Moving on...

After 82 posts and about 3 years of blogging I am moving on.

I have been courted, attracted and now converted by tumblr.

From now on my rambles will be at hopefaithandlove (which is quite a cool name).

I will still ramble, and I may still not make sense, but there you go.

Now you can follow my RSS feed...

How did Jesus...?

Spread his word?

The term that we have come to know as 'evangelise'. My definition of evangelise is to spread the good news, 'share the gospel', tell people about Jesus, bring people to Christ.

Jesus lived these things.

The bible doesn't necessarily just share about Jesus' sermons (we have lots of those), it doesn't stop at what Jesus said to people, but it shows that every single thing he did was part of his 'Evangelism'. It shows him going to individuals and caring not preaching.

Have we got stuff to learn from Jesus' example?

Surely not.

Presbos

On my most recent trip to Northern Ireland I was privileged enough to go to an evening of presbyterian event called 'New Horizon'. It was great. Worshipping with a few thousand christians from N. Ireland and hearing a sweet message with some quality sound bites (like "you serve the Lord in your way, I'll serve him in his" when talking about differing church theology... funny!).

I am not sure I can really remember what the message said ... but ... I think it had a bit of an impact on me. Stephen Gaukroger was talking about a lot of things, but what I remember was a message about getting over differences in different churches or denominations and coming together to work on what Jesus asked us to - making disciples, healing sick, serving poor...

I was excited and challenged by his message - I wrote this is my phone "Shouldn't church on a Sunday morning be low down on the list of priorities? After looking out. Reaching out. Being Community?" and "Lets move on from the issues of differing doctrine in theology to maturity in the love and hope in Christ. Taking his message and call seriously. To love neighbour. Serve poor."

Melissa and I then talked about what this meant. What we wanted church to be like.

I love the idea of church at the centre of community, a place where people can come, where anyone can come (of different background, personality, sexuality, status), and feel safe. Where alcoholics turn to prayer, where children get off the streets and learn, where single mums get support, where peace is found, where friendship is formed, where business is started, where songs, poetry, art, talents are developed, where homeless can live (?), and where Jesus is made known, glorified and worshipped.

This is not a place or a group of people whose sole purpose is a sunday morning, to hear God's word and worship him, but the beating heart of people's lives.

The phrase no longer could be or should be "I go to church" but "I am church" or "I live church".

A place where a businessman can rest with a former homeless recovering alcoholic. A place where a young person (a hoodie if you like) can play cops and robbers with a 6 year old. A place where a pregnant teenager can get realistic, helpful support and family.

A church that doesn't need to attract the local community to it.

Because it is the local community.

Shamelessly graceful, accepting and peaceful.

Jesus-ful.

Red Moon Rising - Yes.

I have just finished reading Red Moon Rising, the book by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts. A book about the adventure that was and is 24-7 prayer. Such a challenging, rewarding and exciting book that I could barely put down.

24-7 prayer is pretty simple; groups of people congregating for one purpose - to spend time with God in prayer. The book walks through how that came to be; showing the amazing coincidences that helped make it happen and painting a picture of God's hand at work.

This movement, 24-7 prayer, has become more than just a holy prayer huddle, it never was that, but it has begun to effect community, sparking life wherever people pray. It makes the verse "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" come to life with truth. Groups of people, large or small, giving up sleep and mediocre lives in pursuit of God through the humbling of themselves and through patience and persistence of prayer. And through this they find an exciting example of God's grace. I love it.

Some of these groups of people have become something new and fresh, where they can no longer just meet together on a sunday to meet with God but their lives become reliant on God, prayer and each other.

I remember Shane Claibourne saying something about mega churches, about how often churches get bigger and bigger, taking over large buildings to get as many people as possible through the door, when in fact he thinks that God works in the little things that infiltrate every part of society, little groups of people meeting with God and that in fact, this is where God brings life and revival (or something like that). I think 24-7 prayer is like this.

The model of 24-7 boiler rooms is brilliant. These are places (tagged "third-millenium monasteries") that are open for creativity and prayer 24-7. Where people come together and meet God, where community is formed and lives changed.

"The boiler room was as much about mission and serving others as non-stop prayer. One couldn't be separated from the other"

"We find ourselves dreaming about some kind of crazy network... around the world, praying like mad, ministering to the poor, sending out missionaries and producing amazing works of art inspired in places of prayer. We see many plans, many dreams, masses of potential."

I am struggling to put into words what this means to me - isn't this just church? Or how church should be? People living together, praying without ceasing (on shifts), serving the poor and needy, sharing the gospel, starting fires, impacting lives, worshipping Jesus.

I love everything about 24-7 prayer - the diversity, the commitment, the challenge.

I hope I take something from it, when we pray, God moves. When will I learn?

Writing

I would love to write a book. I already have a title. I know what I want to say. I know why I want to do it. I probably even have an idea of how I want it to look.

I just sat down and said to myself 'lets start writing'.

HA.

As if.

How the heck do you start writing?! Where do you find those interesting little stories (you know them you find in books and that)? How do you explain what you are trying to achieve?

Maybe, when I thought I could do this, I didn't really think.

One day.

One day there might be a book on a shelf somewhere called 'Love thy neighbour, as thyself' by an author called T.B.Bray about how we love each other, how we start with God, how we learn to accept (if not love) who we are and how we act in community, in love, in life.

Doesn't it sound good?!

Or am I in a dream world again.......?!

June Project

June Project is a mission week set up by Kings Church Durham that I have had the pleasure of being involved with this last two years. It is fantastic - 100+ students serving God, loving the city, seeing restoration for 5 days in June. A time where I have met new people, made new friends, and become closer to old friends; real fellowship, real family.

My week can be summed up with the phrase 'God loves you' and the idea of people surprised by kindness, surprised by service, for free, surprised by students serving the Lord.

I was on the 'Healing on the Streets' (HOTS) team. This meant we spent a couple of days gardening, painting, litter picking, flyering and talking to people before saturday when we went out to pray. The week leading up to going out.

It was lovely.

To go out and pray on the streets we went through training of the HOTS model; why we pray and how we pray. The model is simple - chairs set out on the street, a big banner that pronounces 'HEALING', a team of churches from around the city, and faith.

We go out and ask if people would like prayer, some people say yes.

The first thing we say to the people on the street (after introductions) is 'God loves you, he cares for you, and wants to know you' - this blows me away. It comes out of the fact that we don't want to see people healed to build up our faith, so we can brag about a miracle, but simply because God loves that individual person, and loves them so much.

So we had the chance to tell a person, face to face, that they are loved - and God's love then gets to work in their life. It is beautiful.

We then pray for their healing; from pain, illness, disease, aches, depression, anxiety, or something they are worried about. Each are rebuked in Jesus name.

On saturday a young man had his back healed, a boy - his foot, a woman brought peace and blessed - feeling God's presence; each of them told that God Loves You. Bring on next saturday.

The rest of the teams had testimony of how God had used them in individuals lives to restore his glory. A man with Alzheimer's disease was cared for, listened to, prayed with and loved. Lonely people across Durham were served and loved, through gardening, free events, listening and caring.

I love to see the face of someone who has seen their garden completely transformed, to hear of an elderly lady talking about her life, to hear students who sing for groups of very elderly people, who begin to join in, and to hear of lives changed and brought into the kingdom, because of our kindness.

I want to carry on being kind, carry on surprising people, carry on loving.

Come on Lord.

Something I love to do

Is to look through the internet at churches around the country, at movements of God, at groups reaching out to communities with God's love and passion.

I love to read about how they started. What their priorities are. What they are doing next.

I love to hope and dream.

Today (procrastinating from revision with Coffee and Bourbons) I have looked at loveyouruni, the bless network, Trent Vineyard, my church Emmanuel and some facebook groups like 'Make Jesus Famous' which lead me to their website and in turn to a love letter from Jesus.

I love it.

It makes me excited.