ... "they stopped me in case I cut myself...!" It comes to something when you need to go to the Dr. to get your toenails cut, because to cut your toenails constitutes a risk to life. I must have looked non-plussed as Frank tells me how his platelets have been decimated in his blood so that the simplest of cuts could have significant consequences. "It's the drink Gordon, but I am so much better now, I've cut down from 12 to 2 everyday now..." "12 to 2 cans Frank?" "No ... litres!" Frank is a ...