by emma | May 1, 2007 | Faith, Uni
I listened to an incredible sermon by Rob Bell yesterday, on Matt 28. (Find it here)
Most of you know I’ve ended up leading/guiding the social action team we have in CU this year. One of the things we want to see happen is for Christians to begin to understand that there is no real distinction between social justice and evangelism… the one is the other, and vice versa.
Rob was sharing about their new missions focus XYZ at an information evening one night when someone asked him a question,
“I think serving the poor is fantastic, but I am a little concerned. We need to be sure to tell them about Jesus. When is it that we are going to tell them about Jesus?”
Rob thought about it for a minute, then realised the answer was, we already are. He came to the realization that the question is not when do we teach them about Jesus, but what are we teaching them about Jesus. By the way we live out our lives and interact with others we are teaching them something about the nature of who Jesus is and what he is about. We are actually “telling others about Jesus” in a myriad of other ways, all the time.
“If Christians do not lead the way in caring for the earth, in stewarding our environment, then we have said to the world, we dont care about our environment. If we dont care for the environment, we are saying to the world we know our book has said one of its first commands is to take care of the earth, but we just dont really take that seriously.”
The gospel is not just something we verbally tell people. It is a way of life. If we only ever “share the gospel” through our words alone, it gets disembodied. It is meant to be lived out in the way we spend our money, love our neighboor, do our washing, take out our rubbish… everything.
I wish more people would get this.
HT: Mike
by emma | Apr 26, 2007 | Faith
Following the Urban Expressions meeting on Monday night, the group of 4 of us who went to the open evening ended up on top of a hill in Anniesland overlooking Glasgow, praying and worshiping. That’s where Hope City comes in. Glasgow is a place of brokenness, a place known as Stab City. No longer. Her new name is Hope City.
The image comes from Isaiah 6, where Isaiah has a vision of God, the Holy One, and is overwhelmed with his brokeness. In essence it is Isaiah’s calling, but what to? He is to deliver a message to the people – that God will harden their hearts, and the people wont understand it. Isaiah, understandably, asks how long this will last for… something I think all 4 of us have asked, either for Glasgow or for other places on our hearts (Ahoghill, Dundonald, Govan, Kigali to name a few). God’s response? Not a very encouraging one it would seem…
Then I said, “For how long, O Lord?”
And he answered:
“Until the cities lie ruined
and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged,
until the LORD has sent everyone far away
and the land is utterly forsaken.
And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
[Isaiah 6:11-13]
This vision will come to pass…
by emma | Apr 25, 2007 | Faith, Poverty
Time to share and expand…
On Monday evening I went to an information evening for Urban Expressions Glasgow, an inner-city church planting initiative. Stuart Murray-Williams spoke a little on what’s different about urban church planting, before we split into a couple of sessions to talk more in depth about either getting involved in UE Glasgow or about more of the theoretical issues of urban church planting. I got incredibly excited about this all. I only really went because Reuben told me I needed to come… I’m glad he did! I love UEs core values… relationship, creativity, and humility. Key issues.
Some things Stuart Murray-Williams shared…
Inner cities are places of marginilaty, and God is in the margins. Mission is not trickle-down, but seep-up.
There is a deep suspicion of incomers. We are not people who just come to “do our project” on them.
Inner-city church planting is multi-faceted – questions if it is church planting or holistic mission?
Suburban heresy: seperating social justice and evangelism.
The idea of a fallow year – a year of being before doing.
Jesus’ whole ministry is framed by food – he starts by turning water into wine, ends with the last supper, followed by a post-resurrection BBQ on the beach.
Towards the end of the evening Doug Gay (who lectures at the University of Glasgow coincidently) read a poem he wrote a while ago, entitled “A New Glasgow“. It is a beautiful picture of what Glasgow could be like if we take seriously our call to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (as a wiser man than me once said).
It was a privillege to be there and get to talk to so many people in Glasgow who are committed to not only planting churches but to living out lives of justice.
Read Pauls (team leader) blog here…
by emma | Apr 24, 2007 | Faith
Oh so much to share…. but not now. Too little time. Here’s a few hints:
An open evening.
“Suburban heresy: seperating social justice and evangelism.”
A hill. In the middle of the night. For 3 hours.
“Jesus lives – here’s a toaster!”
A New Glasgow.
Hope City instead of Stab City.
Isaiah 6.
A Holy seed.
Rwanda.
by emma | Apr 22, 2007 | Faith
I’ve been reading through Chronicles over the last few weeks. Thought I’d share some thoughts on it…
There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!
[2 Chron 5:6]
I love the fact that they lost count of what they sacrificed. There’s this atmosphere that permeates through Chronicles of everything being God’s to start with, of not offering sacrifices that cost us nothing, etc. I can almost picture the scene… a guy turns to the man beside him, “How many sheep is that now?” “Oh, I’ve no idea!” What would it be like to be so in awe of God that our natural response is to sacrifice, and to keep sacrificing… without counting how much we’re doing. Maybe it’s breaking the idea of, “If I sacrifice so many goats, I’ll earn my way into heaven” or something. Lose count… thats the challenge for me. Reminds me of Jesus’ words, don’t let your right hand know what your left hand’s doing.
At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.
[2 Chron 5:13-14]
God’s presence is overwhelming. When God comes, we should be consumed. Our first response is to fall face down. Then that should move us into action. Our hearts responding to his revelation. What a joy. What a privilege.
He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.
[2 Chron 6:13]
Can you grasp what that’s actually saying? The king of the nation most feared is on his knees in front of everyone. Talk about setting an example. I want to live a life that is servant-hearted and open and upfront in all I do. I want to set an example in my life, my love, in my faith, and in my purity.
I’m so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
something large
While standing here, so close to You
We could be consumed
[How Great – David Crowder Band]
by emma | Apr 13, 2007 | Faith, Uni
I cleared off to the beach this afternoon for a while. The weather has been beautiful the last while, so I took the opportunity to have some time out on my own beside the sea, took the train up to West Kilbride.
I’ve been wrestling a bit with God the last few days especially. I seem to go through seaons when it feels like I’ve no idea what God is up to and it hurts more than I’d like to to. Equally, it also seems to be in the midst of those seasons when I get more opportunities to share Jesus with those around me. Maybe its like Goethe said, where there is a great deal of light, the shadows are deepest.
Today I needed some time out to just relax, not feel under pressure, and refocus on God. Being by the ocean (or water in general) always helps me do that. I spent a good hour walking waist-deep through the ocean, admiring the world around me, breathing deeply of the sea air and pouring my heart to God. I love how Spurgeon said it:
“The best style of prayer is that which cant be called anything else but a cry.”
On the reading front, I just finished off Jim Cymbala’s book. This month has been quite light on the recreational reading so far as I was doing a lot of reading for my essay on John’s gospel.* Now that it’s handed in I’m looking forward to some more books.
* Bibliography for essay, “Jesus Christ the Logos”
Käsemann, E. 1957 The Structure and Purpose of the Prologue to John’s Gospel.
Kelber, W.H. 1990 The Birth of a Beginning.
Martyn, J.L. 1979 History & Theology in the Fourth Gospel.
Peterson, E. 2006 Eat This Book.
Peterson, E. 2003 The Message Remix.
Stibbe, M.W.G. 1992 John as Storyteller.
Tasker, R.V.G. 1960 John.
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