Christianity, the undercover agent of politics

So writes Michael Burleigh in today’s Sunday Times. Chronicling the relationship between religion and politics Burleigh decries the fact that ‘having little historical sense, many do not grasp that Christianity itself promoted the idea that each individual was sacred, regardless of whether he was Greek or Jew, bond or free.’

He goes on to assert that ‘Christianity helped establish the moral boundaries that separated kings from tyrants; and from Francis of Assisi to the Salvation Army, it has a good record of looking after the disadvantaged.’

Given the esteemed company with whom we are enjoined this is heady praise indeed for contemporary Salvationists. But this praise invokes increased responsibility. As does the high regard with which the Salvation Army is widely held. We need to resist the temptation to ‘dine out’ on our past glories. Rather we must continually seek to practically, provocatively and persuasively allow our faith to inform our political involvement.

So on Wednesday, as soon as we’re finished doing an assembly at one of our local schools we’ll be heading to Westminster to join with thousands of others calling for trade justice.

‘Woe to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey
and robbing the fatherless.’

Isaiah 10:1-2

Christians - the (not-so) undercover agents of politics?

'Change' and the mysterious ghettoes

As someone entrusted with a completely ‘blank canvas’ and a vast spectrum of coloured paints it is all too easy to forget that for the vast majority of our friends engaged in church leadership navigating change while plotting a way forward is a constant, hazardous challenge that looms large. Unfortunately however costly, it seems unavoidable.

While it is undoubtedly true that ‘not all change is improvement, without change there can be no improvement’ (Developing The Leader Within You. Maxwell, 1993:73). It is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. Jesus told Nicodemus the same thing (John 3:3). It may well be difficult to take, perilous to conduct and uncertain in its success, but change is an imperative of life not an optional extra. Indeed those reluctant to change would do well to heed George Carey’s caveat that ‘to live is to change, and a changing church is a sign of life within. The church that does not adapt is sentenced to be a mysterious ghetto existing on the fringe of society contributing nothing to its life’ (Leadership For New Life. Pytches, 1998:122).

Perhaps the key to successfully implementing change and avoiding Carey’s ‘mysterious ghettoes’ is to realize that within any organization, church or movement there are different types and groups of people who respond to change differently. Given The Salvation Army’s unwritten ‘doctrine of adaptation’ it would appear that the propensity for many to resist change is a reality we must acknowledge and address. Yet while resistance to change is common it is certainly not universal – people do not always resist change. For some, change is to be welcomed as it represents possible opportunity yet for others it is a threat that represents potential loss. If, as Robert Warren urges, ‘we can understand what those differences are, then we can facilitate, rather than frustrate, the changes we are seeking to implement’ (Being Human, Being Church: Spirituality and Mission
in the local church Warren, 1995:197).

The redemption of pleasure as a missional task

What if one day we all stand before God and he judges us for all the possible pleasures he gave us to enjoy, but we failed to enjoy?

Where did today go?

As Robert Burns once wrote…

‘The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft a gley,
An’ lea’e us naught but grief an’ pain,
For promised joy!’

Today I had plans, but they’ve gone well and truly ‘a-gley’!! My plans have gone so far out of the window they’re not aware there ever was a window! Still, I guess that’s the way it goes sometimes.

I’m not sure about the ‘grief an’ pain’ that Burns writes of but I’ve met some interesting people and had some great conversations.

Geoff came to check our fire extinguishes – nothing remarkable in that perhaps, but Geoff was a really nice, down-to-earth guy and it was good to talk. We spoke about work, our wives, his boys, my son, his parents, football, fostering, autism and a whole host of other things. We talked about the things of life; two men who didn’t know each other. Yet as we shared our stories and talked about our passions, interests and shared experiences there seemed to be a connection, an understanding. However fleeting, I was reminded of the power of stories to enrich our relationships.

Similarly Tariq came round to see if we could work together to support local families from various ethnic minority groupings. As we talked about different potential projects inevitably the conversation drifted and spilled into the things of life again. Again it was two men chatting, two very different men, yet two very similar men. Both men of faith, Tariq’s a Muslim, I’m a Christian. Both men away from ‘home’ Tariq’s from Bangladesh, I’m from Scotland. Both married, both fathers, both of us want the best for our families. Having both moved into Stratford, both of us have a desire to serve the local community, to support the marginalized be they young, old, black, white, Muslim or Christian.

As we sat and talked I was again aware of so much that we shared in common, so much that united us. While undoubtedly different, our similarities were also undeniable.

My plans may have been thwarted and I’ll no doubt ‘pay’ for it tomorrow, but I’m glad I met Geoff and I’m glad I spent time with Tariq. I’ve learnt a lot. Increasingly I’m learning that when I’m not looking for things, not expecting people, things and people come my way.

‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, bit it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.’ PROVERBS 19:21

Thank goodness for that!

Who ate all the pies?!

The little porker continues to put it on.

He's now up to 10lbs 8oz.

‘We’ve measured goodness by who we exclude’

So remarks one of the characters in Joanne Harris’ book Chocolat. While the story provides many prophetic parallels for the Church and it’s interaction with wider society this comment seemed particularly incisive, because we (the Church) are always doing it.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, living together outside marriage, differing theological views are but a few of the 'issues' that can determine whether or not prospective members are accepted or rejected. Yet in the fog of our ‘suitability criteria’ we all too often lose sight of the One who we are really ‘joining’.

Instead of developing, maintaining and enforcing exclusive and prohibitive patterns of behaviour perhaps we (the church) should concern ourselves with fostering increasing closeness to Jesus in the lives of all we meet. We should have more confidence in the Holy Spirit to transform lives. We should take a leaf out of Jesus’ book and feel free to ‘hang’ with the wrong sort of people, however it looks.

Rather than judging and excluding perhaps we would better serve the King (and I’m not talking Elvis!) by being warm, non-judgmental and compassionate, offering grace and peace to our communities. Taking our lead from Matthew’s party for Jesus (Mark 2:15) it is certainly our hope that as we engage with the people of Stratford we will celebrate and demonstrate life in all its fullness: good food, loud laughter, love, romance, storytelling, and imagination. And we’re not choosy – we’ll take anyone!

Profitable partnerships?

Only time will tell, but we've just heard that Early Start have agreed to 'partner' us in serving and supporting local young families. God is good!

27!

Since one of the fastest growing sections of our Borough is the Albanian community I was interested to learn recently that the Albanian language boasts 27 different words for moustache (and a similar number for eyebrow?).

I wonder how many words they have for ‘why’!

3 is the magic number!

For lots of reasons, as we look to get involved in our local community we're keen to do so in partnership with others. We don't want to duplicate what is already happening; we don't want to repeat previous mistakes; and we don't want to impose. Along with Hirsch & Frost we also believe that partnerships have the potential to 'demonstrate that Jesus is pleased with the good works of not-yet-Christians and [can also] provide a forum for the development of significant friendships'.

So to this end we're talking to people. To anyone and everyone. And we're asking three questions:

1. what are you concerned about?
2. what are the causes of those concerns?
3. what can we do together to help?

The answers we're getting are many and varied and we're already appreciating that partnerships will not be without challenges, but we remain convinced that as we strive to serve our community and help people connect with the God who is seeking them, partnerships will prove profitable.

'I have the power!'

So said ‘HeMan the Master of the Universe’ during his battles with his evil nemesis Skeletor! Such delusion!

As we were reminded at Swanwick the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God means that true power, true strength comes through weakness. Genuine power comes from the Holy Spirit and as Jacques Ellul carefully points out, ‘the holy Spirit will give true power and efficacy only to means which are in exact agreement with the actual content of the gospel.’

Similarly Charles Ringma writes that ‘the exercise of true power never exploits. It only empowers others.’ So in a way those who have ‘true power’ are those who give it away.

I’m sure Skeletor will be pleased to hear that.

A weak and foolish message?

Along with some quality time with friends the highlights of the few days we spent at Councils were some provocative images and some challenging poetry. Here's a taster...

On a stark hill, notorious,
It stood; a symbol, glorious –
The shape of love’ a rugged rood,
A monstrous symmetry of wood.
The cross, imposed by human sin,
And God’s resultant suffering.
It is a cross I’m called to bear –
Your broken heart of love to share.

Each droplet, slow, meandering,
Forced from frail flesh, by hammering…
The shade of love – a crimson stain,
A hue of suffering and pain.
The blood, source of all life, the price
Of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice.
As on that sacrifice I lean,
Your bleeding heart of love makes clean.

The dusty feet, the pride of soul,
The gentle Master takes the bowl
The act of love – the servant’s place;
The kneeling posture; towel; grace.
That act of love inspires me
To serve with His humility.
Lord of the cross, the blood, the bowl
Your likeness is my highest goal!

(Clive, August 1993)

Annoyed, but encouraged and chuffed!

I’m annoyed because friends of mine have been hurt. Hurt for daring to question. Hurt by ill-advised words themselves uttered out of hurt.

I’m annoyed because they’ve been hurt simply for being unhappy with the status quo of a haemorrhaging church.

I’m annoyed because it shouldn’t have happened.

But I’m encouraged because they’re making people uncomfortable.

I’m encouraged because they’re cultivating a sense of holy dissatisfaction and provoking a basic discontent with what is, while awakening a desire to move toward what could be.

I’m encouraged because however costly, prophetic voices are worth listening to. Like prophets down the years the path they tread is often lonely and painful as their message is unpalatable to many.

I’m encouraged because behind every question (however provocative or ‘unpolished’) lies a quest, and that quest, is ultimately about the Kingdom.

I’m encouraged because as Einstein said ‘the kind of thinking that will solve the world’s problems will be of a different order to the kind of thinking that created them in the first place’ and increasingly there are those who dare to think differently.

I’m encouraged because there are a growing number of post-Christendom revolutionaries who recognise that ‘churches wanting to break free from the quagmire of their dysfunctional systems and climb out of their downward death spiral must learn to feel, think, and act differently than they do now.’

So I’m annoyed by their pain, but I’m encouraged and chuffed that I’ve got friends who are brave enough, daring enough and who care enough to break free from the ‘quagmire’ and question subversively.

My, hasn't he grown!

baby n. tiny person;
nocturnal mammal;
esp. prone to dribbling;
destined for greatness.

All true, but Joshua James isn't so tiny. Up from 7lbs 4oz at birth he weighed in today at 9lbs.