Monday, June 30, 2008

What's next?

Read this on Perry Noble's blog this morning:

I believe that the most effective ways of doing church haven’t even been discovered yet…quite possibly because those that God is going to use to introduce them aren’t even in the Kingdom yet. (read the rest of the post here)

This has totally messed me up this morning.

Years ago I heard a quote that said "The Radicals of today become the diehards of tomorrow". I suppose I have always viewed myself as a bit of a radical. I like to be different. I like to try new things. I don't easily accept the status quo.

Growing up I had some serious problems with my church environment. It had become stayed, introverted and at the time in my opinion old fashioned and irrelevant. It frustrated me then and does no when people speak about how it used to be.

I want to learn lessons from the past and I do not want to become diehard frustrating the vision and passion of the new young radicals. Boxing the church into the way I see church is too small a vision for the mission of the greatest radical of all - Jesus.

By the way I refuse to become a diehard its too boring!

Simply Jesus Summer

Over the next 2 summer months, well we hope they will be summer like, as a church we will be looking at the story of Jesus - Simply Jesus.

During this time we are asking everybody at MKCC to read through the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. To get through the 4 books in 2 months we will basically read 2 chapters one day and 1 chapter the next.

Each day I will post a devotion or thought on what we have read. Starting tomorrow follow along and let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment. Come on join in don't be shy. We can all learn from each other.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday with Steven Furtick

We brought our One Prayer series to an end this week with a prayer Make us Audacious - by Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church.

  • 1 Samuel 14
  • In Ch 13 Jonathan was a failure but now it was a new day, he is a hero.
  • God had to get me before time had a chance to talk me out of my dreams.
  • During wartime the leaders of Israel were meeting under a tree singing cum ba yah!
  • I can't figure out why there are churches having knock down drag out world war 16 fights about the colour of the carpet. When the people in our cities are going to hell.
  • I don't know what causes the church to be more focused on the spaghetti supper for the senior adults than to be focused on the gospel and reaching the next generation for Christ.
  • Jonathan couldn't get anybody to join him on his suicide mission apart from one poor bodyguard.
  • Bozez and Seneh means Slippery and thorny and in order to get to where God wants us to be it will require navigation through slippery and thorny places.
  • Jonathan's motivational speech - PERHAPS the Lord will help us.
  • God has made us guarantees in His Word but there is still a perhaps.
  • There has to come a moment in time when God's promise is bigger than my perhaps.
  • God's sovereignty enables my audacity.
  • Armour Bearer response - "Do all that you have in mind I am with you heart and Soul"
  • God doesn't need babies in the high chair in the church he need people who will follow his mission heart and soul.
We also started the service today with a great video by Granger Community Church. I am not sure we did it justice at the time so here is is again.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Invested in wrong things

This morning, as we often do, we headed to our local cafe for breakfast. A little Saturday morning treat. Tea, toast and a quick read of the paper is a nice way to start the day.

I suspect Saturday morning is one of their busiest mornings for breakfast. When we arrived just after 9 am it was clear that they were short staffed with only 2 people taking orders, doing the cook, serving and clearing tables. And they were showing signs of stress. As we were in no hurry we made our order, got a newspaper and took a seat.

As we sat their the lady taking order got to the point where she started turning away customers and suggested they go to the bakery down the road. After an hour or so the owner finally turned up. Someone to lend a hand. He did but then he looked in the cash till to notice that their were no £2 coins left. He knew there were lots their yesterday and what had happened to them. Clearly there was lots of other change in the till but he became fixated as to what had happened to the £2 coins.

It was still busy and the 2 workers were doing their best to catch up but the £2 coins were his focus. He missed the fact that he had been loosing customers, he missed the fact that his 2 workers had been slogging their guts out he had focused on something that was not going to make the slightest difference good or bad to his difference.

What are you focused on in your life that really does not matter?
What have you been consumed with in your church that does not really make a difference in the kingdom?
Are we turning people away from God because we are so busy arguing about internal church ways of doing things that do not matter to God?

Steven Furtick

Tomorrow we come to the end of the One Prayer series. We end with Lord make us Audacious by Pastor Steven Furtick.

Out of the 3 messages we have chosen he is probably the one I have heard the least. I first heard about Pastor Furtick through reading his blog. He is a young guy with a huge vision to impact his city, Charlotte SC, for Jesus. You can read more about him here.

Mark and I had the privilege of visiting Elevation Church earlier this year. What we saw blew our minds. The are a portable church meeting in 2 high schools a few miles apart. Each Sunday they literally transform the high schools in incredible church environments. They do far more in their portable environment than most churches do in their permanent buildings.

Their mass team of volunteers start transforming the place before 6 am each week. One couple I met came in each week to clean and transform the toilets and boy did they change them. They washed every inch of each toilet block and tissues, soap, hand cream etc etc. You just would not have believed it was a school. They understood that they were contributing to the overall vision of the church and they got up early each week to clean toilets.

Its no wonder that God can easily bless them with continued growth the volunteers of Elevation were incredible servants. Don't miss church tomorrow I am sure Pastor Steven will share a word from God for us!

Friday, June 27, 2008

The Lack of Heart

Yesterday Liam woke up felling a little ill. He mentioned to us a few times that he was feeling sick and walked around trying to look even more ill. Maybe we are bad parents but we take the attitude unless your arm is falling off you are going to school. So off he went reluctantly. But you could tell in his body language that he really did not want to go. Last night he still was not feeling 100%.

This morning when I woke him up I suggested that if he still felt ill it might be better that he stay off and we visit the Doctors. However he had made a complete recovery and wild horses would have not kept from school today. Why? He has a special outing to the RAF and is getting to try things like a flight simulator. It would have probably taken his arm falling off to keep him from school today.

Our passions change our attitude and dictate what we do in life.

Read this quote by Andrew Murray:

"As we seek to find out why, with such millions of Christians, the real army of God that is fighting the hosts of darkness is so small, the only answer is -- the lack of heart. The enthusiasm of the kingdom is missing. And that is because there is so little enthusiasm for the King."

Thursday, June 26, 2008

One Enemy

Most of you reading this will know we are presently in a teaching series at MKCC - One Prayer. Churches from all over the world are joining together for a month and to listen to Pastors One Prayer for the church and pray together. Pastor Craig Groeschel preached for us a couple of weeks ago: Lord Make us One.

It has really caused me to think how we can partner with the church down the street to see Jesus mission accomplished.

Graig
reminded us that we have One Enemy - the devil. I was reminded this again when reading this quote by C S Lewis on Shane's Blog. Taken from Lewis's book the Screwtape Letters:

Screwtape (lead demon talking to Wormword, demon in training) expands on developing church participation for evil ends:

“Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that ’suits’ him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.
The reasons are obvious. In the first place the parochial organization (the local church) should always be attacked, because, being a unity of place and not of likings, it brings people of different classes and psychology together in the kind of unity the Enemy (God) desires. In the second place, the search for a ’suitable’ church makes the man a critic where the Enemy (God) wants him to be a pupil.”

We must make it harder than we do for our enemy to keep us devided over stupid things. We must ask ourselves if this is about our likes or God's kingdom.

God with skin on

Here is a short interview with Andrew Shearman a good friend of MKCC. We are looking forward to welcoming to our church in September for our Mission weekend.


Andrew Shearman 4 from Seth Simonson on Vimeo.

The Chest of God

Following on from my post yesterday about people watching us, I read 1 Samuel 5 today. It tells us about a time when Israel's enemies the Philistines captured the Ark of God and took it home. To Israel the Ark was the symbol of God's presence with them and too loose the ark was devastating.

But it also signaled bad news for the Philistines, their idol God was broken and the people became ill. The Ark was then passed from city to city with consequences for the people. It got to the point where no one wanted their trophy of victory - The Ark of God.

1 Samuel 5 v 11 For everyone was scared to death when the Chest of God showed up.

Not a very nice story! God no longer lives in a box as if he ever did. The Ark is no longer the expression of His presence to people that need Him. The Bible says we (Christians) are the temple of the living God. (2 Cor 6 v 16) We now carry the presence of God with us everywhere we go.

That is an awesome challenge to us everyday as we live our life out with God 24/7 and it can be an incredible blessing to those we meet because we bring the presence of God with us.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Everybodys Watching

This post by Perry Noble," my life is not my own" hit home with me today. Why? Because I blew it big time a week or so ago.

I was not feeling well, feeling sorry for myself and went down town to get something to eat. In the store something happened and I felt customer service was somewhat lacking. Well it was! but I decided to tell the person in quite an unkind way and stormed out of the shop.

As soon as I stepped out of the shop God was on my case. I argued with Him for a while, it was not my fault, the person deserved it, I was feeling ill. Ever had one of those discussions with God. You just know eventually you are going to loose. Finally I swallowed my pride and went back to apologise but really it was too late the damage had been done.

If the person knew I was a Christian let alone a church leader then my actions would have set her against any message I had.

Perry said: EVERY word I speak and action I take communicates to everyone I meet how I really feel about Jesus.

My mum used to tell me remember God is watching you. In actual fact when you know Jesus everyone is watching you. I am in trouble!

Doing right things

I read this quote yesterday on Perry's blog by Apostle Ron Carpenter.

Having to be inspired to do what is right is the lowest form of maturity!


It stuck with me all day. (there were some other great sayings by Apostle Carpenter check them out here) We really don't like being called immature. Its a real insult.

It made me think about my vocation in life as a church leader. Much of the time my role is to inspire people to do what is right. This can be so rewarding when you impact someone who is new to the faith. Everything is new, they soak things in, make changes and start doing right things. That gives me a buzz.

What is more difficult is people who have been around the block a few times, know Jesus, know what they need to do but don't do it.

We all need a kick up the behind from time to time, me included, but sometimes we expose our immaturity when we have to be inspired continually to do the right things. Hebrews 5 v 12 - 13

Here are some right things I should just be doing without inspiration because I should have that maturity:

  • Reading God's word daily
  • Talking to him continually
  • Telling other about Him
  • Loving my wife
  • Caring and inspiring my kids
What right things should you just be doing?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Sleeping in the presence of God

Got to 1 Samuel 3 today in my readings.

The account of Eli and Samuel does not have a very positive beginning. God's prophetic word was an endangered spices. It would seem that Eli the chief priest was tired and maybe even disillusioned. It would seem that he had accepted things as they were with no real belief that things would change. His spiritual insight was starting to match his physical sight - becoming dim. He had fallen asleep in his usual comfortable place.

Contrast this with Samuel who was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. This speaks to me of anticipation for God to speak. The circumstances were still the same but Eli had given up hope of hearing God whilst Samuel still expected it and was going to put himself in the best place possible ready to here it. He may have been lying down to rest but he was not going to leave the symbol of God's presence the Ark.

Thankfully later in the story Eli recognized, eventually, that God was speaking to his understudy Samuel. I think Eli has to be congratulated because he could have got bitter and twisted about this situation. When God finally did speak he bypassed him and spoke to his servant. But Eli encouraged Samuel and gave him some instruction.

I don't think this story is about age, because God can and has used people younger and older its about heart and readiness to hear the voice of God. If you place yourself in the right place next to the presence of God he can speak to you in the bleakest of situations.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Simply Jesus


I started work on some graphic pieces and the like for our teaching series starting in July - Simply Jesus.

About 100 films have been made about Jesus. Most recently Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and The Da Vinci Code. It seems that Jesus is still big news. He has even appeared on TV series like The Simpsons and South Park.

We want to look again at what the Bible has to simply say about Jesus. Read more about the series here.

During the months of July & August we will be asking you to read through the first 4 books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke & John detailing the life of Jesus. I will be posting a devotion each day based on the life of Jesus. Come back then.

Perry Noble

Many of you have told me how much you enjoyed Perry Noble this past weekend (despite his fast talking funny accent). If you want to hear more you can:

Read his blog here.

Watch services on line here.

and subscribe to NewSpring sermon podcast here.

Simple Church

The idea was simple enough. Jesus came and started a movement - His flock, His family, His building, His Bride - His Church. This group of people were to put Him first in their lives, do life together and tell other people about Him. Simple?

I've been around church all of my life. Been involved in it in many different ways. An impressionable kid, a questioning teenager, a doubting adolescent, a committed believer and unsure but passionate leader. One thing I have come to know through all my experience is that church can be anything but simple.

Reading a book called Simple Church I find my heart longing for the revolution it suggests has begun. We seem to be great at doing what the religious leaders of the day did. "The rabbis put yokes of teaching on the people that was impossible and legalistic. The yokes pushed people away from the grace of God instead of towards it." In fact my experience in church life is that we all, leaders or not, seem to like putting unnecessary yokes of teaching and expectations on each other.

Lets get back to simple (Matt 11 v 28 - 30) and drop our long list of rules, regulations, pet beliefs. Ultimately Jesus was offering grace to mankind. A simple relationship with God.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Danger Man

We welcomed Perry Noble to church this morning, via video, as part of our one prayer series. We had a great time. Although for our British ears his Southern accent was a little difficult he communicated a great message.

Here are some Perryisms from today. Some funny some serious:

  • Walk with Jesus, Listen to Jesus and Believe in Jesus.
  • The church have left the house without Jesus
  • I am old school preacher. I read a little bit of scripture and yell a little bit.
  • The leaper couldn't go to the party because his finger kept falling off in the salsa.
  • Some people need to get out of the frustration line lift their head up and see Jesus coming towards them.
  • Jesus knows exactly where you are if he went to a insignificant place like Nani don't tell me doesn't know exactly where you are.
  • The church is only as dangerous as the people who walk in its door.
  • I will smack you in the name of Jesus if you touch my fries!
  • I love big biscuits and I can not lie.
  • We think the words of Jesus are ridiculous because we don't realise who he is.
  • Jesus isn't scared of who you were because he knows what you can become.
  • There isn't a person in this world who Jesus isn't willing to touch.
  • I believe we will become dangerous Christians when we hear our saviours voice command us to do the impossible and we are filled with the faith to do it and instead of giving him a list of reasons why it can not be done.
  • I believe Jesus is still in the miracle business.
  • God's word for the church is: Hold on to your fork!
  • Praise God for the past but we should be walking around saying if thats what he can do what else can he do.
  • If you are still alive God's still got a plan for you.
One of the high points for me today was when Mark prayed for God to move in the other churches in of Milton Keynes. We are all on the same team and we need to look to help each other a little more. Its easy to partner with a church half way around the world but is something else to partner with the church down the street but that's what this series is all about.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Perry Noble

Tomorrow at MKCC we continue the One Prayer series. We will welcome Perry Noble from NewSpring Church in South Carolina to our services.

I first came across Perry a couple of years ago through a web search and started reading his blog. Mixed in with messages for his church were his insights to his life as a pastor and his journey with NewSpring Church.

The story of NewSpring Church is remarkable starting with a handful of people around 9 years ago and has now grown to around 8000 with plans to influence their state for Jesus. Read more here.

I suppose if I had one word to sum up Perry it would be his one prayer - dangerous! Dangerous because he is willing to say the difficult things. Dangerous because he is willing to take huge risks. Dangerous because he is willing to share his weaknesses and struggles openly.

I am looking forward to hear what he has to say to us tomorrow. Make sure you do not miss it!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

One Prayer Survey

After our first experience of Video teaching at MKCC we felt it would be great to get some feedback about what people in the church thought about it. Here are the summarised results of the Survey.

Rate the content of Craig's Sermon - Poor 1% - Average 9% - Good 39% -
51% Excellent.

Rate the different aspects of Craig's talk

Street Interviews - Did not like 0% - OK 41% - Really added to the
message 59%
Satan Interview - Did not like 10% - OK 42% - Really added to the
message 48%
3 Points , enemy, heart, purpose - Did not like 0% - OK 16% - Really
helped me understand and remember 84%

How did watching a video compare with a live teacher?
Hated video teaching - 4%
Liked Video but prefer live teacher - 64%
No difference - 29%
Prefer video - 3%

What difference did an american accent make to you?
No difference 77%
Added to my enjoyment 13% (We have some americans in the house!)
Found it off putting 10%

Have you visited the one prayer site?
Yes 52%
No 48%

Although it certainly is not our intention to use this regularly it is interesting to note that by a vast majority our church enjoyed the experience. Don't miss this next week when we will welcome Perry Noble by video. His prayer is Lord Make Us Dangerous.

If you are looking for a quick and eazy way to do surveys over the internet try Zoomerang for free. You can ask up to 30 questions and get 100 responses for no cost.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Forgiveness

As part of the One Prayer series for my daily devotions I have been following the daily posts on the One Prayer site by various Pastors.

If you have not already read it Pastor Steven Furtick posted a great devotion yesterday based on Mark 11 v 24 -25.

You know when you read things a 1000 times and don't connect the dots then suddenly God shouts at you from the page. Well I had that experience yesterday.

I have heard v 24 quoted time and time again. Pray for anything and you can have it. But generally people stop at that point and never go on to what Jesus said in the next breath in v25. And when you are praying that prayer think about what is in your heart because that's important.

God can do anything you ask except forgive someone on your behalf. He has left that job up to you.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Video works

Settling down to watch the US Open Golf to find out if Tigers knee will hold out. Reflecting on a great day at church.

We started our one prayer series last week with Mark sharing his one prayer for the church - Lord Make us Fruitful. This week was a very different week as we went with a video preacher for the first time.

To be honest I was quite nervous about the whole thing. At MKCC technical stuff isn't always our strongest point. We had real problems last week with the audio feed from our video unit. So when everything is going through that system I was concerned even though we had a couple of back up systems in place.

Then how would the church respond to a video preacher, with an American accent? When Craig's preach on Lord make us one was as brilliant as it was challenging. There is much homework for us to do in bringing Jesus prayer for unity in believers to come to pass.

The picture of God looking in the rear view mirror at us His kids saying, don't make me come back, there has stayed with me the whole day.

Let me know what you thought of the video teaching today by leaving a comment. And go to One Prayer and join the conversation. There is a great daily devotion today by Gary Lamb of Revolution.tv

Grace at work

Came across this video sort of 3rd or 4th hand. Saw it on Roger's blog who in turn saw it on Tony's. The story goes on.

Its not the first time I have seen this done in church but I never tire of seeing this type of thing. God's grace at work in people lives, giving them hope through despair and a purpose in place of apathy.

Add that to the fact that they are using one of my favourite songs: How he loves, its a brilliant video.

Take 8 minutes out of your life and have a handkerchief nearby.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

One Prayer - Kidz Church

Tomorrow we continue the One Prayer series. For the first time at MKCC we will be using video for our Sunday teaching for the first time. It will be interesting to see how it comes across. One thing I do know however is that we have picked a great communicator in Craig Groeschel on a great subject - Lord make us One. Make sure you get to church tomorrow. Then came back here and let me know what you thought.

Our Kidz Church will be using video as well that Nicola and the team produced - Take a hike. Take a look at last weeks here and below is a sneak preview of tomorrows video - When should we pray?


Take a Hike - When should I pray? from Billy Ritchie on Vimeo.

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Stand

Just because it is brilliant!



Lee McDerment.

1%

This last weekend while I was at Frenzy I took the opportunity to attend a pre festival get together of some leaders where the frenzy organisers shared their vision with the crowd.

God really spoke to me through a little thing that Jimmy Dowds, Pastor of the vine church in Dunfermline said at the end.

He talked about relaxing and being content with what God had given us. Thanking God for what he had given us and leaving the rest with Him.

I fully believe that we need to work hard for things and go for the best we can but sometimes this can rob us of enjoying what we have have. It brought me back to a conversation I had with my mum when I was about 15. I ran home to tell her that I had just scored 99% in my maths exam. Her response, Its a pity about the 1%!

Listening to Jimmy it was like God was telling me that I was sometimes focusing on the 1% too much. For the recent Ultimate Event we were looking for around 8000 to attend that was what in raw number terms would have represented success. We did around 9400. But I still came away feeling a little down because we had not reached 10,000.

This quote from Charles Haddon Spurgeon sums it up:

"You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled."

What have you missed out thanking God for today because you are too focused on the 1% that you do not have?

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Deadliest Catch

Maybe its because my roots are in the fishing industry, I don't know, but I am really enjoying the Discovery Channel programme: The Deadliest Catch.

The film makers follow the quest of 8 crab boats as they struggle against the treacherous sea and weather conditions in the Alaskan waters of the Bering Sea. They are out to catch the opilio crab hiding at the bottom of the icy sea with 800lb cages.

The fishing season is only weeks long as the crew engage in one of the deadliest — and most lucrative — jobs in the world.

Jesus called his disciples to be "fishers of men". These guys are willing to risk everything to catch Alaskan Crab. Why? Money. Money motivates them to get out of bed, leave home, work in crazy weather and risk injury and death.

Crab fishing may be one of the most dangerous and lucrative jobs in the world but sharing the gospel is the most dangerous and lucrative jobs in eternity.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

One Prayer - Life Groups

During the month of June and the One Prayer series our Life Groups will be exploring deeper some of the prayers of pastors for the church today. Make sure you do not miss your group this month and if you do not already attend a group its not too late. Find one here.

Take a look at a preview of Lord wake us up small group teaching material:

Disturbance

I have recently read Chazown - a different way to see your life by Craig Groeschel. I have read it but I have not finished with it. Its not the sort of book that you just read its a major project. It is challenging and practical. It really is a must read and I will be working through it for some time to come.

One passage that challenged me to the core was a prayer Craig quoted from Sir Francis Drake:

"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us Lord!"

Will we dare pray this too our Lord today or does comfort call to us too loudly.

One Prayer - Make us Fruitful


This last Sunday we kicked off our new series One Prayer. We are joining over 1300 churches from around the world in a 4 week series where Pastors are revealing to their church - if they had one prayer to make for the church at this time what would it be.

Last Sunday Mark shared his one prayer for the church - Lord make us Fruitful.

Over the next few weeks we will be hearing other pastors one prayer:

Lord make us dangerous - Perry Noble
Lord make us Audacious - Steven Furtick

and this week, Lord make us one by Pastor Craig from Lifechurch.tv. Do not miss it. Do whatever you have to do to be at church this Sunday.

If you are from MKCC you may be visiting here for daily devotions throughout one prayer. We made a change of plan. Each day a different pastor will share a devotion at one prayer. Make sure you visit the one prayer site and join the conversation.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Frenzy


Up early today and heading up to Scotland for Frenzy.

They guys up there do a great job putting on a brilliant festival of the best of Christian music and they are passionate to see people introduced to Jesus.

Great line up: Y friday, Leeland, Phil Wickham, Rebecca St James, David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin & Delirious?

Looking forward to a good day.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

14 Days of Fatherhood

This stopped me in my tracks today. After reading it I had to close my office door and spend some time with my heavenly father. I am not sure if I would have the courage and grace to live the same way. Maybe just pray for Chris and Denise today. Read here.

Is Pastor Driscoll about to have a heart attack

Just in case you though my previous post was a little unfair here is a real rant! Calm down Mark I love reading your books and listening to your podcasts so don't want you to have a seizure.

Church Ghetto


Firstly let me say that this post is not meant to offend people just my take on things. You know now I am going to have a rant about something.

I really feel that God has been speaking to our church and more importantly me about being more Missional. If you are part of a church you are probably all ready quite busy with your commitments. These will likely include:

Sunday services, LifeGroups, your ministry commitment(s).

We can very often do a great job in keeping ourselves and each other very busy. We introduce ladies ministries, men's ministries, couples ministries, singles ministries, walking groups, football groups on top and pretty soon the only people we spend any time with outside work is other Christians. (and for me its even more difficult as a pastor I spend all my day working with Christians. - well I think they are! lol) We exist in our Christian Ghetto when a world is going to hell.

So today I get an e mail asking me to tell the church about a Inter Church Quiz League similar to a Pub Quiz. Unfortunately this goes against what I feel God is challenging me and us as a church at present. If you are a Christian reading this and you love Quizzes then go visit your local pub and get involved. Take some friends with you who also like a Quiz and be Jesus there.

To reach the world we need to know people that need to know Jesus. What are you doing that keeps you in a Christian Ghetto and what can you do to get out?

Monday, June 02, 2008

Eikons of God


Reading Scot McKnight's book Embracing Grace was a great surprise on my holidays. As you can tell from the title of my blog Philip Yancey's book by the same name had a profound effect on my life. I have read many books that have been written since on the subject of grace but so many have disappointed me. So I took Embracing Grace with me half expecting to start reading it only to move on to something else very quickly. But to my surprise it captivated me.

Scot based much of the book on the Genesis verse where God says "let us make man in our [Gods] image, according to our likeness."

He explains that the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for image is Eikon. Being a computer geek I am well used to icons on my screens. When you click on an icon it takes you somewhere else. Icons lead us into something else. Adam and eve were created to lead people to something else God. Humans were created as Eikons of God to reflect the Glory of God.

The only problem was that very soon they and we became cracked Eikons which do not do a great job in reflecting His glory. That is where the Gospel comes in. Scot McKnight defines the Gospel as this:

"The gospel is the work of the triune, interpersonal God to restore Eikons to God and others into that Divine communion. and to unleash it into the rest of the world."

It strikes me that sometime we proclaim to narrow a gospel. Yes fit is about forgiveness of my sin and a destination safe in heaven for me, but it is also my reconciliation with others in His kingdom to proclaim and perform the good news to the whole world.

The word Missional now seems to be taking on all sorts of connotations which I do not want to explore but reading Embracing Grace has challenged me again in my own life about how missional I am in my life and to whom am I unleashing the glory of God.

Refreshed

Someone said a week was a long time in politics but it certainly is not a long time in the land of holidays. A week passed in a flash. Had a great time. Did next to nothing apart from sit near a pool, read books, listen to podcasts, drink cafe au lait and sample some local Vin Rouge.

I will probably post more about the books I read here soon but my reading and listening included.

Embracing Grace - Scot McKnight
Radical Reformission - Mark Driscoll
Chazown - Graig Groeschel

Podcasts

Doctrine what Christians should believe - Mars Hill Church
Various from Newspring Church

Decided that I made a good choice of books. Well worth the read get them at Amazon or if you attend MKCC you may be able to borrow them from me on the basis that you do the Christian thing and return them.

Going to pick up my dad today and transport him between to airports on his way to holiday in Catollica, Italy.